Jamie Morris reportedly let go by Brandon
This was posted by Chris Balas over on the fort at rivals.
All I can say is, "wow."
Commence rumor-mongering.
April 27th, 2010 at 11:11 AM ^
Edit: HTML Fail. Anyways, was Jamie Morris part of the faction that wanted Les? If he was, commence conspiracy theories.
April 27th, 2010 at 11:09 AM ^
For why?
Or are they just going to let the rumor-mongerers run wild with this?
April 27th, 2010 at 11:22 AM ^
ZOMG Harbaugh to Michigan!!!!1
April 27th, 2010 at 11:15 AM ^
Jamie Morris interview posted at mvictors. Maybe you could see the writing on the wall?
April 27th, 2010 at 11:22 AM ^
...of candidness called for when one is an employee of the U-M Athletic Department. That was really bad.
April 27th, 2010 at 11:18 AM ^
Did he ever actually do anything while working in the athletic department? Not to be mean, but I'm not sure he didn't hang around just so he could smile and wave when the students chanted his name at games.
April 27th, 2010 at 11:25 AM ^
Jamie Morris was a tremendous fundraiser for the university.
April 27th, 2010 at 11:38 AM ^
But if he had been "tremendous" I doubt he would have been let go.
Just sayin'...
April 27th, 2010 at 11:51 AM ^
I know you have a PhD and all, but that's not true. He's been very successful as a development manager at Michigan for the last 4 or 5 years. In most of the recent successful fundraisers the Michigan AD has had, Jamie has played a considerable role.
Sometimes people get dismissed for reasons other than performance. But you wouldn't know that, spending your whole life in academia tends to cloud your view.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:03 PM ^
But you wouldn't know that, spending your whole life in academia tends to cloud your view.
Hey now, that might be insulting to some people on the board.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:12 PM ^
Exactly, if you are going to insult academic types you might want to go to an MSU or OSU board where you are less likely to find any.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 PM ^
SOME PEOPLE?
what do YOU mean by "some" people?
/same joke, different thread, different day
April 27th, 2010 at 12:35 PM ^
It sounded funnier in my head.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:59 PM ^
My monocle nearly dropped.
Why I never!
Spent less than half my life in academia (graduated at 22, I'm 44 -- yeah that's about right).
My initals are PHD.
And I stand by original point that "tremendous" fundraisers (esp. those who are iconic former football players) are rarely dismissed for performance issues.
April 27th, 2010 at 10:59 PM ^
That's "Dr. Philip Henry Dardenmueller" to you Sir!!!!!!
I always say him as more of a glad-hander than a closer. He's the guy you bring around for the old alumni with the money who still think Bo is the coach so they can say they're hanging with the boys. He wouldn't have been qualified for his job if his name had been Jim Smith. He got by a lot on personality and a smile. I mean, they might have gotten his salary's worth in head cheerleading, and he might be a really nice guy one on one, but he wasn't some department leader or anything.
c'mon now, Jim Smith was one of the best receivers in Michigan football history and was on two Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers teams(13&14). Jimmy Smith is one of my all time favorites; right behind Gordie Bell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Smith_%28American_football%29
No doubt Carr thought he was "tremendous."
April 27th, 2010 at 11:19 AM ^
Oh god, who cares?
ITEM: LOW-LEVEL AD FUNCTIONARY GETS FIRED.
Seriously, who tracks every AD personel change? Why?
April 27th, 2010 at 11:20 AM ^
This is the internet. What did you expect?
April 27th, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^
CHITOWN AND THE ENTIRE WLA ARE IN ON IT TOO!!!!
WOW!
April 27th, 2010 at 11:29 AM ^
Um, Jamie is a hero to MICHIGAN MEN and LITTLE PEOPLE everywhere.
April 27th, 2010 at 11:38 AM ^
I know why people care about Morris in general, I'm wondering why there must be "rumor-mongering" about why he's out.
April 27th, 2010 at 11:42 AM ^
because the boss made it a mandate that the athletic department would fully support its personnel, and he didn't.
