AD Manuel doesn't seem inclined to fire Coach Howard
“We will review the situation more thoroughly and work with the Big Ten Conference as they determine their disciplinary actions and will determine if further disciplinary actions are warranted,” Manuel concluded.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:20 PM ^
Maybe he should take boxing lessons on his time off his swing looked a little rusty.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:29 PM ^
For real, and maybe next time save the punches for the refs.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:30 PM ^
In any job if your manager has to profusely apologize to your higher ups up the chain, and the offended parties higher ups, you're absolutely getting canned.
Especially if you're in a leadership position representing a public university.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:33 PM ^
To be fair, he has a defense we've all used before for something.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:10 PM ^
5 minute major. 10 minute misconduct.
play on.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:33 PM ^
No, you’re not. And this isn’t an ordinary job. Why do people always think that what happens in big time sports is applicable to their normal workplace? This isn’t a CPA firm. Even if it was your employer will make a lot of excuses for a producer. And Juwan is a producer.
He’s not getting canned for a lot of reasons and one of them being that guys like you aren’t in charge.
February 20th, 2022 at 8:35 PM ^
I mean, I was raised on the quote: “Life isn’t fair, get over it” so I don’t have a problem that there’s a large difference between my insurance company that employees me and major athletics. Even then, I realize there are going to be rules for the CEO and different rules for a minion like myself.
However, I also don’t have a problem with the people that feel the university could put itself in a hypocritical situation (and are calling attention to it) by treating a highly paid employee far different than they would a 3rd shift janitor. Although it might be commonplace, it doesn’t make it any less tone-deaf.
February 20th, 2022 at 11:00 PM ^
I guess we've all had different jobs, and different life experiences, but I know *lots* of jobs where a guy getting in a fist-fight at work (or, if you prefer, taking a swing at another guy) doesn't automatically lead to termination. I find the assertion that "in normal life" if this had happened he'd be immediately fired kind of strange.
Indeed, ironically, half the people calling for his termination seem to be arguing that keeping him on would "damage the university's reputation," which is definitely not a justification for firing most people have to deal with.
In other words, they seem to be holding him to a higher standard than ordinary people.
Eh. Whatever is fine. I don't think the University of Michigan's "reputation" is going to suffer from this one way or another, and I personally think a guy should be allowed (even encouraged) to explain and apologize, and improve. This constant desire to punish punish punish seems ... unsavory, to me.
Warde, I leave the decision up to you. For me, I'll be cheering for the team in their next game, as I have for 50+ years, and I'm prepared to roll my eyes every time the announcers bring this up in "serious" tones for the foreseeable future.
February 21st, 2022 at 6:06 AM ^
" I find the assertion that "in normal life" if this had happened he'd be immediately fired kind of strange."
Then you have un un-realistic politician level disconnect with normal life. 99.99999% of jobs in America are gonna fire you on the spot for that.
"In other words, they seem to be holding him to a higher standard than ordinary people."
You clearly have no idea what standards "ordinary" people are held to.
February 21st, 2022 at 6:30 AM ^
Sorry dude, that’s laughable. I have no idea what kind of work you were ever in but I know that if I smack a colleague or peer from another company in our shared office today at work (with video) I’m out the door within an hour. I sign a handbook every year that says zero tolerance for violence. I don’t work for the U of M system so someone can weigh in if they’re required to sign the same thing.
Do a hypothetical with me: Let’s assume Juwan and every other employee at Michigan agreed to a zero tolerance policy towards violence for employment. If the university decides to not terminate Juwan because of this, what is the HR department now going to do with any similar situation involving a “normal” employee?
February 20th, 2022 at 6:20 PM ^
Except you left out what he started with.
“I am aware of and watched the end of our men’s basketball game,” Manuel said in the statement. “There is no excuse for any of our staff or student-athletes to get into a physical altercation with others regardless of instigating factors.”
This is the kind of statement you release when things could still go either way.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:25 PM ^
Well, seemingly AD Manuel is saying that it shouldn't go unpunished (no excuse), but that he'll await Big Ten disciplinary actions before deciding if further discipline is needed. If he were inclined to fire, he wouldn't need any preceding Big Ten actions.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:32 PM ^
He also says he’s going to review the situation more thoroughly. Just seems like he’s not going to make a quick reaction about Juwan’s job status without getting all of the facts.
Which is fair. No need to make any rash decisions. Suspend him, get all of the facts, and determine if it’s termination worthy at a later date.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:50 PM ^
I agree - he doesn’t seem inclined to fire him. If the B1G suspends him for X games, Ward may agree with it and move on.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:17 PM ^
He’d be a fool to immediately make a decision today, with how fresh the situation is. What he absolutely does have to do is issue a statement acknowledging it’s serious. That’s exactly what this is.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:53 PM ^
It sounds boilerplate to me
February 20th, 2022 at 7:43 PM ^
I bet the detailed review of the tape and interviews with those involved will show a lot more bullshit from UW than what we saw, heard, or will know about.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:52 PM ^
I mean, that reads like someone who is simply pointing out that, yes, Howard should not have hit the Wisconsin assistant. It's obvious but it needs to be said. But I certainly don't read that as him leaning toward firing Howard, though he absolutely will perform a thorough review of the events.
