So winning has now become more important than ethics? I though the purpose of these college sports was to help build the young athletes into better and more well rounded people...not just to win NCAA championships.
Oh wait, maybe Kenney's actions are part of that well rounded individual we all wish our kids to become.
After reading the second article, I like him a bit less. Expunging records from the 1980s? C'mon. The "team" concept is undoubtedly important. I'm just not that fond of military dictatorships or "cultures of fear." He obviously expects people to toe the line and does not particularly value individuality or stepping outside his own defined boundaries of right and wrong. But what if you don't agree with him? I'm not really sure I buy his apology or "admission of error" either. Did he have any choice? What would happen if he didn't apologize? More likely to get fired. He'd probably still like to strangle the dissenters and whistle blowers. There are no "mitigating circumstances" for expunging records. Being a legend and having done past good deeds doesn't immunize him from his own folly or mean that forgiveness should be instantly doled out. Some punishment is appropriate given the magnitude of the "error."
I'm going to put on my flip flops now.
Can he talk to his swimmers by cell phone or PDA? I'm assuming not.
And even if the kid was a "problem," he's entitled to take a summer internship without censure. Life goes on after college as we all know.
Sometimes coaches (and athletes) forget why they're in college.
I'm reminded of that commercial that runs on TV about the athletes that are "going to go pro in something other than sports".
So winning has now become more important than ethics? I though the purpose of these college sports was to help build the young athletes into better and more well rounded people...not just to win NCAA championships.
Oh wait, maybe Kenney's actions are part of that well rounded individual we all wish our kids to become.
So winning has now become more important than ethics? I though the purpose of these college sports was to help build the young athletes into better and more well rounded people...not just to win NCAA championships.
That was not the point I was trying to make. My point is that if the guy made a mistake, and he admits to it, punishment is appropriate. However, "expunging" him from the sport doesn't make any more sense than what he did to the records. (In fact it sounds kinda similar.)
He still has some great qualities as a coach and mentor, or all these former swimmers and collegues wouldn't be stepping up in his defense.
Matt.....ask Pablo or any of the others what they would think if it was their records that were expunged for having disagreed with him? Would they still think so highly of him? Don't think so!!!!:2cents:
This sounds like a guy who's got a lot of control issues. I don't doubt he's done some good or that he's having qualms of conscience about this latest record-expunging incident. Unfortunately, like a lot of abusive spouses, he may go through the ritual of apologizing without changing.
The sexual harassment incident and the fact that he can make life miserable for people who rub him the wrong way is troubling. Also the hypocrisy of giving a swimmer the cold shoulder until he wins and then acting like his best buddy.... Bobby Knight has a record of physical as well as emotional abuse, but the problem is that verbal and other types of abuse, including the silent treatment, can be as emotionally debilitating in some ways as outright violence.
Seems to me that if he is to return, there has to be something more than an apology. Some kind of anger management work might be in order as well. Also I agree with Allen Stark that dismissing those who got their records erased as "bad apples" serves no good purpose.
Donna- suspension with pay can rankle, but accords with tradition of following some sort of due process before punishment.
I have to agree with Peter here. I do not condone what Kenny did. However, I believe he is being punished for not being at the NCAA Championships this weekend, especially since he has a real good team this year. Whatever happens, people will always remember why he was not there and it will never be forgotten. His reputation has definely been tarnished. I believe the University is investigating everything besides this incident. Why I did not know that he had past trouble with sexual harrassment at the University and they stood by him in his time of trouble. I believe we will hear something very soon about Kenny's situation and I am not surprised that nothing has been said in the last 7 days or so by the University or AD. I don't think it would be fair of the University to comment on this situation while the NCAA's are going on. The swimmers there would just be hounded by the press about this and maybe they still are now and for them to swim well they just have to block it out of there mind and move forward.
Something tells me there is more here and a full investigation is going on right now to determine Kenny's fate. I am glad that at least he is getting much needed support from his past swimmers because up until about 5 days ago nobody was saying much. Until then I actually thought he was up ***** creek without a paddle. Since then swimmers have come forward to show much needed support for Kenny during this troubling ordel.
...but accords with tradition of following some sort of due process before punishment.
True. And I agree with Frank that Stanford should not make any public pronouncements during the NCAAs and without a full investigation.
As to tarnishing his reputation ... Well, he did that to himself. Maybe, as Donna speculates, he didn't think he'd get caught. It's rare to find a perfect legend anyway. He'll have to take his licks like other great generals and politicians and sports figures. As Matt says, I'm sure he'll survive his ordeal. A successful won-loss record just does not entitle him to lack of scrutiny or unblemished god-like status. It's too bad, but I feel worse for his treatment of the particular student-athletes or others who might have undeservedly drew his ire.
As a matter of fact, I think Michael McLean did the right thing by selecting the internship over the summer training. Remember, college is about preparing yourself for life and I think a summer internship is bound to do him more good in the future than swim training in the off season. No?
AMEN!
Going pro in something other than sports...
He expunged records for a reason and I would venture to bet that it is as simple as just trying to hurt specific swimmers or a group of swimmers that he had had problems with from his point of view. And because of his solid reputation as the long-standing Stanford coach, he probably weighed the pros and cons and figured he would come out on top. The position of power, again, can be the downfall of Rome.
I am irritated that he is suspended WITH pay because even if he is suffering embarassment and any form of humiliation, he didn't have to do what he did. He caused this. His pay should be suspended because that's an area that can really get someone's attention.
And maybe why many of his star swimmers and Olympians are coming forward is because he treated them like the stars they became. But we may never know if he treated some swimmers differently than others except for testimonials.
A line was definitely crossed here and he has fallen from grace. Maybe it is time for retirement. He's not the only coach in town.
