The Laughing Wolf

Colorado

I’m not going to do a lot of coverage of this story, as there is already quite a bit out there. What I will say is this: Just as with the Air Force Academy, there is a lot of blame to go around. Just as with the Air Force Academy, there clearly need to be a LOT of changes at the University of Colorado.

Now, they are already done. Face it, when you reach the point that Jay Leno is doing jokes about you and claiming that the Taliban has denounced you over your treatment of women, you are toast. You have no chance in the short term, and the long term prospects don’t look any better. Add to it “leadership” that throws gasoline on the fire, and you have serious problems that may well end up with jail time for some.

From a communications standpoint, I am not sure they could have handled this worse. They have not even come close to the standards for dealing with a crisis, much less dealing with it in a constructive way. From a legal standpoint, I don’t have a clue, but in the court of public opinion they are fried.

The university is in much the same position now as the Air Force Academy was last year. What needs to be done is the same: The leadership needs to go. Not just the coach, but all those who had supervisory capacity over sports, from the coaches to the athletic director to the president. It really no longer matters if there were crimes or sins of commission or omission, what does matter is that there were problems and they were not dealt with. With leadership comes responsibility. Those who were leaders now need to take responsibility and do what is needed and right. Clean house, and set the stage for new leadership and a new program.

On a purely personal note, I have but one thing to suggest as punishment for one particular despicable and disgraceful incident. I think a certain kicker needs to be invited back so that she can kick two balls through the uprights. She needs to be allowed to get as close as she can in order to do so, and take as many tries as she likes to do this. Now, this is not because she is a bad player, or a “gurrrrrlllll” but because of the size and consistency of the two balls I have in mind…

LW