Latest from Sid on Maturi's contract status

[Bayfieldgopher]

I know this topic has been beat to death but there is little else to read about on GH lately.

"The current contract of Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi ends in June 2012.

When present University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks announced his retirement, which is coming at the end of the present school year, he did offer Maturi a two-year extension. Then for some reason, it was reduced to one.

Now the word is that under new President Eric Kaler, Maturi won't have any extension. A decision on Maturi's future will come when Kaler takes over.

It also could be Maturi's choice. Maturi has refused to say he has made any decision on his future.

It could be that Maturi, 66, has had enough grief on the job and feels as though it might soon be time to give it up."

Kaler may be reading between the lines with Joel's rants regarding his lack of passion for his job and his double talk. Maybe he is thinking that its time for Joel to go.

 

[ButchNashGuy]

Definitely in the camp of JM moving on. He gives off the impression that he's not happy (at least he's let out a few quotes indicating that). I don't like the fact Bruininks would even offer an extension with a new prez coming in. JM is under contract for a year after Kaler gets here. Let him decide who fits in that role.

 

[diehard]

Early retirement is preferable to a firing. Maturi has done some very good stuff, but he has failed at the important stuff. Winning revenue sports and fund raising.

 

[Geezo Beezo]

Prexy B knows what it's like to be the new president and have to hire an AD right away, and he was a professor at the U so he was probably was more familiar with what was happening on campus than Kaler is now. Bruininks probably didn't want Kaler to go through what he went through, which is why he offered the extension to Maturi.

 

[imthewalrus]

prexy b is one of those pin heads who reside in the academic...

world who think they don't have to answer to anyone. By making a contract extension that would go forward for two years BEYOND the one year remaining on bjm's contract thereby guaranteeing badger joel macturi entirely too much money for too long a period of time, prexy b shows just how little he cares about the financial well-being of the Athletic Department at the University of Minnesota. badger joel macturi's contract already runs through June of 2012, one full year after the lame duck prexy b bails ship. A two year extension would take badger joel macturi into June of 2014. He is already 66 years of age. That would bring him to about age 70. I am sure this golden parachute package would also include MORE fringe benefits, annuities and guaranteed pay-offs for bjm. (Would bjm get any additional perks forlasting over 10 years? The 2012 date already brings him up to 10 years, depending on his start date in 2002. It seems like it was July of 2002, but I could be wrong about that.) I seriously wonder if prexy b wants to ham-string Prexy K with what ever kinds of moves he may have to make during the first three years of his tenure. Just think about it. IF bjm had a 3 year guaranteed contract with LOTS of $$$$$$ rewarding fringe benefits, Prexy K would be forced to pay out a TON of money the U of M Athletic Department does NOT have.

How many other contract extensions has this prexy b character been handing out in the academic departments and to other administrators around the U of M? He has to KNOW that money is going to be one scarce commodity around the U of M during the next three to five years. Is he taking care of lots of his pals and buddies?

Is that prexy b's intent? It at least must be examined since it could certainly appear to be a possible motivation. I've seen CEO-types, government-types and all kinds of people taking care of themselves and their buddies for too long to really trust any of them too much.
badger joel macturi has been running the revenue sports programs into the ground under prexy b's tenure at the U of M. Do I trust prexy b? No. Do I trust bjm? Never. Has the administration at the University of Minnesota been wasteful re: their administration of the athletic department at the U of M? Well, those expensive buy outs of contracts within months of long-term contract extensions STINK of mismanagement, incompetence and lack of fiscal common sense.

People come down hard on former prexy Bush and curren't prexy Obamma for fiscal mismanagement and EVERY problem under the sun that has happened on their watches. Should we not also curcify prexy b and question his every move and motivation for the financial problems facing the U of M under his management?

Beware of prexy b's intentions incoming Prexy K. He may be trying to set you up.

Just some food for thought... ; 0 )

 

[Killjoy]

Babbling Again

People come down hard on former prexy Bush and curren't prexy Obamma for fiscal mismanagement. Should we not also curcify prexy b for the financial problems facing the U of M under his management?

I think wren must have been in charge of the Salem witch trials in a former life. Oh, excuse me crucifixion was at a different trial.

 

[imthewalrus]

killjoy: at least 25% of your 176 attempts at posting have been dedicated to me. May I call you mrs. bjm/prexy b. Thank you for all of your attention. I really do appreciate all of the efforts you make to attach yourself to the opinion pieces that I have so much fun with. Have a very nice day. And, let's see if you can raise your response level to my posts by a few more percentage points. Let's shoot for 33%. That would really be great mrs. bjm/prexy b!!!!! Bye bye...over and out!

