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Michael Adams Is The Worst Possible Choice To Be The NCAA’s President

Mar 30, 2010, 8:25 PM UTC

â†µGeorgia president Michael Adams is probably most famous for being the nattering busybody who tried to change the name of the World’sLargest Outdoor Cocktail Party, which went about as well as you might imagine:â†µ

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â†µAdams is on the left. Small children should not attempt to interpret this sign.â†µ

â†µâ†µHe also happens to be Georgia’s president, where he is so well-loved that even the mild-mannered law-talkin’ bloggers give him the same nickname as Mussolini. The crankier ones less given to Faulknerian sentences just call him “a big, fat liar” and “hypocrite.” These assertions aren’t just internet crack pottery. They’ve been backed up by by hoity-toity accounting firm Deloitte and Touche. A small portion of BobRyan napalming the guy recently:â†µ

â†µâ†µâ‡¥â‡¥â‡¥â‡¥â†µâ‡¥â†µâ‡¥â‡¥â‡¥Deloitte & Touche found that Mr. Adams had been quite cavalierâ‡¥with the use of both university and foundation funds. His abuses rangedâ‡¥from chartering an airplane to get himself and friends to and from oneâ‡¥of George W. Bush’s inaugurations, and included, but were not limitedâ‡¥to, various uses of foundation credit cards, and assorted examples ofâ‡¥billing the university to fund his lavish lifestyle. ...â‡¥â‡¥â†µâ‡¥
â†µâ‡¥â‡¥â‡¥â‡¥â†µâ‡¥â†µâ‡¥â‡¥â‡¥“If this report had pertained to a senior executive of a majorâ‡¥corporation,” said Robert Miller, a former King & Spalding partnerâ‡¥and a well-known critic of Michael Adams, “he would have been removedâ‡¥from power in 24 hours and would not have even been given an opportunityâ‡¥to reply.”â‡¥â‡¥â†µâ‡¥

â†µâ†µâ†µAdams was so fazed by this public calling-out that he reduced the size of his 2008 Sugar Bowl traveling party ... to 89people. â†µ

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â†µSo naturally Adams is one of the leading candidates to replace deceased NCAA president Myles Brand. Say what you want about Brand, but he at least seemed earnest. His major project was an academic reform push that seems at least marginally effective at publicizing and punishing schools that don't make a good faith effort at graduating 60 percent of their players. There aren't legions of incensed Indiana bloggers who spit before saying his name. There isn't a 50-page audit alleging massive financial improprieties with his name on it. At no point did 70 percent of the faculty give him a vote of no confidence. It seems like literally everyone with a stake in UGA gets that sign above without having to think about it, so what possible reason could there be to put him in charge of the NCAA?â†µ

â†µâ†µThere isn’t one unless you’re a Georgia fan:â†µ

â†µâ†µâ‡¥â‡¥â‡¥â‡¥â†µâ‡¥â†µâ‡¥â‡¥â‡¥If Il Duce is in the running for another job, Bulldog Nationâ‡¥will help him load the U-Haul. Go, Adams! Go, Adams! No, seriously,â‡¥go, already!â‡¥â‡¥â†µâ‡¥

â†µâ†µâ†µThe NCAA should probably pick someone whose departure from his current post would not occasion wild celebrations. That’s a pro tip there. â†µ

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This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.

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