GAINESVILLE, FL – After four months, The University of Florida recently closed its Title IX investigation into men’s basketball coach Todd Golden. The independent investigators found “no evidence” behind accusations that the coach sexually harassed, stalked or cyber-stalked female students on campus. While the result may have brought relief to the coach and his family, it made me think of Yogi Berra’s famous quip: “It’s not over until it’s over.”  

Aside from denying the charges, Golden has said little throughout this process. He did thank the University for handling the matter professionally when the case was closed. More substantiative comments came from his lawyer, William Shepherd of Holland & Knight, who was quoted as saying he is considering filing a defamation claim at the end of the season. Golden’s team currently ranks fifth in the Associated Press college basketball poll, with a record of 18-2. 

Virtually no evidence has been made public in this case. A well-known Michigan plaintiff attorney representing one of the accusers, a 21-year-old female student on a campus other than Gainesville, reportedly told ESPN “That there was questionable activity that occurred.”  She apparently provided no further detail. It is unclear whether she intends to file a civil claim against the University and/or its coach. 

I have no connections to this case, though my firm represents complainants and respondents all over the country, many on college campuses. The story in the Independent Alligator caught my eye because it highlights reputational problems that are surfacing regularly these days. 

Social media platforms are filled with impostors. Meta, X and LinkedIn are riddled with people claiming to be someone they are not. Meta, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, has a page where people can report spoofing, hacks, and impostors, but I have clients who have filled out the form and never gotten a response, so I suspect it is more about giving frustrated users an action to take than any kind of real solution.  And as the platforms are shedding content standards instead of strengthening them, I don’t see the problem getting any better.   

Unlike many other coaches in positions like his, Golden doesn’t have a big social media presence.  I suspect he has little time to manage a social media profile and a highly ranked Division One basketball program at the same time. Those are two full time jobs. Many athletes have sports agents who handle their social media feeds.

Golden has been cleared by UF, but any simple search will dredge up this case, which may put a real drag on his reputation. If I were Golden, and I were innocent of the accusations, I would take a decidedly non-technical approach to get beyond this: I’d sue.  A court process would get the facts of this case into the public.  Otherwise, these allegations could follow him for a long time to come.