A little over a month ago, Florida International University [FIU] men’s basketball team Coach Isiah Thomas, 51, was optimistic about a young squad of mostly freshmen and sophomores that, while being eliminated from this year’s playoffs in the first round, had made “great progress.” He was also proud of his team-leading seniors who were going to graduate on time in the spring and seemed genuinely excited about his newest batch of recruits.
But it clearly wasn’t enough for officials at the University who announced on Friday, April 6, that Thomas had been relieved of his duties and that a national search for the FIU Panthers’ next head basketball coach had begun. Pete Garcia, executive director of sports and entertainment, issued a brief statement: “We want to thank Isiah Thomas for his three years here at FIU,” he said. “However, we have decided to take the program in a different direction.”
Nine days later, it became apparent that FIU had already found its “new direction” — hiring Richard Pitino, 29, the son of Louisville’s head coach Rick Pitino, to take over. But there’s still a lot more that isn’t so clear. And we were unable to get anyone from FIU to answer our questions. Thomas offered his perspective as did several other Blacks connected with the school.
Thomas: “I was shocked”
“We were looking forward to a breakout year next season and were confident that with the recruits we had in place and given the fact that we played more close games last season than anyone else in the conference, we were on the right path,” said Thomas, who went 26-65 in three seasons at FIU. “When you take over a program without a tradition [as opposed to a Duke or Notre Dame] you must first establish a solid academic record. Then the winning comes. Seventeen of my 19 kids graduated with their degrees. When I arrived we were at ground zero. I was under the impression that FIU wanted to follow the same path — improve graduation rates and then improve our winning record. I thought we had five years to make that happen.”
Thomas has always chosen to become active in the cities where he played basketball or coached the game. He was part of the No Crime Day initiative that was led by Mayor Coleman A. Young while he was a Detroit Piston. He has spearheaded literacy drives and educational support programs in his hometown of Chicago. He most recently adopted Miami Northwestern Senior High School and many say he has been a mentor to the young men who made up his mostly-Black basketball team. Still, when the decision was made to remove him, campus police escorted him and his staff off the campus in the direct view of his players. And according to Thomas it came without any warning.
“He has been a real partner to the citizens of Miami-Dade County — a fine partner,” said City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones. “He helped us with relief efforts in Haiti and had a lot to do with the new Hadley Gym Learning Center and helping us turn things around at Northwestern. He was more than a basketball coach — that I can say without hesitation.”
How will players
fare without Thomas?
Senior co-captain DeJuan Wright sent a letter to Rosenberg on behalf of the team which can be viewed on the ESPN website. In the two-page letter, Wright emphasizes that he and his teammates came to FIU, not to make it to the NBA, but to receive Thomas’s mentorship and guidance in their efforts to become positive citizens.
“It [Thomas’s being escorted off the campus by the police] was quite embarrassing for us to witness and hurtful — they deserved a better way to leave,” he wrote.
Wright added that while the players appreciated their time at FIU, without Thomas there as their coach and mentor, they wanted the “freedom of choice to move in another direction.”
In other words, in an unprecedented move, the FIU players have asked for athletic releases in order to “find a coach and program which will fit in our growth.”
The University has not made a statement as to whether the players’ request will be honored.
Hashim Ali, 45, and Marcus Bright, 28, a member of Thomas’s staff and an academic advisor for the team, respectively, both said they were dismayed by the “character assassination and demonization of Thomas by the media.”
“Thomas was working in support of the Black community, he was involved in the demands for justice for Trayvon Martin and he was a mentor to the team and other young Blacks in Miami,” Ali said. “Garcia is not making this a positive environment for young Black males at FIU. They need someone that can mentor Black males and can relate to some of the special issues we must face every day.”
By D. Kevin McNeir
kmcneir@miamitimesonline.com
Mr. Big
April 19, 2012 at 9:52 am
We all know the real reason Thomas was fired. Garcia has told several people in the community, “We hired a coach, not an activist.” It is apparent this firing was racially motivated and Garcia and Rosenberg should be fired!
John
April 19, 2012 at 10:00 am
This is typical FIU.. That last five or six firings at FIU have been of African American Coaches. The AD has shown that he discriminates against African Americans. On any given day, you can go onto the campus of FIU and not one person has anything nice to say about Garcia. Truth be told, he is an absentee AD who is out of touch with student athletes and the student body period.
Mr. Big
April 19, 2012 at 10:13 am
We in the community know the why Coach Thomas was really fired. Everyone from FIU to Boca Raton are talking about Garcia telling people, “he hired a coach, not an activist.” The AD flat out discriminates agains African Americans. Its a Public Institution. Request the records for Garcia. All of his last firings within this last months have been of African American Staff members and what is shocking, the University sees nothing wrong with it. FIU is gonna get exactly what they deserve. They hire a 29 year old Patino who the NCAA knows the father cheats.. But hey, Garcia cheats as well so the NCAA is going to have a field day with FIU.
Bill
April 19, 2012 at 10:46 am
If it wasnt for Thomas nobody would know what FIU was
rich k.
April 19, 2012 at 2:44 pm
I worked for FIU for 30 years. Now I’m retired. I worked closed with Pete Garcia. Yes for the last 8 years FIU has been firing and laying off personnel. But Athletics Department is the only department that has been excluded. Only Athletics and I quote only Athletics has its own budget, which is control by Pete Garcia. When Mr. Thomas came to FIU as a coach, the first year he worked for free even though he was still been paid by the New York Knicks. Now his contract was for four year at FIU for X amount of dollars which is more than the FIU president. Now I’m speaking here to every one in the community and the State Florida to look into details of the budget of Athletics Department. Many of the funding and the money is been used for something else. For example, did you know that some of the football players get paid like if they where playing for a professional NFL team? Mr. Thomas change that idea of paying the student to play for the school. others way that the money is been used is for personal paying off vacation to the family of mr Garcia and others. So yes I think Mr. Thomas did a good job to bring FIU’s name out there and now FIU’s name is going back to the dark hole.
SusanR
April 19, 2012 at 3:43 pm
The firing of Isiah Thomas needs to be thoroughly investigated because something seems to be missing.
TVHW
April 19, 2012 at 4:25 pm
Sad. Does everything really have to be about race, greed and politics?! What is this world really about?! Are these students even the slightest bit important to this institution? When is someone (the powers that be) going to step up and address despicable decisions like this? Does anyone even care…..apparently not if it’s taking away from their tables. FIU should be boycotted beginning with the current students and faculty. I certainly have no intention on attending, referring, supporting or even stepping one foot unto the campus until this issue is addressed and addressed appropriately.