Oakland's Horizon League Announcement Tuesday, May 7th at 4:00 pm????

[historyman]

It does make one wonder what's in the water in the Detroit area that strange things, which is probably part of a bigger story, happen with the AD's and their bosses and underlings in Div. I and the HL.

My sense is this: the women's program has really been struggling lately, but it has been difficult to fire her because of her relationship with the president.  A deal was worked out whereby the President would retire and the coach would go with him (I've seen "fired", I've seen "relieved", and I've seen "retired"), and the tension is gone. Not a good situation, but I really don't get the feeling there's anything scandalous that has yet to surface.  Always possible, of course (and it was my first gut reaction), but the above (gleaned from the OU message board, by the way) seems quite plausible and not fishy at all.

The fact that an AD is afraid to fire a women's basketball coach because she is married to the president of the university in my view is at least partly fishy.

[StlVUFan]

It does make one wonder what's in the water in the Detroit area that strange things, which is probably part of a bigger story, happen with the AD's and their bosses and underlings in Div. I and the HL.

My sense is this: the women's program has really been struggling lately, but it has been difficult to fire her because of her relationship with the president.  A deal was worked out whereby the President would retire and the coach would go with him (I've seen "fired", I've seen "relieved", and I've seen "retired"), and the tension is gone. Not a good situation, but I really don't get the feeling there's anything scandalous that has yet to surface.  Always possible, of course (and it was my first gut reaction), but the above (gleaned from the OU message board, by the way) seems quite plausible and not fishy at all.

The fact that an AD is afraid to fire a women's basketball coach because she is married to the president of the university in my view is at least partly fishy.

It's not fishy any more because it's known.  "Fishy" happened years ago.  Obviously, what I'm saying is that things were probably not right.  When I say there's nothing fishy now, I mean it is reasonable to assume that there's nothing *else* going on that's still being covered up (ya know, the kinds of things my mind flashes on these days).

[bbtds]

It does make one wonder what's in the water in the Detroit area that strange things, which is probably part of a bigger story, happen with the AD's and their bosses and underlings in Div. I and the HL.

My sense is this: the women's program has really been struggling lately, but it has been difficult to fire her because of her relationship with the president.  A deal was worked out whereby the President would retire and the coach would go with him (I've seen "fired", I've seen "relieved", and I've seen "retired"), and the tension is gone. Not a good situation, but I really don't get the feeling there's anything scandalous that has yet to surface.  Always possible, of course (and it was my first gut reaction), but the above (gleaned from the OU message board, by the way) seems quite plausible and not fishy at all.

The fact that an AD is afraid to fire a women's basketball coach because she is married to the president of the university in my view is at least partly fishy.

It's not fishy any more because it's known.  "Fishy" happened years ago.  Obviously, what I'm saying is that things were probably not right.  When I say there's nothing fishy now, I mean it is reasonable to assume that there's nothing *else* going on that's still being covered up (ya know, the kinds of things my mind flashes on these days).

It didn't get fishy until Kampe tweeted about a fish sandwich he had at McDonalds. 

[wh]

Mystery surrounds departure of Oakland University President Gary Russi and wife Beckie Francis

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/06/19/news/local_news/doc51c2146d6b1eb825078959.txt?viewmode=fullstory

[historyman]

Just for those trying to do the math I'll save you some time. Russi is 67. Francis is 47-49 in my best estimation. She graduated from Colgate in 1987.

[covufan]

Mystery surrounds departure of Oakland University President Gary Russi and wife Beckie Francis

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/06/19/news/local_news/doc51c2146d6b1eb825078959.txt?viewmode=fullstory

This article was written by Paul Kampe - any relation to Greg?

[bbtds]

Mystery surrounds departure of Oakland University President Gary Russi and wife Beckie Francis

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/06/19/news/local_news/doc51c2146d6b1eb825078959.txt?viewmode=fullstory

This article was written by Paul Kampe - any relation to Greg?

His blog mentions that he is no relation to Greg Kampe

http://opgrizzden.blogspot.com/

[covufan]

Mystery surrounds departure of Oakland University President Gary Russi and wife Beckie Francis

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/06/19/news/local_news/doc51c2146d6b1eb825078959.txt?viewmode=fullstory

This whole thing is a little odd.  Just as they are about to enter the Horizon League, they fire a coach that took them from Division II to I, and until the past two seasons had a respectful career.

