Stephen M Ross Backs Dave Brandon

Submitted by GoBlueInJersey on

Well, for those of us wondering how Stephen Ross feels about Dave Brandon and the AD, I think we have our answer, though it's not what most of us hoped for:

"He's probably the most qualified athletic director in the country. I think he's terrific," said billionaire real estate developer Stephen Ross, a UM alumnus who has given the university $310 million in recent years. "I wouldn't have given my gift to the athletic department if I didn't believe in Dave."

 

Another interesting takeaway from this article that seems to contradict what other recent reports have suggested:

A source within the university, who agreed to speak only on the condition of anonymity, said concerns about Brandon and UM athletics are a talking point, but little else at this point. 

"There's no movement to push Brandon out," the source said, who noted that any change would go through the university president, to whom the athletic director reports, and would be a long-term process rather than a sudden dismissal. 

Here's the full article

 

 

 

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kingblue

September 27th, 2014 at 11:00 AM ^

well. do you realy have a football program if people stop careing about it.. thats what people did to the basketball program before jb got here. i know alot of people who dont even watch the games any more

Joined: 12/28/2011

MGoPoints: 311

Rodriguesqe

September 27th, 2014 at 11:00 AM ^

weird to refer to someone's qualifications when they've had the job as long as dave. seems like he's backing him without really endorsing his work so far.

Joined: 12/29/2013

MGoPoints: 4222

Don

September 27th, 2014 at 11:02 AM ^

Given the fact that Ross just donated an assload of money to Brandon, it's highly unrealistic to expect that Ross would then turn around and advocate for Brandon's dismissal. That's not how things work in their world.

Brandon and Ross have far more in common with each other than they do with the vast majority of season ticket holders, or any of us here. Their lives and concerns are so different from ours that they might as well be living on a different planet.

 

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 148281

Its me Dave

September 27th, 2014 at 11:19 AM ^

Ross wouldn't feel the need to make an endorsement if DB's postion wasn't somehow vulnerable.  A vote of confidence is only necessary for a marginal performer who's under attack.

 

Put Ross' $310M against DB's (inevitable) sub100K attendance and see which is the more influential number.  Or how does that $310M stack up against a season ticket waiting list of  0? ...or 2 tkts/2 Cokes?

Joined: 07/30/2011

MGoPoints: 2447

quakertown

September 27th, 2014 at 11:27 AM ^

Agree that the only leverage the pro-change camp has now is the attendance mark. Perhaps you're right in that it will be enough.

Ross clearly supports Brandon exclusively fromt he renuve perspective. Given that the development plans for Ross's investment appear to be set and regent-approved, can he be sold on the idea a change in AD would affect his vested interests?

Here's hoping this program can avoid 10 more years wondering in the wilderness.

Joined: 09/01/2014

MGoPoints: 134

gwkrlghl

September 27th, 2014 at 11:13 AM ^

That's a huge name in Brandon's corner.

I still imagine the collective weight of many former athletes, the regents, and much of the fanbase will be enough to get him relieved of his duties at the end of the year

Joined: 04/13/2012

MGoPoints: 72

BlueInWisconsin

September 27th, 2014 at 11:27 AM ^

I'm shocked that one rich asshole supports another rich asshole. These guys are so inside their own little bubble that they don't know reality. They measure victory in dollars, buildings and their annual bonus; while unaware that everything those things is built on is crumbling around them.

Joined: 03/27/2009

MGoPoints: 4553

quakertown

September 27th, 2014 at 11:37 AM ^

It is insulting Brandon collects so much in salary, delayed compensatoin included.

Didn't Martin work for $1.

The dynamic of a millionaire negotiating for such a sallary heading a non-profit organization (he purportedly loves) while buying naming rights within the program (He's the names sake to the DBs coach, right?) is, let's call it gauche, to kept it polite.

Joined: 09/01/2014

MGoPoints: 134

btn

September 27th, 2014 at 11:30 AM ^

Establishement and Money vs. rank and file and football.

If Brandon gets to pick another head coach, and demands that he sit in on their film sessions, we are going to end up with a far bigger clown than Hoke next time around.

Joined: 09/21/2014

MGoPoints: 5836

madmaxweb

September 27th, 2014 at 11:37 AM ^

I like DB and think he has done a lot of good things for Michigan's athletic department, obviously he isn't perfect and has made some mistakes but IMO he has more positives than negatives. But one thing many people seem to overlook is the president has just taken over and he is not going to make any big changes in his first year as the president at Michigan. You almost never see a leader step into an organization and his first year clean house, usually you see them take a year to asses what they have and determine the next step of action. DB will be the athletic director for another year at least, and I personally hope he is as I said earlier I like what he has done for the most part.

Joined: 02/21/2012

MGoPoints: 1865

Wendyk5

September 27th, 2014 at 11:49 AM ^

I've seen new leaders clean house immediatley on many occasions. Just ask Dave Brandon - he knows that in consumer package goods, when a new CEO steps up, the first thing you look at is your ad agency, usually within weeks. But I can't see Schlissel moving quickly on this because he apparently knows little about football and sports (from what everyone says). But he will soon learn that there are other vocal parties besides the one who holds the biggest open checkbook. 

Joined: 11/20/2008

MGoPoints: 67682

madmaxweb

September 27th, 2014 at 12:03 PM ^

Yea there are occasions where new CEO's will clean house depending on the situation of the company. That's why I said "almost never," but when it comes to a new President he has a lot more important matters to worry about on the educational side of Michigan in his first year and the athletic department should not be on his list right now. After he gets accommodated to Michigan and understands where everything is currently then he should look at DB and evaluate him. Like you said, he has a very limited knowledge of sports so even when he does evaluate DB he isn't going to evaluate him on how football is doing, he is going to look at is the program making money to support itself (it is), is the program supporting student first for the athletes (it is), and finally is the program still receiving support from Donors and alum (this is a 50/50 right now). Those three things are probably what DB will be evaluated on, not is the football team winning games.

Joined: 02/21/2012

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madmaxweb

September 27th, 2014 at 12:30 PM ^

He was given one chance to hire a football coach and it hasn't worked out, but what about his other hires? The women's basketball coach has been pretty good, the baseball coach has been pretty good, and I believe he's had a couple other hires that have worked out extremely well so far. It's amazing that people give up on DB after 1 bad hire when he's had plenty of good ones. He knows what to look for in a coach he just made a mistake in Hoke. I promise you DB isn't the only AD that's made a bad hire and he won't be the last AD for Michigan to make a bad hire, if every time something goes wrong and everyone wants a dumpster fire then No One, I repeat No One, will want to come to Michigan whether it's coach or AD.

Joined: 02/21/2012

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