Detroit Asst. Basketball Coach and Athletic Director Both Resign

[vuweathernerd]

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

2, actually.

i stand corrected. i didn't remember the name of the first guy, and subsequently counted him twice. thanks for righting my ship, stl.

[StlVUFan]

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

2, actually.

i stand corrected. i didn't remember the name of the first guy, and subsequently counted him twice. thanks for righting my ship, stl.

At your service, happy to help

[johnny_fetla]

Who really cares.  You guys got to much time on your hands.  Those guys at Detroit probably switched careers and joined Global Water Technologies and are now working for VU alum Erik Hromadka.  I hope the VU basketball team focuses on a few more wins this year.  Perhaps one day they will return to an arena like Madison Square Garden. (weather permitting).

[HC]

Who really cares.  You guys got to much time on your hands.

+1,000,000 

[historyman]

i stand corrected. i didn't remember the name of the first guy, and subsequently counted him twice. thanks for righting my ship, stl.

You know what's really frustrating is that I scooped the Detroit message board on their own asst coaches resignation (check the timing...he actually never said he resigned but he also never denied it either). Yes! I do have too much time on my hands!!! 

[motowntitan]

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.

If you guys read the article again- that is how rumors get started.  It says nothing about him resigning.  This is the same paper that reported that Rob Murphy left Eastern Michigan to the NBA last summer.  Turns out he interviewed, but didn't accept.  He was able to parlay that into a big extension.

The jury is still out on the Briggs situation.  He is still listed on the website (where as the first two were removed that same day.   

[valporun]

Are you calling Carlos Briggs a "flip-flopper"? Tis the season....

[historyman]

I wish Mr. Briggs all the success in the world in his negotiations. If you're not showing up at practice to take care of your own personal situation that in my book is resigning from the team in your mind. If the new AD and Coach McCallum take him back after that they will be wondering about his dedication to UDM all season long. Of course with the situation with the original AD I would be looking for new employment too.

Maybe, and yes this is totally rumor, but why does Carlos Briggs need out of UDM so badly? Does he have something he wants to hide?

[historyman]

I'm sitting back and waiting for the Detroit Free Press to sort out the details.

From posts on that board it seems that the 3 people who are no longer with the athletic dept were all fired at the same time by the president of the university. The second asst coach, Briggs, decided NOT to resign and was escorted off campus by police in cuffs (that is one report circulating). It's possible that he reported an affair by the other 2 involved and was fired for reporting it and protested that move by not resigning.

Stay tuned for more of "AS UDM TURNS" soon.

[valpotx]

I really hope that is not true, that he was fired for reporting such a situation.  If that is true, UDM has even more problems than I realized

[covufan]

I'm sitting back and waiting for the Detroit Free Press to sort out the details.

From posts on that board it seems that the 3 people who are no longer with the athletic dept were all fired at the same time by the president of the university. The second asst coach, Briggs, decided NOT to resign and was escorted off campus by police in cuffs (that is one report circulating). It's possible that he reported an affair by the other 2 involved and was fired for reporting it and protested that move by not resigning.

Stay tuned for more of "AS UDM TURNS" soon.

Or, is it possible he had direct knowledge of the affair and didn't report it?  I could see being fired for not reporting something, but to be fired for reporting something such as this doesn't feel right.  I agree, somehow all three are connected.

[historyman]

Just wait for the whole story. I'm sure the disagreement between Briggs and the UDM president, Dr. Garibaldi, will be explained and we can better judge the situation.

I really do hope they get their house in order. No matter how bad we wish it won't happen UDM could be representing the Horizon League in the NCAA tourney again this year and there are many innocent student athletes and fans who have and could suffer more if the situation lingers on.

It was reported, can't be verified, that Briggs was bragging to the representatives of the press at a Pistons game that he exposed the affair. Again we don't know the whole story yet.

[historyman]

Since Valpo is going up to Detroit this week to take on the Titans I thought I would revisit this subject. As far as I have heard from the Detroit board and the UDM athletics website the asst basketball coach that left under "dubious" circumstances has never been replaced.

http://detroittitans.com/coaches.aspx?path=mbball

Carlos Briggs, as I heard mentioned on another HL board, is suing the university and that lawsuit will not be in court until after the basketball season.

The athletics website lists Ray McCallum Sr as head coach and Jay Smith as the assistant basketball coach. The website lists two graduate assistant coaches and a director of Basketball Operations.

In December this advertisement for an assistant head coach was listed by the Athletics department but apparently has never been filled.

Assistant Coach-Mens Basketball
Job Type: Permanent Full-Time
Location: Detroit, MI
Last Updated: 12/03/2012
Job Description:

GENERAL PURPOSE
Provide assistance to the head coach in the administration of a competitive Division I Men's Basketball program that adheres to all University, Horizon League, and NCAA rules and regulations while providing a safe and accepting environment for student-athletes to grow and develop academically, athletically and one which encourages personal responsibility, sportsmanship and service to others.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

(1) Assist in coordinating and performing coaching duties including pre-season conditioning, practice, game preparation, field/floor coaching, and post season activities.

(2) Assist in operating the program in compliance with University, Horizon League, and NCAA rules and regulations.

(3) Assist in adminstering a successful student-athlete recruitment program.

(4) Assist in retaining student-athletes in the program, maintaining team continuity, and garnering student-athlete satisfaction with the program.

(5) Assist in demonstrating concern and support for academic performances of student-athletes on the team.

(6) Assist with equipment, facilities, and vehicle request procedures.

(7) Assist in serving as a public relations lead including attendance at athletic department functions and special events.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree preferred

Experience: Minimum 1-year experience coaching with Division I experience preferred

Licenses/Certifications: (1) NCAA Coaches Recruiting Certification, (2) valid Michigan driver's license, (3) first aid / CPR certification

Other: (1) Must be able to travel extensively, (2) must be willing and able to work evenings and weekends, often more than 60 hours per week, during the academic year, (3) strong communication and interpersonal skills, (4) excellent leadership and motivational skills.

