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Pierre Pierce responds to Steve Alford’s apology and Pat Harty’s column

UCLA Introduces Steve Alford

WESTWOOD, CA - APRIL 02: Steve Alford addresses the audience at a press conference after being introduced as UCLA’s new head men’s basketball coach on April 2, 2013 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)

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Since Steve Alford accepted the UCLA head coaching job two weeks ago, some of his past has been brought up. Most notably his time at Iowa and the accusations against of his players.

Former Iowa guard Pierre Pierce was accused of sexual assaulting a female student and as a result Alford was criticized for not doing enough in regards to disciplining Pierce. That was brought up during his introductory press conference at UCLA and Alford said he did what he was instructed to do by the university. On Thursday, Alford issued an apology for the way he handled that issue, calling his actions, “inappropriate, insensitive and hurtful.”

“I don’t have an issue with anything he said,” Pierce told Jared S. Hopkins of the Chicago Tribune on Friday.

Pierce, now a father, is back in Chicago after injuring his shoulder while playing in France. He told ChicagoSideSports.com that he congratulated Alford on the UCLA job and that they keep up from time to time.

“I don’t have an issue with anything he had to say,” Pierce said. “He has always been in my corner since he recruited me, so I have nothing -- you will never find me saying anything about coach.”

He also commented on the column from Iowa City Press-Citizen columnist Pat Harty that was posted last Friday. In the column, Harty mentions a moment when his niece, an 18-year-old University of Iowa freshman at the time, claimed Pierce attempted to assault her.

“I wish Pat Harty nothing but the best, but I can’t respond to everyone’s allegations or false allegations,” Pierce told Daniel Libit. “I have moved on from my past. I am not calling it anything. If he wants to say anything about me, he can say it, and do with it what he wants to. At this point, I have moved on from Iowa, the writers, I have moved on from them all -- far from them.”

He does not claim any wrongdoing in the alleged incident.

“It couldn’t be more false,” Pierce added. “If they wanted to press charges, why wait 10 years [until] Coach Alford has a job at UCLA to bring more negativity to it? My focus was about the future and nothing about the past because it has no merit.”

Pierce is rehabbing a shoulder injury, but told the Tribune and ChicagoSideSports.com he has thought about becoming a coach when his playing days are over.

Terrence is also the lead writer at NEHoopNews.com and can be followed on Twitter: @terrence_payne