BC AD Appologizing for quotes in Globe article

[HuskyHawk]

I appreciated people's attempts in the beginning to point out how personal feelings couldn't possibly have anything to do with anything because Pitt got an invite. However, at some point the evidence to the contrary overwhelms rationale argumentation. Feelings and emotions are not always logical. And DeFellipo's comments have been consistent in one respect: he bears a grudge against UCONN. He is an *******, but I understand where he is coming from: no one likes being made out like an ******* in public, not even balloon knots.

He mentioned depositions. It is possible that in the course of the lawsuit and discovery, Blumenthal and other CT people personally accused DeFillippo of certain things, beyond what shows up in the pleadings. Who knows?

Either way this shows me that both ESPN and the ACC are concerned. I would suggest that UConn press this temporary advantage ASAP.

 

[Skiblets]

He may have inadvertently helped our cause

 

[Scalito]

The stuff he was called by Cuse people was the worst, and in public academic settings.

You say he's consistent, but actually the grudge thing is a distraction. BC is afraid of UConn, and wants New England to itself. That's the real reason.

These things are not mutually exclusive. Human beings, even university administrators, are influenced by more than one factor. It is easier to convince yourself that regional rivalries would hurt your institution if you hold a grudge against the potential rivals. I have been involved in enough litigation disputes and related settlement talks to know that emotions are more important than you seem to think when the potential monetary benefits of settlement are uncertain.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

I hope as punishment, he is forced to be at the press conference when UConn is eventually invited to the ACC and be the person 'hand over the keys' and take those corny press photos with officials from UConn and the ACC. Those pictures would be priceless!

 

[UConn9604]

Here's the text of his letter, courtesy Rick Green of the Hartford Courant:

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to apologize for any negative effects caused by my recent interview with a Boston Globe reporter.

I spoke inappropriately and erroneously regarding ESPN's role in conference expansion.

Further, while I harbor some ill feelings toward the University of Connecticut regarding the lawsuit, depositions and derogatory comments from UConn officials when we announced our decision to join the ACC, it was inappropriate to express personal feelings that might have been construed as the position of Boston College or the Atlantic Coast Conference.

I regret any misunderstandings or negative fallout my actions may have caused.

Sincerely,

Gene
Director of Athletics
Boston College

http://blogs.courant.com/rick_green/2011/10/bc-ad-retracts-claim-espn-behi.html

 

[Scalito]

He mentioned depositions. It is possible that in the course of the lawsuit and discovery, Blumenthal and other CT people personally accused DeFillippo of certain things, beyond what shows up in the pleadings. Who knows?

No one knows for sure, and that is the point that I respectfully suggest upstater is missing when he dismisses reports of personal grudges. We don't know what comments made it to DeFillipo's inbox, what comments stung his pride the most, or what exactly motivates his self image. Maybe comments from Pitt and Cuse were discounted because they weren't repeated often in circles he cared to travel in? I don't know. But I do know that not all criticism is equal to most people. The source and likely audience matter.

 

[Uptop]

As for Businesslawyer and others who posited that these guys would lie under oath, I think we have our answer. If they were the type willing to lie under oath, they would never have done something as ridiculous as issue a retraction which only serves to draw more attention to the original statement.

The coverup is worst than the crime.

 

[Stinger92860]

http://novafacts.blogspot.com/2011/...tOnVillanovaSports+(Fact+on+Villanova+Sports)

 

[Stinger92860]

No one knows for sure, and that is the point that I respectfully suggest upstater is missing when he dismisses reports of personal grudges. We don't know what comments made it to DeFillipo's inbox, what comments stung his pride the most, or what exactly motivates his self image. Maybe comments from Pitt and Cuse were discounted because they weren't repeated often in circles he cared to travel in? I don't know. But I do know that not all criticism is equal to most people. The source and likely audience matter.

I would love access to all the emails.

 

[Scalito]

I would love access to all the emails.

