A look at the supposed AD candidates

[ZachTheZip]

Two names have been thrown out there since yesterday: Hunter Yurachek and Mike Waddell. You can't make the best choice without looking at the good and the bad aspects of each option.For Waddell, he had the opportunity to take the job but was passed over in favor of Mack Rhoades. This makes we wonder if taking him now would be a step backwards.As far as Yurachek goes, just look at what he was in charge of while he was working for Rhoades. He oversaw marketing and promotions, media relations, ticket operations, development, video operations and merchandising. I don't know about you, but all those things seem to be the weak points of the department. We have had the discussion on marketing countless times, season ticket sales for the new stadium are only half of what they expected, I'm not we even have any video operations to operate, and merchandising is lackluster. I don't know if Yurachek could do a better job if he took over Mack's duties and appointed someone else to oversee those things, but it is worrisome.

[WinZip]

You're right all of those areas are worrisome! I just hope we can find someone who won't set us back.

[GP1]

Two names have been thrown out there since yesterday: Hunter Yurachek and Mike Waddell. You can't make the best choice without looking at the good and the bad aspects of each option.For Waddell, he had the opportunity to take the job but was passed over in favor of Mack Rhoades. This makes we wonder if taking him now would be a step backwards.

How about.........neither? Better yet, let's have a huge search for the position and see who is out there. We might be surprised.Would taking Waddell be a step back? I should watch what I say, my last comment signaled a PM from UAM that I have yet to read.... Should I read it or just throw it directly into the trash like all the other PMs I get on this board? Anyhow, back to the question. The answer is probably, YES. New blood brings in new ideas. I have never liked UofA's athletics marketing and I'd really like to have someone come in here and show an ability to execute a plan other than what they learned at some athletics marketing seminar. I really want a guy who is out in the public A LOT. I think that is important. Mack seemed to be a good enough administrator, but I don't remember seeing him or reading about him a lot out in public. Like I said, do a national search and if (God help us, they are nice enough guys) Waddell and Hunter are the best, so be it.

[g-mann17]

Two names have been thrown out there since yesterday: Hunter Yurachek and Mike Waddell. You can't make the best choice without looking at the good and the bad aspects of each option.For Waddell, he had the opportunity to take the job but was passed over in favor of Mack Rhoades. This makes we wonder if taking him now would be a step backwards.

How about.........neither? Better yet, let's have a huge search for the position and see who is out there. We might be surprised.Would taking Waddell be a step back? I should watch what I say, my last comment signaled a PM from UAM that I have yet to read.... Should I read it or just throw it directly into the trash like all the other PMs I get on this board? Anyhow, back to the question. The answer is probably, YES. New blood brings in new ideas. I have never liked UofA's athletics marketing and I'd really like to have someone come in here and show an ability to execute a plan other than what they learned at some athletics marketing seminar. I really want a guy who is out in the public A LOT. I think that is important. Mack seemed to be a good enough administrator, but I don't remember seeing him or reading about him a lot out in public. Like I said, do a national search and if (God help us, they are nice enough guys) Waddell and Hunter are the best, so be it.

GP1 you make a lot of sense. And knowing Proenza a national hunt will be the route we take. I've had exchanges with Hunter, he is a nice guy, and cares a lot about what's going on, I also think he has the hunger. But we do ourselves an injustice by just promoting him. Test him, test everyone, let's see who has the best ideas and more importantly has had the best execution.GM had great plans, their execution however stunk. We need a doer, more now than ever before. We have momentum, we have athletes across all sports capable of great things (Congrats Stevi) and we need someone that get us over the hump.So many on here are Waddell fans, but we passed on him initially (Proenza decision) and several FCS and smaller schools have passed on him. That is not the direction we need to go right now. We have several major projects, soccer stadium, decision on what direction to go with basketball, our rifle team could sure use an upgrade, the JAR needs renovation (I thought I was going to get trapped in the elevator when I went for my seat selection), our tennis team has to go out to Stow for practice and the baseball field could use a coat of paint and some sprucing up as well. Not to mention doing whatever it takes to keep Dambrot and Porter around.Waddell was in charge of the same things that Yurachek was, and we didn't take a big hit, in fact most things improved since then (outside of stinking basketball attendance)

[lilcat19]

Having been an athlete at Akron, I would LOVE to see Waddell get the job. He did a great job while he was here both while asst AD and interim AD. For any of you the like "Fear the Roo", you have him to thank for bringing that to Akron. He was passed over initially, partly due to the fact that he did not have a master's degree. He now has that Master's degree and would be a perfect candidate for the job. He loves it down in Cincy, but I would love to have him here in Akron.

