Braun/Gragg Article in Sun-Times

[its_the_sauce]

For those unaware STs is free but you do have to register.

One-and-done for interim coach David Braun at Northwestern? It’s not so crystal clear anymore

Athletic director Derrick Gragg didn’t want to address whether or not there’s anything Braun can do to at least be considered for the head coaching job beyond this season, but he did tell the Sun-Times he has been “truly impressed.”

chicago.suntimes.com

 

[phatcat]

‘‘He’s always been there,’’ Azema said, ‘‘and people want to go to war and fight for that guy.’’

That's good enough for me.

 

[1830sherman]

Gragg could really use some coaching in trying to come up with a statement that doesn't sound scripted by PR people. Or AI.

‘‘I am truly impressed with the job that Coach Braun has done so far this season. His dedication, strategic approach and leadership have had a positive impact not only on our football program but on our entire athletic department. As we move forward, my focus remains on supporting our coaching staff and, most importantly, our student-athletes as they work toward achieving their goals.’’

 

[Hungry Jack]

Gragg could really use some coaching in trying to come up with a statement that doesn't sound scripted by PR people. Or AI.

‘‘I am truly impressed with the job that Coach Braun has done so far this season. His dedication, strategic approach and leadership have had a positive impact not only on our football program but on our entire athletic department. As we move forward, my focus remains on supporting our coaching staff and, most importantly, our student-athletes as they work toward achieving their goals.’’

He's beyond "coaching." He's not suited to the main public representative and administrator of a major college sports program. He is beyond repair. Time to cut bait.

 

[Figrating]

Hopefully the legal action against him and NU over the baseball debacle will force NU lose this dud. There is a leadership vacuum at the NU BOT.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Gragg could really use some coaching in trying to come up with a statement that doesn't sound scripted by PR people. Or AI.

‘‘I am truly impressed with the job that Coach Braun has done so far this season. His dedication, strategic approach and leadership have had a positive impact not only on our football program but on our entire athletic department. As we move forward, my focus remains on supporting our coaching staff and, most importantly, our student-athletes as they work toward achieving their goals.’’

You can almost sense that he doesn’t want to say anything nice about Braun but knows he has to.

Personally I love that Braun is at least forcing the question. Would be tough to whack him if we get to a bowl. Braun will probably get Coach of the Year awards if he pulls that off.

 

[Hungry Jack]

“my focus remains on supporting our…student-athletes as they work toward achieving their goals.’

This makes my head explode

 

[NUCat320]

I was going to criticize Gragg for issuing a statement versus an actual interview, but it appears the reporter spoke only with Azema and otherwise pulled a presser quote here. The reporter probably requested a dumb statement.

The lesson here is that Gragg can’t do his job. He should’ve asked to talk instead of cobbling together meaningless word salad.

Okay, so I guess I’m here to criticize Gragg.

I don’t think many coaches could’ve risen to the challenge like Braun has. More than Cats versus the World, this has felt like Cats versus their Administration. It’s basically a Major League story.

But I also think Braun has made this much more Cats FOR each other instead of Cats against anything. That’s leadership.

There is nobody I trust less than Gragg to effectively navigate the next 2 1/2 months.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I was going to criticize Gragg for issuing a statement versus an actual interview, but it appears the reporter spoke only with Azema and otherwise pulled a presser quote here. The reporter probably requested a dumb statement.

The lesson here is that Gragg can’t do his job. He should’ve asked to talk instead of cobbling together meaningless word salad.

Okay, so I guess I’m here to criticize Gragg.

I don’t think many coaches could’ve risen to the challenge like Braun has. More than Cats versus the World, this has felt like Cats versus their Administration. It’s basically a Major League story.

But I also think Braun has made this much more Cats FOR each other instead of Cats against anything. That’s leadership.

There is nobody I trust less than Gragg to effectively navigate the next 2 1/2 months.

He doesn’t have 2 1/2 months. He has 6 weeks max. He probably didn’t comment on what Braun needs to do to keep the job because he won’t be the final decision maker. Just like everything else since he arrived in Evanston he provides no leadership and he MUST go. Sooner the better. I will be booing him from the top of my lungs at the season opening hoop game assuming he isn’t hiding.

