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So when is Hamrick getting booted?

Catfanatic1979v1

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Feb 1, 2006
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Isn't Hamrick's contract up too? It seems like he isn't in control anymore so might as well move on.
 
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Yes, it is and I expect the days are numbered. By Gilbert getting so involved in the football hire that, IMO, is the writing on the wall
 
I feel bad for the guy. There are a lot of buildings on campus we wouldn't have right now if it weren't for him driving the bus on fundraising for them. Everybody out here in the cheap seats wants the program to have awesome stuff, but they aren't about to go humble themselves before rich assholes to get it for us.
 
I feel bad for the guy. There are a lot of buildings on campus we wouldn't have right now if it weren't for him driving the bus on fundraising for them. Everybody out here in the cheap seats wants the program to have awesome stuff, but they aren't about to go humble themselves before rich assholes to get it for us.
I've said this before, but I'd like hamrick to stay to see the baseball stadium through. I know it's been delayed, but without him I think the project gets scrapped entirely and the lot sold and turned into a Dollar General.
 
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Personally I think MH has done a solid job here. I understand the need to move on from Doc to escape "almost champs" . MH has done plenty and can't imagine what Gilbert would be thinking to dump him. He has overseen massive upgrades to facilities he has done what a AD should do
 
MH has been emasculated by his superiors. As such, he will do the honorable thing and retire at the end of the school year.

Best AD ever.
 
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MH has been emasculated by his superiors. As such, he will do the honorable thing and retire at the end of the school year.

Best AD ever.

I don't know about best ever, since my frame of reference for MU athletics only dates back to the mid-90s, but I agree that he has done a good job in his time here... Has handled facilities and scheduling well, seems like a class guy in public.
 
I don't know about best ever, since my frame of reference for MU athletics only dates back to the mid-90s, but I agree that he has done a good job in his time here... Has handled facilities and scheduling well, seems like a class guy in public.
Rhino it’s my understanding that MH only handled the OOC football games period. The other sports do there own OOC schedules as CUSA does the rest. As for facilities yes he did a great job of getting donors. As for maintaining he has done a poor job in my opinion. New facilities are always nice. Wait a few years and they begin to tarnish and all he does is throw a little paint here and there.
 
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Just keep in mind that the way the hiring was done is now the acceptable and preferred method at most big schools. The AD helps make a list, the committee gets to offer input, but the President makes the hiring and firing decisions. That is due in part to the pressure the boards put on the President to make the biggest decisions. It gives the AD and coach some insulation from "everyday" boosters, but if the big money wants action, they have to go to the President. A good president will keep the coach at arms length, too, and make him work with the AD on resources. getting guys accepted, etc. You also have to remember that a lot of agents/lawyers are constantly promoting their clients to a lot of schools. And in some cases, they send in "spies" to test the market on whether guys will get fired, find ones that are willing to move, or test if their guy has a shot. I've been involved with ones where you go in unofficially, make some contacts, test how solid guys are with staying or moving (P5 to P5). Based on what happened this year, I would think the decision to not renew Doc's contract had been being pondered on for some time before the last losses. GO HERD!
 
When a man is emasculated, as MH has been, he has no value left to add. First, any person who would remain after what was done to MH, is no leader. He is a careerist or some guy chasing a pension or such like. MH is none of those, he is fine $$ wise, so he will move on. Second, MH has totally had the rug pulled out from under him, so he really cannot give his word on any subject. From hiring a coach, to asking for a big donation in return for something, to allowing an intern to borrow a van, MH simply cannot say "yes", because MH does not have the authority to say anything. It is all up to Gilbert, and perhaps Justice.

He will quietly retire at the end of the semester. He should.

Best AD ever.
 
I thought a lot of Hamrick and his ventures. Today....Not so much. Plastic bag of Jersey. No Green Jacket. I have balls. I would have fired him on spot. Ridiculous green jacket not offered. Don't blame covid....that is BS. He handed him the jersey out of plastic bag. Damn so unprofessional.
 
It’s a completely idiotic, unreasonable, and ignorant decision if Mike Hamrick is let go. Wanting him let go is, equally, all the above.

its not unreasonable to expect your athletic department to be ran with an ounce of professional behavior. Look at how bad our facilities are maintained. Go into the bathroom at the Joan, or the bleacher seats at the cam (where I’m pretty sure there is still blood on the bleachers). OR the fact that he’s openly feuding with one of our biggest coaches. Mike Hamrick would be a great AD if fundraising was the only part of the job. In fact he’s completely qualified to be “Associate Athletic Director in Charge of Fundraising”.
Yesterday was just another example of his leadership “style”.
 
its not unreasonable to expect your athletic department to be ran with an ounce of professional behavior. Look at how bad our facilities are maintained. Go into the bathroom at the Joan, or the bleacher seats at the cam (where I’m pretty sure there is still blood on the bleachers). OR the fact that he’s openly feuding with one of our biggest coaches. Mike Hamrick would be a great AD if fundraising was the only part of the job. In fact he’s completely qualified to be “Associate Athletic Director in Charge of Fundraising”.
Yesterday was just another example of his leadership “style”.