[a-zip]

Having been an athlete at Akron, I would LOVE to see Waddell get the job. He did a great job while he was here both while asst AD and interim AD. For any of you the like "Fear the Roo", you have him to thank for bringing that to Akron. He was passed over initially, partly due to the fact that he did not have a master's degree. He now has that Master's degree and would be a perfect candidate for the job. He loves it down in Cincy, but I would love to have him here in Akron.

Keep in mind Fear the Roo was essentially taken from The University of Maryland's "Fear the Turtle".........lets not get carried away.

[g-mann17]

Having been an athlete at Akron, I would LOVE to see Waddell get the job. He did a great job while he was here both while asst AD and interim AD. For any of you the like "Fear the Roo", you have him to thank for bringing that to Akron. He was passed over initially, partly due to the fact that he did not have a master's degree. He now has that Master's degree and would be a perfect candidate for the job. He loves it down in Cincy, but I would love to have him here in Akron.

Keep in mind Fear the Roo was essentially taken from The University of Maryland's "Fear the Turtle".........lets not get carried away.

And as legend has it Fear the Roo was making the rounds on Zipsnation and some NCAA Football forums well before the University started to use it. I know my brother was using it as early as 2003.

[GP1]

I really want a guy who is out in the public A LOT. I think that is important.

Hunter goes public with this comment. I have to admit, this is what I am looking for in a candidate. This is a pretty aggressive move for a candidate to take. There is no doubt in his statement.Interestingly enough, I know a guy here in the Charlotte area who is both a friend and a business associate. We have known each other for a while and just kind of stumbled upon the Hunter conversation at lunch a couple of weeks ago. This guy knows Hunter well and they went to school together.

[zipper]

I really want a guy who is out in the public A LOT. I think that is important.

Hunter goes public with this comment. I have to admit, this is what I am looking for in a candidate. This is a pretty aggressive move for a candidate to take. There is no doubt in his statement.Interestingly enough, I know a guy here in the Charlotte area who is both a friend and a business associate. We have known each other for a while and just kind of stumbled upon the Hunter conversation at lunch a couple of weeks ago. This guy knows Hunter well and they went to school together.

Seriously, if we promote that guy I will be incredibly disappointed. The biggest jump we ever took in marketing was under Waddel. NOTHING happened before that, and imho, NOTHING much has happened since. I'm not saying Waddel is the guy but I am saying HY is NOT the guy. I agree - do a national search. Greg Burke is one candidate I want to see involved:http://www.nacda.com/sports/div1aaada/mtt/burke_greg00.htmlhttp://www.nsudemons.com/ViewArticle.dbml?...;ATCLID=1368422He is from here, I know he still has family here, he has sat in the AD chair and apparently done very well. Compare his accomplishments to HY's. This is what we need to be looking for - experience and stability.

[GP1]

I really want a guy who is out in the public A LOT. I think that is important.

Hunter goes public with this comment. I have to admit, this is what I am looking for in a candidate. This is a pretty aggressive move for a candidate to take. There is no doubt in his statement.Interestingly enough, I know a guy here in the Charlotte area who is both a friend and a business associate. We have known each other for a while and just kind of stumbled upon the Hunter conversation at lunch a couple of weeks ago. This guy knows Hunter well and they went to school together.

Seriously, if we promote that guy I will be incredibly disappointed. The biggest jump we ever took in marketing was under Waddel. NOTHING happened before that, and imho, NOTHING much has happened since. I'm not saying Waddel is the guy but I am saying HY is NOT the guy. I agree - do a national search. Greg Burke is one candidate I want to see involved:http://www.nacda.com/sports/div1aaada/mtt/burke_greg00.htmlhttp://www.nsudemons.com/ViewArticle.dbml?...;ATCLID=1368422He is from here, I know he still has family here, he has sat in the AD chair and apparently done very well. Compare his accomplishments to HY's. This is what we need to be looking for - experience and stability.

