[Just John]

Ben Carson, Yony Wvans and Franklin Graham all would be great and IMO, mostly fit the mold of Dr. Falwell. However, they all aren’t spring chickens and would merely be transitional leaders. But maybe that’s what we need?

If we’re going big name (which is the Liberty Way ), Condi Rice would be good, but is she a devout born-again Christian? Serious question, as I don’t know. Also, what about Mike Huckabee? Conservative Christian- politician, Baptist preacher & businessman all in one. Kinda what we need.

Personally, whomever, it winds up being, I want a return to Jesus first, people second, then academics and athletics, but we must never abandon our conservatism. So while politics might need to be toned down, we must not leave it. Remember that while we want to be amongst Notre Dame and the P5, we should never strive to be like them. Especially not in today’s day and age. Even if it means going down with the ship until Christ calls us to the sky.

Andrew Breitbart correctly stated "Politics is downstream from culture". Our fight should not be for politics first but for spiritual and cultural influence. When we get that right, politics will follow. I think LU may have lost it's balance. I was a student back in 79-82. There was no shortage of politics then but there was no question of the school's mission. Now I'm very glad we don't have the legalism of those days but how many here have raised concerns in the past LU may be going the way of a Baylor? Good time for a gut check.

[jack_sparrow81]

Condoleeza is pro choice. I'm not sure how she would view the godparent home

[JK37]

Does the president oversee the godparent home? Or the church?

[Purple Haize]

Condoleeza is pro choice. I'm not sure how she would view the godparent home

You realize you can be Pro Choice and Pro God Parent home, right?

[jack_sparrow81]

I see your point. IMO we just need steer clear of anyone that has ties politically or current ties to the school. I like the idea that someone brought up about hiring someone from outside. It doesn't have to be big name that causes a big splash. There are many qualified Godly men and women around the world that have that experience to fill that position.

[JK37]

What does “indefinite” mean? It surely does not mean “permanent”. So if this move is not permanent, why hire anyone, let alone someone from the outside?

A temporary figurehead from the inside is the only thing that makes sense. Does anyone here really think JJ would’ve agreed to it “immediately” were it any other way?

Only way I could believe he agreed immediately to something permanent would be if the board had something on him powerfully embarrassing. Nothing we know or even suspect yet falls into that category.

[ballcoach15]

Interim president will be someone with ties to the University. Leave of absence will be approximately 6 months.

[Purple Haize]

What does “indefinite” mean? It surely does not mean “permanent”. So if this move is not permanent, why hire anyone, let alone someone from the outside?

A temporary figurehead from the inside is the only thing that makes sense. Does anyone here really think JJ would’ve agreed to it “immediately” were it any other way?

Only way I could believe he agreed immediately to something permanent would be if the board had something on him powerfully embarrassing. Nothing we know or even suspect yet falls into that category.

That statement gave a lot of wiggle room

[LUOrange]

Ben Carson, Yony Wvans and Franklin Graham all would be great and IMO, mostly fit the mold of Dr. Falwell. However, they all aren’t spring chickens and would merely be transitional leaders. But maybe that’s what we need?

If we’re going big name (which is the Liberty Way ), Condi Rice would be good, but is she a devout born-again Christian? Serious question, as I don’t know. Also, what about Mike Huckabee? Conservative Christian- politician, Baptist preacher & businessman all in one. Kinda what we need.

Personally, whomever, it winds up being, I want a return to Jesus first, people second, then academics and athletics, but we must never abandon our conservatism. So while politics might need to be toned down, we must not leave it. Remember that while we want to be amongst Notre Dame and the P5, we should never strive to be like them. Especially not in today’s day and age. Even if it means going down with the ship until Christ calls us to the sky.

Andrew Breitbart correctly stated "Politics is downstream from culture". Our fight should not be for politics first but for spiritual and cultural influence. When we get that right, politics will follow. I think LU may have lost it's balance. I was a student back in 79-82. There was no shortage of politics then but there was no question of the school's mission. Now I'm very glad we don't have the legalism of those days but how many here have raised concerns in the past LU may be going the way of a Baylor? Good time for a gut check.

Well said. That's how it was during my time in the 90's and from the sounds of it, that's where Her mission needs to return to and remain. Liberty becoming another Christian in name only school is my biggest fear for Her.

[LUOrange]

Interim president will be someone with ties to the University. Leave of absence will be approximately 6 months.

This, I believe.

[thepostman]

Interim president will be someone with ties to the University. Leave of absence will be approximately 6 months.

This is what I assume is happening. If this is the route they have already to decided to take then little will actually change.

[flameshaw]

Interim president will be someone with ties to the University. Leave of absence will be approximately 6 months.

If this is true, then the leave of absence is meaningless.

[badger74]

It is good to see you posting once again, badger74. Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Things are great. My wife beat Pancreatic Cancer which is like winning the Lotto. This might have been the biggest shock in LYH in my time here. Maybe JFJr was already on double secret probation. But you don't find leaders like him often--taking big chances and usually winning. Most universities are run by caretakers trying not to get into trouble. A lot can blow over in 6 mos--See our beloved Governor. He was TOAST until he wasn't.

[TH Spangler]

Interim president will be someone with ties to the University. Leave of absence will be approximately 6 months.

Perfect, this will give him time to hit the Trump campaign trail, temporarily unattached from LU.

My latest conspiracy theory there for you Postman

[ballcoach15]

In sports, an athlete does something really bad, whether a crime or unsportsmanlike conduct on the field. Most get a couple games suspension and are back on field. Or in many cases a few thousand dollars fine, and never miss a game.
Get sports going again, especially football, most will forget about the situation.

In other words, 6 months is probably about right amount of time.

