School won't punish Illini A.D. for outburst

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The University of Illinois will not discipline athletic director Ron Guenther for yelling at men's basketball coach Bruce Weber and Illini players during the team's NCAA tournament loss Friday.

Guenther yelled substitution advice to Weber — who was just a few feet away — and also yelled "Warren — you idiot" after a play by Illini forward Warren Carter, according to a report on CBS Sportsline.com. Guenther also pounded the table throughout Illinois' 54-52 loss to Virginia Tech in Columbus, Ohio.

Richard Herman, chancellor at the Urbana-Champaign campus, said Wednesday that Guenther — in his 15th year as A.D. at Illinois — would not be disciplined. He said Guenther had apologized to Weber and Carter.

The outbursts happened because Guenther is a fan, Herman said.

"If you've been with director Guenther at a game, you know his intensity when he watches a game," Herman said.

But he added, "He's always the athletic director and the remark was inappropriate."

Herman said he'd heard from only two Illinois graduates demanding action against Guenther.

Guenther did not return calls from The Associated Press on Wednesday. In an interview published Sunday in The (Champaign) News-Gazette, Guenther acknowledged his comments and actions.