Time to heal - News Star

[News_Bot]

A new article has been posted on The News Star:

RUSTON ? Louisiana Tech's next athletics director will have to be a visionary, a nimble negotiator, a motivator ? and, perhaps most of all, a healer.

More...

Feel free to discuss it here

[Tech78]

It is all about building and maintaining relationships with the stakeholders: alumni, corporate sponsors, season ticket holders, surrounding communities, civic leaders, Tech administration, and students...

You do that by sharing information, ideas, and communicating a vision.

I hope the new AD embraces an Athletic Advisory Board!

[CARTEK]

...

It's typically more difficult, Burnett said, to work together toward progress than to simply sit back and criticize.

"These jobs are a whole lot easier sitting behind a computer screen on a message board," he said. "There are plenty of armchair athletics directors. I liken it to fantasy football. Just because you're good at that doesn't mean you're ready to become a general manager."

...

I guess Burnett doesn't know or doesn't want to acknowledge that scores of TECH folks offered JO help with almost every facet of athletics, and JO turned every bit of it down. Ask HogDawg or DFIH...two great marketers; they took vacation time to come to Ruston and offer up a PowerPoint on different marketing elements for TECH. JO disappeared from the meeting.

Many, and I mean many, folks have offered JO help...and all he could ever say was "we need more money" but he never went after (nor would he allow others to go after) substantive corporate partners.

The North Louisiana media can continue to spin this anyway they like...I just expected better.

[rabiddawg]

Were those people quoted on the right side of that article talking about Jim Oakes or Jim Valvano?

I wouldn't expect any of his counterparts to bash him, but please. The only reason they are sad to see him go is because they are afraid we will hire someone they will actually have to compete against.

[hookdown]

...

It's typically more difficult, Burnett said, to work together toward progress than to simply sit back and criticize.

"These jobs are a whole lot easier sitting behind a computer screen on a message board," he said. "There are plenty of armchair athletics directors. I liken it to fantasy football. Just because you're good at that doesn't mean you're ready to become a general manager."

I know nothing about Mr. Burnett, except that he is an alumni and that his name has been mentioned as a potential candidate. However, with that kind of attitude, I really hope he does not get the job. Just seems like more of the "blame it on the internet crowd" to me. He may be a great guy, but that comment just really rubs me the wrong way.

[DocMarvin362]

Don't you know that it's US vs THEM?? Not like they want anything us but money and to shut our mouths.

[Brian96]

There are plenty of armchair athletics directors. I liken it to fantasy football. Just because you're good at that doesn't mean you're ready to become a general manager.

Wow. I certainly hope this guy isn't hired, if the week JO announces his resignation he seeks to alienate a portion of the fanbase. That is simply naive.

I selected this quote because Mr. Burnett obviously doesn't realize that many of the most vocal opponents of JO on this board have decades of experience in fields such as marketing, management, organizational development, and EVEN SPORTS MANAGEMENT. We may be "armchair athletic directors" but we are not naive about business, fundraising, marketing, management, or organizational dynamics, where the majority of our criticisms were leveled.

I was most disheartened that Mr. Cordaro stated he wasn't interested. Hopefully he is not interested in the same way that Saban wasn't interested in leaving Miami.

[RougeDawg]

Many, and I mean many, folks have offered JO help...and all he could ever say was "we need more money" but he never went after (nor would he allow others to go after) substantive corporate partners.

I just never got the feeling that J.O. even tried.

I have no doubt that if Oaks asked for VOLUNTEERS to tear out asphalt and form up some concrete curbing for lanscaping islands in the stadium parking lot he could get it done for FREE. Hell, I'm sure we could even get the landscaping for free!

He had tons of resources available, but for some reason, he never wanted to tap them.

[Dawgpix]

I was most disheartened that Mr. Cordaro stated he wasn't interested. Hopefully he is not interested in the same way that Saban wasn't interested in leaving Miami.

I just took out this part of your post to illustrate a belief that I have. It's not the campaign for or against Martie, Tom Burnett or even Stanley Williamson.

You DON'T publicly campaign for a job to come back to work for your alma mater. You WAIT until she calls you to return. It's easier to accomplish your initial goals.

[glm47]

I just took out this part of your post to illustrate a belief that I have. It's not the campaign for or against Martie, Tom Burnett or even Stanley Williamson.

You DON'T publicly campaign for a job to come back to work for your alma mater. You WAIT until she calls you to return. It's easier to accomplish your initial goals.

I agree. And I would imagine it would not help their current employment status any to be openly campaiging for a new job.

[Brian96]

I just took out this part of your post to illustrate a belief that I have. It's not the campaign for or against Martie, Tom Burnett or even Stanley Williamson.

You DON'T publicly campaign for a job to come back to work for your alma mater. You WAIT until she calls you to return. It's easier to accomplish your initial goals.

I agree. And not only that, I think campaigning in the papers for a job at Tech pretty much ensure that you do NOT get considered. I figure those guys, including Martie, were likely put in an awkward position by the newspaper, and regardless of whether they are truly interested in the position, the response they each gave was clearly the safest.

All that said, it was still disappointing to read it. :icon_wink:

[Dirtydawg]

I agree. And not only that, I think campaigning in the papers for a job at Tech pretty much ensure that you do NOT get considered. I figure those guys, including Martie, were likely put in an awkward position by the newspaper, and regardless of whether they are truly interested in the position, the response they each gave was clearly the safest.

All that said, it was still disappointing to read it. :icon_wink:

You think that maybe it was a ploy by the newspaper to try to not get them hired? I mean considering how anti-Tech they are, they probably decided to contact the 3 best candidates to ask these questions so that maybe they'd rule themselves out.

[Brian96]

You think that maybe it was a ploy by the newspaper to try to not get them hired? I mean considering how anti-Tech they are, they probably decided to contact the 3 best candidates to ask these questions so that maybe they'd rule themselves out.

The thought had actually crossed my mind.

[Dawgpix]

naw. If more names appeared on this board before hand, they'd probably run with those too.