AD: Boston Globe reporter on Brad Bates
Dan Shaughnessy is a well respected reporter for the Boston Globe and he just tweeted the following:
If I ran Boston College, I'd be worried about losing AD Brad Bates to Michigan
— Dan Shaughnessy (@Dan_Shaughnessy) November 4, 2014
Many are saying he's the front runner for the position. This definitely adds fuel to the fire of who may be our next AD. On a personal note, I had a great conversation with a family friend over the weekend who played baseball at Miami (NTM) while Brad Bates was the AD there. He gave an incredibly glowing review of his time with Bates, and how he'd be an ideal AD for Michigan.
November 4th, 2014 at 11:41 AM ^
The resignation of the "bull in the china shop" has turned Michigan into the "elephant in the room" for any AD with Michigan ties. This is becoming almost as interesting as the coaching search is going to be.
November 4th, 2014 at 11:41 AM ^
November 4th, 2014 at 11:44 AM ^
Although the student body got bitch slapped, that (was) a problem.
November 4th, 2014 at 11:46 AM ^
They're kids, so they tend to be enamored with authority figures. Also, it seems that Brandon was very much an athlete's AD. Problem was that he didn't save any of that love for the fans who support the players.
OTOH, many former players did not like DB, apparently.
November 4th, 2014 at 11:53 AM ^
November 4th, 2014 at 12:01 PM ^
BUT, Bates has actually been an AD before - unlike when we hired Brandon - so we have more to go by. I'm not totally sold on him yet though.
November 4th, 2014 at 12:26 PM ^
What are your reservations? (I know very little about him and would welcome information)
November 4th, 2014 at 8:06 PM ^
November 4th, 2014 at 8:51 PM ^
November 4th, 2014 at 10:27 PM ^
Thanks for this, he sounds fantastic! Waiting to see any downside from someone else . . .
November 4th, 2014 at 11:59 PM ^
sold ***
November 4th, 2014 at 12:43 PM ^
November 4th, 2014 at 12:46 PM ^
And why wouldn't they be? Brandon's problem was not with the athletes, it was with the general public, students, and alumni.
November 4th, 2014 at 1:01 PM ^
It's not surprising at all that current/former Michigan athletes that played during Brandon's tenure would like him. Afterall, he is a former Michigan athlete and was also an authority figure to them. It would be more surprising if they didn't like him.
November 4th, 2014 at 1:09 PM ^
that using the preference of the student athletes (at Miami) to support the candidacy of Bates could be flawed....
"I had a great conversation with a family friend over the weekend who played baseball at Miami (NTM) while Brad Bates was the AD there. He gave an incredibly glowing review of his time with Bates, and how he'd be an ideal AD for Michigan."
November 4th, 2014 at 1:38 PM ^
Players always, always support whoever is their coach/AD. Thankfully, they have no power to make decisions regarding these people.
November 4th, 2014 at 4:43 PM ^
November 4th, 2014 at 11:41 AM ^
I like him as a candidate because he's experienced and would be passionate about being here again. I also like him because he's a little more seasoned than some of the younger candidates (Phillips for example).
November 4th, 2014 at 11:42 AM ^
Dan O-shag-hennesey?
November 4th, 2014 at 11:50 AM ^
November 4th, 2014 at 11:52 AM ^
Not the biggest Key & Peele fan, but this is undeniably one of the greates skits in all of sketch comedy history.
November 4th, 2014 at 12:04 PM ^
This sketch has undeniably changed my life as an Aaron. Every time I'm at a party somebody says it, and I'm not mad about it.
November 4th, 2014 at 12:27 PM ^
The actor who plays A-A-Ron is an Ann Arbor native.
November 4th, 2014 at 12:47 PM ^
I don't watch the show a lot, but I have heard them mention Michigan a couple times. That makes a lot more sense now.
November 4th, 2014 at 1:53 PM ^
Keegan Michael-Key is from Southfield - he went to Shrine High School, home of John Wangler and Paul Seymour.
November 4th, 2014 at 11:53 AM ^
November 4th, 2014 at 11:54 AM ^
I'll let you owe it to me.
November 4th, 2014 at 12:07 PM ^
covered him... but just this once!
November 4th, 2014 at 12:27 PM ^
November 4th, 2014 at 12:50 PM ^
This was good. Thank you for this. I don't really watch Key & Peele at all.
November 4th, 2014 at 12:52 PM ^
Man, that is funny. Thanks for sharing it.
November 4th, 2014 at 10:32 PM ^
OMG, I have never seen that before. I am laughing so hard, I am crying.
November 4th, 2014 at 11:42 AM ^
This isn't fitting into the 18-24 month timeline
November 4th, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^
By 18-24 month deadline, you mean Sam Webb's wet dream*.
November 4th, 2014 at 11:43 AM ^
If Dan Shaughnessy ran BC he would write a book on the curse of Billy Curley and question the morality of all the student athletes in regurgitated columns.
November 4th, 2014 at 11:45 AM ^
these athletic directors ain't loyal
November 4th, 2014 at 11:51 AM ^
November 4th, 2014 at 11:47 AM ^
I think I've seen it on the board before, but would appreciate it if someone could refresh my memory (and promise not trying to stir up why he should be hired over anyone else...best man for the job should be hired).
What type of relationship do he and Harbaugh have? It doesn't seem their playing careers here ever overlapped. Is it just that they are friends as football alumni or is there a stronger connection?
November 4th, 2014 at 11:51 AM ^
November 4th, 2014 at 1:05 PM ^
Jack Harbaugh was at Michigan while Bates was, and it's my understanding that Jim Harbaugh used to attend practices while his dad was coaching at UM, so I'm sure Bates either met him, or at the very least would be able to bond with Jim through Jack, either in person, or over stories.
November 4th, 2014 at 4:42 PM ^
they have basically no verified friendship or connection beyond "his dad was Bates' position coach"
as these things go, that small tidbit has been turned into an avalanche of people who think they're best friends and Bates is a guarantee of Harbaugh, largely spurred by JUB naming them together as his guesses for next AD and HC.
November 4th, 2014 at 11:50 AM ^
I'm okay with Bates but my frontrunner is Long who is basically like Brandon with renovations to facilities and paying for coaches without the douchiness and corporateness.
November 4th, 2014 at 12:28 PM ^
Which do you think POTUM wants: (1) AD at an ESS EE SEE school which is a "Tier III" (i.e., crappy) institution that is in Arkansas, a state that is not exactly equated with academic rigors, or (2) AD at a decently-respected Catholic school (Jesuit, in fact) run by priests who daily stress that moral ethics are more important than life itself.
If you're listening closely, Mr. Long is so not a candidate for our position.
November 4th, 2014 at 12:33 PM ^
Don't think President Schlissel will bring in an AD from an SEC school. Not the message he's trying to send at all.
November 4th, 2014 at 5:12 PM ^
Chris Christie without the bridge?
November 4th, 2014 at 8:39 PM ^
November 4th, 2014 at 11:53 AM ^
FWIW Dan Shaughnessy is known well around the area as a huge troll. 90% of what he writes is used to stir up controversy. Now this could be legitimate but he is honestly just stirring the pot.
November 4th, 2014 at 11:56 AM ^
November 4th, 2014 at 12:02 PM ^
But with that tweet, which was so blunt and presented without context, I can easily see why he may be known as a troll. That tweet was not done to inform, but to simply ruffle someone's feathers.
November 4th, 2014 at 12:30 PM ^
Are you sure it wasn't done to inform? BC fans may not know much about our AD search.