Dave Brandon's Athletic Department Continues to Use Student-Athletes to Save His Job
Facing a boycott of kickoff in protest of Dave Brandon's continued employment, Dave Brandon's Athletic Department puts out an official photo using a quote from Dennis Norfleet to try to stop the boycott. The caption on the Michigan Football Facebook page: "Fleet".
If you are like me in thinking that it is inappropriate for Dave Brandon to use student-athletes in orchestrated PR ploys intended to save his own job, you'll join me in thinking this is inappropriate, too. Boo, Dave. Boo.
Mrs. Jon06: "Is that official?"
Jon06: "Yes."
Mrs. Jon06: "...He should be fired."
ETA: Mr. Yost down below tries to convince me that this is not a new social media strategy. I asked him to provide an example from the Michigan Football Facebook page of any student athlete quote used in a 2014 ad. I mentioned that coaches' quotes had been used. His responses: basketball players from Twitter (not what I asked for), coaches (not what I asked for), and then a Funchess quote that never appeared on the Facebook page (not what I asked for), which (last time I checked) he is pretending was posted there. If anybody knows where he got that Funchess Chobani image, that'd be great to know. [Image was from Twitter. Again irrelevant. Again obfuscation from Mr. Yost who wants you to forget what we were discussing.] In any case I am just writing this here to register that Brandon supporters appear to be engaged in an active misinformation campaign here. Be careful out there, folks.
ETA2: To be fair, I should add here that Mr. Yost seems to think I'm lying by having moved the goalposts on him. I disagree insofar as social media strategies are a lot more specific than he seems to think, but you can see what you think if you read through the stuff below. The Funchess image he keeps reposting is from Twitter, per the above, unlike the FB-sourced image embedded in this here OP. FWIW, I am now inclined to think MGrowOld is right in the "Why the Surge" thread when it comes to at least part of the increased pressure to attend, but I still strongly dislike the AD using SA quotes in official materials in any way that even has the appearance of being an attempt to move the needle on a boycott aimed at DB.
October 8th, 2014 at 8:51 AM ^
Why, exactly? This morning I wake up to find I'm up 30 MGoPoints from before I started the thread, which now has 35 upvotes to 26 downvotes. I've been the only one arguing my side against literally the entire board before. I've even been wrong--badly wrong--on the internet before. It's ok, it happens. I'm an adult, so I can handle it. But in this thread there's a pretty deep disagreement, more people upvoted the OP than downvoted it, and I'm not quite the only one on my side no matter how deep you go in the comments.
October 8th, 2014 at 12:25 PM ^
Keep in mind that I don't pretend to know you, but I see some of myself in your conduct in this thread. While I might still spend too much time in internet debates, investing emotional energy arguing with people I don't know is something I strive to avoid. It's easy to fall into that trap, but for me at least, I think's it's unhealthy. I don't wish to nitpick your comments. I'll just mention that you somehow misread Mr Yost's comment and thought he worked at our AD. It was a careless mistake and would have bothered me greatly if I had made it. That's when I would have stepped aside.
You're taking this issue much too seriously.
You're talking about something that has zero effect on whether I think Dave Brandon should keep his job. I think that's also true for you and everyone you're arguing with. The debate is whether it's an insignificant, but annoying event or a complete non-issue. To me, whether Dave Brandon keeps his job isn't even the big issue. More important is the direction the new president and the board want to take regarding athletics. They're still in charge of that no matter who they hire as AD.
You're taking criticism too personally.
Subjective, I know, but when I start to respond that way I step back and think it's time for a break.
October 8th, 2014 at 2:08 AM ^
October 8th, 2014 at 3:55 AM ^
This isn't a Kentucky blog so I'd guess this is all a bit out of context for you.
October 8th, 2014 at 3:10 AM ^
MGoBloggers. Alumni. Students. This battle is only half ours. We have voiced our opinion. It has been heard on nearly every single news outlet in America at some level. There have been physical protests, name-calling/blaming, etc. I'm sure the point has been covered and understood nationally, let alone in our backyard.
The most recent response: boycott the kickoff, THEN go and fill the student section. THAT WILL SHOW THEM! No. It WILL cause more tension, and it WILL make us look like a school in the middle of a civil war. This thread directly opposes the one calling for a stand-out of the student section and proves the point that we are not united.
I WANT to support our team, but they need to take some responsibility for themselves here. They are the only ones who can make a drastic change. I realize they have a scholarship on the line here, but at the same time, UMich could not possibly let go of the whole (or half, for that matter) team. It would be similar to the refusal to play in (dare I say it) "Rudy, but it would leave the school with no choice. Everyone is united in one thing (regardless of their interpretation of it): supporting the players. If the players could muster up the courage to stand up against the mighty athletic department, it would be checkmate. Our 2015 recruites are dropping like flies so the point can't be made that we have a country full of top athletes waiting to take their place.
"They shouldn't do that! They'd be crazy to". For those that are inevitably going to argue the counterpoint, I'd like to point out that many would like to move on to professional careers in the game. Hoke made a big error. However, aside from that, he has an EXTEREMLY talented group of "sons" and is coaching their careers into the ground. Dave Brandon... no excuses. No, he doesn't coach, but he also doesn't understand a single issue facing the most traditioned team in collegiate athletics.
If the players can stand for themselves, it would say alot more for our program than massive/rediculous student protests that only hurt our reputation by elongating the issues. We're way past discussion at this point, it's become a yelling match and no-one's voice is being heard.
The silent athletes need to stand up for themselves, we will have their back.
