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I had thought I was an apologist for Bohn, but my worst fears are being realized

Buffnik

Real name isn't Nik
Club Member
Junta Member
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.
 
The people that run our flagship campus are a joke, they are at best good government workers.
 
Start an anti-Phil facebook page and share the hell out of it, twitter feed, the whole nine. Most alums don't even know who he is. Show his pic and his list of lack of accomplishment--the decrease in academic rankings, the raise in salary, the football team, as a start. His profile pic by itself might generate enough vitriol to generate change.
 
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Nik....you were personally responsible for the groundswell that resulted in Embree getting canned. I have the utmost confidence you can find similar success in getting Destuffadoosh kicked to the curb. What do you need from us in your quest?
 
I hate how this story is starting to be the dominant narrative. Multiple people saying very similar things.
 
Certainly would explain a lot and is consistent with the administration's treatment of athletics for many years. Too bad Phil didn't retire before Bohn was fired. If Phil is retiring soon, it seems a little strange that he is looking to hire a yes man-because the man won't be saying yes to his mandate for long.

I guess my Kool-aid drinking optimistic side at least wants to believe that Phil is worried about his own legacy and wants to hire an AD who can right the ship including our football program and facilities before he sails off-but it is as likely if not more that your scenario is closer to the truth.
 
the real problems with this school are the beyond the AD, it's the top leadership like you said. Disteffanuts and the prez have to go and we need to get new blood that is interested in REALLY making CU a major player. Until them we are just spinning our wheels and will continue to be a second class CFB team. Sad.....
 
hu5esy5y.jpg
 
Don't worry guys, this is only the guy who is making our next hire.

I'm so over CU - I'm struggling to even be angry. I've exhausted all my love and energy for the institution in supporting it as it continues a steady decline.
 
Unfortunately, I came to the conclusion a couple weeks ago that I have far more a feeling of dread when it comes to the hiring of the new AD than I do hopeful anticipation.

Nothing will change until DuiStefano retires.
 
i think im done donating to cu... i was donating to get something built!...not payoff debt
 
To play devil's advocate here (and I absolutely do not like Phil), but haven't we historically decided Phil is a Yes Man to BB? Nik, what has changed?
 
i think im done donating to cu... i was donating to get something built!...not payoff debt
This is a good point. I would imagine that by all measures, the CU AD would be on the verge of bankruptcy if it were a private company. We need a complete reorganization, which will likely have to include forgiveness of some of the debt owed to the school and/or renegotiation of scholarships costs to the AD. We have a clearly unsustainable business model at the AD that requires massive capital improvements to get back to competitive (due to intense lack of capital spending for at least a decade).

Our current leadership at CU has provided a case study to the business school on how to neglect and destroy the AD's core business.
 
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To play devil's advocate here (and I absolutely do not like Phil), but haven't we historically decided Phil is a Yes Man to BB? Nik, what has changed?

That's the next level of fear that I don't want to embrace despite all evidence and logic to the contrary: that Phil DiStefano is in his job and performs it in the way he does because THAT'S EXACTLY THE WAY BRUCE BENSON WANTS IT.
 
Great post and analysis Nik. I hope you are wrong, but having trouble seeing where that might be. Ultimately, Benson is responsible for Douchetephano and the problems at CU. I guess we just white-knuckle it until an AD is named.
 
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