 

[ricko654321]

He doesn’t have 2 1/2 months. He has 6 weeks max. He probably didn’t comment on what Braun needs to do to keep the job because he won’t be the final decision maker. Just like everything else since he arrived in Evanston he provides no leadership and he MUST go. Sooner the better. I will be booing him from the top of my lungs at the season opening hoop game assuming he isn’t hiding.

1) I hope you're right about 6 weeks max; 2) of course he will be hiding, what out of what we've seen from him thus far to date suggests he would show his face or try to accept any accountability for making any decision? What an incompetent coward.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

There is nobody I trust less than Gragg to effectively navigate the next 2 1/2 months.

Nobody?
I know of one person with absolute certainty.
Gragg is in a no-win situation here. Incompetent people telling him what to do and throwing him under the bus when they screw up.
Did he hire a loser as a baseball coach? Yes. Is he incompetent? Maybe. Is he a dead man walking? Probably.
Is he the premier idiot in Northwestern's administration?
Absolutely not.

 

[phatcat]

Nobody?
I know of one person with absolute certainty.
Gragg is in a no-win situation here. Incompetent people telling him what to do and throwing him under the bus when they screw up.
Did he hire a loser as a baseball coach? Yes. Is he incompetent? Maybe. Is he a dead man walking? Probably.
Is he the premier idiot in Northwestern's administration?
Absolutely not.

PWB, do you think there is a good chance that Gagg smooth-talked Shill into the two week thing? I do.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

PWB, do you think there is a good chance that Gagg smooth-talked Shill into the two week thing? I do.

I never considered that but I would say no. The investigating experts recommended "Two Week Suspension."
Most administrators, especially the ass-covering kind, rely on outside consultants to give them cover for their decisions. Then they do as the paid experts recommend and wash their hands of it.

Fitzgerald stated that he negotiated with Gragg directly. Gragg relayed that Schill "wants you to take a hit."

This suggests that Fitzgerald was trying to convince Gragg that the recommended suspension was too severe and that Gragg tried to talk Schill out of it because he respected Fitzgerald. Gragg may have left the country to avoid the backlash. I don't see Gragg thinking the two week suspension was too light, although that is possible - rather than argue with Fitzgerald he just blamed Schill. I find that unlikely.

You have to remember Gragg played football at Vanderbilt. The locker room stuff that he was surely involved in makes the NU allegations look like a 2nd grade Fairy Pageant.

 

[Alvious]

I think if Braun was going to be the guy they would have announced it already. What would they be waiting for?

It's my gut feeling that the entire staff is getting whacked as soon as the bus gets back from U of I.

 

[Gatabowl]

I never considered that but I would say no. The investigating experts recommended "Two Week Suspension."
Most administrators, especially the ass-covering kind, rely on outside consultants to give them cover for their decisions. Then they do as the paid experts recommend and wash their hands of it.

Fitzgerald stated that he negotiated with Gragg directly. Gragg relayed that Schill "wants you to take a hit."

This suggests that Fitzgerald was trying to convince Gragg that the recommended suspension was too severe and that Gragg tried to talk Schill out of it because he respected Fitzgerald. Gragg may have left the country to avoid the backlash. I don't see Gragg thinking the two week suspension was too light, although that is possible - rather than argue with Fitzgerald he just blamed Schill. I find that unlikely.

You have to remember Gragg played football at Vanderbilt. The locker room stuff that he was surely involved in makes the NU allegations look like a 2nd grade Fairy Pageant.

Do we know that the investigators recommended two weeks? Do you have a source?

 

[Gatabowl]

I think if Braun was going to be the guy they would have announced it already. What would they be waiting for?

It's my gut feeling that the entire staff is getting whacked as soon as the bus gets back from U of I.

You don’t think it’s a good idea for NU to explore other options in the meantime?

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

Do we know that the investigators recommended two weeks? Do you have a source?

I thought that was general knowledge.

 

[Gatabowl]

I thought that was general knowledge.

