Screwy results in DMN/UT-Tyler poll

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world."
1 John 4:1

[Note: While we were working on this blog post, the Hobby School at U of H released a poll that's likely much closer to reality.  Unfortunately, they didn't poll on Abbott or "issues."  So it makes an apples to apples comparison difficult.  Nevertheless, the U of H poll is consistent with the Texas Tribune poll from a couple weeks ago.]

There's been a poll making the rounds that alleges Biden is up by three statewide. It's being promoted by the ususal suspects for the obvious reasons. But consider some of the other results from the same poll.

Abbott overall job approval:

In other words, they're claiming Abbott has a 20 point net positive rating.  Maybe a year ago.  Not today.

Abbott COVID job approval:

Abbott at 52% approval on COVID is some LOL territory.

Police defunding in various idioms:

That's consistent with of private polling we've seen on the City of Austin on those two issues...but we've got to imagine those policies are less popular statewise.

Bottom Line: Oceanfront property. Arizona. Etc.

#TXLEGE: Watson's gets a fascinating new gig

"To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:"
Ecclesiastes 3:1

Wasn't expecting this:

State Sen. Kirk Watson, an Austin Democrat, is retiring from the Texas Senate.

His resignation is effective at midnight on April 30, the Austin American-Statesman first reported Tuesday. Watson is leaving office to become the first dean of the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs.

"This is a chance to build a world-class public affairs and policy school essentially from the ground up," Watson said in a statement. "It is transformative work at a creative and ambitious university, located in one of the country's largest and most diverse cities. ... Only a unique opportunity to serve this state — and a compelling platform for that service — would cause me to leave."

Watson, an attorney and former mayor of the city of Austin, represents Senate District 14, a historically Democratic seat. It covers Bastrop County and parts of Travis County. He was first elected to the seat in 2006, taking office in early 2007.

Watson's early departure will set off a special election to serve the rest of the term, which will end in 2023. Watson delivered his resignation letter this morning to Gov. Greg Abbott, who will later set the date for a special election.

Wow.

In terms of politics, and public policy, there's a lot to say.

Before we get to that, however, allow us this: Kirk Watson is one of the genuinely nicest people you will ever meet in politics.  That's not to say we've agreed with him or supported the same policies.  But in an industry where so many are cowards and liars, Kirk Watson has always been an honest sort of scoundrel who was never afraid of a public discussion.

To his tremendous credit, Kirk Watson was also an unsung hero on a certain topic.

That being said, about the other stuff:

• Kirk Watson WILL get PAID!!!  Whatever his other virtues (at least in comparison to most politicians), he's always been comfortable funneling taxpayer subsidies to the very well-heeled.  It was probably inevitable that he would eventually cash in himself.  Expect him to receive a salary in the mid six figures.

• Watson was typically one of the great defenders of the higher ed. establishment; while those sorts still exist in the Texas Senate, to have one fewer veteran on that topic around could make things interesting. 

• Still, it's odd that U of H chose someone from Austin.  There are plenty of ex-politicos in Houston who could do this job.  There's probably something else at play, although we have no idea what it could be.  Keep that in the back of your mind over time.

• As for the special election: Yes, the GOP could.  They probably won't.  But they could.  They should certainly try.
  
  There's a good chance that the special election comes down to a runoff between a Republican and someone closely aligned with Greg Casar.
  
  If that circumstance were to materialize, we could see those central Austin precincts that typically run up the scoreboard for Democrats being...unenthusiastic.  These are the neighborhoods that have been hit hardest by the city of Austin's new homelessness policies.  It doesn't take a genius to see how a critical mass might stay home.
  
  The special election would likely come down to Westlake.  And, to put it mildly, a Greg Casar type ain't gonna play well in Westlake.  Go Chaps.

Bottom Line: What an odd, unexpected, development.

UH's, Applewhite's, Chickens Come Home to Roost; Kendal "White Women" Briles gets golden parachute

"Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall."
Proverbs 16:18

Reading the Athletic's analysis (Note: Subscription Required) of the UH coaching vacancy, this stands out:

When November began, Houston had a 7-1 record and was No. 17 in the AP poll, and quarterback D’Eriq King was among the most prolific players in the country. Things were rolling.

Less than two months later, Houston fired head coach Major Applewhite after finishing 8-5 with a 70-14 loss to Army in the Armed Forces Bowl. Things change quickly.

This isn't surprising when you consider the arrogance and greed UH has shown in the past year.

--------

Kendal "White Women" Briles:

Under Major Applewhite, UH hired an offensive coordinator with more sexual assault baggage than any other active coach in the country.

In case you have forgotten Kendal Briles' CV:

Former Baylor offensive coordinator Kendal Briles allegedly used sex to sell the football program according to a new lawsuit against the university obtained by the Dallas Morning News.

