Detroit Asst. Basketball Coach and Athletic Director Both Resign

[valpopal]

Reports are that Detroit assistant basketball coach Derek Thomas and Athletic Director Keri Gaither have both suddenly resigned, effective immediately. No details yet, but this can't be good for the program right at the beginning of a new season.

[covufan]

http://www.freep.com/article/20121031/SPORTS08/121031064/keri-gaither-resigns-university-of-detroit-mercy

The Titans board isn't discussing any possible reasons.

[wh]

Pathfinder -  What are your sources telling you? 

[valpotx]

There has to be some kind of 'juicy' story here for two different positions like this to resign the same day...

[historyman]

I think the other thing that makes this event interesting is that Keri Gaither, AD, had been with Detroit Mercy for 27 years in different positions, the last 4 as AD. It couldn't have been an easy decision for her unless..............................

[crusadermoe]

It is really odd to pair the two announcements and have them both be "effective immediately."     ValpoTX is probably right unfortunately.     

[valpopal]

From "Rush the Court" this morning:

When high-level officials resign abruptly we usually know that something very bad happened, but of course, we typically know what that bad thing was before the resignations. That is not the case at Detroit this week where Keri Gaither, the school's Athletic Director, and Derek Thomas, an assistant on the men's basketball team, announced their resignations within a few hours of each other. That might sound suspicious enough, but it was the last day of October. On a Wednesday. Clearly, something significant happened at the school — whether it was personal or a power struggle — but whatever it was could create a significant ripple in a program that was becoming one of the best in the Horizon League. As we said last night on Twitter we have no idea what just happened in Detroit, but we are pretty sure that it is not good.

http://rushthecourt.net/2012/11/01/morning-five-11-01-12-edition/

[MattCarter]

Just a theory...but Gaither was on Ethics panel and Thomas was a decent head coach at Western... doesn't it sound like they were asked to do something and said no?

I wonder if anyone hucked a flower pot through McCallum's office?  Oh that is right Holman "graduated"

[chef]

According to the UDM board, the pair were involved in a long standing relationship. Sounds like it was the worst kept secret on campus. Don't know if Thomas went all George Costanza on the way out...."Was that wrong? Cause I've worked in places where people are doing that kind of stuff all the time, If somebody had told me when I started that sort of thing was frowned upon.."

[historyman]

Gaither and her husband, Brad Trombley, reside in Pleasant Ridge with their two children, Elliott (20), a junior at the University of Detroit Mercy majoring in Engineering, and daughter Kennedy (14).

Thomas and his wife, Julie, have four children, Bailey (15), Samantha (13), Jade (11) and Shane (9).

This whole situation now seems very sad.

[MattCarter]

My head went in totally the wrong direction and that shoulda stuck out...  Wow, now I really do hope its a point shaving thing or something

[covufan]

There has to be some kind of 'juicy' story here for two different positions like this to resign the same day...

I think the other thing that makes this event interesting is that Keri Gaither, AD, had been with Detroit Mercy for 27 years in different positions, the last 4 as AD. It couldn't have been an easy decision for her unless..............................

It is really odd to pair the two announcements and have them both be "effective immediately."     ValpoTX is probably right unfortunately.     

My initial thoughts as well. 

[valpotx]

Yikes, if they are in a secret relationship and have separate families, that is worse than Bobby Petrino

[historyman]

A second asst coach on the mens basketball team at UDM has resigned. Hardly any details about the reason for the resignation of asst coach Carlos Briggs were released.

http://www.freep.com/article/20121102/SPORTS08/121102085/detroit-mercy-mens-basketball-carlos-briggs?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Sports

Asked whether McCallum and his other assistant, Jay Smith, still were with the team, Litchman said they were.

Briggs, a Detroit native who attended St. Benedictine High and Schoolcraft College, primarily worked with the Titans' guards, which include McCallum's son, Ray, plus recruited and scouted opponents.

He was the head coach at Schoolcraft in 1997-2006, building one of the better junior college programs in the country. He went 249-39 and reached a juco Final Four in 2001 with 36-1 team.

(the other asst coach to resign this week, Derek) Thomas worked with perimeter players with the Titans and coordinated recruiting. He is the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back Emmitt Thomas and presented his father at the induction ceremony in Canton, Ohio.