I don’t recall reading anything that suggests that the Hickey report recommended two weeks. First, why would an investigative law firm be making athletic program suspension recommendations? And second, if the full report said it’s two weeks, and then it went to full termination, it’s a completely different story from what we’ve heard from Schill.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Do we know that the investigators recommended two weeks? Do you have a source?

The investigators didn’t recommend any punishment, as far as I’m aware. The punishment is the call of Gragg/Schill as a result of the investigation.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

You don’t think it’s a good idea for NU to explore other options in the meantime?

They are, having engaged DHR.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

I don’t recall reading anything that suggests that the Hickey report recommended two weeks. First, why would an investigative law firm be making athletic program suspension recommendations? And second, if the full report said it’s two weeks, and then it went to full termination, it’s a completely different story from what we’ve heard from Schill.

Yeah… if the report itself recommended a 2-week unpaid suspension during Fitz’s already-scheduled vacation, then I 1000% stone cold guarantee you that we would have heard that from Schill. “I didn’t screw up the first time, I was just doing what the investigators told me to do… it was those guys messing up, not me.”

 

[Gatabowl]

They are, having engaged DHR.

It was a rhetorical question.

 

[Darren72]

It isn't entirely clear if the Hickey report recommended a suspension. I was under the impression that it did not. But Northwestern's initial statement (https://news.northwestern.edu/stori...vent-hazing-following-football-investigation/) and the Executive Summary are both somewhat ambiguous on this. They say that they are enacting measures based on the report, including the two-week suspension.

In any case, I would be surprised if the Hickey report made a recommendation regarding disciplinary actions. That gets into university rules, the coach's contract, prior history, etc. I think the Hickey report most likely laid out their methods and conclusions, and then left it to the university to do with it as they'd like. But what do I know.

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

It isn't entirely clear if the Hickey report recommended a suspension. I was under the impression that it did not. But Northwestern's initial statement (https://news.northwestern.edu/stori...vent-hazing-following-football-investigation/) and the Executive Summary are both somewhat ambiguous on this. They say that they are enacting measures based on the report, including the two-week suspension.

In any case, I would be surprised if the Hickey report made a recommendation regarding disciplinary actions. That gets into university rules, the coach's contract, prior history, etc. I think the Hickey report most likely laid out their methods and conclusions, and then left it to the university to do with it as they'd like. But what do I know.

More than Loretta Lynch?

 

[Alvious]

They are, having engaged DHR.

Pardon my ignorance, but what's DHR?

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Pardon my ignorance, but what's DHR?

A well established global search firm that has a vertical focused on coach searches led by Glenn Sugiyama:

Sports - Executive Search Firm | DHR Global

Our executive search consultants help teams and organizations around the world hire, promote and evolve to meet the needs of fans and stakeholders.

www.dhrglobal.com

 

[phatcat]

Pardon my ignorance, but what's DHR?

Search firm thingy

 

[NUCat320]

A well established global search firm that has a vertical focused on in coach searches led by Glenn Sugiyama:

Sports - Executive Search Firm | DHR Global

Our executive search consultants help teams and organizations around the world hire, promote and evolve to meet the needs of fans and stakeholders.

www.dhrglobal.com

Good answer.

Search firm thingy

Better answer.

 

[peatymeanis]

I thought that was general knowledge.

Huh? Recommending punishment is not in the investigating firm's scope. They're supposed to find out what the facts are and lay them out, that's it.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

It isn't entirely clear if the Hickey report recommended a suspension. I was under the impression that it did not. But Northwestern's initial statement (https://news.northwestern.edu/stori...vent-hazing-following-football-investigation/) and the Executive Summary are both somewhat ambiguous on this. They say that they are enacting measures based on the report, including the two-week suspension.

In any case, I would be surprised if the Hickey report made a recommendation regarding disciplinary actions. That gets into university rules, the coach's contract, prior history, etc. I think the Hickey report most likely laid out their methods and conclusions, and then left it to the university to do with it as they'd like. But what do I know.

Thanks for posting that link.

