Tag: Bill Beekman

Michigan State AD Bill Beekman: bubble environment is feasible for 2020-21 college basketball season

Michigan State AD Bill Beekman recently discussed a potential bubble-like environment for the 2020-21 college basketball season.

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College sports are currently in flux due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Michigan State Athletic Director Bill Beekman recently held a Zoom call to discuss the state of sports in East Lansing.

Beekman mentioned the possibility of playing the 2020-21 college basketball season in some type of bubble-like environment, noting the success of the NBA’s bubble. In particular, Beekman believes this idea can work because so many classes are available online.

Watch a full clip below courtesy of WXYZ’s Brad Galli:

Personally, I think Beekman is right on the money here, literally. A bubble-like environment is feasible for college basketball because classes are online and teams are much smaller than a sport like football. We’ll see how this idea develops over the next few months.

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Watch: Michigan State AD Bill Beekman media call about Big Ten fall sports

Michigan State athletic director Bill Beekman hopped on a Zoom call to discuss the fall sports cancellation on Thursday. Watch it here.

With Big Ten fall sports now canceled, fans across the country have thousands of questions about the future of college football, and all college sports, at Big Ten schools, and specifically at Michigan State.

On Thursday, Michigan State athletic director Bill Beekman hopped on a Zoom call to speak with media members to try and answer some of the more burning questions on the mind of fans and media members alike.

You can watch the full video, which was captured and posted by Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press, below:

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Michigan State announces pay cuts in athletic department, including salaries of Tom Izzo and Mel Tucker

Tom Izzo and Mel Tucker will have their salaries reduced by 7% to help the department combat losses sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Michigan State University has announced a number of salary reductions in the athletic department to help cope with financial losses due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo and football coach Mel Tucker will see their salaries reduced by the most total money, while athletic director Bill Beekman will take the greatest cut by percentage at 10% of his $772,00- salary. All staff members that make $100,000 or more annually will see a reduction in pay.

Izzo and Tucker are among a number of coaches making more than $500,000 that will see their pay reduced by 7%. Also included are six of Tucker’s assistants and MSU women’s basketball coach Suzy Merchant.

Tucker’s reduction will come off his base pay, which is listed as $3.8 million. Meanwhile Izzo’s base pay is around $430,000, but his salary reduction will be based off of his total compensation, which is closer to $3.5 million.

Other reductions within the department will be levied on a tiered scale: 6% for salaries between $400,000 to $499,999, 5% for salaries between $300,000 to $399,999, 4% for salaries between $200,000 to $299,999, 2.25% for salaries between $150,000 to $199,999, and 2% for salaries between $100,000 to $149,999.

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WATCH: Michigan State athletic department gives tips to prevent COVID-19 spread

Tom Izzo, Bill Beekman, Mel Tucker and Suzy Merchant got together to make a video on tips to prevent COVID-19 from spreading further.

Despite some stop-and-start reopenings around the country, we are still very much in the midst of a global pandemic (perhaps best exemplified by the recent outbreak at Harper’s in East Lansing), and the Michigan State athletic department continues to do its part advocating for safety and the proper health guideline observance.

On Tuesday, the MSU athletic department dropped a video promoting different tips to keep you and your community safe from the spread of the coronavirus.

You can watch the video below, which features Tom Izzo, Mel Tucker, Suzy Merchant, and Bill Beekman:

Wear a mask and go green.

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Locked On Spartans Podcast: Racism in college sports, COVID’s impact on fans at games

Discussing the college athletes coming forward with allegations of racism within their programs.

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Wil and Matt talk about college athletes coming forward with allegations of racism in their programs and MSU AD Bill Beekman saying fans could be allowed at football games in a limited capacity.

You can find the episode on iTunes, Spotify and Google Podcasts.

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WATCH: Michigan, Michigan State coaches, athletic department team up for COVID-19 PSA

The coaching staffs and athletic departments of Michigan and Michigan State united to send a message about the Coronavirus outbreak.

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The in-state rivalry between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University is one of the most heated you can find in college sports. However, in light of recent developments regarding the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak, the two sides were brought together in a rare alliance to send a message on the importance of social distancing and the importance of limiting the spread of the pandemic.

