Michigan Fires Coach Ellerbe
A N N A R B O R, Mich., March 13, 2001 -- After four years at the helm ofMichigan's basketball program, Brian Ellerbe was forced out, theathletic director said today.
"Brian took over this team in the midst of some trying times,and we all realize the challenges he has faced. I considered thisduring my evaluation of the team," Bill Martin said in a writtenstatement. He asked Ellerbe to step down Sunday.
"In the end, my decision was based on the fact that I did notsee the improvement in the program over the past four years that Ihoped for and that I believe is possible. I believe it is in thebest interests of our student-athletes and the basketball programas a whole to have new leadership at this time."
Coach: I Performed With Integrity
In a statement obtained by the Detroit Free Press earlier in theday, Ellerbe expressed his thanks for the opportunity to coach theWolverines.
"When I took this assignment, I knew our program faced severalissues that were left for us to deal with," Ellerbe said in thestatement on Free Press' Web site. "I also knew that returning theprogram to competitive standards commensurate with Michigan's richathletic tradition would not be done overnight.
"I am confident I fulfilled the guidelines established bypresident [Lee] Bollinger and Tom Goss by running our program withintegrity."
Search for Successor Begins
The Wolverines closed out a disappointing season with an 82-80loss to Penn State in the Big Ten tournament. Michigan finished theseason at 10-18 overall and 4-12 in the Big Ten.
Martin said he will create a small advisory committee of formerand current players and staff to help evaluate potentialcandidates.
On Monday, a source, who spoke to The Associated Press oncondition of anonymity, said the school would like to talk to RickPitino, Kentucky's Tubby Smith, Oklahoma's Kelvin Sampson or SetonHall's Tommy Amaker.
Pitino, who left the Boston Celtics this year, is eyeing areturn to college basketball. He led Kentucky to the 1996 nationalchampionship.
Was Race an Issue in Firing?
Michigan's fan base went from apathetic to angry and shouted,"Fire Ellerbe," among other things, during games at Crisler Arenathis season. Newspaper columnists have written that it was time forhim to be fired.
Ellerbe went 62-60 in four years at Michigan. He was originallyhired to be an assistant coach, but he replaced Steve Fisher, whowas forced to leave when allegations that booster Ed Martinlavished Wolverines with money and gifts became public.
Michigan will have to pay Ellerbe about $450,000 for theremaining three years on his contract. The university will not haveto pay for income he will lose from camps, TV, radio, Internet andendorsement deals, according to the terms of his contract.
Meanwhile, the president of the Detroit chapter of the NationalAssociation for the Advancement of Colored People and othercommunity leaders have expressed concerns to University of Michiganofficials about the treatment of Ellerbe and whether it would befair to fire him.
The Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit chapter ofthe NAACP, sent a letter to Bollinger this week questioning whetherEllerbe is being held to an unfair standard because he is black.
"My deepest, heartfelt thanks goes out to the many communityleaders and alumni who came forward in recent days to support meand my program," Ellerbe said in the statement. "I cannot thankyou enough for your thoughts and expressions of concern."
In the statement, Ellerbe avoided any bitterness — or mention ofMartin.
"As for me," he said in closing, "I have tried to handlemyself with dignity and class through some very challenging times.I look forward to receiving an opportunity to continue my career ina game I truly love."