Reusse: Two months ago, Jerry Kill said this is what U of M athletics needed

[BleedGopher]

per Pat:

I was in Fort Myers at the time, preparing to be impressed by the Twins’ fine play over the course of the exhibition schedule. I was milling about at 9 a.m. when the cell phone rang.

Turned out, it was Kill, and there had been a couple of earlier calls that went unanswered.

Jerry talked for over 30 minutes, with very few commas. He wasn’t angry with the opinion expressed in the blog. He was more interested in explaining his view of conversations that had taken place with Kaler and with interim athletic director Beth Goetz on possible positions with the university.

It wasn’t a big scoop – merely reinforcement of what had become clear: The university wanted to give Kill a job (primarily fund raising) and he wanted a job in his main area of interest (actual athletics).

What was most-interesting to me was when Kill said: “There are big issues in that department. What Minnesota has to do is to go out a get a big-time athletic director, even if it costs a million dollars a year.’’

The university had done what Kill told me it had to do way back on March 3: Hired a big-time, experienced athletic director, even if it cost $1 million a year.

The cost came in at $850,000 base, double what Teague was making, and close enough to a million to fulfill Kill’s recipe for a new A.D.

I must say it was a shock to discover Kaler took athletics more seriously than political correctness, which isn’t an easy path to take for the president of a mammoth state university.

Congratulations to the Prez

http://www.startribune.com/two-mont...is-is-what-u-of-m-athletics-needed/379224861/

Go Gophers!!

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I must say it was a shock to discover Kaler took athletics more seriously than political correctness, which isn’t an easy path to take for the president of a mammoth state university.

That's the worst manufactured bait ever

 

[Section2]

I must say it was a shock to discover Kaler took athletics more seriously than political correctness, which isn’t an easy path to take for the president of a mammoth state university.

That's the worst manufactured bait ever

Strikes me as pretty honest.

 

[beavergopher]

Strikes me as pretty honest.

Same here.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

per Pat:


What was most-interesting to me was when Kill said: “There are big issues in that department. What Minnesota has to do is to go out a get a big-time athletic director, even if it costs a million dollars a year.’’

The university had done what Kill told me it had to do way back on March 3: Hired a big-time, experienced athletic director, even if it cost $1 million a year.

Kill said pretty much the same thing shortly after Teague's resignation. I remember him talking up Northwestern's Jim Phillips as the type of AD the Gophers needed. At the time, Kill mentioned that Compher, who'd moved from Northern to Northwestern, was making $1 million per.

 

[tjgopher]

nm

 

[everybody knows my name]

I must say it was a shock to discover Kaler took athletics more seriously than political correctness, which isn’t an easy path to take for the president of a mammoth state university.

That's the worst manufactured bait ever

You know what that stupid fat ape Reusse said to my friend on his birthday? He said 'Happy birthday!' What a big ugly dumb loser jerk.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

You know what that stupid fat ape Reusse said to my friend on his birthday? He said 'Happy birthday!' What a big ugly dumb loser jerk.

That sounds ... unfortunate.... sorry to hear that.

 

[Maximus]

Strikes me as pretty honest.

Why was it a shock? Kaler has been very supportive of athletics since day one.

 

[UpnorthGo4]

Why was it a shock? Kaler has been very supportive of athletics since day one.

Kaler hired Teague on the cheap and got far less than what he paid for him. It turns out if Kaler had been willing to pay an average Big 10 salary for an AD good candidates would have been beating down his door for the job before he hired Teague.

That has been the main problem with Gopher sports all along. Since the 1960's the decision makers at the U have been unwilling to pay the money it takes to keep up with the top schools in the Big 10 in football and basketball. And that is why Wisconsin and Iowa have beaten the hell out the Gophers for 30 years or more.

 

[Maximus]

Kaler hired Teague on the cheap and got far less than what he paid for him.

90 million raised and huge hole behind Bierman says otherwise.

 

[UpnorthGo4]

90 million raised and huge hole behind Bierman says otherwise.

So Kaler didn't hire Teague on the cheap and end up with an absolute disaster on his hands? From his first day on the job Teague looked and sounded like exactly the kind of AD he ultimately turned out to be. I am guessing that Kill and more than a few of the other coaches at the U thought pretty much the same thing.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

So Kaler didn't hire Teague on the cheap and end up with an absolute disaster on his hands? From his first day on the job Teague looked and sounded like exactly the kind of AD he ultimately turned out to be. I am guessing that Kill and more than a few of the other coaches at the U thought pretty much the same thing.

Teague's whole selling point was that he could raise money. He seems to do that.


