Colorado University Athletics
Transcript of Gary Barnett
Opening Statements
" In 1971, Mary and I moved to Colorado and really have never looked back. It became our home; it became the place that we loved. We took a hiatus for seven years at a wonderful university in Chicago, but our hearts have always been in Colorado and our hearts have always been with the University of Colorado. So, this is a place that, in 1999, when there was a vacancy and a position that was open I had to make a very difficult decision at that time to leave a place that I really loved and a lot of people I really respected to come back to Boulder to the University of Colorado."
"Two of the most compelling reasons, one was all of the former athletes that I had coached that called and asked me to come back and be a part of the Buff program, and then all of the great people that we had been associated with at the time during the years that we were here before. So I made a very difficult decision at that time for my family and where we were professionally to come back here. I’ve had an awesome experience of being able to be around some really special people in the seven years that I’ve been fortunate enough to be the head coach here. Most of you don’t get a chance to meet all of the people that are in the Dal Ward building, but that staff and those coaches and those players that I have had an opportunity to work with over the last seven years are the most special people that I could ever encounter. We’ve been through a great deal together and I can’t tell you just how special the people in the athletic department at the University of Colorado are."
"In the spring of last year, Mike Bohn was given a responsibility of leadership in the athletic department. With leadership comes a lot of responsibilities and one of those responsibilities is making tough decisions. I know Mike has the responsibility in making those decisions and those decisions, a lot of them, are around the people that you want, the people that you need on your ship. In the last 24 hours, Mike has made a decision to change football coaches at the University of Colorado. I respect that decision. I didn’t like that decision, I did not resign my position, but I wholeheartedly respect the responsibility and the decisions that leaders have to make and Mike felt like he had to make this decision."
"So, I will, as of now, take our four divisional championships and one Big 12 championship and go on and do something else. It’s that time. I’ve never looked back, I’ve loved the University of Colorado, I love our players, I had a chance to meet with them today. It was a very difficult time for me because these are my guys. I think the one thing that I would hope that I’ve been appreciated for is the balance that I’ve tried to bring to our student-athletes. To graduate 79 percent of our players, to have won four divisional championships in the last five years, to be one of three schools in the Big 12, Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado, to have played in a Big 12 championship football game and to have won one of those titles, I’m very proud of that but more than that I’m very thankful for the opportunity to have worked with the people who brought those championships and worked so hard."
"I’m very proud of the young men that are in our program right now, especially those guys who have endured unbelievable scrutiny over the last two years. They’ve held their heads up high, they’ve gotten beyond all of the things that were out there for them and still got our football team into two championships. So, at this point in time, I want to thank all those people that I’ve had such an unbelievable opportunity to work with, the Buff Club members, the people that are true Buffs, through and through, and the people that have worked so hard for our athletic department and for our young people. It’s just been my humble pleasure to have been a part of it. I’d be happy to take some questions."
Reason why you were fired?
"It’s not really my job to question why these decisions get made. I had a contract, and anybody who holds a contract has the right to alter that contract as long as they fulfill the things that are in that contract. The University of Colorado had a contract with me, or I had one with them, they decided to go a different way and they abided by the provisions of the contract so they have every right to do that as anybody does in the business world. So it really isn’t my right to question that, it’s their responsibility to make the decisions that need to be made and I respect that."
On the way the news became public
"You can’t really use the word upsetting. I’m disappointed that I am not the head coach at the University of Colorado. That’s my disappointment is that I won’t get to continue to be with the players and coaches that are here and that’s my disappointment."
On why did you want to stay
"Well, if you could see the people that are in our building, if you could stand in our room with a hundred of our student- athletes and if you could just sit in the meeting room with the coaches that we have, it’s very few times in your life you get to experience excellence like that and I get to experience it every day. So for me to just be able to be around those guys and to be around those coaches and the people who work in our building, there isn’t a better place to work."
On contract extension
"I think that three weeks ago it was our hopes at that time to get a contract extension, there is no question about that."
