Former Athletic Director Bob Vanatta passed away

http://www.news-leader.com/story/spo...orts/92731814/

When was he our AD?

Found the answer ,1983 - 1986. Thought it was earlier than that.

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Originally Posted by tenacious_dog

Found the answer ,1983 - 1986. Thought it was earlier than that.

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Preceded Paul Miller. Wonder what ran him off?

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Originally Posted by Cool Hand Clyde

Preceded Paul Miller. Wonder what ran him off?

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Honestly, I think he was hired to start a conference. Trans-America? maybe.

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Originally Posted by Dawgpix

Honestly, I think he was hired to start a conference. Trans-America? maybe.

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He had started our ascent to DIA and Miller came in charging like it was his idea. PM kind of got under AL's skin with that attitude.

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Originally Posted by tenacious_dog

Found the answer ,1983 - 1986. Thought it was earlier than that.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisi...etic_directors

Jim Oakes is the second most tenured behind Coach Aillet.

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Originally Posted by Cool Hand Clyde

He had started our ascent to DIA and Miller came in charging like it was his idea. PM kind of got under AL's skin with that attitude.

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More like Vanatta was basketball-oriented and preferred to step aside than lead the push to do what was needed to make Tech's return to I-A successful. The I-A move was why Miller was hired, and he got the job done on schedule.

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Originally Posted by FriscoDawg

More like Vanatta was basketball-oriented and preferred to step aside than lead the push to do what was needed to make Tech's return to I-A successful. The I-A move was why Miller was hired, and he got the job done on schedule.

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I know you know, but it was not a "return to 1A". We were Division 1 before the Division 1 split of 1A and 1AA of '78 which was one of FJ's few bad decisions (to break off to 1AA).

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Originally Posted by PawDawg

I know you know, but it was not a "return to 1A". We were Division 1 before the Division 1 split of 1A and 1AA of '78 which was one of FJ's few bad decisions (to break off to 1AA).

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I don't think it was FJ's decision. We had not met the attendance criterion to be classified 1A, nor was the stadium large enough. I am sure there were other factors as well. If I recall, McNeese met the attendance mark but decided not to go up. USL met all requirements and was classified 1A. Tech was the second school to get back to 1-A after the split. Akron was the first.

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Originally Posted by Amos Moses

I don't think it was FJ's decision. We had not met the attendance criterion to be classified 1A, nor was the stadium large enough. I am sure there were other factors as well. If I recall, McNeese met the attendance mark but decided not to go up. USL met all requirements and was classified 1A. Tech was the second school to get back to 1-A after the split. Akron was the first.

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No we had a choice. Southwestern chose to be 1A.

The perception and vision of FJ was focused on WBB not on football. Keep in mind Title IX was not in its final stages until later. He had no idea that the cost of being 1AA would not be much less than the costs of being 1A. It only took a couple of very successful years in 1AA for Dr Reneau to realize that 1AA was a bad deal for us. Had he been truly committed to atheltics and like FJ, not been focused on WBB, we'd be years ahead of where we are now.

Yes, the "Boat People" . . . 10-12 heavy hitters took a ride on Monroe PR exec Garland Shell's very nice houseboat on the Ouachita River one day. They committed to backdooring the 30k attendance requirement. The move back up to D1 and the Spirit of '88 season followed.

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Originally Posted by Dawgpix

Yes, the "Boat People" . . . 10-12 heavy hitters took a ride on Monroe PR exec Garland Shell's very nice houseboat on the Ouachita River one day. They committed to backdooring the 30k attendance requirement. The move up to D1-A and the Spirit of '88 season followed.

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FIFY