John U Bacon on UM Football, Athletics
I'm surprised to see that this hasn't been posted, but Bacon has written a very thorough analysis of where things currently stand with respect to the AD and football program. It's a bit long, but worth the read:
October 24th, 2014 at 3:04 PM ^
Being a student at the University of Michigan shapes you as a human being for life. I'm sure that happens at other colleges and universities as well. But being a Wolverine means striving to live up to a higher standard. That's our DNA.
Is our athletic department supporting the constructive evolution of the cultural heritage that we've been building for nearly two hundred years? Or has it become a malignant mutation that needs to be rejected and expelled from this institution?
President Mark Schlissel, we are counting on you to do what is best for the University of Michigan. Why wait? How about taking action today?
October 24th, 2014 at 5:18 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 6:03 PM ^
I loved my time at UM, but this "it changes who you are" stuff is the height of the unfounded arrogance that people use to describe UM fans and alumni. It's a school for higher education, and a good one. But UMers don't hold themselves to a "higher standard" because it is in their DNA beyond the fact that highly-motivated people tend to go to good universities. That's true at most schools.
October 24th, 2014 at 6:11 PM ^
and has approximately 3 months under his belt - he can make a properly educated decision? No way.
He is doing a good job of taking a huge amount of information in and using proper due diligence to process it - that is taking action - prudent action.
October 24th, 2014 at 3:09 PM ^
Reading this just wants me to see DB gone even more. He's not what Michigan is all about. He doesn't understand the culture or the university. FIRE HIM!
October 24th, 2014 at 6:01 PM ^
quite understanding of his audience and has this exact agenda. He has continued to raise your ire and is successful at doing it.
Does Brandon, a former Michigan Football player under Bo and alumnus really NOT have any understanding of the culture or the university?
October 24th, 2014 at 10:56 PM ^
October 25th, 2014 at 2:31 PM ^
Just because he went to and played at Michigan doesn't mean he understands Michigan. He's got such a big ego he wants to do things his way instead of thinking about the university.
October 24th, 2014 at 3:11 PM ^
I find it humorous that JUB, whom Brandon punished for 3&O, is now the most called upon local journalist with whom the national media confers. This PR disaster is truly of Brandon's own making.
October 24th, 2014 at 3:14 PM ^
But three-term Republican Andrea Fischer Newman argued, "You've got to look at the whole athletic department. You've got to look at the addition of sports, you've got to look at the addition of facilities. You've got to look at what we've done with women's sports. You've got to look at the money that's been raised, you've got to look at the budget. There's a lot of good things being done on campus right now in athletics"
Not much talk about tradition, or The Team, The Team, The Team there eh? Sounds more like The Money, The Money, The Money.
No reason for concern at all... /sigh
October 24th, 2014 at 3:52 PM ^
Funny how she mentions the budget when costs are quickly catching up with revenue.
October 24th, 2014 at 6:00 PM ^
As a counter, she's pointing out that the department has done good by female sports, added improved facilities for non-revenue sports, brought Lacrosse to varsity status (which ain't cheap), etc. I'm not defending Brandon here, but the complaints around here feel pretty focused purely on football, and even though it was said with politics in mind, pointing out that the AD serves all sports shouldn't be ignored.
October 24th, 2014 at 6:04 PM ^
in our storied football history surely seems to fan the fire. It is not a defense of the mistakes Brandon has made but a more reasonable perspective of the state of the whole athletic department.
October 24th, 2014 at 3:28 PM ^
That 's hard to say, but he is closer to the action with a whole bunch of people in Ann Arbor that have some connection to virtually everyone than probably anyone on MGOBlog: folks in the AD, University Admin., athletes, alumni and students. He met Bo when he was nine years old and his infatuation with UM has continued to the present. He is very close to several folks in the AD who probably provide a significant amount of insider information to him.
His profession is journalism, so he cannot come up with a new story for every new article unless something new happens in that environment. Unfortunately, that has not happened yet.
I don't see any wrong points with this article. Hoke has evidenced his incompetence as a coach other than being a really good recruiter and Brandon has done more damage to the brand due to the national attention that this shitstorm has garnered. No one is happy with that situation. It's a lot easier to fire or negotiate a settlement with Hoke before confronting the Brandon situation.
