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Tom Wistrcill Resigns. Larry Williams hired.


zippy_ua_00

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Downsized???

"The cuts will include sports, but no significant changes are expected in the football, basketball or soccer programs because of their historical strength and marketing value for the university, Scarborough said"

I think Bowden is doing a good job... but I think the need to win and put people in Infocision (neither of which has been sniffed) is a negative for anyone coming in- given the fact it has never happened. On the basketball side, a new arena is desired, but that's not going to happen... so I see that program as stagnant. KD =does a nice job, but I see the program as the same, and the historical lack of paying fans is also a concern. Soccer will remain in its place-- which is in a good spot nationally, but lets not think that a niche sport that draws 2,000 fans can carry an athletic dept.

A new AD will face budget cuts.. the UA athletic dept is one of the most heavily subsidized (as a %) departments in the country. Their are no new facilities on the horizon that an AD will be able to brand as his. Short of being involved in a NCAA basketball tourney RUN, or a MAC football championship, I don't see the job as a stepping stone like it was for many before. I see a fair amount of uncertainty ahead for sports... the AD is in charge of a business, and I think this is a very tough one, now that the $ don't rain down

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Now the current hire will face an unimportant football program, with serious attendance issues and is a financial drain, a soccer program that has probably plateaued, a basketball program that hasn't taken the next step-- and has not given us reason to think they will, doesn't draw- even while winning. It's also a basketball team that wants a new building, at a University that is facing budget issues, at one of the nation's most subsidised athletic depts-- and at a time when the general long-term future of the NCAA is probably up for debate.

You don't have to be a absurd optimist to see that this is really a glass half full for anyone taking a new job.

Someone with vision can handle these problems, particularly the attendance issues.

And the glass is half full simple because, on each point, there is reason to hope; Football program is unimportant but that could be said in relative terms for any non BCS team. Facilities are great, recruiting area is rich. Coach has a winning history. All that is needed is a vision and a bit of luck.

Soccer program has some serious laurels to either rest on, or to take advantage of.

Basketball program is among the most stable in all the mid-majors. Again, vision... Not feeble marketing, but vision will fix the attendance issues.

Arena? Patience and hard work. This worm can turn.

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I am not optimistic about a great hire... in previous hires, you could look to the future... a growing soccer program, football in a growth period-with a new stadium or one that had a chance of being built, a stable and growing? basketball program, and overall athletic facility growth.

Now the current hire will face an unimportant football program, with serious attendance issues and is a financial drain, a soccer program that has probably plateaued, a basketball program that hasn't taken the next step-- and has not given us reason to think they will, doesn't draw- even while winning. It's also a basketball team that wants a new building, at a University that is facing budget issues, at one of the nation's most subsidised athletic depts-- and at a time when the general long-term future of the NCAA is probably up for debate.

I think an in-house interim AD -- of which there is not much choice is where this goes for a yr or two, then someone comes into overhaul a new very downsized athletic dept

DebbieDowner

How can you call the football team unimportant? The fact that so much has been invested in it and it is being led by TWO former BCS coaches - Bowden and Amato makes it VERY important. We've had to endure the holocaust and are on the up!!!
The soccer program is consistently in the top 20, perennial MAC conference champion, plays an amazing schedule, beats Big 10 opponents and produces MLS draft picks every year (not to mention USA men's national players). Keep in mind it is very difficult to maintain a national championship team when your underclassmen are getting drafted or picked up by homegrown contracts. My boys and I have put together what some of our previous soccer teams would have looked like if the players had stayed all 4 years. Holy s*!t would they have been good.
The basketball team is as exciting as ever with some great young talent. Coach has 9 seasons in a row with 20 wins. We've had some bad luck with injuries, suspensions, arrests :nono: just like the Cavs are experiencing. Bottom line, we are in great hands with KD. Somebody has got to figure out a way to appeal to Lebron. Seriously, he has got the coin to build King James Arena.
Most subsidized athletic departments. Not sure I am seeing that….I would like to say we are not even in the top 100, but we are #100.
BTW - our women's basketball is on the rise, our track team is doing great….
Sorry Morris, but if we do not get a top replacement as AD….that would be a disaster. How could we put an interim AD in the middle of this?!?! :mad_flame: We are at a critical time with our athletic department. I would have to say that is why this change has been made. I am praying for a dynamic replacement (even if they are only here for a couple of years).
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... How could we put an interim AD in the middle of this?!?! ...

Interim just means temporary or transitional. Companies put an interim department head in place if they don't have an immediate permanent successor standing by to replace a departing executive. If UA appoints a temporary AD I would interpret that to mean that they are going to do a serious search for the right person and not jump into a quick hire.