Degree from Can't State.......maybe we need to continue the search.

[zipboy]

I agree we do the national search and agree that Hunter and Mike are going to be in the final 5. It is interesting that Mike and Hunter held the same position at UA. Mike seems to get very strong opinions both pro and against him. Most people seem to have no opinion of Hunter at all.

[ZachTheZip]

Whatever needs to be done to find an AD had better happen very soon. There's only two months until fall sports start.

[Zips Win!]

Does it really matter? Hunter can do the job...Mike can do the job.There are probably a dozen or more candidates who can do the job.And we will be having this same discussion in 3 years when the guy who gets hired decides to leave.My vote has always been to get someone who gives me a bunch a reasons as to why he wants to stay, not reasons as to why he wants to leave. A UA guy may be the answer as well...

[GP1]

A UA guy may be the answer as well...

Wisconsin recently hired a play-by-play guy to be their AD. I can think of one guy right now who has been at the University his entire career and has had a track record of success at each position he held. He has also worked in Athletics before, but I think an encounter with sanity drove him out into a better part of the University. I'm thinking about George Van Horne. He is well respected within the Univeristy, has fundraising experience, worked in Athletics, was a former student athlete and is pretty smart so he would make a good manager. Just a thought...... He would be nuts to get back into the rat race that is Athletics, but just a thought.

[zipper]

A UA guy may be the answer as well...

Wisconsin recently hired a play-by-play guy to be their AD. I can think of one guy right now who has been at the University his entire career and has had a track record of success at each position he held. He has also worked in Athletics before, but I think an encounter with sanity drove him out into a better part of the University. I'm thinking about George Van Horne. He is well respected within the Univeristy, has fundraising experience, worked in Athletics, was a former student athlete and is pretty smart so he would make a good manager. Just a thought...... He would be nuts to get back into the rat race that is Athletics, but just a thought.

I'm all for doing a big national search. I think the candidate pool will be strong, with two themes: 1) the young, up and coming assistant AD at a big program. The fact that our last two ADs have gotten other jobs (although Mack's to CUSA is more of a lateral to me) should help attract solid young candidates with experience and fire to do a great job; or 2) someone a little older with more 'in the chair' experience, maybe at a lower level, but someone who might want to stay.Someone criticized Greg Burke for staying at the same job for 13 years, but isn't that what we want of someone here? It sounds like Burke has stayed where he is more because of his wife's family. From his bios it looks like he has done very well: * NSU in 2004-05 became the first (and remains the only) Southland Conference member in the league's five decades of history to sweep football, men's basketball and baseball championships in the same athletic year.* Those accomplishments have come with one of the more modest athletic budgets in the state and conference. Burke's management skill and fundraising ability have been pivotal.* Burke has displayed a remarkable ability to hire dynamic head coaches, including several whose success at Northwestern State has propelled them to national prominence in subsequent positions.* The paper cited the men's basketball success, NCAA Tournament appearances by the baseball and women's soccer teams, while other achievements included NSU leading the Southland Conference and all state public universities in the NCAA's initial Academic Progress Rates report in February 2005 measuring the job Division I athletic programs are doing helping advance their student-athletes toward graduation. NSU again sparkled in the NCAA's annual APR reports, with the men's basketball team ranking in the top 10 percentile in the country in 2006 and women's soccer sharing the national lead in 2007, while football rated again among the state and SLC leaders.* He previously served a four-year term on the NCAA Division I Football Issues Committee (1999-2002) and concurrently served a term on the eight-member NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Committee that administers the national playoffs. Folks, this guy experienced, accomplished, is FROM AKRON, and used to work AT AKRON, and might be the kind of guy to STAY. I'm not saying he's the best candidate we can get without talking to him. I'm saying someone get on the horn and talk him into coming up here and visiting with Proenza!

[Z-P]

I'm a little late to the topic, sorry guys.................and thin on participation lately. "If you have nothing to say (or add) don't say it" is my motto :-)UAM can and will do better than our job. He would be stepping backwards to bite on it..............he's destined for bigger and better already.IMHO