Indiana University Athletics
Athletic Department Press Conference Transcript
6/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | General
June 26, 2008
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie's Opening Statement:
"Ladies and Gentlemen, let me begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to Rick Greenspan for his dedication to Indiana University. As Rick indicated in his statement, he has made a number of major contributions to Indiana University Athletics, in particular his focus on substantially improving the financial condition of the department and his successful recruitment of and appointment of coaches, such as Felisha Legette-Jack, Tom Crean, Bill Lynch and others.
"I would also like to point out the important improvement in the athletics facilities that are currently underway under Rick's leadership and have been sorely needed for some time. These past several months have obviously been an extraordinarily difficult time for all who are associated with Indiana University Athletics and no one has felt this more than Rick Greenspan. It is therefore understandable that Rick has reached the conclusion that he has announced here today that he is stepping down as the director of athletics. I want to be absolutely clear that this is Rick's decision.
"Rick and I have had many discussions over the past several months that have always focused on what is best for Indiana University Athletics and Indiana University. He has ultimately concluded, and I regrettably agree, that his decision to step down will allow all parties concerned to make a fresh start. For this reason, I have decided to accept Rick's decision and I do not intend to elaborate further.
"I do want to say today that I am extremely disappointed in the new allegation by the NCAA Committee on Infractions. I believe the facts and records in no way justify this charge. I would point out the NCAA's own investigators did not make such a charge following their extensive review of the facts. I want to be clear that we will vigorously defend Indiana University against, what we believe, is an unfair and unjustified charge.
"And finally, I understand that this entire matter has been difficult for our fans, alumni and all those who love Indiana University. I share the concerns and disappointment that many feel. I want to assure you though that I am committed to addressing these concerns though the NCAA processes and bringing about a resolution that is fair to the university, to our coaches and to our student-athletes. And I am confident that we will be able to do just that."
Indiana University Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan's Opening Statement
"Good afternoon. Thank you, President McRobbie.
"Obviously, the release speaks to itself in regards to my current and future status as the athletics director at Indiana University. I have a few words, and then obviously I'll take some questions and get back to work here.
"My four years at Indiana have always been challenging and never boring. I've been granted opportunities and privileges that most dream of and few experience - NCAA Tournament appearances; private plane travel on occasion; working in a Big Ten conference with the best and brightest athletic administrators in America; being a part of creating the country's first television network dedicated entirely to a conference; meeting incredibly dedicated alums; watching the recruiting and development of extremely talented student-athletes; enjoying the fruits of my staff's efforts to achieve unprecedented levels of private gifts for scholarships, new state-of-the-art facilities and endowments and to work with many of the nation's finest coaches.
"National championship coaches, all-time winningest coaches, Olympic sport coaches that frequently toil in virtual anonymity and excel nonetheless. Working with a great senior staff of colleagues and friends, Tim Fitzpatrick, Grace Calhoun, Terri Smithson, Kevin Clark, Mary Ann Rohleder, Janet Kittell, Scott Dolson, Chris Reynolds, and my very capable colleague and friend, Jack Garrett. And of course spending several years with Terry Hoeppner, Felicia Legette-Jack and most recently the architect of what I truly believe will be a great Indiana basketball program, Tom Crean.
"I'm absolutely committed to making these next six months productive, positive and enjoyable. I too am extremely disappointed by this new NCAA allegation. Regardless of how it is adjudicated, I believe strongly that my staff acted, monitored and demonstrated great care and diligence.
"Quoting Barry Gibbons, I'll say, `Write and publish what you want, but the only missions, values and ethics that count are those that manifest themselves in the behavior of all the people, all the time.'
"I will attempt to make the environment and the opportunity for success here at Indiana as bright as possible for our coaches and our student-athletes during my remaining time.
"There is one more quote that I will take the liberty of sharing with you: `The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the past, we cannot change the fact that certain people will act in a certain way, we cannot change the inevitable, the only thing we can do is to play on the one string that we have, and that is our attitude.'
"Most importantly, is the fact that I'm blessed with a magnificent family that are all here with me today. My wife of 30 years, Jenny, my daughter and son-in-law, Emily and Dave Biancamano, and my son Ben, who proudly holds two degrees from Indiana University, and his girlfriend Jeannine. They have been relentless in their support and their willingness to absorb criticism. They are all anyone could want in a family. Thank you."
Rick Greenspan Question and Answer:
On what triggered Greenspan's decision:
"I think there was a cumulative weight and I think I've been fairly consistent in saying throughout my tenure here that I see my role as a support role to provide opportunities, be it resources of personnel or facilities, financial. And I think to some degree the focus or the criticism over the last period of time, however long that is, has centered on me more than it should. Our student-athletes and coaches, I think they are the heart and soul of the program.
"An athletic director, in most cases, and I guess I've been a little bit of an exception, should be like a good official and they should be relatively unnoticed but fair and objective, and call a good game. And if my presence distracts from the proper attention of you fine folks in the media and our alums and others to focus on the accomplishments we've had, then I think it's time to make a change."