October 8th, 2014 at 9:01 AM ^
I like what you're thinking but I don't think SAs should have to stand up to an incompetent AD administration themselves. I think that's too much to ask of them.
Incidentally, this pretty much is a school in the middle of a civil war, isn't it? The whole point of continuing to protest is to show them that the tension will be here until the root problem is fixed.
October 8th, 2014 at 7:20 AM ^
Frankly I don't like this boycott nonsense. By not showing up or walking out you're only hurting the team even more.
Contact the regents, write your congressman, complain to the alumni admin, complain to the athletic department - yes, go ahead.
By walking out or not showing up you are hurting the players and the team needlessly.
You've basically reduced the players to begging for support.
And oh by the way - you think recruits aren't seeing this? Possible future coaches?
October 8th, 2014 at 1:39 PM ^
Why would future players and coaches look down on a fanbase so impassioned as to take it upon themselves to get rid of an AD who is bad for the football program? DB won't go away with a letter-writing campaign. You think future coaches want micromanager Dave in their film room? At the game, do you like having to shout to the person next to you over the RAWK in between plays?
October 8th, 2014 at 7:54 AM ^
I do not know if this is inappropriate. Dude is just doing his job. Do I wish he would go? Yes. I am tired of his schtik. Let him go back to the world of corporations, marketing, and profits. And I want someone else hiring the next football coach. He bungled the last one badly.
October 8th, 2014 at 8:05 AM ^
It is hard to take our concerns seriously when the focus seems to be on Football alone and the anger over a 2-4 start.
If it is truly about DB, our collective voices would be much louder if we demonstrate at all athletic events!
October 8th, 2014 at 8:21 AM ^
Hell for the past 10 years or so the top of the student section was empty for the first few mins of the game anyway. So what's new? This stadium has always been the quietest 110,000 people to ever walk to earth.
October 8th, 2014 at 9:29 AM ^
Has anyone thought to ask the people that DB is ultimately resonsible for, the athletes themselves, what they think of the guy?
As the parent of a non-revenue athlete at Michigan, the impression that I get is that they think he is doing a pretty damn good job.
The majority of the athletes at Michigan or any other Division 1 school are scholarship athletes in name only. It is the non-monetary benefits that attract kids and parents to a university.
The support structure for all of the athletes at Michigan is second to none. While not built under DB, he has certainly expanded that support structure for all athletes while he has been at U of M.
Before we burn the AD at the stake it may be worth getting the 931 student athletes opinion on the matter. Or do they not matter.
October 8th, 2014 at 9:32 AM ^
Countless coaches have come out in support and that also gets ignored because it doesn't fit the narrative this board wants.
All I can hope is that the president and regents will listen to what the athletes and coaches say. It's not that fans don't matter, because they do, but I would argue that the athletes and coaches matter more
October 8th, 2014 at 9:58 AM ^
October 8th, 2014 at 10:01 AM ^
October 8th, 2014 at 1:06 PM ^
The majority of other students do not dedicate 20+ hours per week to the University of Michigan in addition to their school work. They are not spending weekends representing Michigan at athletic events around the country. They are not taking a night out of their week to go to Mott. These things project a great image for the University of Michigan and not simply the athletic department.
Being a college athlete at any level is a huge time commitment and it would be much easier to be a regular student. However, these kids have chosen to continue to compete because they love their sport and Michigan. They bust their asses training and competing as much as the football players do and deserve whatever the school can provide.
Does Michigan take care of their athletes? Absolutely.
If you think another AD is going to roll back prices and jeopardize that, I believe that you are mistaken.
The question is whether you want high class athletic programs accross the board or only in the major sports? If you do, the revenue sports and donations will need to foot the bill.
October 8th, 2014 at 9:24 AM ^
Too much dedication to getting a guy fired. I'll just show up and cheer on the team. They're wearing Michigan uniforms; that's all I need.
October 8th, 2014 at 9:42 AM ^
Except for the sheer hilarity that except for the helmet, they're pretty much not wearing Michigan uniforms this weekend.
October 8th, 2014 at 9:52 AM ^
Wait a minute...so it's not okay for the Michigan Football team PR department to quote a player on the Michigan Football team? Huh?
October 8th, 2014 at 12:15 PM ^
You'd think MIchigan grads and students would be near the top of the intellect spectrum, and yet so many are still so dumb. How dare Brandon try to do things that benefit the school and athletic department and team by trying to encourage students and fans to attend the game. Blasphemy!
Why can't people be given a second chance? Hoke was given a second chance after last season and he blew it. Perhaps Brandon has heard the message, and plans on changing his M.O. going forward. But no? We must fire him! He is the devil! He is everything Michigan is not about even though he is a Michigan grad who played for Bo!
I say Hoke is gone, but give Brandon one more chance to make things right, and don't let 2-4 cloud you. No one would want his head if we were 6-0.
October 8th, 2014 at 12:19 PM ^
October 8th, 2014 at 12:25 PM ^
October 8th, 2014 at 12:59 PM ^
Glad you could join us, Dave.
October 8th, 2014 at 7:10 PM ^
Haha, despite my previous post I don't take that as a compliment.
October 8th, 2014 at 1:38 PM ^
Brandon started to fight back last Thursday by launching a PR campaign with the TV interviews on the local stations. The boycott is about Brandon. The students are not withdrawing thier support for the athletes.
If Brandon gave a crap about students he never would have impemented the general admission seating policy or jacked the students ticket prices. If Brandon gave a crap about students he would have lowered student ticket prices and re-implemented senority based seating this year.
So, I would expect Brandon to keep fighting anyway he can. If he leaves he'll be kicking and screaming.