Barta, Iowa Athletics Department, Hammered by espnW
- Thread starter thejumper5
- Start date
Interesting read. While on its face, it is incomprehensible why an AD would fire a successful coach based on one allegation of "verbal abuse" from one player (Fran appears to yell at players each game), I have to think there is more to the story. Maybe some serious, inappropriate wrongdoing that Barta is too respectful to reveal. Otherwise, it just doesn't add up.
thejumper5
Well-Known Member
I don't think that's the big news in the story. The story is accusing the athletic department of engaging in overt, institutionalized sexism that unjustly costs women their jobs.
ChosenChildren
Well-Known Member
Zzzzzzz
biasedHAWKEYE
Well-Known Member
I thought the word on the street was that the coach was having a relationship with one of her superiors, which is a big "no no"...or is this a different firing?
ESPNW left out a key element...the personal relationship and living arrangement with a Senior Associate AD...which seems to have led to a myriad of things unreported, or a climate where it was perceived difficult to do, at least according to Betsy Altmaier. Betsy is a fair person, and a member of the Board of Control of Athletics for a long time. They should have gotten her opinion on it. She's pretty staunchly in defense of termination.
Frankly, Field Hockey should just go away...at least until Iowa kids actually play it. It has a very 'niche' audience.
biasedHAWKEYE
Well-Known Member
Okay, yeah...I was wondering how a piece like that could leave out the central element for the termination...
DP5555
Well-Known Member
These coaches also say that Barta rarely engaged them while they were on staff, that he and his top administrators were almost exclusively concerned with football and men's basketball. Griesbaum said this led to an almost unmanageable imbalance, and that coaches of smaller sports felt isolated and unsupported. "A men's coach can sit in the same meeting and challenge the athletic director with his words, but if I challenge the athletic director, am I looked at the same as my male counterparts? I would say I was not."
And you wonder why Iowa does so poorly in the Director's Cup lol. Cyclone fans love to mention that. I know none of us really care, but that's the first thing I thought of when I read that paragraph.
Regarding the article and the accusations placed on Barta... I hate to see negative publicity about the U of I, but if it ends up causing Barta to resign then I can't say I'll be disappointed. I don't like the guy. I don't think he's very good at his job, and I think the U of I could do a lot better.
I will admit that some of the reason my opinion is what it is results from an email conversation I had with Barta a year or so ago regarding the seating arrangement at Iowa men's basketball games. I simply pointed out that the atmosphere at basketball venues across the country is much better when the lower section is reserved for students (which I am not one anymore). I felt like the home court advantage could be greatly improved at Carver if Iowa would simply initiate a similar policy. He was kind of a condescending *** in his replies.
And you wonder why Iowa does so poorly in the Director's Cup lol. Cyclone fans love to mention that. I know none of us really care, but that's the first thing I thought of when I read that paragraph.
Regarding the article and the accusations placed on Barta... I hate to see negative publicity about the U of I, but if it ends up causing Barta to resign then I can't say I'll be disappointed. I don't like the guy. I don't think he's very good at his job, and I think the U of I could do a lot better.
I will admit that some of the reason my opinion is what it is results from an email conversation I had with Barta a year or so ago regarding the seating arrangement at Iowa men's basketball games. I simply pointed out that the atmosphere at basketball venues across the country is much better when the lower section is reserved for students (which I am not one anymore). I felt like the home court advantage could be greatly improved at Carver if Iowa would simply initiate a similar policy. He was kind of a condescending *** in his replies.
ICHawk24
Well-Known Member
The field hockey coach was in a long term relationship with Jane Meyer, Sr. Associate AD, and Senior Woman Administrator. Part of the review found that she supposedly took problems and concerns to Meyer, going outside the chain of command that all other coaches had to follow.
biasedHAWKEYE
Well-Known Member
theboat
Well-Known Member
A website focused on layups and fundamentals? No thank you.
To be quite honest, if it's not Football, Basketball or Wrestling who gives a rat's a_s. Probably just another attempt at ESPN to slam the B1G anytime they get a chance as they refuse to focus on much bigger deals like corruption in the SEC and the UNC grade scandal. There are bigger fish to fry.
DP5555
Well-Known Member
By all accounts, she was a damn good coach. It doesn't really sound like she did anything that made her deserve to get fired. Especially not if he went about it the way he did. Holding a meeting with the Field Hockey staff that ended with the idea she's going to remain head coach, and then two weeks later firing her with no apparent explanation or reasoning is definitely outside of the norm. I believe the article said her relationship with the Athletic Administrator (Jane whoever) was deemed legal based upon the investigation.
So what happened in those two weeks? The article said Barta didn't have a single email during that time period related to the incident. So either someone came to him with more information or he randomly came to the conclusion that he was going to fire her. Either way he would do well to give more information supporting his side because right now things aren't looking good for him.
Seems very fishy.
So what happened in those two weeks? The article said Barta didn't have a single email during that time period related to the incident. So either someone came to him with more information or he randomly came to the conclusion that he was going to fire her. Either way he would do well to give more information supporting his side because right now things aren't looking good for him.
Seems very fishy.
Tigerhawk222
Well-Known Member
Iowa's dismal record in Director's Cup standings should be a concern for every Iowa fan. All for one, one for all. Winning begets winning. We're all in this together. If there is indeed a pattern of institutionalized sexism that plays out in unfavorable ways for female coaches or players (and I don't know one way or the other if this is true), there's a problem that will not simply fade away. Gary Barta--the guy who sold the farm to Ferentz in a ridiculously lop-sided contract, the guy who mired the already struggling BB program in deeper mud by hiring Todd Lickliter , the guy whose wealthy department is languishing at the very bottom of the BIG in terms of overall on-the-field athletic performance--has some explaining to do.
AdamHawk
Well-Known Member
Incorrect. That's just for you ISU fans to toil over.
I thought there was more then one student complaining but that's neither here nor there. That's not even a revenue sport. A coach male or female that is asking for field hockey to be on the same playing field as the football coach is out of her mind and don't deserve a job to begin with. She can't be looked at on the same level as even the female basketball coach for crying out loud. (off subject, does girls basketball make money or is it propped up by mens bball/football?)
She's getting her buyout nothing has been done wrong. She's an at will employee and can be fired for looking cross eyed at the AD. If they can hire someone else for less money to do the same job that nobody cares about if they win or lose or not then they can do that too. He doesn't need a reason he just doesn't. Hence the buyout being paid. So make no mistake what this is really about is her relationship with the associate AD and her thinking it's about her being a lesbian. When it comes lawsuit time that's what it'll be centered on not this other stuff. Cause that's where she can sue for the big big bucks. It's about money. School will end up settling and that'll be it. In the mean time Barta has a headache on his hands.
She's getting her buyout nothing has been done wrong. She's an at will employee and can be fired for looking cross eyed at the AD. If they can hire someone else for less money to do the same job that nobody cares about if they win or lose or not then they can do that too. He doesn't need a reason he just doesn't. Hence the buyout being paid. So make no mistake what this is really about is her relationship with the associate AD and her thinking it's about her being a lesbian. When it comes lawsuit time that's what it'll be centered on not this other stuff. Cause that's where she can sue for the big big bucks. It's about money. School will end up settling and that'll be it. In the mean time Barta has a headache on his hands.
