The Key to Understanding Jeff Long's Corruption and Why He Must Go

[KennyForAD]

Before I get started, please understand that it does not matter whether you believe that Petrino should or should not have been fired.   If you believe that there is any university out there which would have retained Petrino, you are almost certainly wrong.  It isn't that the coach had an affair, or hired his girlfriend, etc.  Petrino had to be let go because the way the affair was exposed created an unacceptable 'Embarrassment to the University.'  Causing an embarrassment to the UofA was actually a ground for termination for cause in his contract - which he plainly violated.  Petrino's fate was sealed on day one and Jeff Long knew that.  Regardless, this is beside the point and I only bring it all up so that you don't dismiss what I'm telling you because you think I'm hacked that Petrino was fired.  I would have fired him. 

Second, you need to know a little bit of employment law.  This is very basic stuff that every law student knows.  Actually, nearly every American knows it: If you are a qualified candidate applying for a job, and you were not hired solely because of your race, religion, sex, age, ethnicity, or disability, etc., then you were a victim of illegal discrimination, and are entitled to file suit and to have a judge force the employer to either hire you or otherwise compensate you.  We all know that right?  Good.  Now, if you aren't a trial lawyer, and haven't been a party to a discrimination suit, you probably don't know the rest, but, not to worry, its pretty straight forward:   To win a discrimination suit, you MUST show that you are a member of a class of people specifically protected in the statute, such as "Asian." (the statute says employers may not discriminate on basis of race, therefore 'Asian' is a 'protected class' in this example.)  If you fail to prove that you are in a 'protected class,' you LOSE - right off the bat.  If, however, you prove that you were qualified for the position, and that you ARE in a protected class (catholic), then you are done!  After that, the burden is on the EMPLOYER, who must prove that he or she had a 'religiously neutral' reason not to hire you.  ALL the employer must do is show that he or she had a reason to hire someone else and that reason had NOTHING TO DO with religion.

If you sue someone who hired his GIRLFRIEND instead of hiring you, and you go to court and tell the judge that he discriminated against you solely because of your race, religion, etc, (Which you would have to be because it is the ONLY way to bring suit), the judge is likely to THROW something at you.   You will be found to have brought a FRIVOLOUS lawsuit, will be laughed out of court,  forced to pay the guy you frivolously sued, and might even jailed for contempt of court - because you KNEW that he had a reason for hiring her that had NOTHING to do with discriminating against your race, religion, etc.

Jeff Long did not NEED a lawyer to tell him that Petrino did not expose the UofA to any lawsuits.  He knows exactly what I just wrote.  Still, he had a TEAM of lawyers telling him that there was ZERO potential for lawsuits.

YET JEFF LONG WENT ON NATIONAL TV AND LIED.  THERE IS NO QUESTION, NO DEBATE.  THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE.  LONG LIED ABOUT POTENTIAL LAWSUITS. 

The key to understanding just how corrupt Jeff Long is:   Ask yourself, "Why did Jeff Long tell that lie?"

Then ask, "How does Jeff Long's willingness to lie about his coach to the entire nation - just to promote himself, put Long, and therefore the UofA, in the worst negotiating position imaginable with potential coaches?"

[Oklahawg]

Most of those conspiracy theory websites you visit give you malware or spyware.

Just a friendly public service announcement.

Long may retire from UA - his family loves NWA and UA. He has built a body of work that the upper administration and regents support with great conviction.

Thanks for a great read, though.

[The_Iceman]

You are so wrong on this. The basis of the suit was not protected class. Are you an attorney?

[KennyForAD]

Most of those conspiracy theory websites you visit give you malware or spyware.

Just a friendly public service announcement.

Long may retire from UA - his family loves NWA and UA. He has built a body of work that the upper administration and regents support with great conviction.

Thanks for a great read, though.

I'm a thirty year trial lawyer, twerp.  I am not wrong. 

[KennyForAD]

You are so wrong on this. The basis of the suit was not protected class. Are you an attorney?

I am ... not wrong.  What cause of action do you suggest, sexual harassment?  That's no good either.  Employer Handbook?  That one doesn't work either.  What else?

[ShadowHawg]

You are so wrong on this. The basis of the suit was not protected class. Are you an attorney?