[milanmiracle]

Yikes, if they are in a secret relationship and have separate families, that is worse than Bobby Petrino

I guess I don't see how this is worse than Bobby Petrino? I am not condoning their actions, but unless they lied to their boss, it's not in the same catagory. Bobby's issue was he hired the girl who he had an affair with, and then lied about it to his boss.

These two just had an affair, and unless the AD hired the basketball coach (unlikely, though techinally a superior), it's just another sad state of affairs.

[VULB#62]

These two just had an affair, and unless the AD hired the basketball coach (unlikely, though techinally a superior), it's just another sad state of affairs.

Obviously no pun intended.

[valpopal]

Another Assistant Coach out at Detroit! Things are certainly in turmoil in the Titans' basketball program:

On Wednesday, assistant Derek Thomas, in his fifth season on coach Ray McCallum's staff, resigned [size=100%]effective[/size] immediately to pursue other interests, according to a UDM release. Assistant Carlos Briggs, in his sixth season at UDM, did not attend practice Thursday and today. He would not comment on his status; neither would school officials. Gary Lichtman, director of media relations, marketing and public affairs, said UDM could not comment on personnel matters when asked whether Briggs was still with the team. McCallum did not return calls from the Free Press....

http://www.freep.com/article/20121102/SPORTS08/121102085/detroit-mercy-mens-basketball-carlos-briggs

[historyman]

I guess I'll stop posting stories.....it does seem to be useless.

[milanmiracle]

I guess I'll stop posting stories.....it does seem to be useless.

Hmm, not sure where you get that from? What did I miss?

[vuweathernerd]

sounds like some serious upheaval in detroit. 3 assts and the ad in the span of a week? yikes!

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Hmm, not sure where you get that from? What did I miss?

You weren't the only one:



historyman:  « Reply #13 on: November 02, 2012, 10:06:12 PM »
A second asst coach on the mens basketball team at UDM has resigned. Hardly any details about the reason for the resignation of asst coach Carlos Briggs were released.

http://www.freep.com/article/20121102/SPORTS08/121102085/detroit-mercy-mens-basketball-carlos-briggs?odyssey=tab

valpopal: « Reply #16 on: Today at 12:11:52 PM »

Another Assistant Coach out at Detroit! Things are certainly in turmoil in the Titans' basketball program:
http://www.freep.com/article/20121102/SPORTS08/121102085/detroit-mercy-mens-basketball-carlos-briggs

[milanmiracle]

Hmm, not sure where you get that from? What did I miss?

You weren't the only one:



historyman:  « Reply #13 on: November 02, 2012, 10:06:12 PM »
A second asst coach on the mens basketball team at UDM has resigned. Hardly any details about the reason for the resignation of asst coach Carlos Briggs were released.

http://www.freep.com/article/20121102/SPORTS08/121102085/detroit-mercy-mens-basketball-carlos-briggs?odyssey=tab

valpopal: « Reply #16 on: Today at 12:11:52 PM »

Another Assistant Coach out at Detroit! Things are certainly in turmoil in the Titans' basketball program:
http://www.freep.com/article/20121102/SPORTS08/121102085/detroit-mercy-mens-basketball-carlos-briggs

Alright, I thought it was something deeper than that...Just reposting the same article, not a big deal to me, but I appreciate you clarifying that.

[StlVUFan]

sounds like some serious upheaval in detroit. 3 assts and the ad in the span of a week? yikes!

2, actually.

[valpotx]

Yikes, if they are in a secret relationship and have separate families, that is worse than Bobby Petrino

I guess I don't see how this is worse than Bobby Petrino? I am not condoning their actions, but unless they lied to their boss, it's not in the same catagory. Bobby's issue was he hired the girl who he had an affair with, and then lied about it to his boss.

These two just had an affair, and unless the AD hired the basketball coach (unlikely, though techinally a superior), it's just another sad state of affairs.

I see it as worse, as it involves 2 full families, instead of just one

[LaPorteAveApostle]

See, that's the problem with reposting articles already posted...now people think they've lost 3 assistants.

This is how rumors get started.

Not the kind of rumors that cost ADs their jobs, hopefully.