Longhorns Made Firm Stance in Firing Chris Beard
Now-former Texas Longhorns men's basketball coach Chris Beard may very well be found innocent of the charges of felony assault brought to him by the Travis County Sheriff's office last month.
Then again, he may not.
Either way, the Texas Longhorns had no choice but to fire him. And it was 110 percent the right decision.
Yes, Beard had brought the Longhorns had the Longhorns men's basketball program on a meteoric rise.
The Longhorns were already coming off of an NCAA tournament appearance in his first season as coach, they were ranked in the top-10, and they were emerging as a national title favorite, with wins over No. 2 Gonzaga and No. 7 Creighton.
They were also recruiting at a high level, securing the signatures and commitments of multiple five-star prospects, and a myriad of program-changing transfers over the last two years.
He had connected with the Longhorns fan base unlike any coach, regardless of sport, had done in recent memory.
But this decision was far more important than maintaining the momentum of a basketball program.
This decision was about sending a message that the University of Texas would not tolerate acts of domestic violence.
It was about sending a message that violence towards women is a no-tolerance policy, period.
And it also was also about protecting the integrity of the university.
"Being a head coach at the University of Texas at Austin is about more than winning games," Texas vice-president of legal affairs James E. Davis told Beard's attorney, Perry Minton, in a letter. 'The privilege of coaching comes across with a great responsibility that goes beyond just avoiding improper conduct. A coach is a leader-a leader who develops student athletes’ positive character, supports their education, prepares them for success in their lives after graduation, and represents the University of Texas with honor and respect. A coach’s influence is effect through both professional and personal interactions."
"Chris Beard engaged in unacceptable behavior that makes him unfit to serve as the coach at our university."
Minton had previously sent a letter to the university, questioning the firing of Beard, calling it a 'shock' considering the athletic department's previous support of the coach.
However, Davis fired back in response to Minton, leaving no doubt on the university's stance on the matter, and he did not hold back.
There seems to be an incorrect underlying assumption that the criminal process outcome dictates Mr. Beard's employment outcome. But these are different processes, where different decision-makers are weighing different factors. My call to you, as Mr. Beard's lawyer, was a courtesy to let you know that Athletics Director Chris Del Conte was prepared to start the termination process of Mr. Beard, that Mr. Del Conte was calling Mr. Beard that morning, and that there was only a short window open for Mr. Beard to resign should he choose to avoid termination.
The university does not have a preference for his resignation versus his termination. And again, our evaluation of Mr. Beard's fitness for service is not contingent on whether he is also convicted of a particular crime or whether those charges are dismissed at some point.
Additionally, your letter this morning reveals that Mr. Beard does not understand the significance of the behavior he knows he engaged in, or the ensuing events that impair his ability to effectively lead our program. This lack of self-awareness is yet another failure of judgment
That makes Mr. Beard unfit to serve as a head coach at our university. For these reason’s the university proceeds to terminate Mr. Beard.
So in the end, while yes, the Longhorns did wait for the facts to present themselves before making a rash, emotional decision - which they should absolutely have done - they also did not hesitate to make the right decision when that choice emerged.
And yes, it was the right decision, as well as the only decision they could have made.
Now, at least for the rest of the season, the keys to the program will be handed to acting coach Rodney Terry, who has gone 5-1 after taking over for Beard.
Should he succeed, the permanent job very well could be his.
Or the Longhorns could go out and try to make another splash hire.
Either way, one thing is clear - the Longhorns will and should be more delicate and meticulous when selecting Beard's permanent successor.
You can follow Matt Galatzan on Twitter @MattGalatzan
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