John Silber, Long Time Hater of FCS Football, Dead at 86

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/27/john-silber-longtime-bost_n_1919399.html

RIP.


The lavishness of Dr. Silber’s compensation at BU was often noted by his critics. But it was his temperament that inspired the harshest criticism of him. To opponents, Dr. Silber was a tyrant and bully – “the meanest SOB on campus,” Nora Ephron called him in a 1977 Esquire article -- who fostered a cult of personality at the nation’s fourth-largest private university.

Not a word about how he killed football at BU, either, in the Boston Globe article.

http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2012/09/27/former-boston-university-president-john-silber-dies/I7tjYVpNSQ5yFViA1cjhdP/story.html


He soon improved the school’s finances, largely through his emphasis on raising its academic standing. During his presidency, BU’s endowment went from $18.8 million to $430 million and its physical plant more than doubled.

To get such results, Dr. Silber did not always act in the most prudent fashion. Questions were raised about BU’s acquisition of the Commonwealth Armory from the state at below market value. Dr. Silber sought to raise money for the school by taking out life insurance policies on students (nothing came of the idea). Most notoriously, he oversaw BU’s investing more than $80 million in a biotech firm, Seragen, that was eventually sold for $30 million. Nonetheless, a 1985 survey of 485 college and university presidents ranked Dr. Silber as the nation’s fifth most effective academic leader.

It was on his watch that BU began the Huntington Theatre Company; founded a secondary school, Boston University Academy; opened the Tsai Performance Center; and sponsored the celebrated intellectual quarterly Partisan Review. Although Dr. Silber’s proposal that BU take over management of the Boston Public Schools was not acted on, the university did assume responsibility for the Chelsea public schools in 1989.

My own favorite line was that a mere fraction of his compensation would have allowed football to remain on BU's campus.

[grayghost06]

I'm sure he is now a case study on what not to do on the eve of an election. Blew a 9 point lead in the governors race with a week to go; wound up losing by 4 points. Mostly attributed to a very cranky response to a softball question during an in home interview.
Every man, no matter how high in standing, has a fatal flaw.

[CID1990]

We used to play BU frequently.

[Pard4Life]

Well gee LFN, that headline of yours is the same as saying "Richard M. Nixon, baby-killer, is Dead at 80"...

[Go...gate]

We used to play BU frequently.

So did Colgate - it was a very good series in all sports, but especially Football and Hockey.

[DFW HOYA]

Silber was dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Texas when he was famously fired outright by Frank Erwin, chairman of UT's board of regents. Silber proposed reducing enrollment from 22,000 to sometghing more like Virginia (12-14,000) and focusing on scholars, not being the biggest school in the state, Erwin doubled enrollment to 44,000.

Just as likely, Erwin was distrustful of Silber's growing political power in Austin, and cut him loose before he could mount a challenge to him. Silber learned well from Erwin and built a cult of personality at BU where no one was ever strong enough to challenge him, esp. on football. It was Silber who famously said that they don't play football at the Sorbonne, but no one stood up to ask why it was played down the street at MIT and Harvard.

[dgtw]

I guess he never suggested they drop football during his time in Austin?

[DFW HOYA]

I guess he never suggested they drop football during his time in Austin?

He lived to see BU, didn't he?

Actually, Silber grew up in San Antonio so he knew better than to fight that battle. He waited until he had the authority to rule by fiat at BU and pulled the trigger thusly.

[Go...gate]

In all fairness, he did raise BU's academic standing substantially, and BU's endowment skyrocketed under his leadership.

[Mr. C]

Well gee LFN, that headline of yours is the same as saying "Richard M. Nixon, baby-killer, is Dead at 80"...

LFN isn't twisting any facts. This man did kill Boston U. football. Not funny on your part.

[Fordhamanhattan]

As a former graduate student at UT Austin, i know a little about Silber. He was a good, smart man that didn't suffer fools gladly and Erwin was as corrupt as the Texas summer days are long. Hook em Horns!

