The Search for our Next Athletic Director

[bbneutralfan]

Out going president Jerome Gilbert has just announced this:
“
Dear Marshall University community,



I am writing today to let you know we are kicking off a national search for Marshall’s next athletic director.



Incoming president Brad D. Smith and I have been working closely during the transition and believe that identifying a world-class athletic director is one of the highest priorities for the university. We agreed not to wait until he officially begins his presidency on Jan. 1 to start the search.



Together, we have formed a nine-person search committee charged with advancing a slate of finalists for consideration and have retained CarrSports Consultingto assist us throughout the process. President Smith will make the final hiring decision, with an announcement expected in February.



The search committee members include the following:



· Tracy Christofero, professor of Marketing, MIS and Entrepreneurship and chair of the Faculty Senate

· Ryan Crisp, associate director of athletic development in the Big Green Scholarship Foundation

· Verna Gibson, former chair of the university’s Board of Governors

· Tony Kemper, women’s basketball head coach

· Karen McComas, executive director of the university’s Center for Teaching and Learning and NCAA faculty athletics representative

· Chris Miller, chair of the Board of Governors athletic committee

· Andre Motley, former student-athlete; and

· Bob Pruett, former head football coach.



Ginny Painter, senior vice president for communications and marketing, is chairing the committee, which had its first meeting last week.



Ads will begin appearing in national trade journals and websites tomorrow, and our consultants are working with groups such as Women Leaders in College Sports and the Black AD Alliance to identify non-majority candidates.



If you have inquiries or nominations for the position, please direct them toMarshallSearch@CarrSportsConsulting.com.



President-elect Smith and I want to thank the committee members for the commitment of their time and talent to helping identify candidates for this vital role.



Sincerely,



Jerome A. Gilbert, Ph.D.

President”

​

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

Why the hell is Verna Gibson on there? The last time she was involved in a personnel decision in the AD ended in a cluster bomb.

 

[marshallsig]

I like that Bob P. is on there.

 

[GreenDuke]

I see a lot of tired old names and people with personal agendas.

 

[19MU88]

I like that Bob P. is on there.

maybe but as I recall he was a big proponent of Kayo coming here.

 

[marshallsig]

maybe but as I recall he was a big proponent of Kayo coming here.

yikes if true

 

[greengeezer]

The women’s basketball coach? I had forgotten we even had a team.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

I see a lot of tired old names and people with personal agendas.

Which ones?

 

[The Real SamC]

- Search committees, interviews, applications, etc. are just window dressing. The powers that be will hire exactly who they want.

- This is a bad job. Ungrateful, delusional fans. Declining market. Low donation numbers. Hostile state government. All in all a general expectation among the local gentry that, somehow, “they” (some unknown combination of rich people, big companies, and the government) are just supposed to supply Marshall athletics to them, at no real cost, like it was some sort of public utility all such cities just have.

- This is also a bad job because the AD here does not have the power of the AD elsewhere. The last AD was publicly humiliated and emasculated. He was told that he really wasn’t in charge of the things his job title puts him in charge of. That power, once taken away, is not going to be returned to the next guy.

- Therefore, we will not get a traditional hire for a place like this, which would be an up and coming YOUNG AD eager to show what he can do in order to move up to the real $$ and power in the true majors. They will stay far away from this place. Therefore, we will get, as we did the last two times, some guy with some sort of tie to the area “coming home” to do a few years in semi-retirement.

 

[W-S HerdFan]

..................may want to bookmark Sam's prediction. Let's see how close he gets it........

+ - can you imagine Sam being on the search committee? "Ahhhhhhhh.....why would you want this shitty job in this God-forsaken backwater? Run for your life!!"

 

[19MU88]

- Search committees, interviews, applications, etc. are just window dressing. The powers that be will hire exactly who they want.

- This is a bad job. Ungrateful, delusional fans. Declining market. Low donation numbers. Hostile state government. All in all a general expectation among the local gentry that, somehow, “they” (some unknown combination of rich people, big companies, and the government) are just supposed to supply Marshall athletics to them, at no real cost, like it was some sort of public utility all such cities just have.

- This is also a bad job because the AD here does not have the power of the AD elsewhere. The last AD was publicly humiliated and emasculated. He was told that he really wasn’t in charge of the things his job title puts him in charge of. That power, once taken away, is not going to be returned to the next guy.

