Dave Brandon Interview Tour: The Short Version
A few snippets from yesterday's series of Dave Brandon interviews, compiled from ABC 7, NBC 4, and the Michigan Daily:
Hit the links above for the full interviews from each outlet.
October 4th, 2014 at 4:50 AM ^
Of that 660,000, how many knew how to find the petition or had links to it?
These weren't published in any of the mainstream media articles I read. I found the link here, and immediately went to lend my support to it.
I think there would have been a significantly larger response to the petition if it had been linked elsewhere. Further, signing in was difficult. Most alums don't have University uniqnames, either by virtue of the time they attended Michigan, or lost them, and the site wasn't accepting anything else.
October 4th, 2014 at 1:21 PM ^
October 4th, 2014 at 7:46 AM ^
Not for lack of trying I didnt. When the petition first came out I tried twice to get a "uniqid" so I could (I'm a alum - class of 1981) and was unable to online. So I called the office and talked to a nice young man who was unable to help me and said they were getting a LOT of requests like mine and didnt know what the problem was. He thought that the issue mostly resided in older alumns and would have somebody look into it and call me. No one did.
So I tried again the next day with the same results. I called the help line again and got somebody else who looked into my situation and again promised that they would have someone call to assist me. Again, no one did.
So put the petition at 11,001.
October 3rd, 2014 at 6:30 PM ^
October 3rd, 2014 at 6:32 PM ^
October 3rd, 2014 at 6:39 PM ^
You're entitled to your opinion, of course.
I've written to Brandon objecting to several of his policies since his first year as AD. And I do want him gone, and have wanted him gone since about his second year.
I don't blame him for what happened with Shane. I blame him for his lack of skill in handling the fallout. As is the pattern, it's another Dave Brandon PR disaster for Michigan.
You may close your eyes to what kind of effect he's had on the University community, but this kind of groundswell of animosity is unprecedented, regardless of the on-field football results this year, and there are legitimate reasons for it.
Is this a good time to get rid of Brandon, given what's happened most recently? Certainly. But the Shane thing is the straw the broke the camel's back, it isn't an excuse to get rid of the guy. It's another legitimate reason, one of many.
October 3rd, 2014 at 6:53 PM ^
Leaving differences aside... Thank you for posting a cogent and measured reply. Lately these have been hard to come by.
October 4th, 2014 at 8:02 AM ^
When you post sanctimonious garbage for the sake of being contrarian, expecting "cogent and measured" replies is rather disingenuous.
October 3rd, 2014 at 6:11 PM ^
Dave Brandon needs to go - now!
October 3rd, 2014 at 6:11 PM ^
Speaking in terms of being present at this interview.
Wow -- you can just hear that absolutely, 100% genuine tone in his voice there.
Heh.
October 3rd, 2014 at 6:32 PM ^
My wife, who is an alum and the mother of two alums, but not a sports person at all, said at dinner just now, "I watched an interview with that Michigan Athletic Director you don't like."
"What'd you think?" I asked. My wife tells me what she thinks, and doesn't try to please me with her opinions. She usually tries to see the good side of people. I was interested in her take.
"He's so arrogant, no wonder you feel that way. He comes across as self-centered and awful."
So much for Brandon PR, eh? I'm willing to bet she is not alone in her unbiased reaction.
October 3rd, 2014 at 6:33 PM ^
-what Brandon says. Supposedly he is a hard nosed executive from the private sector and a successful business person. AND, last I checked (at least it was repeatedly beaten into my head over 30+ years of corporate life), where he came from one is judged by RESULTS. So it is clear that the results Brandon is being judged by (top line) does not have any connection whatsoever to actually winning. So here we are. He is happy, we are miserable, he is judged to be "highly effective" and we are wondering WTF happened to Michigan Football.
October 3rd, 2014 at 7:01 PM ^
Is there any better distillation of why opposing fanbases all think we're arrogant?
I stand by what I posted the other day: I'm completely convinced we're getting epically trolled here. This just isn't reality anymore.
October 3rd, 2014 at 7:13 PM ^
October 3rd, 2014 at 7:25 PM ^
I have no patience for him at this point, either.
October 3rd, 2014 at 7:36 PM ^
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October 3rd, 2014 at 7:39 PM ^
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October 3rd, 2014 at 8:04 PM ^
October 3rd, 2014 at 8:58 PM ^
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October 4th, 2014 at 8:44 AM ^
October 4th, 2014 at 10:55 AM ^
he ticket pricing is an issue, but only bc we are losing. If we are undefeated and ranked top 15, the stadium is seating over 110,000 without hesitation.
aunt + balls = uncle. In the bizzaro world where DB hired a competant football coach who could win a fucking game, he would be justified in raising the prices.
in the real, actual world that we all seem to experience in reality, he hired a craptastically incompetent coach who can't seem to run a football program resulting in A) the Morris Fiasco and B) those prices being completely unjustified.
not to mention, all the other issues he's had: like GA student seating, student tix pricing, the RAWK music, the fireworks, the replies to alums re: go find another team to root for, the ham-handed handling of the PR from the Morris Fiasco, the cell reception at the stadium, the no water bottles at the stadium, the seat cushion shit.
christ, its a fucking laundry list at this point and yes, the tipping point was his coach going 4-9 in the last 13 games and the Morris bullshit. But the overaching theme from the 4.5 year longitudinal study of DB: AD is that he's demonstrated pretty absolute antithesis for what most people feel Michigan stands. Excellence, integrity & championships
WTF *would* be fireable in your eyes?
