Where, where to begin?
In the short term, Mulcahy’s latest project — a $102 million expansion of Rutgers Stadium — is not at risk, several sources said. Half completed, with bids still due for the remaining addition of 13,000 seats, the expansion will be finished within Mulcahy’s budget, Codey said, promising, "Everybody agrees you can’t leave a hole in the ground."
...
The report also, however, specifically absolved Mulcahy of any wrongdoing. The investigatory panel was convened after a series of summertime stories in the Newark Star-Ledger revealed a lack of transparency by Mulcahy — specifically in contract details with football coach Greg Schiano — but in its report, the panel chastened only McCormick and the board for its lack of oversight.
A source in the athletic department confirmed that because of that, McCormick explicitly expressed his support for Mulcahy to staff members just before Thanksgiving.
On Sunday, when told of a supportive e-mail from a football fan, Mulcahy himself confidently said the fan should know, "I’ll be fine."
Somewhere between then and Wednesday morning, though, McCormick’s mind was changed. A source close to the board said the president met with select members of the board Tuesday night and then, without even a word to Governor Corzine, summoned Mulcahy the next morning.
David Harris, who served on the Rutgers Board of Governors from 2001-2006, said he believes Mulcahy ""is basically the fall guy for McCormick.''
"He's not resigning. I think we're safe to say he was forced out,'' Harris said. ""Sometimes you can push someone so hard that their head snaps back and they break their neck. Mulcahy will leave roughed up quite a bit, taking the heat for his boss, but he'll leave like a gentleman.''
...
Harris said the report was "nothing more than the process of greasing the skids under Mulcahy.''
"They were going to throw him under the bus as the water rose under McCormick's neck,'' Harris said. "But Bob Mulcahy, say whatever you want to say about him, is a company guy. In my six years on the Board of Governors, I never knew Bob Mulcahy to take an independent action, that is an action without approval of Dick McCormick. In a sense they were Siamese twins. Bob Mulcahy, he and I vigorously disagreed on many things, but in his relations with members of the Board of Governors, he was always a gentleman. And if you asked him a question he would give you an honest answer.''
I think those are the key details. I thought Mulcahy's time probably should be up, but this was handled poorly by McCormick. Bob Mulcahy did a lot of good things for Rutgers, and he did not to deserve to go out like this, but he is not a martyr. At the end of the day, Mulcahy and Zoffinger are two political animals. Along with his credit for turning around football and forming a tight bond with Greg Schiano, Bob Mulcahy deserves his share of the blame for letting things get to the point that they did. Aditi is absolutely right that the timing will unfairly overshadow the football team.
Unfortunately, I injured my hand yesterday, so my ability to type a long analysis is rather limited at the moment. I will have some more thoughts in the coming days. Two more entries are already in the can though. Tomorrow should be interesting.
Other news after the jump.
Wait, Kenny Britt was NOT a unanimous selection by coaches on to the 2008 All-Big East team? I agree with White over Teel though. Rushing totals count.
The men beat Princeton. Hooray?
Newspapers around the country continue to lose circulation, and the Newark Star-Ledger is among the hardest hit. This is not a gratuitous shot, by the way. This site would not be possible without the hard work of the media.
Essence Carson will be featured in a MSG Network special tonight.
Brian Fremeau of Football Outsiders ranks Rutgers as the #21 team in the country by his statistical model.