If you’re a fans of the University of Arizona Wildcats, get ready to be sick. What you read next will evoke nausea.
Kate Jensen and Alixe Holcombe of the marketing department of the University of Arizona issued a statement declining Miracle Pictures Studios’ request for the support of the making of The Faithful, the dual bio of fallen Tucson Police officer Joseph Parella and hall of fame basketball coach Lute Olson that also tells the story of the history of the university and its athletic department’s traditions.
In addition, MPSP is in the process of contracting legal counsel in regards to deceptive business practices exhibited by voting members of the Pascua-Yaqui Tribe. The street Joseph Parella Place was dedicated in April 1998 in honor of the former narcotics cops who rescued the Old Pascua Village from its drug dealing inhabitants.
CEO, author and producer Cory Parella traveled to Tucson at his own expense for the Jan 30th, 2013 meeting of the San Ignacio Council to formally pitch the project, and request their political and financial support. He had been told by tribal members two year’s prior that they would support him asking the tribe for money to tell his father’s story on film. “Initially, it was their idea. I initially wanted to do a scholarship fund the would benefit their students. I had every reason to believe they would support a part of the project’s funding, if not the entire budget.” The project is a novel and 3-picture deal valued at $40 million.
The next morning, Parella received a voicemail that the council had voted to approve its support of The Faithful. “I was in ecstasy all the way home.”
A few days later, Parella inquired about a financial calendar for the release of funds, to which tribal representatives seemed surprised by. They claimed they never heard or approval his requests for financial partnership. Parella said he received emails from Guillermo “Bill” Quiroga that were, “outrageous. He tried to say that the project, even if they did pitch it, wasn’t equitable enough, which is not true at all. Lute’s name alone is worth it. But we have A list actors, had he viewed the pitch video, on standby by way of their agents and a casting director I am working with.
“I’m offended, hurt, and disappointed,” Parella said. “I feel lied to.”
He agreed to advertise their needs for a school coordinator for Richey Elementary School on an upcoming interview on Arizona’s The Fan, a school which was reopening as a charter school in 2013 after years of closure. “Their infighting led to its closure, and there was still blood in the water when I spoke at their council meeting. I later leaned the school was closed as a result of a political coup by Peter Yucupicio that led to the ousting of their democratically-elected chairperson, Herminia Frias.” Parella said he made contact with her a few weeks after the trip to confirm the behavior of tribal members. She told me that they use personal relationships to manipulate. That said it all.” Parella maintains he did as they asked, and they breached their oral contract. “Bill said he has an MBA which means they know how to maneuver the U.S. legal system. They’re very aware of how the system works.” Parella stated he’s getting a lawyer. “They owe me for my travel expenses.”
In the meantime, Parella’s radio plug aired on Kevin McCabe’s sports talk radio show on 1060AM on February 2.
Parella said he intended to film re-enactment scenes at Richey, where his father had evicted drug dealers from the campus during the 1980s and had abandoned cars towed from its streets, cars often used by dealers to store drugs and guns in. He wanted to use the film to change the school from a boarded-up building being leased from the city of Tucson by the Tribe for $1 a year, into a historical landmark, and thereby transforming it into a tourist attraction. Those plans are now very much on hold.
The council voted to approve support of The Faithful, but apparently thought it was only supporting the round-up of eye witness accounts of those who knew Joseph Parella. The council has since declined to provide those testimonies.
“I spent hundreds of dollars to fly to see them and my wife took off work, all to pitch what amounted to a neighborhood meeting, a PTA. They completely misrepresented themselves.”
Parella said that when he visited with Pascua Yaqui tribal members in 2010 with his then-5-year old son on a trip to show his son where his grandfather was buried, Parella explained to a few tribal members what he wanted to do and asked if they would be interested. “They bragged about the casino resources and told me I had to speak to the council in person. I reside in Colorado. That meant a plane ticket and more for me. At the time, I was finishing my undergrad degree. When I finished, I prepared for this.”
Present at the meeting were Kevin McCabe, Tucson Police Community Service Officer John Ottinger and former TPD and State police officer Bob Gilmartin, each with ties to the project. McCabe has agreed to appear in the film, Ottinger is a current uniformed officer and the best man and Parella’s wedding, and Gilmartin helped train a rookie Joe Parella 30 years ago in New Providence, New Jersey. The two traveled west together in the early 1970s.
“These men took turns explaining the project to the council on my behalf, and I said we needed their branding, political and financial support, even if it was small, mentioning money about 15 times over an hour and a half. I gave out books samples of my work,” Parella said, noting that each book he gave out retails at $50 on Amazon.
“A few of them rolled their eyes at me a few times during the meeting as I tearfully poured my heart out to them.” Later, Parella responded to council emails by citing that without his father’s work, the tribe couldn’t get a license to operate a casino. “The civil unrest, showcased in the riots of 1989, prevented them from getting licensed. Now that they have what they wanted, they are turning their backs on those who helped them.”
