January 30th, 2018 at 12:35 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 12:40 PM ^
Its interim but another inbred MSU move.
January 30th, 2018 at 1:16 PM ^
You don't hire a politician to clean things up. You hire a politician to spin things and lobby for what you want.
Engler is a career politician who is connected to the same party as the AG Bill Schuette who has aspirations to run for governor this fall.
January 30th, 2018 at 2:53 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 3:38 PM ^
He ran for Michigan House of Representatives before graduating from college and worked his way up to governor over the course of his career. Every position he held after that is not what I would refer to as a career or job--it was more like retirement for a politician and lobbyist work.
Exactly what kind of work did he do after his 30+ years as a politician? Did he work as a lawyer? No. Educator? No. He served as president of the National Association of Manufacturers for a couple years which was probably more to lobby for those companies than any experience he had in manufacturing. Which is exactly the same qualifications he brings to being president of a university and back to my original post.
January 30th, 2018 at 4:15 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 3:53 PM ^
and lobbying is far worse because you're doing the same thing (campaigning) except you're doing it for corporations buying favor instead of being accountable to constituents.
He is absolutely a career politician.
January 30th, 2018 at 4:19 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 4:29 PM ^
between what you did for your company vs. someone whose full time job it is to literally shmooze with politicians than I just can't help you, man.
Per the dictionary, a politician is "a person who is professionally involved in politics" and a full-time lobbyist is most certainly professionally involved in politics.
January 30th, 2018 at 4:47 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 6:24 PM ^
That definition is also shared by all non-insane people.
January 30th, 2018 at 12:40 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 2:42 PM ^
To be fair, the Red Cedar is used to having a certain amount of Milwaukee's Best in it, but point taken. I remember (as it was a huge story at the time) that fateful decision made in conjunction with the MDEQ that allowed Dow to put dioxin in the Tittabawassee - they are still cleaning it up, I think, or at least some smaller segments along the floodplain near Midland.
January 30th, 2018 at 12:40 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 2:53 PM ^
Brian's silence thus far? Hasn't posted since the Purdue post game which was before the OTL report came out.
I responded here because you mentioned "what got Sparty into trouble in the first place" and MGrowOld nailed the real cause below: that Sparty derives way too much of its brand recognition, application interest, and donations because of athletic success which creates a massive conflict of interest for an institution of higher learning.
I'm curious if Brian is preparing to go nuclear, ignore it altogether (because he's already railed plenty on their trash programs and the way they're run), and/or further withdraw into an emo, sports-are-a-senseless-distraction state (because let's be honest, we are all somewhat culpable for creating million dollar incentives to put winning pointless games ahead of doing the right things and it's not surprising that sometimes the people in charge can't resist those incentives that we've created).
January 30th, 2018 at 5:10 PM ^
I suspect that because Brian is somewhat of a spokesman for a significant part of the Michigan fan base there is sensitivity and an effort to be measured on this issue. To avoid dancing on anyone's grave. To have a degree of detachment from a terrible situation from a human interest standpoint that just happens to be related to sports.
I think you are right about part of the root cause of the problem, but I think insularity plays a big role too. The Sparty Trustees are homers. Simon was a 30-year Sparty. It is difficult to have perspective when the leadership of Michigan State is so utterly inbred. I am surprised they didn't name George Perles as the interim President, for Chrissakes.
January 30th, 2018 at 6:49 PM ^
the importance (perceived or real) of athletic success to their university identity. Those involved saw how much athletic success (supposedly) increased applications and donations to the university and they felt they had to protect that at all costs.
No doubt the homerism contributed to the escalation of commitment and digging in of their heels.
January 30th, 2018 at 12:41 PM ^
Cool story about Gov Engler. Back in 98 when he was campaigning for his final term as governor vs Fieger, he came to my church for a photo op and to attend mass. I was only in elementary school and I thought it was so cool that the governor was at church with me. My excitement was quickly gone when I realized that he was sleeping through most of it and had to be woken up to stand up during mass.
January 30th, 2018 at 12:58 PM ^
they hired someone who just shows up for face time and sleeps through the rest? Great...
January 30th, 2018 at 1:03 PM ^
MSU admin was asleep for over 20 years on the Nassar comlaints, so he'll fit right in.
January 30th, 2018 at 1:06 PM ^
Engler was just doing what many people do at church.
January 30th, 2018 at 1:42 PM ^
Guilty of sleeping during mass as well. Does that qualify me to be the Gov, or president of msu?
January 30th, 2018 at 12:41 PM ^
They should be putting people in place who have no ties to the school.
January 30th, 2018 at 12:59 PM ^
I don't think those slappies know any better. If they did they wouldn't be in that mess.
January 30th, 2018 at 1:03 PM ^
the board of trustees? they aren't going to bring in someone from the outside to help them tie their own nooses. . .
January 30th, 2018 at 1:30 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 2:19 PM ^
other than 1) minimizing claim/lawsuit damage and 2) minimizing reputational damage (so bring in the lobbyist/spinster).
Someone unbiased that would do the dirty work that needs to be done to clean out that shithole wouldn't be ideal for the those objectives, in the short run, at least (which is again, all the board cares about).