October 4th, 2014 at 12:48 PM ^
I don't love the guy, either. But I'm not going to pretend like water bottles and seat cushions and noodles are truly issues are worth getting worked up about, or firing anybody over. And calling a list of petty complaints a "pattern" or suggesting that they are indicative of some deeper bad intentions just doesn't fly in my mind. A list of petty complaints is just that.
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October 3rd, 2014 at 11:43 PM ^
October 3rd, 2014 at 7:42 PM ^
October 3rd, 2014 at 7:43 PM ^
We've underperformed? People expect us to win every game. Cumong man, that's so out of touch it's ridiculous.
October 3rd, 2014 at 7:50 PM ^
October 3rd, 2014 at 7:46 PM ^
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October 3rd, 2014 at 7:50 PM ^
I can't watch it. Just looking at him makes me nauseous now.
October 3rd, 2014 at 9:20 PM ^
October 3rd, 2014 at 9:22 PM ^
October 3rd, 2014 at 9:44 PM ^
It has become clear to me that Brandon's strategy that has emerged since Monday is to make sure he still has the whales (big money donors) and the student-athletes (current for sure, past as much as he can) supporting him. Then he can say, with a straight face, he's doing his job and doing it well. Look at the email he sent to season ticket holders today. TWICE he referenced the 931 student athletes, which is nice perspective (and truthfully, one many Michigan fans glance over), but also shows where he's focusing. If those SA's, who already like him a lot (for the facilities upgrades, chief among them.) are still backing him, then he's doing his job and he can do some hand waving towards working on "rebuilding" relationships with the alienated groups, who will then likely be told its their fault they don't understand the vision.
October 3rd, 2014 at 11:09 PM ^
but his days are numbered. I think it's disgusting he cares more about his job than he does the real welfare of the AD and the university.
October 3rd, 2014 at 10:24 PM ^
Sarcasm in a situation like that rarely proves to be an effective strategey
October 3rd, 2014 at 10:58 PM ^
Both Randy Smith and Matt Millen have been usurped as my most hated Detroit GM/AD. Dave Brandon comes off smarmy. He acts like he's the smartest man in the room. And he just dares people to challenge him. It's repulsive.
At least Smith and Millen thought they were doing the right thing. I mean, as misguided and stupid as their decisions were, they thought that they were doing the right things. And the contempt I held for their work can fill pages.
But Brandon just comes off as Fuck you, I'm in charge. I would contend it stems from his irrelevance as a player. He was a scrub in terms of recruits. Just seems he's running Michigan the way he sees fit, with a chip on his shoulder because he couldn't really contribute like a Harbaugh or Miles.
I can't believe there are people that actually defend him. Mind boggling.
October 3rd, 2014 at 11:07 PM ^
but he has some allies who are heavy hitters.
He seems like the type that would act shitty toward a reporter (or subordinate), but kiss Stephen Ross and MSC's asses tirelessly.
The most dispicable type of "leader," imho.
October 3rd, 2014 at 11:23 PM ^
You would think that Dave Brandon would have a better sense of the University of Michigan's role in upholding and conveying important values.
I've been patient in my evaluation of DB. He has repeatedly positioned himself, not as a caretaker of values, not being of service to the University, but as a self-important, whiz bang, schlockmeister-in-chief. He has made his bed, and now he can "lie" in it.
I once noted here that "Maize is better than screaming-dayglow yellow." That's a graphic example of his deficient sense of vision, in every sense of the word.
Someone send Schlissel a big broom.
October 4th, 2014 at 12:51 AM ^
At least they took time to come up with slogan for putting a doctor in the box. It's an "eye in the sky concept"--marketing angle covered.
October 4th, 2014 at 1:15 AM ^
I'm maybe a little different than most as far as having an opinion of the UM AD. I live nowhere close to Ann Arbor and will never hold season tickets. I'm a UM fan because my earliest memory of football in general and loving the sport is Charles Woodson with a Rose in his mouth and winning a national title. It was pure chance.
As far as the AD, IMO, I shouldn't even know who they are. Obviously, I will know who they are but I have never heard a something about a Michigan AD that has been positive. From Martin out sailing to everything Brandon has done, it's been negative. The one thing I can say is that I have heard way more about Brandon than I ever did about Martin. That's not good. I don't like his smug attitude and his complete and total lack of humility. I watch football games on TV and I don't know exactly what it is but it isn't the same.
