Inside agenda against Martin and RR?
I heard last weekend(from a current Michigan employee) suggestions that a former University employee, in the athletic department, had an agenda to see Ron English chosen as the coach to follow Lloyd. When Martin chose not to go in this direction, said individual became incensed, upset with both Martin and with Martin's choice for football coach, Rich Rod. This individual supposedly has worked behind the scenes to submarine both Martin and RR. Further, this individual's wife is reported to be in a supervisory capacity on the staff of the Freep, providing a bully pulpit to bash both Martin and RichRod. Lastly, iirc, this individual is African American, making it very sensitive and impolitic for anyone associated with the University to criticize him directly. His goal was partially to see English as the first African American coach at Michigan. Lastly, because English was in the running for the head coach position, it was impossible for RichRod to realistically have him continue as part of his staff.
Can any of you verify any of these comments? If these comments are true, what happens next?
September 22nd, 2009 at 11:00 PM ^
I don't think Stapleton was ever a UofM Regent, and this doesn't list him: http://www.regents.umich.edu/about/regentsalpha1-09.pdf. Nevertheless, Regents are elected by the citizens (or appointed by the Governor if there is a vacancy between elections) and receive no direct monetary compensation for their service.
He is on the Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents though. Maybe that's what you were thinking.
September 22nd, 2009 at 11:05 PM ^
He was a member of Michigan's Board in Control of Intercollegiate Athletics
https://www.michigandaily.com/content/mixed-reviews-athletic-director
September 22nd, 2009 at 10:50 PM ^
You are provocative by nature, which is ok. Interesting perspective . . . that winning won't remove the problem. I fear that Stapleton might be one of those with a long memory, willing to bide his time until no one is expecting him to pounce. The fact that he has been upset with Martin since Ellerbe does not bode well. However, his connections to the Governor, to Bing, to Regents at UM & EMU, and perhaps to Kwame indicate that he is not one to take lightly. A frontal assault on Stapleton could be suicidal.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:53 AM ^
It it is, Stapleton is losing the battle. Ellerbe is gone. Amaker is gone. English is gone. Both the basketball and football programs are headed in the right direction and we are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to upgrade facilities. And Bill Martin's contract was renewed. If Stapleton has been using all of his tremendous power to undermine Bill Martin since Ellerbe's firing, he has not been very effective.