The relationship of Beamer, Tech, Carilion Clinic and LewisGale

By: jpoole9999 on November 3, 2014, 8:36 AM | 2 comments

Has anyone else been following this

Frank Beamer's endorsements for LewisGale throws Carilion off

http://www.roanoke.com/news/virginia/frank-beamer-s-endorsements-for-lew...

Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute in Roanoke
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
and they have been a sponsor on the jumbotron everygame I can think of at Lane

For a coach so big on loyalty seems odd to go against everything the school has. Carilion Clinic and Tech seem to have a pretty deep relationship. And yet Beamer is now a paid spokesperson for LewisGale. It just seems like this isn't acting in the best interest of the university but in his own interest

Tech has reviewed the situation and is currently leaving it up for review but says Beamer can do as he wishes

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Comments

Egbert's picture Egbert
BEER
| 11 years 8 months #

It is not even a controversy. Shouldn't even try to make it one.
Frank makes a commercial. He does it all the time.

He made an ad for the place they bring tech players.

This is going to be great for the ACC.

aashokie's picture aashokie | 11 years 8 months #

This isn't directed at the OP, but this is one of the dumbest, whiny, pointless things I've seen in a long time. Talk about sour grapes.

1. LewisGale has had ties with VT athletics for a long, long time. That's where Tech football players are sent when they have to go to the emergency room or to get checked out. THAT is the main reason for this ad. Never mind that LewisGale has pretty intimate ties with the school of Osteopathic medicine and with VT in general.

2. The fact of the matter is that Beamer does not have any obligation, contractual or professional, to support the group that has a deal with his employer (not him). He is free to endorse whomever and whichever company that he desires. Carilion is more than free to seek a contract with Beamer as well; it's not like he's new and they just haven't had the chance. He's supposed to turn down an economic opportunity because his employer has ties to a competitor? Let's get real.

3. In no way does Beamer suggest in the commercials that his endorsement constitutes the university endorsing LewisGale. It is not as if President Sands provided the endorsement. Are all Virginia Tech employees supposed to go to Carilion in order to support VT and be "loyal." Again, both groups have significant ties to VT, Carilion just gives more money...

I have no particular love for LewisGale, but this is ridiculous. In this instance Beamer is free to do as he pleases.