Seawolves Fans

Athletics => Conference and Athletics => Topic started by: Chairman of the Board on November 19, 2013, 09:05:00 pm


Title: Jim Fiore
Post by: Chairman of the Board on November 19, 2013, 09:05:00 pm
Looks like Fiore was relieved of his duties... Donna Woodruff to serve as interim... national search begins.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/college/stony-brook/stony-brook-athletic-director-jim-fiore-leaving-the-school-1.6465720

Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: SBUFANBB on November 19, 2013, 09:20:37 pm
Phone started to go crazy from texts about a hour or so ago about his resignation, from what I'm hearing. I want to go on the record that my dealing with him have always been good. Very professional and nice. Is he perfect, probably not. But in my dealing with college coaches and dept. employees, not sure any of them are perfect. He has done a great job with this athletic program. Hope whatever the reason turns out to be, he will be able to keep climbing up the chain of school that all ad's want to do. Good luck Jim!
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: ecasadoSBU on November 19, 2013, 09:49:18 pm
what the ****!!!!!
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Chairman of the Board on November 19, 2013, 09:52:47 pm
Statement:

It has been communicated to me that the University desires to move in a different direction with regard to the  leadership of the athletic program, and as a result, has bought out my contract and will be paying my contractual salary for the next 31 months through June 30, 2016, representing nearly $800,000.

I have had nearly 11 wonderful years at Stony Brook and I am incredibly proud for all of the experiences I have had in building the University and our emerging Division 1 program. Facilities have been modernized, recruiting has been professionalized, and prospective student-athletes now see Stony Brook as an enviable destination and the University's brand is nationally recognized.

Though too numerous to identify by name, I am thankful to my coaches, staff, student-athletes, athletic boosters, University colleagues, local community and businesses, alumni, elected officials and the broader Suffolk County community, which has made this such an incredible stop on my professional and personal journey for me and my family. I wish the University and Seawolves nation the greatest success in the future.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: ecasadoSBU on November 19, 2013, 10:10:55 pm
What a shock. So much ground gained. This definitely sets us back in everything. I hope our School's is intact however. If this is an attempt to save it from something bigger, I'm in. Boy, Fiore was amazing. It sucks letting him go. Such a forward thinking guy.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: joewillie on November 19, 2013, 10:33:24 pm
Wow...he always seemed positive.  It's tough to see him go but we will find someone great.  It's a great job in a great location.  Onward and Upward Stony Brook!!!
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: ecasadoSBU on November 19, 2013, 11:03:50 pm
After further thought. Yes we will move on, as long as this is not some sort of scandal. Lets hope its not. Go Stony Brook!!
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Hammertime on November 20, 2013, 06:08:37 am
I just hope the Doctor takes his time and finds someone who has the skills and experience to run a Div1 school and not just hire a dud .. This could turn out to be a positive. New blood brings new ideas to the plate... After sleeping on this issue, I say it's not all that bad IF,,,,, Stanley hires a real good, aggressive AD !!!!
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Chairman of the Board on November 20, 2013, 09:02:15 am
i hate to rely on commentary... but in the newsday article there's some chatter about academic standards.  still, its very sudden.  if this wasnt a long time coming, it would have to have been something momentous.  and to think there was all that recent talk about schools interested in him. 

looks like the fiore era is over, onward and upward. 
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: GoWolvesGo on November 20, 2013, 12:44:04 pm
Whatever the reason this is a significant blow to the growth and momentum in the athletic program.

The new arena is opening next year and they do not even average 1,600 people now and need to fill (or at least fill a lot of a) a 4,000 seat arena in ten months. 

It is hard to imagine whatever Fiore did was that bad since they are paying him almost 800k to go away.

The academic standards argument seems pretty suspect also since their APR scores have gone up significantly over JF's time here in almost every sport, most notably in men's basketball and football.

You would think if they did not like the route a few of the sports were taking that would be an issue with the coach and not AD.

In any case the whole situation is a mess and does not bode well for the immediate future of the athletic program/department.

I am not confident that this will turn out great.  We will see.


Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: joewillie on November 20, 2013, 02:23:20 pm
http://muckrack.com/topic/Jim%20Fiore

Doesn't give much mor ethan we know but things could be added....
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Chairman of the Board on November 20, 2013, 02:38:21 pm
quick scan says he interviewed for Rutgers... i think i heard that but not sure...
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Hammertime on November 20, 2013, 04:19:49 pm
I think he interviewed with Rutgers quite some time ago and I dont think thats the reason for his dismissal.. I think we really need to look at the bright side and the notion, sometimes Out with the old and in with the new is a good thing....... There's a strong possibility the Doc will find a very good AD with new ideas and innovative mind and someone who wants to continue growing the SB brand... Time will tell but I have faith with DR. Stanley turning something bad into something good !!!!
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Chairman of the Board on November 20, 2013, 04:23:42 pm
nah io wasnt insinuating that, im just saying i read through that link above and its the only "new" information to me that was posted....
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: ecasadoSBU on November 20, 2013, 04:59:56 pm
Does this make any of you doubt Dr. Stanleys support for athletics? Just curious to see what ya think about that...

(and I say that because... It was truly Shirley S. Kenny that got us to where we are at, not Dr. Stanley. Kenny was a huge believer of Athletics, driving scholarship football, hiring Fiore, and making the connections and big moves to get Stony Brook past the Division I transition hurdles. She retired a couple of years ago, but she is arguably the president that has had the largest impact in Stony Brook's image and growth)

Fiore commented that he administration wanted to head in a different direction. this is all making question Stanley's backing of SBU athletics...
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Seawolf97 on November 20, 2013, 05:32:20 pm
Hopefully we get through this and all our programs   continue to flourish.   We  have gained a lot of ground  during his tenure  and I would hate to see us  go  backward now.   Whatever the reason  good luck to him .
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: sbugold on November 20, 2013, 07:21:27 pm
Does this make any of you doubt Dr. Stanleys support for athletics? Just curious to see what ya think about that...
Fiore commented that he administration wanted to head in a different direction. this is all making question Stanley's backing of SBU athletics...

I clearly have no insight into the situation that caused this debacle with Fiore.  However, I find no reason whatsoever to doubt Dr. Stanley's support for the SBU athletic programs.  He is almost always at the games (especially basketball), as his his wife as well.  I've spoken with him on a number of occasions, and he's left me with the distinct impression that he especially poud of the teams, coaches, staffs, etc.  If anything, I think the swift action he took in this case (assuming the likely serious nature of whatever Fiore's infraction was) protects the programs from further devastating damage by not allowing them to get mired in cover-up scenarios--a la Penn State and Rutgers.  And let's not forget, his first mission is the overall health and reputation of the University, without which the athletic programs cannot flourish.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Seawolf97 on November 20, 2013, 08:39:39 pm
I have to believe Dr. Stanley is behind all our programs 100%.  His presence  at games home and away- he was at the Army Game last year with his son and he makes just about every  home basketball game . Given his schedule  that is a great show of support. Hopefully our new AD  has enough gusto  to maybe take us to the next level someday. These  things happen  and we have to move on  and keep our fingers crossed.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: ecasadoSBU on November 20, 2013, 11:10:29 pm
I think ya are right. He does show a lot of support every day. I do see him present at the games and for a busy man like him that says a lot. I hope he finds a great AD that builds upon Jim Fiore's tenue. As much as it sucks, the department has to move on forward and it WILL!

Start the search immediately and get an enthusiastic and energetic AD that makes things happen. Stony Brook has all the tools to be successful and I think any potential AD can quickly realize that this a good place to start or continue a career. Its just a matter of time and the right person to make things click. A growing University with a impressive reputation, 100k plus alumni community, and the top public U in New York... with a brand new Arena on the wa and renovate facilities throughout. I'm sure we can use that to get a great guy.

Lets go Stony Brook U! Lets go Seawolves!
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: ecasadoSBU on November 21, 2013, 01:55:13 am
Fiore rep: Firing was not because of a disciplinary matter

http://www.newsday.com/sports/college/stony-brook/fiore-rep-firing-was-not-because-of-a-disciplinary-matter-1.6472341
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: sbugold on November 21, 2013, 08:50:07 am
After reading the Newsday article, and concluding that it didn't shed any new light on the matter, I decided to keep looking for answers.  I came up with the following:

