Immelt '78: AFCA 'CEO Coach of the Year'

Jeff Immelt '78 and Chairman of the Board and CEO of General Electric, is the first recipient of the American Football Coaches Foundation’s "CEO Coach of the Year." Here's what Grant Teaff, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association, said about Immelt's selection in an Ivy League release:

"Mr. Immelt was chosen for this recognition because of his outstanding leadership qualities that parallel the leadership traits believed in and taught by the American Football Coaches Association, and emulated yearly by the AFCA’s Coaches of the Year. When an award of this magnitude is given, the individual who receives the award should set a standard for the future. The Foundation has achieved this standard with the selection of Jeffrey R. Immelt.”

Harvard has wasted no time "reappointing" Tim Murphy as head football coach. His "reappointment" is through 2011. Acting quickly is a smart PR move by the school given the talk that began to surface about Murphy's future following some highly publicized off-the-field incidents involving Harvard players and the fact that coaches are currently on the road recruiting. The first quotes in the press release regarding Murphy make no reference to wins and losses:

“In Tim Murphy, Harvard has a football coach who has taken a strong personal interest in the education and development of his student-athletes,” said Derek C. Bok, interim president of Harvard University. “By his personal example and the values he upholds, Tim represents the best of what we hope to achieve with our coaching staff.”

More from the release:

The announcement comes on the heels of a 7-3 season that concluded Nov. 18. It is Harvard’s sixth consecutive season with at least seven wins, marking the Crimson’s best six-year run since 1910. The current stretch includes two unbeaten, untied seasons (in 2001 and 2004) and three Ivy League championships.

For the Boston Globe story on Harvard retaining Murphy, click here. ... The Harvard Crimson story is here.

The buzz surrounding Dartmouth Athletic Director Josie Harper's letter apologizing for scheduling the North Dakota Fighting Sioux in men's ice hockey is getting old. And it's getting louder. The Daily Dartmouth, which isn't even publishing right now, has this relatively extensive "web update." ... For the Harvard's take on the issue, check out the Crimson story.

A columnist in the Wisconsin State Journal notes that Wisconsin of the Big 10 has a policy "that prohibits scheduling non-conference opponents with Native American nicknames and logos." (Ironically, the school was assigned to play the Florida State Seminoles in the ACC-Big 10 basketball challenge.) The columnist writes:

At least UW has a proactive record on the issue. In contrast, Dartmouth athletic director Josie Harper responded to complaints about "cowboys and Indians" parties on campus last week by apologizing for inviting the North Dakota men's hockey team to a holiday tournament next month. She said the Fighting Sioux nickname is "offensive and wrong." Pretty weak, sister. ...

Agree or disagree, National Review Online makes an interesting point:

There's a basic question of manners here: It's not possible to perform the duties of hockey-tournament host when you're bashing one of your guests. The players and coaches on Dartmouth's hockey team must feel deeply embarrassed.

Finally, and you had to know this was coming, Inside College Hockey has a blurb (with a picture of Dartmouth's highly unofficial mascot) about the controversy under a bold line that says:

From the Do We Have To Take This From a School Whose Unofficial Mascot is a Keg? Dept.: