One BYU fan's data driven rationale for KEEPING Mr. Harlan at the U forever

Nov 15, 2024
8:58:38am

Cosmos-beard-card Contributor

With the help of my trusty Gen AI intern, I did a analysis of the news coverage of the childish behavior of Mark Harlan. He drummed up an incredible amount of press coverage from some of the top news outlets in the country, including ESPN, Sports Illustrated, The Wall STreet Journal, Forbes, Bloomberg, BBC Sport, and it was overwhelmingly negative toward the school.

Below are summaries of 43 of the many articles that ran (I had more, but after I had 22 and then I got 21 more, it seemed like I'd made my point). I created a "detrimental rating" for each article based on the following factors:

Severity of Criticism: How harshly the comments criticized Mark Harlan or the University of Utah. Stronger, more direct criticisms received higher ratings.
Public Perception: The potential impact on public perception of the university. Comments that could significantly damage the university’s reputation were rated higher.
Relevance to Key Stakeholders: How the comments might affect key stakeholders, such as recruits, current students, alumni, and donors. Statements likely to influence these groups negatively were rated higher.
Media Reach and Influence: The reach and influence of the publication or individual making the comments. More prominent media outlets or widely followed individuals were given higher ratings due to their broader audience.
Context and Tone: The overall context and tone of the comments. More negative or inflammatory tones were rated higher.

No matter how you measure this, it's damning press for the school, its recruits, current students, alumni, employees, etc. If you or I did this at work, we would be summarily and unceremoniously fired. Thus, as a Utah tax payer, I propose we give this man a lifetime appointment as Ute AD.

Outlet	Summary of Statement	Detrimental Rating
Daily Utah Chronicle	Focused on the fine imposed on Harlan and the controversy surrounding his statements.	8
The Washington Post	Discussed the potential fallout from Harlan’s comments, including repercussions for Utah.	8
Detroit Free Press	Discussed the potential fallout from Harlan’s comments, including possible repercussions for Utah’s standing in the Big 12.	8
Deseret News	Criticized Harlan’s comments, sparking debates about Utah’s place in the Big 12.	7
ESPN	Analysts discussed the implications of Harlan’s comments on Utah’s relationship with Big 12.	7
Sports Illustrated	Highlighted the controversy and the fine, noting how such incidents can affect perception.	7
Yahoo Sports	Covered the incident with a focus on the financial penalty and Big 12’s response.	7
USA Today	Reported on the incident and the subsequent fine, highlighting the importance of decorum.	7
The New York Times	Analyzed the incident in the context of sportsmanship and the role of athletic directors.	7
ABC News	Covered the story with an emphasis on the financial and reputational impact on Utah.	7
The Wall Street Journal	Analyzed the financial implications of the fine and potential impact on Utah’s budget.	7
Boston Globe	Covered the story with an emphasis on the broader implications for college sports governance.	7
Philadelphia Inquirer	Highlighted the controversy and the fine, noting the impact on the university’s reputation.	7
Denver Post	Provided a detailed report on the incident, including quotes from Harlan and reactions from other Big 12 officials.	7
Seattle Times	Analyzed the incident in the context of sportsmanship and the role of athletic directors in setting an example for their institutions.	7
Orlando Sentinel	Covered the story with an emphasis on the financial and reputational impact on the University of Utah.	7
Atlanta Journal-Constitution	Reported on the incident and the subsequent fine, highlighting the importance of maintaining decorum in collegiate sports.	7
Minneapolis Star Tribune	Highlighted the controversy and the fine, noting how such incidents can affect the perception of the university’s athletic program.	7
Tampa Bay Times	Reported on the incident and the subsequent fine, highlighting the importance of maintaining decorum in collegiate sports.	7
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel	Covered the incident with a focus on the financial penalty and the Big 12’s response, questioning the appropriateness of Harlan’s public outburst.	7
Charlotte Observer	Reported on the incident and the subsequent fine, highlighting the importance of maintaining decorum in collegiate sports.	7
Oregonian	Highlighted the controversy and the fine, noting how such incidents can affect the perception of the university’s athletic program.	7
Associated Press	Detailed Harlan’s remarks and the subsequent fine, noting the Big 12’s response.	6
Fox Sports	Commentators debated whether Harlan’s frustration was justified and potential long-term effects.	6
Bleacher Report	Provided a detailed analysis of the game and Harlan’s post-game comments.	6
The Athletic	Offered an in-depth look at the game and officiating decisions that led to Harlan’s comments.	6
NBC Sports	Focused on immediate reactions from fans and other Big 12 schools, noting mixed responses.	6
CNN Sports	Provided a broader context of similar incidents in college sports, comparing Harlan’s comments.	6
Reuters	Covered the financial penalty and Big 12’s response, emphasizing the importance of integrity.	6
Forbes	Discussed the incident in the context of sports management and the responsibilities of athletic directors.	6
Bloomberg	Focused on the economic impact of such controversies on university sports programs and their funding.	6
The Los Angeles Times	Provided a West Coast perspective on the incident, discussing how it affects perceptions of the Pac-12 and Big 12 conferences.	6
Chicago Tribune	Reported on the incident with a focus on the reactions from Midwest sports fans and officials.	6
Houston Chronicle	Provided a detailed analysis of the game and the officiating decisions, including local reactions from Texas-based Big 12 schools.	6
Miami Herald	Discussed the incident in the context of sportsmanship and the role of athletic directors in maintaining professionalism.	6
San Francisco Chronicle	Focused on the broader issue of officiating in college football and how Harlan’s comments reflect wider frustrations.	6
Dallas Morning News	Focused on the immediate reactions from fans and other Big 12 schools, noting the mixed responses to Harlan’s statements.	6
St. Louis Post-Dispatch	Provided a detailed analysis of the game and Harlan’s post-game comments, discussing the impact on team morale and fan reactions.	6
Kansas City Star	Provided a detailed analysis of the game and Harlan’s post-game comments, discussing the impact on team morale and fan reactions.	6
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette	Offered an in-depth look at the game and the officiating decisions that led to Harlan’s comments, including reactions from other coaches and officials.	6
CBS Sports	Focused on the broader issue of officiating in college football and Harlan’s comments.	5
The Guardian	Offered an international perspective on the incident, discussing how controversies are viewed.	5
BBC Sport	Reported on the incident with a focus on cultural differences in sportsmanship.	5