January 30th, 2018 at 1:39 PM ^
house or make any other sweeping changes. They are there to run the day to day operations until the full time person takes over. They may do somethings, at the request of the new guy, so that the new guy doesn't have to take the heat.
January 30th, 2018 at 2:23 PM ^
Sounds like the interim there to do the difficult and unpopular task of gutting things. Board said themselves, the interim will "fix" it, and the new pres will come in at some point in the rebuilding process for "healing". Easier for the new permanent pres to not have to do the difficult and unpopular things.
January 30th, 2018 at 12:41 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 1:00 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 1:02 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 12:44 PM ^
The people responsible for protecting Nassar for over 20 years cause he was a prominent US Olympic Dr and a rock star physician? A guy who brought favorable national publicity to MSU for many, many years? I doubt it.
The people responsible for protecting Izzo and the culture he allowed cause he was a prominent mens basketball coach who made MSU a perenial power team and won a naitonal championship? I doubt it.
The people who allowed Dantonio to shield his players from any sort of actual dsicipline and punishment for years all because he was pretty damn good at beating Michigan and putting MSU on the map again in college football? I doubt it.
The reason IMO that al these guys have been protected and loved by MSU loyalists havent changed. They created a positive impression of "little brother" MSU in the national press and anything they did was A-OK if it meant more of that.
I dont think either of these guys is going anywhere anytime soon. Sorry to burst yours (and about 90% of the board's) bubble here but Izzo and Dantonio will be protected to their last breath.
He was brought in with a mandate all right. A mandate to see that all this crap gets put to bed as quickly and as quietly as possible so they can go back to the one thing they all live for - beating Michigan in athletics and trying to eliminate the "little brother" to Michigan stigma in the national press.
January 30th, 2018 at 12:52 PM ^
Your last paragraph sums it up nicely. Put all this to rest and move on.
The way the University is handling this is disturbingly surreal.
January 30th, 2018 at 12:55 PM ^
think this is a very likely take. If any public investigation establishes that Izzo or Dantonio had information regarding any sexual assaults that they did not properly report to Title IX investigators or that were not already being investigated, or any communications exist wherein Izzo or Dantonio attempted to suppress information or interfere/influence those investigations or criminal investigations, that person will be fired.
But I think the time that either would be released due to public sentiment regarding the general "culture of the programs" is drawing to an end. I really think that would have only resulted from vocal opposition to one or both coaches continuing to coach from students, alums, etc. or other people within "Team-MSU." That did not happen. At this point, I still think Izzo is more likely to be out than Dantonio, but barring any other revelations, I think both of them will remain there.
January 30th, 2018 at 1:20 PM ^
The little brother thing is dead I hope. They are not of the same blood as us, they are disgusting and should never be referred to as family. It was a bit of an extreme way to accomplish it but congrats Sparty, I will never call you little brother again.
January 30th, 2018 at 1:47 PM ^
of real change in the long run has not happend. That is replacing the entire BOT. They are the ones behind all the stonewalling and stone-deaf responses coming from the school. They are the ones who indirectly or directly allowed the atmosphere of tolerance, cover-up and ass-covering for the past several decades. They are the ones who are allowing Izzo and Dantonio to stay. If MSU really wants to solve the huge institutional problem they now have, it starts with cleaning house of all the so-called leadership that caused the problem.
January 30th, 2018 at 2:43 PM ^
MSU fans and alum are throwing their full support behind Izzo and Dantonio, despite evidence. The news cycle will allow this to blow over soon. Sad times.
January 30th, 2018 at 2:14 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 12:41 PM ^
He will eat those enablers for breakfast!
January 30th, 2018 at 12:46 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 12:56 PM ^
Someone walked by with a parfait. He asked where they got it and was gone.
January 30th, 2018 at 4:19 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 12:42 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 1:09 PM ^
Does this Blog ever learn?
January 30th, 2018 at 2:12 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 12:48 PM ^
alum, competent, executive experience, politically connected (but far enough removed from being Governor that a lot of the political animosity has faded).
Tom Ridge was floated as PSU's interim President before Rodney Erickson was the choice. I would have preferred Ridge. Similiar profile to Engler.
January 30th, 2018 at 6:05 PM ^
plus
- executive experience
- the board won't be able to control him
minus
- alum
- a politician with no expericience in academia
The plusses make him a credible choice if the job was somewhere else. The minuses compound each other. Politicians tend to think in terms of pleasing their constituency, their supporters and donors. Partisan politicians (and that was Engler's reputation) are inclined to take an us versus them outlook.
Engler will know he has the authority to clean house and to make some unpopular decisions. My question is whether he will be willing to or will he more comfortable defending MSU against outsiders. An easy prediction, he'll find there were problems in the past, but they have mostly been addressed already. His evidence will be how MSU and Dantonio dismissed the four players accused last year. He'll be harsher about how Nassar was handled, because no one will object.
A final thought, there were a lot of possible candidates that had better and more relevant resumes. MSU's board was determined to get someone like Engler, who has a strong interest in protecting MSU's reputation.
January 30th, 2018 at 12:47 PM ^