OT?: Liberty University Hires Hugh Freeze as Head Football Coach
Hugh Freeze has been hired by Liberty University to be their head football coach. He replaces Turner Gill, who retired.
Here's a fun twist: Liberty University's Athletic Director is none other than Ian McCaw, former Baylor University Athletic Director who resigned amid the sexual abuse scandal.
How these universities can get away with employing these people while touting their universities as "religious" is beyond me. Morality is dead.
December 7th, 2018 at 2:31 PM ^
Ok, so this needs some clarification:
Michigan's record on sexual misconduct is unremarkable. But then, Freeze hasn't assaulted or molested anyone, either. He has called prostitutes, phone calls that generally aren't made if services aren't going to be requested. If one argues that prostitution is sexual exploitation, I'm open to that argument--but there is a rather unsettled debate about that, particularly on the political and social left. I am not addressing an issue of sexual violence.
What Liberty is guilty of is more basic: This hire is in direct contradiction to their own principles. That's quite serious, in my view. I've called out other institutions for pretending to hold principles and violating them, and I find Liberty to be just as guilty.
December 7th, 2018 at 2:38 PM ^
Once again, what in the hell does this have to do with Michigan?
December 7th, 2018 at 3:16 PM ^
Yeah, I don't get it either. It looks like he's trying to establish some sort of anti-hypocrisy street cred so that he can call out Liberty and avoid some imaginary Liberty apologist that is waiting to call him out on turning a blind eye to Michigan's hypocritical actions (whatever they may be).
Is there anyone that is defending Liberty's hiring of the the Baylor AD or Freeze on this board or on Twitter that the OP needs to insulate himself from?
December 7th, 2018 at 3:21 PM ^
Your perceptions are inaccurate.
December 7th, 2018 at 6:28 PM ^
You've offered no explanation, so people are offering perceptions. They are right to question what you meant. This is perhaps the most Michigan part of this entire thread.
December 7th, 2018 at 2:44 PM ^
This clears it up for me - thank you. I do wish you would have made it that clear in the tweet, but 280 characters, and all... Like I said, no stake - I just wanted to now what I might have been missing. Glad to know its nothing! (Well...)
FWIW, my thoughts are that Liberty should well accept him into the congregation if he wants to be there, especially if he's apologized and asked forgiveness (which, in another comment, I see that he has). But that doesn't mean they should've ever made him a football coach in any capacity. And I think we agree on that...
December 7th, 2018 at 5:48 PM ^
How many times does Liberty have to violate their supposed principles before they get defined by their actions and not their words? All today did was reinforce exactly what they are. I can’t be disappointed when they did exactly what I would expect them to do.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:13 PM ^
Well said. Thanks for the comments.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:18 PM ^
What did Michigan do?
December 7th, 2018 at 1:48 PM ^
Sounds like worse things than msu, psu and osu.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:25 PM ^
This is an honest question from a guy who doesn't participate in organized religion:
Isn't Christianity built in some way on the idea of forgiveness and that man is fallible? If Hugh Freeze messed up and admitted as much and said his hail marys or whatever, isn't he back in the good graces? Or isn't he afforded a 2nd chance?
Is there some deal where football guys are blackballed and have to live out their years in poverty? This seems very un-Christian to me, although I admittedly am ignorant on the topic.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:31 PM ^
No doubt the principle of forgiveness is an important and necessary part of true Christianity.
You can forgive a person and his/her actions. Doesn't mean you should hire them and pay them a ton of money to be a leader of young men.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:34 PM ^
Beat me to it.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:40 PM ^
Jerry Falwell, Jr. and his father have hardly operated on the principle of forgiveness. This hire isn't about that.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:49 PM ^
Also, repentance is part of that forgiveness equation.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:52 PM ^
This is it. Forgiveness and redemption are very important, and I am all for that.
But forgiveness and redemption do not mean someone is impervious from the consequences for their choices/actions.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:33 PM ^
He's always welcomed into a true Gospel believing church. Being a leader of young men is a different story.