[penguinpower]

He's probably in hell now.

[Sader87]

Odd but brilliant man. Would have been Gov. of Mass. if he hadn't snapped at the beloved Natalie Jacobsen (then anchor of Boston's most powerful TV station at the time).

I think his animus for football came from his years in Texas. In his defense (football-wise), BU's support/following for football was pretty scant by the time he became head at BU. I'm not saying it was the right decision just that it was easily done due to BU's overall lack of support for football during Silber's tenure.

[DFW HOYA]

I think his animus for football came from his years in Texas. In his defense (football-wise), BU's support/following for football was pretty scant by the time he became head at BU. I'm not saying it was the right decision just that it was easily done due to BU's overall lack of support for football during Silber's tenure.

FWIW, the last two seasons of attendance at BU would have still ranked in the top half of today's PL.

[Laker]

Did this guy have relatives or disciples who took over at Nebraska Omaha and Western Washington?

[Sader87]

FWIW, the last two seasons of attendance at BU would have still ranked in the top half of today's PL.

As I noted...scant attendance....

[GannonFan]

Odd but brilliant man. Would have been Gov. of Mass. if he hadn't snapped at the beloved Natalie Jacobsen (then anchor of Boston's most powerful TV station at the time).

I think his animus for football came from his years in Texas. In his defense (football-wise), BU's support/following for football was pretty scant by the time he became head at BU. I'm not saying it was the right decision just that it was easily done due to BU's overall lack of support for football during Silber's tenure.


Agree with this - BU football was easy to kill because it was already dying anyway. Very little following, and less year after year, and when it was killed, not really a lot of pushback. And since it's been killed, has there been any real movement at BU to bring it back? Did anyone notice it was gone? The reality is, not every school really needs a football team (much to the aghast of I'm sure plenty on this board).

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Agree with this - BU football was easy to kill because it was already dying anyway. Very little following, and less year after year, and when it was killed, not really a lot of pushback.

When Silber became BU's president in 1974, the NFL's Patriots were using Nickerson field as their practice facilities. Silber quickly canned that, and essentially took twenty years to dismantle the BU football program, bit by bit, never giving up a chance to put up misrepresentations on how BU students didn't care about football, starving it of resources, failing to keep up with Nickerson field - until football was gone, of course.

Point being that Silber had a very, very, very active hand in "talking down" the football program. Kind of like holding the pillow over the victim's head for years, and then telling the doctor, "well, he's been dying for years, so... pull the plug, why don't you?" If anything, that BU was able to sustain the program for so many years in the face of his public disdain for it speaks volumes. Saying "it was dying anyway" is not a fair assessment unless you give Silber's rightful place in making it so.


And since it's been killed, has there been any real movement at BU to bring it back? Did anyone notice it was gone?

Currently, there is a club football team on campus:

http://www.bu.edu/today/2010/football-returns-unofficially/

And for several years after 1997, there was a movement to bring it back, but with Silber all over the management of BU, even in his opulent retirement, was there ever really any chance of bringing it back? Now that he's passed, perhaps there's a chance that someone will be able to mount more of an effort, though when I talked to BU's athletic director a few months ago it seemed like it was extremely unlikely to happen in the short run.

[TheBoyWhoSeaWolf]

Among my friends who went to BU, John Silber will be forever remembered as the President who didn't let "visitors" sleep over in dorms.

[Bogus Megapardus]

“My major contribution,” he said, “has been to declare that there is one university in the country with no interest in intellectual fads, in following propaganda and ideology.”

There is good in every man.

[Sader87]

We can agree to disagree. I'm not saying there was a "terrible following" at BU in the 1970's and 1980's but it wasn't much of one. I went to a lot of HC-BU games in the 1970's as a kid (some were played at night) and there was never much of a crowd. Parking and tailgating at Nickerson (which is where the Boston Braves played before it was demolished/remodeled btw) was always a mess or non-existent.