Weekly Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. plus evenings, weekends, and holidays

Minimum Hourly Rate/Minimum Salary: Commensurate with experience

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment screenings on all final candidates.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Carlos Briggs, as I heard mentioned on another HL board, is suing the university and that lawsuit will not be in court until after the basketball season.

probably because the Titans have the court reserved until then

[VULB#62]

FROM USAToday (Jan 31):   Quite the soap opera.

A former Detroit Mercy basketball assistant coach gives details about an alleged culture of harassment within the athletic department, players listening in on the athletic director and another assistant coach having an extramarital affair at team hotels, and inaction by the university to stop it all in a lawsuit he filed against the school.

Carlos Briggs, in a suit filed Tuesday in Wayne County Circuit Court, contends he was defamed and fired after he filed a whistleblower report in August with the school about athletic director Keri Gaither and basketball assistant Derek Thomas.

On Oct. 31, UDM said Gaither and Thomas had resigned, effective immediately, to pursue other interests. Briggs said he was fired the next day.


Here's the full story:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/horizon/2013/01/31/detroit-mercy-athletic-director-affair-lawsuit-keri-gaither-derek-thomas-carlos-briggs/1882087/

[bbtds]

Can't blame Briggs for standing up for himself.

Wow! It was/is? probably pretty hard for McCallum Sr to maintain any discipline in an environment like that.

[valpotx]

Absolutely ridiculous if Briggs was let go for being the whistleblower.  Detroit could be in some trouble...

[bbtds]

http://www.freep.com/article/20130131/SPORTS08/301310251/Fired-assistant-attaches-names-to-misconduct-allegations?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CSports

The Detroit Free Press story is condemning of Coach McCallum Sr.

"I brought it to Coach Ray one time," Foster said. "He didn't go do nothing about it."

Briggs, in his Dec. 5 e-mail, said all this information was known by his "direct superior" since they had discussed it numerous times including in staff meetings during the 2011-12 season.


http://www.freep.com/article/20130201/SPORTS08/302010141/Did-players-listen-outside-hotel-rooms-

During road games, according to the suit: "On occasion, players would observe Thomas slip into Gaither's hotel room after the team's curfew, causing the player to leave their rooms to go stand outside the door to Gaither's room, giggling while they listened to the sounds of Gaither and Thomas apparently having sex."

The suit says complaints from "outraged" parents followed and Gaither "instituted an unwritten policy of openly showing favoritism" to players "keeping quiet about her sexual relationship.... Gaither's policy of favoritism and unfair punishment caused dissension within the basketball program."







Left=Gaither, top right=Derek Thomas (took over as head coach at Western Illinois for Jim Kerwin in the Mid-Con, son of Emmitt Thomas, NFL Hall of Famer) lower right=Briggs

[bbtds]

University of Detroit-Mercy Whistleblower policy:

http://www.udmercy.edu/hr/current-employees/whistleblower/index.htm

An employee with reports or concerns about conflict of interest should consult with his/her manager, department chair or director, but in the case of questions concerning such supervisory personnel, the employee should also feel free to consult with the dean or the appropriate UDM official who is responsible for the unit.

[bbtds]

http://www.thevarsitynews.net/former-assistant-men-s-basketball-coach-files-lawsuit-1.2979063#.UQ5y8aXEyaV

It was the student newspaper at UDM, the Varsity News, that finally reported the story that made it to Deadspin and USA Today.


After UDM responded, Briggs sat down with Steve Nelson, UDM's director of human resources, to further explain the alleged misconduct, the suit said.

Briggs said he stressed that he wished to remain anonymous but, according to the lawsuit, Gaither and others discovered that he had made the report.

"UDM either openly disclosed to Gaither that Briggs was the source of the report against her or revealed sufficient information such that it was apparent that Briggs had made the report," the lawsuit stated.

In addition, the suit also claims that Mort Meisner, a media consultant in the Detroit market, "acting on behalf of UDM and Gaither, made false, defamatory and unprivileged statements to third parties, denigrating Mr. Briggs' professional reputation and background."

[historyman]

One thing that is clear here is that we are only getting one side of the story. No one currently employed at UDM is giving any pertinent info to the media. I think we should all wait to hear what UDM has to say.

[vuweathernerd]

One thing that is clear here is that we are only getting one side of the story. No one currently employed at UDM is giving any pertinent info to the media. I think we should all wait to hear what UDM has to say.

yeah... good luck with that. i highly doubt that udm is going to say much of anything. even if they get hit with a foia request, they'll probably stonewall and release as little material as possible.

[agibson]

You can hit a private university with a FOIA request?

[vuweathernerd]

You can hit a private university with a FOIA request?

you can try, i believe. but it may not go anywhere.

[vuweathernerd]

You can hit a private university with a FOIA request?

you can try, i believe. but it may not go anywhere.

i stand corrected, at least per wikipedia.

The Act applies only to federal agencies. However, all of the states, as well as the District of Columbia and some territories, have enacted similar statutes to require disclosures by agencies of the state and of local governments, though some are significantly broader than others. Some state and local government agencies attempt to get around state open records laws by claiming copyright for their works and then demanding high fees to license the public information.[72]:441–42 The ruling in Santa Clara v. CFAC will likely curtail the abuse of copyright to avoid public disclosure in California, but agencies in other states like Texas and New York continue to hide behind copyright.[citation needed] Some states expand government transparency through open meeting laws, which require government meetings to be announced in advance and held publicly.

so i guess it might depend on what the state of michigan's laws are.