Monday Cardinal Couple -- Memorial Day

MONDAY MEMORIAL DAY

-Please remember those who have served

-Hermann abuse allegations heating up.

Amidst the picnics, family get-togethers, events and day off from work happenings on Memorial Day, let us not forget the reason why this day exists.

Today is a day for a memorial tribute and rememberance to those who have served our country in our armed forces. We should thank them 365 days a year. Today is one of them.

I am proud of my wife, father, father-in-law, friends and all who defended our country so that we may be free from oppression, tyranny and dictatorship rule. I remain a solid believer in our freedoms and rights and will defend them also, even though my days of standing at the ready to serve and protect were many years ago.

Once in, always in.

If you see a current, soon-to-be or former member of our
armed forces...today or anyday...just simply say "thank you"...please.


And may we always be safe, secure and set in our principles of being a democracy and land of opportunity, not oppression. America isn't perfect. No country is. But we are the land of the free and the home of the brave. Not just words in our National Anthem, but a way of life. No bombs or missles overhead, no death squads hunting us out because of race, creed, religion, color or national origin. Children playing in parks instead of huddled in fear in bombed out buildings.

I am thankful. And, thank you to those who served, gave their lives and those who still serve today.



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We wrote an article in Sunday's CARDINAL COUPLE about the allegations surrounding incoming Rutgers University Athletic Director and former University of Louisville associate senior athletic director Julie Hermann. It seems there are reports that she allegedly upset a few volleyball players at Tennessee while coaching there in the 1990's.

Now the governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, plans to speak to Rutgers officials about a report that Hermann quit as Tennessee's women's volleyball coach 16 years ago after her players complained she ruled through humiliation, fear and emotional abuse.

We know the Julie Hermann of Louisville. Quite honestly, we didn't know Hermann was the volleyball coach at Tennessee until a few years ago. It was something that was obviously of public record.

The Julie Hermann we know has been an excellent administrator and much-loved figure at UofL.

It is time, though...for Ms. Hermann to come out with a statement. Either own it, if all the allegations are true and substantiated...or fight it if it's a set up or overblown out of proportion.

The bottom line, I suppose...is whether the report will make Rutgers to re-consider the appointment of Hermann. It goes deeper than that. It is fuel to the fire for those who want Rutgers University president Robert Barchi to resign because of this potentially severe and additional punch in the gut to a university that has been a punching bag lately.

Question 1: If the allegations are true, why...in heaven's name didn't Rutgers do their homework and eliminate her as a candidate...saving everyone from a whole bunch of embarrassment and pain?

Question 2: Was Hermann really the monster that the former players claim she was?

Question 3: Can Rutgers, if the allegations are factual and she owns up to them, bring her in...based on the good things she did at Louisville? People change. Coaching is different than being an athletic director. Old dogs learn new tricks and second chances (see Bobby Petrino) are granted.

Question 4: If Hermann is not appointed Rutgers AD, does Tom Jurich keep her as second-in-command at UofL?

It would have been quite easy for Rutgers to take her aside and say...we have these questions, these issues from your time at Tennessee and, based on them, we are eliminating you from our job candidate search. Did they do the homework and, if they did, what did they discover?

Hermann has staunch defenders within the UofL ranks, who laud her time here at UofL. We are one of those. She's top-notch and above the board when it comes to her time as a Cardinal and she remains one of our all-time favorites.

But, we do feel that Julie needs to say something besides "Wow".

Many years ago, I took a chance on hiring an employee (when I did stuff like that) who had an incident in her past, but had turned her life around...and she turned out be an invaluable, essential employee to the place where we worked. I knew about her past, though. She brought it out into the open. People change.

Whether or not the allegations against Julie are all true and a cause for terminating her upcoming job at Rutgers is not your or my call. It is something that Rutgers needs to decide.

But...we need to hear Julie's side of the story. Innocent until proven guilty and should the alleged sins of the past destroy the future? Heavy rhetoric and complex questions.

I'm a Julie Hermann fan. The Julie Hermann I know is a good and honest person who cares and produces. If there was a rough patch there in her life, her employment of the past...well, most of us have been there. You move on and try to do better. Hermann has proven her value and worth.  

Weigh in.

-Paulie

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