But that's boring, so we have to rumor monger.
April 27th, 2010 at 11:49 AM ^
...but I don't see why there would be a problem with passionate UM fans discussing what is happening to the program they love so much. I agree with the speculation that Jamie may not have been "all in" for RR, but I also know that most of our opinions here are just that: opinions.
Probably, none of us will ever really know, but since most people who come here care deeply about the program, it is human nature to try and guess what is going on. Besides, what else are we going to talk about until the season starts?
April 27th, 2010 at 11:01 PM ^
1987 Hall of Fame Bowl against Alabama.
He's Jamie Fricken' Morris! He shouldn't have to work for his job......
April 27th, 2010 at 11:19 AM ^
but I had heard mixed things about him as part of the administration so I guess its not a total surprise. Always sad to see a former player let go but hopefully it leads to better things for both UM and him.
April 27th, 2010 at 11:22 AM ^
Go Blue!!! Take your pill and move on ...
April 27th, 2010 at 11:29 AM ^
I think he's just saying how it is. He obviously isn't the biggest fan of RR, but he's not being unfair in anything he says. I hope things work out for him.
This all goes away next year anyhow when the Tate/Denard show goes on display.
April 27th, 2010 at 11:34 AM ^
He was a great player and is a Michigan Man.
Every word is gospel.
+1
April 27th, 2010 at 11:42 AM ^
It will be really, really, really easy to read too much into this.
I thought Jamie Morris was a great, enthusiastic cheerleader for the Univeristy and the Athletic Department. Everybody who went to Alumni Association functions, fundraisers, Victors Club and M Club meetings; Jamie was always there. Jamie was always up. Jamie was a nice guy to have around. This is all common knowledge.
I also have no idea what else Jamie did. What was his portfolio within the University? Was it "fundraiser"? I know darn well that "fundraiser" is a REEAAALLLLY important function for any University in Michigan's position. And that "fundraiser" is part of Mary Sue's job, part of Rich Rodriguez's job, part of Brandon's job, and the part-time job of every Dean of every school within the University.
But what exactly was Jamie Morris' job? I say this NOT because I don't think he had any real job; I say it because before anybody spouts off about any internecine political fights, there should be some basic solid information established about the subject matter.
Before there is even a whisper of a word about why Jamie Morris may have been let go, I'd suggest that there has to be a very, very high level of proof and scrutiny.
April 27th, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^
They'll probably put a job posting up for his replacement, so you can look at the job description then.
April 27th, 2010 at 11:47 AM ^
I was sitting on this because it only seemed vaguely newsworthy, but if it's out there:
1) I've got two sources, one impeccable, confirming he's gone.
2) The reason given was "mental lapses" that involved giving an AD car to someone who wasn't supposed to have an AD car. Guy then got in an accident and Morris tried to put on the insurance claim that he had given the car to someone else. It sounds like this was the culmination of a few things.
April 27th, 2010 at 11:52 AM ^
tell me that "someone" was not a recruit, or current athlete....
Please?
April 27th, 2010 at 12:12 PM ^
Not a recruit or current athlete. Just someone in the department without super cool car access.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:14 PM ^
it was Michael the copy boy
April 27th, 2010 at 12:55 PM ^
My source tells me it was a Fuck Lion.
I'm telling you it was Brian.
My sources tell me it was Lloyd Carr, and it was an intentional crash into the side of Coach Rod's house.
My sources tell me it was White Pony Rocks and he was attempting vehicular homicide on State Street.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:35 PM ^
I'm always trying to tell my kids, it's not the stupid thing you did that will piss me off, because lord knows we all do stupid things. It's the lame cover ups. Just admit it and we'll try to handle it.
are you available as a guest speaker?
April 27th, 2010 at 12:39 PM ^
Let me add some pure speculation; The "mental lapses" weren't really "mental lapses", but were played off as such.
because it's kind of unprofessional to release a letter of resignation that says, "The boy farked up!"
at least put up a spoiler alert