Mr Miggle

November 30th, 2018 at 12:40 PM ^

Delany pushing through the Big Ten Network was a very big deal. He's made the conference a lot of money, while generally pushing for high standards. The Big Ten has also led the way on guaranteed four year scholarships, cracking down on oversigning, on not scheduling FCS schools, etc.

He's had a few misteps, stupid division names for one. Michigan fans want to blame him personally for everything the Big Ten has done they don't like. Like schedules that were done by a vote of the ADs. Or adding Rutgers, which was really over his pay grade. Conference presidents have the say when it comes to expansion.

The Big Ten also did things we didn't like before Delany was commissioner.

Relatively speaking, Scott is an absolute nightmare of a commissioner. 

lhglrkwg

November 30th, 2018 at 12:50 PM ^

I'm surprised Larry Scott has lasted this long. Seems like no one out west cares for him going all the way up to the Pac 12 coaches and ADs and I've been hearing that for years and years now.

MH20

November 30th, 2018 at 1:16 PM ^

Sounds like the three longest tenured university presidents are his Teflon coating, though the article doesn't state why they might be so loyal/protective of him, just the insinuation that they are.

One former Pac-12 athletic director said of Scott: "He couldn't care less about the athletic directors. His allegiance is to the three big shots  - Michael Crow (ASU), Ed Ray (Oregon State) and Gene Block (UCLA). 

"The other ones either don't care or don't understand or there's a lot of transition on their campus so they aren't as engaged."

The Pac-12 presidents and chancellors make up the Pac-12 CEO Group. Crow, Ray and Block are the only three original university leaders who remain since Scott was hired in 2009. No matter how frustrated fans are, no matter how disenchanted ADs are, no matter how helpless the football coaches feel, the ultimate fate of the conference rests with them. 

Mr Miggle

November 30th, 2018 at 1:29 PM ^

The answer to your question is right in the quote.

"One former Pac-12 athletic director said of Scott: "He couldn't care less about the athletic directors. His allegiance is to the three big shots  - Michael Crow (ASU), Ed Ray (Oregon State) and Gene Block (UCLA). "

Replace Scott and they're on an even footing with the others. It reminds me a bit of the Maryland boosters supporting Durkin. They had access with him that they hadn't had before and might not with the next coach.

Leaders_and_Best

November 30th, 2018 at 3:56 PM ^

One of the gems from this story is that Larry Scott sent out an email blast to all staff for a major announcement, which everyone assumed was that a deal with Directv had been made, to announce that he had gotten his contract extended with a raise.

BlueinLansing

November 30th, 2018 at 4:04 PM ^

There was a horrible targeting in the Oklahoma/WVU game that would have taken OU's top db off the field, wasn't even reviewed.  Made me think of the Pac12 situation immediately.