With her husband also retiring, there must be more to the story. 

[bbtds]

Mystery surrounds departure of Oakland University President Gary Russi and wife Beckie Francis

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/06/19/news/local_news/doc51c2146d6b1eb825078959.txt?viewmode=fullstory

This whole thing is a little odd.  Just as they are about to enter the Horizon League, they fire a coach that took them from Division II to I, and until the past two seasons had a respectful career.

With her husband also retiring, there must be more to the story. 

I don't think the firing of a coach that had some success earlier but at this time has been faltering and moving in a downward direction is a problem. It seems much like Keith Freeman's departure from Valpo. The odd thing is that she happen to get fired the very day her husband announces his retirement from being president of the university where she is employed and that it happens within 30 days of Oakland moving into the Horizon League. Why couldn't she be fired earlier? Why didn't President Russi announce his retirement before OU and the HL announced the Grizzlies move to the HL?

Has LeCrone been duped? Are there more surprises coming down the pike after OU starts playing games/matches in the HL?

[wh]

Learning more in dribs and drabs:

Oakland University says women's basketball coach Beckie Francis fired with cause

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/06/21/news/doc51c4736ba700b867204715.txt

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I thought I knew what ridiculous was.

And then I read the comments on the article.

But thanks for posting--curiouser and curiouser...

[valporun]

Yeah, after reading Kampe's article, I do want to know more of the "hush hush" at OU. I could do without the childish two-year-old putdowns and stupid comments by what seem to be Detroit fans.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Mick McCabe of the Free Press weighs in:
http://www.freep.com/article/20130621/SPORTS08/306210104/beckie-francis-oakland-university-fired

Seems like our new transfer(s) could give it a pretty succinct description:  the same problem the new Rutgers AD is having about when she was a women's volleyball coach at Tennessee...

The investigation into Francis' program was believed to be triggered after player meetings with school officials.

All coaches lose players who decide to transfer to other schools, but Francis appears to have lost more than her fair share.

This spring three players asked to be released from their scholarships and another was told she would no longer be permitted to be on the team, although she could keep her scholarship.

[wh]

In an earlier article a spokesperson for the university indicated that they were investigating possible malfeasance.  That sounds a lot different than bullying players or running players off.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere we go...

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013306260036

"Ex-Oakland women's hoops player, Muslim says Christian beliefs were imposed unfairly by now-fired coach"

Don't bother with the comments.  There are a lot of dumb people in Michigan.

Oh, and Muslims are famous for NEVER imposing their beliefs, btw.

[valpo04]

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere we go...

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013306260036

"Ex-Oakland women's hoops player, Muslim says Christian beliefs were imposed unfairly by now-fired coach"

Don't bother with the comments.  There are a lot of dumb people in Michigan.

Oh, and Muslims are famous for NEVER imposing their beliefs, btw.

So you tell us to avoid the comments section, and then make that comment. 

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Speaking of people famous for imposing their beliefs, response from people to Mark Snyder, Freep author of the above article on Twitter...



Coach Francis will be a martyr before all is said and done...

[StlVUFan]

To bring it back on topic a bit, the problem I see (assuming the allegations are true) is that -- especially considering this is a public university we are talking about, right? -- there is no reason to organize a basketball team as any kind of religious organization.  Certainly, if you are going to do that, you might want to cross your i's and dot your t's during the recruiting process.  The fact that doing so is probably illegal should be enough to warn you off the whole idea to begin with.

You are recruiting student-athletes, not disciples.  Those student-athletes *do* come with outside allegiances, of course.  Your job as coach is to meld them into a basketball community, not a religious community.  Your mission is to compete on the court and win.  You don't need religious doctrine to coach cohesiveness and sportsmanship.

The only fact I know that has any bearing on the actual facts of this case was an ORU fan friend of mine who was the assigned escort for Oakland's women's team at the conference tournament in Tulsa one year, and Francis shared with him the inspiring bible verse that encapsulated their memory of their experience with him (escort means helping to make sure they find their hotel, good restaurants to eat at, navigate around town, etc.).  My sense was that she was comfortable with the charismatic Christian culture that is thick down there.  Of course, I think my friend is comfortable with it too, but he's not a fanatic about it.