The lawsuit, filed by a woman identified as Elizabeth Doe who reports being gang raped by two former football players, alleges that Baylor "used sex to sell" the football program to recruits. One Dallas-area high school recruit said Briles once asked him, "Do you like white women? Because we have a lot of them at Baylor and they love football players."

Briles, the son of fired Baylor head coach Art Briles, is now the offensive coordinator at FAU.

The lawsuit is another bombshell in the long-lasting Baylor sexual assault scandal. The investigation by lawyers identified at least 52 "acts of rape" by 31 football players from 2011 to 2014. This included five gang rapes, at least two of which were committed by 10 or more players at one time, according to the lawsuit. These numbers are significantly higher than previously disclosed by Baylor's regents.

Yikes.

Meanwhile, UH's rationalization for hiring Briles was that he was some sort of alleged genius as an offensive coordinator.

 Yet, from an on-field perspective, Briles' offense only managed 14 points...against Army.

It's fitting.

-------

UH's stonewalling re: Kendall "White Women" Briles:

[Note: Keep in mind that, throughout all this, UH was tooting their own horn in the local media about their post #MeToo handling of sexual assault.]

But, even though he doesn't deserve it,  let's give Kendal Briles the benefit of the doubt.  Let's assume, for the sake of discussion, that the Baylor Truthers are right.  Let's assume that Art and Kendal Briles were scapegoats.

If all of the above were true, then UH hiring Kendal Briles might have been a worthwhile act of forgiveness.

If, however, the above were true...then one would think UH would be extra-transparent about how they vetted Kendal Briles.

UH did the opposite:

University of Houston President and Chancellor Renu Khator assured faculty on Tuesday that the university conducted additional review "above and beyond" typical hiring practices when it added ex-Baylor University football assistant coaches Kendal Briles and Randy Clements to its football program.

Both Briles and Clements were employed by Baylor during a sexual assault scandal. UH announced the hires earlier this month.

Khator, who wrote to faculty in an email Tuesday, said the university also required coaching staff to receive additional training about the law, UH policies "as well as about our culture of reporting."

Khator did not mention Briles and Clements by name or by their former affiliation with Baylor in the email, but a university spokesman confirmed that the two were the subject of the notice. Khator also said that the "new staff members" had morality clauses in their contracts, which Briles and Clements did.

aka: "Trust us."

We didn't trust UH.

Shortly after UH hired Kendal Briles, this author sent an open records request about how Kendal Briles was vetted.  UH's response left more questions than answers.  But what little we did learn undermined the official story.

Specifically, based on information UH released in response to an open records request from this author, we learned:

• Baylor raised red flags about Kendal Briles.

• Major Applewhite remains in contact with Art Briles.

• Applewhite was more concerned about the Kendal Briles hire leaking early than we was about any of the Baylor stuff.

That's not good.

In response, we sent several rounds of follow up open records requests.  We got nothing.  As in, UH literally didn't respond to our requests.  Keep in mind, they're obligated by law to at least respond.

The situation got so bad that we filed an official complaint with the Attorney General's office.

While the Attorney General's office resolved the immediate issue, none of the above inspires confidence in how UH originally vetted Kendal Briles.

-------

Major Applewhite's 'extra-cirriculars':

Then there's this:

A lawsuit by former Texas women’s track coach Bev Kearney against the school is probing how administrators in the offices that investigate campus sexual misconduct handled former football assistant Major Applewhite’s 2009 relationship with a student trainer on a bowl trip.

Kearney, who is black, was forced out in 2013 after the school learned she had a relationship with one of her athletes a decade earlier. She has alleged race and sex discrimination, noting that Applewhite, who is white, was allowed to keep his job and was later promoted after his incident was discovered. Applewhite, a former quarterback at Texas, stayed on staff through 2013 and is now the head coach at Houston.

[Note: We said our piece about this lawsuit from the Longhorn perspective at the time.]

By itself, this incident doesn't reveal much.  Obviously, it's not good.  But Major Applewhite shouldn't be crucified for doing something irresponsible on a night when everyone was partying.

That being said, in the context of the Kendal Briles hire, a pattern of arrogance as it relates to sexual matters begins to emerge.

We've also always found it interesting that this story emerged during the same week UH was stonewalling over Briles.

Finally, one can only wonder if Major Applewhite is hiding other skeletons.

-------

Borris Miles:

Then there's this:

So Tillman Fertitta, UH's Board Chairman [Note: Yes, THAT Tilmann Fertitta], had Borris FRIGGIN' Miles as an honored guest at a UH football game.

Yes, THAT Borris Miles.

In fairness to Tilman Fertitta, UH is located in Miles' state senate district.  So a case can be made that including Miles is politics as usual.  But, with all due respect to Tilman Fertitta, we don't think politics as usual applies with Borris Miles.

A toxic culture starts at the top.

-------

Kendal "White Women" Briles' Golden Parachute at Florida State:

Despite all that:

Kendal Briles has been hired to be Florida State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, head coach Willie Taggart announced Sunday.

