News Conference Transcript
11/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | General
The following is a transcript from the news conference held in the LaSalle Bank Club Level of Spartan Stadium the afternoon of Wednesday, Nov. 1:
Michigan State President Lou Anna K. Simon:
Thank you very much for being here. Ron [Mason] and I have been talking, as you can imagine, over the last few weeks about the state of MSU Spartan football, but more importantly, about the state of Michigan State University. Ron and I share a passion and a love for Michigan State University. Each of us tries to deal in every way what's in the best interest of Michigan State University, and that's a very complicated task, because you have the student-athletes to worry about who represent us so well, win or lose. You have the coaching staff and their families who have been a part of the MSU community, some longer than others. You have the alumni and friends of Michigan State University, and our current students who are our future alumni and friends. You have the community that looks upon us and what we do at Spartan athletics, sometimes unfairly, but as a window of the university. And you have the dynamics that go with running a major athletic program at an internationally recognized university. And you have to constantly weigh all of those factors, as you would expect us to do, every day and every week. We have the advantage and disadvantage of not participating in all of the chat rooms, TV programs and call-in shows that help to try and do that assessment. But we have listened very carefully to one another, to our stakeholders, but more importantly to our sense of vision and direction for Michigan State University. So Ron and I are here together with our board of trustees to make an announcement regarding Spartan football.
Michigan State Athletics Director Ron Mason: :
First of all, this is a difficult time for any sports department, including Michigan State. This morning I met with John L. Smith and informed him he would no longer be the coach next year. We asked him to continue this season, through a bowl game if necessary. He did this with class. He cares a lot about his student-athletes. He cares a lot about his assistant coaches, and he cares a lot about Michigan State. I think you will see that in our students in how they perform and what they do from here on in. I'm very pleased with the support we've gotten from our president and our board. I think this is a chance at this point to move forward together and be open to future successes.
President Simon: :
As with any program, one builds on your successes, and there are many over the last four years. Our goal is simply to have greater success for Michigan State University and Spartan football. We are all on the same page, and that really is one of the important messages for today. I now ask David Porteous, chairman of the board, to come forward.
Board of Trustee Chairperson David Porteous: :
Thank you President Simon and Ron Mason, our great athletic director. I'm pleased that Joel Ferguson, vice chairperson of the board, could be here, and also Melanie Foster and Colleen McNamara from our board. One of the hallmarks of President Simon's leadership at Michigan State has been boldness by design, and transparency, and candor. She and Ron Mason spent a great deal of time, along with a number of other people, looking and revealing the performance of the football program. When President Simon advised the board that a change was going to be necessary, that it was important for us to make the change; that once the decision had been made, we indicate that decision to the Spartan family. The board supports President Simon's leadership, Ron Mason's leadership, and their shared vision on this decision. This is one that each one of the members of the board are fully supportive of President Simon and her decision, and Ron Mason and his decision. The board is fully supportive of the next phase of the process, which is the selection of the successor to John L. Smith. This is a search that will be done by President Simon and Ron Mason.
Board of Trustee Joel Ferguson: :
I just want to be an echo for what they've said, and reiterate what Ron said about John L. Smith. John L. cares very much for the student-athletes. He cares very much about the university, and that's why he's agreed to continue coaching the rest of the season.
President Simon closing statement: :
I will be sending out an e-mail to all of our season-ticket holders today so they have our sense of this announcement. And in that will be a request that all of our Spartan family get behind this team and this coach for the remainder of the year. And that's really important, because it shows the class and the values of Michigan State University. And it is a way that we have united in a very, very difficult decision for all of us. We're asking the Spartan family and the fans to unite around this team for the remainder of the year, and unite around us, as we move forward. We're asking everyone to wear Green and White for the game in support of the student-athletes. Thank you very much.