[flamehunter]

If he comes back in six months with no real changes to the culture at liberty (ie. Heads have rolled) then it will be worse than if he never left. The school's downward spiral will accelerate.

[thepostman]

Considering this is a pattern of behavior and not the first time, I would hope some kind of mechanism would be put in place to prevent this from happening again because if all this is is a 6 months paid vacation then they have missed the mark and are simply interested in damage control.

[rogers3]

In sports, an athlete does something really bad, whether a crime or unsportsmanlike conduct on the field. Most get a couple games suspension and are back on field. Or in many cases a few thousand dollars fine, and never miss a game.
Get sports going again, especially football, most will forget about the situation.

In other words, 6 months is probably about right amount of time.

The fact that you would suggest this and that you seam to be one of Jerry's big supporters is telling. Maybe sports is one of the idols that will end up bringing the school down. If he gets reinstated in the same position and the board doesn't clear out the weasels at the to of the administration, well just continue our quick decline. I'm amazed that people who state that they want the mission of the school to start the same even consider that a person like Jerry should return to his former position. The threat isn't a new leader, it is a continuation of what has been going on and a nepotistic plan to carry that forward to the next generation- something more appropriate for a small business than a large educational institution.

[Whatisthetruth]

There are a couple of challenges I can see with brining Jr back after a few months:
1. How does the board deal with other skeletons if they fall out and become public?
2. Many on here believe alcohol is an issue, so assume it is true for the moment. Jr would need to be in a lockdown style rehab center during this leave of absence to ensure there is accountability and that he does not do anything else off the rails.

[Purple Haize]

There are a couple of challenges I can see with brining Jr back after a few months:
1. There are many other skeletons in the closet. How does the board deal with them when they fall out and become public?
2. Many on here believe alcohol is an issue, so assume it is true for the moment. Jr would need to be in a lockdown style rehab center during this leave of absence to ensure there is accountability and that he does not do anything else off the rails. An addict with no accountability and too much time and money on their hands is a volatile mix. He no longer can fly around on the school jets, attend sporting events, call up evening talk shows, and order around 8,000 employees. He is also too radioactive for the Trump campaign to use at the moment.
3. What happens to the reputation of the school and the board if they bring him back and skeletons fall out of the closet due to unhappy insiders, or if Jr does something stupid again?
There is too much risk and in the words of Spock “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one”.
The board needs to meet and vote to demand his resignation. Then the resignations of the family on the payroll. Jerry’s sons, their wives, the wives’ fathers, Becki’s sister and her husband, Terry Falwell, and Laura Wallace (and anyone else I missed). Then the executive staff will need to be heavily vetted and many of them will need to be shown the door.
This needs to be a complete rebuild just like you see with any sports franchise that has gone through multiple seasons with a disastrous head coach.

Yeah, the Family members and the Hangers On should be worried but I don’t know if they will be. In the back of my mind I’m just sensing maybe running a University isn’t what will really make Junior happy and fulfilled. There are ways the FALWELL name can still be attached and associated with the school (in a good way) but without having any actual power or influence.
It you want to use a coaching analogy maybe Junior has taken the team as far as he can and it’s time for a new voice. Like Doug Collins to Phil Jackson
But if you were one of the groupies and Junior pursues other ventures, you gotta be nervous. I mean if you are his “assistant “ or his wife’s “assistant “ do you have a job right now? Think of all the special positions he created with crazy salaries...those have to be on a watch list.
Just things to keep an eye on

[olldflame]

Regardless of what ultimately happens with JLFJR, I think it would be an overreach to automatically say anyone working for the school who is related to him would need to be dismissed. Some of those people have been quietly doing good work for a long time and really have no significant control over the direction of the university.

[thepostman]

Agreed @olldflame, i have mentioned it previously that an independent review/investigation really needs to be conducted to get a real picture of how things have been operating and what needs to be changed. I don't know if that is the plan or not but I really hope it is.

[BlueBlood]

Regardless of what ultimately happens with JLFJR, I think it would be an overreach to automatically say anyone working for the school who is related to him would need to be dismissed. Some of those people have been quietly doing good work for a long time and really have no significant control over the direction of the university.

Agree with you and thepostman.

I had no idea how many relatives, in-laws and friends were employed At LU until recently. If they are doing good work at a fair wage, I have no problem with that at all.

However, if any “created” positions with excessive salaries exist - where the primary goal appears to be transferring LU wealth to friends and family, that is obviously unacceptable.

[Purple Haize]

Regardless of what ultimately happens with JLFJR, I think it would be an overreach to automatically say anyone working for the school who is related to him would need to be dismissed. Some of those people have been quietly doing good work for a long time and really have no significant control over the direction of the university.

Agree with you and thepostman.

I had no idea how many relatives, in-laws and friends were employed At LU until recently. If they are doing good work at a fair wage, I have no problem with that at all.

However, if any “created” positions with excessive salaries exist - where the primary goal appears to be transferring LU wealth to friends and family, that is obviously unacceptable.

The issue is that you have a mix of both.

[TH Spangler]

From my perch, as an outsider just reading this stuff. I get the impression a few here are mad because Jerry controls the purse strings and you feel short changed. A few have some kind of typical employment grievance. One or two a personality conflict over some silly issue that happen while you were in school or something similar. Basically an axe to grind.

JR has made your mission alittle easier lately. As far as the speculation and accusations being tossed around here, we don't know what Jr has agreed to confront. He's getting older and has had medical issues. Could be prescription meds, could be alcohol, could be a mix. We have no idea.

I would give anyone of you 6 months to right yourself before I fired you . If we didn't work with people we wouldn't have one of the best AD's and football coach in the country. This will be my last post on it until we know the real deal.