“I’m excited about the addition of Kendal to our staff,” Taggart said.

“He brings play-calling experience and familiarity with the type of scheme and tempo we will run, which is similar to the offenses he has coordinated. His ability to recruit, manage an offensive staff, develop quarterbacks and make in-game adjustments will be beneficial to us as we evolve in our offense. Kendal has success at the Power 5 level and has also shown his adaptability to personnel and situations that occur during a season. He had multiple opportunities following the 2018 season and we feel the fit here will be a good one.”

Briles, who will have primary play-calling duties, comes to FSU having served as an offensive coordinator at Baylor during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Florida Atlantic in 2017 and Houston in 2018.

Obviously, we're appalled.  But he's not Texas' problem any longer.  Florida can have him.

Also, for the record: Florida State is Jameis Winston's alma mater.

-------

Bottom Line: As UH assesses what went wrong this season, they'd be wise to do a deeper self-examination....

Tom Herman really OUGHT to get out in front of this Ohio State story

"Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so."
James 3:10

Drip, drip, drip:

Zach Smith may have outed Tom Herman as the unnamed Ohio State assistant football coach who accompanied him to a strip club during a 2014 high school recruiting trip ... and it's all on his IG.

The incident was mentioned in the OSU investigation report into Urban Meyer -- which says Smith "ran up a significant bill at a local strip club along with another OSU football coach" in Florida on May 8, 2014.

Because Smith was on an official OSU recruiting trip -- and at least one high school football coach was also at the club -- Meyer reprimanded Smith and threatened to fire him if it happened again.

The report did not identify the other OSU coach -- but Smith's Instagram page may hold the clue. On May 7, 2014 Smith posted about being in Florida with Tom Herman.

Hoo boy....

Now, look, visiting a strip club isn't the worst thing in the world.  Nobody was abused.  Nobody was assaulted.  But it's still a lame, douche bag, move.

In other words: It's embarrassing, but it's not criminal.

But here's the thing: This is the second time in two weeks that Herman's name has come up in relation to the ongoing scandal at Ohio State.  And it probably won't be the last.  And with each slow drip, it looks like Herman has something to hide.

At this point, based on publicly available information, it's looks like Zach Smith's sketchy behavior didn't begin until after Herman left Ohio State.  Herman left for U of H in December 2014.  Zach Smith's egregious behavior started in 2015.

So, at least for now, Herman's alibi checks out.

But the fact that we're talking about this again is a problem.  It doesn't look good.  Even a hint of this sort of scandal isn't cool.

And that's why Herman really ought to open up about what he knows.  At a minimum, for three years he worked closely with a guy who went psycho shortly after his departure.  Questions are natural.  It's also natural to assume the worst when questions go unanswered.

Bottom Line: For now, the story simply bears continued monitoring, but more information sure would be nice....

Ft. Worth Star Telegram's APPALLINGLY IGNORANT claim re: Kendal "White Women" Briles

Then he called his servant who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.” Then he called his servant who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.”
2 Samuel 13:17

[Note: Learn about Kendal Briles history with white women here.]

Throughout the past few years, as the horrifying scandals surrounding the Baylor football team and (if more recent allegations are to be believed)(*) broader campus, the Ft. Worth Star Telegram has consistently acted as glorified press agents for the coaching staff.

Yesterday, in an article reporting the disgraceful news that Art Briles has a new coaching gig, we saw this line about his son's recent hiring by the University of Houston:

Meanwhile, members of his staff, nearly all of whom left Baylor after the 2016 season, were all vetted aggressively by their next employers. When his son, Kendal Briles, joined Houston’s staff in 2018, he was aggressively researched before head coach Major Applewhite was allowed to hire him.

With all due respect to the Ft. Worth Star Telegram: On what planet was Kendal 'White Women' Briles "vetted aggressively" or "aggressively researched?!?"

U of H claims to have "aggressively vetted" Briles, but have never been detailed.  Instead [U of H President] Renu Khator has essentially told the public "trust us."  With all due respect to Renu Khator, U of H's behavior during this process hasn't inspired trust.

Readers may remember that when U of H announced the Briles hire in January, this author sent several open records requests related to the alleged 'aggressive vetting' process.  What limited response we received undermined Khator.  Subsequently, U of H stonewalled our follow-up requests to the point that we filed a complaint with the Attorney General's office.

[Note: The Attorney General's office satisfactorily resolved the complaint.  Following the resolution, we lost interest in pursuing the request.  That being said, following yesterday's startlegram article, we might revive it.]

So the Star-Telegram either a) has access to information that the public does not, or b) accepted Renu Khator's word at face value.

Neither is good.

Bottom Line: To report uncritically that U of H "aggressively vetted" Kendal 'White Women' Briles, at best, assumes facts not in evidence.

-------

* - We believe them.