The disaster was his MEGATOUNGE, not sure Kaler could have seen that coming.

I don't know if MEGATOUNGE raised more or less than anyone else would, but he raised money for sure.

 

[Lordshawesome]

I must say it was a shock to discover Kaler took athletics more seriously than political correctness, which isn’t an easy path to take for the president of a mammoth state university.

That's the worst manufactured bait ever [emoji14]

I remember when "political correctness" was simply known as being polite & having tact...

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[UpnorthGo4]

Teague's whole selling point was that he could raise money. He seems to do that.


The disaster was his MEGATOUNGE, not sure Kaler could have seen that coming.

I don't know if MEGATOUNGE raised more or less than anyone else would, but he raised money for sure.

Almost anyone could have raised $70 million for the new athletic facility without any fund raising experience. All Teague accomplished during the time he was here was to pick the low hanging fruit from among long time donors to the athletics program. Until now the fund raising for this facility has been a complete embarrassment for a Big 10 school and one of the largest universities in the country. I am predicting Coyle will complete the fund raising in far less time than it has taken so far.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Almost anyone could have raised $70 million for the new athletic facility without any fund raising experience. All Teague accomplished during the time he was here was to pick the low hanging fruit from the long time donors to the athletics program. Until now the fund raising for this facility has been a complete embarrassment for a Big 10 school and one of the largest universities in the country with a huge alumni base.

How do you quantify that anyone could have brought in 70 mil?

 

[GophersInIowa]

Kaler hired Teague on the cheap and got far less than what he paid for him. It turns out if Kaler had been willing to pay an average Big 10 salary for an AD good candidates would have been beating down his door for the job before he hired Teague.

That has been the main problem with Gopher sports all along. Since the 1960's the decision makers at the U have been unwilling to pay the money it takes to keep up with the top schools in the Big 10 country in football and basketball. And that is why Wisconsin and Iowa have been the hell out the Gophers 30 years or more.

For the most part I agree with this. When it comes to salary for these type of positions, does Kaler make the ultimate decision? Or does he need approval? Maybe he wanted to be able to offer more but was overruled? I could be way off, just a thought I guess.

What's interesting about the bolded part (which I believe is true) is there are still some who criticize the U for their spending on athletics.

 

[UpnorthGo4]

How do you quantify that anyone could have brought in 70 mil?

My guess is that the donors who have given large contributions for the new athletic facility did not write the check before getting a personal appeal directly from Lou Nanne.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

My guess is that the donors who have given large contributions for the new athletic facility did not write the check before getting a personal appeal directly from Lou Nanne.

If it was so easy, why wasn't a new athletic facility built 10 years ago?

 

[UpnorthGo4]

If it was so easy, why wasn't a new athletic facility built 10 years ago?

Because the U had just tapped donors and the State of Minnesota for a new football stadium 10 years ago? First things first.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

Because the U had just tapped donors and the State of Minnesota for a new football stadium 10 years ago? First things first.

Except the donors for the athletes village have largely been from different companies/individuals than the ones for the stadium.

 

[50PoundHead]

I was always puzzled by the Teague choice, more for the fact that he came from a school without a football program than anything else.

Coyle looks to be the level of guy they should have hired after Maturi, but maybe all the payouts on existing contracts limited what the athletic department could come up with.

I'm old and I can remember when the political correctness police were all on the right side of the political spectrum telling us young longhairs to shape up with the "America: Love it or Leave it" line, so pardon me if I am tired of all this banter about political correctness so dull and mind-numbing. My guess is Kaler knew where he wanted to go all along and the search committee, while not a front, certainly provided him with some leeway in getting to the place he wanted to be. Minnesota has always been the "Land of 10,000 task forces, advisory committees, search committees, and blue-ribbon commissions." Part of that is our heritage in direct democracy and giving everyone a seat at the table (whether they deserve it or not). in my long career, I have had to sort through the recommendations of a lot of these bodies and most of what is done in them is simply venting and posturing. The folks in charge usually direct things to where they want the body to go. Sorry if I've made cynics out of anyone.

 

[Iceland12]

Except the donors for the athletes village have largely been from different companies/individuals than the ones for the stadium.

Could be because the TCF donors, many long term Gopher fans, said no this time?

 

[Iceland12]

I was always puzzled by the Teague choice, more for the fact that he came from a school without a football program than anything else.

Coyle looks to be the level of guy they should have hired after Maturi, but maybe all the payouts on existing contracts limited what the athletic department could come up with.

