CCSU Men's Soccer Coach

[bluedevilfanatic]

http://www.newstimes.com/sports/article ... 543140.php

Not good!

[J.J.]

This was a very, very poor decision by an otherwise fantastic coach. First, the report in the student newspaper was nearly a summary of the official press release issued by the SID. The Courant and the Herald carried the same story, so I'm not even sure why he might have thoght the story was unfair.

It is my hope the AD sits down with him, then Coach issues a brief, but straighforward public apology, and then we all move on. This was just the coach's emotional response to an issue that I'm sure he is sensitive about. Furthermore, IMO what Coach Green did is no worse than Jim Calhoun berating state reporters with his "not one cent" response to questions about State budget crisis and his own multi-million dollar salary.

Coach Green has done fantastic things for this University and the community for nearly 30 years. This is a just a minor lapse in his judgment, and I would hope that everyone can move on in short order, so he can return the team to the NCAAs in 2013!

[Larryl9797]

My guess Coach Green was probably shamed and very very frusturated at missing the APR by a point.. And probably snapped at hearing the Recodrer did this story ( although not really a story .. mroe of a recap).

Good judgement went out the window, he lost his cool and he got busted tossing the paper copies...... I dont think that anyone will dispute the poor judgement and the potential black eye on the Atheltic Department... He should issue a public apology and meet with the recorder staff and ask for 'real' forgivness behind closed doors...

[Skyhawkct]

Compared to things going on at other institutions...this is a "blip".

[Shoreline]

Believe it or not, this alleged story was also covered on the WTNH-8 & InsideHigherEd websites.

More proof that human beings simply do not generate enough real news each day to fill a 24 hour news cycle.

[J.J.]

Yep, this story was picked up by a lot of outlets, mostly as a news/freedom of press issue, not a sports story.

UPDATES:

Wednesday, May 9, 2012 10:22 PM EDT
By MATT STRAUB, Sports Editor

NEW BRITAIN — Central Connecticut Director of Athletics Paul Schlickmann met with CCSU men’s soccer coach Shaun Green Wednesday to discuss an incident last week in which Green threw out a collection of student newspapers featuring a story detailing the team’s banishment from next year’s postseason for a low APR score.

CCSU Sports Information Director Tom Pincince confirmed the meeting took place and no immediate decision was made about any potential disciplinary measures.

“It’s an ongoing process so there will likely be more discussions,” Pincince said.

The incident took place last Thursday. Green, whose team was recently declared ineligible for next year’s postseason tournaments because of NCAA academic sanctions, told police he was upset about an article in The CCSU Recorder regarding the team. Green has been the head coach of the Blue Devils for 27 seasons.

May 09, 2012|By MIKE ANTHONY, manthony@courant.com, The Hartford Courant

Central Connecticut men's soccer coach Shaun Green met with athletic director Paul Schlickmann on Wednesday to discuss Green's throwing away of about 150 copies of the student newspaper, The Recorder.

Green was irked that The Recorder ran a story about the team's postseason ban when he cleared several racks containing the free paper in the student union. Police investigated, no criminal charges were filed and the case is closed, but Green, in his 27th year, could face disciplinary action.

"I can confirm that there was a meeting," Central athletic department spokesman Tom Pincince said. "No decisions have been made. It is an ongoing personnel matter and that is all we can comment on at this time."

[ccsuhoops]

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/index.ss ... e0a2eda2ab

[J.J.]

Agree this was a very serious lapse in judgment and leadership by both Green and Wright, but I'm disappointed that Wright will not have his contract renewed. A fine and suspension should have been enough for him as well.

That being said, the integrity and reputation of the University is more important than any individual and so the sanctions against Wright and Green do seem fair and appropriate. Hopefully CCSU can move on from this quickly and the soccer team can rally around their coach. Nothing would be better to see this team win the regular season title in 2012 and go on to win the NEC Tourney the following year in 2013 when they become eligible.

I know this was not an easy situation for the AD, President, or Coach Green. Considering the entire situation and facts at hand, it was handled promptly and appropriately and I guess that's all we can really ask for.

New Britain, CT--CCSU President Jack Miller announced the University’s response to the incident involving CCSU Head Soccer Coach Shaun Green and Assistant Coach Paul Wright. In making the announcement, President Miller said, “We are troubled whenever one of our athletic teams at Central Connecticut State University has academic failure, since we consider academic success to be one of the most important parts of a coach’s work. Further, we have built a culture of freedom of expression and freedom of the press and personally defended those freedoms even when the result is criticism of us. Our men’s soccer coaches, Green and Wright, have exercised poor judgment on both accounts demonstrating a lack of fitness in leadership. The penalties issued are not about one leadership failure or the other, but about both taken as one incident.”

In response, the University will take the following actions:

First, Assistant Coach Paul Wright will not have his contract renewed when it expires on June 14, 2012.

Second, mindful of Coach Green’s 27 years of service to Central, the University will sanction him as follows:

1. He will be suspended for 60 days without pay.

2. He will be suspended from coaching 4 games during the 2012 season.

3. He is required to issue a formal written apology to the University community, to the CCSU Athletics Department, and to the student reporters and editors of the Recorder.

4. He must make personal financial restitution to the Recorder for destroying the copies.

5. In accordance with the collective bargaining agreement, a letter of suspension will be placed in his personnel file specifying the consequences for any further behavior demonstrating a lack of fitness in leadership.

Third, the CCSU Athletics Department will be penalized $100,000.

Prior to the imposition of Coach Green’s suspension without pay, he will have access to contractual due process rights and procedures under the collective bargaining agreement.

“Make no mistake,” said President Miller, “this matter goes to the heart of our educational mission. I believe our response sends a clear signal that acts which contradict our educational mission will bring serious consequences.”

CCSU Director of Athletics Paul Schlickmann said, “The behavior displayed by Coach Green is unacceptable on multiple levels. It runs completely counter to our core values and our commitment to exemplary behavior in all aspects of campus life. It does not reflect the kind of leadership we demand of our coaches. We deeply regret his disrespect of the students who work on the Recorder.”

[Deltaguy]

Serious yes, but, was it overblown? It's easy for me to sit back and say that the penalties on both are a bit harsh.
In today's society, everyone who believes that they've been wronged, needs to see that pound of flesh. I find that to be distastful. Yet,that's where we are. Again, as has been mentioned, this was very foolish. Yet, how does this rise to the level of usurping a paper's freedom? There were many newspapers still around and, I assume their website had the text of the paper.
Game suspension on both coaches should have been the end of it.

[ccsuhoops]

Granted I haven't searched hard but I've yet to hear an explanation as to why the Assistant gets canned and the coach gets suspended? Did the assistant do something more/different?

[Larryl9797]

Third, the CCSU Athletics Department will be penalized $100,000.

WOW - This one stings... the wole AD budget gets whacked 100K...

Ready for this to be put to bed, Hopefully these sanctions were ment to be harsh so ALL coaches will think twice or cool down before acting.....

[ccsuhoops]

That one is actually crap! Punish the guilty more so everyone else wont act based on that punishment, don't kill the whole budget, which probably sucks to begin with!

[Shoreline]

“Third, the CCSU Athletics Department will be penalized $100,000.”

And this makes sense, how???

[Skyhawkct]

From the "Lets Make a Mountain out of a Mole Hill" Department... WTF???