Attorney General's Office puts U of H on Notice re: Kendal "White Women" Briles

"He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy."
Proverbs 28:13

[Note on Format: We don't have access to a scanner at the moment, so a photograph of the letter will have to do; click on the image to make it bigger if you have trouble reading.]

The Attorney General's office responds to our complaint about the University of Houston's stonewalling related to their new offensive coordinator:

Bottom Line: It's a shame it had to come to this...but they have until Thursday to respond.

Houston Chronicle Writes *Puff Piece* about U of H's "Sexual Assault Prevention" efforts (fails to mention Kendal "White Women" Briles)....

"Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
Matthew 7:20

In case you weren't completely appalled, Houston Chronicle on Tuesday:

In #MeToo moment, Houston universities say they have lessons to teach

The article begins by discussing efforts at Rice and A&M, before moving onto this gem from U of H:

At UH’s session on Tuesday, [U of H Title IX coodinator Richard]Baker referenced the scandal at Michigan State. More than 250 girls and women accused Larry Nassar, sports doctor for Michigan State and USA Gymnastics, of sexual harassment, abuse and assault. Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison in the cases.

Baker, speaking Tuesday to advancement administrators, researchers and other employees, outlined how to respond if a student or colleague said they were assaulted, stalked or harassed.

“Institutions of higher education continually come up as institutions that somehow have failed individuals,” Baker said to attendees. “If I came to you and I reported that I was sexually assaulted, how would you respond? What would you do?”

The in-person training session was a new requirement announced by UH President Renu Khator in February. More than 10,000 employees — from research assistants and maintenance crew members to admission recruiters and faculty — will attend the session in addition to annual online training before the end of the semester.

Baker said after the session, his second of the day, that he has witnessed a shift in campus culture. He began at UH in 2011.

Now, he said, “from the beginning of any person’s employment, or the beginning of any student’s enrollment, we have this conversation regarding sexual misconduct…I don’t think that corporate America has this same sort of investment from day one.”

[Note: Emphasis added.]

Really?!?  U of H is supposed to be some exemplar of dealing with sexual assault?!?  And in their athletic department?!?

From that very same Houston Chronicle; January 6th, 2018:

When UH pulled the trigger and hired Kendal Briles as its new offensive coordinator, the football program sent out a clear message.

It's willing to take a massive risk if it means winning.

Briles - a former assistant under and son of Art Briles - steps into his new role with a lot of baggage and an extremely questionable reputation.

And while he brings a top offensive mind and system to the Cougars, he also brings a lot of questions about the morals and ethics of the coaching staff.

And it isn't because his last name is Briles.

This isn't about his bloodline. It's about a coach who is named in a pending lawsuit, has broken NCAA recruiting rules and has been questionable through his actions and social media practices in the past.

Kendal Briles is a controversial choice for the UH coaching staff and one they could have done without.

The fact that head coach Major Applewhite, new athletic director Chris Pezman, regent Tilman Fertitta and president Renu Khator all let this hire happen is worrisome. It sends out a message that winning is more important than morals when football is involved.

The Baylor scandal isn't over. More information is coming. Lawsuits are still pending. More victims are coming forward.

And, in case you'd forgotten, what was Kendal Briles alleged to have told a football recruit while he was at Bayor (an allegation which Briles has never attempted to refute)?!?

Do you like white women? Because we have a lot of them at Baylor and they love football players.

Furthermore, let's not forget that this is the same University of Houston whose initial response to open records requests from this website related to the Briles hire raised major red flags, and who have subsequently stonewalled inquiries from this website to the point where we've filed a complaint with the Attorney General's office.

[Note: There's a second AG office complaint coming up as soon as we sit down to write it.]

At which point, two conclusions seem noteworthy:

1. The stenographic nature of the Chronicle's report.  At a minimum, it would seem relevant to the subject that U of H hired a coach with Briles' baggage.  This only happened four months ago.
   
2. The Arrogance of these U of H bureaucrats.  They're running around patting themselves on the back for their handling of sexual assaults.  Meanwhile, in their own football program....
   
   One of the more perceptive criticisms we've heard of the national "hashtag Me Too" movement is that it will lead to a situation where guys who a lower on the totem pole will be subjected to highly political "training"/brainwashing; meanwhile, rich and powerful men escape consequence free.

Bottom Line: From the journalistic failures, to the hubris of the university bureaucrats, what a horrifying situation all around....

OFFICIAL Attorney General COMPLAINT over U of H's STONEWALLING Re: Kendal "White Women" Briles....

"He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy."
Proverbs 28:13

On January 6th of this year, the University of Houston hired two former Baylor assistant coaches in their football program.  Most alarmingly, they hired former Baylor offensive coordinator, who was in the middle of the ongoing sexual assault scandal.  Specifically, according to a January 2017 lawsuit, Briles is alleged to have told a recruit in a text message: "Do you like white women? Because we have a lot of them at Baylor and they love football players."

