DALLAS (WBAP & KLIF News) — A Facebook group that once asked Baylor fans to rally and support former football coach Art Briles is no longer standing behind him.
After last week’s lawsuit alleging 52 rapes by Baylor football players in a four-year span and Briles dropping his lawsuit against the university this week, the creator of the Facebook group once titled “Reinstate Art Briles” has changed its name to “Turns out CAB is a piece of $h1t.”
CAB is an acronym that stands for “Coach Art Briles” and was used commonly by Briles supporters after the university parted ways with him last year.
“He held himself out to all of us who wanted to support him, wanted to believe in the decency of a man who had crafted a legend of honesty and caring,” the group’s creator, who asked for anonymity, said. “He held himself out as somebody he wasn’t.”
The man says he originally created the “Reinstate Art Briles” group in May of 2016 because he, along with many supporters, believed Baylor was making Briles its scapegoat.
But according to the group’s creator, that has changed as more women have come out alleging sexual assault by Baylor football players.
“As more and more people came out and more and more information has come to light, it has become harder and harder for me to stand behind the guy,” he said. “It’s impossible now, and it became impossible months ago. It’s a terrible situation that happened there. I feel awful for everyone involved.”
Briles dropped his lawsuit against the university this week, with his attorney saying Briles wanted peace in his life and to put as much distance between himself and Baylor as he can. According to the longtime Briles Facebook supporter, it came across as a “checkmate moment” and was the last straw in regards to his support.
“I’ll take 0-12 with kids I can be proud of and not have to apologize for where I went to school over 10-win seasons, 11-win seasons and people running roughshod over the campus and doing terrible things,” he said. “And being allowed to get away with it.”
The Facebook group changed its name late Friday morning.
To hear a portion of WBAP’s Scott Sidway’s interview with the Facebook group’s creator, click the media player below.
