Ron Brown Returns to Nebraska as Director of Player Development

[Cdog923]

A certain percentage of the fan base will be bothered no matter what hire you make.

For reasons as legitimate as this, though? 

 

[Mavric]

Exaggerating what who did? Ron Brown?

I accurately described it.  What do you think I exaggerated?

No, you are not accurately describing it.  You are sensationalizing to fit your agenda.

He didn't "cloak[ed] himself in Husker Red to promote his opinion."  He went to speak on a topic.  He was caught somewhat off-guard when asked to give his address and, after hesitating, replied with "One Memorial Stadium".  It is equally possible and probably more likely that he had to make a snap decision about giving his home address where - being a local celebrity of sorts - he - and his family - could easily become a target for retaliation and opted for a different answer.  You have nothing to indicate that his intention in doing that was to use his position as a bully pulpit.  And he apologized for doing that. 

Had he actually gone into saying "I'm Husker coach Ron Brown" or something along those lines, that would be be 'cloaking himself in Husker Red' and his following apology would be less meaningful.  But that's not what happened, only how it's being presented.

 

[knapplc]

A certain percentage of the fan base will be bothered no matter what hire you make.

You only say that because there's been a contrary voice about every single head coach and assistant coaching hire since the days of Dana X. Bible. 

 

[knapplc]

No, you are not accurately describing it.  You are sensationalizing to fit your agenda.

He didn't "cloak[ed] himself in Husker Red to promote his opinion."  He went to speak on a topic.  He was caught somewhat off-guard when asked to give his address and, after hesitating, replied with "One Memorial Stadium".  It is equally possible and probably more likely that he had to make a snap decision about giving his home address where - being a local celebrity of sorts - he - and his family - could easily become a target for retaliation and opted for a different answer.  You have nothing to indicate that his intention in doing that was to use his position as a bully pulpit.  And he apologized for doing that. 

Had he actually gone into saying "I'm Husker coach Ron Brown" or something along those lines, that would be be 'cloaking himself in Husker Red' and his following apology would be less meaningful.  But that's not what happened, only how it's being presented.

 Watch the video.

 

[Savage Husker]

Replacing James Rodgers, who went back to Oregon State with other Riley guys. (Anybody ever heard of the guy?)

Older brother of Jaquizz Rodgers, very talented college player in his own right (or did that comment go over my head?)

 

[teachercd]

Home is where the heart is!

 

[knapplc]

I would say that is an exaggeration of what happened. Coach Brown made a mistake (willfully or otherwise and I don't know or care which one it was) and has hopefully learned from his experience.

That said, how many years of faithful and good service did he provide before he his inappropriate actions? One mistake wipes all that out? I'd wager the University let him know what the consequences would be if it happened again and it hasn't.

To the bold, clearly not. Using "One Memorial Stadium" as his address should not have happened, obviously, but to that molehill of a problem there's a mountain of good works.

And he's clearly a man who can bridge divides. He's devoutly Christian, Ameer is devoutly Muslim, but Ameer has spoken on a number of occasions about their great relationship (I can pull up quotes but I think people know about it). Here's a picture I'd already pulled up for the discussion with Kugler that says it as eloquently as anything.

Personally, I doubt the 2012 thing is thought of much after today, or a week from today.  I think people will overwhelmingly remember his connections to the best days of Husker Football, his steady leadership when Solich got fired, and this amazing moment at one of the darkest hours of all of College Football:

 

[Ziebol]

 

[knapplc]

I don't see how anyone could say "he cloaked himself in Husker Red to promote his opinion" from that video clip. /shrug

See, I do. And I have many friends in the LGBTQ community who do.

YMMV  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[knapplc]

It's a molehill that is being turned into a mountain.

I think it's much more a foothill than a mountain. I doubt we'll be talking about this in a week.

 

[Dagerow]

Nice hire.

 

[Dagerow]

See, I do. And I have many friends in the LGBTQ community who do.

YMMV  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Well, considering he never uttered the words “Husker,” “football,” and or anything like that (and gave nothing more than the address of place were he works), IMO you are reading into it - a lot.  People are allowed their own opinion.  It’s funny how some people support diversity, but refuse to allow diversity of thought when it’s not something they support.  (Not saying you’re one of those people, I don’t know you well enough).  And before you say he’s a representative of the university and shouldn’t be allowed such speech, he is — it’s guaranteed by the first amendment.

 

[HuskermanMike]

Not sure if I should say this but I assumed this would happen. Could we possibly move some of the talks on Coach Browns beliefs to P&R and keep this discussion here strictly to football? 

This man has impacted so many peoples lives and has done a number of great things for Nebraska football. I believe we should all welcome him back and trust coach Frost here as to why he brought him back. It also gives us a great option to bring him back in a coaching role in the future should Walters or Beckton leave. 

 

[Waldo]

See, I do. And I have many friends in the LGBTQ community who do.

YMMV  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

What does having friends in the community have to do with him "cloaking himself in husker red?"

 

[knapplc]

Well, considering he never uttered the words “Husker,” “football,” and or anything like that (and gave nothing more than the address of place were he works), IMO you are reading into it - a lot.  People are allowed their own opinion.  It’s funny how some people support diversity, but refuse to allow diversity of thought when it’s not something they support.  (Not saying you’re one of those people, I don’t know you well enough).  And before you say he’s a representative of the university and shouldn’t be allowed such speech, he is — it’s guaranteed by the first amendment.

People giving statements at those hearings aren't asked to give the place they work. They're asked to give their home address. People before him in that hearing had provided their address, and if we're claiming he was "nervous" or whatever the excuse is, we're ignoring his job of coaching under pressure. He wasn't nervous, he knew exactly what he was doing.  This

People ARE allowed their own opinion. They are not allowed to infer that they represent their employer without prior approval, especially when that employer is the flagship university of a state, and especially when that university has explicit policies protecting the LGBTQ community. And we know that he was wrong because he was forced to issue an apology.

It’s funny how some people support diversity, but refuse to allow diversity of thought when it’s not something they support.

Brown wasn't supporting diversity, he was asking the city council to NOT support diversity.  How did that get twisted around to being against him?  Let's put it this way - if an LGBTQ employee of UNL had gone to a meeting and given UNL as their "home address" and spoken passionately against Ron Brown's right to practice his faith, I'd be saying the same thing about them as I'm saying about Brown now.