In previous blogs and long posts, I had vigorously defended the job Mike Bohn had done.
With the situation he had inherited, I saw him finding ways to do a lot of small projects, make a lot of sensible fixes, repair relationships with the community (campus, Boulder, state and alumni), and improve fundraising while getting some major things done highlighted by the home golf course, the basketball/volleyball facilities and the move to the Pac-12. I also believe, looking at the current lineup of CU coaches, that we have one of the strongest groups I've ever seen at this university. All this while setting GPA and APR records.
All of that came with a cost, as rebuilding the department in a new way caused lots of steps back before moving forward could occur. The basketball programs are a great example of this. But now they're coming out the other side and look to be better than ever.
But the budget kept rearing its ugly head. Unlike other universities, CU does not allow its AD to run an annual multi-million dollar deficit. Unlike other universities, CU does not allow the AD to pay for all scholarships at an in-state or modified average rate. The economic pressures were enormous.
This forced most of the highly questionable decisions of the Bohn era:
- Extending Hawkins (to lock him in at a low annual contract)
- Waiting a year too long to fire Hawkins (saved at least a million bucks)
- Hiring Embree (came at about 1/3 the going rate for a BCS head coach)
- Scheduling one-off games at places like Ohio State (an extra million in the bank)
- Locking into the CSU contract renewal at Invesco ($$$$$)
The thing that was most glaring, though, was the failure of Bohn to communicate a vision on facilities and a clear path forward. Looking at him pulling out old models from the Dick Tharp days. Watching him make announcements of coming announcements only to delay. Seeing what looked like a failure to secure the donor who was financially leading the charge after involving him in a failed hiring attempt of Butch Jones. Witnessing the animosity boil over with so much emotion from former Buff players and coaches that it appeared to be hatred for Bohn following the firing of Embree.
It all got to be too much and it looked like it was time to move on with someone who could bring the next phase of the CU athletic department rebuild home.
But then there started to be some buzz around things. Solich actually was surprised by the firing and thought Bohn was doing a fine job? Hmmm. Folks around the athletic department were caught off guard? Hmmm. Boyle was disappointed to hear of the firing? Hmmm. DiStefano made the decision? HMMMMMMM.
I am now thinking back to when Hawkins was given the extra year. Bohn had all but announced the firing, went on a trip to support the Men's basketball team at the Maui tournament, returned to Colorado for Nebraska week... and we learn that Hawkins had met with DiStefano while Bohn was away and that Hawkins would be back another year. We then watched Bohn fall on his sword and tell us all that it was his decision.
Last year, when Bohn told the media in the spring that there would be a football facilities announcement at the start of the school year, DiStefano went public that it was premature. No announcement was made. We didn't get an announcement until facilities were included as part of the Jones/MacIntyre negotiations.
So now there is buzz that DiStefano inserted himself into AD affairs again. Apparently, he wanted the AD to balance its budget and pay back all debts over the next 5 years instead of focusing on a capital campaign for new facilities. Allegedly, DiStefano was deliberately slowing down the facilities project. And Bohn was growing increasingly frustrated. Frustrated to the point where he went public with the million dollar donor from California he secured in an attempt to rally support and move facilities forward. This, being expressly against DiStefano's wishes, is what the bees are buzzing about as the real reason Bohn was fired.
I don't know the truth, but this sounds reasonable. It makes sense given everything that's gone on in the past and everything we know about DiStefano. Given the history, it seems a little out of character for Bohn to show a spine by defying DiStefano in this way -- but it would explain why it was an offense that got Bohn terminated with such short notice and with such strange timing.
So now that leaves us in a very scary place.
If this story has legs, then we have a Chancellor who wants nothing more than a "yes man" in the AD position. We have a Chancellor whose idea of a "business person" is someone who can figure out how to balance the books - not someone who can grow revenue, market the hell out of CU athletics, get modern facility upgrades funded & built, and win championships.
I'm scared to death that rather than seeing a change driven by boosters, Benson and other business-savvy people who demand excellence & achievement... we're getting the DiStefano vision of a do-nothing politician who simply wants to avoid making waves while making sure the ledger balances and annoyances tied to athletics don't come knocking at his door.