President Schlissel is in an ackward position. The guy is brilliant, but athletics is the area that he probably has the least amount of experience in. While he surely did not expect this plate of crap to be on the table at this stage of his running UM, the ugly reality is staring him in the face. I expecdt him to take his time with this, but the longer it goes on then the more impactful the damage is to the brand. The key issue that he cannot ignore though is the apparent lack of interest by any attractive head coach in working under Brandon. Further, some action must take place to stop the hemorrage of bad public relations that have been created in the athletic area of the university which negatively impact the brand.
October 24th, 2014 at 3:32 PM ^
A pretty good summary of the program, and the conclusion that this all rests on Schlissel's shoulders is spot on. That said, I have a few quibbles:
- While some friends of Brandon may want him to stay, and many of those allies are Republicans, I think the overwhelming majority of both Republicans and Democrats want Dave gone. The "powers that be" are few in number, and, if Schlissel is smart (and I think he is) then he knows it's worth ruffling a few feathers to please the masses.
- Schlissel, so far, has handled this situation perfectly. He hasn't ignored it or tried to move it to the back burner. That said, I agree with JUB that he'd probably prefer to move on to the academic issues that he has proven so adept at handling. He must know that keeping Brandon guarantees--at best--another year of complaining and distractions as the fences are mended. And that's the best case scenario, which would also involve Brandon either retaining a coach who manages to turn things around with a win against MSU, Ohio State, or both AND gets off to a strong start next year. Even in that best case scenario, ticket sales suffer BADLY. The ONLY way to resolve the situation in a reasonable period is to hire a new AD. The new hire will have at least three years (barring total foolishness) to prove himself before there are any realistic calls for his head...and that buys Schlissel time to address other things. Of course, that new AD must also hire a new coach.
- Again, Schlissel is a smart dude. He can see that the numbers--Brandon's last line of defense--really don't look that good. If all you can fall back on is, "But we're making money and building stuff!" then you are in big trouble when the money runs out and the building has to stop. Schlissel, surely, can see this, and recognizes that hiring an AD with a strong reputation will, worst-case scenario, buy him three years to focus on things other than the football program.
We've past the point of no return. The ONLY way keeping Brandon has a good outcome for Schlissel is if the football team turns around dramatically in 2015. That means waiting at least another full year and enduring constant niggling from students, alumni, and fans about the state of the program. And even that outcome seems highly unlikely.
Even if there are some compelling reasons to keep Brandon--he hasn't done EVERYTHING wrong--the expediency of removing him makes too much sense for Schlissel, who can't afford to submarine his own agenda by betting on a hated figure like Brandon and a sub-par coach like Hoke.
TL; DR: Schlissel is smart enough to see he'll have to deal with this issue for another year if he doesn't remove Brandon now. And, IMO, if we lose badly tomorrow--by 14 or more points--it's the final nail in an already tightly-sealed coffin for AD and HC alike.
October 24th, 2014 at 3:40 PM ^
because it seems like so much damage was created. Bacon seemed to make it seem that no self respecting coach will ever come to Michigan and work for Brandon.
And Brandon won't leave.
Schlissel will take his time to remove Brandon. At least until January. Then they need to vet and find a suitable replacement
Recruiting season will be cooked.
A narrowing window of opportunity to get a new coach could be closed.
any notion of next year being a competitive team will have evaporated.
Hold me Tom VH. ..
October 24th, 2014 at 3:45 PM ^
I realize that most MGoBloggers aren't MSU fans or over the age of 60, so they don't listen to WJR, but WJR and Beckmann are carrying water HARD for Brandon, saying the whole anti-Brandon movement is just a few students on a witchhunt and the whole thing is politically motivated.
Of course, Beckmann is still POed about being fired over his whole fried chicken rant too.
October 24th, 2014 at 4:51 PM ^
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October 24th, 2014 at 5:01 PM ^
What happened to him? I had only heard he was retiring.
Always will treasure hearing him call that hurry-up FG....
October 24th, 2014 at 3:47 PM ^
... this is like 3 and out. All stuff I already know and don't want to keep reading about. Good summary for the uninitiated, recycled for the MGoblog power user.
October 24th, 2014 at 3:50 PM ^
This is what I think of Jon Bacon nowadays.........
