Julie Hermann is not the most polished of athletic directors.
The latest proof of that came in her comments to a Media Ethics and Law class at Rutgers University, where she is the school's AD.
According to The Star-Ledger, New Jersey's largest newspaper, Hermann began talking about her own rocky relationship with the media.
"If they're not writing headlines that are getting our attention, they're not selling ads - and they die," Hermann told the Media Ethics and Law class. "And the Ledger almost died in June, right?"
"They might die again next month," a student said.
"That would be great," she replied. "I'm going to do all I can to not give them a headline to keep them alive."
The Star Ledger recently laid off 167 employees to try to keep afloat in the struggling newspaper industry
After the backlash about Hermann's comments started, Rutgers was forced to make a statement clarifying Hermann's position, but she didn't even bother to apologize for hoping that more people lose their jobs.
"In a statement from Rutgers, Hermann did not apologize or explain her attack on the newspaper," the Star-Ledger reported, "instead stating that she was sharing her experiences 'in an informal way and out of the glare of the media spotlight.' Because who would have imagined that journalism students would have recording devices?"
The Star Ledger then offered the statement from Rutgers:
"Her comments were in response to a broad array of student questions on a number of different subjects and were reflective of her own personal experiences," the statement read. "She had no knowledge of the impending reorganization of the Star-Ledger and drastic changes that the newspaper would announce several weeks later, in April."
Apparently making the statement from a state institution representative OK.
Sports Illustrated lit into Hermann, talking about her first 11 months on the job at Rutgers:
"To recap the Hermann era at Rutgers so far: She was hired on May 15, 2013, to replace Tim Pernetti, who was fired in the fallout from the (basketball coach Mike) Rice scandal. At her introductory press conference, Hermann was asked about a wedding video taken when she was the head volleyball coach at Tennessee in which she warned an assistant coach about getting pregnant. Hermann denied any knowledge of the incident and said there was no video. A short time later the video surfaced. There was also a report of Hermann's former Tennessee players writing a letter accusing her of abusive coaching, which Hermann denied knowledge of, only to then remember it about a week or so later.
In November, after Rutgers football player Jevon Tyree quit and cited verbal and physical abuse from an assistant coach, the school issued a statement that Hermann met with Tyree's family. This was news to Tyree's family, which said the meeting never happened. Then Rutgers said Hermann spoke by phone with Tyree's father. This was news to Tyree's father, who said it never happened. Then Rutgers reportedly said Hermann believed she spoke with Tyree's father, but maybe spoke with "someone" who "represented himself as the father."
Star-Ledger columnist Steve Politi went overboard in his column criticizing Hermann's comments when he wrote, "And if the day ever comes that Hermann is fired? I'm guessing most of the employees at The Star-Ledger will hope she finds a new job quickly. Anyone with an ounce of compassion would."
That is wishful thinking. Common sense tells us that anyone in danger of losing his job would not feel compassion for someone else hoping that person would lose his job.
But the Star-Ledger has several employees who are not in the public spotlight, like Hermann, who should know better but apparently doesn't.
Do you think Julie Hermann's comments were acceptible? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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