- Therefore, we will not get a traditional hire for a place like this, which would be an up and coming YOUNG AD eager to show what he can do in order to move up to the real $$ and power in the true majors. They will stay far away from this place. Therefore, we will get, as we did the last two times, some guy with some sort of tie to the area “coming home” to do a few years in semi-retirement.

Marshall sports just aren’t for you

 

[muthed]

Why the hell is Verna Gibson on there? The last time she was involved in a personnel decision in the AD ended in a cluster bomb.

Nor do we need a used car salesman. He's already done enough damage getting rid of Gilbert.

 

[GreenDuke]

Which ones?

You’re a local guy with a lot of good opinions, you know who they are.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

You’re a local guy with a lot of good opinions, you know who they are.

I'm a local guy but I have no connections on this stuff. I'm serious. Are you referring to Pruett? Miller? Are they gonna push for a specific candidate? Noe?

I admit, I like the idea of Noe coming in and O'Malley being the number 2 guy. On the surface, that seems to be a great situation for Marshall. The job won't be easy. Whoever gets it, better be a excellent fundraiser and be able to connect with the entire fan base, not just a handful of well heeled BG donors. jmho

 

[richmondherdfan]

Imagine saying "getting rid of GIlbert" like we didn't just hire Brad freaking Smith. Too funny.

What was so impressive about GIlbert anyway?

 

[RhinoD]

While MU certainly has its drawbacks as Sam pointed out above... There are also several things that make MU a "good" AD job.

• You are entering a new conference that is better suited to future growth than the former conference (especially in football).
• You don't have to make any quick hires. Football has a new coach, mens soccer is locked up long term and basketball isn't going anywhere unless he decides to retire.
• You have a fanbase that actually gives a damn about athletics, and before you say "every school has that," they really don't. Some schools go through the motions with no expectations of success.
• You are in good shape in terms of facilities for the major sports. Aside from getting a baseball stadium built, if that ever happens, the other sports have fine facilities. Get some updating done at the Joan and I will help fund a statue of you made from the recycled horse trough pisser metal.
• You have a marketable brand with more name recognition than many of your G5 peers.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

- Search committees, interviews, applications, etc. are just window dressing. The powers that be will hire exactly who they want.

- This is a bad job. Ungrateful, delusional fans. Declining market. Low donation numbers. Hostile state government. All in all a general expectation among the local gentry that, somehow, “they” (some unknown combination of rich people, big companies, and the government) are just supposed to supply Marshall athletics to them, at no real cost, like it was some sort of public utility all such cities just have.

- This is also a bad job because the AD here does not have the power of the AD elsewhere. The last AD was publicly humiliated and emasculated. He was told that he really wasn’t in charge of the things his job title puts him in charge of. That power, once taken away, is not going to be returned to the next guy.

- Therefore, we will not get a traditional hire for a place like this, which would be an up and coming YOUNG AD eager to show what he can do in order to move up to the real $$ and power in the true majors. They will stay far away from this place. Therefore, we will get, as we did the last two times, some guy with some sort of tie to the area “coming home” to do a few years in semi-retirement.

KO? Is that you?

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

Imagine saying "getting rid of GIlbert" like we didn't just hire Brad freaking Smith. Too funny.

What was so impressive about GIlbert anyway?

lol are you serious?
Gilbert kept what Kopp started and continued to push MU to academic heights nobody would have ever thought could happen. Helped MU become an R2 level academic institution. Helped build the Pharmacy school dedicated to Kopp, also worked together with the city of Huntington (in which Huntington used to think MU needed them when it's always been the other way around). Also, the students absolutely love the guy and he is very active in connecting with them via social media.

I get it, you're high on Brad, I am too, but to ask what was go great about Gilbert is a very dumb thing to say.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

lol are you serious?
Gilbert kept what Kopp started and continued to push MU to academic heights nobody would have ever thought could happen. Helped MU become an R2 level academic institution. Helped build the Pharmacy school dedicated to Kopp, also worked together with the city of Huntington (in which Huntington used to think MU needed them when it's always been the other way around). Also, the students absolutely love the guy and he is very active in connecting with them via social media.

I get it, you're high on Brad, I am too, but to ask what was go great about Gilbert is a very dumb thing to say.

Also very instrumental in getting the aviation school going; in addition to strengthening other departments as well.
Gilbert did a darn good job. Excited to see how Brad can take us to the next level.

