Brandon Eschews Politics For Football
By Steven Shepard
Domino's Pizza CEO Dave Brandon (R), who has pondered bids this decade for MI SEN and GOV, is making a five-year commitment to become athletic dir. at his alma mater, the Univ. of MI.
Brandon, a favorite of social conservatives, played for ex-Wolverines head coach Bo Schembechler in the 70s and had served as a GOP member of the UM Board of Regents from '98-'06. That body will reportedly vote to extend Brandon a contract later this month. The deal is for five years, but Brandon, 57, said this a.m. he would like to serve longer than that.
"It is my distinct honor and privilege to have this opportunity to serve the university in yet another way," Brandon said in a statement. "My participation as a student-athlete at UM has made a profound impact on my life and career, and I fully understand and respect the important role our athletic programs play in helping to shape the culture and image of our University community."
Brandon considered running against Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D) before passing in '05. In '06, Brandon served as chair of Amway heir Dick DeVos' (R) unsuccessful campaign against Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D). More recently, he had been considered in his own right as a GOP candidate to succeed Granholm.
Last Mar., Brandon appeared in a Domino's TV ad that was widely seen as a possible prelude to a GOV bid. In the ad, he is seen literally snatching a Domino's pie from a man he calls "Mr. Hedge Fund."
"I'm not bailing out the fat cats on Wall Street," Brandon says in the ad. "I'm bailing out you hard-working people on Main Street."
The Domino's ad caught the eye of MI Dem Chair Mark Brewer at the time. Brewer, in attacking the ad, made certain to note that Brandon was the CEO of a corporation.
Given his new job at UM, Brandon won't be using the populist theme as a platform for public office in the near future. But the new gig isn't necessarily easier than becoming Granholm's successor faced with a nearly 15% statewide unemployment rate.
At UM, Brandon inherits a football program that has notched a losing record in each of the last two seasons -- after 40 consecutive winning seasons from '68-'07. And the Detroit Free Press reported in Aug. that UM football coach Rich Rodriguez had violated NCAA rules regarding limits on off-season practices for student-athletes. Results of an investigation into those allegations are still pending.
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