Former Husky coach Don James was a guest on KJR-AM this morning to promote a fundraising roast in his name tomorrow night in Bellevue.

James touched on a lot of topics, including whether he was bothered that the members of the 1978 Rose Bowl team were not asked to speak to the team before Saturday's game.

"I wasn't offended,'' he said. "I had guest speakers in in fall camp, had local police or campus police or FBI. I just had people come in and try to enlighten the players on things that would be a value to them. I didn't allow speakers in once the season starter, so I wasn't offended. I think the players had a good time that were there.''

James went on to say further that "I would not have allowed the disruption of my players in preparation for the game. Tthere was a coach that called me to speak a few years back in season and I said out of respect for you I will but if I was in your shoes I wouldn't have me. You are responsible for the external makeup of the game that week and if it was me, I woulnd't have a speaker in season.''

James also noted that "some players didn't even get there for the reception so what could they have done?'' ....I don't know how it could have made any contribution to the success of the team. They had other things on their mind.''

James also again said that he doesn't think it makes sense to make a coaching change in-season.

"It's best left alone to evaluate at the end of the season when the season is over,'' he said. "I don't see that a lot is gained right now. The people they are going to interview, they've got jobs, and you are not going to make any inroads in recruiting. So just wait.''

James said he wouldn't comment on whether UW should have hired Jim Mora when it had chances the last few times. "I can't get into that. I like them all. I like the guys we got. I like Jim Mora. I can't get into those decisions.''

However, he did say that he would have preferred UW hire Gary Pinkel instead of Rick Neuheisel in 1998.

"I liked him (Neuheisel) but I liked Gary Pinkel better,'' he said.

James reiterated that he helped in the coaching search at that time but that he was caught off-guard by the hire of Neuheisel, that he wasn't on the list of coaches he was given to do some background checks on.

"I ran down some coaches for (Barbara Hedges) but I was never asked to go background work on Rick,'' he said. "So when they hired the guy, what am I going to say --- I don't like that? ... I didn't know it was going to happen.''

Asked what he thinks has gone wrong, James pointed to the disruption in coaches through the years and said "I just think there is a break in the continuity in th staff and recruiting.''

Asked whether he thinks it stared with the Neuheisel firing, James said that "I know one thing, when I have a boss you have to recognize who is the boss and you can't be sneaking around applying for other jobs. If there was something I wanted to do or felt I should do, the firs guy I talked to was (then-AD) Mike Lude --- he was the guy that was my boss. I didn't want a reporter to call and say 'hey, did you hear Don was off interviewing for this job or that job?' I think that might have been a little bit of the thing that upset Barbara, but I really don't know.''

Finally, asked if he thought Pinkel would be interested in returning to UW, he said "there might be (interest). I talk to Gary and I don't talk to him about that. But I tell you one thing, he's got the best facilities I've ever seen in college football, a 101,000-square foot facility with everything in one building. ...

"I don't know why he'd leave there to go any place. But he loves it here. He loves the Northwest. His other dilemma is he's from Ohio and he's a lot closer to his family in Ohio than he would be out here. He has kids now located in the state of Missouri, so you'd have to ask him. But I wouldn't ask him now --- there's not a job.''