I'm not saying BU didn't have some great teams/players/coaches etc in that era, they certainly did but BU football was very much the poor cousin (much like Northeastern) to BC, Harvard and Holy Cross in terms of following/support in Massachusetts during this period.

BU has never really supported D1 basketball either.... and it (lack of support) drove Pitino nuts and ultimately led to his leaving BU.

BU athletics (in terms of support/following) really starts and ends with ice hockey.

[Dane96]

In all fairness, he did raise BU's academic standing substantially, and BU's endowment skyrocketed under his leadership.

Not addressed to you...but I am so sick of everyone pointing to the endowment.

NO ONE TALKS ABOUT THE BU DEBT STRUCTURE. BU is beyond overleveraged. In fact, if it weren't for some last minute political face-saving...Agganis would have been an empty shell for a bit; Hancock pulled a majority of their intital $150mm or so pledge.

BU's bond rating has fluctuated all the way down to junk bond status even a few years ago. And people talk about academics...when Silber undermined a new BU Law building that has seriously handicapped growth in that department.

He is OVERRATED.

[Dane96]

Odd but brilliant man. Would have been Gov. of Mass. if he hadn't snapped at the beloved Natalie Jacobsen (then anchor of Boston's most powerful TV station at the time).

I think his animus for football came from his years in Texas. In his defense (football-wise), BU's support/following for football was pretty scant by the time he became head at BU. I'm not saying it was the right decision just that it was easily done due to BU's overall lack of support for football during Silber's tenure.

Killing the sport with honest evaluation I would not have liked...but could have accepted. Silber LIED about why/how he was doing things.

Fact remains, SI putting that on the front-cover is all you need to know. The guy was a bully...and frankly not nearly looked at in the same regard as David Sargent of Suffolk University, a man who literally built a University from nothing. In political and business circles, Silber couldn't hold Sargent's jock.

[Sader87]

Interesting fun fact I just found, Vin Scully made his radio debut doing a Maryland-BU game at Fenway in 1949.

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/fenwaypark100/timeline.jsp?year=1949

[Dane96]

Agree with this - BU football was easy to kill because it was already dying anyway. Very little following, and less year after year, and when it was killed, not really a lot of pushback. And since it's been killed, has there been any real movement at BU to bring it back? Did anyone notice it was gone? The reality is, not every school really needs a football team (much to the aghast of I'm sure plenty on this board).

Are you joking? There was huge pushback at the school to the systemic yearly choking of resources, marketing, etc of the program...and a front page cover story in SI. Like you Gannonfan...but off on this one.

This is directly similar to Stuie boy at Hofstra.

[Sader87]

All I'm saying is that BU football was very much in decline when Silber arrived. They had reclassified from "university division" to "college division" in the mid 1960's, had just joined the Yankee Conference (as did HC briefly) and had very little fan/campus/media etc support. That they held on for another 20+ years is actually a testament to those hearty few who followed BU football from 1974-1997.

[Dane96]

A lot of schools reclassified...including every school that turned into the FCS. Holy Cross wasn't scuttled. Delaware didn't can the program.

[Sader87]

A lot of schools reclassified...including every school that turned into the FCS. Holy Cross wasn't scuttled. Delaware didn't can the program.

Actually Holy Cross almost was "scuttled" in that era (early 1970's) as were many other (mostly Catholic) programs then.

Again, I'm not defending Silber's actions here, just stating that BU football was on very shaky ground for much of its FCS era in terms of support be it attendance, media following, alumni support/giving etc etc

[GannonFan]

A lot of schools reclassified...including every school that turned into the FCS. Holy Cross wasn't scuttled. Delaware didn't can the program.


I don't believe Delaware has ever reclassified their program downwards - UD was classified as "small college" back in the day, and then became DII when they went to the DI-DII-DIII nomenclature, and then UD became DI-AA when that was created. In all cases, UD has been at the same level of football as they always have been - one level down from the highest classification of football. Small college, DII in the pre- I-AA days, and I-AA/FCS today, it's always been the same for UD.