Alas, BC is a private institution so only Congress or a litigant will gain access to them. Same goes for the ACC. Neither are subject to state FOIA laws. Of course, emails in the possession of the member state schools likely could be requested by any underworked and overzealous Boneyard member....

 

[upstater]

These things are not mutually exclusive. Human beings, even university administrators, are influenced by more than one factor. It is easier to convince yourself that regional rivalries would hurt your institution if you hold a grudge against the potential rivals. I have been involved in enough litigation disputes and related settlement talks to know that emotions are more important than you seem to think when the potential monetary benefits of settlement are uncertain.

I'm saying the grudge they hold would apply to schools they just admitted as well.

 

[upstater]

No one knows for sure, and that is the point that I respectfully suggest upstater is missing when he dismisses reports of personal grudges. We don't know what comments made it to DeFillipo's inbox, what comments stung his pride the most, or what exactly motivates his self image. Maybe comments from Pitt and Cuse were discounted because they weren't repeated often in circles he cared to travel in? I don't know. But I do know that not all criticism is equal to most people. The source and likely audience matter.

I can't imagine what would be uglier than being called a "liar" by a Cuse Trustee at an academic function in front of your academic peers.

 

[sportsart]

Do you get the feeling that shredders and email delete buttons are going crazy right now at ACC schools and ESPN?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Here's the text of his letter, courtesy Rick Green of the Hartford Courant:

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to apologize for any negative effects caused by my recent interview with a Boston Globe reporter.

I spoke inappropriately and erroneously regarding ESPN's role in conference expansion.

Further, while I harbor some ill feelings toward the University of Connecticut regarding the lawsuit, depositions and derogatory comments from UConn officials when we announced our decision to join the ACC, it was inappropriate to express personal feelings that might have been construed as the position of Boston College or the Atlantic Coast Conference.

I regret any misunderstandings or negative fallout my actions may have caused.

Sincerely,

Gene
Director of Athletics
Boston College

http://blogs.courant.com/rick_green/2011/10/bc-ad-retracts-claim-espn-behi.html

He has to be a even in his retraction.

 

[CTMike]

He has to be a even in his retraction.

On this we can agree. Hate that guy.

 

[Uptop]

Just what I was thinking!

Gene was born in CT, but grew up and play high school football in Northampton, MA. His father was a high ranking high school official that is credited for establishing state wide football playoffs. Gene went on to play QB at Springfield College. Even there, he was a divicive guy. As his father's stature made him the political starting QB over a much more talented player.

I've known Gene since 1969 and he was very competitive and outgoing. That all changed after an incident that is a little known fact. The selection committee at UNC approved him as the next AD only to have Dean Smith whack him in favor of his boy, Badour. Since then he's been bitter and a buttwh---

So, over time he became an enemy to the Big East and UConn. Therefore, he, bc and the acc are my enemies

 

[Scalito]

I can't imagine what would be uglier than being called a "liar" by a Cuse Trustee at an academic function in front of your academic peers.

Being accused of being a liar by someone you respect perhaps? You are assuming the speaker and audience were important to him. Maybe they were. Neither of us know, and that's my whole point. Instead of rationalizing the man like you know him and everything he heard, listen to his actual statements professing anger all these yeats later.

I don't pretend to know what influences DeFellippo. And I agree with the rationality of your underlying arguments: Pitt and Cuse did it too; UConn is a regional threat; etc.

However, and I guess it really doesn't matter at the end of the day, DeFillippo was consistent when talking to the Boston Globe and when apologizing for his comments about one thing: residual angst against UConn as a result of the way BC's exit from the Big East was handled. Personally, I say duck him. I applauded Calhoun's public refusal to schedule BC.

Nevertheless, based on the way I react when UCONN is attacked, and the grudge I hold against morons like the Squid, Sweaty Williams, Jeff Jacobs and Wetzel, it doesn't strike me as unbelievable when an AD professes to have hard feelings after he AND his university were attacked (rightly or wrongly) in public. And in my experience people sometimes act for reasons other than their institution's best interests, while convincing themselves to the contrary.

