Student Athlete Advisory Committee releases statement on Brandon
Uh.......okay?
Michigan's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee releases statement "standing behind" Dave Brandon http://t.co/9jM19JfW37
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) October 1, 2014
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee stands behind Dave Brandon and the entirety of Michigan Athletics concerning the events of the past few days.
As student-athletes, we are confident that each member of the Athletic Department acts with our best interests in mind. We applaud Dave Brandon for upholding the tradition and values of Michigan to the highest standard, encouraging us to be leaders and best in all aspects of life. As such, we fully support our Athletic Director and trust his ability to make decisions for our success and wellbeing.
It is important to remember that there are 931 student-athletes and 31 teams at the University of Michigan. These individuals and teams consistently achieve great success in every realm. The 2013-2014 academic year saw 5 Big Ten Championships, 1 Team National Championship, and 3 Individual National Champions. A total of 55 Wolverines were named Big Ten Distinguished Scholars, and 6 achieved Academic All-American honors. Student-athletes also collectively contributed hundreds of hours of community service and raised over $25,000 for charitable causes through last year’s Mock Rock performance. Simply put, as student-athletes we refuse to be defined by the successes or failures of any one team alone.
Competing for the University of Michigan is a privilege and an honor. The athletic community is often scrutinized, but at the end of the day we are one Michigan family; we support one another, and we appreciate the support of family, friends and fans.
On behalf of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee,
Thank you & Go Blue!
October 1st, 2014 at 12:36 AM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 6:49 AM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 12:37 AM ^
I'm sure if the football team could release a statement it'd sound similar.
October 1st, 2014 at 12:37 AM ^
If he can't stiff arm some doctors he'll sure as hell make a point to stiff arm some student athletes.
October 1st, 2014 at 12:38 AM ^
April fools?
October 1st, 2014 at 12:41 AM ^
That statement didn't really make much sense. What does Dave Brandon have to do with athletes being good students and good...athletes?
October 1st, 2014 at 1:16 AM ^
It makes perfect sense.
This response is pointing out that there is more to Michigan Athletics outside of Michigan Football.
There are a load of other teams that have seen progress and improvement during his tenure that are being overlooked because of the failures of the football teams since he has been here. They happen to like what he has done for thier programs.
That is what that letter was saying.
October 1st, 2014 at 1:44 AM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 11:00 AM ^
The answer to that is a resounding no.
October 1st, 2014 at 12:46 AM ^
Didn't DB handpick the people who would serve on this committee?
October 1st, 2014 at 12:48 AM ^
yep.
classic dave
October 1st, 2014 at 1:34 AM ^
This is how people like Brandon "succeed" in life. They build an impenetrable wall of sychophant ass-kissers in-between themselves and the rest of the planet so that any and all attempts to reach them with any sort of reality is deflected. Nothing will ever make it through the great wall of ass-kissery.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:21 AM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 12:54 AM ^
That's right, I completely forgot about that........LOL
Does he do anything that can't be laughed at?
October 1st, 2014 at 6:29 AM ^
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October 1st, 2014 at 8:36 AM ^
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October 1st, 2014 at 9:12 AM ^
Brandon does not choose who is on this committee. (Source: girlfriend is a former athlete)
October 1st, 2014 at 12:47 AM ^
Totally meaningless. Kerridge and Countess (whose name is spelled wrong on their site) are listed as members, but I wouldn't make anything out of this. They can't say anything else, and frankly it's worse in my view if the AD heard this was coming and let them put themselves on the wrong side of this story to try to save DB.
I mean, this guy's whole problem is that he surrounds himself with yes men and can't admit a mistake, and here it is again.
I hope student-athletes understand that none of this is criticism of them, though. This is about ensuring they have the leadership, oversight, and protection they deserve as they pursue their goals and represent the University so much more positively than the AD administration has in recent days.
October 1st, 2014 at 12:51 AM ^
Remember all of those athletic centers you've posted about? Guess who the benefactors of those non-investments were.
October 1st, 2014 at 12:51 AM ^
Read: "We're afraid we'll lose our scholarships if we do anything else."
October 1st, 2014 at 12:58 AM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 1:38 AM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 5:54 AM ^
The athletic department has thrived under Dave Brandon, both in terms of performance and facilities.
October 1st, 2014 at 6:32 AM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 8:29 AM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 8:33 AM ^
if things don't change. All those empty seats in the stadium this year may have been sold tickets, but they sure as hell won't be next year. Then we'll see how much you like your precious revenue.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:38 AM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 8:57 AM ^
But winning is only a part of it. Sure, you need to win to avoid empty seats. But the things that Brandon has put into motion, such as banning water bottles and seat cushions, trying to sneak in advertising, shitting on the band with generic rock music and making alumni pay for their trip to Alabama, Coke promos, and getting every penny out of every person he can.
These things all add to the coffers, but long term, they will erode the foundation of this program. It is a myopic dime a dozen CEO shit. A real AD understands that they are not only running a program and funding new projects, but they are also shaping the future.
If Chipotle started charging $15 per burrito, they would have their best week ever. Then, everyone would stop going to Chipotle and they would collapse into themselves.
October 1st, 2014 at 1:12 PM ^
So the athletic department is thriving, but let's fire because of what might happen.
October 1st, 2014 at 2:00 PM ^
It's already happening....the long wait list is gone, student ticket purchases have plummeted, they are GIVING AWAY TICKETS to the football game with 2 cokes. Revenue next year will be WAY down.
