IU, McNeely were bad match

Michael McNeely's tenure as IU athletic director lasted a mere 16 months. \nIt took 33 instances of misconduct and 16 years before Bob Knight was finally run off.\nWhat went so wrong this time around?\nIU and McNeely were just a bad fit. \nWhen McNeely was hired in March of 2001, the IDS staff editorial praised the decision, writing, "The committee that chose McNeely understands the importance of football. It understands McNeely has the background and know-how to help Cameron and the football Hoosiers climb from the Big Ten's cellar. It understands basketball will forever dominate the campus, but football needs to be more than a punchline."\nLittle more than a year later, football is still where the money is, and there are few who doubt that McNeely's decisions in that capacity -- including the hiring of Coach Gerry DiNardo and the massive renovations to Memorial Stadium -- will have a positive impact on the program.\nBut in the end, personality and politics ruled.\nPerhaps IU just wasn't ready for the changes McNeely wanted to make to keep our athletic department churning a profit. The coaching staff wasn't -- in October three members of the coaching staff, representing the IU Head Coaches Cabinet, presented a memo to McNeely outlining their concerns for the athletic department, including frustrations with management style. The Marching Hundred certainly wasn't -- many members voiced their concerns over new uniforms and changes in their routine. And certainly there were those students who weren't ready either -- many of whom voiced their complaints over issues like the change in football seating.\nAt the end of the day, the coaches and employees' lack of trust of McNeely probably sent him packing. One former employee described the athletic department's environment to The Indianapolis Star as "divisive and unhealthy." The coaches memo to McNeely described anger, distrust and frustration in the ranks stemming from the firing of four coaches in a year and a general feeling that the coaches' views weren't valued.\nMcNeely has his supporters, too. He's certainly had his successes. IU did make its best showing ever last year in the Sears Cup, a competition that measures collegiate success in all sports. Football Coach Gerry DiNardo was one of McNeely's excellent decisions. DiNardo is not only working to build our football program, but he's bringing credibility back to the student-athletes on the team by mandating academic success. \nMcNeely tried to do too much without enough support. Maybe McNeely just didn't understand who he was dealing with when he was hired. Replacing Clarence Doninger, the affable "coaches" athletic director, is a big feat, considering the years of trust he built with coaches during his tenure. Maybe he didn't fully understand the extent of IU's limited resources, and the unwillingness of many to work through considerable debt for the promise of future profit.\nIn a time when funding for the academic mission of the University is scarce, many aren't willing to take their chances on someone new.\nIt's a shame it didn't work out. Sixteen months after finally hiring an athletic director to bring us stability, IU is searching again. Good luck McNeely -- we hope your next job makes a better match.