End of an era in Michigan athletics; Percy Bates retirement as Fac. Rep.
Percy Bates ends his 20+ years as Faculty Representative to the Athletic Department. I am not clear on whether he will continue to maintain a seat on the Department's Advisory Board on Intercollegiate Athletics.
By outward appearances, this may be an ordinary, timely retirement. I have no information to suggest otherwise.
At the same time, Percy Bates is known to have friendly associations with EMU Regent and Three and Out figure Jim Stapleton (who is himself an active Michigan alum and a former Advisory Board Member with Bates), Lloyd Carr and Michael Rosenberg.
Here is Bates' retirement announcement at MGoBlue.com.
Our new Faculty Rep, Anne Curzan.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:11 PM ^
Given that the guy has to be in his seventies (faculty since 1965, plus...27-28 years?), and got a pretty glowing quote from Brandon in the press release, I'm guessing his retirement is ordinary and timely.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:14 PM ^
I had the opportunity to meet Percy when I interviewed him for a large project I was doing on minorities in the coaching ranks of college football. He met with me on several occasions for over an hour each time and naturally our conversations would turn towards the game. Percy loved Michigan football. The one thing that I will always be in debt to him for was when he took off his '97 title ring and let me try it on.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:19 PM ^
is a tad grandiose, considering 99% of us here don't know who Percy Bates is.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:28 PM ^
You don't know Percy Bates?? Clearly he was the Fac. Rep. and his retirement is the end of an era in Michigan athletics. And you call yourself a michigan fan...
/had no idea wtf a Fac. Rep. was either
February 23rd, 2012 at 8:30 PM ^
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:31 PM ^
I don't know who he is either. But dammit....
....I respect you bro.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:33 PM ^
I have no information to suggest otherwise... but I'm going to do so anyway one sentence later.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:36 PM ^
Percy Bates is an institution. I wish him a good and well-deserved retirement.
And he deserves more than typical Section 1 anti-Freep trolling.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:06 PM ^
Percy Bates WORKED for an institution. That he has now retired from. Under what are evidently suspicious circumstances.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:13 PM ^
I did NOT suggest "suspicious circumstances." I "suggested" the opposite. But I noted the recent history.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:51 PM ^
Steve Watson graduated; it's the end of an era!
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:58 PM ^
...give it a rest. Not pleased with how you cast aspersions on a honorable man who deserves to be lauded for his decades of service to Michigan and its student-athletes.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:11 PM ^
Some of you fanboyz really make me laugh.
I get criticized by some for even noting Bates' retirement, as if he was completely irrelevant.
But to others, Bates is "an institution," and I get criticized for having disrespectfully noted Bates' long standing alliance with Stapleton, Carr and Rosenberg. And not one thing more than that. You can make of it whatever you wish.
When you all make up your minds on one single coherent thought, let me know, at which point I still won't care. Oh, wait, I know: MANBALLFERGODSSAKESTREMENDOUSBEATOHIO!
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:16 PM ^
Shoe isn't responsible for anyone else's comments. Your comments were very disrespectful, and he pointed that out; you followed by summarizing other comments on the thread. Like Shoe, I'd love to know what evidence you have behind your "non-suggestion".
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:35 PM ^
Yep. You gave RR criticism a rest. We all remember it well.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:09 PM ^
I never had a chance to meet Percy Bates, but I know from experience that faculty athletic reps are an extremely important component of a well-functioning athletic department. Wish him the best and hope whoever receives the position next has a successful term
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:34 PM ^
How could the AD possibly employ anyone who is friendly with Michael Rosenberg, a man who made a very clear effort to destroy the head coach of the university's most important athletic program? The fact that Bates went this long and that Scott Draper was still working during the 2010 season doesn't say much for Brandon, does it?
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:58 PM ^
Percy Bates' performance record as Faculty Representative over so many years was a sterling one as far as I know.
But the serious, insider explanation of the doings of Stapleton, Bates, Carr et al w/r/t their friend Rosenberg and the Rodriguez era is something that I expect would be very, very interesting. I wouldn't prejudge the story; but I would like to at least hear the story. I think Bacon only scratched the surface with what was known and provable to him, and was at the same time also moderately interesting to average football fans.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:46 PM ^
Only on a Michigan board could a flamewar start over a man's retirement. I love this place, but sometimes we all get too wrapped up in conspiracies about the school, especially when it pertains to RR and the AD
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:53 PM ^
And it really has nothing to do with RR or Dave Brandon to begin with. Heck, Bates served as Faculty Rep under five head football coaches and seven AD's, if memory serves me correctly. To turn this into anything but a celebration of what he has done for this university and our student-athletes is simply absurd.
February 23rd, 2012 at 3:51 PM ^
He's a great guy. I worked with him when I was in charge of a summer program for teens living in local housing projects. He was instrumental in setting up an amazing visit to the Athletic Department and the Big House for the participants, who were all interested in careers in sports management. As if that weren't enough, he came to work during his vacation to meet the students and answer their questions about careers in athletics. He really went above and beyond for them and they LOVED their visit.