Kansas Crimson

Andy Staples pushing for a Arkansas high school coach, Kevin Kelly:

"At first glance, Kelley’s methods seem daft. His Pulaski Academy team doesn’t punt. It onside kicks after every score. It routinely runs trick plays. And all the Bruins do is pound the stuffing out of teams that usually have far more physically gifted players. Kelley won three state titles in his first 11 years because he’s a pretty good play-caller and motivator. But after he decided prior to the 2014 season to build his team completely around analytics, the Bruins have won six state titles in seven years."

This was a needed change no matter what.

UnholyLivingDead wrote: ↑Tue Mar 09, 2021 3:31 pm This right here, LSU's long-standing commitment to covering this all up, is going to save Long's job for now.

This from the guy who vetted Snoop as a Late Night performer and was then surprised by the content of his performance.

twocoach wrote: ↑Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:48 am

UnholyLivingDead wrote: ↑Tue Mar 09, 2021 3:31 pm This right here, LSU's long-standing commitment to covering this all up, is going to save Long's job for now.

This from the guy who vetted Snoop as a Late Night performer and was then surprised by the content of his performance.

"I asked him, and he told me no" is some crackerjack diligence work.

jfish26 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 10, 2021 7:08 am

twocoach wrote: ↑Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:48 am

UnholyLivingDead wrote: ↑Tue Mar 09, 2021 3:31 pm This right here, LSU's long-standing commitment to covering this all up, is going to save Long's job for now.

This from the guy who vetted Snoop as a Late Night performer and was then surprised by the content of his performance.

"I asked him, and he told me no" is some crackerjack diligence work.

Bingo!

Let's break it down.

When Les was identified as the lead candidate,
* He was always the "lead candidate". Even while we still had a coach.

with all hirings
* I have to assume different degrees based on different positions.

we ran multiple background checks on Coach Miles.
* "We"? Who exactly is "we" and while I might believe "multiple" checks is better than 1 check, why the need for multiple checks? What wasn't sufficient with the first one?

I also asked him directly whether there was anything in his past that could embarrass us and he said no.
* That should have been the first major warning sign NOT to hire him. Anyone who knows even a little bit about Miles knew about Oklahoma State AND the LSU situation. Maybe not about the LSU situation to the degree we know today but it's not like no one knew about allegations. Also, I believe EVERYBODY has done something "morally" not right that "COULD" (not necessarily WOULD) embarrass themself and the university that employs them.

We also did our due diligence by talking to LSU.
* Again, who is "we" and simply "talking to LSU" (what does that even mean - talking to WHO/M at LSU?) doesn't constitute a high level of due diligence in my mind. If "we" did in fact talk to LSU, I have to assume if LSU was honest they told Long and the committee/entity (that did the due diligence) that Les wasn't a saint and that "LSU issued a letter of reprimand to Miles, forbade him from hiring student employees to babysit, and prohibited him from being alone with students".
Nice of Long to make LSU his scapegoat - and come off looking like an even bigger putz than he is.

Well, again not to defend Long here because he should and will be toast, but it does seem like there was more than a fair amount of CYA by LSU over the last 8 years. There's an article from SI.com from a guy involved at LSU admitting yesterday how much they covered up because of legal muzzle and/or fear.


As for multiple background checks, that's what should happen and it's an assumption that background check #1, 2, 3, etc. were not sufficient individually.

There is a sliver of possibility that KU went through the basic motions of vetting and found nothing. Of course, as you'd expect if someone would do bare bones work in hopes of finding nothing (my assumption).

Jeff Long is a buffoon.

I finally got around to reading Mellinger's takedown of Long published last night. It's like 98% spot on.

This, though, really resonated with me as he just nails it:

We can debate the failure with Miles. Maybe you see a big swing that at least was building the right way with high school recruits instead of the chosen path of KU’s previous two coaches, overloading with junior-college kids and turning one bad year into more.

Long essentially said Miles twice lied to him directly when asked if there was anything in his past that could embarrass KU, and there is no reason to doubt him on that point.

But the logical counter is that Long consciously tied himself personally and professionally to Miles, playing on their experience at Michigan together and their lasting friendship. You don’t get to pull all of that back, blaming your friend and now sadly and desperately trying to downplay the friendship.



Jeff Long tenure will end soon

Let’s not forget the Snoop fiasco.

As soon as the basketball season is over, Long is done.

You are interviewing job, executive level candidate. You ask that candidate if there is a NDA with LSU. Yes or no. You then negotiate a limited waiver to conduct your due diligence without compromising the institution or candidate. It isn’t complicated.

Leawood wrote: ↑Wed Mar 10, 2021 9:18 am You are interviewing job, executive level candidate. You ask that candidate if there is a NDA with LSU. Yes or no. You then negotiate a limited waiver to conduct your due diligence without compromising the institution or candidate. It isn’t complicated.

Yes, you just have to want to do it.

Leawood wrote: ↑Wed Mar 10, 2021 9:18 am You are interviewing job, executive level candidate. You ask that candidate if there is a NDA with LSU. Yes or no. You then negotiate a limited waiver to conduct your due diligence without compromising the institution or candidate. It isn’t complicated.

And, if you want recourse for the candidate lying to you when you ask if there's anything they're not telling you, you draft "cause" that way.

Seems as likely as not that the omission of a "misrepresentations" cause trigger was a negotiated point, not an oversight.

Jeff, did just enough to cover his own ass and to a certain extent KU's but to also get the main objective, which was Les.

Jeff, has certainly done more behind the scenes to prioritize football and give the HC whatever they need to succeed but other than that his biggest highlight was jumping in the pool with the women's swim team. Other than that his tenure has been a complete and utter PR disaster.

I will say it again, perhaps the best thing Long did was give Bill a rubber stamp and blank check to fight the NCAA.

And, it's frankly the most important thing in the athletic department right now. See it through, and he's out right after.

You have to think his power on this hire is minimal.

True. I forgot his very public backing of Self. So that and the pool.

I wonder at this point if Long is only AD by 'name' and nothing more. Not sure if the WEF bank fund can handle Leslie's 2mil, everything else, and paying off Long to go away.

If you believe what has been reported then he has the final say or maybe Girod has the final say? It seemed that the committee would make a list of recommendations but those would all be vetted out by Long. Based on his prior track record that doesn't give you the warm and fuzzy feelings especially when he said they will also prioritize someone who has familiarity with the 'area' or KU. That shrinks the talent pool considerably.

the “area” could be the entirety of the midwest, the conference’s footprint, or any number of things though

If I'm Dr. Girod, the jewel of the University is KU Med, in which he has put all his effort.

Now he has deal with this fuck up. What would you do?

I mean, that's fairly obvious, no?

Jeff Long won't be here for long. He will not be the main voice on this hire if the hire is made before he is gone.