Interesting this has been brewing for a year:
Four days before Tom Jurich was formally fired, during halftime of the University of Louisville’s homecoming game against Boston College, a pair of prominent boosters made their way into the athletic director’s suite at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
One was "Papa" John Schnatter himself. The other was former U of L trustee Malcolm Chancey, the banker who led the fund drive to get the place built.
Buffalo Bills center Eric Wood, who was visiting his alma mater during an NFL bye week, recounted his conversation with Schnatter Thursday night.
"I was making an observation that I didn't feel like some of the newly assembled board members had made the proper investment into U of L that the previous board had," Wood said via text message. "... I said that it's bad that I had donated more based upon a report that I saw posted and they're making major decisions for the university."
A witness who earlier described the Wood-Schnatter exchange says he also heard Chancey promise: “We’re going to clean house and bring (Jeff) Brohm back.”
Chancey said Thursday that account of his comments was “totally false,” that there was “no discussion at all" about Purdue's Louisville-bred football coach and that he has no interest in replacing Bobby Petrino at U of L.
“Bobby Petrino is a great football coach,” Chancey said. “I hope he stays forever. ... I never had any discussion on that day or any other day about Jeff Brohm. I was pleased when Bobby Petrino was hired and pleased when he was hired the second time.”
A grain of salt only goes so far this time of year. You need pillars of salt to sort through all of the claims and contradictions. With college football’s coaching carousel turning at warp speed, rumors are rampant. Separating fact from fiction is increasingly arduous. And sometimes absurd.
Note: I am aware Schnatter is gone and a jackass.
Four days before Tom Jurich was formally fired, during halftime of the University of Louisville’s homecoming game against Boston College, a pair of prominent boosters made their way into the athletic director’s suite at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
One was "Papa" John Schnatter himself. The other was former U of L trustee Malcolm Chancey, the banker who led the fund drive to get the place built.
Buffalo Bills center Eric Wood, who was visiting his alma mater during an NFL bye week, recounted his conversation with Schnatter Thursday night.
"I was making an observation that I didn't feel like some of the newly assembled board members had made the proper investment into U of L that the previous board had," Wood said via text message. "... I said that it's bad that I had donated more based upon a report that I saw posted and they're making major decisions for the university."
A witness who earlier described the Wood-Schnatter exchange says he also heard Chancey promise: “We’re going to clean house and bring (Jeff) Brohm back.”
Chancey said Thursday that account of his comments was “totally false,” that there was “no discussion at all" about Purdue's Louisville-bred football coach and that he has no interest in replacing Bobby Petrino at U of L.
“Bobby Petrino is a great football coach,” Chancey said. “I hope he stays forever. ... I never had any discussion on that day or any other day about Jeff Brohm. I was pleased when Bobby Petrino was hired and pleased when he was hired the second time.”
A grain of salt only goes so far this time of year. You need pillars of salt to sort through all of the claims and contradictions. With college football’s coaching carousel turning at warp speed, rumors are rampant. Separating fact from fiction is increasingly arduous. And sometimes absurd.
Note: I am aware Schnatter is gone and a jackass.
