Roger Goodell reportedly wants to meet with Charlie Strong

By Sep 25, 2014, 11:33 AM EDT
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Some Texas fans may not appreciate Charlie Strong‘s brand of discipline, but one very powerful — and beleaguered — man apparently does.

With the NFL in general and his handling of Ray Rice specifically drawing intense and pointed criticism from both inside and outside the sports world, Roger Goodell is looking to meet with the Texas head coach at some point in the coming week, Chip Brown of Horns Digest is reporting ($ link).  In addition to the commissioner, DeMaurice Smith, the head of the NFL player’s union, is expected to meet with Strong as well.

Two of the most powerful men in sports want to meet with the first-year UT coach to discuss his “Five Core Values.”  For those unfamiliar, Strong’s list is a very simple — and common sense — approach to building a football program and, most importantly, turning players into men.

1. Honesty
2. Treat Women With Respect
3. No Drugs
4. No Stealing
5. No Guns

Strong has come under fire from some for dismissing nine players over the last eight months as he attempts to change the culture in Austin. His emphasis on drug testing has likely played a role in at least one, if not more, of those dismissals.

One of Strong’s most loyal lieutenants doesn’t understand what all of the fuss is about over Strong’s dedication to his core principles.

“He puts [the core values] on the wall and [the perception is] it’s like a new thing, like somebody wrote the Bible,” UT defensive coordinator Vance Bedford said earlier this month. “Well … [treat] a woman with respect. If you have a son, won’t you teach him that? I never had a gun. My mom never let me have a gun. My wife surely won’t let me have a gun. What’s wrong with that? No drugs. What’s wrong with that? Don’t steal. What’s wrong with that? What’s big about those core values? It’s the same thing every parent out there teaches.”

At least as far as Goodell and Smith appear to be concerned, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. Even as Strong’s strident and strict approach could never, ever work in the NFL — hello, union, owners — perhaps the two men could learn something, anything that will keep individuals from further embarrassing their precious “Shield.”

UPDATED 12:59 p.m. ET: Brown has added a little more meat to his initial report, including when Goodell and Smith are expected to meet with Strong.

Sources told HornsDigest.com on Thursday NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the head of the NFL player’s union, DeMaurice Smith, are scheduled to be in Austin on Sunday and will meet with Texas coach Charlie Strong about Strong’s commitment to his five core values.

The NFL is now contributing money to the National Domestic Violence Hotline (The Hotline) based in Austin, and sources told HD that Goodell and DeMaurice Smith are scheduled to be in town on Sunday to visit with hotline officials and want to meet with Strong as well.

There is, though, this, so take everything with a grain of salt I guess:

UPDATED 2:29 p.m. ET: The latest update casts further doubt on the original report.  From Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman:

Georgia extends contract for AD Josh Brooks, plans two new football practice fields

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 9:14 PM EDT
Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK
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ATHENS, Ga. – On the heels of a second straight national football championship, Georgia has rewarded athletic director Josh Brooks a contract extension that ties him to the Bulldogs through at least 2029.

The athletic association board, wrapping up its annual spring meeting Friday at a resort on Lake Oconee, also announced plans for a new track and field facility that will free up space for two more football practice fields.

Brooks’ new contract will increase his salary to $1.025 million a year, with annual raises of $100,000.

The 42-year-old Brooks, who took over the athletic department in 2021 after Greg McGarity retired, called the Georgia job “a dream for me” and said he hopes to spend the rest of his career in Athens.

“I am extremely grateful,” Brooks said. “I got into this business 20-plus years ago as a student equipment manager. My first job at Louisiana-Monroe was making $20,000 a year in football operations.”

The Georgia board approved a fiscal 2024 budget of $175.2 million, a nearly 8% increase from the most recent budget of $162.2 million and the sign of a prosperous program that is flush with money after its success on the gridiron.

The school received approval to move forward with its preliminary plans for a new track and field facility, which will be built across the street from the complex hosting the soccer and and softball teams.

The current track stadium is located adjacent to the Butts-Mehre athletic facility, which hosts the practice fields and training facilities for the football program.

Georgia lost a chunk of its outdoor fields when it built a new indoor practice facility. After the new track and field stadium is completed, the current space will be converted to two full-length, grass football practice fields at the request of coach Kirby Smart.

“He wants to find efficient ways to practice, and there is a lot of truth to the issues we’ve had with our current practice fields,” Brooks said. “There is a lot of strain on our turf facilities staff to keep that field in great shape when half the day it is getting shade, so that has been a challenge as well. For our football program, it is better to practice on grass fields than (artificial) turf, so to be able to have two side-by-side grass fields is huge. It makes for a much more efficient practice.”

The new track and field complex, which will continue to be named Spec Towns Track, will also include an indoor facility, the first of its kind in the state of Georgia.

Iowa AD Gary Barta announces retirement after 17 years at Big Ten school

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 9:11 PM EDT
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
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IOWA CITY, Iowa – Iowa athletic director Gary Barta will retire on August 1 after 17 years at the university, the school announced Friday.

Barta, 59, is one of the longest-tenured athletic directors in a Power Five conference. He was hired by Iowa in 2006 after being the AD at Wyoming.

An interim director will be announced next week, Iowa said.

In September, Iowa hired former Ball State athletic director Beth Goetz to be deputy director of athletics and chief operating officer, putting her in position to possibly succeed Barta.

“It has been an absolute privilege and honor to serve in this role the past 17 years,” Barta said in a statement. “This decision didn’t come suddenly, nor did it come without significant thought, discussion, and prayer.”

“That said, I’m confident this is the right time for me and for my family.”

Iowa won four NCAA national team titles and 27 Big Ten team titles during Barta’s tenure. The women’s basketball team is coming off an appearance in the national championship game and the wrestling team is coming off a second-place finish at the NCAA championships.

Barta served as the chairman of the College Football Playoff committee in 2020 and 2021.

He faced heavy criticism over more than $11 million in settlements for lawsuits in recent years alleging racial and sexual discrimination within the athletic department.

Lawsuits filed by former field hockey coach Tracey Griesbaum and associate athletics director Jane Meyer led to a $6.5 million payout.

Iowa had to pay $400,000 as part of a Title IX lawsuit brought by athletes after it cut four sports in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the agreement, Iowa reinstated the women’s swimming and diving program and add another women’s sport.

Iowa added women’s wrestling, the first among Power Five schools to compete this year.

A lawsuit brought by former football players alleging racial discrimination within the program was settled for $4.2 million last March, which prompted state auditor Rob Sand to call for Barta’s ouster.

“Gary Barta’s departure is a long time coming given the four different lawsuits for discrimination that cost Iowa more than $11 million,” Sand posted on Twitter.

The university did not allow taxpayer money to be used for the settlement with the former players.

Barta led Iowa through $380 million of facility upgrades, including renovation of Kinnick Stadium, the construction of a new football facility, a basketball practice facility and a training center for the wrestling teams.

Under Barta, Iowa has had just one head football coach (Kirk Ferentz), women’s basketball coach (Lisa Bluder) and wrestling coach (Tom Brands). All were in place when he arrived.

Barta has also come under scrutiny for allowing Ferentz to employee his son, Brian Ferentz, as offensive coordinator. To comply with the university’s nepotism policy, Brian Ferentz reports to Barta.