Sickle Cell Doesn’t Kill People; UCFAA Does *

I’m pulling the blog out of retirement for just a day to make comments on the 10 million dollar judgment against UCFAA in the Plancher case.

Grant Heston’s spin:

Heston said that the ruling on punitive damages vindicates the members of UCFAA and proves that "they're people of great character, integrity and professionalism."

Ha Ha Ha. Such spin. A jury just determined that UCFAA was negligent to the tune of ten million dollars in the death of a football player, and Grant is talking about how the decision vindicates UCFAA. By the way, Grant, I watched some of your interviews with the media about the case. You looked constipated. Now, that may be because you were constipated but as a good PR person you should work on that. You want to appear to have regular bowel movements even though you are all knotted up inside. That’s PR, buddy. Do you understand?

Did any of you watch that one football player testify for the defense? Fucking creepy. He thought players that “went outside of the circle” and talked to the news media were “cowards.” I don’t ever want to try to leave a cult that he is part of.

I just loved that the judge said O’Leary wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer.

This is really a verdict against John Hitt. He hired O’Leary despite obvious concerns about his character. And even now after all the evidence he won’t fire the fuck up because that would call into question the wisdom of his original decision.

* If you didn’t pay obsessive attention to the trial you might not get this joke. UCFAA argued that Ereck didn’t die from complications (i.e., an O’Leary workout) of sickle cell but from an undiagnosed heart condition. Obviously, the jury didn’t buy the argument.

Keep Me Away From Red Kryptonite

Recently, there was a “good news” UCF story. It wasn’t something I would ever bother to comment on except there is a hysterical, gossipy back story. I really want to write about this back story, but UCF gossip is not what this blog is supposed to be about.

I could make a thematic connection about UCF loving money, but the connection would be weak; it would be obvious that I just wanted to tell this really good story.

Lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil.

Damn it! I just thought of a clever James Bond reference for the title of the post that I ought not ever post.

I’m going to be good.

I’ll try anyway.

Sportsholes

A society that gives George O’Leary a four hundred thousand dollar bonus for doing something that is as unremarkable as it is unimportant is a fucked up society indeed.

The Eat Shit Criterion

I’m glad UCF won its first bowl game. I hope the success continues.

I recognize my bias. I’ve been shitting on UCF for so long that no matter what it does, I’m going to be inclined to interpret it negatively. So, I want to propose a criterion that if met by UCF will get me to say “I was wrong, and Hitt knew what he was doing.”

If UCF sells enough tickets, merchandise, and TV rights that it can substantially lower the student athletic fee then the program will be a success. If that happens then I’ll retract my criticisms.

I’ll still think the school is a diploma mill, however.

Hitt’s Failure is an Orphan

Sorry for the light posting, but I’ve been busy hanging lights and dressing up as Santa Claus.

If you haven’t seen it, you should check out this Beth Kassab article about the business of UCF basketball.

The University of Central Florida's home court is the centerpiece of the largest construction project in the school's history: a $242 million development that includes the 10,000-seat arena, retail shops, student housing and a parking garage.

The complex opened in the fall of 2007, just before the worst recession since World War II got under way.

As a result, the economy has taken its toll on the town-like social center near the school's new football stadium. High turnover and empty storefronts plague the retail space. The pull-back in consumer spending has slowed ticket sales and concession revenue for concerts and other events. And a naming-rights deal for the arena itself — projected before the start of construction to be worth $250,000 a year — never materialized.

Hitt has always aspired to be more than an administrator tasked with the orderly and efficient operation of a university. He has aspired to be an entrepreneur. But he is not. Entrepreneurs raise capital from investors not taxpayers. Entrepreneurs are able to sense the future and profit from it.

Interesting

The Sentinel did another article on the cheating scandal. Taylor Ellis tends to speak his mind.

The midterm exam was 55 multiple-choice questions, with different versions generated by a computer program each day during the midterm testing period. Quinn set up the test so that each version was pulled from the test bank, a practice Ellis said was not ideal.

First Chink in the Armor

I haven’t gotten a particularly bad vibe from the new Provost, but this essay is really weak. Surely he could have done better.