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

While MU certainly has its drawbacks as Sam pointed out above... There are also several things that make MU a "good" AD job.

• You are entering a new conference that is better suited to future growth than the former conference (especially in football).
• You don't have to make any quick hires. Football has a new coach, mens soccer is locked up long term and basketball isn't going anywhere unless he decides to retire.
• You have a fanbase that actually gives a damn about athletics, and before you say "every school has that," they really don't. Some schools go through the motions with no expectations of success.
• You are in good shape in terms of facilities for the major sports. Aside from getting a baseball stadium built, if that ever happens, the other sports have fine facilities. Get some updating done at the Joan and I will help fund a statue of you made from the recycled horse trough pisser metal.
• You have a marketable brand with more name recognition than many of your G5 peers.

Yeah, true on most of those accounts...but I'll counter.

MU's Old Main leadership as well as those within the MU BoG are not fans of moving forward, as evidenced by the delay taken to even join the SBC.
Speaking of, the SBC is entirely about growth, and MU's aging population gets scared if there's too much of it.
None of your HC's are safe from a buyout. Huff had already been rumored to leave for VT, VT was paying several million to fire Fuente, Huff's buyout is nothing.
Same with soccer, we have a coach locked in until someone with money offers him a lucrative gig elsewhere.
Does the fanbase really give a damn? The wku game attendance was poor and a reminder that MU's fans are fickle pricks who demand MU play Alabama and never score less than 100 pts per game but also excuse being more active in supporting MU when it's needed most.

Hell, MU's own fans were (still are) saying how much of a waste the baseball field is going to be...how in the blue hell are you supposed to elevate MU as a supportive group of you can't just get on board with that?

Facilities as well as other factors does put MU in a competitive spot with the rest of the SBC, and frankly it's a good fit in various demographics.

I just hope the new AD comes in and just goes on a tear in improving MU athletics without a bunch of idiots in the MU BoG standing in their way (like they did with Hamrick).

 

[kyherd]

Brad Smith is making the call. Don't expect a worn out retread. He is hiring outside the box, not unlike himself, this is a complicated business the new AD will be running.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

Brad Smith is making the call. Don't expect a worn out retread. He is hiring outside the box, not unlike himself, this is a complicated business the new AD will be running.

Knowing that, maybe the Bill Noe rumor is true.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

Yeah, true on most of those accounts...but I'll counter.

MU's Old Main leadership as well as those within the MU BoG are not fans of moving forward, as evidenced by the delay taken to even join the SBC.
Speaking of, the SBC is entirely about growth, and MU's aging population gets scared if there's too much of it.
None of your HC's are safe from a buyout. Huff had already been rumored to leave for VT, VT was paying several million to fire Fuente, Huff's buyout is nothing.
Same with soccer, we have a coach locked in until someone with money offers him a lucrative gig elsewhere.
Does the fanbase really give a damn? The wku game attendance was poor and a reminder that MU's fans are fickle pricks who demand MU play Alabama and never score less than 100 pts per game but also excuse being more active in supporting MU when it's needed most.

Hell, MU's own fans were (still are) saying how much of a waste the baseball field is going to be...how in the blue hell are you supposed to elevate MU as a supportive group of you can't just get on board with that?

Facilities as well as other factors does put MU in a competitive spot with the rest of the SBC, and frankly it's a good fit in various demographics.

I just hope the new AD comes in and just goes on a tear in improving MU athletics without a bunch of idiots in the MU BoG standing in their way (like they did with Hamrick).

In all seriousness, how did the BOG stand in Mike's way, other than he supposedly wanted to retain Doc with another extension? Doc didn't deserve an extension.

 

[The Real SamC]

Yeah, true on most of those accounts...but I'll counter.

MU's Old Main leadership as well as those within the MU BoG are not fans of moving forward, as evidenced by the delay taken to even join the SBC.

True

Speaking of, the SBC is entirely about growth, and MU's aging population gets scared if there's too much of it.

The SBC was the right decision, but lets not pretend it is the cure all. CUSA was sinking, because half the teams joined the now-yet-more a joke AAC. SBC was the best available option, and it brings with it more T geographic logic, and mostly like minded, like sized institutions.

But, and there is always a but, the SBC is still a league made up of schools that were I-AA within the decade. Some will thrive. Some may not.

