'Culture' issue at University of Minnesota extends beyond athletes

Older white guys batted 1.000 (4-for-4) in breaking into the lineup for 2017 with the University of Minnesota's Board of Regents. A pair of these new white guys went out of their way to laud athletic director Mark Coyle when he made a presentation Wednesday.

This included Steve Sviggum, who wasn't an announced candidate for District 2 but was lined up by Regents back-slappers with a fear that Jim Carter, a potential rattler of the Regents' collective cage, had an outside shot to get elected.

Ken Powell, the vice chairman in his debut season, also praised Coyle for changing the "culture'' in U athletics.

Obviously, Ken was impressed with Coyle's role in trying to cover up a sexual harassment finding within the university against Randy Handel, an important member of the athletic department and thus a public figure.

These white guys also continue to give gold stars to Coyle and university President Eric Kaler for defusing the football players' brief December boycott.

That's amazing since it was two holdover Regents, Michael Hsu and Darren Rosha, who were the liaisons with players. The announcement the boycott would end was already set when Kaler rushed across campus to take a bow.

What a lowlife move for the Prez that was.

Coyle and his new coach, P.J. (Windy) Fleck, have continued to take sideways shots at Kill and Tracy Claeys, 9-4 in his one full season, by beating the drum about the need for a "culture'' change.

Culture has become the holy word of athletics and business — used so often it's meaningless. So, Powell figured why not and decided to toss out a "good culture there, buddy'' for Coyle.

As for Coyle, his key word Wednesday was "transparency.'' Of course, there's no chance that Mr. Transparent would have demoted Handel if Ch. 5 had not revealed the harassment finding.

But, hey, keep patting everyone on the back. That's what the older white guys are planted to do with the Regents.