Braine infuriates prominent alum

refrigeratormover

refrigeratormover

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Spoke with some of my contacts, and find that our athletic director continues to alienate loyal fans, and one in particular. I had heard that Drew Hearn was going to speak last night at the Kick-off Celebration about the traditions of Georgia Tech, but our athletic director had someone contact Mr. Hearn and inform him that if he spoke on "Gold and White" that the GTAA would no longer support the event. For those who do not know, Mr. Hearn is the first Life-time member of the AT fund, and has supported the program for almost 50 years. Mr. Hearn was told by the organizing committee that he would be allowed to speak based on his commitments seeing that the event was successful. He has given so much to the institute, that there isn't enough paper to print all that he has done. Based on all that I know, I guess that it is par for the course of the Braine regime to continue to treat stakeholders like S**t. I am all pumped for the football season, but our athletic director continues to embarass and alienate alumni and fans. Mr. Hearn took the "high-ground" and did not attend, and followed through with his financial commitment to the event. It is a shame that the organizers could not follow through with their commitment and allow Mr. Hearn to speak. This AD is hurting us and is a total embarrassment to the institution. I have personally known Mr. Hearn for twenty years, know the man loves Ga. Tech. It makes me wonder how the athletic director would react if I did not agree with him. Would he have one of his peons call and express his displeasure, or would he face me like a man? I think you see where the "real problem" is located.
 
rm, when you say "gold and white" are you talking about Mr Hearn's push to keep our colors pure? or something else? Please elaborate for one who's not in the know.

BTW, I agree that to dis Mr Hearn is stupid, arrogant and plain poor taste. I don't necessarily agree with everything I've ever heard from him, but the man personifies support for Tech. Maybe Braine's trying to make Clough accept his resignation and get his buyout?
 
RM,....I'm totally shocked about this episode. You are correct. It's very easy to see where the problem starts.

On a different front,....are the Bobcats still running the 'bone under Coach Stowe?

GATA JACKETS!!!
 
Buyout? Why does he get a buyout? He tried to resign and Clough did not accept it for some unknown reason. He is incompetent and he knows it. Fire him, hire Bobby Cremins and move forward. I am convinced that the biggest problems with our football team over the last year were caused by his meddling. I know I don't carry much weight but when you are pissing off your biggest donor and one of Tech's finest lettermen, you are not doing your job.
 
Well, I think he's got a contract that would require a buyout. At least that's what has been discussed before.
 
Why does he do what he does? I asked earlier here what the idiot whould have to do before its his last act.

John, thank you for getting out in public what so many would never have a chance to hear 1st hand.

The sonofabitch must have a motive. Is it based on idiocy or program destruction, or what? I can't believe what he did to Mr. Hearn. Is he paranoid? Every time he makes a move that involves TECH people he fails. Why won't he just freaking leave?
 
Some people just don't know when to be humble, swallow their pride, and do what's right. Drew Hearn is who many consider to be the first really big donor to the Tech program, the Bobby Dodd of donors so to speak. I have never had the opportunity to meet the man, or most other large donors, since I am a small fish. However, if I were the AD and Mr. Hearn wanted to get up and talk about deep sea fishing, the weather, or getting his tires rotated, he would be more than welcome.
 
Originally posted by bellyseries:
Well, guess what <i>I</i> heard....
Click to expand...
<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">That Drew hearn went deep sea fishing in excellent weather while his tires were getting rotated and I'm getting the AD job?
 
Trade Braine for Dooley. Dooley's political skills would enable him to sway even the most anti-UGA alum that he was everything he could to make Tech better athletically.

Dooley might even do it if he could dig at Adams for years to come.
 
Drew is one of the most down to earth guys you will ever meet. He comes across like an average Joe, and is loyal and sincere. Tech is lucky to have him as an Alum. He knows this too shall pass (sooner than some of you want to believe).
.
.
BOO
 
Sometimes its the method and not the message that
turns people off...

The Kickoff banquet shouldn't be used as anyone's
personal soapbox.
 
If the yellow jacket clubs did not want Mr. Hearn to speak to the crowd, they should not have taken his donation under those conditions which he asked for, and that was to be able to speak about the "Traditions" of Tech. He offered his home to be auctioned with the proceeds going to the clubs for scholarships for students.
 