None of your HC's are safe from a buyout. Huff had already been rumored to leave for VT, VT was paying several million to fire Fuente, Huff's buyout is nothing.
Same with soccer, we have a coach locked in until someone with money offers him a lucrative gig elsewhere.

You left out basketball. I doubt anybody will be offering DD their gig anytime soon.

As to football, the VPI rumors were silly. 7-5, 6-5 vs I-A, zero wins vs. teams with a winning record. He may, and I hope he does, put in a performance next year, or over the next 2 to 4 years, that would earn him SERIOUS consideration at the P5 level. Or he might continue to underperform as he did this year. Nobody really knows, but, yes, we are probably looking at a new hire, either way, within 4 years, 5 max.

As to soccer. The dude makes $375K. How many people in the USA make more? Clemson, which just won the national championship, pays less. Clemson. P5, rich as F***. WVU pays $120K. UK pays $210K. How many people in the USA make more coaching soccer. Maybe 50?

Does the fanbase really give a damn? The wku game attendance was poor and a reminder that MU's fans are fickle pricks who demand MU play Alabama and never score less than 100 pts per game but also excuse being more active in supporting MU when it's needed most.

While there is the rotten super-fan element that lacks the ability to respect the teams we regularly play, nor the bowls that we play in, and, after a few years of SBC honeymoon, that will resume.

But, IMHO, that is only a tiny fraction of the fan base. Most Herd fans know what we are and are down with what we are. The live gate issues this year came down to one simple fact. After Week Four it was evident that this team was incapable of beating any team that had a pulse. People want competitive football. That is what they want to pay for. MU, this year, offered a mix of beatdowns of awful teams, and beatdowns by good teams. Most people said no thanks.

Put a team out there that people perceive as having a chance to beat teams that are actually good, and the live gate will be just fine.

Hell, MU's own fans were (still are) saying how much of a waste the baseball field is going to be...how in the blue hell are you supposed to elevate MU as a supportive group of you can't just get on board with that?

I perceive baseball differently. The local gentry is full of about 10 groups that want to play pretend baseball owner if only MU would build a palatial stadium and rent it to them. These people are the ones that want all the bells and whistles, rather than the SIMPLE field we need.

Facilities as well as other factors does put MU in a competitive spot with the rest of the SBC, and frankly it's a good fit in various demographics.

Agree. The main issue with the SBC is only one letter different. SEC. All of these schools toil in the giant shadow of the SEC (and/or the ACC). We don’t. We have only a team far away that has never, and will never, win anything of national significance, in a league that is, really, returning to mid-major status with the Big 2 leave.

I just hope the new AD comes in and just goes on a tear in improving MU athletics without a bunch of idiots in the MU BoG standing in their way (like they did with Hamrick).

True. MH was blocked at every turn.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

True

The SBC was the right decision, but lets not pretend it is the cure all. CUSA was sinking, because half the teams joined the now-yet-more a joke AAC. SBC was the best available option, and it brings with it more T geographic logic, and mostly like minded, like sized institutions.

But, and there is always a but, the SBC is still a league made up of schools that were I-AA within the decade. Some will thrive. Some may not.

You left out basketball. I doubt anybody will be offering DD their gig anytime soon.

As to football, the VPI rumors were silly. 7-5, 6-5 vs I-A, zero wins vs. teams with a winning record. He may, and I hope he does, put in a performance next year, or over the next 2 to 4 years, that would earn him SERIOUS consideration at the P5 level. Or he might continue to underperform as he did this year. Nobody really knows, but, yes, we are probably looking at a new hire, either way, within 4 years, 5 max.

As to soccer. The dude makes $375K. How many people in the USA make more? Clemson, which just won the national championship, pays less. Clemson. P5, rich as F***. WVU pays $120K. UK pays $210K. How many people in the USA make more coaching soccer. Maybe 50?

While there is the rotten super-fan element that lacks the ability to respect the teams we regularly play, nor the bowls that we play in, and, after a few years of SBC honeymoon, that will resume.

But, IMHO, that is only a tiny fraction of the fan base. Most Herd fans know what we are and are down with what we are. The live gate issues this year came down to one simple fact. After Week Four it was evident that this team was incapable of beating any team that had a pulse. People want competitive football. That is what they want to pay for. MU, this year, offered a mix of beatdowns of awful teams, and beatdowns by good teams. Most people said no thanks.