"Based on Hickey’s findings and recommendations, the University will take the following actions:

• Head coach Fitzgerald has been placed on a two-week suspension without pay, beginning immediately."

I suppose it is possible that Northwestern stated the facts incorrectly, but if you read English and interpret words, thats what NU said. Based on Hickeys findings and recommendations, Fitzgerald is suspended 2 weeks.

 

[Gatabowl]

Thanks for posting that link.

"Based on Hickey’s findings and recommendations, the University will take the following actions:

• Head coach Fitzgerald has been placed on a two-week suspension without pay, beginning immediately."

I suppose it is possible that Northwestern stated the facts incorrectly, but if you read English and interpret words, thats what NU said. Based on Hickeys findings and recommendations, Fitzgerald is suspended 2 weeks.

That doesn’t mean the recommendation had to do with punishments.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

That doesn’t mean the recommendation had to do with punishments.

Actually it does.
If NU had written

"Based on Hickey’s findings or recommendations, the University will take the following actions:

• Head coach Fitzgerald has been placed on a two-week suspension without pay, beginning immediately."

you would be correct.
But they said "findings and recommendations" so you are incorrect.
The suspension was based on Hickey's findings and recommendations.

 

[Gatabowl]

Actually it does.
If NU had written

"Based on Hickey’s findings or recommendations, the University will take the following actions:

• Head coach Fitzgerald has been placed on a two-week suspension without pay, beginning immediately."

you would be correct.
But they said "findings and recommendations" so you are incorrect.
The suspension was based on Hickey's findings and recommendations.

It doesn’t mean the recommendations were to suspend fitz for two weeks. The recommendation could have been to have some sort of punishment, it could have been a recommendation to put wheels in motion to fix the hazing issue ASAP, which NU felt meant that it was serious enough to warrant a suspension.

If NU is taking advice from a law firm on how to discipline its athletic staff we have a a much larger issue at hand, and that law firm isn’t credible.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

It doesn’t mean the recommendations were to suspend fitz for two weeks. The recommendation could have been to have some sort of punishment, it could have been a recommendation to put wheels in motion to fix the hazing issue ASAP, which NU felt meant that it was serious enough to warrant a suspension.

If NU is taking advice from a law firm on how to discipline its athletic staff we have a a much larger issue at hand, and that law firm isn’t credible.

Okay I will agree.
It strongly suggests that the law firm recommended a two week suspension, but it is possible that they recommended some other punishment.

 

[Bwm57]

Is he the premier idiot in Northwestern's administration?
Absolutely not.

Maybe not, but he is very competitive!!

 

[Gatabowl]

Okay I will agree.
It strongly suggests that the law firm recommended a two week suspension, but it is possible that they recommended some other punishment.

There is incentive for the press release to make the suspension of a popular figure and the most powerful person at NU a bulletproof decision.

 

[Gladeskat]

You have to remember Gragg played football at Vanderbilt. The locker room stuff that he was surely involved in makes the NU allegations look like a 2nd grade Fairy Pageant.

And what would that be?

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

A 2nd grade Fairy Pageant is when a class of boys and girls dress in fairy costumes and perform dances on stage for their parents and teachers.
Generally the mothers of all the children are absolutely delighted, the fathers of the girls are amused and the fathers of the boys (and most of the boys themselves) are horrified and humiliated.

Basically, Its institutionalized hazing of most of the young boys and their fathers.

 

[CappyNU]

Okay I will agree.
It strongly suggests that the law firm recommended a two week suspension, but it is possible that they recommended some other punishment.

I highly doubt the report said anything other than some variation of "based on the findings in this report, discipline of head coach Pat Fitzgerald is recommended."

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

I highly doubt the report said anything other than some variation of "based on the findings in this report, discipline of head coach Pat Fitzgerald is recommended."

I highly doubt that they didn't specifically recommend a short suspension, if not exactly two weeks.

You don't get paid to do an 6 month investigation, then recommend "discipline the head coach" without giving details.

Either they recommended a specific discipline or they made no comment on punishment whatsoever.

But, of course, NU says they did make a recommendation, so there's that.