No kidding.

Not a lawyer but studied Human Resources. The only people with the right to sue would have been current university employees who applied for the job because it would have to be a sexual harassment/hostile work place suit.

[AirWarren]

I'm a thirty year trial lawyer, twerp.  I am not wrong.

So you're a scum bag?


Congrats. .

[moses_007]

I don't think he lied about potential lawsuits coming from giving the position to Bobby's mistress.  There were numerous news reports at the time that indicated that, had Long not let both Petrino and the girl go, that lawsuits could happen toward the University.  No lawsuits did happen, however.

Why Long fired him was (1) Petrino lied to the fans of Arkansas right on television about the affair; and (2) he lied to Jeff Long as well.  You don't lie to the people who pay your salary and expect to still have a job.

[KennyForAD]

No kidding.

Not a lawyer but studied Human Resources. The only people with the right to sue would have been current university employees who applied for the job because it would have to be a sexual harassment/hostile work place suit.

Well, I AM a trial lawyer.  I have tried employment suits.  What you said does not even rise to the level of making sense.  She was NOT offended by his sexual advancements.  They ALREADY HAD a sexual relationship.

[RME]

Nevermind.

[The_Iceman]

I am ... not wrong.  What cause of action do you suggest, sexual harassment?  That's no good either.  Employer Handbook?  That one doesn't work either.  What else?

Petrino's relationship with Dorrell was not against any protected class. However, it was against University policy that Petrino did not disclose his relationship with Dorrell, and then using his power and position to give her an advantage in the hiring process when there were well over 100 other qualified candidates for the job.

[sowmonella]

I'm a thirty year trial lawyer, twerp.  I am not wrong. 

What is a trial lawyer twerp? 

[KennyForAD]

I don't think he lied about potential lawsuits coming from giving the position to Bobby's mistress.  There were numerous news reports at the time that indicated that, had Long not let both Petrino and the girl go, that lawsuits could happen toward the University.  No lawsuits did happen, however.

Why Long fired him was (1) Petrino lied to the fans of Arkansas right on television about the affair; and (2) he lied to Jeff Long as well.  You don't lie to the people who pay your salary and expect to still have a job.

So?  We are talking about Long's actions, not Petrino's.  Petrino HAD to be fired.  Long did not have to drag him through the mud, make the situation worse and lie about it. 

Every coach saw what he did.  Would YOU want to work for a guy who took advantage of the last guy's crisis, and made it worse for that guy and the school, so he could promote himself?  Not if you have options.

[woodrow hog call]

Well, I AM a trial lawyer.  I have tried employment suits.  What you said does not even rise to the level of making sense.  She was NOT offended by his sexual advancements.  They ALREADY HAD a sexual relationship.

Wow, you should put your name and contact information on here, probably drum up a ton of business.

[ShadowHawg]

A

Well, I AM a trial lawyer.  I have tried employment suits.  What you said does not even rise to the level of making sense.  She was NOT offended by his sexual advancements.  They ALREADY HAD a sexual relationship.

I wouldn't hire you. You don't know your butt from a hole in the ground. Dorell couldn't sue. She wasn't an employee of the university first of all.

Secondly, the only people who can sue under sexual harassment in this case are people who were university employees at the time. Of those, only the employees who actually applied for the job could sue as they were the only people who could claim harm in this case.

Sounds like you need to brush up.

[DoubleReedHawgCaller]

Shouldn't this be in politics?

[sowmonella]

FYI  Kenny Hatfield is 74 and hasn't had anything do do with college sports in over 12 years. He's never had any AD training or experience. He was a great Hog HC way back in the day and that is all. Towards the end of his coaching career he had a lot of controversy at Rice.
"In 2002 while coaching at Rice University, Hatfield was quoted in November 1 issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education that he "would not necessarily kick a player off the team for being gay, he probably would think hard about it."[5] In the article, he cited his religious beliefs as the motivation for his stance. Soon after the publication, Hatfield apologized for his comments and, though many student groups called for his firing, he continued to coach the Owls until 2005."

[The_Iceman]

A
I wouldn't hire you. You don't know your butt from a hole in the ground. Dorell couldn't sue. She wasn't an employee of the university first of all.