This website first expressed our reservations about this hire on January 8th.  On January 10th, we filed an open records request for "All records related to the hiring of Assistant Football coaches Kendal Briles and Randy Clements."  On January 26, we reported on how the response to that request raised more questions than it answered.

Beginning that evening, and continuing since, we've been sending U of H open records requests to get to the bottom of this mind-boggling hire.  To date, except for a minor request for clarification last week, we have received zero response from U of H.  It's been two months and three expired deadlines.

We've never done this before, but we're filing an official complaint with the Attorney General's office.

You can read our complaint below:

U of H Open Records Complaint to Texas Attorney General by Cahnman on Scribd

Bottom Line: One would think that a college football program, in hiring a coach who is alleged to have facilitated racially charged sexual assaults at a previous job, would be extra-transparent about the hiring process (at least if they didn't have anything to hide).  Sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case with the University of Houston and Kendal Briles.  So be it.

#TXLEGE: Sarah Davis does what she does

"Her feet go down to death,
Her steps lay hold of hell."
Proverbs 5:5

What can you say about Sarah Davis?!?  We attended this morning's Trib event...and it didn't break new ground.  She's who she is.

Evan Smith did a thorough job discussing the numerous policy differences between Davis and the majority of her party (including the Governor).  Topics included Abortion, Property Taxes, Hurricane Harvey, and Davis' welfare expansion bill from last year's special session.  This ground is well-tread, and everybody knows where everybody stands.

During Q&A, we asked Davis about the debacle on the Coaching Staff for the U of H football team.  Davis replied that she was "saddened" by the decision and didn't try to defend U of H's decision in any way, shape, or form.  We were satisfied by Davis' answer.

View the event for yourself below:



Highlights:

• Abbott letting lots of other's who opposed him off the hook.
• Note: See here and here.

• Plays the feminist card: "I'm a woman [Abbott] can't control."

• Argues semantics over late-term abortions: "We're not allowed to have thoughtful or nuanced positions."

• "I'm not pro-death."
• Evan Smith: "if you're explaining, you're losing."

• Has an obvious chip on her shoulder against Jonathan Stickland.

• Doesn't disclose who she voted for for President.
• Evan Smith: "Not disclosing is disclosing."

• Inside baseball crosstalk re: Spending and Ethics.

• Endorses Larson's unconstitutional bill to restrict the Governor's appointment powers.

• Long discussion of her welfare expansion bill from the special session.
• Sob Stories....

• Evan Smith makes several points about how Abbott has been talking out of both sides of his mouth on numerous issues.

• Uses the same cliches as Jen Sarver.

• "I think I'm necessary" in the legislature.

• Refuses to commit re: Speaker's race.
• "I adore Dr. Zerwas."

• In response to our question about the Kendal Briles hire: "Saddened by that decision."

(Very Limited) Open Records Response undermines Khator's credibility re: Kendal "White Women" Briles

"Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
Matthew 7:20

U of H Chancellor/President finally addressed the festering sore in their football program this week (but, of course, she had to do it in the vaguest way possible):

University of Houston President and Chancellor Renu Khator assured faculty on Tuesday that the university conducted additional review "above and beyond" typical hiring practices when it added ex-Baylor University football assistant coaches Kendal Briles and Randy Clements to its football program.

Both Briles and Clements were employed by Baylor during a sexual assault scandal. UH announced the hires earlier this month.

Khator, who wrote to faculty in an email Tuesday, said the university also required coaching staff to receive additional training about the law, UH policies "as well as about our culture of reporting."

Khator did not mention Briles and Clements by name or by their former affiliation with Baylor in the email, but a university spokesman confirmed that the two were the subject of the notice. Khator also said that the "new staff members" had morality clauses in their contracts, which Briles and Clements did.

....

Baylor never implicated Briles or Clements during its investigation.

Briles, 35, was named in a pending lawsuit - one of several Title IX civil suits filed against Baylor - that alleges he tried to attract recruits by saying female students at Baylor liked the players. "Do you like white women? Because we have a lot of them at BAYLOR and they LOVE football players," Briles told a Dallas-area recruit, the lawsuit alleged.

Additionally, Baylor suspended Kendal Briles and another assistant after they were found to have committed recruiting infractions for having impermissible contact with a prospect in 2015.

Well, it just so happens that this author put in an open records request to U of H related to the Kendal Briles/Randy Clements hires a couple of weeks ago...to which they, kinda sorta, replied late yesterday afternoon (aka. Business day #10, for all you Texas Public Information Act nerds).

It's important to state up front: We received a very limited amount of information from U of H.  But, of course, the limited amount of information they're releasing to anyone is a BIG part of the problem.  But even the small amount we did learn doesn't give us confidence in anything Renu Khator is claiming.

The most important takeaway is that U of H conducted most of its investigation over the telephone.  This is important because having conversations over the telephone instead of in writing is a common technique governmental entities use to evade the Public Information Act when they're up to no good.  But, apparently, Associate Athletic Director for Compliance, Academics, and Financial Aid Lauren DuBois held several telephone conversations to vet the Briles/Clements hires.  The content of those conversations is anyone's guess.