If that wasn’t enough, when Parella visited McKale Center and talked to Holcombe on Jan 31, Parella said he was told that a paid sponsorship would allow the project to gain access to what was needed to get the necessary resources to either make replicas or otherwise insure accuracy. “In most cases, it was about gathering enough photographs of the ambiance to create sets. I told them I was leaning against filming on-location because of how busy McKale was. Apparently that wasn’t good enough.”
About a week later, the University of Arizona marketing and licensing department reversed its decision, releasing this statement regarding Parella’s request to participate in The Faithful, “Good afternoon Cory, Thank you for taking the time to meet with me about your film. We have reviewed your materials and unfortunately the University of Arizona will not be able to participate in the film. As a public university, it’s important for UA to remain neutral on political and religious viewpoints. Use of the University’s name or logos, or showing images of the University’s campus or basketball footage as central themes in your film, would likely cause public confusion that the University is the source of the film, or a mistaken belief that the University endorses or sponsors the viewpoints presented in the film. Thank you, KATE JENSEN ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT MARKETING ALIXE HOLCOMB DIRECTOR TRADEMARKS & LICENSING.
“They wanted me to somehow do it without using the logos seen on player uniforms, or any other visuals one associates with the university,” Parella said.
Apparently the major California studios, (some of which that are no longer in business, Parella added), were also turned off by such rhetoric in 1997, shortly after the Wildcats won the national championship in men’s basketball. Parella said he is undeterred. A disclaimer is one thing; Top Gun has one, citing the lack of cooperation in the making-of by the Navy. But this is just wrong. They appear determined to prevent us from using anything. That’s like making The 10 Commandments without God or Moses. The UA is so determined to be viewed as politically correct, they are essentially holding Coach Olson’s legacy hostage with this stance. He’s a Christian. His wife was a born again Christian. We’re going to focus on their faith. If there is a legal fight to use the very logos and jersey colors worn by the teams and fans, so be it.”
Parella replied to the UA stating he would no longer keep them in the loop, and if they wanted to get litigious, he would do whatever it took to see the envisioned product to fruition.
“These entites have shown very little class,” Parella said. “I am sorry that Revenge of The Nerds was such a black-eye to their public image, even though student ambassadors seem enthusiastic about that fact that it was made here when they talk about giving their tours to prospective students, but this is special.” Parella also adds, “My dad worked on the police department’s squad assigned to do security for that film. He watched the Nerds get made. There’s a lot of life imitating art in this story. And the UA cannot divorce itself from history in order to be viewed as politically correct. It’s as discriminatory as one can get.”
Parella cites even more of what he considers hypocrisy, “And it’s about them. The Faithful covers the roots of the university’s history, and its athletic department. To divorce itself from the film fictionalization of it is sacrilegious.”
Parella went so far as to get a more prominent producing name involved, reaching out to his professional network to those who knew Jerry Bruckheimer, who is a UA graduate.
“He hasn’t responded yet, but I’m pretty sure he knows we’re here. He knows about The Faithful.”
UA athletic director Greg Byrne did not respond to emails.
The early edition of the novel is being readied for email distribution to a closed-circuit audience, coordinated with Trail Winds, a brand of Perimeter Bicycling, better known as El Tour.
“Richard Debernardis has been the epitome of helpful. He gave us everything we asked for, and more.”
Parella stated that at press time, the novel will not include testimonies by the Pascua-Yaquis about how officer Joe saved them from drug dealers and in some ways, each other. “Their murder rate and drug trafficking rate rivaled some of the worst parts of the state, in just six square blocks. And they seem pretty apathetic about that. My father gave his life, and they don’t care. Rather, they don’t care enough.”
There is one man who does, according to Parella. Lute Olson has been so wonderful to interview, I’ve had a hard time not gushing while interviewing him.” Parella said, “Because of him, and the actions taken by the car dealers in Tucson, Lute didn’t accept the job in Kentucky in 1989. He was ready to go, given the sharp criticism by Greg Hanson and David Fitzsimmons. After this comes out, the Wildcat faithful will have a whole new view of Jim Click, Jr and Paul Weitman. I was surprised, pleasantly surprised. When I heard what happened, and it’s stuff that paints the Arizona Daily Star in very dark light, I wanted to thank Click and Weitman and strangle Greg Hanson and Dave Fitzsimmons. Lute Olson almost left for Kentucky. Think of what we would have missed.”
On a positive note, former Tucson Police Chief and current city manager Richard Miranda, who worked with Joe Parella, is reviewing The Faithful for city involvement. Parella also stated that the tribal council that directly controls the casino revenue has yet to hear him, and that those who was counting on to represent this project to them may not matter in the long run. “Their neighborhood council gave me their blessing, which we then take to the main tribe for consideration. making it a longer process than expected.”
“The trip wasn’t a total loss. Those who have support UA athletics for the past 3 or 4 decades know we’re here and support what we’re doing. They are faithful to Lute, and as God provides, that will be enough to get this done.”
The Faithful is slated for theatrical release by Christmas 2014.
