F
I'm not a KU fan (Go Tigers!) but this story is very, very interesting, a lot behind the scenes !
Mangino's ugly exit smears all of KU
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By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
The forced resignation of football coach Mark Mangino smears the reputation of the University of Kansas and its top officials, including Athletic Director Lew Perkins and new Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little.
As a KU graduate, I'm especially chagrined by the clumsy and, yes, bullying ways in which Perkins behaved during this incident.
He's the one responsible for the entire country knowing about the investigation into whether Mangino bullied some of his players, an investigation that should have been private.
Perkins also insulted the intelligence of all KU fans and alums Thursday night, when he blandly replied to questions about Mangino's ouster: "I didn't make the change. Coach resigned."
Please. As Perkins well knows, Mangino's decision to leave was precipitated by actions at KU that undermined Mangino as coach and destroyed his ability to recruit future players to play for Kansas.
In addition, by agreeing to keep quiet about what actually happened with Mangino's contract, Perkins will now allow a multitude of questions to continue circulating around the football program -- such as how many millions of dollars it cost to kick Mangino out the door and whether any of the allegations against him even merited a response by the university.
Largely unknown in this entire tawdry episode is how much involvement Gray-Little had in it.
It's obvious she ultimately backed Perkins and his decision on Mangino. Remember, Gray-Little came to the campus officially less than four months ago.
But putting trust in a largely successful athletic director like Perkins is one thing.
Standing by while the university is nationally ridiculed is another.
Gray-Little owes alums and sports fans at KU an explanation of why she ultimately decided to go along with the ugly "resignation" of Mark Mangino.
Mangino's ugly exit smears all of KU
<!-- END tabs -->
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
The forced resignation of football coach Mark Mangino smears the reputation of the University of Kansas and its top officials, including Athletic Director Lew Perkins and new Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little.
As a KU graduate, I'm especially chagrined by the clumsy and, yes, bullying ways in which Perkins behaved during this incident.
He's the one responsible for the entire country knowing about the investigation into whether Mangino bullied some of his players, an investigation that should have been private.
Perkins also insulted the intelligence of all KU fans and alums Thursday night, when he blandly replied to questions about Mangino's ouster: "I didn't make the change. Coach resigned."
Please. As Perkins well knows, Mangino's decision to leave was precipitated by actions at KU that undermined Mangino as coach and destroyed his ability to recruit future players to play for Kansas.
In addition, by agreeing to keep quiet about what actually happened with Mangino's contract, Perkins will now allow a multitude of questions to continue circulating around the football program -- such as how many millions of dollars it cost to kick Mangino out the door and whether any of the allegations against him even merited a response by the university.
Largely unknown in this entire tawdry episode is how much involvement Gray-Little had in it.
It's obvious she ultimately backed Perkins and his decision on Mangino. Remember, Gray-Little came to the campus officially less than four months ago.
But putting trust in a largely successful athletic director like Perkins is one thing.
Standing by while the university is nationally ridiculed is another.
Gray-Little owes alums and sports fans at KU an explanation of why she ultimately decided to go along with the ugly "resignation" of Mark Mangino.