[GannonFan]

Are you joking? There was huge pushback at the school to the systemic yearly choking of resources, marketing, etc of the program...and a front page cover story in SI. Like you Gannonfan...but off on this one.

This is directly similar to Stuie boy at Hofstra.


I saw BU firsthand back in the day - sure you can say that he systematically brought BU football down over 20 years, but at the end of the day, other than players and parents and a small smattering of fans, BU football died with little resistance. And the fact that no one talks about BU football today, 15 years after it went away, speaks volumes too. nova football was cut and, despite many of us on here mocking the lack of a fanbase, they resurrected football in a handful of years. That's what happens when a program gets cut unfairly. Silber hasn't been at BU for almost as long as it was cut, so who's stopping it from coming back if it isn't apathy towards football? I'll reiterate my point - I don't think football is a requirement at every school, DI included. If people want it, they'll fight to have it. Very few people at BU fought it or are fighting it. Same at NU. Same at Hofstra. Same at LaSalle. I feel for the real football fans at those schools - it's a shame for them that there aren't more of them.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I saw BU firsthand back in the day - sure you can say that he systematically brought BU football down over 20 years, but at the end of the day, other than players and parents and a small smattering of fans, BU football died with little resistance.

Doctor: Oh, she'd been dying for years.

Fletch: But the moment, the exact moment she died, it was sudden.


And the fact that no one talks about BU football today, 15 years after it went away, speaks volumes too....

Perhaps you should read my blog more often.


nova football was cut and, despite many of us on here mocking the lack of a fanbase, they resurrected football in a handful of years. That's what happens when a program gets cut unfairly. Silber hasn't been at BU for almost as long as it was cut, so who's stopping it from coming back if it isn't apathy towards football?

Dude. Silber wasn't only the president of BU until 2001. He lived on campus in a rent-free house paid for by BU tuition. You say Silber hasn't been at BU since he stepped down. In reality, he's "been" at BU up until his death this year.

[GannonFan]

Doctor: Oh, she'd been dying for years.

Fletch: But the moment, the exact moment she died, it was sudden.



Perhaps you should read my blog more often.



Dude. Silber wasn't only the president of BU until 2001. He lived on campus in a rent-free house paid for by BU tuition. You say Silber hasn't been at BU since he stepped down. In reality, he's "been" at BU up until his death this year.


I like the Fletch quote.

And I'm fully aware of where he lived and on whose dime. But I'm also aware, and you are not disputing, that he wasn't the President any longer. He was in no position to stop football from coming back if the next administration or, more importantly, donors and students wanted it. He may have been a Godfather of sorts at BU, but he wasn't that powerful to stop it coming back if people were determined.

And no, your blog does not really constitute a critical mass of people talking about BU football. Heck, you probably talk more about BU football than people in BU's old conference do. Hofstra was more shocking to me. BU had been dying for years and NU was always an oddity that it existed in the first place.

[Dane96]

I saw BU firsthand back in the day - sure you can say that he systematically brought BU football down over 20 years, but at the end of the day, other than players and parents and a small smattering of fans, BU football died with little resistance. And the fact that no one talks about BU football today, 15 years after it went away, speaks volumes too. nova football was cut and, despite many of us on here mocking the lack of a fanbase, they resurrected football in a handful of years. That's what happens when a program gets cut unfairly. Silber hasn't been at BU for almost as long as it was cut, so who's stopping it from coming back if it isn't apathy towards football? I'll reiterate my point - I don't think football is a requirement at every school, DI included. If people want it, they'll fight to have it. Very few people at BU fought it or are fighting it. Same at NU. Same at Hofstra. Same at LaSalle. I feel for the real football fans at those schools - it's a shame for them that there aren't more of them.


With due respect to you and your opinion, which I highly value, you don't live here and you are not surrounded by Silberites or those who are actively trying to bring back football. I have had the pleasure of being around both.

