I say "apparently" because the U has yet to comment, and as this link notes, Chip Brown (who despite his attempt at perpetual youth, has failed), has gotten non-UT stuff wrong before. That said, this Tweet claims "multiple sources" have confirmed this. We'll see. Stand by for news! Meanwhile, if true ...
Update, May 25: And, that "apparently" rather than "fired" is the operative word. Per the Waco Trib, Baylor regents say Starr's still in place — but promise more info in the future.
The old Chipster has updated on Twitter:
However, Baylor regents are saying new info will come by the time of the next board meeting, which on June 3 would not be the end of this month but early next month.#Baylor regents will remove 6-yr school prez Ken Starr by end of the month, sources tell https://t.co/XBNn1ev7Ha. https://t.co/LUMSl44bAI— Chip Brown (@ChipBrownHD) May 24, 2016
And, living in Tejas, by my reading eyeballs, I'm personally familiar with Chip Brown getting stuff wrong before.
Update, May 26: The Chipster was WAY wrong. Baylor just canned Briles.
That said, let's pretend he's right ...
First, yes, the schadenfreude for Mr. Whitewater Voyeur is fun. You richly earned it, Ken.
That said, does anybody doubt that if Baylor's football Bears had played to a 6-6 mark last year, and that the shiny new stadium had empty seats, that football coach Art Briles would be taking a walk as well? Ditto for AD Ian McCaw.
Of course not, despite Baylor's silence.
A Baylor, of course, is not a State U., where this would be hypocritical enough. It's a religious institution.
That said, beyond the religious hypocrisy, firing Starr won't make this go away. Jasmin Hernandez' lawsuit, after all, is against the board of regents, Briles and McCaw. Starr wasn't named.
Of course, the board might be viewing Starr as its proxy, hence pushing him out.
In which case, Briles and McCaw should probably retain private, personal legal counsel ASAP.
Meanwhile, the Waco Tribune is apparently asleep at the wheel. As of the time of this blog post, 1 p.m. May 24, it had NOTHING on its website. Bupkis. Not even writing about rumors, reports or university no-comments. (This has obviously now changed.)
Why June 3?
Survey says the regents and Starr are negotiating the price of a buyout, which would then have to be approved at the next meeting.
That said, per this Waco Trib piece, Starr has done good at Baylor, outside the athletic department issue. And, any going away, or kick upstairs, if it happens, may not be done without threats of him wielding a shiv in retaliation. (That whole piece is worth a read.)
And, per all of the above, with the Briles firing, Starr may just stay in place. Two Tweets sum up:
AndKen Starr has told BU board that Baylor has “fallen short of what we ask of one another as members of a caring Christian community.”— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) May 26, 2016
So maybe the schadenfreude should be put on hold.BU’s Ken Starr has said: “we sorrowfully repent of our individual and institutional inadequacy at times in responding…”— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) May 26, 2016
Or NOT. Starr is also fired, as president; he may be retained as chancellor, but that's not a done deal. AD McCaw on probation.
I don't get why Baylor regents would even consider keeping Starr on as chancellor.
With one caveat.
Maybe he threatened to sue, and this is the "peace offering."
If not, then this is not so much hypocrisy alert as stupidity alert territory.
Update, May 30: Now that the team has an interim head coach, and one not named Phil Bennett, McCaw is now stepping down. Sounds pretty chickenshit to me, that he doesn't want to do the hard work of implementing the Hamilton Pepper report's recommendations.
Update, June 1: Whether chickenshit or whatever, Starr is following McCaw out the door, resigning the chancellorship, too. And ESPN goes Dan Rather with "Kenneth Starr" in its interview.
Update, June 2: Art Briles speaks, and throws Baylor under the bus, claiming Pepper Hamilton report is "not independent," as in "they were out to get me," I guess.
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