I did not; this became evident when one of his deputies did the glad handing on the field for the veteran.
Did this MFer honestly not show up to the football home opener?
Did this MFer honestly not show up to the football home opener?
Did anyone see Gragg on Saturday?
- Thread starter Sheffielder
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show up to the game? Do we even know if he was in the country?
I wonder if there is a real possibility that if either Gragg or Shill would show up on the field that they would actually get booed by the crowd.
If there was enough of a crowd there to be heard. I heard attendance of about 14k but that seemed pretty high. And that is even considering it was band day
In Gragg's defense, NU does have a campus in Doha, Qatar. He could have thought he was responsible for the intramural basketball team league there.
Yeah, but I believe the students have not returned because classes haven't started yet. They are still on summer break.
Maybe someone who has been at the games can confirm this or not , but I believe from various reports that both Morty and Jim were regular attendees and actually spent a lot time on the field with the team.
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If they were announced on the PA or if performing any official duty at halftime, I think booing would 100% happen. Still, I don't think it would happen if they simply attended without any announcement. The fact that they are that deeply in turtle mode tells you all you need to know.
Yeah, Braun is on an island. And he's doing it! Eff those 2 (and Fitz btw)
I can confirm that you could see Morty roaming the sidelines at most home games and Phillips could usually be seen standing in his shirt and tie (no coat) behind the goal post by our locker room.
I will GENEROUSLY assume Gragg didn't want to take the field and risk boos reigning in while honoring a veteran, and maaaaaybe he was in the press box or squirreled away somewhere...right? Because an AD not showing up to a revenue sport game is inexcusableright?
He was on the field pre and post game. Sent his deputy out for the only on-field obligation of the day. Didn’t seem like anyone particularly wanted him there.
Gragg was on the sideline greeting the Evanston City Council/School Board members as they came off the field after being recognized during a timeout.
You’ve gotta be a really bad athletic director if you are afraid of getting booed at a Northwestern game. Also, the shoe fits.
My family had the great fortune of attending a game as Morty's guests ~10 years ago. It was an incredible experience. But specific to this thread, I'll note that Morty absolutely planned his weekends around NU football. He asked if we wanted to accompany him on the sideline in the first half or the second half. Then he was ready with guidance on the differences in the experience for each. He recommended first half, so we walked out with him pregame. The students greeted him like a rock star. And he was 100% glued to the action while keeping situational awareness. For example, on one Indiana 3rd down, he grabbed my arm and said, "let's move 20 yards downfield. I think we're going to hold them and this is where the return action will be." It was unreal.
What’s unreal is the decision made by Morty to hire Gragg in the first place
Always liked to call him "Big Morty".
After the Cal game, our mini-reunion was celebrating at the Claremont basement bar, and he came through by himself. I got to shake his hand and tell him he was the best NU Pres ever. Before the game, NU put on a 4-star tailgate and he spoke along with JP and PF. Quelle stud. Those were the days.
After the Cal game, our mini-reunion was celebrating at the Claremont basement bar, and he came through by himself. I got to shake his hand and tell him he was the best NU Pres ever. Before the game, NU put on a 4-star tailgate and he spoke along with JP and PF. Quelle stud. Those were the days.
I admit we probably don't spend enough time acknowledging this.
I will also say in defense of Schill...if you don't like sports then you don't like sports. Shoe being on the other foot, if I became a university president there are about dozens of things I'd go out of my way to avoid if I could help it.
Thanks to those who confirmed Gragg was in fact on the premises Saturday.
Yeah I think that’s likely it. Schill just isn’t a sports guy and at Oregon he just outsourced his sports related duties to Nike. He probably came in here with expectation of doing the same with Pat Ryan, hence not even bothering to read the initial investigative report when it came out.
I also think that Schill did not read the original report until the Daily came out with the story.
He has more or less said as much.
On one hand, I guess I get it...you don't really care about sports, you're told the issue was thoroughly vetted, and your AD, with suitcase in hand, recommends a two week suspension with these other precautionary measures, case closed.
Then your VP Finance, VP General Counsel, Provost, and 19 other direct reports walk in with 462 other issues that require your attention.
But on the other hand...this matter involves your highest-paid and most recognizable university employee by a fairly wide margin...
Schill was in the Stadium Club for most of the game. Pretty much sitting by himself most of the time.
I read elsewhere they estimated the stadium was 40-50 full. I laughed at the inaccuracy.
Well then he probably could see the guys in front of me who had purple shirts on which said on the back Fire Schill and Fire Gragg.
Of course, the front had the 'Cats Against the World stuff and 51 on them. These guys stood up a lot, and when they did got rousing cheers from those around them on several occasions.
Honestly, I'd say 7500 - 10,000 people in the stands when I looked around at end of first quarter.
I was surprised to see that many.
40% full between the 25 yard lines. plus a bunch of freshmen and the band.
Gragg was there on the sidelines starting in the late third/early fourth. He the walked to about the 40 yard line after the game, but not a single player or staffer seemed to acknowledge his presence until Gragg kind of cornered Braun after his post-game press gaggle.
If he didn’t read the report, he should be fired on the spot
In this (his only, as far as I know) interview he says he spent Sunday ‘reading and rereading’ the original report.
NU President Michael Schill discusses Pat Fitzgerald termination, football
University President Michael Schill sat down with The Daily to discuss Northwestern’s football program Monday. NU’s football team has been the focus of the national spotlight after several former players came forward with allegations of hazing in recent weeks. The University had conducted an...
dailynorthwestern.com
I remember the day where we booed AD Rick Taylor for saying something like “here at Notre D…er, Northwestern…”
I wish we had the days of Rick Taylor back. It’s all relative.
Interesting Daily article from the time of his retirement though, on just how distant he was from the student athletes. Sounds familiar.
dailynorthwestern.com
I wish we had the days of Rick Taylor back. It’s all relative.
Interesting Daily article from the time of his retirement though, on just how distant he was from the student athletes. Sounds familiar.
Rick Taylor, you never had them at 'hello'
Northwestern athletes should be excited to say hello to Mark Murphy. The selection of Murphy as NU’s new athletic director will be a welcome change for athletes used to the cold, unpersonable rule of the departing Rick Taylor. School administrators, boosters and outsiders credit Taylor for the...
dailynorthwestern.com
To think there was an AD worse than Taylor is unfathomable.I remember the day where we booed AD Rick Taylor for saying something like “here at Notre D…er, Northwestern…”
I wish we had the days of Rick Taylor back. It’s all relative.
Interesting Daily article from the time of his retirement though, on just how distant he was from the student athletes. Sounds familiar.
Rick Taylor, you never had them at 'hello'
Northwestern athletes should be excited to say hello to Mark Murphy. The selection of Murphy as NU’s new athletic director will be a welcome change for athletes used to the cold, unpersonable rule of the departing Rick Taylor. School administrators, boosters and outsiders credit Taylor for the...
I liked Morty and really appreciated his support of NU athletics. What a contrast between him and the buffoon that currently occupies the office. However, I will never forgive Morty for what he did to Mike Polisky. Not only was that decision bad but it opened the door for Gragg. A “two-fer”, but not in a good way.
Technically you can compare the baseball situation with Gragg, and that did not get him fired. On the contrary, Wilbon gave a vote of confidence.
Wilbon is probably the one who pushed for him to be hired on the BOT and Morty was halfway out the door so he said f it
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