• Jordan in at Milwaukee, but was the process botched?

    This is just more fuel in the already very large Dumpster Fire on Downer. (TM)

    Here is what I think is going on (sorry so long):

    Mone was disconnected and really could have cared less about Athletics at all from his hiring to March 17th, 2016. He was far more concerned about his Ivory Tower identity and the accolades that got him at cocktail parties filled with former and current anti-jock types.

    March 17, 2016 - Braun fires Jeter using a plan that Mone signed off on without really checking any details, taking her at her word that the donors and alumni were totally on board with said plan to fund the termination with (in some cases previously submitted) donations.

    March 18, 2016
    - Ignition of Dumpster Fire on Downer. Prominent boosters and alums go bat sh*t crazy over the firing and the use of their money to fund it without any disclosure. This is the culmination of a strained relationship between Braun and almost everybody. Said boosters had a low opinion of her prior to this moment, and are now at the point of no return (literally). They realize that they have been deceived by Braun for a long time, and are furious over being lied to.

    Players and parents come forward with more tails of lies told to them by Braun. They are furious with being lied to in order to cover the upcoming firing of Jeter. Specifically, the cover story that was concocted about why they will not play in any post season tournaments and metrics are created out of thin air related to expectations (Top 100 / Top 3). Reality is there never was any such articulated set of goals, and this is merely the cover Braun needs. She cannot fire a coach who is currently in, or about to be in, a Post Season Tournament. So she lies....again.

    Then Braun lies some more to the media about said interaction with the players and parents. Lies by denying lying. Lies are documented in writing to parents and now in media reports.

    Many fans, donors, and members of the media are now made aware of actions taken by Braun over 3 years to actively hamstring Jeter in preparation of firing him, a move planned from the very first day of Braun's tenure. She made every effort to impair Jeter's ability to perform to justify said firing. It also becomes very clear that TJ is the heir apparent and has been for some time now. Braun has been in discussions with him since well before the decision to fire. Lena Taylor makes a serious public issue of that, the lack of diversity, and the lies of the administration.

    Braun lies again to all 3 regarding these events. Players are further furious over these lies as they lived the truth.

    Braun advocates, surrogates and possibly employees begin a defense campaign on Eunich Board culminating in the shut down of the site for almost 3 days and the locking of any threads discussing these events and Braun's actions.

    Coaching Search begins:
    Mone now realizes HE was lied to (about payoff plan and support for it). Sets up "search committee" and does not allow Braun to run it. Hires search firm to further cut out any influence Braun has in the process. Braun is allowed to conduct interviews in Houston, but these are pro-forma for Braun as TJ will be the coach. Braun still believes she will make this hire. The interviews are also pro-forma for Mone. HE will not allow Braun to make this hire, but has not told her that at all. He interviews all candidate finalists in Milwaukee himself.

    TJ is offered the job by Braun, told to bring his family to Milwaukee and an announcement is set up. Mone informs Braun she is NOT making the decision at all, and that he is hiring LJ. LJ is given an official offer by Mone and hired. Braun is instructed to support this hire and fall in line. Braun reluctantly does so and appears to the public to have made this hire, when in fact she had no part in it at all.

    What this all means:

    Q: Is Mone part of the problem?

    A:
    Yes and no. Yes, because he allowed Braun to conduct herself in an unprofessional manner for his entire tenure, offered little interest or oversight of the department or it's leader, and allowed the situation to spin well out of control. No because when finally aware of the issues with Braun, he has taken an active role in oversight, and has effectively frozen Braun out of any decisions of major importance, including the first major hire in her career as an AD, and one that will be used to measure her performance as an AD for many years to come, both in Milwaukee and beyond.

    Q: Is Mone supporting/allied with/backing Braun?

    A: I really do not think so. The overruling of Braun on the hiring was very much a move of a person who neither trusts, nor supports, Braun. Her opinion on the hire was utterly dismissed by Mone. He hired LJ without even discussing said hire with her, as she was clearly totally in the dark about the potential of LJ becoming the next head coach.

    Q: Will Mone terminate Braun?


    A: To early to tell. Braun has been stripped of any real authority at this point, and will not be making any real decisions of importance without approval of Mone. While she remains on the staff, and in the offical role of AD, she is no longer in charge. Taking the final step of firing her will require that Mone and the University have what they believe to be rock solid grounds to do so. Since Mone did "sign off" on her plan without doing his due diligence, that plan is not enough to pull that trigger.

    However if it becomes clear that there is a strong pattern of lies and deception by Braun, both internally and externally, he may be able to build a case that she is no longer worthy of her role, and she will be terminated. If/when evidence of the advance negotiations with TJ become public, this will further build the case for Mone, as that is not allowed in hiring for public sector university positions, if not in fact, in spirit and as part of the general ethics of the University.

    Q: So why did Mone do what he did?


    A: Mone made the hire for several basic reasons. 1) He did not want the new coach to be an ally of, and beholden to, Braun. If she is terminated, that puts the program in some serious jeopardy. The new coach had to be independent of Braun. 2) Allowing Braun to make the hire solidifies her role as AD, while overruling her strips her of any real power (organizational theory in practice). 3) LJ was a "safer" hire. TJ has a reputation for playing fast and loose with the rules, where LJ does not. Furthermore, LJ maintains the existing diversity profile of the department, which was a consideration of the administration.

    Q: So who does LJ really work for?

    A: Mone.

    Q: Should LJ watch his back?

    A: Yes, but not as much as Jeter had to. Mone has little real power and will need to be very careful to not give Mone the cause he is desperate for to terminate her now.

    Q: How could all of this have been prevented?

    A: Had Lovell opted to resist the pressure applied by certain political big shots in WI, and hired the better candidate, this all would have been avoided. The AD would have supported the program and coaches fully, even if his plan was to hire a new coach. Had Jeter performed at a very high level, that plan for a new coach would have been abandoned and Jeter would have been extended. Had Jeter not performed, he would have been bought out, or his contract allowed to run out (likely the former). Either action would have been discussed in advance with key leaders inside and outside the University.

    Instead Lovell hired the candidate least qualified as an AD, but most pleasing to certain powerful political people who were injecting themselves into the process, for reasons yet to be determined. That candidate already had a reputation in Green Bay and later at Northeastern as someone with serious deficiencies in "soft skills" and willing to cross ethical lines to further her career and/or plans. One need only look at some comments on the UWGB board to see people asking questions like "How does this woman have ANY friends?". She was clearly not missed at Green Bay, nor was she at Northeastern.

    But those warning signs were ignored, and she was hired for a position she was not qualified for objectively. (Remember, she had never run a department at any level in her career, and was an assistant AD at a smaller program - our own assistant AD's were more qualified than she was as they were at least at a program of a larger size in the same role she held.) She was also unqualified from a "soft skills" standpoint. Her chief qualifications appear to have been a powerful political figure pushing for her hiring, and a proper Politically Correct Diversity First demographic profile.

    Q: So what can we do now?

    A: Continue to put pressure on Mone and do not allow him to go back into hiding. Continue to articulate the issues with Braun, past and present. Support LJ in whatever way you can without violating your principles and/or being seen to support Braun as well. Promise to return to the fold as soon as Braun is terminated, bringing with you as many other people as possible, and any money withheld during her tenure, and then some, giving Mone an economic incentive to make the move. Finally....pray.
    This article was originally published in forum thread: Jordan in at Milwaukee, but was the process botched? started by parkerj View original post