But even for the limited written records that do exist, U of H is hiding behind Attorney/Client privilege for an untold number.  This is another dodge that governmental entities pull all the time.  We can't say anything with certainty, but it seems incredibly likely that all correspondence with the Title IX office would fall under this category.

But even the very limited written records they did release raise major red flags.

Baylor raised the alarm about Kendal Briles:

[Note: We're having formatting issues with Scribd, so screenshots of the relevant documents will have to do.]

U of H sent several text messages from Major Applewhite.  Applewhite's primary concern was to not get Briles in trouble with his previous employer before the deal was finalized.  He was also concerned with "chatter" surrounding the Briles hire and reminded athletic department personnel to not speak to the press.  Also, apparently Major is still in touch with Art Briles:

Finally, we'll highlight this gem from U of H's press release announcing the hire:

Named the Big 12 Recruiter of the Year by Scout in 2013 and 2014.

Really?!? The guy in question got in trouble for sending text messages to recruits implying that they'd be able to commit racially charged sexual assaults, and y'all praise his recruiting ability during the period in question?!?  Might want to rethink....

Bottom Line: We now know that Baylor raised concerns to U of H and that Major Applewhite primary concern was to minimize "chatter."  That certainly seems to contradict the University president's claim to have committed "due diligence."  Even in a best-case scenario, the optics surrounding this stink.

As Kendal "White Women" Briles situation continues to fester, [U of H Board Chairman] Fertitta attends big party

"Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
Matthew 7:20

10 days ago, the University of Houston hired an assistant Football coach who had been caught facilitating racially charged sexual assaults during a previous coaching gig at Baylor.

Last Monday, we wrote an open letter to the Chairman of the U of H Board of Regents outlining our concerns; on Saturday, we outlined the specific questions U of H needs to successfully address.

So, how does the chairman of the University of Houston's Board of Regents respond?!?

Floyd Mayweather Jr. surprises Slim Thug's gala guests, joins Tilman Fertitta at Minute Maid Park

....

The elevated Sunday funday bash toasted two Bayou City entrepreneurs, Tilman Fertitta and Daymond John. Fertitta's claim to fame includes ownership of Landry's Inc., Golden Nugget Casinos and, now, the Rockets, as well as being a potential dreammaker on "Billion Dollar Buyer."

[Note: Emphasis in original.]

In other words, in the midst of this festering sore of a situation at the public university where Tilman Fertitta is chairman of the Board of Regents, Tilman Fertitta chooses to attend a big party.  Got it.

Bottom Line: With every day that passes, it's gets harder to conclude anything other than that the University of Houston simply does not care about the racially charged sexual assaults their fancy new football coach was previously caught facilitating.   When it already looks like you're stonewalling, to have the Chairman of your Board of Regents show up at a high end "gala" probably doesn't help matters.  At a minimum, the optics are terrible.

The Question U of H needs to answer re: Kendal "White Women" Briles

"Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
Matthew 7:20

Re-reading the Trib's bombshell about the ongoing U of H/Baylor mess, we were struck by this section about U of H's "vetting" process:

UH did not receive letters of recommendation from Baylor for Clements or Briles, UH spokesman Mike Rosen told the Tribune. But he said both coaches received "verbal recommendations" and were vetted through processes that went beyond “normal protocol.”

“The candidates both agreed to an interview with our Vice President for Legal Affairs/General Counsel, who has extensive experience in handling Title IX matters and supervised our Title IX office for almost 15 years,” Rosen wrote in an e-mail to the Tribune. “The interview included discussions specifically about Title IX compliance,” which is not typical.

Rosen said the school’s athletic director also “made several calls to former colleagues of the candidates,” and that the athletics’ compliance officer “made additional inquiries to the NCAA and former schools where the candidates worked, including Baylor.” He said it is not typical for the athletic director “to be involved in hires at this level.”

When asked if UH asked Baylor whether the two hires were responsible for the misconduct mentioned in the “Findings of Fact” document – and whether or not Baylor provided an answer – Rosen said the school was “not going to characterize the conversations with specific universities.”

He said, “The university did its due diligence and was satisfied with the results.”

That's really vague.  It tells us nothing about what was actually was done, it just tells us that 'something' was done which included a Title IX component (which could be about legal CYA as much as anything related to actual assault prevention).  Essentially, U of H is arguing "trust us."

Well, we don't.

In case you're unfamiliar, here's what Kendal "White Women" Briles was caught doing:

Former assistant coach Kendal Briles — the son of the head coach — once told a Dallas area student athlete, “Do you like white women? Because we have a lot of them at Baylor and they love football players,” according to the suit.

So, University of Houston, how did you 'vet' THAT quote?!?

What sort of "due diligence" was done surrounding that quote, and WHY are you "satisfied with the results?!?"