Secondly, the only people who can sue under sexual harassment in this case are people who were university employees at the time. Of those, only the employees who actually applied for the job could sue as they were the only people who could claim harm in this case.

Sounds like you need to brush up.

He went to court on here, and brought the wrong cause of action. He didn't even know why the Plaintiff was.

[KennyForAD]

What is a trial lawyer twerp? 

Trial lawyers represent parties in trial, like Johnny Cochren, and Marsha Clark, in the OJ trial.  "Litigator" would be correct, but isn't accurate because one can be a litigator without ever trying a case to a jury.

[radar]

Does anybody actually believe that firing Petrino after the fact, prevented people from filing complaints against the university?

[The_Iceman]

Trial lawyers represent parties in trial, like Johnny Cochren, and Marsha Clark, in the OJ trial.  "Litigator" would be correct, but isn't accurate because one can be a litigator without ever trying a case to a jury.

He was being funny. Asking what is a "trial lawyer twerp".

[KennyForAD]

FYI  Kenny Hatfield is 74 and hasn't had anything do do with college sports in over 12 years. He's never had any AD training or experience. He was a great Hog HC way back in the day and that is all. Towards the end of his coaching career he had a lot of controversy at Rice.
"In 2002 while coaching at Rice University, Hatfield was quoted in November 1 issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education that he "would not necessarily kick a player off the team for being gay, he probably would think hard about it."[5] In the article, he cited his religious beliefs as the motivation for his stance. Soon after the publication, Hatfield apologized for his comments and, though many student groups called for his firing, he continued to coach the Owls until 2005."

That's all I can take.  Do you really think I'm campaigning for Hatfield to be AD, and you put me in my place by writing an essay on why he shouldn't be?
Freaking millennials. 

Do not throw pearls before swine.  They will only trample them, then turn and gnash yo with their tusks.

A cookie to whoever knows what that means.   Later

[PorkSoda]

I don't think he lied about potential lawsuits coming from giving the position to Bobby's mistress.  There were numerous news reports at the time that indicated that, had Long not let both Petrino and the girl go, that lawsuits could happen toward the University.  No lawsuits did happen, however.

Why Long fired him was (1) Petrino lied to the fans of Arkansas right on television about the affair; and (2) he lied to Jeff Long as well.  You don't lie to the people who pay your salary and expect to still have a job.

firing petrino would have not have affected any potential law suites.  its a phony reason. a lot of the reasoning for firing Petrino was phony.  Long could have chosen to keep Petrino and no one would have batted an eyelash.

He chose to fire him, that was his choice.  He gambled on being able to find a replacement.  that replacement didn't pan out.  it is what it is.

[ballz2thewall]

Does anybody actually believe that firing Petrino after the fact, prevented people from filing complaints against the university?

it would have a mitigating effect on any conceivable suit brought. one component of such cases is action taken by the offending employer in dealing with constitutional and/or statutory violations. firing the individual offender is the most drastic action available and would serve the university well in the event there were subsequent suits.

when you get to trial in discrimination cases, those employers that have sensitivity training for employees make great use of it at trial. it's standard operation nowadays.

[bondhue]

Most of those conspiracy theory websites you visit give you malware or spyware.

Just a friendly public service announcement.

Long may retire from UA - his family loves NWA and UA. He has built a body of work that the upper administration and regents support with great conviction.

Thanks for a great read, though.

For once I disagree with you, strongly.   His body of work, as you call it, includes the propaganda campaign that the UA is not a win at all cost institution.  I have detailed on this site how that is a false dichotomy and how it implies, wittingly or not, that other winning programs are doing it the wrong way.  It implies that a program cannot win at power 5 without cheating, or at least the U of A cannot.  Taken further, as some here have shown, it implies that previous success at this institution must have been at the cost of ethical behavior.  It is truly despicable.   Any reasonable person knows you can win and be ethical.  Even at the U of A.  I don't care if this is my last post here and I am lifetime banned after this.  I find that kind of propaganda beyond the pale and I will say so till I am planted in the grave.

[PorkSoda]

Does anybody actually believe that firing Petrino after the fact, prevented people from filing complaints against the university?

no

[sowmonella]

That's all I can take.  Do you really think I'm campaigning for Hatfield to be AD, and you put me in my place by writing an essay on why he shouldn't be?
Freaking millennials. 

