DSR: "David Brandon is the Devil"

Submitted by bdsisme on

A diatribe at Detroit Sports Rag gained some RTs on twitter (though it may be excessively derisive).  Recently-realized WARNING: Brian hates this writer (read Brian's 2005 column here).  Just like in 2005, I'm not sure if everything is 100% accurate -- he talks about how DB worked for Bain Capital, when I believe DB was merely hired by a headhunting firm to head up Domino's (who was owned by Bain).

http://detroitsportsrag.net/david-brandon-is-the-devil/

Because of Michigan’s status as a public university, Michigan residents can get rid of this eyesore of Ann Arbor next fall. In the spring, when the major parties announce their candidates for Regent, ask the candidates if they will support someone who believes himself to be bigger than the university he swears to love? If the candidate supports Brandon, vote the other way. Enough is enough. It’s time to put someone in charge on South State Street who can relegate their self promotion to the backseat, behind the greater good of the Michigan Athletic Department. Until then, Michigan fans will continue to be nickel and dimed – with all of it being siphoned into David Brandon’s bank account.

[Also of note, Brian was on DSR's podcast on December 4th: http://detroitsportsrag.net/dsr-podcast-with-mgoblog-dombrowski-presser/#more-1935 .]

gbdub

December 12th, 2013 at 1:00 PM ^

Generally speaking, most references to "Bain Capital" in arguments, the linked article included, can be safely replaced with "the bogeyman" without affecting the quality of reasoning.



Apologies for skirting the no politics rule - please read this exclusively as a lament on the current status of reasoned debate.

TRAILofVICTORY

December 12th, 2013 at 12:08 PM ^

Everything is the Devil to you MAMA! Well I look school, and I like football! And I'm gonna keep doin them because they make me feel good!

Alligators are ornery because of their Medula Oblongata!

...And I like Vicki and she likes me back. And she showed me her boobies and I like them too!

MGoShoe

December 12th, 2013 at 12:08 PM ^

...is an indicator or why Acker calls his blog a rag.  I wonder if Acker keeps the Split Block M in his blog's graphic as a subtle dig against "The Brand", or if he's just too lazy to fix it. 

BNags

December 12th, 2013 at 12:08 PM ^

The article is a pretty good read and a good take on how corporate greed is ruining college football and basketball.  The overall theme of the article is that Brandon is turning his back on lifelong and loyal fans, particularly season ticket holders, in favor of making a quick buck.  He makes a great point that anybody that faithfully attendned MBB games and kept their season tickets through the Elerbe and Amacker eras should not be forced out of the lower bowl because they cannot afford to pay the exorbarant fees for the "privilege" of continuing to pay for the seats that they earned.  I also love the comparison to Jerry Jones!  Well done, sir.

SalvatoreQuattro

December 12th, 2013 at 12:33 PM ^

football. For example, Title IX requires equal opportunities and facilities. Nothing wrong with that at all, but it is expensive to provide that for sports that do not generate much if any revenue for the athletic department.



In life nothing is free. UM's AD wants to be top notch. That means top dollar for coaches and facilities.

BlueCube

December 12th, 2013 at 2:03 PM ^

Top recruits take into consideration the facilities they will be playing in and using. If you want to compete with the top programs you need top facilities. You can save on facility costs if your goal is to compete with Eastern Michigan. Yes the ticket prices will be lower, but so will the product on the field and the expectations of the program.

marcota

December 12th, 2013 at 12:36 PM ^

Gasoline for 50 years. At one point it cost me $0.25/gallon. $3.50 is unfair, 16 year olds should just pay $5.00 since they are new to the market.

Same goes for my frequent flyer status. I've been flying delta my entire life. My flight should be the same cost as they were in the early 90s due to my loyalty.
.

Sports is entertainment. As long as someone is willing to pay more for your seat, you'll have to do the same. You have the reciprocal right if you move or stop caring.

Hail-Storm

December 12th, 2013 at 1:01 PM ^

however, sports and fans are a little different.  If Delta is not giving you good deals, and your loyalty program isn't great, no big deal to go over to United. In sports, the idea is that you want fans who love the team no matter what.  You want the fans to support the team through lean or rebuilding years and not jump to a more reasonably priced better "product", like jumping to become a State fan this year. 

It also complicates things when you throw in the non-profit college aspect of the sport. I think there is something to be said about fans who have been  loyal to the program, over those like that the team is good now and have more money. 

GoWings2008

December 12th, 2013 at 12:08 PM ^

A family member of mine worked with DB when he was at Valassis and despite his take-no-prisoners attitude and toughness, he was a very shrewd businessman.  He got things done.  He wasn't all about himself but did take care of his interests.  The impression I was left with after a lengthy discussion is the same one we're left with and most on this Blog feel...DB makes money.  Say what you will about his motivations or his methods, there's probably a lot of non-revenue sports that are thankful he's there.

blacknblue

December 12th, 2013 at 12:20 PM ^

I'm trying to figure if calling Brandon out for a Republican for no apparent reason, or suggesting that he's embezzling money from the department was the low point of this "article".