You're not telling us.

Who knows?!?  Maybe there's an explanation for that quote.  Considering that it's been in the public domain for a year and has yet to explained, we don't believe a one exists.  But if U of H wanted to offer one, we'd listen.

Instead, they're essentially arguing "trust us."

And we don't.

Bottom Line:  To hire a football coach who was recently caught facilitating racially charged sexual assaults is a brazen act.  The public needs more than vague assurances about "due diligence" and being "satisfied with the results."  Specifically, it might be a good idea to tell the public WHY you were "satisfied."  Until such information is forthcoming, given everything we've learned about this ongoing mess over the past three years, it's hard to avoid assuming the worst.

Texas Higher Education's Culture of Stonewalling Reaps its Poisonous Fruit

"In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me."
Matthew 26:55

Mind-boggling report in the Trib this morning about U of H's inexplicable Kendal Briles' hire:

A bid to better their football team’s offense put University of Houston officials on the defensive this past week.

It’s a posture several schools have had to adopt in recent years after announcing they’d hired coaching staff – like UH’s new offensive coordinator Kendal Briles and offensive line coach Randy Clements – who had worked at Baylor University and departed under the cloud of a sexual assault scandal.

Those universities, like UH, have been quick to offer assurances that their hires were carefully vetted, including through conversations with Baylor officials. But their attempts to set minds at ease have been hampered by one major issue: While Baylor has blamed "athletics and football personnel" for much of the scandal, it has never revealed publicly who specifically did what wrong.

....

When asked if UH asked Baylor whether the two hires were responsible for the misconduct mentioned in the “Findings of Fact” document – and whether or not Baylor provided an answer – Rosen said the school was “not going to characterize the conversations with specific universities.”

He said, “The university did its due diligence and was satisfied with the results.”

Tracy, the survivor and activist, said UH’s hiring decision “sends the wrong message.” She said she spoke with UH’s football program last year and that it felt “kind of like a punch in the gut, when I read which school it was” that had made the hires.

Both Kendal Briles’ and Clements’ memorandums of understanding with UH contain a morality clause that says the coaches can be fired if new information about their conduct at Baylor surfaces, according to the Houston Chronicle. But “merely having been on staff at Baylor and performing [their] job duties while allegations of misconduct were made” is not alone grounds for termination, the clause reads, in part.

The report is worth reading in full, but as you read it do remember that Kendal Briles is literally the guy who was caught sending text messages facilitating racially charged sexual assaults.

Yes, it's that bad.

But as you scratch your head wondering how an institution of higher education in the State of Texas could hire a football coach who has never provided a compelling explanation for the afore mentioned text messages he sent while coaching at another institution of higher education in the State of Texas...consider a separate incident at another institution of higher education in the State of Texas.

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On May 1, 2017, the University of Texas experienced it's second on-campus MURDER in thirteen months:

One person was killed and three were injured in a stabbing attack Monday afternoon on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin, officials said.

Two of the students injured have been released from the hospital, university officials said.

Earlier, officials had said only two people were hurt but UT-Austin police said later that three were wounded. Details on their injuries were not available.

The suspect is a UT student and is in custody, campus police said. His possible motive is under investigation.

Keep in mind: That awful incident happened 7.5 months ago.   Since then, the Board of Regents has met FOURTEEN times.  But not a single public discussion of on-campus security following two on-campus murders in thirteen months.

[Note: Yet somehow they manage to find time to assemble a bid to manage the nation's nuclear weapons.]

[Note II: It almost sounds quaint at this point, but remember when their worst acts of stonewalling involved pay-to-play admissions scandals?!?]

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While the ongoing Baylor/U of H sexual assault fiasco and the murders at UT are the most flagrant examples, they're hardly alone.   Off the top of our head, we can think of incidents at A&M, Tech,  and Texas Southern that the respective administrations have never addressed sufficiently.  And that's just what we know about.

What will the next horrifying scandal be?!?

Bottom Line: People are literally getting raped and killed because institutions of higher education across Texas would rather obfuscate than clean house.  As mind-boggling as that sentence might be to read, that's reality.  How long will the public tolerate it?!?

About Kendal Briles and Randy Clements: An Open Letter to [U of H Regent Chair] Tilman Fertitta

"Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
Matthew 7:20

[Note: Readers can ask Fertitta their own questions on Twitter -- @TilmanJFertitta]

Tilman J. Fertitta
University of Houston Board Regents
Chairman

Dear Chairman Fertitta,

Thank you for your time.  I'm an Austin based blogger who covers Texas politics.  Historically, I've been a fan of your performance as the Chairman of the University of Houston Board of Regents.  I applaud your effort to halt the University of Texas' Houston land grab during the 85th session of the Texas Legislature.

Today I'm writing over something much more alarming: The University of Houston's inexplicable decision to hire former Baylor assistant coaches Kendal Briles and Randy Clements in the Cougar football program.

