Robservations: Donnelly done dirty by McPhee
Despite what the headlines may say, MTSU athletic director James “Boots” Donnelly was fired on Wednesday.
He didn’t “step down,” he didn’t “agree to resign.” Nobody agrees to resign. The man was fired.
A university president who has been around since 2001 gave the boot to the only athletic director he’s had in his career at Middle.
No, let’s further clarify that last sentence. A four-year president, who during his short tenure has already had to fend off more than one potentially career-ending controversy — and still kept his job, during all of it, mind you — sent packing the living, breathing personification of Blue Raider athletics.
Why? Because McPhee, through his own admission, “made the decision that we should move in a different direction in terms of leadership, and it’s as simple as that.”
No, it’s nowhere near as simple as that, Sid.
You can talk win-loss records all you like, and you can prattle on and on about how “it was time,” if you want to. But here’s one Blue Raider fan who is sickened by this whole situation.
First of all, as surprising as I’ll admit it was, Donnelly made a darn fine athletic director. During his five years in a job he initially didn’t even want, the 20-year football coach turned his attention to sports neither he, nor most people, would normally care about.
And he didn’t just pay them attention. He showered them with it.
What about a new locker room for the women’s basketball team, spectacular renovations to the tennis facility, and taking the old gymnasium — which was a dump when this MTSU fan was a student — and transforming it into a standout volleyball arena and practice facility for his school’s basketball squads?
Not enough? How about securing $1.5 million for a new Blue Raider Hall of Fame? A Hall of Fame which includes, by the way, one James “Boots” Donnelly, because of the two decades of success he brought to the football field.
It’s just my opinion, but of course this is the space provided for my opinions. And in my opinion, the direction MTSU’s athletic leadership was headed in wasn’t that bad.
The same can’t quite be said for the overall university leadership, though, can it?
Donnelly’s been around almost three decades. McPhee, on the other hand, has been around less time than I’ve been sitting at this sports desk.
During his short tenure at the university’s helm, however, McPhee has had to deal with a sexual harassment controversy that made Clarence Thomas look like Clarence, the angel from “It’s a Wonderful Life.” He made Bill O’Reilly look like “Radar” O’Reilly. And along the way he very nearly lost his job, he did lose significant personal finances, and he also lost a significant amount of respect from some university supporters.
As of Wednesday, as far as this university supporter is concerned, he’s now lost all respect.
The final blow came, however, with how McPhee dealt with the media regarding his firing of coach Donnelly.
After 26 years, he could have had his meeting, told Donnelly he wanted him to resign, and let Boots go out with a brief press conference, making those “I’d rather fish and spend time with the grandkids” statements that are oh-so common. He could have let an old, loyal soldier — a five-star general in the Blue Raider army — simply fade away into the sunset.
But, no. Sid has to have his media relations employees send out the notice that Donnelly has resigned, then go on to describe how he called the meeting with his AD and he made the decision Donnelly should step down.
If you think Boots is OK with that decision, by the way, try to get a comment from him on it. A man who has never been at a loss for words — and after nearly daily conversations with him during his final season as head coach, I should know — he now refuses to comment on the move with anyone.
So in his stead, and because I consider him not only an encyclopedia of athletic knowledge, but a friend, I’ll comment for him.
Boots didn’t quit. He was fired. He got the shaft by a young university president who should be worried more about saving his own reputation than the reputation of an athletic department.
And that department, and that university, are worse off because of it.