Post by Aggie One on Oct 26, 2005 11:11:31 GMT -5
www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/sports/colleges/florida_am_university/12997311.htm
Q&A: Joe asks FAMU to do more
By Heath A. Smith
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Former Florida A&M football coach Billy Joe has the kind of home a man could comfortably retire in.
From the exclusive Killearn neighborhood, the manicured lawn and the tiled entrance to the front door, the spacious living room and the swimming pool in the back, Joe's home could truly be considered his palace.
The only problem is Joe isn't retired. He's unemployed after being fired by FAMU interim athletic director E. Newton Jackson June14.
Joe hopes his employment status will have changed by this time next year and he will once again either be pacing the sidelines or in the coaches' booth on Saturdays.
Two weeks ago the NCAA's Infractions Committee cleared the way for Joe to seek another coaching job when they cleared him of major rule violations alleged by his former employers.
The committee also cleared the way for Joe to seek compensation for the remaining two years on his contract, which could amount to more than $270,000.
Joe would like FAMU to just apologize and give him his money, but he is prepared to file a lawsuit if necessary.
In the meantime, Joe enjoys the comfort of his home while he awaits his next football challenge. The following are excerpts from an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat:
When did your relationship with FAMU's administration first become strained?
Joe: First, let me say this. The last four years I endured four presidents. In the last four years, I endured four athletic directors and let's factor into the equation a board of trustees. It seems, and rightly so, that each president and athletic director and chairman of the board of trustees had their own designs as to what FAMU's football program should be. Of course then (former BOT Chairman) Jim Corbin came up with this stupid idea of going DivisionI-A when we did not have the financial wherewithal, the commitment or the facilities.
Jim Corbin was instrumental in getting Fred Gainous hired as president. I was told that one of his directives was to pursue a Division I-A program. Jim Corbin was instrumental in hiring (former interim athletic director) Bobby (J.R.E.) Lee, and I was told that one of his (Gainous') directives was for Bobby Lee to pursue Division I-A status. I was not in agreement with the administration in going DivisionI-A because it was very foolhardy to me and I knew that it was going to be a failure. I was hopeful that I would be wrong.
What happened when you expressed you concerns about the proposed move to DivisionI-A with the administration?
Joe: I made my feelings known, and in doing so, I was told that Jim Corbin told Fred Gainous and Bobby Lee to call me to the carpet and get me on board. Of course I was called to the president's office along with Bobby Lee. I was admonished rather harshly and was told if I did not get on board the president would come down with all the power of his position on me. After a half-hour verbal tirade I was asked to explain why I was not supportive of this move. Before I could get started, which, was kind of jovial to me, the president raised his hands in a 'T' and said 'Timeout.'
He then ran to the door and opened it with the understanding that I was supposed to walk out of it. Of course that is exactly what I did. I still did not get totally on board because I did not think it was a good move. As we know, that move was aborted because the powers that be realized that it was not a good move. Later Fred Gainous came to an athletic department staff meeting and apologized to me publicly for not listening to my advice not to go that route.
In your opinion does the administration care about athletics?
Joe: I just don't think that the executive administration realizes how important athletics is to the overall status and development of the university. Athletics is an integral part of the overall community of this university. The executive administration doesn't realize that and if they do realize that, they don't want to move on it. For years, the executive administration has refused to fund the athletic department in terms of giving them the equipment and facilities that it needs. Still the executive administration expects its athletic programs to prevail, especially the football program. Football and the other sports aren't being taken care of, which is one of the reasons there has been a lack of institutional control.
How much do you blame former assistant athletic director for compliance Jonathan Evans for the NCAA problems FAMU is currently facing?
Joe: You cannot entirely blame Jonathan Evans for those 200 NCAA infractions. You have to put 99 percent of the blame on the executive administration. They hired Jonathan Evans when he was not qualified, certified and not really knowledgeable about the position. Jonathan Evans came to FAMU as a graduate assistant basketball coach. He very quickly moved up the administrative ladder and was given a top position within the athletic department as a compliance director. That's like NASA hiring me to build a rocket in two months and giving me $200,000 a year to do it. Of course it's wrong for me to accept the job because I don't know anything about building rockets, but it's also wrong for NASA to hire me, put me in that position and expect me to be successful. That's what happened in Jonathan Evans' case and that is what is happening throughout the athletic department.
A lot of people are being hired who aren't qualified, then they're not given the proper finances and staff. Jonathan Evans wasn't given the proper facilities and staff, plus he wasn't knowledgeable so he made a lot of mistakes. It's not because he wanted to; he just wasn't knowledgeable - so you have to put the blame on the front door of the executive administration for putting him in that situation.
Why did you stay at FAMU as long as you did?
