I let this sink in before posting my 2 cents.
I thought it was amateurish for Lassner and Matlin to expect that there would be no oral testimony from anyone other than themselves, the BOR Chair or TG. Lassner and Matlin have testified before the legislature before, haven't they? If they really did not expect it, whoever prepped them failed miserably. What happens in these types of proceedings are within the public domain:
https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/docs/cg/4.pdf
Lassner complaining about over an hour of unfavorable testimony came across as whiny to me. What good would it have done to have players recruited by TG and their parents orally testify? Their written testimony was received and is a matter of record. They are also not the ones who have alleged mistreatment, so they would not have added anything other than rehashing their point that TG is a wonderful coach and person. If it were a trial, then oral testimony from all side would be relevant to me. What the committees were looking at "Issues relating to the transfer of players," what would seem to be more relevant would be testimony regarding or relating to the transfers, including causes.
It was also kinda weak for a university president to play the victim by stating that he was not prepared to discuss the budget issues. Granted, item no. 1 on the Agenda and Amended Agenda stated: "Budget and cost related to coaching staff contracts." It is ambiguous since it can be interpreted as "budget . . . related to coaching staff contracts." It could have stated, instead, "Budget[,] and cost related to coaching staff contracts." Nevertheless, the Agenda and Amended Agenda also stated: "The purpose of this informational briefing is to discuss the University of Hawaii football program including but not limited to the following...." Instead of projecting a defensive air at the outset, Lassner could have provided his macro view then deferred to Matlin on budgetary items. I really don't expect the university president to know the the minutiae relating to the athletic department budget, but expect that Matlin did and does.
I did not care for Sen. Wakai's question about Matlin buying out TG if he had the funds. It still is a personnel matter, and that part of the briefing was bush.
It is apparent that there is a dichotomy within the program between student-athletes that TG's regime recruited and those who were recruited by Rolo. In some ways, it is natural since TG recruited and met with the parents of his recruits but did not have similar contact with players who were already here. TG likely made promises and representations to those parents. A chasm developed, with a mainland versus local feel to it. Sure D. Thomas came from the mainland, but he embraced the culture and even took up the ukulele. Penni unwittingly and idiotically injected herself into the situation by throwing gas on the smoldering situation by putting down D. Thomas for "not working hard enough." The "porch monkey" statement, if true, was reprehensible. The alleged statement about Hawaii being third world because vending machines do not have Dr. Pepper smacks of sarcasm more than anything else. A Texan may say the same thing about someplace in the midwest, where Coca Cola has its "Mr. Pibb" in vending machines instead of Dr. Pepper.
I believe that we need to let AD Matlin do his job. It is a personnel matter, and he was really not at liberty to say much in terms of specifics about his handling of this with TG. The situation is certainly one that requires more than just lip service. If UH and TG part ways over this, so be it. I'd contact Michael Green to look into funding the buyout if it gets to that point. You can bet that Lassner and the BOR will be following this more closely.
As for the Wahine basketball player, Matlin came out forcefully to deny the allegations with specifics. The former Men's basketball player who transferred to Azusa Pacific who took shots at Eran Ganot was pretty lame to me and reeked of sour grapes. With respect to Michael Eletise, it was heartbreaking and something should be done by UHAD or even by a Go Fund Me (Cheebs?).