Silber, until approximately two years ago, still held an iron hand over decisions made at BU even AFTER his retirement. It's not even a hidden secret only talked about in small corners of cocktail parties. It's an open fact.

[Laker]

BU could bring back football, name where they play Silber Field, and hook up a power source to his grave. His spinning around in the casket could power the whole school.

[henfan]

I haven't heard anything from the good folks at BTUFF, the organization of ex-BU Terrier players dedicated to bringing back football, since 2010. They no longer have a website.

Any word on them, Dane96?

[Dane96]

No word on them as a group...but there is a stronger group. My friend and his brother (one a former wideout and the other a receiver), along with a huge group of BU'ers with good jobs (read: well paying) are slowly looking to get a full-fledged push of the school together. They meet regularly once a month to discuss the plan and the wheels have been spinning since the PL move.

[Sader87]

Love to have BU back on the football schedule, but I just don't see it happening anytime soon (5-10 years anyway).

I just can't see them rejuvenating scholarship football at this point. I know FCS football really doesn't make any economic sense at about 95% of the schools at this level but most that do lose a fair amount of $$$ playing FCS football do so for a variety of reasons that BU doesn't have to do i.e. campus/school visibility, remain D1 in other sports, long support amoungst alumni etc etc.

I think we'll see more schools drop FCS football than add it over the next 10-20 years.

[DFW HOYA]

I think we'll see more schools drop FCS football than add it over the next 10-20 years.

And yet, since BU dropped football, how many schools (other than the MAAC, who had their own issues) have actually done this? Evansville, East Tennessee, Hofstra, Northeastern, but not many. The key to sustainability is recognizing that football is not an economic argument but an participatory one, and one which, properly positioned, has a value-add in enrollment and quality of life. If the program makes money, great, but it's not the driver.

If I-AA football was positioned thusly, more schools would add football.

[Laker]

And yet, since BU dropped football, how many schools (other than the MAAC, who had their own issues) have actually done this? Evansville, East Tennessee, Hofstra, Northeastern, but not many. The key to sustainability is recognizing that football is not an economic argument but an participatory one, and one which, properly positioned, has a value-add in enrollment and quality of life. If the program makes money, great, but it's not the driver.

If I-AA football was positioned thusly, more schools would add football.

I'm surprised at the smaller schools around the country- like St. Scholastica in Duluth and Presentation in Aberdeen, SD that have added football to try to attract more males to campus. That would support your theory of sustainability.

[GannonFan]

With due respect to you and your opinion, which I highly value, you don't live here and you are not surrounded by Silberites or those who are actively trying to bring back football. I have had the pleasure of being around both.

Silber, until approximately two years ago, still held an iron hand over decisions made at BU even AFTER his retirement. It's not even a hidden secret only talked about in small corners of cocktail parties. It's an open fact.

It's all good - not everyone agrees on everything. xthumbsupx

[Libertine]

Well gee LFN, that headline of yours is the same as saying "Richard M. Nixon, baby-killer, is Dead at 80"...


LFN isn't twisting any facts. This man did kill Boston U. football. Not funny on your part.

Yes, funny on Pard's part because, regardless of what Silber did, it's an odd headline. I don't think I've ever seen another obit headline that diplayed such a clear disdain for the deceased -- and then followed it up with "RIP".

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Yes, funny on Pard's part because, regardless of what Silber did, it's an odd headline. I don't think I've ever seen another obit headline that diplayed such a clear disdain for the deceased -- and then followed it up with "RIP".

To be fair, it's an AGS thread, not the New York Times.

[Libertine]

I'm not knocking you, LFN. Write what you want and title it what you want. I'm just saying it's an odd phrasing and there was nothing out-of-bounds about Pard noting it.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I'm not knocking you, LFN. Write what you want and title it what you want. I'm just saying it's an odd phrasing and there was nothing out-of-bounds about Pard noting it.

Good deal.