Jim Crowley

[OL2]

Let me say this: St. Bonaventure could screw up a one car funeral! Putting two coaches on administrative leave based on a single complaint by one employee is ill advised and down right wrong. As it stands now it's a complaint..its merit and basis a BIG question mark, hence the investigation. By placing these two individuals
on administrative leave, there's an assumption of guilt and Crowley and his associate get tainted and tarnished even if there was not an iota of wrong doing or culpability....and Bonaventure again gets placed in the media's cross hairs for the umpteenth time. Companies and businesses deal with these types of employes complaints and allegations routinely and while they should absolutely be thoroughly investigated and taken as serious matters, the notion of placing the objects of the complaint on administrative leave is absurd and extreme. Unfortunately, the events of the recent past and the school's zeal to protect itself from any recurrence of its prior demonstrated lack of judgement has the President, the AD, and the Academic Dean overreacting to the detriment of the university and the coaches in question. Get a grip and start thinking straight! Tell me what the university intends to do for Mr. Crowley when the charges are found to be without merit? My bet is they wont be half as accomodating to him as they were to the individual making the charge. Great sense of justice down there in Allegany!.

[Wally]

Couldn't agree more. When the allegations are cleared the Bonaventure community will always look at him sideways. Sad to say that this is probably the best case scenario for both he and his assistant.

Since the school is so preoccupied with its own image above all else of course it decided to bar him from campus.

This is just a case of bad timing and nothing else.

[bonnievet]

I agree. Why did we suspend the basketball coaches at this time? It may turn out to be a big story but right now it is a small story which has been made into a national story (SI, USAToday etc.) by whomever decided to suspend the coaches. Bona has received a ton of column inches today, all of it negative. If the coaches are cleared, the followup story will never be picked up off the wire. Unfortunately, when it comes to the national media, Bona seems to get only negative press these days and whoever made the administrative leave decision handed the media more negative talking points.

[FriendsofAN44]

If the Times Herald ever gets around to updating its' online version (it has been a few days now) there is an excellent editorial by Chuck Pollock that appeared in last night's sports section.

It's titled " Latest hoops scandal shows Bona's public relations woes"

Hopefully it will be put online today for all to read; if not I'll re-type the whole thing by hand and add it here after work today.

[DerekBrower]

The story in the OTH is up, and very good:

www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14458723&BRD=386&PAG=461&dept_id=444921&rfi=6

I really think that Bonaventure botched this one. As stated on here already, if Crowley and Young are cleared of the charges, they will never be looked at the same again. Talk about killing recruiting, for a program that has already been struggling. If they decide to leave Bonas and move on, they are presumed guilty...even if cleared. This should have been handled better internally.

And now the media is just waiting for more bad press. The Crowley/Young story appeared on the second page of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. I dont think women's basketball has ever hit the second page of the D&C, not even the Rochester schools.

[bonnievet]

I more I read about the two basketball coaches being suspended until the investigation is completed and the mountain of bad press we have received all over the country, I more crazy I get. I say investigate until your pens run out of ink, but why draw national attention to something that you do not know actually happened. If it is proven that something did take place then take action. If nothing has went on then all you have accomplished it to hurt the names of two of our coaches in the eyes of the world not to mention the name of SBU for absolutely nothing.

[Matrix]

This news really ticks me off. I know it may be the procedure to put the two guys on leave, but what if JC didn't do it? Oh he is responsible because he is head coach. And if it blows over and he is innocent? Still looks bad. Way to go SBU, way to ruin someone's career.

And women that go around accusing men wonder why they suck at life. False allegations. The girl is nothing but a college has been and never will be. Do you think that the next college she goes to work at will take her on once they find out what she has done.

Truly a waste of space--good thing she brought a lot to the table as far as coaching goes. At least they didn't spend a lot of money on her salary. Then again, it will be very costly trying to get rid of this incident, and trying to find another guy like Crowley to be the next coach.

Boo Bonas and boo to you Ms. Thing!

[Colin]

So it's wrong to assume that the men are guilty, but it's ok to assume that the woman is making false allegations?

[LostSailor]

Jim's a nice guy and all, but at the end of the day it is his program. The university's actions are warranted based upon their (the university, not crowley's)past experience in the domain of sexual harrassment and fostering a hostile work environment. The university has paid out some serious scratch over the past decade for keeping their heads in the sand and not properly investigating allegations. Putting them on leave at the first complaint helps to mitigate any potential legitimate claim. This is the SOP in the HR realm these days.

[Matrix]

It is not assuming that Crowley is innocent and that the accusations are false. He is innocent of harassment and she is guilty of lying. Albeit that is the "SOP of HR" but you know what, when has SBU become all of the sudden ethical in their decisions with university officials. Some rules are bent for some and not others. That is a terrible thing to do to someone--accuse them of that type of crime. Thanks a lot--well someone will have to live with that on their conscience as well.

[HOOPSFAN00]

Matrix -

You say this will ruin Crowley's career -- didn't he do that already by having losing seasons 5 years in a row now? I think it's already over for him. He's hasn't done anything good for the program. Get him outta there already!

[Matrix]

Yes it is true that he hasnt done the best job. But this incident shouldn't justify that. If he wanted to change careers like become a teacher, it would be very difficult now because of this cloud over his head.

Besides, he may not be a winning head coach, but who says he can't be an assistant again? Or what if he went to a bigger city or to the men's side? If you think about some of the "top" coaches in basketball like Roy Williams, he is really not a good coach either. Yea you can win with All-Americans on your team--anyone can--but let's see what he puts together for next season with nothing.

I wouldn't say that he has already ruined his career either. Losing games vs. getting this charge brought against you are two very different things, especially since the charges are false.

[HOOPSFAN00]

I see your point. And I agree. Although he may not be a good head coach, he should definitely try being an assistant again somewhere. I have SBU's best interest at heart and would like to see both programs, men and women, excel on and off the court.
It's a messy situation for both coaches and hope that all the rumors are not true. But I would like to see a new coach come in turn the program around

[Colin]

How on earth can you know that the charges are false?

[Matrix]

How on earth can you know they are true? I know they are false because I know the people involved. I know how they are and how they handle things. That is why it upsets me to see this happen to such a good man.