ESPN: Grand Valley State suspends OC Morris Berger for wanting meal with Adolf Hitler

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dpodoll68 said:
Wrong. Michigan, like most states, is an at-will state, meaning he can be fired for any reason or no reason at all, assuming the reason is outside of a protected basis (gender, religion, nationality, etc.). Do you ever get tired of being wrong in virtually every post you make?
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While you are correct that Michigan is an employment-at-will state, that is most likely irrelevant here as football coaches generally work under employment contracts and it is that contract that would govern the rights and responsibilities of the parties for any discipline or discharge. The coaching contracts that I have seen distinguish between termination with cause and termination without cause. If that is true of this coach, they could absolutely terminate him under the contract if they wanted to do so, but there would likely be a fight over whether this was conduct suffcient to qualify as termination with cause (so they don't have to pay him) or without cause (so that they do have to pay him).
 

2nd Degree Gopher said:
While you are correct that Michigan is an employment-at-will state, that is most likely irrelevant here as football coaches generally work under employment contracts and it is that contract that would govern the rights and responsibilities of the parties for any discipline or discharge. The coaching contracts that I have seen distinguish between termination with cause and termination without cause. If that is true of this coach, they could absolutely terminate him under the contract if they wanted to do so, but there would likely be a fight over whether this was conduct suffcient to qualify as termination with cause (so they don't have to pay him) or without cause (so that they do have to pay him).
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Yeah you don't see many "cause" terminations with coaches.

They just pay whatever the price is in the contract for termination.

IF the school actually chose to do anything I don't imagine they'd bother with doing it for cause, they'd just follow whatever the contract says.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
IF the school actually chose to do anything I don't imagine they'd bother with doing it for cause, they'd just follow whatever the contract says.
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Agreed, I don't think that they would want to fight over that. I should have said that there could be a fight if they tried to do it for cause.
 

MNVCGUY said:
I respectfully disagree. It was a very broad question and Hitler would make for a fascinating historical figure to try and understand. But the coach has to be smarter with his choice of words when discussing one of, if not the most hated men in history.

If you are going to pick someone like Hitler as an answer you better make sure that you make your reasons for doing so very clear. Referring to him as a "great leader" is not going to fly with most people because of the horrible things he was responsible for doing while in power.
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Yup. I don't think Hitler would be a terrible choice at all for a dinner. Just to hear what kind of odd shit that came out of his mouth? To hear how he actually thinks/thought? As a bit of a psychology buff and one who is fascinated by how people think, I don't think it's that stupid of a choice.

That being said, the coach was stupid for citing him, and then praising several traits of Hitler.

The coach also doesn't have the kind of equity to say something like that. George Clooney could say that shit all day long
 

While it would be really, really strange to hear PJF say he’d like to pick Hitler’s brain...probably has enough equity in the bank. The messaging, branding plastered everwhere isn’t done in that iconic Nazi style, but messaging and branding does serve a purpose in an organization.
 


He resigned:

lanthorn.com

GV offensive coordinator announces resignation

Update 4:35 p.m. – Berger released an open letter on Twitter where he said he “failed to uphold (a) responsibility” to the GVSU community. In the apology, he expressed regret over his comment, saying there was “no justifiable excuse” for his actions “It is my hope that you will consider...
lanthorn.com
 

This is a terrible outcome. Hitler killed this guy's coaching because of a fiction. Even in death Hitler is terrible.
 


Dean S said:
This is a terrible outcome. Hitler killed this guy's coaching because of a fiction. Even in death Hitler is terrible.
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I think he will be able to come back from this. It is not like he was at a super high profile job. A little time will pass and people will forget all about this incident.
 





Dean S said:
He could not actually have dinner with Hitler.
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"Berger was interviewed in the Grand Valley Lanthorn paper and was asked which three historical figures Berger would have dinner with. Berger responded by saying one of his choices would be Adolf Hitler, because of his leadership skills."
 

PMWinSTP said:
"Berger was interviewed in the Grand Valley Lanthorn paper and was asked which three historical figures Berger would have dinner with. Berger responded by saying one of his choices would be Adolf Hitler, because of his leadership skills."
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Didn't I just confirm that? I thought I stated that. Huh. Am I not communicating in the same language as you?
 



Dean S said:
Didn't I just confirm that? I thought I stated that. Huh. Am I not communicating in the same language as you?
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I think it's your wording of "because of a fiction". That can either be interpreted as "because of a fictional/hypothetical situation" (which I believe is how you intended it) OR "because of a false story/statement about the coach" (which is how I think PMWinSTP may have interpreted it).
 

Dean S said:
Didn't I just confirm that? I thought I stated that. Huh. Am I not communicating in the same language as you?
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Taji34 said:
I think it's your wording of "because of a fiction". That can either be interpreted as "because of a fictional/hypothetical situation" (which I believe is how you intended it) OR "because of a false story/statement about the coach" (which is how I think PMWinSTP may have interpreted it).
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Correct.
 








Almost 500,000 American lives were lost fighting an evil man and his evil enablers in WW11.

Leadership involves creating a legacy that can be followed to help future generations. Pot Pol, Idi Amin, Joe Stalin, Chairman Mao, these are examples of Hitler leadership qualities. The guy had so many quality choices to choose from.
 

mjfelton15 said:
I think it’s ridiculous that a coach can’t answer honestly without being suspended. Clearly he acknowledged it wouldn’t go over well, he knew people would take it the wrong way, and then what did people do? Took it the wrong way. Can’t speak of Hitler in any way, except negatively. This is pathetic. Say goodbye to free speech
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Did I miss the part of the story where the OC was thrown in prison by the government?
 


A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
He resigned:

lanthorn.com

GV offensive coordinator announces resignation

Update 4:35 p.m. – Berger released an open letter on Twitter where he said he “failed to uphold (a) responsibility” to the GVSU community. In the apology, he expressed regret over his comment, saying there was “no justifiable excuse” for his actions “It is my hope that you will consider...
lanthorn.com
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He obviously was getting much flack everywhere. Therefore he screwed up.
 


What he said wasn't wrong but it was stupid. Stupid people aren't a protected minority just yet.
 


dpodoll68 said:
I'm not sure who "Adlie" Stevenson was, but if he even did say it (doubtful), he didn't invent the phrase. You don't get to repeat an existing phrase and attribute it to yourself. That's not how it works.
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Who said he said he invented it? Indeed, it was clear in the quote that this is what he said. Here is what I wrote, notice that there is no claim he invented the thought.

"Former two time Democratic presidential candidate Adlie Stenvenson said: "I may not agree with a word you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." That is what free speech means, or should I say meant?"

And if you were so burdened with that log/nether regions problem you have the quote would also make it clear who he was, ie "two time Democratic presidential candidate" (1952 and 1956). Or are you all confused due to the misspelling of his first name? Let me help you Adlie is a misspelling of Adlai as in the other quote above.
 

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