BFC defends DiNardo firing

Dollar signs, W's and L's; three basic symbols the Bloomington Faculty Council's Athletics Committee are contending with in the wake of IU Athletics Director Rick Greenspan's decision to fire former IU football coach Gerry DiNardo. \nDaniel Maki, chair of the Athletics Committee, said the organization approved of the decision to fire DiNardo. Former committee member Jim Sherman said the university has been reluctant to sign big-name coaches because of the amount of money such coaches demand from an already beleaguered athletics department. \n"What the University has tried to do with the last few hires was trying not to hire the power coaches who command an awful lot of money," Sherman said. "I'm not sure if Indiana wants to get a high-profile coach now because there's still some uncertainty that he won't be able get the program off the ground."\nNow with the official search for a new coach set to kick off, Greenspan said his department's recent monetary concerns will indeed have some bearing on the decision. But Greenspan was unwilling to specify about any budget ceiling at this time. \n"There are always a limit on the amount of money the University is willing to spend," Greenspan said. "The only time there isn't a spending limit is when my wife goes shopping."\nWith the athletics department still $1.33 million in debt, Greenspan's decision to fire DiNardo with two years left on his contract has drawn some criticism because IU will still have to pay him his $225,000 salary for the next two years, as well as his contract's buyout. But Sherman said the only true remedy for the Hoosiers' money troubles is a viable football program.\n"Until the football program here is successful, the athletics department will simply be in the red," Sherman said. "It will indeed cost more money in the short run. But this is the only Division I-A university program where the basketball team brings in as much or more than the football team. Michigan brings in more in one football game than a whole season here at IU. Realistically, the fact that we're not even more in the red is amazing."\nEven with the lack of funding, IU has improved its situation, as the athletics deficit has fallen nearly 60 percent from $3.27 million in the 2001-02 year to the current level of $1.33 million.\nAthletics committee member Rosann Spiro said the firing was directly tied to IU's lackluster 8-27 record over the past three years. Spiro defended the decision and said the window of opportunity for results had closed for DiNardo. \n"I don't think there was one reason for the decision, but it was mostly related to the performance of the team," Spiro said. "Anyone can look at the numbers and see. How long do you wait until you start to expect results? Rick Greenspan thought it was time to make a change, and there really wasn't a strong reason against his decision."\nGreenspan himself said the decision was based purely upon DiNardo's performance as a coach -- not by any intent to tailor the athletics department to his own tastes. \n"This isn't about me trying to put a mark on the program," Greenspan said. "This is about me discharging the duties of my position, and I would not be presumptuous enough or have that kind of ego that I'm trying to make that kind of statement. My position is that I have to represent to the president what I think is the best interests of the program, not putting a mark on my program."\nSpiro said she does not believe IU's lack of leadership will hurt the recruiting process for next year's class -- so long as a new leader is found in due time. \n"It obviously makes (recruiting) a little bit harder until you have somebody in that position, but the plans are to get somebody in the position as quickly as possible," Spiro said. "I think it can only be possible for us to improve. Coaches are judged on wins and losses. ... It was a pretty clear-cut record, and the subcommittee felt that a change was necessary."\nWith the Hoosiers unable to break into a bowl since 1993 and the athletics department still in the red, Sherman said IU must walk a fine line in order to find a coach who can produce results and not put IU further in debt. As for the skeptics, according to Sherman, it all has been done before. \n"What IU wants to do is get someone with credentials who could be very good but who also doesn't cost much money," Sherman said. "I don't think it's true that you need five years to really turn a program around. You need the right person who can deliver new recruits and coach well. When Joe Tiller came to Purdue, that program turned around a lot faster; the Minnesota program turned around faster; and Northwestern also improved in a shorter time." \n-- Contact staff writer Dan Patrick at djpatric@indiana.edu.