The Dakota Wizards have never backed down from anybody on the basketball court.

On Friday, the Wizards showed they aren't afraid to take on controversy, either.

The Wizards named Dave Bliss - the same coach who was dogged by scandal at Baylor two years ago - as their newest leader on Friday.

"People don't have to give you a second chance,"Bliss said. "In my case, I'm grateful for this chance."

Bliss resigned from Baylor in August 2003, along with athletic director Tom Stanton, two months after the death of player Patrick Dennehy.

Former teammate Carlton Dotson pleaded guilty to the murder in June, and was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

After Dennehy's death, Baylor found that Bliss had paid tuition for Dennehy and another player, and Bliss was taped asking players and an assistant to portray Dennehy as a drug dealer to investigators to cover up the payments.

"When the tragedy occurred, it put me in a situation where Ipanicked," Bliss said. "… I've been forthright from the get-go in taking responsibility for what happened."

Wizards majority owner Steve McCormick said that the team checked on Bliss before hiring him as their head coach.

"We did what we considered our due diligence in talking to a lot of people about what kind of person he is,"McCormick said. "To know him is to like him. It's unfortunate what happened, but he's trying to look for that second shot.

"He was hired as our coach on his own merit, and I think everybody deserves that second chance."

Former Wizards assistant coach Brian Walsh said that the Wizards had offered the head coaching position to him twice, but he turned them down for family reasons.

Walsh, who was an assistant with Bliss at Baylor - but left before the events of that summer - said he thought Bliss would be a good coach, despite what happened in Waco, Texas, in 2003.

"I think what you'll end up seeing is somebody really professional,"Walsh said in a phone interview on Thursday night. "… Who knows how you would react in a situation like that?

"I would never say he was right, or try to justify what he did, but Ithink he's in the process of righting himself."

Bliss has 28 years of coaching experience, and boasts a career record of 526-328 (.616) at the collegiate level.

He has coached at the University of Oklahoma, Southern Methodist, the University of New Mexico and Baylor.

Bliss said he found out about the opening with the Wizards through Walsh, and Bliss contacted the team about the position.

"(Walsh) mentioned the fact that he might not be able to come back here and coach,"Bliss said. "Would Iever think about coaching in the CBA? And long story short, you know, I said I'd be grateful to coach anywhere."

Bliss replaces Casey Owens, who led the Wizards to a league-best 32-16 record last season. The Wizards opted not to renew Owens' contract, stating the team wanted to go in a new direction.

"I feel like we're very fortunate to have a coach of his caliber,"McCormick said. "We were looking for a coach, he surfaced, and we were impressed by him."

Bliss said he knows the mistakes of his past will be a hot-button issue with his hiring.

However, the newest Wizards coach said he's looking forward to proving himself with a fresh start with the CBAsquad.

"Life doesn't allow you a pity party,"Bliss said. "All you can do is ask for forgiveness from the people you've hurt, try to repent and move on.

"… I'm very excited that the Wizards have allowed me this chance to coach again."