October 24th, 2014 at 3:55 PM ^
If this means you like or dislike...
October 24th, 2014 at 4:04 PM ^
Yeah, same here. If this is an insult, please insult me again.
October 24th, 2014 at 4:12 PM ^
Those are butts. They poop out of those things.
October 24th, 2014 at 4:17 PM ^
You were accusing JUB of being a cute sorority girl.
October 24th, 2014 at 6:28 PM ^
something derogatory - you surely could have chose a less appealing picture of butts.
just sayin'
October 25th, 2014 at 6:45 AM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 3:57 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 4:05 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 4:49 PM ^
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October 24th, 2014 at 3:58 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 4:33 PM ^
Can't believe nobody's pointed this out:
Department revenues have grown significantly during Brandon's tenure, about 7 percent a year, to almost $150 million. This is partly due to the dramatic increase in conference TV payouts to Big Ten members, which have more than doubled during Brandon's tenure to $44.5 million for each school. But his operating expenses have grown even faster than revenues, at nearly 9 percent a year, to total $145 million. That figure does not include any of the capital expenses budgeted for buildings, but it does include administrative salaries, which have grown by 72 percent.
If that isn't reason enough to point to a change, I don't know what is.
October 24th, 2014 at 4:41 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 4:46 PM ^
Part of me agrees with you. Part of me is like "the bottom line is the bottom line" and maybe he shouldn't have added positions. Now that our surplus is disappearing, perhaps we need to re-think all those staffing additions.
October 24th, 2014 at 5:56 PM ^
I'm sure they will, but these numbers don't tell the whole story, and I'd like to know how this compares to other universities of similar stature. I'm guessing they are more in-line than this article intimated.
October 24th, 2014 at 4:44 PM ^
I know no politics, but that statistic is staggering given DB's political affiliation. Hypocrite, greedy bastard, or both?
October 24th, 2014 at 5:14 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 5:54 PM ^
Standard operating procedure for major universities. Check the salaries and expenditures of most universitites and you'll see the same. And the guy who takes over will absolutely do the same.
October 24th, 2014 at 6:48 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 7:08 PM ^
"Are they integral" is the question, though. How many sports marketing directors does a AD need when the product + ESPN + BTN sells itself?
October 24th, 2014 at 8:29 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 8:40 PM ^
I don't debate much of that. The only problem I have is the "everyone else does it" mentality.
Obviously, times change. 5 years ago, nobody would have thought you'd need a Director of Social Media. But we have one, which is understandable.
I'm just wary of admin bloat on the whole. Remember 2 years ago UM hired the first Director of Social Media (University, not AthDept), and it was a 6 figure position. That person then had to resign when it came out that she didn't even have the degree she claimed to have.
October 24th, 2014 at 10:44 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 10:50 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 10:52 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 4:53 PM ^
Who is this guy? It's like the trackers after Butch and Sundance, they just never stop or go away. Give it two more weeks, I bet something happens before Nov. 12.
October 24th, 2014 at 5:18 PM ^
Gosh this Michigan debacle reminds me of something, and it took me some time to figure out what it was. A town under siege, the townsfolk up in arms, a smarmy bureaucrat in denial, a savior among us, and politics getting in the way of making the right decision. I spent half of last night thinking about it until it finally hit me….
INT – The REGENTS MEETING – DAY
The room is packed. A NOISY BUZZ fills the air. The university President sits at the head table next to the AD, along with several of the regents, and a throng of students and media. CATCALLS echo in the room and add to the commotion. Suddenly a student calls out to Brandon
STUDENT
Hey Brandon, I bought a supersized Coke at McDonald’s last night. Does that get me tickets on the 40, or the 50?
REGENT
That’s not funny, that’s not funny at all.
Suddenly, a TALL, IMPOSING FIGURE enters the room. He wears a black shell windbreaker and a 49ers baseball cap. He approaches the chalkboard (work with me here), affixes his nails to the board, and SCRAPES, loudly, the GRATING NOISE piercing the air. The entire room grimaces in discomfort.