Btw, has he actually admitted to wrong doing and repented? That kind of negates your question if he hasn't.
Your comment does remind me of an old joke: when I was a kid I prayed and prayed for a new bike, and God never gave me one. Then I went to church and learned that God doesn't work that way, so I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.
December 7th, 2018 at 2:01 PM ^
Haha.
And no, I have no idea if he repented. I don't think any of us do. I was just curious about the rules assuming he did.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:36 PM ^
I think "forgiveness" in Christianity is more like "how do I personally forgive somebody who has trespassed upon me and, in doing so, become closer to God." I don't think it is related all that much to second chances in the "OK you are forgiven so you get a second chance" kind of way.
In all honesty, I don't think God would have a very strong opinion about this hire either way.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:48 PM ^
Christianity is built on God's forgiveness of us. And yes, as a Christian I am called to forgive others. However, forgiveness does not mean you have to give someone a second chance. For example if someone commits fraud in my business, I can personally forgive them, but that does not mean I am going to bring them back into my finance department. Liberty clearly believes he deserves that second chance, but it looks really bad from an outsiders perspective.
December 7th, 2018 at 3:48 PM ^
While the tenet of forgiveness is a good one, I fail to believe that this was his FIRST AND ONLY transgression.
This was the first time he was caught, big difference.
December 7th, 2018 at 2:15 PM ^
EDIT: Removed because I don't want to spend the winter in Bolivia.
EDIT Again: Ah, I'll leave it.
I don't do Twitter, so I can't respond there and I this is about to get me negged, but here it goes. If repentance is the key to salvation/restoration of relationships according to Christianity, then he checked that box last year at a convocation at Liberty.
"I had to say to people that I loved, 'I am sorry. Please forgive me,'" Freeze said during the school's chapel service. "And today is really the first day I can tell the faith family, 'I am sorry. Please forgive me.'"
Yes, Liberty jumped at a chance for a HC with a murky history. But according to their belief system, he did what he needed to do.
December 7th, 2018 at 2:38 PM ^
That's between him and God. As far as I'm concerned, it's really easy to ask for forgiveness when someone's waving millions of dollars in your face.
December 7th, 2018 at 3:10 PM ^
He said that a year ago, when there was no job opportunity. Would I hire him? No. But he has to apologize before he can get hired anywhere, especially a "faith based" university.
Also, if Liberty is throwing out million dollar contracts to coach FCS football at Liberty, I picked the wrong business.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:03 PM ^
This thread will/should probably get nuked for the inevitable political and religious comments, but I'll just say that Hugh "I like escorts" Freeze is the perfect choice to lead the football team of Jerry Falwell's institution.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:15 PM ^
While I knew Liberty was a religious school (probably need quotation marks around that) I was not aware of their affiliation with Falwell. This leaves me with a little shrug in response to the hire. I mean, this falls right in line with Falwell's past behavior and shouldn't surprise anyone.
For those inclined to look for justification, I expect spin masters (marketing, PR types) will say it represents a second chance. Sorry, I can't stand Falwell or Freeze. Liberty may as well ask to become a satellite school for PSU, MSU or Baylor.
December 7th, 2018 at 4:09 PM ^
Jerry Falwell founded this university; thus, the inclusion of his name in this thread. His son took over for him when he past away a few years ago.
On this topic, I will type no,more in fear of wintering in Bolivia.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:26 PM ^
I have friends with PhDs who work on the education and reform side of this matter.
Here, the "conversation" may well get out of hand but the need for some serious education and reconstruction of our male thinking and acting in this regard cannot be over-stated. Like many things in life, there are two sides to the forgiveness coin. It is not coincidence that churches have long been safe places for sexual misconduct. The emphasis to forgive ad infinitum, while seemingly a very good thing, here is a very bad thing. The rate of recidivism is staggering...pointing to "no cure". And the more closely predators are monitored the more cunningly dangerous they become. We would do well to work on this issue proactively-beginning with our children.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:39 PM ^
OK, I think it is again really important to note that nobody has ever accused Hugh Freeze of sexual misconduct, worse yet on a child. Can people at least read about the Ole Miss scandal before commenting on this? He sounds like a bad guy but nobody has ever accused him of sexual assault or any kind of assault as far as I can tell.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:08 PM ^
No he isn't. This "hiring" is going to last about as long as Kevin Hart's "stint" as Oscar host.