I went to Iowa State. Huge fan, season tickets, the whole works. It's a completely different situation. Our AD isn't all that different than Brandon as he's not nearly as abrasive and is much more part of the fanbase, but in terms of ideas and goals, he's the same. The improvements he has made to facilities and revenue, not to mention keeping us in the Big 12 have been unbelievable-literally. Five years agao we would have never guessed we would be where we are at in terms of those things. The huge difference he has has to create gimmick and publicity. He put up billboards to get UI fans worked up. He has some little brother in him. He needs to though. For us, any attention has been good attention because otherwise no one would pay attention. For Michigan, you just need to be in charge to be in charge as Brian would say. Brandon doesn't realize he has something that runs itself.
October 4th, 2014 at 1:35 AM ^
This entire response is classic deflection. His arrogance only stokes the fire.
And Bernie Smilovitz? What an a** kisser. This is the biggest piece of Fluff-Journalism I've ever seen.
And we're supposed to feel sorry for him because his feelings are hurt by the public criticism? Give me a break. MY feelings are hurt because he's helping to destroy my schools reputation!
October 4th, 2014 at 2:45 AM ^
October 4th, 2014 at 2:58 AM ^
I think they both had good intentions and are both generally good Men who are Michigan through and through. However, they're are both incompetent at their jobs and need to go.
October 4th, 2014 at 9:48 AM ^
he is getting more and more influence.
October 4th, 2014 at 10:20 AM ^
October 4th, 2014 at 10:59 AM ^
where he discussed how he said Hoke "didn't forget how to coach," etc to justify not firing him? My rebuttal is this:
- You're right, Hoke is exactly what he was when you hired him. He was a career sub 0.500 coach.
- It's funny how you did not apply this mentality to RichRod when a jackass like you decided to fire him after just 3 years. This is a guy who had a track record of winning EVERYWHERE before Michigan, and is now winning AFTER Michigan. Hmm...I wonder what the problem was.
- You stated in the interview with Sam Webb that Michigan wants to "compete for and win championships". Well, guess what? RichRod career resume has 8 championships won. How many has Hoke won? Oh, none. Closest he got was at Ball State getting upset in the MAC Championship.
- Maybe your job as AD should have been to work hard to change the culture in and around the Program so that it would support an "outsider" coach who was going to be successful as long as there was alignment in support for him and the securing the same level of resources you made for a guy who didn't even have half the track record of success that RichRod did.
- The disparity between how you treated the two coaches is mind blowing. You are like someone who was given a Porsche, but then didn't take care of it, left it parked on the street, let it get dirty and scratched, scuff up the wheels etc....and then you're like, "hey this car is crap. I'm going to trade it in for a Kia" and then you do all of the maintenance and when you park you take up two spaces like the jackass you are because you don't want anyone to scratch your Kia!
October 4th, 2014 at 11:23 AM ^
I am just as PISSED as everyone else but I have to say, Dave Brandon does not coach our football team. Michigan has... I believe the best all around athletic program in the country. Dave Brandon will do what is necessary to get our football program headed in the right direction. GO BLUE!
October 4th, 2014 at 12:55 PM ^
By far the most informative, in my opinion, was the uninterrupted channel 7 interview.
There's been a lot of confirmation bias active on various reactions to Brandon's comments and conduct during these.
While I think that Ace's compilation of snippets does not paint a fair picture of the content, I also think that it is probably impossible for 5 or so minutes extracted from something like an hour of content to fairly present things. What Ace's work will hopefully do is create enough interest for people to take the time to watch all three in their entirety.
Prior to Saturday's events, I've said that I consider Brandon to be a mixed bag and that I wouldn't mind his replacement. So I am not particularly a Brandon defender. That said I think that most of the trashing of Brandon's appearances is largely unfounded and stems from peoples predisposition to dislike Brandon.
Because I believe that there is no possibility of misinformation surviving the current level of media and administration scrutiny and that Brandon know this, I tend to take Brandon's statements about who knew or saw what when as truthful. Misdirection about any of that costs him his job and his reputation across the entire country. So If I view his handling of these interviews in that light I come to the conclusion that he handled them pretty well.
He behaved staunchly under pressure. The guy was a CEO not a politician so it is natural for him to be sensitive about having his integrity kicked around on the national stage. Yeah he was perhaps a bit defensive on that topic, but I doubt anyone here, without polticial experience, would have done much better.
His timing of when he spoke to the media was also very corporate. First identify the problems as completely as possible, develop solutions, then release a statement, then convey the information internally and get feedback from the appropriate internal people and groups and internal liasons, only then speak publicly.
His explanation for the 1 am news release is entirely believable. I'll bet they were desperate to release that statement all day, but were scared shitless about making a mistake. I can imagine the frustration as getting to specifics strung out and required pulling in an ever expanding set of people. I'll bet they debated whether to wait for business hours Tuesday or release the statement immediately for quite a while.
We can debate whether or not the simple fact that Saturday's events occured demand Brandon's firing, but in my opinion nothing about his conduct in these interviews should embarrass anyone at Michigan.
October 4th, 2014 at 1:29 PM ^
October 4th, 2014 at 6:18 PM ^
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October 4th, 2014 at 8:01 PM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 1:20 AM ^
they are terrible people, but this fanbase bears deep shame if we put up with this shit.
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