Do not throw pearls before swine.  They will only trample them, then turn and gnash yo with their tusks.

A cookie to whoever knows what that means.   Later

I just copied and pasted. I don't write essays. FYI I'm not a millennial, I'm a 62 year old "Baby Boomer".

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

Most of those conspiracy theory websites you visit give you malware or spyware.

Just a friendly public service announcement.

Long may retire from UA - his family loves NWA and UA. He has built a body of work that the upper administration and regents support with great conviction.

Thanks for a great read, though.

Yes... You should put that keyboard to work making you some money...

[Hoggish1]

Most of those conspiracy theory websites you visit give you malware or spyware.

Just a friendly public service announcement.

Long may retire from UA - his family loves NWA and UA. He has built a body of work that the upper administration and regents support with great conviction.

Thanks for a great read, though.

I believe you are wrong.  The people who will pull the string on Long understand he is the first problem that must be removed before the next step is taken.

[KennyForAD]

firing petrino would have not have affected any potential law suites.  its a phony reason. a lot of the reasoning for firing Petrino was phony.  Long could have chosen to keep Petrino and no one would have batted an eyelash.

He chose to fire him, that was his choice.  He gambled on being able to find a replacement.  that replacement didn't pan out.  it is what it is.

CORRECT! 

[PorkSoda]

CORRECT! 

that said, I'm not sure that Long playing the media to put the university in the best light, equals corruption.  I'm pretty sure that is just part of his job.

[tomarkansawyer]

I thought the rational was that if they did not fire BP and another UA employee (professor/GA) committed a similar offense and the UA fired the professor, then said professor could have a legitimate cause for a lawsuit. I'm no lawyer, but I thought that's what I remember.

But I still wanted them to keep BP.  They could have taken the even higher road and offered forgiveness and given him the ability to become a better person.

A ton of people in powerful positions do horrible things all the time. Maybe BP could have changed for the better on a personal level if given the right support and accountable structure. He may be a scumbag as a person, but he's a heck of a football coach. Maybe given the opportunity, he might have grown into a better man.

[KlubhouseKonnected]

Is that you Luther?

[The_Iceman]

This thread is embarrassing to my profession. We have an attorney on here who doesn't understand who the Plaintiff are in the case nor what their cause of action is.

But thank you for taking me back to Con Law and Employment Law. Needed the refresher on protected classes, even thought it had NOTHING to do with the Petrino case.

[wachhog]

For once I disagree with you, strongly.   His body of work, as you call it, includes the propaganda campaign that the UA is not a win at all cost institution.  I have detailed on this site how that is a false dichotomy and how it implies, wittingly or not, that other winning programs are doing it the wrong way.  It implies that a program cannot win at power 5 without cheating, or at least the U of A cannot.  Taken further, as some here have shown, it implies that previous success at this institution must have been at the cost of ethical behavior.  It is truly despicable.   Any reasonable person knows you can win and be ethical.  Even at the U of A.  I don't care if this is my last post here and I am lifetime banned after this.  I find that kind of propaganda beyond the pale and I will say so till I am planted in the grave.

Is Spinning a competitive sport at the IofA? Because that's all Long seems to know anything about,  and he's a master at that. How so many fall for his spin is a mystery to me.

[KennyForAD]

The point I'm trying to get across is that Long is damaged goods.  He's compromised.  Deny it all you want, but it is a FACT that Long, instead of acting professionally and wisely trying to AVOID a media circus, HE THREW FUEL ON THE FIRE.  He did it to promote himself and he succeeded in part and failed in part.  He got famous and was glorified (wrongly.  He should have been scorned for acting unprofessionally).  But he severely damaged himself in relation to coaches.

WHY DO YOU THINK LONG DESPERATELY CLINGS TO BIELEMA?  Its because he knows what I know, and what you SHOULD know.... That he can't hire any other coach who has options.  If BB goes down, Long's rep among coaches will be exposed, and his only chance at keeping his job will be trying to sneak Les Miles in here - or someone else with no options.

He will NEVER fire BB on his own.  He'll have to be forced to fire him.  Watch.