; 0 )

 

[littlebigboy]

Birdy, you know I haven't been you biggest fan by any means, but in this case you are correct> WOW! did that hurt!

 

[Maximus]

but he has failed at the important stuff. Winning revenue sports and fund raising.

How has he failed at fundraising? 90 million raised privately for a football stadium. The budget is practically doubled from when he arrived.

 

[Mustang Mountain Man]

Definitely in the camp of JM moving on. He gives off the impression that he's not happy (at least he's let out a few quotes indicating that). I don't like the fact Bruininks would even offer an extension with a new prez coming in. JM is under contract for a year after Kaler gets here. Let him decide who fits in that role.

This really is small potatoes stuff compared to the budget crisis looming in 2012.

 

[Mulligan]

How has he failed at fundraising? 90 million raised privately for a football stadium. The budget is practically doubled from when he arrived.

-Obviously, Big Ten Network money is the sole reason for it. Maturi did nothing.
-Stadium would have been built anyway. Maturi did nothing.
-Tubby landed in his lap. Maturi did nothing other than convince Tubby this was a good spot.
-Realignment of the Big Ten ended up in a way that satisfied most Gopher fans, but, obviously nobody listened to Maturi.
-We ended up with a football coach most people are pleased with, but it was a botched search from the start, Kill ended up in his lap, and, yep, Maturi did nothing. Incidentally, if you want botched search, check out the process for Missouri's new basketball coach.
-We do well in a wide variety of non-revenue sports but Maturi must take blame instead of credit for that sad fact. That damn women's rowing team is the reason we haven't competed for a football title for, oh, about 50 years.
-And an athletic department that has had some big embarrassments in the past hasn't had any of those under Maturi, but that's just because he's ... ah ... um ... who cares anyway?


Yep, I'm aware of the Brewster hire, the buyouts for Mason and Monson, the now silly extension for Borton, and the questionable decision to stick with Lucia. For second guessers, they're like 85 mile an hour fastballs for Joe Mauer. Just saying, it's pretty stupid for the number of people on here who give him no credit for anything and all the blame for anything negative given the nature of the University and the finances of today.

Also, he's 66 with a new president coming in. It is time for him to go, and he and they know it. Letting him go on his terms with his dignity is something he's earned. I think that's the likely scenario and people shouldn't have a problem with it.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Thank you Mulligan.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Yep, I'm aware of the Brewster hire, the buyouts for Mason and Monson, the now silly extension for Borton, and the questionable decision to stick with Lucia. For second guessers, they're like 85 mile an hour fastballs for Joe Mauer. Just saying, it's pretty stupid for the number of people on here who give him no credit for anything and all the blame for anything negative given the nature of the University and the finances of today.

Also, he's 66 with a new president coming in. It is time for him to go, and he and they know it. Letting him go on his terms with his dignity is something he's earned. I think that's the likely scenario and people shouldn't have a problem with it.

Thank you Mulligan, for some sanity.

 

[Lakeville Goldy]

Yep, I'm aware of the Brewster hire, the buyouts for Mason and Monson, the now silly extension for Borton, and the questionable decision to stick with Lucia. For second guessers, they're like 85 mile an hour fastballs for Joe Mauer. Just saying, it's pretty stupid for the number of people on here who give him no credit for anything and all the blame for anything negative given the nature of the University and the finances of today.

Also, he's 66 with a new president coming in. It is time for him to go, and he and they know it. Letting him go on his terms with his dignity is something he's earned. I think that's the likely scenario and people shouldn't have a problem with it.

Couldn't agree more. Not his biggest fan but to say he's done nothing to contribute to the U or make the athletic program better is not accurate.

That being said, I think the two year extension Bruininks offered without consulting with the new pres was fairly ridiculous. It'd be one thing if Maturi was done the day Kaler came in, but with a year overlap Kaler can decide whether he wants to undergo a search or extend Maturi - Bruininks had no business even offering that. I'd prefer Maturi to be replaced during the year next year (overlapping transition of 6 months with the new hire), but I'd also prefer another zero before the decimal point of my pay check. I gotta be realistic. My guess is Maturi will accept a one year extension and Kaler will hire someone during 2012-2013 (assuming the world doesn't end 12/2012).