My sense is that Bryce is kinda comfortable with that culture too, by the way, for whatever that's worth.

If a coach feels that strongly about the Muslim faith, then somewhere in the recruiting process you should be able to get an idea about it, right?  If you are a Christian coach and you feel blindsided, then be a Christian (not to mention professional) coach.  Be upfront with that player, find some way to resolve the situation amicably.

Full disclosure: there are things written in my bible that embarrass me, so I am going to allow a Muslim person to say the same thing about their Koran.

[valpopal]

July 1: Time to Welcome Oakland!

http://www.horizonleague.org/blog/welcome-oakland.html

Perhaps the Mod can now replace Loyola with Oakland on the Horizon League Forums links.

[valpo04]

July 1: Time to Welcome Oakland!

http://www.horizonleague.org/blog/welcome-oakland.html

Perhaps the Mod can now replace Loyola with Oakland on the Horizon League Forums links.

Got a link?

[wh]

July 1: Time to Welcome Oakland!

http://www.horizonleague.org/blog/welcome-oakland.html

Perhaps the Mod can now replace Loyola with Oakland on the Horizon League Forums links.

Got a link?

This is the one I have been following.  I'm not aware of any others.

http://goldengrizzlyhoops.proboards.com

[valpo04]

July 1: Time to Welcome Oakland!

http://www.horizonleague.org/blog/welcome-oakland.html

Perhaps the Mod can now replace Loyola with Oakland on the Horizon League Forums links.

Got a link?

This is the one I have been following.  I'm not aware of any others.

http://goldengrizzlyhoops.proboards.com

Thanks for the link.

You need to register for an account before you can even view their board?  That seems rather... uninviting.

[wh]

July 1: Time to Welcome Oakland!

http://www.horizonleague.org/blog/welcome-oakland.html

Perhaps the Mod can now replace Loyola with Oakland on the Horizon League Forums links.

Got a link?

This is the one I have been following.  I'm not aware of any others.

http://goldengrizzlyhoops.proboards.com

Thanks for the link.

You need to register for an account before you can even view their board?  That seems rather... uninviting.

Agreed.  Loyola has a new board, and they've done the same thing.  Unless you have a pay site, it seems like a lot of unnecessary overkill for a message board. 

[vu84v2]

I apologize for these comments on the dismissal of the Oakland women's coach (and probably the president), but I would like to offer several comments:

1.  The NCAA should investigate Oakland if they are not already.  If others knew what was going on with the coach pushing her religious views on players (including her husband, which seems obvious), the NCAA should impose sanctions on the Oakland women's program.  Violating the first amendment and civil rights of players should be punishable by major sanctions, with allowance for any player to transfer without sitting out one year.  I will be the first to admit that I do not know the rules on this, but it would serve Oakland right to suffer for this gross injustice.
2.  Any program that hires this woman in the future is a disgrace.
3.  While I respect this player for not bringing civil or criminal charges (if the latter is possible), part of me wishes she would.
4.  We all know the religious beliefs of the Drew family.  I had never really thought about this until I read the Detroit Free Press article, but Homer and Bryce have (as far as I know) shown strong ethics in respecting others' beliefs (clearly in their many years with the program they must have had many players that do not share their beliefs).  Scott may be a bit questionable at Baylor (warm up jerseys in recent years come to mind), but of course it is a private school and I have no reason to think that Scott imposed anything.  And...private schools (unlike Oakland) have greater freedom in this area (though I have no idea where First Amendment and civil rights laws still apply).

[wh]

The Oakland athletics department is holding a Fan Fest this coming Tuesday to celebrate their entry into the Horizon League:

http://www.oakland.edu/view_news.aspx?sid=34&nid=10295

They are doing a great job of marketing Oakland athletics and the Horizon League through this move - public announcements, TV and radio interviews with coaches and AD, articles, events, sportswear, etc. It's obvious they have developed a comprehensive marketing plan to roll out this change.  Impressive!