[PorkRinds]

I don't see how it doesn't open them up from lawsuits from her. Say they keep Petrino. They obviously can't let her keep her job, so she gets fired or moved but he doesn't? That seems like a potential legal issue. All it takes is the right attorney and it's at least a news story when they file the suit.

[ballz2thewall]

The point I'm trying to get across is that Long is damaged goods.  He's compromised.  Deny it all you want, but it is a FACT that Long, instead of acting professionally and wisely trying to AVOID a media circus, HE THREW FUEL ON THE FIRE.  He did it to promote himself and he succeeded in part and failed in part.  He got famous and was glorified (wrongly.  He should have been scorned for acting unprofessionally).  But he severely damaged himself in relation to coaches.

WHY DO YOU THINK LONG DESPERATELY CLINGS TO BIELEMA?  Its because he knows what I know, and what you SHOULD know.... That he can't hire any other coach who has options.  If BB goes down, Long's rep among coaches will be exposed, and his only chance at keeping his job will be trying to sneak Les Miles in here - or someone else with no options.

we don't know yet if he's desperately clinging to cbb. we might soon but we don't as of now. i agree that long is not suitable for hiring coaches. he brought cbb in and tried to polish him. 

the les miles stuff is just nonsense. as far as exposure; that cat is already out of the bag.

and we don't have to dig up the merits of bobby petrino in order to be put out with jlong. what we do know, or believe, rather, is that cbb was oversold to the uofa with a buyout supported by the no-totem bowl in texas.   

[PorkRinds]

The point I'm trying to get across is that Long is damaged goods.  He's compromised.  Deny it all you want, but it is a FACT that Long, instead of acting professionally and wisely trying to AVOID a media circus, HE THREW FUEL ON THE FIRE.  He did it to promote himself and he succeeded in part and failed in part.  He got famous and was glorified (wrongly.  He should have been scorned for acting unprofessionally).  But he severely damaged himself in relation to coaches.

WHY DO YOU THINK LONG DESPERATELY CLINGS TO BIELEMA?  Its because he knows what I know, and what you SHOULD know.... That he can't hire any other coach who has options.  If BB goes down, Long's rep among coaches will be exposed, and his only chance at keeping his job will be trying to sneak Les Miles in here - or someone else with no options.

He will NEVER fire BB on his own.  He'll have to be forced to fire him.  Watch.

Im firmly now on the fire CBB bandwagon.  But I still think this line of thinking is garbage. It's, to me, literally a figment if a small portion of folks' imagination.  In the absence of information, too many tend to just make it up.

[KennyForAD]

Everyone in the country knows he grandstanded, and PROLONGED the circus, and intensified it, when any sensible AD would have AVOIDED the circus and tried to diminish it.  Everyone here would have understood that, had it happened at OU.  But it happened here, and its really hard to be objective when its happening to you.

[KennyForAD]

Im firmly now on the fire CBB bandwagon.  But I still think this line of thinking is garbage. It's, to me, literally a figment if a small portion of folks' imagination.  In the absence of information, too many tend to just make it up.

I can understand how people don't get the significance of Long's 'lawsuit lie.'  It was a shocker to me because I happen to KNOW he was lying.  From that point, the rest was easy to see.

Tell me this please?  Why do you think Long gave BB that mysterious buyout? 18 mill, right?   Could it have been a little safeguard against the last thing Long wants: a coaching search. 

[woodrow hog call]

The point I'm trying to get across is that Long is damaged goods.  He's compromised.  Deny it all you want, but it is a FACT that Long, instead of acting professionally and wisely trying to AVOID a media circus, HE THREW FUEL ON THE FIRE.  He did it to promote himself and he succeeded in part and failed in part.  He got famous and was glorified (wrongly.  He should have been scorned for acting unprofessionally).  But he severely damaged himself in relation to coaches.

WHY DO YOU THINK LONG DESPERATELY CLINGS TO BIELEMA?  Its because he knows what I know, and what you SHOULD know.... That he can't hire any other coach who has options.  If BB goes down, Long's rep among coaches will be exposed, and his only chance at keeping his job will be trying to sneak Les Miles in here - or someone else with no options.

He will NEVER fire BB on his own.  He'll have to be forced to fire him.  Watch.