On shat changed in last few weeks
"Pretty simple, we lost. I do think that our team has been overly concerned, very concerned about an extension, I think they felt a responsibility to get me an extension and I think that we just ran out of juice. I think that the well went dry and there’s no other answer for that as far as I can tell."
On bowl game
"I have been given an option to coach the bowl game. At this point in time, I don’t want to make a decision at an emotional moment. I told Mike that I don’t think I’m going to do it and I’ll probably leave it at that for right now. "
On the last 24 hours
"Life is 10 percent of what happens to you and 90 percent of how you handle it, so we had a set of circumstances come up and Mary and I have handled it as professionally and as unemotionally as we can do. Everything brings a roller coaster ride, this one brought us one that we’ve been through before together, and we’ll get through this one."
On players reaction on speaking with them
"I kept is as a one-way conversation. I’ve had a chance to talk to a few of them and I told them I would be around tomorrow but it wasn’t the right moment to be able to spend time with each one of them individually. I think the things they would say to me I believe they would want it kept private and so I’ll respect that. "
On how much of this was about the allegations of the last couple of years
"Once again, I really don’t have an answer for that. It really doesn’t make a difference. I think when you are in a position of leadership you have to make tough decisions and those decisions come about because of the way you feel or what you think needs to be done and sometimes they are just instinctual decisions. I think Mike has the right and the responsibility to make those and that’s what he did. I don’t think either one of us have, or will spend, much time thinking about those things. He needs to get on and I need to get on."
On reason for change
"Mike didn’t have to give me a reason. He has the right to make that decision and he made it and as I said, the university complied with the contract that we had and that’s the way business gets done."
On coaching again
"Right now, I am going to coach again. I’m sure of that. When or where, I’m not sure, today I’d prefer to spend with my players and coaches and thinking a little about what we’ve done rather than maybe what tomorrow brings."
On change due to performance or controversy
"This is a business. I understand the business into this. You’re not legally bound to give anybody a reason. I think as much as anything, I understand Mike’s position; I understand that sometimes you just have to make those decisions. Like I said, he’s got the right and more than that, he’s got the responsibility to do those. Part of being a good leader is being a good follower, and I know how to do that. So when a decision gets made, it gets made, and you just can’t get caught up in it. You’ve got to go on to the rest of your life and that’s what we hope to do."
On successes
"We graduated 79 percent, we got four northern division titles, we’ve been in the championship game four times, we’ve got a Big 12 trophy, I’ve got two Big 12 coach of the year (awards). I would probably deem that a success but other people might not."
On recommending assistant coaches
"First of all, that’s Mike job, and Mike’s realm, and knowing what he encompasses as a leader, at this point in time I don’t think that’s my responsibility and if he wants that for me, he certainly will ask. We haven’t had time to get that far. Whether he does or not it’s not going to bother me. Again, that’s his deal and he needs to have all of the rights that come with it.
On assistant coaches situation
"At the University of Colorado, our coaches are on month-to-month contracts, unlike the other institutions around the country. At other institutions should this happen, the assistant coaches would be paid June-June so they would have five or six months of security. The University of Colorado at the end of December, unless they are retained, and Mike can speak to this much better than I can, but unless those coaches are retained, they’re done. So, if you’re an assistant coach at the University of Colorado or Colorado State, you’ve got a tough way to go as an assistant coach security wise."
"I think once the decision was made, I’ve been treated very fairly."
On the state of the university
"The University of Colorado is a gold mine. There are lots of things that have to happen. Mike, the athletic department, is part of that. But, the whole university has a role in that as well. Mike’s been given the charge to do his part of it, and like I said, this is a gold mine. This is absolutely a gold mine. This can be as good a place as there is in the country. "
On the frustration of the media scrutiny
"Well of course it is frustrating, any time there is polarization when you’re on one side and there is a bunch of people on the other side. It’s frustrating, but through all of the scrutiny, all of the various ways of scrutinizing our program that have been created, we’ve stood above them all and withstood every piece of scrutiny and we’ve held our heads high and we have come out of this thing clean."