Put a team out there that people perceive as having a chance to beat teams that are actually good, and the live gate will be just fine.

I perceive baseball differently. The local gentry is full of about 10 groups that want to play pretend baseball owner if only MU would build a palatial stadium and rent it to them. These people are the ones that want all the bells and whistles, rather than the SIMPLE field we need.

Agree. The main issue with the SBC is only one letter different. SEC. All of these schools toil in the giant shadow of the SEC (and/or the ACC). We don’t. We have only a team far away that has never, and will never, win anything of national significance, in a league that is, really, returning to mid-major status with the Big 2 leave.

True. MH was blocked at every turn.

Specifically, how was MH blocked? In all seriousness, interested to know.

 

[greengeezer]

Marshall sports just aren’t for you

Don’t ever bother to invite Sam over for drinks. No matter how much you pour in his glass, he will always complain it is half empty.

 

[muthed]

Imagine saying "getting rid of GIlbert" like we didn't just hire Brad freaking Smith. Too funny.

What was so impressive about GIlbert anyway?

Not that I don't like the Brad Smith hire. I just didn't like the fact that Gilbert didn't get extended. I think he has done an excellent job while here. And I'm sure Brad will as well.

 

[kyherd]

Knowing that, maybe the Bill Noe rumor is true.

Not Billy Noe, he is busy with airplanes, maybe in the future.

 

[sluggo72]

Knowing that, maybe the Bill Noe rumor is true.

What about the Greg White rumors

 

[herdfan06]

What about the Greg White rumors

Is there anyone from Mullens that does not have ties to Marshall?

 

[sluggo72]

Is there anyone from Mullens that does not have ties to Marshall?

Is there anyone in Mullens

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

In all seriousness, how did the BOG stand in Mike's way, other than he supposedly wanted to retain Doc with another extension? Doc didn't deserve an extension.

This is a long post. Might want to be taking a dump or something while reading.

Doesn't it seem a bit weird how the last few years have transpired?
Based on everything I've read on here and printed and all...
You had 2016 which was a disaster for a season, with JJ wanting to get Doc out. Pruett campaigned for JJ during his run for governor as well, made a visit to the stadium even. You had Hamrick and Gilbert for Doc. I read JJ tried to pressure the AD and MU president into firing him. Then a few years later, despite all he's done for MU, Gilbert just sort of leaves as his contract wasn't renewed? The guy just got MU a ton of academic accomplishments but no renewal?
Doc, we've been over it before and even though he made the CUSA title game, it was time to move in a different direction.
Hamrick suddenly isn't retained either but makes sure he's overseeing the baseball field.
They had a groundbreaking ceremony for it and eveything. Then COVID hit and delayed it.
Hamrick could've just up and quit. The MU BoG weren't too keen on he staying but he was smart enough to stay on for this project. Hamrick's gotten lots of donations for said field, but now there's a delay because some of the BoG want a new location for it and the original donors preferred the original spot.
It's now in limbo because of said dispute being directly blocked by a few who don't want Hamrick to have this and why wouldn't you? You've spent the last few years trying to show the decisions he's made are awful when he built the soccer field, MU won an NCAA title. When Doc was bad in 2016, the team record improved each season after and they made the conference title game.
Hamrick got the Vision Campaign actually fulfilled, which is a milestone for MU's entire AD.
Now Hamrick's on the verge of getting something done that for the last 50 years has been promised to no avail, has been mocked by locals, and overall not been favored, actually done.
It's basically a perverbial middle finger to MU's BoG and they just can't stand such a thing.
Hamrick's overseen more growth for MU than anyone in the AD and I doubt he'd commit to a peoject if he wasn't substantially if not entirely able to have it completed.

Let's face it, a guy with Brad's money and status, doesn't simply move back to WV for nothing. If it be to lead MU to new heights, great, but I think it's for more politically driven goals in the long term, same with others at MU. But hey, that'll be the trade-off, get MU back on its feet in various areas, move onto bigger and better things...kind of like our newly established status for football head coaches, right?

 

[alphasig1053]

Is there anyone from Mullens that does not have ties to Marshall?

The few people left in that area are die hard eer fans.

 

[herdfan06]

This is a long post. Might want to be taking a dump or something while reading.