On how difficult a decision it was:
"I think I'd be less than candid, Mike, if I said these aren't hard decisions. I've worked in this profession for 30 years and there are things about our profession that I think have changed very significantly for the good, and there are things that have changed for the not-so-good. But it's the profession that I've called home for 30 years, it's a business that I think I know. The relationships are the most critical part of this, and it's what I enjoy the most.
"So, leaving some of those is what makes it hard. The buildings and the events and those things are not anywhere as gratifying to me as going out to a practice and getting to know student-athletes and working with coaches and helping them with their daily challenges. It's a difficult decision, not one I regret in anyway, but still a difficult decision.
On whether he would have hired Kelvin Sampson:
"That's an easy question that I think doesn't really merit an answer. If we spend all of our time looking in our rear-view mirror I don't think we spend time looking through the windshield and seeing what's ahead. So I think that answer is self-evident, but I think it behooves us as an institution and certainly me, to look forward. I think it's extremely regrettable that the actions of a few have brought such disappointment to so many."
On why he is resigning at the end of the year rather than immediately:
"It's really based upon a discussion that the president and I had. When you're in an administrative position, you rarely finish any of your major strategic goals, you're always in progress. But there are some relatively short-term goals that I want to see happen and want to be a productive part of that.
"I'm extremely excited, and this is not a public relations speech, I told Bill Lynch this today, I'm extremely excited about this football team and I really look forward to this football season. It's hopefully the next step in what I think is so important for Indiana. I'm excited about getting closer to the completion of the facilities that you can see as you walk around campus and a commitment that I have made to our baseball and softball coaches that we'll build them new stadiums. I feel very strongly that that's a commitment I want to honor. I want to assist in any way that I can as we work through the potholes and the uncertainties of this NCAA investigation and I think I have some history there and some institutional knowledge. I want to do everything I can for our fall coaches and, in particular, for Tom and Felicia, to help get their seasons off to a great start, because I hold both of them in extremely high regard and think that maybe I can be an asset to them. And, lastly, I think that by staying on board for a period of time, I can assist the president, not by having any active role in the selection of my successor, but in perhaps enabling him to hire a permanent successor without having to go through an interim. So, those are the main objectives."
On who is responsible for the failure to monitor:
"I think the failure to monitor allegation, and it's an allegation, not a finding, but I think the failure to monitor allegation is directed at the University. And, I say that in contrast to allegations that can be made, and in our case, have been made, against specific individuals, whether it's unethical conduct of the coaches which was brought forth, etc., those are specific to their actions and their behavior. This is an allegation towards the way the athletic department monitored phone calls and some other things.
"As to who is ultimately culpable, if that is the essence of the question, then as I have said repeatedly, as the athletic director I accept responsibility for the actions of our department, and I always have and I always will. I strongly disagree with the allegations, I strongly disagree with the uncertainty of the standards and I disagree with the vagueness of the best business practices. I don't know if that means it's going to be adjudicated in a way that we would like to see, but I don't know that I will be convinced otherwise regardless of the adjudication."
On whether the NCAA Enforcement Staff came in and talked to the compliance office:
"I probably need a little help here from somebody in the room smarter than me because I think we are still in the process of decision-making, as it relates to the adjudication. I think what I can say which is factual in nature, is that the institution went through its own in-depth investigation and there was consultation with the president, campus legal counsel, external counsel and we filed a report. When we filed that report, the NCAA Enforcement Staff conducted their own investigation, testing the voracity of our information, conducting some interviews and a variety of other things, with staff, with prospects and with others. Through that investigation, they identified their allegations and those are a matter of public record. The Enforcement Staff reports up to the Committee on Infractions, and what is disappointing and perplexing to us, although they are not singular unique, is that the Enforcement Staff, while looking at the way in which we conducted our business, that they did not believe was any reasonable way to conclude that we failed to monitor appropriately. That was not an allegation made prior to our hearing and that was not an allegation made at our hearing. And so the disappointment comes from this allegation and the timing of this allegation. Now we are in the position to determine how we want to vigorously defend this allegation."
Indiana Men's Basketball Head Coach Tom Crean Question and Answer:
On how the announcement affects the men's basketball program:
"Well, I think it's far too early to tell. I will say this first, that with Rick...I had the pleasure of working with a man a Marquette named Bill Cords. That name means so much to me because of the relationship that we had. And when I had an opportunity to come to Indiana, as valuable as those qualities are to me as a person, I saw those same things in Rick. I have been nothing short of overwhelmed with the support that he has given me and the guidance that he has shown us in three months I've been here.
"First off, I am disappointed that I'm only going to work with him another six months, but I want to be able to, as the basketball coach here on the men's side, help him in every step as we go forward in his six months. And also be side-by-side with the president and his team as we go through this and, as he said, fight this vigorously because there is no question about that.
"That is as much of an answer I can give you because we are not going to change our stance whatsoever in how we are building the program. We are rebuilding a team and we are certainly rebuilding a culture inside of that team, but we are not rebuilding a program at all. The program is incredibly strong and has been for a long, long time and it will be strong for a lot longer. We obviously have to get through some hurdles and this is one of them. We are building for the long haul and that is exactly the stance we are going to take with our current team, with our recruits in the future and everybody else that we come in contact with."