December 7th, 2018 at 2:31 PM ^
They hired the AD who helped cover up the Baylor scandal and he's still there. Why do you think this won't last?
December 7th, 2018 at 4:39 PM ^
The people that follow that cult won't make a noise about this. Fallwell tells them it is okay, and that's enough for them. All for the same reason they can charge the insane tuition they do for a shit education and get even more students the next year.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:08 PM ^
"Love one another, as I have loved you. But before you work on that, win some motherf***ing football games!"
~ Jesus, I guess
December 7th, 2018 at 1:09 PM ^
I apologize if my post ignites inappropriate comments regarding politics or religion--it was not my intent.
I am religious and a Christian, and I hate to see these types of actions who claim to hold themselves to a "higher standard" give religious people a bad rap.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:11 PM ^
Wow. On top of this, look who Liberty's AD is! From ESPN's article on the hire: "Former Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw, who resigned in wake of the school's sexual assault scandal, is Liberty's athletic director."
Edit: In my excitement, I didn't notice the OP mentioned this. Still flabbergasted.
December 7th, 2018 at 2:47 PM ^
Yep. The hiring of the AD, in my opinion, is much more egregious than hiring Freeze. Hugh Freeze had underlings pay for football players to come to Ole Miss, and paid for women to spend time with him. Ian McCaw ignored many women being hurt, severely, because he liked being in charge of a school with a good football team. There is a huge difference between the two men.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:11 PM ^
Liberty is whoring themselves for football success, and Hugh knows whores, so .........
Perfect Match!
December 7th, 2018 at 1:12 PM ^
I teach at a high school where an especially solid family is sending both their kids to Liberty. I wonder what they would think if they were inforned of this
December 7th, 2018 at 1:19 PM ^
Only one way to find out! They're going to find out eventually, so you might as well ask. I mean, you'll have to be tactful about it. I wouldn't pull the kid aside to ask, "how do your parents feel about your future school mortgaging their morals to hire a blazing hypocrite in the hopes of winning some football games?" But maybe you could say something like, "sheesh, I bet the call girls in Lynchburg are about to be busy, what do you think about the Freeze hire?"
December 7th, 2018 at 4:40 PM ^
If they're sending their kids to that school, they won't care. What they believe is more important than any fact you could present to them. That's why they're sending their kids to that school.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:14 PM ^
Hypocrite University. They boycotted nike too with the kapernick thing if I remember.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:15 PM ^
We all know Hugh got canned at Ole Miss because of a FOIA request to get his university issued cell records. Since Liberty University is private he's good to dial up whoever he likes... which in this case means hookers.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:19 PM ^
That's all well and good, but the real question is: would we want Brady Hoke back to coach Defensive Line?
/s
December 7th, 2018 at 1:20 PM ^
Ice to see you Mr. freeze. I’m afraid my condition has left me COLD to your pleas of mercy!
December 7th, 2018 at 1:21 PM ^
A religious school, I am SHOCKED /s
December 7th, 2018 at 1:24 PM ^
This is so comically ironic and apropos of the cultural, social, and political era in which we live.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:25 PM ^
I hope Liberty sends Freeze to try and convert the Stone Age inhabitants of that island near India, and that the outcome is the same as the last guy that tried!
December 7th, 2018 at 1:42 PM ^
Sadly, that guy brought a football as a gift for the north sentinelese too.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:56 PM ^
They wouldn't have to send him, they could just arrange the following text to him from a burner phone:
Hi Freezy-baby, it's me. Remember that fun time we had on your recruiting trip? I'd like to meet up again, I've found a discrete tropical island where we can rendezvous without pesky FOIA requests. Please come to North Sentinel Island. No need for subterfuge while there, just yell for me and I'll come running to find you.
XOXO, Bambi