We apologize for the late posting today. It's only Tuesday but we're already suffering the first hangover of the week. Onto business...
As we posted last week, the Ball State athletic department is in turmoil.
We're going to be up front here. We (NDub) are a Cardinal; certainly proud.
We don't have any experience working with athletic department officals or coaches, but here's what we know from Muncie media reports and hearsay.
Former men's basketball coach Ronny Thompson came off as a shady guy. He hardly talked to fans. He was short to the media. He led the program to it's worst record in school history (9-22). Upon his hiring, Thompson requested most people in the basketball operations side be let go so he could bring in his own people. Needless to say, Thompson was not liked.
Thompson, citing a racially hostile environment, resigned on July 12 after one season at the helm. He sent his resignation via e-mail. The Ball State Daily News reported Thompson wanted out as early as May. His lawyer denies he resigned amid secondary NCAA rules infractions, but the previous link speaks otherwise when one reads the e-mails he exchanged with BSU President JoAnn Gora and AD Tom Collins.
We also know Thompson hasn't talked to the media... until now, it seems. The Washington Post's Michael Wilbon wrote a piece today about Thompson's side of the story. It's interesting but not the full story.
Wilbon neglects to mention that women's volleyball coach Randy Litchfield's contract was not renewed last December after 18 seasons on the job. He thinks it's because he tattled on Thompson's first violation of NCAA rules in May 2006.
Wilbon also neglects to report of the new NCAA violations Ball State may have committed, three of which were possibly done by Thompson and staff.
Curious.
The Big Lead reported last week that Thompson and his lawyer were contacting prominent black sportswriters in attempt to get one of the scribes to tell the former coach's side. Wilbon bit.
As we posted last week, the Ball State athletic department is in turmoil.
We're going to be up front here. We (NDub) are a Cardinal; certainly proud.
We don't have any experience working with athletic department officals or coaches, but here's what we know from Muncie media reports and hearsay.
Former men's basketball coach Ronny Thompson came off as a shady guy. He hardly talked to fans. He was short to the media. He led the program to it's worst record in school history (9-22). Upon his hiring, Thompson requested most people in the basketball operations side be let go so he could bring in his own people. Needless to say, Thompson was not liked.
Thompson, citing a racially hostile environment, resigned on July 12 after one season at the helm. He sent his resignation via e-mail. The Ball State Daily News reported Thompson wanted out as early as May. His lawyer denies he resigned amid secondary NCAA rules infractions, but the previous link speaks otherwise when one reads the e-mails he exchanged with BSU President JoAnn Gora and AD Tom Collins.
We also know Thompson hasn't talked to the media... until now, it seems. The Washington Post's Michael Wilbon wrote a piece today about Thompson's side of the story. It's interesting but not the full story.
Wilbon neglects to mention that women's volleyball coach Randy Litchfield's contract was not renewed last December after 18 seasons on the job. He thinks it's because he tattled on Thompson's first violation of NCAA rules in May 2006.
"My staff were unfortunate witnesses to that and were forced to file official statements of that with university compliance," Litchfield said. "We have some reason to believe our requirement to report these violations were connected to our termination."
Wilbon also neglects to report of the new NCAA violations Ball State may have committed, three of which were possibly done by Thompson and staff.
Curious.
The Big Lead reported last week that Thompson and his lawyer were contacting prominent black sportswriters in attempt to get one of the scribes to tell the former coach's side. Wilbon bit.
There are people at Ball State who want you to believe everything that went wrong is Ronny Thompson's fault. They tell folks Thompson is arrogant and distant and a bad basketball coach. They tell you Thompson didn't extend himself to the booster club. They point to a new black coach as indication that everything's hunky-dory on campus and that Thompson's claims of a racially hostile environment are bogus, despite the coach's photos of hateful signs laying on the floor of what used to be his office.
Here's more turmoil in the Ball State athletic offices and how they tie into the Thompson saga:
Suspicion has been raised as to the source of those racially charged notes left in Thompson's office. Was it Thompson himself? These notes were found in Thompson's office after the second set of violations by his staff were raised. Was Ronny and Co. trying to get sympathy in light of their violations?
We also find it a tad strange that campus police said the conclusion of the investigation would be announced "by Wednesday" July 18. Funny we haven't heard anything yet. Why? Bad, bad, bad PR. Regardless if the notes were planted or not.
That's not the only thing. Read the link we posted to the story about Thompson wanting out as early as May. The contradictions Collins are clear. The guy has been caught lying/twisting several times in this debacle.
By the way, David Land, that guy who oversaw that student athlete books-for-money scam got a new job.
We're going to put on our investigating shoes and see what we can dig up. We're on campus now for the school year, so we've got time to be intrepid slueths.
6 comments:
Great post... but please note that Litchfield wasn't fired. His contract was up and was not renewed. There's a big difference there, legally speaking.
Good luck with your reporting as the school year starts. There's a lot of accusations flying in all directions in this situation. There is a need for someone who can separate the wheat from the chaff and avoid a simple "he said, they said" regurgitation of every little allegation.
Thanks for the Litchfield heads up.
Interesting material; I'll try to check back later for more on this story.
Yo, ndub, the legal beagle who said Litch wasn't fired can use all the semantics he wants. But when you don't renew the contract of the winningest women's volleyball coach in MAC history after one winning season but you go to the lengths Gora and the mixed drink did to keep Thompson, what's that say to you?
Litch was canned.
Litchfield may have been canned by Gora and Collins, but he was by far not the great coach he was painted out to be. A coach should have positive relationships with his players, Litchfield did not.
In regards to the Wilbon article, Coach Thompson did not walk into a bad situation. As a student at BSU, I have seen the basketballs that he supposedly did not have when he got there. BSU Recreation Services has over 20 basketballs that ANY STUDENT can check out. Bogus claim by Thompson, the first of many.
BSU is by far better off without Thompson, now it is up to new coach Billy Taylor to raise the program out of the hole that Thompson dug.
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