Over the past several years Baylor Univesrty has been enmeshed in a slowly unfolding sexual assault scandal, the depths of which are almost too awful to plumb.  For everything we've learned in recent months, the Baylor scandals remain the most horrifying.  But even amidst the grotesque onslaught that's come out of Baylor, Kendall Briles' mendacity stands out.

According to books, lawsuits, and press reports Kendal Briles made the the following comment to a recruit about female Baylor students: "Do you like white women? Because we have a lot of them at Baylor and they love football players."

Seriously?!?

You just hired a guy who's been caught facilitating racially charged sexual assaults.  It's difficult to believe this could actually happen, but apparently this is how the University of Houston chooses to do business.  It's mind boggling.

I understand you're busy.  Between being CEO of Landry Restaurants, your casino interests, your CNBC show, and ownership of the Houston Rockets, you have a lot on your plate.  If the Kendal Briles and Randy Clements hires were an oversight due to a packed schedule, I encourage you to promptly rectify the situation.

As long as Kendal Briles and Randy Clements remain on the Cougar coaching staff, it's difficult to avoid the conclusion the the University of Houston condones the type of chilling abuses about which we've recently learned.

It should also go without saying that Big-12 expansion is a non-starter as long as Kendal Briles and Randy Clements remain on the Cougar coaching staff.

As Chairman of the University of Houston Board of Regents, the buck stops with you; choose wisely.

Sincerely,
Adam Cahn
Austin, TX

P.S. One recently relevant part of my background: In the past two months, I helped lead efforts to get both Congressmen Joe Barton and Blake Farenthold to retire.  While Barton's and Farenthold's respective conduct was reprehensible, either one of them is a fraction compared to Kendal Briles.  Like I said, choose wisely.

(U of H Board Chairman) Tilman Fertitta's (recent) political donations

"And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."
Luke 16:9

It's not a secret, between the land grab and the Tom Herman hire, that those within U of H circles are livid with UT.  We were still struck by a rather...bold...comment from U of H Board Chairman Tilman Fertitta following the Herman hire.  That got us thinking: If Tilman Fertitta starts making phone calls around the legislature next session, who's likely to listen?!?

We reviewed Texas "Ethics" Commission data for the past two election cycles.  Fertitta appears to be a pretty typical big money donor in that he donates to everyone regardless of ideology.  For the most part, he donates within Harris County, although there are some interesting ones outside of the area as well.

Results are mostly presented in the order in which they appear on the "Ethics" commission website.  The primary exception is that we moved statewide officials to the top of the list.  Former members of the legislature who will not return next session have been excluded.

The list:

• Greg Abbott: $404,000

• Dan Patrick: $189,723
• Author's Note: To his credit, Fertitta gave to Patrick during the 2014 primary but does not appear to have given to David Dewhurst.

• Ken Paxton: $25,000
• Note: Again, to his credit, he gave to Paxton during the 2014 runoff but does not appear to have given to Dan Branch.

• Glenn Hegar: $50,000

• George P. Bush: $15,000

• Joe Straus: $35,000

• Joan Huffman: $25,000

• Carol Alvarado: $19,700
• Author's Note: Yes, that Carol Alvarado.

• John Whitmire: $45,000

• Senfonia Thompson: $3,500

• Craig Goldman: $1,000

• Ana Hernandez: $2,000

• Dennis Paul: $1,000

• Charles Schwertner: $3,500

• Dan Huberty: $2,000

• Kelly Hancock: $12,500

• Gene Wu: $2000

• Donna Campbell: $3,500

• Sylvia Garcia: $5,000

• Van Taylor: $2,500

• Konni Burton: $2,500

• Paul Bettencourt: $7,500

• Trent Ashby: $1,000

• Charles Perry: $2,500

• John Zerwas: $2,500
• Author's Note: House Higher ed committee chairman last session.

• Byron Cook: $2,500

• Alma Allen: $2,000

• Lyle Larson: $1,000

• Brian Birdwell: $3,500

• Todd Hunter: $2,500

• Chuy Hinojosa: $1,000

• Will Metcalf: $1,000

• Jose Menendez: $1,000

• John Keumpel: $1,000

• Sarah Davis: $1,000

• Phil King: $2,000

• Garnet Coleman: $2,000

• Jim Murphy: $2,000

• Oscar Longoria: $1,000

• Mike Schofield: $2,000

• Hubert Vo: $2,000

• Jane Nelson: $2,500

• Armando Walle: $1,000

• Dennis Bonnen: $3,500

• Craig Estes: $2,500

• Ed Thompson: $1,000

• Robert Nichols: $1,000

• Larry Taylor: $5,000

• Dwayne Bohac: $1,000

• Geanie Morrison: $1,000

• Lois Kolkhorst: $2,500

• Travis Clardy: $2,000

• Charlie Geren: $1,000

• Dan Flynn: $2,000
• Author's Note: Oh, fun....