Erik_in_Dayton

December 12th, 2013 at 12:33 PM ^

I don't particularly like DB, but I believe that I may look back at him - when he eventually moves on - as a guy who was more-or-less useful for Michigan. I trust that he will take relatively agressive steps for the sake of the Athletic Department.  I have not agreed and presumably will not agree with all of those steps, but I appreciate the fact that he's not coasting along.  It sure seems to me - again, from afar - that the pre-DB Michigan Athletic Department thought it could rest on its laurels for a long time while the OSU AD ate its lunch.

sdogg1m

December 12th, 2013 at 12:32 PM ^

Working for an investment firm. asset management firm, or bank does not make a person evil. Nor does being a CEO as someone has to do the job. Dominos was a luckluster company until Brandon was hired, he helped turn that business around. Some of you may have bad experiences in your area but without a doubt the Dominos in my area had the best quality pizza and was always busy.

Since becoming athletic director our facilities have been upgraded and our profile increased. Some objected to the Michigan Stadium facility, I do not want those suites to become an obstruction to our ability to have the largest football stadium in the country. Some have objected to Brandon's use of corporate terminology using words such as brand. This does not make him a failure. The big question is can his decisions help turn around Michigan football. That is the true measure of every AD at Michigan. If Michigan football begins winning Big 10 and national titles then Dave Brandon's work will have been considered successful.

Here2CWoodson

December 12th, 2013 at 12:37 PM ^

People that don't work for financial institutions have a very skewed perception of what goes on/what people's motives and agendas are inside them. They see that someone works for a bank and automatically assume "CORPORATE GREED!!!!," when in reality that is more often than not, not the case.

RickAndScott

December 12th, 2013 at 12:59 PM ^

Since becoming athletic director our facilities have been upgraded

 

and our profile increased

How's that profile trajectory looking with back-to-back five loss seasons in the Big Ten?

DarkWolverine

December 12th, 2013 at 1:13 PM ^

It should be noted that Brandon has been successful with his degree from UM, completed as a student-athelete. He was not given anything to accomplish his success, perhaps through a windfall or inheritance. I like to be optimistic that a degree fromk UM helps with such success.

steve sharik

December 12th, 2013 at 2:12 PM ^

 "Dominos was a luckluster company until Brandon was hired...."

I don't think "lackluster" is accurate.  If you're literally saying they lacked luster at the time that he took over, sure, but I don't think they've had "luster" since the '80s, and Brandon didn't change that.  It was thay way before him and has been since.  If you're saying they were struggling financially and he helped make them healthy, fine.  (Although I'm willing to bet Bain gave him some strict guidelines with financing and cost philosophy.)  

The way you stated it makes it seem that Domino's was some relative unknown until Brandon showed up, when the reality is that Domino's in the 1980s revolutionized the food industry.  It made home delivery a very popular thing, and it made take out (especially pizza) a very popular thing.  Domino's almost destroyed Pizza Hut single-handedly.  I'd also be willing to be that a lot higher proportion of the US and world population know who Tom Monaghan is than do Brandon.

"(T)he Dominos in my area had the best quality pizza..."

I weep for the pizza consumers in your area.

Gordon

December 12th, 2013 at 4:15 PM ^

In the 1980's and prior, sit-down pizza restaurants were huge, and that was (and still is) Pizza Hut's main business.  Those red-roofed buildings are all for dining in.  Little Caesars had a similar concept with family fun centers in the 1980's and 1990's.

By taking pizza out of the restaurant, Domino's was able to sell a lot of pizza without a lot of unnecessary overhead costs.

kevnblue

December 12th, 2013 at 12:36 PM ^

I don't have much of an opinion on Jordan Acker, but Jeff Moss, the "frontman" of the DSR, seems to be a complete blowhard. The mission of the site and his sports commentary seems to be to feel bigger and better than the local sports media.

Admittedly, the local sports media doesn't always get the scoop or ask the hardest hitting questions in press conferences, but the amount of vitriol he spews on Twitter and his website makes me disregard most things posted on the DSR.

 

GOBLUE4EVR

December 12th, 2013 at 12:52 PM ^

does is troll terry foster and 97.1... in the very few times i've been on DSR the majority of the articles have something to do with terry foster or someone at 97.1... after reading the posted article i went to the DSR home page and saw that someone created (i'm going to assume a DSR person) a fake POF profile page for Scott "The Gator" Anderson... now thats pathetic...

True Blue Grit

December 12th, 2013 at 12:55 PM ^

failed AD's being the Roberson/Weidenbach/Goss era, I agree with you.  I don't think of Martin and Brandon as being total failures. Not at all.  Martin got the program in the black again, which was a big accomplishment.  He also got the huge stadium upgrade project done, as well as some other much needed facility improvements.  Yes, he hired Amaker and RR.  But, he was damned close to getting Pitino as coach, and didn't because of things beyond his control.  And he DID bring in Beilein.  With Brandon, the book is still out.  

blue in dc

December 12th, 2013 at 9:58 PM ^

Personally, I have always thought that thre first proccess was much worse than the second and that if Martin were even half competent there would be lots less bitching about the recent history of the football team. I wonder how much Carr really wanted to coach in 2007 and whether a better AD would have brought in a good new head coach in 2007.

I think that Brandon is a far superior AD, understanding that his job is both to make money and to field winning teams,