Ding Dong, Tommy's Gone
WDFN is reporting that University of Michigan men's basketball coach Tommy Amaker has been fired. Eric Lacy of the Detroit News has reported the same (via Michigan Sports Center), as are Mark Snyder and Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press.
A press conference to announce the firing is scheduled for 3 p.m. this afternoon.
My initial reaction, despite joining the pitchfork-and-torch mob that wanted to see this happen, is a bit of shock. More after the presser, hopefully.
UPDATE (3:30 p.m.): The Wolverine is reporting (once again via Michigan Sports Center) that the presser has been pushed back to 4:30 p.m. However, the Detroit News' Terry Foster says there won't be a press conference today, and Michigan will issue a statement. Saturday's kind of a weird day for such a thing anyway, so maybe they're holding off on addressing the media until Monday.
UPDATE (4:30 p.m.): The Diag has more details, including Bill Martin's comments to the Associated Press.
Amaker (who will receive a $900,000 buyout for the dismissal) also spoke briefly with the Detroit News. (via The Diag)
And on his Detroit News blog, Terry Foster said Martin gave Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman an ultimatum: Either let me fire him, or I quit.
A press conference to announce the firing is scheduled for 3 p.m. this afternoon.
My initial reaction, despite joining the pitchfork-and-torch mob that wanted to see this happen, is a bit of shock. More after the presser, hopefully.
UPDATE (3:30 p.m.): The Wolverine is reporting (once again via Michigan Sports Center) that the presser has been pushed back to 4:30 p.m. However, the Detroit News' Terry Foster says there won't be a press conference today, and Michigan will issue a statement. Saturday's kind of a weird day for such a thing anyway, so maybe they're holding off on addressing the media until Monday.
UPDATE (4:30 p.m.): The Diag has more details, including Bill Martin's comments to the Associated Press.
"Letting Tommy go was the toughest decision I've had to make in seven years as athletic director.
"He took over a program that needed help, and he helped it in a lot of ways. But at Michigan, we have a tradition of winning Big Ten and national championships and we haven't been close to doing either in a lot of ways."
Amaker (who will receive a $900,000 buyout for the dismissal) also spoke briefly with the Detroit News. (via The Diag)
"It was tough. But with the way things went this year, we knew anything could happen.
"We tried to get this program to the next level. It didn't happen."
And on his Detroit News blog, Terry Foster said Martin gave Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman an ultimatum: Either let me fire him, or I quit.
Labels: coaching moves, Michigan basketball, Tommy Amaker
posted by Ian C. @ 2:30 PM
sweatymen[at]gmail[dot]com
2 Comments:
At March 17, 2007 10:18 PM,
Anonymous said…
I think U-M is kidding itself if it really believes it can lure Tony Bennett, Mike Montgomery, or the Lowery fella from SIU to Ann Arbor.
The facilities are garbage, the University doesn't seem to care about hoops, and the student-body is pretty ambivalent.
This hire will be a hard sell to anybody with any other options.
What U-M needs is a salesman for that job. My guess is Steve Lavin will get interviewed. He's long had that swarthy used-car salesman look to him.
If it can get Lowery from SIU on campus it could do a lot worse. The last two SIU coaches had their teams in the NCAA this year (Bruce Webber and Matt Painter).
At March 18, 2007 12:38 PM,
Kevin A. said…
I don't know his health situation, but I'd give my left arm (I'm right-handed) to get Rudy T. in Ann Arbor. I think he'd be a draw for fans and recruits, and he's a Michigan man.
Just say no to Reggie Theus. To me, he's just the coach on "Hang Time", though Julie Conner was a heckuva hoops player.
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