- I've been mostly staying away from the UVa rape story that has been unraveling ever since it was published. It's only interesting in that it's yet another example of how narrative trumps the actual story. The Washington Post has been systematically demolishing the account of "Jackie" the victim and her chronicler, Sabrina Rubin Erdely. No one wanted to fact check the story, because the narrative is more important. Meanwhile, Allahpundit at Hot Air found a very amusing account from Erdely of another famous journalistic fabulist that she knew in college. Hit the link; it's worth your time.
- Meanwhile, over at Smith College, President Kathleen McCartney got in trouble for bungling the slogan. The caption of this picture says it all:
Whether your life matters depends on what the undergraduates at Smith believe. Be sure to get the narrative right.
- Wisconsin football coach Gary Andersen bolted from Madison for lovely Corvallis, Oregon, where he will take over the program at Oregon State. Andersen had only been in Madison for two years and hasn't yet explained his reasons for leaving. It would seem like a lateral move, or even a step down, to go to OSU. While the Beavers compete in the Pac 12, they are eternally in the shadow of the mighty Oregon Ducks. Moreover, OSU has been a difficult place to win over the years. I'll eventually write a longer post about this topic, but I'd like to hear Andersen's explanation first.
- Meanwhile, the Minneapolis City Council is trying to save the world by spending more money again. Actually, that's not news. Never mind.
- Although I haven't seen him in many years, I know Fr. Mark Huberty, who was acquitted the other day of charges for criminal sexual conduct. He's got a long road ahead. We all do.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Lightning Round -- 121114
Thoughts galore, limited time:
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10 comments:
Andersen's move is certainly perplexing. Wisconsin isn't cavalier about hiring and firing coaches, so I doubt that even with the 59-0 drubbing in the Big 10 championship that Andersen's position was on shaky ground. Plus, he was due to earn $2.2 million next year, up from $1.9. Riley was making only $1.5 million at Oregon State, and he had definitely built up loyalties at the university.
Given that, I'm left to assume there's either an academic issue about to raise its head or a serious disagreement with Barry Alvarez.
I don't think academics per se are the issue, although some people believe he was frustrated with admission standards there; from what I have read, Wisconsin and Illinois are significantly more strict about academic standards than the other schools in the Big Ten and it limited his ability to recruit players, especially junior college guys. A dispute with Alvarez might be possible, too. The rumor I'm hearing is that Andersen and his family weren't comfortable in Madison, for two reasons — he's a West Coast guy generally and missed that, but more importantly he's LDS and he and his family did not feel that Madison was a good cultural fit, given the party hearty atmosphere that pervades the town.
Still, I want to hear what he has to say first. Meanwhile, I'm pretty sure that Alvarez will have some good options.
Interesting point on academic standards, D.
SBNation looked into that and apparently Oregon State has the same standards as Wisconsin...and Wisc had the 3rd best recruiting class in the Big 10.
I think you've probably hit gold on the LDS/general cultural issues with his departure. It sounds like he hinted at that in his conversation with Alvarez.
Given that this is the second time in three years a Badger football coach made a lateral job move, I do begin to wonder if Alvarez is interfering too much. If the next coach only lasts 2-3 years, then you probably have a trend on your hands.
I hear Brady Hoke and Bo Pelini are available....
On another of those topics, it seems to me that the college president missed an excellent opportunity to teach some grammar to the politically correct.
OK, all lives matter, right? Is "black lives" a subset of "all lives?? I think it is. So what you want me to say is implicit in what I said. I refuse to apologize, and if any student's command of the English language is such that they cannot understand this, maybe a university is not the proper place for them.
I hear Brady Hoke and Bo Pelini are available....
And priced to move!
Don't mock it too much. Rich Rodriguez--another of my favorite coaches while at Michigan--finished the season 10-3 at Arizona.
OK, and now to really make myself unpopular here; Gerry Faust!
C'mon, Bubba, you're pulling your punch by using Gerry Faust. The obvious answer is John L. Smith.
Muddy Waters. Except he's dead.
Actually, I kinda leave MSU coaches out of this because, at least between Duffy Daugherty and Mark Dantonio, nobody really expected State to be good. Hopefully that will change.
http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2014/12/11/7378631/bo-pelini-wisconsin-head-coach-nebraska-rumor
Ha! Pelini is under consideration at Wisconsin.
I saw that, too, FR. It would be a terrible move, although it would make for an interesting game of revolving coaches, since it would mean:
Oregon State coach to Nebraska
Wisconsin coach to Oregon State
Nebraska coach to Wisconsin
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