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October 13, 2006

Agreed: Michael Adams is a Big Fat Liar

Finally, Vince Dooley and Michael Adams agree on something: Michael Adams is a big fat liar. Embattled UGA Dictator President apologized to Coach Dooley for lying in the editorial Adams wrote in Thursday's AJC.

Predictably, Adams is trying to deflect any blame for the pitifully low graduation rates of UGA athletes during Adams' tenure as President while trying to throw Dooley under the bus.

How do you know Michael Adams cannot be trusted? Check his neck. How do you know he is lying? His lips are moving.

The low graduation rates for the 1996-2000 athletes recently reported are largely coterminous with the coaching tenures of Jim Donnan, Ron Jirsa, and Jim Harrick. Michael Adams is responsible for the hiring of Jim Harrick over Dooley's objections, and Harrick's tenure put basketball graduation rates in the toilet for the foreseeable future. Michael Adams made under-the-table retention payments to Jim Donnan unbeknownst to Coach Dooley and the Athletic Board. But he doesn't want you to remember that.

It is simply laughable that Adams expects to be absolved of blame for the low graduation rates. Then he takes the petty, ankle-biting low road by publicly blaming Dooley in his op-ed piece--and tells lies to do it. You can lay the blame directly at the feet of Michael Adams.

Dooley writes a rebuttal in today's AJC exposing Adams' lies and setting the record straight. The highlights:
Drawing on the training acquired in pursuit of his doctorate in political communications, Adams put an excellent spin in response to the AJCs' editorial that placed the overall responsibility of the poor graduation rates squarely on his shoulders as the president of UGA.

Using his skills as a spin doctor is commendable. But Adams crossed the line when he said, "For some time, the philosophy at UGA was academic eligibility, not graduation." I, along with many academic counselors, administrators and coaches who have diligently worked for decades with student-athletes in the pursuit of a degree, resent the finger-pointing in this crisis. [snip]

Adams' guest column also stated that "the academic counseling function was moved from the athletic department and placed under the university's chief academic officer." That never was the case, nor is it the case today.

Adams admits he is a big fat liar in a follow up article in today's AJC. Adams apologized to Dooley in the article and promises he meant no offense and is sorry "any offense was taken". Adams admitted that his statement about moving the academic counseling functions under the provost was a lie. "I don't know why Dr. Adams would say that," said Dooley. "Perhaps he was misinformed." Yeah. Perhaps. Or perhaps he was twisting the facts to fit his tortured characterizations in order to paint himself in a more favorable light. Either way he lied and got caught.

"I am not a crook." Deloitte & Touche disagree.

Terence Moore even calls Adams on the carpet for his hypocrisy. Admittedly, I'm a day late on this, but I never read Terence Moore one does. Moore basically accuses Adams of talking out of both sides of his mouth for saying he'd still accept marginally qualified athletes because "we still have to compete in the [SEC]", while sidestepping the blame for low graduation rates. Moore thinks Adams is saying he won't let academics get in the way of winning championships. Why? "Adams said so twice. In different ways. Within three days, and to the same newspaper."

Not all criticisms of Adams are on target. Grumpy old man Bill Shipp blames Adams for Saturday's loss to Tennessee. Shipp writes, "Mike Adams admits, in effect, that the University of Georgia has enrolled some of the stupidest jocks in the nation so Georgia can compete in the SEC." Fair enough [see above]. But the scholar athletes represented in the reporting period were not on the on the field Saturday. I am confident Coach Richt and Coach Felton will affirmatively work to see that our current athletes raise our graduation rates to respectable levels. At any rate, the intelligence of our athletes is not why we lost to Tennessee. This guy is.

So let's get this straight: graduation rates are lower than whale turds, tailgating is on the verge of extinction, family friendly zones are an utter failure, and our endowment continues to be source of embarrassment. Michael Adams is a President even Jimmy Carter can observe with indulgence. Sonny Perdue can blame the AJC all he wants for kicking UGA, but if he really wanted to do something for the state's flagship institution, he could put getting rid of Michael Adams on his Sonny Do List.

Coalition to Impeach President Adams


Mr. Egger said...