Doesn't it seem a bit weird how the last few years have transpired?
Based on everything I've read on here and printed and all...
You had 2016 which was a disaster for a season, with JJ wanting to get Doc out. Pruett campaigned for JJ during his run for governor as well, made a visit to the stadium even. You had Hamrick and Gilbert for Doc. I read JJ tried to pressure the AD and MU president into firing him. Then a few years later, despite all he's done for MU, Gilbert just sort of leaves as his contract wasn't renewed? The guy just got MU a ton of academic accomplishments but no renewal?
Doc, we've been over it before and even though he made the CUSA title game, it was time to move in a different direction.
Hamrick suddenly isn't retained either but makes sure he's overseeing the baseball field.
They had a groundbreaking ceremony for it and eveything. Then COVID hit and delayed it.
Hamrick could've just up and quit. The MU BoG weren't too keen on he staying but he was smart enough to stay on for this project. Hamrick's gotten lots of donations for said field, but now there's a delay because some of the BoG want a new location for it and the original donors preferred the original spot.
It's now in limbo because of said dispute being directly blocked by a few who don't want Hamrick to have this and why wouldn't you? You've spent the last few years trying to show the decisions he's made are awful when he built the soccer field, MU won an NCAA title. When Doc was bad in 2016, the team record improved each season after and they made the conference title game.
Hamrick got the Vision Campaign actually fulfilled, which is a milestone for MU's entire AD.
Now Hamrick's on the verge of getting something done that for the last 50 years has been promised to no avail, has been mocked by locals, and overall not been favored, actually done.
It's basically a perverbial middle finger to MU's BoG and they just can't stand such a thing.
Hamrick's overseen more growth for MU than anyone in the AD and I doubt he'd commit to a peoject if he wasn't substantially if not entirely able to have it completed.

Let's face it, a guy with Brad's money and status, doesn't simply move back to WV for nothing. If it be to lead MU to new heights, great, but I think it's for more politically driven goals in the long term, same with others at MU. But hey, that'll be the trade-off, get MU back on its feet in various areas, move onto bigger and better things...kind of like our newly established status for football head coaches, right?

 

[RhinoD]

At this point I think of a Marshall baseball stadium the same way I think about a 72 Trans Am... I've always wanted one, and there is a chance I might find one, buy it and restore it once the kids are all out of the house. If it happens, awesome. If it doesn't, life goes on.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

This is a long post. Might want to be taking a dump or something while reading.

Doesn't it seem a bit weird how the last few years have transpired?
Based on everything I've read on here and printed and all...
You had 2016 which was a disaster for a season, with JJ wanting to get Doc out. Pruett campaigned for JJ during his run for governor as well, made a visit to the stadium even. You had Hamrick and Gilbert for Doc. I read JJ tried to pressure the AD and MU president into firing him. Then a few years later, despite all he's done for MU, Gilbert just sort of leaves as his contract wasn't renewed? The guy just got MU a ton of academic accomplishments but no renewal?
Doc, we've been over it before and even though he made the CUSA title game, it was time to move in a different direction.
Hamrick suddenly isn't retained either but makes sure he's overseeing the baseball field.
They had a groundbreaking ceremony for it and eveything. Then COVID hit and delayed it.
Hamrick could've just up and quit. The MU BoG weren't too keen on he staying but he was smart enough to stay on for this project. Hamrick's gotten lots of donations for said field, but now there's a delay because some of the BoG want a new location for it and the original donors preferred the original spot.
It's now in limbo because of said dispute being directly blocked by a few who don't want Hamrick to have this and why wouldn't you? You've spent the last few years trying to show the decisions he's made are awful when he built the soccer field, MU won an NCAA title. When Doc was bad in 2016, the team record improved each season after and they made the conference title game.
Hamrick got the Vision Campaign actually fulfilled, which is a milestone for MU's entire AD.
Now Hamrick's on the verge of getting something done that for the last 50 years has been promised to no avail, has been mocked by locals, and overall not been favored, actually done.
It's basically a perverbial middle finger to MU's BoG and they just can't stand such a thing.
Hamrick's overseen more growth for MU than anyone in the AD and I doubt he'd commit to a peoject if he wasn't substantially if not entirely able to have it completed.

Let's face it, a guy with Brad's money and status, doesn't simply move back to WV for nothing. If it be to lead MU to new heights, great, but I think it's for more politically driven goals in the long term, same with others at MU. But hey, that'll be the trade-off, get MU back on its feet in various areas, move onto bigger and better things...kind of like our newly established status for football head coaches, right?

