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Allegations Fly In Wake Of Oakland's Beckie Francis Firing


Old Titan

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This is a STUNNING story from USA Today.  Oakland's Beckie Francis was always one of my favorite college women's basketball coaches - she seemed like a real class act when we played them, and she always treated our women's program with respect (unlike that psycho Coach Crane at Western Illinois). 

 

But, apparantly, Becky is not without some neuroses:

 

Players' Shocking Allegations Against Fired Oakland Women's Basketball Coach Beckie Francis (USAToday.com)

 

Frankly, I really don't think she's quite the ogre they are trying to portray her as in this story, but the whole "married-to-the-school-president" thing at Oakland always struck me as a disaster waiting to happen.  Talk about your conflicts of interest...

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interesting read.

 

i'd guess her weight and virginity/good-girl-fixation is a result of what happened to her as a child, but that the pushing of her faith is what got her fired. 

 

i remember reading a few years ago during the Summit Tournament on the SD paper news site that her team had permformed some type of community outreach with a church and had attended services.  it struck me as odd that the school would let her get away with such a blatant religious activity.  i guess being married to the President caused all kinds of issues that left her unchecked.

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Thanks for the heads up on the article, OT. That's all very interesting - the little soap operas playing out behind the scenes of college athletics. I agree with all your points - always thought she was great coach and one of the few friends in the conference to the ORU program. The academic world, unfortunately, views nearly ANY display of faith with horror and as a direct affront. I have a feeling you're exactly right about her views being over stated - but then again, maybe not. I think if many believers were put in her position, and they had the ability, would LIKE to see the things she espoused happening - team members in church and doing outreaches, players avoiding partying and sex, and so on. Unfortunately, in a public school that just isn't reality.

It's probably not reality even at a Christian school like ORU . . .

Kind of amazing how quickly Beck Francis fell from the heights of the Pat Summitt Award and all, though.

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Her reason for dismissal may have nothing to do with the stuff in the article.

 

Honestly, it's hard for me to fathom there were NOT instances where she and her husband may have bent the rules in the money department.  Just too cozy of an arrangement, literally and figuratively.

 

State school + misappropriation of funds:  that will get you fired every time.

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I would like to know what faith she was espousing? Was she Catholic? Mormon? Pentecostal?

 

Promoting her 'Christian' faith could mean a lot of different things...

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If I had a daughter, unless something different than what I have read surfaces & is proven true, I would think Becky would be a great coach & roll model for her.  Perhaps she would have been a better fit at a Christian university?  I wish her & her husband well.

 

This article shows that Beckie's conversion was during her cancer treatment.  Remember how on fire you were for Christ when you were first saved?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/18/beckie-francis-oakland-abuse_n_1978807.html

 

In reference to the criticism she received for her tweets, see for yourself. No matter what religion someone is, I would think they could quote portions of the book that represents their faith:

https://twitter.com/Coach_Beckie

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not sure how i missed this before.  after re-reading the article, it sounds like she was not fired for pushing her faith.  she was reprimanded after the muslim player transfered and the school stated:

"The athletics department, under the auspices and at the direction of the general counsel, immediately commenced an internal review that resulted in appropriate corrective action being taken.

Since that time, the university received no reports of continued non-secular conduct or behavior."

 

so it sounds like OT is right that something else came up in the post season player interviews that triggered the investigation and dismissal.  her husband stepped down out of loyalty or because he was also involved.  it also probably did not help that she had back-to-back losing seasons.

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I think the strangest issue was the fixation with the player's weight, if as they say, the players that she was addressing were already skinny and not in need of losing weight but probably instead in need of building muscle strength.

 

It sounds like she had good intentions but was a little too forceful and direct in her approach concerning influencing her players spiritually.

 

There certainly could have been other issues going on with the 2 main players mentioned in the article.  They may not necessarily have been squeaky clean with perfect attitudes, and perhaps they didn't like her form of discipline and found issues to complain about that would paint her in a bad light.  

 

You never really know the whole story behind a situation like this, but for many years Becky Francis was one of the most successful women's coaches in the Mid-Con/Summit.  However, the conflict of interest from her husband being the university president probably did make the players, other coaches, and the AD uncomfortable.

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http://www.ougrizzlies.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/francis_beckie00.htm   l   With her record, I can't buy that that was the problem.

