Leave it to the smart people to get it right. The Iowa Board of Regents knows a bad PR move when it sees it. They could no longer sit back and take a beating of national proportions while others just sit back and watch it happen.
After Athletic Director Gary Barta and Head Football Coach Kirk Ferentz embarrassed not only themselves, but the department and the University yesterday by not showing up at a news conference to address the hospitalization of 13 players; the board has to come in and clean up the mess left behind. It’s so messy it looks like a bomb went off.
The President and the board show real leadership today. Announcing a 90-day investigation into why these players’ bodies essentially broke down under the supervision of the athletic department staff. This is the type of leadership you would expect out of those a little closer to the program, like maybe the ones who run it.
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| Both are AWOL |
This investigation could have and should have been announced by Ferentz and Barta. Instead recruiting and a golf game come off as more important. I’m not saying it was but I am saying that perception is reality. Right now it looks like President Sally Mason and the Board of Regents care more about what is going on than the athletic department. The board wants answers just like very one else does. I’m glad there’s an entity that can demand that we get them.
For the most part, the Iowa Athletic Department and many other athletic departments across the country work in autonomy, almost independent from the rest of the University. Maybe this luxury is part of the reason I am writing this column today.
If there’s one thing that will drive the board of regent’s nuts it is getting embarrassed. The University was embarrassed on Wednesday because of the Athletic Departments seemingly laissez-fair reaction to what looks like a serious problem.
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| Sally To The Rescue |
The board should extend its investigation deeper into the Iowa Athletic Department. Seriously, we need to find out why the powers that be continually screw up when it comes to public relations. Like it or not we live in world where you can no longer run and hide. Damage control is huge! The athletic department has no damage control systems in place. If it does they don’t work! And because of this the Iowa name, brand, team and University is sadly damaged as well. That is something no Hawkeye wants to see.
The need to do this is justified given the situation but I also hope this is not an ancillary attempt by the BOR to cash-in on the spotlight. It is going to be interesting to hear the BOR's comments and recommendations on work out programs, training staff and supplements after they receive the report findings. Seems to be more than a little out of their realm of expertise to me in that respect.
ReplyDeleteKeep in mind the BOR contributes approximately $0 dollars to the UI athletic department. It continues to be completely self-funded.