You forgot about the tirade on Twitter. I think it was after fans had the audacity to question why the hell we chose to play a MAC team in our bowl after having the most successful season since Pruett left.

It literally looked like some inappropriate shit Coach Stowers would say, of course, in between his personal phone calls from Holliday.
 
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Time to move on with a new athletic director and a new direction. Thank you Mime Hamrick for your contributions to Marshall University and enjoy your retirement.
 
I prefer an athletic director who doesn’t try to sabotage funding & support for other sports in the name of the mediocre football coach he sheltered for 11 years.

So, of course, you have links to the "sabotage" of particular "other sports" and would be glad to share these. Look forward to it.
 
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When a man is emasculated, as MH has been, he has no value left to add. First, any person who would remain after what was done to MH, is no leader. He is a careerist or some guy chasing a pension or such like. MH is none of those, he is fine $$ wise, so he will move on. Second, MH has totally had the rug pulled out from under him, so he really cannot give his word on any subject. From hiring a coach, to asking for a big donation in return for something, to allowing an intern to borrow a van, MH simply cannot say "yes", because MH does not have the authority to say anything. It is all up to Gilbert, and perhaps Justice.

He will quietly retire at the end of the semester. He should.

Best AD ever.
Mikes done a solid job but considering he followed our worst AD ever, all things considered - Coco the monkey would look good.
 
So, of course, you have links to the "sabotage" of particular "other sports" and would be glad to share these. Look forward to it.
You’re just like Coach Stowers. You think if a “link” to a recording of a conversation or a video of a fight doesn’t exist...then it didn’t happen? I hope you’re not serious.
 
It’s time for a change in the AD role. Hamrick has done a great job with facilities and scheduling. But he alienated the fan base in 2014 or 15 when he forced through the Reseating plan when we weren’t selling out. Our attendance numbers have continued to decline with interest. I never engages the fans unless you’re a big donor.
 
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Bob Pruett for AD!


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Miss has done a great job with building and keeping if not bring Marshall up a little. But it is time for change and maybe a little younger more fan, and explayer friendly Ad couldn't hurt. Buildings will be built no matter who is here and at some time so will a new baseball field. But it seems like Mike has maxed his wealth/ helpfulness here out. So this tank is empty time to find a new face and move forward and move forward and up.
 
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My take on judging AD's is based on the following criteria:
1. Game day experience
2. Following NCAA rules
3. Maximizing resources
4. Student athlete success (academic, not athletic)
I would say he has done a pretty good job based on what the potential resources could be. Marshall is in the middle of a resource crunch and it is the biggest challenge right now. Mike's job has evolved and I expect that he no longer should feel like he needs to provide an outgoing energy or even spokesperson to defend football. It varies across the country, but it seems to me that more and more ADs are becoming more like fiscal managers or COOs where the on-field successes are on the Presidents and head coaches.
 
Marshall’s biggest issue going forward is trying to grow the fan/donor base. It’s been stagnant for years.
The fan experience at games is putrid for the most part. Not conducive to new fans or families wanting to come back.
The next AD needs to be fan and alumni friendly and make building those relationships priority number one. Once that is done, the donations and dollars should follow.
 
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My take on judging AD's is based on the following criteria:
1. Game day experience

That would be one of my lowest.

You can have an awful game day experience yet still hire great coaches who win games. Even if the overall game day experience sucks, a winning team will still draw fans and donors.

You can have a three ring circus at every game day experience, and if you're bad at hiring and winning games, nobody will come and donors will dry up.

At Marshall, money is what is needed, and winning will bring that more than a new stadium, an interactive scoreboard, etc.
 
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Hammick has done a good job IMO making lemonade out of lemons. Limited resources .
-made sure the program was clean(see Baylor,Penn State)
-updated facilities(IPF,Soccer and softball) and future baseball( clearly COVID is going to cause a delay, also allows us to play in Charleston, helping community).
- game day experience- better WiFi, new score boards , bring back Kelly Green and Marco logos. stadium store. Let’s not forget that Major teams have come out to Huntington. I would reckon a good amount of 10 ten attendance games record falls under him.
-Soccer, Baseball and Softball have all climbed in ranking prestige in recent years.
-at least has made us competitive in Basketball and Football has returned without getting bogged down in firing coaches paying money we don’t need to spend on old contracts.
 
I should have said that those were not in order of importance. But I do think that the AD, as he is in charge of all of the components of the game day experience, should be judged on that. That includes seating assignments, facilities, welcoming back former players and alums, making sure donors in the seats are happy. Yes, winning help improve game day experiences but have a bad season and a bad game day experience and watch out. ADs, now in the era of Presidents and Boards doing the hiring and firing, can't really control the W-L, they can influence it. They can help provide the resources for supporting the staffs, so that was why I mention resources. The best "manager" to have is one that gets you the resources you need to be successful, and gets out of the way, letting you either win or lose on your own decisions.
 
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