Michigan spokesman on DB email controversy: "There's nothing else to add."
Title says it all.
Michigan spokesman says right now "there's nothing else to add" RE: MGoBlog report on Dave Brandon emails
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) October 28, 2014October 28th, 2014 at 4:43 PM ^
Hmmm. Now even I have to admit that the light of truth may be exposing our Athletic Director as an unfathomably idiotic, self-centered, delusional autocrat.
I mean holy shit. A person we hired to run this department is staying up late on weekends to write nasty emails to fans knowing that they would get out eventually? "Quit drinking and go to bed"? Can that really be true? Is this an episode of the twilight zone? What does a horseshoe do?
October 28th, 2014 at 4:50 PM ^
My sense was that the e-mails were legit, because Brandon is so tone-deaf. But I did hold open the reasonable possibility that the e-mails could have been a ruse/prank to play on our collective tendency toward confirmation bias. (I did not think that WD was himeself being deceitful, but held open the possibility that he could have been a vector of a fraudulent e-mail.) So while the equities tilted the other way for me, I could see why you might be skeptical until this a.m.
That room for skepticism - it's vanished.
October 28th, 2014 at 4:55 PM ^
October 28th, 2014 at 6:22 PM ^
been hanging out with MSC?
October 28th, 2014 at 4:56 PM ^
But I also kept thinking of certain past presidents (of both parties) who did things in the past that made you say, "What in the world? Was he really dumb enough to do that?"
And then I found the idea that DB authored the emails very plausible.
October 28th, 2014 at 5:09 PM ^
i gotta give you props, baloo - that perfectly sums up our athletic director.
October 28th, 2014 at 4:31 PM ^
could all this be enough for cause to just fire him without buying him out?
October 28th, 2014 at 4:37 PM ^
justice:
-
the fact of experiencing a fitting or deserved retribution for one's actions.
October 28th, 2014 at 5:40 PM ^
You can get it, you can get it, you can get it, you can get it.
October 28th, 2014 at 5:10 PM ^
Doubtful. "For cause" firings are usually reserved for truly egregious behavior. Even if violating FOIA and being an all-around asshole falls within the "for cause" provision of DB's contract, it's doubtful that the university would exercise that option. DB himself didn't go that route with Rodriguez even though his contract allowed for him to be fired for cause if any major NCAA violations occurred under his watch.
October 28th, 2014 at 7:27 PM ^
It would have been tough to use the violations as a "cause" a few years after they had been revealed/dealt with. You are probably most likely correct that they won't attempt to fire him for cause simply because it is such a dificult legal process that it almost never happens.
October 28th, 2014 at 4:31 PM ^
There's nothing else to add because mgoblog said it all.
October 28th, 2014 at 5:01 PM ^
to upvote anything you said because I doubted your email. You could say "I hate cats" and I'll still upvote you.
October 28th, 2014 at 5:27 PM ^
now just slow down right there. let's not say anything crazy. we all love cats. especially internet cats.
October 28th, 2014 at 5:35 PM ^
What about kittens?
October 28th, 2014 at 4:31 PM ^
This really hasn't garnered much steam since it was released. A few tweets, but not the bombshell that some made it out to be. Isn't the final blow or knockout punch, just more evidence of how bad DB is.
October 28th, 2014 at 4:37 PM ^
It has barely been a couple of hours. Give it time.
This is going to be huge, seriously. I'm guessing that Schlissel is getting bombarded with requests for statements now.
This is precisely the level of scandal/embarrassment that gets guys immediately fired. Brandon won't survive the week. Bank on it.
October 28th, 2014 at 4:54 PM ^
Even if it doesn't become a national story, its still important. Its more evidence that DB is unfit for the job he currently occupies. It gives Schissel more incentive to fire him.
Replying to those emails the way he did was amateur hour. Its amazing that he was ever a CEO of a huge company or the AD at a major university.
October 28th, 2014 at 6:31 PM ^
Agree with this- in fact, I think subconsciously (where is spell check when you need it!) the powers that be will be influenced more by the emails than the concussion thing. The concussion affair happened in a situation the regents have never been in- plus it might be blamable on Hoke.
But the email thing is something everybody relates to and the regents surely know that DB was damn unprofessional and created negative PR.
People may say they were swayed by the concussion thing but really be pissed off the most about the emails.
BTW- something doesn't have to get in the news to piss people off. Wanted to claify that for some.
October 28th, 2014 at 4:32 PM ^
I am dumb, and am therefore confused at the meaning behind that. Are they saying, "yes it's all true and what else do you want us to say?" or are they saying, "we aren't going to talk about it [brady hoke injury style]"
October 28th, 2014 at 4:36 PM ^
The great thing about vague statements that lack any elaboration or lean, is that they get to mean whatever best fits your agenda at the moment. Enjoy.