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As a-zip ponted out in other threads concerning UA rebranding and logos, there may be things here, as well, of which we do not know. For example, I have to admit that I've not been impressed by the IMG Learfield ticket reps who were brought in to supposedly increase football ticket sales. I have no idea at what cost they were brought in, but given the numbers of butts in the seats, I wouldn't say (in my opinion) they have been a success. Badgering me over and over to get my friends to buy in is not a good strategy as I tried to tell them. I, probably like others in Zipsnation, lost credibility when I convinced some friends to buy season tickets given the new stadium, and then they were rewarded with the 'Ianello Pigskin Holocaust' to borrow CK's phrase. I told them numerous times that I cannot (and will not) go back to the well again until Zips Football accomplishes something again...a bowl game, a MAC Title/bowl game. Given the lack of butts in the seats, was the cost of IMG Learfield a good pay off for UA athletics? I don't have the data, but it seems that it could easily have been another hole in the budget.

I like TW as a person. Very nice, friendly man, and I wish him well. But, I definitely think UA can get a more dynamic AD. If we could get Caleb Porter, a Big Ten (11, 13, 14, whatever) graduate, to come to UA and totally embrace it given where things stood when he was hired, I'm confident there is an AD candidate out there who would proudly do the things needed to take UA athletics to new heights.

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This editorial is a nice summary of what is going on with the budget. Sport cuts are no doubt on the way. If you are the President what do you cut? http://www.ohio.com/editorial/editorials/a-framework-for-fixing-ua-finances-1.599876

Vanderbilt is a school that under a new leader in Gordon Gee, did away with the position of Athletic Director. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/sports/baseball/22vanderbilt.html?ei=5070&en=cdcdde13f4500637&ex=1178164800&pagewanted=print&_r=0

N.B.: If you want to post on ZipsNation .. signup with your own login. Don't spoof mine. <from the actual Zip Watcher>

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This editorial is a nice summary of what is going on with the budget. Sport cuts are no doubt on the way. If you are the President what do you cut? http://www.ohio.com/editorial/editorials/a-framework-for-fixing-ua-finances-1.599876

Vanderbilt is a school that under a new leader in Gordon Gee, did away with the position of Athletic Director. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/sports/baseball/22vanderbilt.html?ei=5070&en=cdcdde13f4500637&ex=1178164800&pagewanted=print&_r=0

Or maybe just scale back the AD job so it pays half the amount for half the responsibility. Hiring coaches, oversight of facilities development and marketing strategies could be done by ad hoc admin/consultant committees. AD could just focus on scheduling, compliance, personnel issues, PR appearances, etc. Fundraising could be under the development department with a point person to focus on athletics.

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"The cuts will include sports, but no significant changes are expected in the football, basketball or soccer programs because of their historical strength and marketing value for the university, Scarborough said"

So he sees the value of the big three sports as a marketing tool, but you can bet the cuts will include marketing for those programs. So he's happy with status quo, a football program barely meeting NCAA BCS requirements and struggling to contend in the MAC, the basketball program that seems satisfied to contend in the MAC tourney, and the highly successful and popular soccer program that no doubt brings some attention among higher demographics.

Not what I wanted to hear. You know my thoughts, "go hard or go home". If you're not going to put a serious effort into BCS football, back out. I'd rather contend at a lower level than strive to be a mediocre MAC team. This past week it was announced Wadsworth was dropping from Division I to Division II in football, and the response has been almost completely positive. We can't compete against the heavy recruiter$. We barely met the requirements for D1 and it was impossible to build with our size and budget. We're going to have a L O T of fun in D2!!!

So what does get cut?

Sadly, following CSU's lead, baseball is the first to go. It's TItle IX friendly, and our facilities are shitty anyway. It has a heavy travel budget in March. And there's little hope for growth with zero marketing and pulling all but one game out of Canal Park. And it's not a sport a cold weather program has any hope of sniffing a long tournament run.

What else? Men's golf, cross country, rifle, track. Women's cross country, golf, rifle, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track, volleyball.

On a side note, Cleveland State defunded wrestling to add lacrosse, but then changed their mind by funding it though higher student fees.

Anyway it's all moot here as the only sports taken seriously by the majority of posters are the big three. They won't get funding cut, but don't look for funding increases (growth) or any type of serious marketing under Scarborough Fair.

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Not what I wanted to hear. You know my thoughts, "go hard or go home". If you're not going to put a serious effort into BCS football, back out. I'd rather contend at a lower level than strive to be a mediocre MAC team. This past week it was announced Wadsworth was dropping from Division I to Division II in football, and the response has been almost completely positive. We can't compete against the heavy recruiter$. We barely met the requirements for D1 and it was impossible to build with our size and budget. .

High school divisions are determined by enrollment figures. The OHSAA readjusted the levels this year and many of the lower enrollment D1 schools from last year are now in D2. All of the Federal league teams except McKinley are now D2.

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I don't think baseball can be dropped as long as we are in the MAC. It's a required sport. I'm not sure if the ACC has the same requirement.

It's time to dump MAC baseball. It's ironic that CUSA doesn't require it although it's a better fit there than in the MAC.

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