http://www.imaseawolf.com/2013/11/exclusive-fiore-harassment-allegations/

I can't speak for the article's accuracy, but it would certainly explain some things it were accurate.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: SBUFANBB on November 21, 2013, 10:47:38 am
Thats what I was hearing from people within program. Might be some athletes also, even though it wasn't mentioned in article. Some of the coaches are attractive enough to get someone with bad self control into trouble. The new VB coach has a very nice figure, and since her husband is the asst., could be a problem if you couldn't act professional. Just speculation. Still think He did a great job on program, but made a error of judgement in a professional environment. Not the first person and not the last to have made that mistake when power over comes judgement.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Chairman of the Board on November 21, 2013, 12:15:42 pm
perhaps a little too much swagger and not enough commitment?
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: ecasadoSBU on November 21, 2013, 12:52:44 pm
Adam Peck (DCWolf)  is great young rising reporter. I trust him. I don't doubt that what he gathered is honest. Ill most likely see him at the game on saturday as he sits with us at the red zone. Lets see if he digs deeper...
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Seawolf97 on November 21, 2013, 08:46:33 pm
Hopefully our next AD comes from a name brand program and fully understands how to keep us on a vertical track.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: GoWolvesGo on November 22, 2013, 01:07:35 am
http://www.onebidwonders.com/2013/11/20/i-dont-know-jim-fiore-but-i-know-what-he-meant-to-stony-brook/ (http://www.onebidwonders.com/2013/11/20/i-dont-know-jim-fiore-but-i-know-what-he-meant-to-stony-brook/)
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Seawolf97 on November 22, 2013, 09:30:10 pm
Good article  and all quite true. Only spoke to the man  maybe once or twice but he  always seemed sincere  and proud of the school  and   our athletics in general.   I don't know or want to know all the details but working in corporate America  it must have been  a serious offense.  Corporate  punishment is very much the same without the buy out.  Quick and harsh and you  are erased.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Chairman of the Board on November 26, 2013, 09:57:49 pm
from the other thread: http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/10039731/documents-show-fired-stony-brook-athletic-director-jim-fiore-had-claims-him?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

wow.  black eye for the U.  hope this doesnt get the headlines like psu, rutgers, etc.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: SBUFANBB on November 26, 2013, 11:57:04 pm
Interesting and a sad read. I always liked Jim but being a man might have played into the interactions. Also my child is a Male athlete, so didn't hear any of that from him. I have seen many of men get big heads after much success. A humble human tends to have a better life from what I've witnessed.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: ecasadoSBU on November 27, 2013, 12:29:55 am
i really dislike the kind of person that mask themselves up to be so great... while doing doing such wrongs behind our backs

such a betrayal to the small but proud Stony Brook community. I spoke with him so many times while I was a student when I saw him around the sports complex. Would provide quick words of encouragement to him to continue the great job he was doing for our university, and that we the students will back him up... :(

I would've tolerated him moving on to bigger and better things, but this is just wrong man...

Lets see if more official stuff continues to come out. this is so unfortunate for everyone affected. I hope they can finally feel they are in a cleaner safer and better atmosphere
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: SBUFANBB on November 27, 2013, 01:42:36 pm
Ecasado, I agree with you on much of what you say about this issue. Some of the stuff with the staff is disturbing to me, but the stuff with the female athletes and possible scholly reductions F'in pisses my off more than you know. The stuff athletes go through to maintian their money isn't known to those outside of the process. Thats ass kicking stuff as a parent, would be sending someone to have a talk with him if it was my child.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Chairman of the Board on November 27, 2013, 02:27:58 pm
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/report-ousted-stony-brook-ad-accused-inappropriate-behavior-article-1.1530940
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: SBUFANBB on November 27, 2013, 08:45:05 pm
C o t B, interesting article also, the plot thickens. In the article it says the school reports it was a single female employee, yet in other reports from sources said multiple females. The school would do itself some good getting to bottom of this and make reports public minus names if accusations are true. I don't really know what to think about Jim at this point, but sure would like to get the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I know the school has legal ramifications if not handled correctly but this might stir up more crap with no clarity on situation.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Seawolf97 on November 27, 2013, 09:10:06 pm
Read the Daily News article.  He calls the accusations bogus but he was one of the most successful AD's in Div 1. If all was well he would never be fired just hired away to a major program.  Sounds like he is denial like Sandusky at Penn St. Should be interesting to see who they hire and from where.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Hammertime on November 28, 2013, 05:00:14 am
It is my understanding the Attorney General and the District Attorney was brought in to investigate this matter.. I really hope for SB University sake this matter isn't  another Sandusky case like Seawolf97 just mentioned.. We don't need all heads to be flying all the way up to Stanley because of coverups .... The NCAA will punish the University and could take away Athletic Scholarships and Bar them from playing in any post season games... It sounds like to me Fiore made a mess of things and could Tarnish the reputation of this School for years to come... I find it interesting that ESPNW wrote that article about Fiore. There must be some truth in it...... We don't need this crap around here !!!!.....