So Dawgnoxious, where does one sign up to join your coalition?

Junkyard Dawg said...

Amen! Me too. Fantastic read.

Anonymous said...

I agree with a lot of this, but let's not let Dooley completely off the hook here. It is well known that didn't want Donnan fired and Adams made him do it. The side deal is another issue that Adams should have to answer for, but if we want to hang him for Harrick, you have to give him credit for bringing in Richt.

Anonymous said...

No fan of Adams, but I have to laugh at Dooley crying foul on the academic eligibility over graduation. Jan Kemp, anyone?

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, but Adams didn't "bring in Richt". He fired Donnan, and Richt wanted the job. He lucked into Richt like a blind hog finding an acorn. I am pretty sure he didn't know who Richt was until contact was made.

Anonymous said...

At least you admit he fired Donnan. Remind me again, what did Dooley want to do? Would we have Richt if Dooley had his way? If you’re honest with yourself and put your blind hatred of Adams aside, you know the answer is no. You would be better served providing an honest assessment of things instead of blaming all that is wrong in the world with Dr. Adams. “Graduation rates are lower than…” I guess you’re talking about those 10-year old numbers. Do you think Richt and Felton’s rates are going to be that low? “Tailgating on the verge of extinction…” Have you been to a game this year? Tailgating is as strong as ever, even with the FF areas. Sadly, there is a group of you that complain so much that most of us just tune you out. If you were intellectually honest about the situation, you would take the good with the bad and when you have legitimate complaints (like today’s revelation that the Foundation is paying VP’s country club dues) many of us will agree with you. Instead, I think I’d rather listen to the UT fan a couple posts above screech for three hours…

Anonymous said...

Though I can't say why, I know more about MA than I wish I knew, and the words "intellectual" and "honest" have no place in any sentence used about him, much less side-by-side, and still less used in a way intended to disarm his critics.

Scott said...

Other than rooting for the Dawgs, I have disassociated myself from the University of Georgia because of Michael Adams. I have not donated money to the University since he diss'ed Vince Dooley. Vince Dooley has more integrity in his little finger than Michael Adams ever has!

For now, I am doubling my donations to my graduate school alma mater. I will resume my donations to Georgia when Adams is no longer president.

BTW: If you want to have an effect, don't donate! I have received calls from the alumni association saying that I can give without Adams getting credit. Forget that! Show your disgust by not donating and make it known that it is because of Adams!

Like Mr. Egger said: where does one sign up to join your coalition! This DC-area Dawg is ready to join!

Scott said...

OMG! I just read the Deloitte & Touche report from 2003. The fact that Adams is still President of the University of Georgia is a testament to that he must have dirty pictures or something of the University System Chancellor and the rest of the board. There has to be laws broken there!!!

Someone please fire this guy!!

I have a fantasy of winning the lottery and walking up to the chancellor with a million dollar escrow account saying the University can have it if, and only if Adams is fired and banished from the University System. What's PowerBall worth tonight???

Mr. Egger said...

Anonymous at 8:51,
Is this man athletic director or University President?

Who gives a rats butt who decided Mark Richt should be the next head coach? I love Richt as much as anyone, but there's a lot more to being University President than hiring a football coach. How do his professor's feel about him? How well does he deal with the Dean's of the individual colleges? How well does he deal with alumni? Does he do well gaining financial contributions? As far as being a PRESIDENT OF A UNIVERSITY OF HIGHER LEARNING, read the Deloitte & Touche report, then get back to me about how well a job the man has done, outside of "who hired Mark Richt".

Anonymous said...

It's 4th quarter of the game. Richt's clock management at the end of the second half was idiotic. If they really aren't playing Lumpkin because of his bad blocks against Tennessee, they should bench the entire defense and tar and feather JT3 for his performance against Tennessee.

Credit to Vandy, but for this team to be losing to Vandy (ok, now they're up by a point) at home, on homecoming, is another example of a MENTAL PROBLEM.

They aren't prepared mentally, and that goes to Richt. He'll always be good, sometimes very, very good (any SEC champ is at least a very, very good team!), but he'll never win a NC.

Oh, and Inman is a lout who is mediocre on his best day.

Go Dawgs!