I also think if he was going to fire Howard he wouldn't give a shit what the conference did to him.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:20 PM ^
Or... he put out a vanilla statement and wants to take some time to figure out what the hell he should do.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:46 PM ^
Which is exactly what any reasonable and level-headed individual in a leadership role should do. Anything otherwise would have been a mistake.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:11 PM ^
It's also Sunday afternoon/evening. Probably not so easy to discuss/coordinate with higher-ups at the U and other voices in the AD.
Warde seems like a pretty careful, methodical guy, a good trait to have in this type of situation.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:38 PM ^
I mean it's a holiday weekend. He has to at least wait until Mary Sue is sober.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:48 PM ^
Too funny!!!
February 20th, 2022 at 7:15 PM ^
I don’t get the pitch and fork approach, “Michigan must take action first” how has that worked out for Michigan? Make the big ten and ncaa take action
February 20th, 2022 at 7:50 PM ^
LOL. The ncaa taking action. Good one.
February 20th, 2022 at 9:08 PM ^
That’s the point. Michigan always self imposes everything and gets quadruple the punishment.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:21 PM ^
Also said he apologized to Wisconsin's AD and Mary Sue Coleman had called Wisconsin's Chancellor to apologize.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:47 PM ^
I would've asked the Wisconsin AD for apology as well.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:03 PM ^
It's hard to tell, but it looks to me like Howard could help himself by stating that the Wisconsin assistant coach hit his player because that's what I see in the video. TWill gets pushed and that's when Howard responds. If he's defending his player that's a very different scenario.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:37 PM ^
No, it’s not. A coach should never punch anyone. Ever! He can step in between or do literally anything else to help his player. Just not punch. Plus, he started the entire thing, please don’t make excuses for his bad behavior.
February 20th, 2022 at 8:09 PM ^
I'm not excusing Howard's behavior but if you think he started everything, you clearly didn't watch the whole video closely...
Like it or not, the Wisconsin Coach instigated it. He could have just walked by when Howard didn't want to shake hands but instead he grabbed howards arm, starting the whole mess.
Then, if you actually cclosely atch the film, shit head Wisconsin assistant coach then had to run his mouth and then, and again watch closely, starts grabbing T Williams hands and wrists. That's when Howard finally slapped him.
Again, Howard actions deserve punishment, no doubt. But don't stand here all high and mighty and think this is 100% on him. Wisconsin coaches are absolutely at fault here as well.
February 20th, 2022 at 9:01 PM ^
People are seeing what they want to see in this video and it's clearly racially motivated
February 21st, 2022 at 7:01 AM ^
I tend to agree.
If this was Harbaugh, what would the MGoCollective have to say?
February 21st, 2022 at 7:52 AM ^
You know, you are just flat wrong here. One person instigates this .. Juwan Howard. Juwan Howard swore at the coach and he grabbed/touched his arm to respond to that. There is nothing out of place with that. Juwan then grabbed a handful of the guys shirt and after letting go started waving a finger in his face. What followed next was all hell breaking loose. Should Wisco coaches/players get suspended ... probably yes but facts remain Juwan Howard instigated this and should bear that responsibility.
February 20th, 2022 at 8:19 PM ^
What a stupid ass comment. Juwan did not start it alone, a lot of people escalated that situation. And if I’m a student athlete, (which I was in college) and another teams coach is attacking me and my coach just stood there and watched like you said you would, I would never play for you again
February 20th, 2022 at 9:05 PM ^
There's nothing that will be seen on video, or said that was picked up in a mic, or said in investigation interviews, that will justify a head coach throwing a punch---or whatever it was.
He has to be fired.
February 20th, 2022 at 11:41 PM ^
If it's a player, a la Wood Hayes, sure. If it's another coach, clock him good, make it worth your while, and no, he doesn't have to be fired. A suspension should be enough.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:04 PM ^
Wisconsin was already talking about their coach's "injuries". I'm sure he'll be wearing a big white neck brace tomorrow.
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February 20th, 2022 at 8:02 PM ^
Wisconsin AD has already put out a statement. Their bball Coaches and players are little angels….
February 21st, 2022 at 5:36 AM ^
What’s more nauseating to abide: The prissy sanctimony of so many in the public, or the gutless self-flagellation of M’s higher-ups? I’m sincerely not sure.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:22 PM ^
“There is no excuse for any of our staff or student-athletes to get into a physical altercation with others regardless of instigating factors.”
There will be some form of disciplinary action, for both Howard and the players.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:46 PM ^
Honestly anymore then a game for Williams or Diabete would be kind of bs as they were reacting to Wisconsin's punches but knowing the Big Ten they will probably get fucked over.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:03 PM ^
Neath (#0) on Wisconsin should get a longer suspension for punching T-Will in the face. If he isn't, then you know this whole thing is BS.
Howard definitely will be suspended, and deserves it.
Also, I was unaware of how many Big Ten basketball coaches look like used car salesmen...
February 20th, 2022 at 6:23 PM ^
Good. Send a big fuck you to Pissconsin and don't suspend him either.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:25 PM ^
He shouldn't wait for the Big Ten to act. Michigan has its own standards to uphold and should investigate and act accordingly.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:32 PM ^
Michigan’s own actions destroyed the bball program for 20 years. No thanks. Let’s let this play out. Wouldn’t surprise me what the result is.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:33 PM ^
Unfortunately, the Big 10 (and the NCAA, when relevant) are all over the map so it would be wise to see if they go crazy first.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:11 PM ^
Fuck this! That’s why Michigan basketball wondered in the dessert for years. Oh and let’s self penalize the football team for stretching to much, all while other school flip the middle finger to the NCAA and nothing happens to them.