The first wife of Raiders coach Tom Cable and a recent girlfriend claim Cable has a history of violent behavior toward women, and asked that he seek help for his anger, according to published reports Nov. 1.
Sandy Cable and Marie Lutz said in separate interviews on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" that the Oakland coach physically abused them at various times during their relationships.
Cable's attorney, Donald Yee, said in a statement Nov. 1 that ESPN refused to provide details about the story when the network asked for comment. Yee also questioned the network's motives after waiting until Oct. 30 to contact the coach.
The ESPN story aired Nov. 1.
"In our view, ESPN has quite purposefully chosen not to provide a fair and balanced story," Yee said in the statement. "To us, this represents ambush journalism and utterly fails to meet the standards and practices of responsible journalists."
Speaking to reporters Nov. 1 after Oakland's 24-16 road loss to San Diego, Cable said:
"I gave an earlier statement that was released and I want to stand by that. I've already released a statement about that and that's all I'm going to say about that."
ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz on Nov. 1 told The Associated Press that the network stands by its story.
Cable, right, acknowledged striking Sandy Cable with an open hand in a statement released to The Associated Press. He said the altercation happened more than 20 years ago and was the only time he's ever touched a woman inappropriately.
"During my first marriage, I became aware that my wife Sandy had committed adultery," Cable said in the statement. "I became very angry and slapped her with an open hand. What I did was wrong and I have regretted and felt sorrow about that moment ever since."
Lutz told ESPN that she remembers Cable hitting her "three, four times," and said that she visited his house in January and found another woman there. Lutz said she demanded to meet the woman and that Cable grabbed her by the arm and eventually pushed her out the door.
Cable reportedly said that Lutz had come over uninvited, and that he cooperated with an investigation by the Alameda Police Department that cleared him of any wrongdoing.
"I never battered her in any way," Cable said. "It is most unfortunate that ESPN has given Ms. Lutz this forum to revisit this incident when I did nothing wrong and further chose not to provide me with an appropriate opportunity to respond."
On Nov. 2, the Raiders said they will conduct a “serious evaluation” of allegations that Cable has a history of violent behavior toward women, according to a team statement.
The Raiders reportedly issued two statements less than two hours after Cable's weekly press briefing with reporters.
The first statement said: “Over the last few days, we learned of the allegations made against coach Cable, and we are, of course, aware of his response thereto. In conjunction with the league office, we will undertake a serious evaluation of this matter. We wish to be clear that we do not in any way condone or accept actions such as those alleged.
“There have been occasions on which we have dismissed Raider employees for having engaged in inappropriate conduct. For reasons of privacy, we kept the basis for those dismissals confidential. We endured public opprobrium for the dismissals, all the while knowing our basis for them was appropriate.”
The Raiders’ second released statement questioned ESPN’s credibility. ESPN’s Colleen Dominguez, who reported the story, attended Cable’s Nov. 2 news conference and asked him if he has an anger-management issue and is open to counseling.
“Well, I released a statement (Nov. 1) and I’m going to stand by that statement,” Cable told reporters Nov. 2.
When asked about his future Nov. 2, Cable told reporters: “I’m coaching the Raiders and I think my future is to be the coach of the Raiders.”