So, yes, he is screwing up the only thing he was good at as head of the AD.
October 1st, 2014 at 1:56 PM ^
So are administrative expenses... by about the same amount.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:40 AM ^
Which is why people have every right to be mad...and he should be fired. But they also need to realize that some good has been done.
Someone the other day wanted to have a Field Hockey UFR...you think those girls don't love Brandon? Look at their new facility.
Lacrosse?
Hell, almost every sport at Michigan has SIGNIFICANT upgrades.
I'm not excusing Brandon, but I'm not ignoring the good things either. Just like yesterday when I was talking about Rich Rod...I said "I don't like Rich Rod, but I also truly believe he wasn't given a fair shot." You don't have to like Rodriguez to feel he was treated poorly or disliking him doesn't automatically mean you think he had a fair change.
Same situation. You can hate Brandon and want him fired and also agree...he's done some GREAT things while at Michigan.
As an athletics administrator for many years, I can say I would be SHOCKED if SAAC was forced to write this. SHOCKED. That's now how they work and in 2014, someone would've tweeted about how the admin was making them write this statement,
So I call bullshit on anyone who says otherwise.
Did admin review it? Maybe. Did they make suggestions? Maybe. But that was it, IMO.
This isn't a far fetched thought...Brandon has hired coaches that these kids loved, he's given them scholarships, he's upgraded their facilities, he's hired people responsible for their well being and nutrition, he's given them more than any other kid on campus...why wouldn't they support him as a whole?
In the end, it doesn't mean anything...but if you all think someone forced this, you're crazy. Teenagers think they're invincable and someone would've certainly spoke up about it. Especially in today's mob mentality climate.
October 1st, 2014 at 9:31 AM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 9:30 AM ^
Maybe I should've used another word, perhaps nudged. I don't think it was their idea to do it, but I have a good feeling that it represents the feelings of most of the sport teams
October 1st, 2014 at 1:45 AM ^
...did this originate such that it overrid good judgment? Because I can't think of any rational part that would conclude this to be a good idea.
Dave has gone off the deep end. Perhaps he and Brady should enroll in the annual Ross School of Business Leadership Crisis Challenge that's coming up in December.
October 1st, 2014 at 5:00 AM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 7:37 AM ^
The unfortunate reality is that football is king, basketball queen, and all other sports* pawns (at best). The king and queen pay the bills, and make it possible for those student athletes to have their scholarships and attend the university "for free"**.
Thus, when the head of the AD is mismanaging football, it is a BIG deal, much bigger than his management (or mismanagement) of other sports. Honestly, old Dave-o could be f***ing up other sports too, we just wouldn't notice or care too much.
There is part of me that wonders why Universities support such large sports enterprises - and this entire incident has brought this strange practice onto center stage. Why do we need to have a tennis*** team to compete against other schools' tennis teams? It's not for the fans (I've seen how many show up - not many beyond parents). Who is it for? Why does it make the University a better place? Why can't students simply play intramural tennis if that's what they want to do? The entire operation is strange, and its over-professionalization seems increasingly out of place on a University campus.
* - I know, maybe hockey or some other sports warranted something better than being a "pawn". But it sounded better this way.
** - They don't really get to go to the university for free; they "pay" for it through their hard work and dedication to their sport. But you know what I mean.
*** - I don't mean to pick on tennis; pick any sport really, especially ones that few people follow.
October 1st, 2014 at 1:53 PM ^
For me, tennis is an easy one to pick on because it generates next to no revenue, so it lives by the hand of football and basketball, AND 80%+ (likely more) of tennis players come from a background where their parents could afford to pay full tuition at Michigan. They are, usually, from a privileged background and are benefitting from the hard work and success of kids that come from decidely underprivileged backgrounds (football and basketball).
October 1st, 2014 at 7:40 AM ^
So the other sports aren't "defined" by one sport, but football makes 57% of the athletic department budget. That makes sense.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:14 AM ^
It does make sense.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:29 AM ^
Although Michigan football may be 57% of AD revenue, we all know it isn't 57% of athletes. So it makes sense that the SAAC isn't football dominated.
Finally, the implication is that if the football team had its say, Brandon would be out. That may be true, but I haven't seen anything posted here to that effect. Remember, the opinion of fans or even former players does not always coincide with current athletes.
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October 1st, 2014 at 7:44 AM ^
Brandon feels it is necessary to trot out Stephen Ross and the SAAC, and the SAAC said nothing about Hoke - just Brandon.
Yes, yes: we support Dave Brandon who excels at gouging the shit out of you so we get really nice new facilities.
eye rolls
October 1st, 2014 at 8:28 AM ^
Money talks.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:53 AM ^
Brandon actually has something to do with their sports. They are speaking as student athletes, not as fans of other sports.
October 1st, 2014 at 4:52 PM ^
The primary chants and marches for firing have all centered around Dave Brandon. It makes sense that the SAAC wants to make a clear statement which not only supports DB but reminds the masses that the 500 protestors that showed up to a rally the other day, while a vocal contingent with grievances worth listening to, remain a significant minority.
October 1st, 2014 at 7:57 AM ^
Well, if he built an unnecessary, brand new multi million dollar facility for your worthless non-revenue sport, you'd support the guy too.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:34 AM ^
The fact that you think those sports are worthless tells me all I need to know about you.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:40 AM ^
Well I mean in literal terms, they are worthless. They are in fact money losers for the Department.