Michigan AD Bill Martin’s Favorite Pastime–Shoving Students

Published on: 10th November, 2009 @ 12:39 am by JeffG

Being the Athletic Director of a big-time school like Michigan must come with a lot of perks.

Shoving around the students ain’t one of them.

Details of a department of public safety report alleges that Michigan AD Bill Martin pushed one student, and grabbed another by his windbreaker, on two separate occasions.

The first incident took place during the September 12 game against Notre Dame.  Student Jackie Turner says she told Martin he needed a pass to enter the regents guest area of the press box.

His response?  “Honey, I am the athletic director,” Turner quotes Martin as saying, as he pushed her shoulder and walked past.

Some would call that classless, while others would call it ballsy.

I call it having a strong Michigan AD “pimp hand.”

The second incident occurred on October 17, against Eastern Michigan.  Same situation, only this time it was student Arif Khan (KHAN!!!!!) manning the entrance to the guest area.  He too told Martin he needed a pass to get in.

Guess what happened next.

Khan quotes Martin as saying, “I am the athletic director, I can go in.”  Khan also said Martin grabbed hold of his windbreaker.

Martin announced his plan to retire next September, this past October 19.

And for his part, Martin came clean and apologized for both incidents.

“I contacted those involved to discuss the situation and express my regret,” Martin said in a statement released by the school Monday night. “I know they were just doing their jobs.”

Hey, I’d be a little testy too if my football program just lost at home to Purdue for the first time in 43 years, leaving them at 5-5 under a man I had hired.

Sunny days at the Big House indeed.

[Seattle Times]

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