I hope to hell that I'm wrong and that the buzz is just noise.
With the situation he had inherited, I saw him finding ways to do a lot of small projects, make a lot of sensible fixes, repair relationships with the community (campus, Boulder, state and alumni), and improve fundraising while getting some major things done highlighted by the home golf course, the basketball/volleyball facilities and the move to the Pac-12. I also believe, looking at the current lineup of CU coaches, that we have one of the strongest groups I've ever seen at this university. All this while setting GPA and APR records.
All of that came with a cost, as rebuilding the department in a new way caused lots of steps back before moving forward could occur. The basketball programs are a great example of this. But now they're coming out the other side and look to be better than ever.
But the budget kept rearing its ugly head. Unlike other universities, CU does not allow its AD to run an annual multi-million dollar deficit. Unlike other universities, CU does not allow the AD to pay for all scholarships at an in-state or modified average rate. The economic pressures were enormous.
This forced most of the highly questionable decisions of the Bohn era:
- Extending Hawkins (to lock him in at a low annual contract)
- Waiting a year too long to fire Hawkins (saved at least a million bucks)
- Hiring Embree (came at about 1/3 the going rate for a BCS head coach)
- Scheduling one-off games at places like Ohio State (an extra million in the bank)
- Locking into the CSU contract renewal at Invesco ($$$$$)
The thing that was most glaring, though, was the failure of Bohn to communicate a vision on facilities and a clear path forward. Looking at him pulling out old models from the Dick Tharp days. Watching him make announcements of coming announcements only to delay. Seeing what looked like a failure to secure the donor who was financially leading the charge after involving him in a failed hiring attempt of Butch Jones. Witnessing the animosity boil over with so much emotion from former Buff players and coaches that it appeared to be hatred for Bohn following the firing of Embree.
It all got to be too much and it looked like it was time to move on with someone who could bring the next phase of the CU athletic department rebuild home.
But then there started to be some buzz around things. Solich actually was surprised by the firing and thought Bohn was doing a fine job? Hmmm. Folks around the athletic department were caught off guard? Hmmm. Boyle was disappointed to hear of the firing? Hmmm. DiStefano made the decision? HMMMMMMM.
I am now thinking back to when Hawkins was given the extra year. Bohn had all but announced the firing, went on a trip to support the Men's basketball team at the Maui tournament, returned to Colorado for Nebraska week... and we learn that Hawkins had met with DiStefano while Bohn was away and that Hawkins would be back another year. We then watched Bohn fall on his sword and tell us all that it was his decision.
Last year, when Bohn told the media in the spring that there would be a football facilities announcement at the start of the school year, DiStefano went public that it was premature. No announcement was made. We didn't get an announcement until facilities were included as part of the Jones/MacIntyre negotiations.
So now there is buzz that DiStefano inserted himself into AD affairs again. Apparently, he wanted the AD to balance its budget and pay back all debts over the next 5 years instead of focusing on a capital campaign for new facilities. Allegedly, DiStefano was deliberately slowing down the facilities project. And Bohn was growing increasingly frustrated. Frustrated to the point where he went public with the million dollar donor from California he secured in an attempt to rally support and move facilities forward. This, being expressly against DiStefano's wishes, is what the bees are buzzing about as the real reason Bohn was fired.
I don't know the truth, but this sounds reasonable. It makes sense given everything that's gone on in the past and everything we know about DiStefano. Given the history, it seems a little out of character for Bohn to show a spine by defying DiStefano in this way -- but it would explain why it was an offense that got Bohn terminated with such short notice and with such strange timing.
So now that leaves us in a very scary place.
If this story has legs, then we have a Chancellor who wants nothing more than a "yes man" in the AD position. We have a Chancellor whose idea of a "business person" is someone who can figure out how to balance the books - not someone who can grow revenue, market the hell out of CU athletics, get modern facility upgrades funded & built, and win championships.
I'm scared to death that rather than seeing a change driven by boosters, Benson and other business-savvy people who demand excellence & achievement... we're getting the DiStefano vision of a do-nothing politician who simply wants to avoid making waves while making sure the ledger balances and annoyances tied to athletics don't come knocking at his door.
I hope to hell that I'm wrong and that the buzz is just noise.
