A JERSEY GUY: Big Ten Failure To Communicate Jumps Off The Charts
The on-going story in college football in the Big 10 has been well documented--for the best coverage read Teddy Greenstein’s postings and tweets in the Chicago Tribune and Angelique Chengelis in the Detroit News.
Finally, after a week of chaos and protests, the Big Ten and Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren did what they should have a done a week ago when they shut down Big Ten football--explain in greater detail the reason for the original decision.
They also ended—for now—the rebellion from Big Ten players and families by saying there would be no change in their decision.
The bottom line is that the Big Ten, following not only sound medical advice, but well aware of what could be potentially overwhelming legal judgments against both the conference and member schools, made a sound decision in suspending the 2020 college football season.
The risk-reward ratio was overwhelmingly tilted towards risk.
What Warren and the Big Ten DID NOT DO was communicate their message in anything close to the proper way.
In fact, it should be a seminar for future executives on how NOT to release a message.
If there was a major mistake, it was in the timing.
The risk of waiting a week or even two weeks was more than worth the poop storm of criticism which came crashing down on Warren and the conference.
I've met Warren once--at a Chicago Cubs game a year ago in a very casual situation along with then outgoing commissioner Jim Delany.
His credentials and his performance until a few weeks ago more than suggested that he was well equipped to handle the job.
What he didn't have--and no one could create it for him--was experience in a high profile collegiate atmosphere, which is much different than the button down world of the National Football League--an arena Warren could eventually return to as the next commissioner.
But it will take some time, however, to power wash his reputation after the fiasco we are currently watching, an effort which has drawn almost universal criticism for ineptness or tone deafness.
I will be more tolerant and say it was more inexperience than anything else.
That flaw was never more evident than when the family disagreements between Big Ten presidents and some of their coaches became public as well as the "I don't want to stop playing'' attitude which came from the University of Nebraska.
Then, in the past few days there were more revelations by conference Athletic Directors and even Presidents which showed more disharmony and confusion.
It was not new stuff and happens at every level in all conferences. As one college observer said, “it was like watching sausage being made.''
None of it was good for the Big Ten, because it also revealed another factor that is becoming more apparent each day and each week.
University presidents are not qualified to handle athletic issues, other than to cast votes of approval or rejection.
Keep them hidden in meeting rooms and have the commissioner and a panel of Athletic Director's explain all the announcements.
It can be done.
There are still stories that are being told of the skills of former Notre Dame President Father Ted Hesburgh, who if there were a Hall of Fame for University Presidents would be a charter member.
Gene Corrigan, who later became the commissioner of the ACC, worked for Father Hesburgh as the Notre Dame Athletic Director.
Corrigan was once asked how he dealt with his boss.
"He had an opinion, a very strong opinion on pretty much everything we did,'' said Corrigan, whose son Boo is the current Athletic Director at North Carolina State, "but he never directly interfered.''
When asked how he dealt with that, Corrigan smiled and said, "I did what he told me to do.''
There are no Presidents of that stature in the Big Ten.
And Warren has not yet learned how to deal with his own Presidents, much less other commissioners.
Delany was a master at it and almost never allowed squabbles to go beyond closed door meetings.
Warren didn't—and probably couldn't do it—and the situation became progressively worse with vague answers to direct questions. That was in stark contrast to the complete disclosures coming from the Pac-12 which also shut down football.
Warren's statement on Wednesday settled one issue and it should have slowed down the notion that the Big Ten can pick things up in the spring.
That has countless other issues and Warren alluded to them in his statement, toning down the suggestions from a week ago that the goal would be to play football next spring.
Note to Commissioner Warren—spring football will not work.
What is apparent—at least for right now—is that the 2020 college football season will at least begin on time with six of the conferences participating.
That would leave the Big Ten on the outside of a party it very much wanted to host.