Here is the list of coaches and staff who appeared in the PSA:

  • Michigan State Men’s Basketball head coach Tom Izzo
  • Michigan State Women’s Basketball head coach Suzy Merchant
  • Michigan State Football head coach Mel Tucker
  • Michigan State athletic director Bill Beekman
  • Michigan Men’s Basketball head coach Juwan Howard
  • Michigan Women’s Basketball head coach Carol Hutchins
  • Michigan Football head coach Jim Harbaugh
  • Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel

You can watch the video below, which was posted by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

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READ: Michigan State AD Bill Beekman comments on Big Ten canceling competition through rest of academic year

Michigan State AD Bill Beekman has shared his thoughts on the Big Ten canceling all athletic events due to Coronavirus concerns.

With officials still trying to assess the situation in regards to the COVID-19 Coronavirus global outbreak, both the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments have been canceled, along with all Big Ten athletic competitions through the remainder of the academic year. Michigan State University Athletic Director Bill Beekman shared his thoughts on the situation today.

From Beekman:

“We support the Big Ten’s decision to cancel all competition through the end of the academic year and the moratorium placed on all on- and off-campus recruiting. There’s nothing more important than the health of our student-athletes. While this was an incredibly difficult decision, one that will effectively end the college careers of many student-athletes, their well-being must be our highest priority. I’m incredibly grateful for the hard work and dedication shown by our student-athletes throughout the year. We will continue to provide comprehensive support for student-athletes, including academic and athletic training services moving forward.”

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REACTION: Luke Fickell turns down Michigan State

From the heart. How this blogger feels about MSU’s coaching search.

Hello, darkness, my old friend
I’ve come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
‘Neath the halo of a streetlamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
No one dared
Disturb the sound of silence

“Fools,” said I, “You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you.”
But my words like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, “The words of the prophets
Are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sounds of silence.”

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MSU Athletic Department briefing Board of Trustees on head coaching search Monday

Michigan State Athletic Director Bill Beekman is meeting with the Board of Trustees to discuss the head coaching search Monday, Feb. 10.

Amidst a firestorm of rumors around the University of Cincinnati football head coach Luke Fickell, the Michigan State University Athletic Department will meet with the University’s Board of Trustees on Monday to brief them on the search. This was reported by Nick Mantas, reporter and anchor for WLNS, a Lansing TV station.

What isn’t a rumor is that Michigan State Athletic Director Bill Beekman was in Cincinnati this weekend. As of right now, Fickell is the clear top choice and the only name who has been brought up as an interviewee who has not publicly declined the role.

Colorado head coach Mel Tucker removed his name from consideration for the role on Saturday morning. San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh declined to interview, stating he had unfinished business in the NFL with San Francisco. Former MSU defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi was a name that was initially floated for the role, but he quickly killed that rumor in hilarious fashion.

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The Michigan State Football and Luke Fickell head coaching saga as told by Twitter

Michigan State Athletic Director Bill Beekman was in Cincinnati this weekend to interview Luke Fickell and Twitter lost their minds.

Michigan State Football has launched into a full-on head coaching search after the sudden retirement of Mark Dantonio. The odds on favorite of the fanbase, and seemingly of the University, is Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell. MSU’s athletic director Bill Beekman was set to interview Fickell this weekend, and the ensuing investigation by social media detectives and media members was, frankly, hilarious. Here is a retelling of what happened, through the eyes of social media.

The first part of this saga took place when the news was broken by Brandon Saho of Cincinnati TV station WLWT that Bill Beekman had landed in Cincinnati to visit with Luke Fickell, instead of Fickell coming up to East Lansing:

David Jesse of the Detroit Free Press originally reported that Beekman would be flying to State College, Pennsylvania, home of Penn State:

WLWT sports reporter Brandon Saho and Detroit Free Press report David Jesse were tracking the private jet at the Lunken Municipal Airport of Cincinnati, which had an updated flight path to Lansing instead of State College:

This picture above sparked a series of funny jokes on social media as fans tried to figure out who was wearing the heels in that photo:

Bill Beekman arrived back in Lansing on a private plane, but he was not accompanied by Fickell:

There have been some rumors floating around that Fickell will be signing later this week, although that is pure speculation and rumor so take that with a major grain of salt. For now, MSU’s mascot advises some patience from fans:

Instead of patience, most fans and media members are choosing a different route: Twitter sleuthing.

The End… for now.

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