Joe: When you become a FAMUan you fall in love with the university, you fall in love with Tallahassee, you fall in love with the mystique of being a Rattler and it is really tough to leave. I talked to former head coaches Rudy Hubbard and Ken Riley. Usually when you leave FAMU as a coach you don't go anywhere else. FAMU has a legendary history. It's a program that is easy to sell and you are located where most of the great high school football players are. It's extremely difficult to leave FAMU for these reasons. There are a lot of positives that will keep you here and I have had several offers.
Is FAMU a victim of the success it had under former head coach Jake Gaither (1945-69)?
Joe: FAMU is definitely a victim of its success. FAMU had unbelievable success during the period of segregation, but segregation is long gone. FAMU needs to redirect its enthusiasm, goals, dreams and ambitions so that it is congruent to modern times. We know that FAMU has the ability to be an outstanding athletic department and football program, but at this stage FAMU must realize that you have to have funds in its coffers to survive and thrive today. You can not have hotdog money and try and buy steak. It does cost to have a fundamentally sound football program that is going to be successful. A lot of FAMUans don't understand that financially we leave a lot to be desired even compared to other DivisionI-AA HBCU's.
Can you give an example of another HBCU that is doing a better job raising money for athletics than FAMU?
Joe: We can't come close to what B-CC has raised through its boosters and we should far exceed whatever B-CC raises through its boosters. It shouldn't even be close, but B-CC is way ahead in terms of raising money. That's unfortunate because FAMUans do have the wherewithal to change that. We have been so successful in the past without contributing financially that we have not gotten into the habit of contributing. Of course if we had a game on the moon, we'd have a lot of orange and green up there. We can get the support from a physical standpoint, but for some reason won't open up our pocketbooks. This is not just limited to boosters. The administration has access to endowments and there are some HBCU's using their endowments in athletics. FAMU will not do that.
What is the future of FAMU's athletics if it continues to be underfunded?
Joe: If FAMU cannot accommodate itself on the DivisionI-AA level, then we need to move down to DivisionII. If we can't accommodate ourselves on that level, than we should move down to DivisionIII. If we can't accommodate itself on that level, then they should move to the NAIA. It does cost and at this particular time the boosters and the other support groups are not making it happen. So the FAMU administration needs to make it happen and they have the financial means to make it happen. That decision needs to be made and relatively soon.
If it's not, then FAMU will eventually get the death penalty because the staffing and funding won't be there to continue to operate at this level and mistakes will happen again. I was appalled and really quite exasperated that on the weekend of our hearing with the NCAA, when these issues are supposed to be resolved, seven (football) ballplayers turn up ineligible. That is a serious problem. FAMU needs to support the athletic department from a financial standpoint, then it must be committed to doing it right and getting it right.
Q&A: Joe asks FAMU to do more
By Heath A. Smith
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Former Florida A&M football coach Billy Joe has the kind of home a man could comfortably retire in.
From the exclusive Killearn neighborhood, the manicured lawn and the tiled entrance to the front door, the spacious living room and the swimming pool in the back, Joe's home could truly be considered his palace.
The only problem is Joe isn't retired. He's unemployed after being fired by FAMU interim athletic director E. Newton Jackson June14.
Joe hopes his employment status will have changed by this time next year and he will once again either be pacing the sidelines or in the coaches' booth on Saturdays.
Two weeks ago the NCAA's Infractions Committee cleared the way for Joe to seek another coaching job when they cleared him of major rule violations alleged by his former employers.
The committee also cleared the way for Joe to seek compensation for the remaining two years on his contract, which could amount to more than $270,000.
Joe would like FAMU to just apologize and give him his money, but he is prepared to file a lawsuit if necessary.
In the meantime, Joe enjoys the comfort of his home while he awaits his next football challenge. The following are excerpts from an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat:
When did your relationship with FAMU's administration first become strained?
Joe: First, let me say this. The last four years I endured four presidents. In the last four years, I endured four athletic directors and let's factor into the equation a board of trustees. It seems, and rightly so, that each president and athletic director and chairman of the board of trustees had their own designs as to what FAMU's football program should be. Of course then (former BOT Chairman) Jim Corbin came up with this stupid idea of going DivisionI-A when we did not have the financial wherewithal, the commitment or the facilities.
Jim Corbin was instrumental in getting Fred Gainous hired as president. I was told that one of his directives was to pursue a Division I-A program. Jim Corbin was instrumental in hiring (former interim athletic director) Bobby (J.R.E.) Lee, and I was told that one of his (Gainous') directives was for Bobby Lee to pursue Division I-A status. I was not in agreement with the administration in going DivisionI-A because it was very foolhardy to me and I knew that it was going to be a failure. I was hopeful that I would be wrong.
What happened when you expressed you concerns about the proposed move to DivisionI-A with the administration?
Joe: I made my feelings known, and in doing so, I was told that Jim Corbin told Fred Gainous and Bobby Lee to call me to the carpet and get me on board. Of course I was called to the president's office along with Bobby Lee. I was admonished rather harshly and was told if I did not get on board the president would come down with all the power of his position on me. After a half-hour verbal tirade I was asked to explain why I was not supportive of this move. Before I could get started, which, was kind of jovial to me, the president raised his hands in a 'T' and said 'Timeout.'
