to discuss the last month at MSU in which the school lost its President and Athletic Director. Tom Izzo wasn’t happy today, and a lot of people blame the board for the two leaders leaving.”
Video here.
Responses on YouTube and Facebook to Balow’s interview included (identity is not included):
“The issues with the board are for real, but the idea that Guskiewicz was the best president in MSU history is delusional. Completely. In less than 3 years, the only thing one can say is that he received an incredible donation for athletics. The next president will have a lot to clean up, as Guskiewicz made many messes that do not get the publicity athletics does. He was also looking to leave from the minute he got here. He was seldom in East Lansing, and did not get to know his people. At all. J Batt has not been in one place for any length of time, so it is not clear that he was not ALSO out the door without board issues. Look at his record. What is his longest tenure. Anywhere. The Board needs to hire a president who has green and white in their blood, and not these carpetbaggers.”
“Balow, Denno and Vassar should be fired or resign. Also Balow wrote an article with the Detroit News over MSU money.”
“Mike Balow has integrity and character. He’s doing what he thinks is right, and he’s doing it at great personal cost. Balow is being blamed for the president’s leaving. His transgression? He raised questions about and would not support Spartan Ventures as it was presented by the prez and AD to the university board. He wanted changes, including not giving the SV board more authority than MSU’s publicly elected university board. No dice. So he and another board member wrote an op ed in the Detroit News. Response? The board adopted a resolution, to be signed by all board members, that restricts public comment. Loyalty oath and gag order. He wouldn’t sign. I support Mike, and I would have done what he did had I been in his position. Now he’s being scapegoated.