Originally posted by General Wood:
If the yellow jacket clubs did not want Mr. Hearn to speak to the crowd, they should not have taken his donation under those conditions which he asked for, and that was to be able to speak about the "Traditions" of Tech. He offered his home to be auctioned with the proceeds going to the clubs for scholarships for students.
Click to expand...
<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">Do we know if he was being offered a chance to
speak based on his history of commitments or this
year's check?

If he bought a chance to speak this year then I
agree that 1) he should have been allowed or 2)
the organizers shouldn't have taken his money
under those pretenses.
 
I'm just glad my posts over the past month now dont make me look like the bad guy. I have repeatedly said the AA is not organized, actions are louder than words, and the actions of our AD have been borderline for awhile. No matter wahat happens in football, I would rather have competence at the top decide for us all what's best for our program. I would have more confidence in Gailey and his staff if a new AD with an understanding of Tech and all its attributes came in, looked at the situation, and said with the current bumps in the road we should be ok. That way I could relax a little. But nothing will change unless some heads roll for all that has happened in the last 18 months to our program. We need true Tech Leadership. Maybe Homer could come back and set up a Total Person Concept for the AD and AA since that is who seems to need it most down there.
 
I have known Drew Hearn since my Tech student days over 30 years ago, and it was my privilege to serve on the GT Alumni Board of Trustees with him back in the mid 1990s. Drew loves Georgia Tech with all of his heart and soul. He has made it a passion and mission of his to campaign for Tech to keep its traditional gold and white colors for years, even offering Tech fans gold and white caps in exchange for the blue ones or whatever non-traditional color cap they might be wearing.

He has supported Tech with both money and time, being a dedicated servant of our alma mater. All or part of the Athletic Learning, Tutoring, or Computer Center bears his name since his donations made it happen.

For our AD to slight such a gentleman in this fashion is intolerable. Drew Hearn will remain loyal to Georgia Tech long after Mr. Braine has departed the campus, which is looking more and more imminent based on actions such as this!
 
Well,

I don't know the whole story - as probably none of you do either - but being ignorant has never stopped me before.
smile.gif


First, we don't know the tenor of his talk. Was he going to say something like "Fine, we needed a dark contrast color and now the GTAA has settled on dark blue. That's OK, BUT we need to do we can to ensure that it stays only as a highlight and that white and gold remain primary." Or was he going to say something like, "This blue idea is stupid and we need to get behind a movement to have it eliminated totally from the color scheme because the GTAA made a big mistake."

If it was the former, that's fine. If it was the latter, I need to ask you why should the GTAA support a function where the keynote speaker is bashing their decisions and calling for one to be overturned?

I've never met Mr. Hearn. I've certainly heard of him and his love for GT. When I heard of his crusade to keep the "white and gold" pure, I was thrilled that someone felt the same as me. But the decision has been made to accept blue. The decision is over. Time to move on. Even if you think it was a poor decision, you'll do your best to make it work, UNTIL you can get it changed. The way to do that is not the bully pulpit and setting yourself up as a thorn in the side of the organization you want to succeed. What would that accomplish? He has already taken his crusade to the people; supposedly he's already said that if we include blue he'll quit giving us money (that's what I heard - don't know if it's true). The decision still went the other way. What would he hope to accomplish by still being a public opponent to blue - other than trying to cause trouble for the administration? Maybe that's what he really wants to do - get rid of Braine. If so, should Braine STILL allow him to use a GTAA sponsored event for that purpose?

Remember, I don't know the whole story.

It's interesting that Mr. Hearn has so much support on this board to allow him to talk. It appears that most people on this board believe that money should be allowed to buy influence. Does that also go for politicians as well as athletic departments? Where do you draw the line?

And don't accuse me of not "understanding" big donations, etc. I fully well understand that we need people like Mr. Hearn and we need to keep them as happy as we can. I guess my question is, "Where do you draw the line in letting money buy influence", because some people seem to indicate that there is no line.
 
Without knowing anything but that Braine allowed that "flunkgate" debacle to occur on his watch would lead me to SERIOUSLY question his judgement and competentcy.How can you play winning fball(our biggest sport) without the type players we lost,will be a question dabraine should have to answer again and again.
 
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