 

Let's remember where Oakland is folks & it isn't California, It is 27 miles from Detroit. Rochester has much better demographics than Detroit, but it is soooooo close. How long before the finances of Detroit and Michigan effect them?

Detroit, who's population has gone from 1,800,000 to 900,000 with 28.9% unemployment, a 50% illiteracy rate, and High School drop-out rates reached 76 percent last June, according to NBC's Brian Williams.. Detroit's population is over 40% Muslim. It makes sense that if Beckie wasn't willing to back down on tweeting Bible scriptures and encouraging her players to be moral and attend a Christian church that she is a risk to them.  It would be hard to defend your beliefs every day.  She and her husband are fortunate to be in a financial position to focus on her Christian speaking engagements to athletes and churches and move on. Nothing can take away the memories of her professional career and successes. 

She and her husband are in my prayers.

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Interesting read.  It is typical of players who aren't getting playing time to blame it on someone else. 

We got to know Beckie pretty well when we hosted the Oakland team years ago.  It is no secret that they were strict on the diet for ALL players - no bread, no sugar, etc.  I guess having cancer makes you rethink your diet, but they had a nutritionist working with them also.

I am not impressed with an article that gave no voice to the other side.  Her players seemed to love playing for her when we were around, some of them became assistants.  Not everyone is going to buy into her philosophy, especially when they weren't winning.

I believe Beckie and Gary will land on their feet.  I am sorry for their trials.

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My daughter plays ball.  Over the years she has played, her weight and conditioning have always been part of the conversations with coaches and trainers.  I understand the seriousness of eating disorders, but a coach and trainer has got to be able to work with players on their physical conditioning.  I'll bet this was discussed during the player recruitment process.

 

I think the weight and eating issues that make up a part of this story are really just additional points for the ex-players to pile on.

 

Playing time and player transfers is the hard part of the college athletic experience.  Team chemistry changes affect certain players and changes the way coaches have to play their team.  Some players simply don't adjust to the college game, or join a team that they don't gel with.  In my experience, to have players transfer is just part of college sports.

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this story has Bob Ley and 'Outside the Lines' written all over it.

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My daughter plays ball...Playing time and player transfers is the hard part of the college athletic experience.  Team chemistry changes affect certain players and changes the way coaches have to play their team.  Some players simply don't adjust to the college game, or join a team that they don't gel with.  In my experience, to have players transfer is just part of college sports.

 

Transfers within the women's game are rampant, and it's the NCAA's fault:  Title IX has resulted in D-1 women's teams having 15 scholarship players, as opposed to 13 for the men. 

 

That translates into too many players on the bench, not getting enough playing time. 

 

Hence, they transfer; and a lot of them with chips on their shoulders, feeling their previous coach did not understand them or give them a fair chance.

 

Which makes for bitter quotes from disgruntled former players in stories like this.

 

Gee, thanks NCAA! :fubar:

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Just wondering...why do the ladies get 15 scholarships and the men only 13?.....seems like discrimination to TheEagleman...... :nerd:

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  • 3 months later...

Seems like there is a court date on Wednesday (tomorrow) to attempt to get a written report from the University.  It seems that the University is claiming physical and mental abuse of Francis' players.  I wonder if they got a complete picture of the entire situation.  Truly an unfortunate situation for Becky Francis and Gary Russi.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaw/2013/11/11/oakland-says-womens-basketball-coach-beckie-francis-fired-for-mentally-abusing-players/3497569/

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Seems like there is a court date on Wednesday (tomorrow) to attempt to get a written report from the University.  It seems that the University is claiming physical and mental abuse of Francis' players.  I wonder if they got a complete picture of the entire situation.  Truly an unfortunate situation for Becky Francis and Gary Russi.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaw/2013/11/11/oakland-says-womens-basketball-coach-beckie-francis-fired-for-mentally-abusing-players/3497569/

 

Really a shame. She came across as a really nice person from a distance.  And she probably is.  What a mess.

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It's tough to say. There's obviously a long history of people abusing religious beliefs to push forward a personal motive.

Regardless, if my daughter played collegiate basketball at a public university and her coach was pushing her religious beliefs onto the team, I'd have a problem with it. . . Christian or not.

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