He then ran to the door and opened it with the understanding that I was supposed to walk out of it. Of course that is exactly what I did. I still did not get totally on board because I did not think it was a good move. As we know, that move was aborted because the powers that be realized that it was not a good move. Later Fred Gainous came to an athletic department staff meeting and apologized to me publicly for not listening to my advice not to go that route.
In your opinion does the administration care about athletics?
Joe: I just don't think that the executive administration realizes how important athletics is to the overall status and development of the university. Athletics is an integral part of the overall community of this university. The executive administration doesn't realize that and if they do realize that, they don't want to move on it. For years, the executive administration has refused to fund the athletic department in terms of giving them the equipment and facilities that it needs. Still the executive administration expects its athletic programs to prevail, especially the football program. Football and the other sports aren't being taken care of, which is one of the reasons there has been a lack of institutional control.
How much do you blame former assistant athletic director for compliance Jonathan Evans for the NCAA problems FAMU is currently facing?
Joe: You cannot entirely blame Jonathan Evans for those 200 NCAA infractions. You have to put 99 percent of the blame on the executive administration. They hired Jonathan Evans when he was not qualified, certified and not really knowledgeable about the position. Jonathan Evans came to FAMU as a graduate assistant basketball coach. He very quickly moved up the administrative ladder and was given a top position within the athletic department as a compliance director. That's like NASA hiring me to build a rocket in two months and giving me $200,000 a year to do it. Of course it's wrong for me to accept the job because I don't know anything about building rockets, but it's also wrong for NASA to hire me, put me in that position and expect me to be successful. That's what happened in Jonathan Evans' case and that is what is happening throughout the athletic department.
A lot of people are being hired who aren't qualified, then they're not given the proper finances and staff. Jonathan Evans wasn't given the proper facilities and staff, plus he wasn't knowledgeable so he made a lot of mistakes. It's not because he wanted to; he just wasn't knowledgeable - so you have to put the blame on the front door of the executive administration for putting him in that situation.
Why did you stay at FAMU as long as you did?
Joe: When you become a FAMUan you fall in love with the university, you fall in love with Tallahassee, you fall in love with the mystique of being a Rattler and it is really tough to leave. I talked to former head coaches Rudy Hubbard and Ken Riley. Usually when you leave FAMU as a coach you don't go anywhere else. FAMU has a legendary history. It's a program that is easy to sell and you are located where most of the great high school football players are. It's extremely difficult to leave FAMU for these reasons. There are a lot of positives that will keep you here and I have had several offers.
Is FAMU a victim of the success it had under former head coach Jake Gaither (1945-69)?
Joe: FAMU is definitely a victim of its success. FAMU had unbelievable success during the period of segregation, but segregation is long gone. FAMU needs to redirect its enthusiasm, goals, dreams and ambitions so that it is congruent to modern times. We know that FAMU has the ability to be an outstanding athletic department and football program, but at this stage FAMU must realize that you have to have funds in its coffers to survive and thrive today. You can not have hotdog money and try and buy steak. It does cost to have a fundamentally sound football program that is going to be successful. A lot of FAMUans don't understand that financially we leave a lot to be desired even compared to other DivisionI-AA HBCU's.
Can you give an example of another HBCU that is doing a better job raising money for athletics than FAMU?
Joe: We can't come close to what B-CC has raised through its boosters and we should far exceed whatever B-CC raises through its boosters. It shouldn't even be close, but B-CC is way ahead in terms of raising money. That's unfortunate because FAMUans do have the wherewithal to change that. We have been so successful in the past without contributing financially that we have not gotten into the habit of contributing. Of course if we had a game on the moon, we'd have a lot of orange and green up there. We can get the support from a physical standpoint, but for some reason won't open up our pocketbooks. This is not just limited to boosters. The administration has access to endowments and there are some HBCU's using their endowments in athletics. FAMU will not do that.
What is the future of FAMU's athletics if it continues to be underfunded?
Joe: If FAMU cannot accommodate itself on the DivisionI-AA level, then we need to move down to DivisionII. If we can't accommodate ourselves on that level, than we should move down to DivisionIII. If we can't accommodate itself on that level, then they should move to the NAIA. It does cost and at this particular time the boosters and the other support groups are not making it happen. So the FAMU administration needs to make it happen and they have the financial means to make it happen. That decision needs to be made and relatively soon.
If it's not, then FAMU will eventually get the death penalty because the staffing and funding won't be there to continue to operate at this level and mistakes will happen again. I was appalled and really quite exasperated that on the weekend of our hearing with the NCAA, when these issues are supposed to be resolved, seven (football) ballplayers turn up ineligible. That is a serious problem. FAMU needs to support the athletic department from a financial standpoint, then it must be committed to doing it right and getting it right.