I'm pretty sure any other athletic dept employee that didn't get a $20k (or whatever the amount was) gift from BP, and was not sleeping with him,  could have caused some unpleasant press for the university.

What if two or three young ladies had of spoke up and said they had been engaging in the same activities with BP, and they were promised a nice bonus, but never got it?

There are several possibilities for embarrassing press, and or legal action to be taken, maybe not won but still damaging.

[PonderinHog]

Long on integrity - Short on cojones

[From Tusk Till Dawn]

You will be found to have brought a FRIVOLOUS lawsuit, will be laughed out of court,  forced to pay the guy you frivolously sued, and might even jailed for contempt of court - because you KNEW that he had a reason for hiring her that had NOTHING to do with discriminating against your

Jeff Long did not NEED a lawyer to tell him that Petrino did not expose the UofA to any lawsuits.  He knows exactly what I just wrote.  Still, he had a TEAM of lawyers telling him that there was ZERO potential for lawsuits.

YET JEFF LONG WENT ON NATIONAL TV AND LIED.  THERE IS NO QUESTION, NO DEBATE.  THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE.  LONG LIED ABOUT POTENTIAL LAWSUITS.

Riddle me this.

Not a lawyer but did read the termination letter and it did not say he was being fired due to risk of being sued, so will give you that.  But you said he had a team telling him there was zero potential for lawsuits.  How do you know that? 

I ask because you noted previosly that someone could bring a frivolous lawsuit and that they may be laughed at etc.  But frivolous just means it shouldnt happen not that the potential doesnt exist.  Just feels like that would be a reasonable possibility in the lawsuit happy world we live in.

[potus]

You are right absolutely about Jeff Long. He used Petrino's bad judgement to promote himself.  In layman's terms Petrino violated mama's rule.  Mama's rule states that if there is a good chance mama is going to find out then you'd better be the first one on her door step to tell her!  Don't let her find it out from someone else!  I think you have to ask yourself why would he or anybody let people like Chuck Dicus leave.  There were other former players like Chuck in the Razorback Foundation that were doing a good job.   Not only were these people doing a good job in my opinion they had earned their jobs from their sacrifices on the practice field!  Football practice back in the 1960's was demanding and rough.  There wasn't any NCAA rules that regulated the length of practice.

[potus]

Even though I do not think Coach Bielema is going to be successful here and I think a change is best for everyone.  I like and respect Coach Bielema and wish him all the best.  Jeff Long is a different story.  I don't think the guy would make a good bookkeeper at an AIC school. Don't trust him at all!

[DeltaBoy]

For once I disagree with you, strongly.   His body of work, as you call it, includes the propaganda campaign that the UA is not a win at all cost institution.  I have detailed on this site how that is a false dichotomy and how it implies, wittingly or not, that other winning programs are doing it the wrong way.  It implies that a program cannot win at power 5 without cheating, or at least the U of A cannot.  Taken further, as some here have shown, it implies that previous success at this institution must have been at the cost of ethical behavior.  It is truly despicable.   Any reasonable person knows you can win and be ethical.  Even at the U of A.  I don't care if this is my last post here and I am lifetime banned after this.  I find that kind of propaganda beyond the pale and I will say so till I am planted in the grave.

Jeff the Carpet Bagger has gotten rich and tanked our program and should be FIRED!!!!

[Vantage 8 dude]

I'm a thirty year trial lawyer, twerp.  I am not wrong.

Well there's you answer right there.

[Vantage 8 dude]

Riddle me this.

Not a lawyer but did read the termination letter and it did not say he was being fired due to risk of being sued, so will give you that.  But you said he had a team telling him there was zero potential for lawsuits.  How do you know that? 

I ask because you noted previosly that someone could bring a frivolous lawsuit and that they may be laughed at etc.  But frivolous just means it shouldnt happen not that the potential doesnt exist.  Just feels like that would be a reasonable possibility in the lawsuit happy world we live in.

Well the ONE thing we do know about EACH and EVERY attorney is they know all about lawsuits....frivolous or not. I swear that anyone could know zilch about the law otherwise and still pass the bar if they only know all the ins-and-out about suing. I swear in the case of most attorneys when compared to sharks the latter would be found far more ethical and honest.

[KlubhouseKonnected]

There is a pretty glaring hole in your logic