 

[epperson]

Talk to enough BC people about GDF and an image of smarmy, repugnant, arrogant, power-tripping, insecure man emerges.

To his credit, he's a decent and capable Administrator. He can make things happen behind closed doors.

Gene's problem is his character flaws. It tends to get in the way of productivity and sound decision-making.

My guess is the interview with the Globe was an act of desperation. His days at BC are numbered.

 

[upstater]

Being accused of being a liar by someone you respect perhaps? You are assuming the speaker and audience were important to him. Maybe they were. Neither of us know, and that's my whole point. Instead of rationalizing the man like you know him and everything he heard, listen to his actual statements professing anger all these yeats later.

I don't pretend to know what influences DeFellippo. And I agree with the rationality of your underlying arguments: Pitt and Cuse did it too; UConn is a regional threat; etc.

It was an important academic event. This isn't a mystery. We do know what was said. I'm talking about Leahy, first of all. I wrote that in my first response to you.

The anger thing simply deflects from the true intent, to hurt UConn sports. This isn't the first time DeFillippo has said this. Bob Ryan reported it BEFORE BC joined the ACC.

 

[Scalito]

As for Businesslawyer and others who posited that these guys would lie under oath, I think we have our answer. If they were the type willing to lie under oath, they would never have done something as ridiculous as issue a retraction which only serves to draw more attention to the original statement.

Not sure I get your point. The fact that a university administrator would issue a public retraction and apology for making gobsmackingly stupid comments to a newspaper reporter that could have harmed his university's and athletic conference's interest means that the same official will tell the truth under oath? I would have thought that evidence of flexibility would tend to show the contrary.

I don't think anyone associated with BC or the ACC is likely to commit perjury if asked about conference realignment under penalty of perjury, but DeFellippo's blatant retraction of truthful comments ain't the reason why.

 

[Scalito]

It was an important academic event. This isn't a mystery. We do know what was said. I'm talking about Leahy, first of all. I wrote that in my first response to you.

The anger thing simply deflects from the true intent, to hurt UConn sports. This isn't the first time DeFillippo has said this. Bob Ryan reported it BEFORE BC joined the ACC.

It wasn't a very subtle or effective attempt at deflection---the anger issue was brought up in an article in conjunction with the intent to try and relegate Uconn to Conference USA status. No one is making any bones against the latter intent. Not me, not the Boston Globe, or anyone else. Not even DeFillippo.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree over whether past acrimony has any effect on BC's position. But here's my last salvo: Herbst felt the need to try and distance UConn's new leadership from the past. It was believable then that she was being overly cautious. It now appears she knew something we could only speculate upon.

 

[businesslawyer]

As for Businesslawyer and others who posited that these guys would lie under oath, I think we have our answer. If they were the type willing to lie under oath, they would never have done something as ridiculous as issue a retraction which only serves to draw more attention to the original statement.

Do you care any more whether there is any logic whatsoever in what you post? He's following orders from people who are trying to calm down the non-ESPN media before this becomes a bigger issue than it already is. What the duck* does that have to do with whether he's willing to shade the truth under oath (because, despite your view of the world, there are middle grounds between truth and lie).

 

[nomar]

What kind of mushroom cap holds a grudge like that? It was all business, dude. Get over it.

This needs to get fired. He's actively screwing us and makes no bones about doing it.

 

[gabect]

His agenda is obviously to keep UConn down so he's going to keep bringing up the lawsuits from yesteryear regardless of Cuse/Pitt's involvement in them. It's just a facade for pushing that agenda.

 

[whaler11]

What I don't get is how everyone thinks it's easy for the State of CT to play hardball with a major employer. Yes, they gave them a sweetheart deal to 'add some jobs'. If Connecticut plays hardball they can get that deal and better from another state.

If the state sues them over conference affiliation and wins 10 million dollars... in the end they won't win.