I'm old and I can remember when the political correctness police were all on the right side of the political spectrum telling us young longhairs to shape up with the "America: Love it or Leave it" line, so pardon me if I am tired of all this banter about political correctness so dull and mind-numbing. My guess is Kaler knew where he wanted to go all along and the search committee, while not a front, certainly provided him with some leeway in getting to the place he wanted to be. Minnesota has always been the "Land of 10,000 task forces, advisory committees, search committees, and blue-ribbon commissions." Part of that is our heritage in direct democracy and giving everyone a seat at the table (whether they deserve it or not). in my long career, I have had to sort through the recommendations of a lot of these bodies and most of what is done in them is simply venting and posturing. The folks in charge usually direct things to where they want the body to go. Sorry if I've made cynics out of anyone.

Right. Much of the "political correctness" talk in this case, seems to be more about people unwilling to say that they were completely wrong about Goetz being wired to get the job than anything else.

 

[Section2]

I was always puzzled by the Teague choice, more for the fact that he came from a school without a football program than anything else.

Coyle looks to be the level of guy they should have hired after Maturi, but maybe all the payouts on existing contracts limited what the athletic department could come up with.

I'm old and I can remember when the political correctness police were all on the right side of the political spectrum telling us young longhairs to shape up with the "America: Love it or Leave it" line, so pardon me if I am tired of all this banter about political correctness so dull and mind-numbing. My guess is Kaler knew where he wanted to go all along and the search committee, while not a front, certainly provided him with some leeway in getting to the place he wanted to be. Minnesota has always been the "Land of 10,000 task forces, advisory committees, search committees, and blue-ribbon commissions." Part of that is our heritage in direct democracy and giving everyone a seat at the table (whether they deserve it or not). in my long career, I have had to sort through the recommendations of a lot of these bodies and most of what is done in them is simply venting and posturing. The folks in charge usually direct things to where they want the body to go. Sorry if I've made cynics out of anyone.

Reusse is a big time lefty.

What he means is that Kaler was going to face lots pressure from the U to hire either a woman or POC. That pressure always exists, but add in the harassment from Teague and all of the sexual problems with Pitino's team and the pressure to hire a female AD seemed overwhelming, especially since Beth was already interim. So I think everyone was prepared for Beth to get the job, not because she was the best possible candidate, but because she solved a lot of other problems, and would satisfy the diversity/PC crowd.

 

[50PoundHead]

Reusse is a big time lefty.

What he means is that Kaler was going to face lots pressure from the U to hire either a woman or POC. That pressure always exists, but add in the harassment from Teague and all of the sexual problems with Pitino's team and the pressure to hire a female AD seemed overwhelming, especially since Beth was already interim. So I think everyone was prepared for Beth to get the job, not because she was the best possible candidate, but because she solved a lot of other problems, and would satisfy the diversity/PC crowd.

I'm somewhat of a lefty myself, but I still think the job should go to the person most qualified to hold it and I didn't sense that there was ever this groundswell for Goetz that would have launched her into the position. I didn't follow this enterprise that closely, but I never sensed the kind of political correctness angle on this hire that has been present in earlier hires.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Reusse is a big time lefty.

What he means is that Kaler was going to face lots pressure from the U to hire either a woman or POC. That pressure always exists, but add in the harassment from Teague and all of the sexual problems with Pitino's team and the pressure to hire a female AD seemed overwhelming, especially since Beth was already interim. So I think everyone was prepared for Beth to get the job, not because she was the best possible candidate, but because she solved a lot of other problems, and would satisfy the diversity/PC crowd.

I'm sure someone called him about that but I think it is hard to know how much pressure he got or how brave his choice is.... dude isn't getting called on this decision in any meaningful way that I've seen.

Not picking Beth because he had a candidate that did the actual job is a pretty easy out.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

Could be because the TCF donors, many long term Gopher fans, said no this time?

Right, which makes my point that not anyone could just roll out of bed and raise 70 million by hitting up the same donors.

 

[GopherHomer]

I'm loving all the recent PC talk. Political Correctness is not owned by either side of the aisle - people only complain about it when it pulls them in a direction they are not comfortable with. I hope all the people that posted their frustrations about Goetz being hired because she is woman openly celebrate this hire...at least he's a straight, white, male right? - which should make the segment of the anti-feminists out there happy (seriously - who is 'anti-feminist' anyway...they must really like guys).

 

[Maximus]

Almost anyone could have raised $70 million for the new athletic facility without any fund raising experience.

3 years to raise 80-90 million for an on campus football stadium vs. 70 million raised in less than 2 years for facilities the public will likely never step foot in. Yeah, anyone could've done that.

Why didnt the same folks that raised the money for the football stadium raise 20 million for a basketball facility for Tubby?