Guest Columnist: Choice of Alleva as athletic director still puzzling
By Stephen Wolf

Special to The Daily Reveille

Published: Monday, October 12, 2009

Updated: Monday, October 12, 2009 21:10

EDITOR'S NOTE: Stephen Wolf is a guest columnist for The Daily Reveille; his views do not represent those of the paper or its staff.

When LSU hired Joe Alleva as athletic director despite widespread doubt over his integrity and abilities, it struck me as a bit strange. Joe Alleva heading a supposed first class athletic department made as much sense to me as Jerry Springer: The Opera. The two seemed incompatible.

When Joe Alleva was named vice chancellor due to title consolidation stemming from budget cuts, it struck me as very strange. Joe Alleva holding a significant position of power in the academic hierarchy at a supposed "first-tier" university made as much sense to me as porn star Stormy Daniels running for U.S. Senate.

"Duke's last president, Nan Keohane, made a terrible choice when she selected Alleva as athletic director in 1998," wrote well-respected sportswriter John Feinstein in a 2007 column for the Washington Post. "Everyone at Duke knew that Alleva was a pleasant man whose next original idea would be his first, someone whose main asset when applying for the job was the fact that his racquetball partner was Mike Krzyzewski."

LSU was given an additional 10 years to see just how incompetent Alleva is, and they still hired him.

Perhaps Alleva's most egregious mishandling of his job of athletic director at Duke was the lacrosse team scandal. The levels of hypocrisy on Alleva's handling of this case left many wondering if it all stemmed from savvy damage control or frightening cluelessness.

When rumors about the lacrosse team's propensity for out-of-control partying reached Alleva, no action was taken. Once Duke players were accused of rape, the tide turned, and accused players were thrown under the bus prior to the inevitable conviction — that never came. Alleva was quoted as calling the dropping of the rape charge as "another step in establishing the entire truth in this matter."

Alas, it was too late for Duke lacrosse coach Mike Pressler, who by all accounts had done nothing wrong, yet was the scapegoat for the entire case. Rather than admitting Duke's Athletic Department had failed to heed warning signs of the team's out-of-control behavior, blame was placed squarely on Pressler, and he was forced to resign.

What disturbs me most about Alleva's handling of the scandal is his lack of accountability. His stubborn refusal to admit any fault and his witch-hunting mentality sets a scary precedent.

Joe Alleva's bio on LSUSports.net is a riot.

"Alleva, 56, is well-respected for sustaining high standards of excellence and integrity in athletic programs, hiring the finest coaches in the country and the high level of success achieved by student-athletes."

Does that include hiring Ted Roof, who went 6-45 while heading the mockery of a football program under Alleva's watch? What about Bill Hiller, who led Duke Baseball to a 121-214 record after Alleva hired him?

It's no secret Alleva hires cronies with whom he has connections over qualified coaches.

"Under Alleva's direction, all 20 LSU sports competed in NCAA post-season play for the first time in school history, and it culminated with the baseball team winning the national championship."

Yes, because we all know the impact Joe Alleva had on these programs' performances in his first year as AD.

In typical Alleva fashion, he takes credit for things he does not deserve and refuses blame when it is warranted. Alleva's track record of "success" is filled with strong academic performances by his athletes at Duke, as if Alleva spent his weekends tutoring these athletes.

I've gotten this far, and I have not even mentioned multiple former Duke athletes accusing Alleva of encouraging them to use steroids.

Alas, in today's day and age, a phony smile, a cheesy comb-over, and a mastery of the "cover your arse" philosophy trump a track record of substance.

Stephen Wolf is a mass communication sophomore from Deerfield, Illinois.