You're right, that was too long to read. Let's just say you, I, or anyone on this board knows all the facts. It's all pure speculation and personal opinions. Mike did a very solid job but he had issues as well. People get stale and too comfortable in their positions if not challenged periodically. I think we see this in the Schewey, Old Main, BG, Local, state, federal gov't.. It's everywhere. Get complacent and you get passed. We needed a shakeup, it happened and let's hope for the better. The margin for error at Marshall is razor thin.

 

[The Real SamC]

What about the Greg White rumors

Dear Lord no.

Hadn’t heard that one. After failing here, which was a follow on to his failures at Pikeville and Harvey High, he went back to HH and failed once more. He then was, AFAIK, a “special assistant” to the HH president (who is a 100% anti-public education and specifically anti-Marshall a**hole) and they were raising money to go to I-AA, probably in something like the Big South, playing basketball in the civic center. Part of this guy’s “vision” of turning HH from a place for South Hills rich kids who won’t leave mommy and daddy into a richly rich private school (think Elon, High Point, Davidson, etc.).

AFAIK pretty much zero dollars were ever raised, pretty much because nobody in Charleston cares about HH athletics. The prez finally retired. No idea what GW is currently doing. He is 63, has no relevant experience, but has a connection to Marshall, and to Mullens, so he should fit right in

 

[W-S HerdFan]

National search does not compute to Greg White.

 

[RhinoD]

Agreed with Sam and WS on Greg White... No thanks

Hoping for a relatively young, energetic AD with some DI experience and not a retread with MU ties coming back to work a few years until retirement.

 

[The Real SamC]

This is a long post. Might want to be taking a dump or something while reading.

Doesn't it seem a bit weird how the last few years have transpired?
Based on everything I've read on here and printed and all...
You had 2016 which was a disaster for a season, with JJ wanting to get Doc out. Pruett campaigned for JJ during his run for governor as well, made a visit to the stadium even. You had Hamrick and Gilbert for Doc. I read JJ tried to pressure the AD and MU president into firing him. Then a few years later, despite all he's done for MU, Gilbert just sort of leaves as his contract wasn't renewed? The guy just got MU a ton of academic accomplishments but no renewal?
Doc, we've been over it before and even though he made the CUSA title game, it was time to move in a different direction.
Hamrick suddenly isn't retained either but makes sure he's overseeing the baseball field.
They had a groundbreaking ceremony for it and eveything. Then COVID hit and delayed it.
Hamrick could've just up and quit. The MU BoG weren't too keen on he staying but he was smart enough to stay on for this project. Hamrick's gotten lots of donations for said field, but now there's a delay because some of the BoG want a new location for it and the original donors preferred the original spot.
It's now in limbo because of said dispute being directly blocked by a few who don't want Hamrick to have this and why wouldn't you? You've spent the last few years trying to show the decisions he's made are awful when he built the soccer field, MU won an NCAA title. When Doc was bad in 2016, the team record improved each season after and they made the conference title game.
Hamrick got the Vision Campaign actually fulfilled, which is a milestone for MU's entire AD.
Now Hamrick's on the verge of getting something done that for the last 50 years has been promised to no avail, has been mocked by locals, and overall not been favored, actually done.
It's basically a perverbial middle finger to MU's BoG and they just can't stand such a thing.
Hamrick's overseen more growth for MU than anyone in the AD and I doubt he'd commit to a peoject if he wasn't substantially if not entirely able to have it completed.

Let's face it, a guy with Brad's money and status, doesn't simply move back to WV for nothing. If it be to lead MU to new heights, great, but I think it's for more politically driven goals in the long term, same with others at MU. But hey, that'll be the trade-off, get MU back on its feet in various areas, move onto bigger and better things...kind of like our newly established status for football head coaches, right?

EXCELLENT POST.

For my entire life, the consensus around all of us who care about Marshall (and thus WV, since MU is one of WV’s greatest assets) has been that the state government is some combination of ambivalent towards to outright hostile to us. Well be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. We have a governor, (probably future senator), and a much greater number of legislators, and (soon to be one of two) congressperson who are VERY interested in EVERYTHING that goes on here. Not that I want to go back to the bad ole days, but it is very strange to see.