JIM HARBAUGH
You all know me, know how I earn a livin. I’ll fix this team for ya but it ain’t gonna be easy. It’s a bad team. Not like goin down to Ohio and beatin Bowling Green and Akron. This conference, swallow you whole, a little Dantonio, a little Meyer, and down you go. Now we gotta do it quick, that’ll bring back the fans and will put your luxury suites back on a payin basis. But it’s not gonna be pleasant. I value my services a lot more than $3 million bucks a year Dave. My signing bonus can be three, but I’ll sign here, and stay here, for five.
You gotta make up your minds. You want to start winning then ante up. You want to play it cheap, play in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl every December.
I don’t want no special advisors I don’t want no AD’s in the film room there’s too many factions in this program. Thirty million dollars for me by myself. For that you get the conference, the BCS, the whole damn thing.
PRESIDENT
Thank you Mr. Harbaugh. We’ll take it under advisement.
Then we move into the part of the story where Michigan beats a couple low level Big Ten teams (redundant?) and is lured into a false sense of security. Until, we hit the Ohio State game and Michigan gets completely destroyed, like 56-0, and we now KNOW, without a doubt, that there is only one answer, just as Chief Brody and all of Amity Island knew. It was time to hire their man. Picture a scene where the Chief Brody equivalent of our story (still trying to figure out who that would be…Charles Woodson?) marches straight into Brandon’s office after the game, Brandon mumbling to himself
BRANDON
I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry.
WOODSON
You got a pen, Dave?
BRANDON
Pen?
WOODSON
Yeah, pen, you know. Cause you’re gonna do what you do best. You’re gonna sign this contract so I can hire a coach.
BRANDON
I don’t, I don’t know if I can do that without-
WOODSON
I’m gonna hire Harbaugh to coach the team
BRANDON
January. January..
WOODSON
What? What are you talking about? Dave, the season’s over. You’re the AD of Loser University. These people think you want to go to the Little Caesars Pizza Pizza Bowl.
BRANDON
I was, I was, I was acting in the town’s best interest.
WOODSON
That’s right, you were acting in the town’s best interest and that’s why you’re gonna do the right thing. That’s why you’re gonna sign this, and we’re gonna pay that guy what he wants.
BRANDON
Charles....Charles... My kids were in that stadium too!
WOODSON
Sign it, Dave.
BRANDON signs, and pulls a deep drag from his cigarette.
October 24th, 2014 at 5:45 PM ^
And what his thoughts are.........hmmm.
October 24th, 2014 at 5:53 PM ^
I like Bacon, but this article just annoyed me. He doesn't like Brandon; I get that. But he also throws in inconsequential things like Brandon watching game film (I mean, Bacon sat in LOTS of meetings with RR) and talking to a "financial analyst" who would sack Brandon, which is the kind of pseudo-reporting that is basically "this guy I know has my same opinion."
I guess it is hard for me to put into words my issues with piece, but it just rubs me the wrong way. I don't love Brandon or Hoke and expect both to be gone, but they can be fired without dragging up quotes from wives of former ADs and politically-charged Regents. It doesn't feel like evidence as much as opinions, and as a prominent voice for the University in some capacity I'd have expected a bit more.
October 24th, 2014 at 6:22 PM ^
I don't understand the Bacon-bashing. The guy is a journalist, and as far as I'm concerned, he's a good one.
But his opinion is just that, and the real question is whether Brandon is good or bad for Michigan, and whether he should be canned as soon as is practicable (I love that word; its interpretation probably cost Robert E. Lee a chance at victory at Gettysburg).
Here's why Brandon should be fired: It's not because he's a dickhead (though he certainly is); it's not because he's made a few mistakes (though he certainly has). It's because he's made mistake after mistake, many of them dishonest mistakes. It's because he's embarrassed a lot of Michigan fans and alums through sheer arrogance and cheesiness. It's because he's gotten wealthier on the backs of people he's squeezed until dry.
But mostly it's because at the very least over ten thousand Michigan alums and students hate his guts and have expressed their displeasure by asking for his dismissal, and my guess is that they are the tip of the iceberg.
The AD of Michigan should not be a polarizing, acrimonious figure. Brandon is a polarizing, acrimonious figure. Therefore he must go.
Sports should be about fun and recreation. When it isn't, when it's polarizing the Michigan community and people are at each others' throats over the guy, it's time to find someone new.