On a brighter side, Happy Thanksgiving all !
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Chairman of the Board on November 28, 2013, 07:48:01 pm
http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/10047106/former-stony-brook-ad-jim-fiore-denies-claims-story

wait, does this say that there was only ONE verified complaint against Fiore that the U is aware of?
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: SBUFANBB on November 28, 2013, 11:18:14 pm
Thats what the school is saying, but with the complete stonewalling of information who really knows what to believe. The school is trying to keep it to a minimum in scope in my little opinion. But the one thing that gets me is the U says it dealt with issue swiftly, yet the texting and complaint to school happened in 2012. Even the school claims that date to be correct. So I'm to believe something more came up since that made the school pull the trigger on Fiore's contract? Doesn't make sense to me at all what the school is claiming with only one complaint, but the facts that have leaked out make more sense with timing of events. Everyone should read all articles and put timeline together like a detective would, then give us others a opinion of your thinking.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: BigFatFan on January 06, 2014, 03:28:10 pm
did we ever hire a new AD? or are we running with an interim AD?
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: ecasadoSBU on January 06, 2014, 03:35:55 pm
still interim I believe. Haven't heard any news yet. I hope they hire one soon!
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Seawolf97 on January 06, 2014, 08:57:38 pm
The  longer  the search goes on the better the chances Donna Woodruff gets promoted. That may not be  bad thing .
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: sbugold on March 20, 2014, 09:59:42 am
The  longer  the search goes on the better the chances Donna Woodruff gets promoted. That may not be  bad thing .

Looks like they were waiting until all the hulabalu of the basketball season wound down, but the search is on.

http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_139532265685616&key=fc83a41d9075fc60d9b3eb2fbe5855e0&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.basketballforum.com%2Famerica-east-conference%2F502009-2013-2014-stony-brook-basketball-thread-40.html&v=1&libId=4de2d241-d627-41f5-a2f7-686bc4201105&out=http%3A%2F%2Fnaples.cc.sunysb.edu%2FAdmin%2FCampusJob.nsf%2Fdd0034073858dd6d8525659c0072eafb%2F829353b635ee4ab885257c9f00616614%3FOpenDocument&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.basketballforum.com%2Famerica-east-conference%2F&title=2013%20-%202014%20Stony%20Brook%20Basketball%20Thread%20-%20Page%2040%20-%20Basketball%20Forum%20%3A%20Professional%20and%20College%20Basketball%20Forums&txt=http%3A%2F%2Fnaples.cc.sunysb.edu%2FAdmin%2FCa...4%3FOpenDocument
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Hammertime on March 20, 2014, 11:41:18 am
I find it hard to belive we can't find a good AD . Why is that???
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: sbugold on March 20, 2014, 01:31:31 pm
I find it hard to belive we can't find a good AD . Why is that???

Be patient, Hammer!!  They just opened the search!!  But, at the risk of being counter to convention, I don't really think it's a big deal.  The University (including Pres. Stanley) has already demonstrated its commitment, both with dollars and effort, to continue to improve all the athletic programs.  Whoever the AD turns out to be, he/she will have to continue that legacy aggressively.  Does having a "big name" AD really matter; I'm not convinced.  The recruits come for the programs and their coaches.

I think it is now in the hands of the field coaches, and will be for awhile.  Sure, we just were frustrated with a disappointing end to the BB season.  But, Pikeil, Priore, O'Boyle and Spallina have proven their mettle, for the most part.  Good recruits seem to want to play for them and their staffs.  So, if Woodruff ends up keeping the AD job, I have no problem with that.  A change is only warranted if the U. can make the case that it clearly projects a serious advantage.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Seawolf97 on March 20, 2014, 08:26:59 pm
Strange that they would  wait so long.    Hope they hire a good one.
Title: Re: Jim Fiore
Post by: Chairman of the Board on May 06, 2014, 12:56:44 pm
nothing really new here: http://www.sbindependent.org/jim-fiore-and-a-silence-pandemic/