VU picks Joe Fisher's replacement(s)

[AuricGoldfinger]

From what I understand, the AD had little choice in dismissing Joe.

[MrMemorial]

IMG sports produces and broadcasts, but the announcers are chosen by Vanderbilt University.

But have to be approved by IMG.

[Golddore68]

IMG is a third-party agency/selection committee which chose Kevin Ingram and the others.

But it is my understanding that ADCSL told Fisher to resign or he would be fired. The university was paying his salary and they have the right to fire him.

After Mason was fired. Joe Fisher made critical remarks about Vanderbilt on the radio after he had been drinking and shortly afterwards he “resigned.” Immediately afterward ADCSL came out with an official statement thanking Joe for the “moments and memories” he had with Vanderbilt. But ADCSL declined to offer further comments, according to this article.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.tennes ... 3807061001

[MrMemorial]

Generally speaking (not specific to Vandy) is it commendable to show up 5hit-faced (alcohol or drugs) to the workplace? What would most employers do? Is there usually a clause in a person's employment contact forbidding such at most places?

(plus that article sounds like the athletic director handled things in a most professional way and we should be glad to have a thoughtful yet businesslike college sports veteran running McGugin)

[Golddore68]

Generally speaking (not specific to Vandy) is it commendable to show up 5hit-faced (alcohol or drugs) to the workplace? What would most employers do? Is there usually a clause in a person's employment contact forbidding such at most places?

(plus that article sounds like the athletic director handled things in a most professional way and we should be glad to have a thoughtful yet businesslike college sports veteran running McGugin)

I think most employers would consider how long the person has been working for the company in these circumstances. If you had been recently hired and you pulled this crap, yeah, you should be shown the door. Joe had been with Vanderbilt for over 30 years doing a great job. I think that should have been considered.

I don’t have anything against Candice Lee or Kevin Ingram. Im sure I’ll get used to his style of doing play by play just like I got used to Joe after Wes Durham left. I really liked Joe and I hated to see one mistake cost him his career. He didn’t commit a crime. He just got drunk. A lot of people drink.

[commadore]

Generally speaking (not specific to Vandy) is it commendable to show up 5hit-faced (alcohol or drugs) to the workplace? What would most employers do? Is there usually a clause in a person's employment contact forbidding such at most places?

(plus that article sounds like the athletic director handled things in a most professional way and we should be glad to have a thoughtful yet businesslike college sports veteran running McGugin)

I think most employers would consider how long the person has been working for the company in these circumstances. If you had been recently hired and you pulled this crap, yeah, you should be shown the door. Joe had been with Vanderbilt for over 30 years doing a great job. I think that should have been considered.

I don’t have anything against Candice Lee or Kevin Ingram. Im sure I’ll get used to his style of doing play by play just like I got used to Joe after Wes Durham left. I really liked Joe and I hated to see one mistake cost him his career. He didn’t commit a crime. He just got drunk. A lot of people drink.

Of course we don't know how many times he was warned, put on probation, or the like. If this was the first instance, I agree with you. If not then they did what had to be done.

[frstev17]

My thoughts as well. We can’t assume this was the first or only incident.
I’ll miss Joe, but I trust our AD made the appropriate though probably difficult decision.

[vandy05]

Generally speaking (not specific to Vandy) is it commendable to show up 5hit-faced (alcohol or drugs) to the workplace? What would most employers do? Is there usually a clause in a person's employment contact forbidding such at most places?

(plus that article sounds like the athletic director handled things in a most professional way and we should be glad to have a thoughtful yet businesslike college sports veteran running McGugin)

I think most employers would consider how long the person has been working for the company in these circumstances. If you had been recently hired and you pulled this crap, yeah, you should be shown the door. Joe had been with Vanderbilt for over 30 years doing a great job. I think that should have been considered.

I don’t have anything against Candice Lee or Kevin Ingram. Im sure I’ll get used to his style of doing play by play just like I got used to Joe after Wes Durham left. I really liked Joe and I hated to see one mistake cost him his career. He didn’t commit a crime. He just got drunk. A lot of people drink.

Its hard to provide a counterpoint to what you're saying without openly denigrating Joe Fisher, who is no doubt a Vanderbilt legend. I don't know how many warnings or probations or anything like that Joe has had. But I do know that people who are alcoholics usually don't just wake up one day an alcoholic and go commit their lone error that causes them to be dismissed from their job. These things usually build over time and I think its fair to say that formal things built up over time. Joe himself said that he struggled with addiction for a long time before he went into rehab.

But as I said, he is an all-time VU legend and I hope things go well for him going forward.

[cdores]

Ditto. Joe, get well, we miss you.

[BILTMORE]

I don't think we need to speculate about prior infractions at all.

I think when your job is event-based - meaning you're the mouthpiece of a department on their days of highest visibility involving a public broadcast - it is understood that you need to be at your best.

The mere fact that he got caught once (if only once) reflects a severe problem in an of itself. A preacher can drink 6 days a week and the 2nd half of Sunday. If he can't stay sober for a few hours Sunday morning to deliver the goods, it's not really a three-strikes-you're-out situation. It's like ... you're out.

That said, I'm sad for him and hope he gets the help he needs. Maybe one day down the road he can return.

[OldDude]

The biggest challenge for any entity relates to consistency over time/ occasions. Determining whether to terminate an individual better be handled consistently in all cases or you move onto "thin ice" territory. If employee A is treated with one strike you're out over inebriation , you better be sure that employee B ad infinitum is treated the same. This is especially impactful with such a large employer where , to protect themselves from legal challenge , it is better to have hard and fast policies across the board. I hate Joe has this issue to deal with and wish him the best, but ADCSL was in a tough spot and did what she had to do.

[docdore]

Either way, the new guy sounds like Hawkeye Pierce

maybe/hopefully his lines will be as good as hawkeye's,

[thefan]

Vandy threw Joe Fisher under the bus, so to speak. Oh well, so much for all the "Vandy family" speak!

[docdore]

Vandy threw Joe Fisher under the bus, so to speak. Oh well, so much for all the "Vandy family" speak!

just wondering--what evidence do you have to support such a statement? what inside information do you want to share with us? the fact that joe was a longstanding dedicated excellent vandy announcer is not sufficient support for your claim.