Becky Francis "retires" at Oakland (update: "fired for cause")

[SturgisJeff]

Don't know if this has been talked about yet but it was tweeted a few days ago that Oaklands Womens BB coach Becky Francis has retired from coaching and her husband Gary Russo has retired as President of Oakland Univ. She was a class act as coach and made many friends in Sioux Falls for her team to come and cheer. He was always at the womens games at his spot at mid court.

[jacks nl]

Re: Becky Francis retires at Oakland

http://www.freep.com/article/2013061...ens-basketball

well it looks like she was fired right after her husband retired.

[Nidaros]

Re: Becky Francis retires at Oakland

I not so sure you can take this as a firing. It sounds like this was part of the retirement plan of her husband.

"Athletic director Tracy Huth announced in a release that Francis was “relieved of her position” and noted the department wished her “the best in her future endeavors.”

When she most likely gave a verbal of retirement plans, the AD probably did the necessary paper work and had to make a statement. Somewhere in the AD papers I would think there is a letter of resignation freely submitted by the coach. If your hubby is retiring, does it make sense to want to follow behind? My guess they will be leaving the lovely community of Rochester for Arizonia or Florida or someplace elsewhere where to coach from a remote location is not an option. You just don't fire good coaches.

[bigticket1]

Re: Becky Francis retires at Oakland

When both the departing coach and the athletic dept give a no comment , it sounds like a firing to me.

[Nidaros]

Re: Becky Francis retires at Oakland

When both the departing coach and the athletic dept give a no comment , it sounds like a firing to me.

I guess we can agree to disagree. If you had job for as long as the president and you desire to leave for retirement, why would wifey want to hang around and coach? She made her case on the abuse issue so no doubt she can do more on this issue as a private citizen than as a public employee. I hardly think going public on the abuse issue was the cause for termination.

[JimmyJack]

Re: Becky Francis retires at Oakland

Story says she was "relieved of her duties". I don't know how you can read that as anything other than a firing. If you resign, you resign. If you retire, you retire. If you are relieved of your duties, it wasn't your choice. After the fact, she says they were thinking of retiring. But it is clear she didn't retire.

[Nidaros]

Re: Becky Francis retires at Oakland

Story says she was "relieved of her duties". I don't know how you can read that as anything other than a firing. If you resign, you resign. If you retire, you retire. If you are relieved of your duties, it wasn't your choice. After the fact, she says they were thinking of retiring. But it is clear she didn't retire.

I did not read this article very close, scanned and caught the retirement part, but also missed the last two seasons were more losses than wins. With her husband retiring, it made it easier for those such as the AD to take the action that was taken, namely firing the head bb coach for women. So the coach was fired. End of story.

[rabidrabbit]

Re: Becky Francis retires at Oakland

Apparently OU felt compelled to keep this release in the news.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/artic...txt?viewmode=2

Sad ending to good coach's career.

[Nidaros]

Re: Becky Francis retires at Oakland

Apparently OU felt compelled to keep this release in the news.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/artic...txt?viewmode=2

Sad ending to good coach's career.

This is an interesting twist to the story. I was curious to know if Oakland U was a state assisted institution and it appears to be though its beginning stems from a donation of 2 million dollars from one of the Dodge brothers plus an estate that covered many acres. Here is a link to the official history http://www.oakland.edu/?id=15&sid=19

I would think the state boards would have enacted some rules and regulations about nepotism. The more I think about it, the administrators who where responsible for Women's bb were put in a very awkward position from day one.

Be thank at SDSU, our first lady does not occupy a coaching position. I do see Marcia Chicone at the Avera Clinic transporting in a very careful manner elderly who have doctors appointments. She also attends the Difference Makers Club, and has a lot of fun exchanging friendly barbs with Coach Stig. I would hope that her involvement will continue in this low key manner.

[OldHare]

Re: Becky Francis retires at Oakland

Apparently OU felt compelled to keep this release in the news.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/artic...txt?viewmode=2

Sad ending to good coach's career.

What is really sad is that a headline could read fired for cause and then no other reference to an infraction is even discussed. There was a reference to no comments about any investigation or complaints of the OU program. They should have also added that no children were violated as well. This is an example of poor journalism.

[JamesJacks]

Re: Becky Francis retires at Oakland

Here is some more on the Francis firing.

http://sports.sportsillustrated.cnn....94103795206908

[OldHare]

Re: Becky Francis retires at Oakland

More stories surface. www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/06/25/news/doc51c9e2844b588823854527.txt?mobredir=false

[Nidaros]

Re: Becky Francis retires at Oakland

More stories surface. www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/06/25/news/doc51c9e2844b588823854527.txt?mobredir=false

Its amazing what comes out some times, and now I am wondering how would anyone could deal with some one who pushes their personal beliefs like the coach did. She was wrong and aggressive in what she was doing. Appears to me that coach Becky was abusing her power as coach. Beliefs are very personal, and when the coach sets the tone, the poor SA is helpless.

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: Becky Francis retires at Oakland

More stories surface. www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/06/25/news/doc51c9e2844b588823854527.txt?mobredir=false

Well the comments below that article made me want to wander into traffic.

[Nidaros]

Re: Becky Francis retires at Oakland

Well the comments below that article made me want to wander into traffic.

Good thing your mail box is full, as you would have gotten a nasty message from me, but I assume you are referring to the comments attached to the news article and not mine above your post. Yes the comments on both sides are ridiculous. The article reveals the cause for firing and its a valid reason. A state assisted institution needs nepotism policies in place.