October 28th, 2014 at 4:36 PM ^
The AD just got wind of it and hasn't had the mandatory two days to come up with a non-sequitor response to release at 11:58pm.
October 28th, 2014 at 5:04 PM ^
...from Dave Brandon's office is denied because no responsive records exist.
October 28th, 2014 at 5:46 PM ^
Well played!
October 28th, 2014 at 4:43 PM ^
I think that the response implicitly acknowledges that the full back and forth from the messages are included in Brian's post, so that readers can make up their own minds concerning the context, intent, and broader meaning.
October 28th, 2014 at 4:33 PM ^
It seems like he must have done something to violate his buyout. WD should get 100000 mgopoints if the email gets him fired.
October 28th, 2014 at 4:41 PM ^
October 28th, 2014 at 6:08 PM ^
...you need a JD.
October 28th, 2014 at 4:33 PM ^
Remember that one time that WD got Brandon fired?
October 28th, 2014 at 4:55 PM ^
epic moments here, but this is getting close to legendary. I'm note sure I remeber MGO being referenced this much in the MSM before.
October 28th, 2014 at 4:34 PM ^
They tried to find a way to defend it but...
October 28th, 2014 at 4:35 PM ^
I don't know that I've ever seen something like this responded to in that way. Absolutely no defense, no attempt to add any other sort of context, nothing. I realize that none of those things would help but that is a pretty damning statement.
October 28th, 2014 at 4:40 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 28th, 2014 at 4:54 PM ^
Maybe but that's certainly not how that statement is worded. Normally, if what you say is true, wouldn't they say something like "We have no comment at this time" or "There is nothing to add at this time?"
There's nothing about at this time. It was a very short very simple statement that doesn't lead me to believe there will ever be a statement sent out that defends or tries to put this into perspective.
This also didn't just come out. This came out about a week ago, was picked up a little bit nationally. They knew about this before today. Don't you think there had been discussions about the possibility of this being validated if true and what the response was going to be? If it wasn't an accurate representation of the email chain don't you think they would have squashed it early? Of course, this AD seems to have trouble with these situations but to think they did talk about this is ridiculous to me. My assumption is that Brandon has been muzzled and his chair is empty at this point. No statement has been issued but I suspect he is done as AD and has been for a few days now. They are waiting on announcing it for some other reason. Maybe they are negotiating buyouts, maybe they are close to having a replacement. I don't know. I just don't think Brandon is doing anything at this point.
October 28th, 2014 at 5:22 PM ^
Both the two beat writers on my twitter timeline implied the "at this time" part. Presumably that is because they know the context of the reply or because they have the full response other than the "theres nothing else to add" line. Below are mlive and espn writers tweets.
@nickbaumgardner: Michigan spokesman says right now "there's nothing else to add" RE: MGoBlog report on Dave Brandon emails
@DanMurphyESPN: A Michigan spokesman said at this point there is "nothing else to add" to @mgoblog's Dave Brandon email report from earlier today.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 28th, 2014 at 5:06 PM ^
Actual work like sending snarky replies to angry emailers?
October 28th, 2014 at 6:49 PM ^
Exactly. It's not like they can afford to pull Brandon out of Tuesday film session.
October 28th, 2014 at 4:36 PM ^
Translation: Brandon wrote each and every one of the shitty e-mails to Michigan's loyal and dedicated fans.
October 28th, 2014 at 6:17 PM ^
You have it wrong. He wrote them to a bunch of entitled, fair weather fans that the University would be better without. Didn't you read what he wrote?
October 28th, 2014 at 4:37 PM ^
Is this the greatest day in the history of this blog? This coaching search is gonna be wild.
October 28th, 2014 at 4:38 PM ^
If Dave Brandon were in control of this situation, you can bet there would be a press release about the emails being taken out of context, concerning disrespectful rants sent by acknowledged drunks, etc.
He has been muzzled. And by his own bluster.
October 28th, 2014 at 4:40 PM ^
Somewhat aware not totally aware
October 28th, 2014 at 4:54 PM ^
This isn't getting the attention it deserves. Brilliant!
October 28th, 2014 at 4:38 PM ^
"It's all in the statement."
Gee where have I heard that before?
October 28th, 2014 at 4:38 PM ^
October 28th, 2014 at 4:59 PM ^
You mean Woodward and fucking Bernstein??
October 28th, 2014 at 6:47 PM ^
Guess that makes WD our own Deep Throat.
heh heh.