First off, let me say I love Coach Mal Moore. Dude is a winner and has given his all to The University I love dearly. He was also one hell of a spouse to his wife during some difficult years when she was in poor health... he deserves a special place in Heaven one day for that fact alone. His service to The University of Alabama throughout his incredible career though is nothing short of amazing. He will probably always be remembered for the numerous championship rings he has collected and for landing Nick Saban, and rightfully so in many ways, but he has done so much more... and I thank him and wish him nothing but the best in the future, especially in regards to his health...
As for the future, I hope our next Athletic Director is energetic. We don't just need a director, we need a leader. I don't even care if he has ties to The University, as long as he is capable of doing a great job. Allowing Saban to run his football program and giving him all the resources he needs/wants should be a requirement, but there is much more that I would like to see...
I want someone who will make a commitment to all sports. From Track & Field to Women's Rowing. If they are competing with the script A on their uniform, then they deserve nothing but total support from the top of the athletic department and the best resources that can be provided.
Women's Basketball has been lost a sea for several years now and needs to be fixed ASAP (read that as a new hire needs to be made). Coach Hudson was a not just a bad hire, it was a lazy hire. If the athletic department isn't going to care anymore about women's basketball than it currently does, then they just need to cut the sport from the department. It has become an absolute embarrassment.
Our baseball team has probably the worst facilities in the SEC. Promises have been made about "major" upgrades to Sewell Thomas Stadium, but so far, plans have yet to be announced and months keep passing... and recruiting keeps suffering. A big concern of many (including me) is the "major upgrades" will be Coleman Makeover Part II, and the Tide will still have the worst baseball facilities, just with new bathrooms, a fresh coat of paint, and LCD TV's at the concession stands. Either build a new stadium or gut Sewell Thomas and make it appear to be new (but by the time you do that, you could have built a new one).
The Track & Field facilities? :shake:
Swimming and Diving facilities? :dejection:
We have several programs that have risen to the top in recent years, such as Men's & Women's Golf and Softball. Keeping these coaches happy has to be a top priority. We see how Alabama has thrived as a gymnastics powerhouse under Coach Sarah Patterson... and is now starting to do so in softball under Coach Murphy. Golf will be the same way, as long as Coach Potter and Coach Seawell are kept happy. The better we are in more sports, the stronger our athletic department will become, the more money it will generate, the more popular our University will become, etc...
I guess the theme and bottom line is, the new AD needs his fingers on the pulse of the entire Athletic Department... I'd like to see him at the occasional soccer or softball game. It is a great situation for someone to step into, but keeping our top programs at Championship level while bringing our lackluster programs out of the ditch isn't going to be easy. One thing about The university of Alabama though, we have the resources, we just need the leader...
As for the future, I hope our next Athletic Director is energetic. We don't just need a director, we need a leader. I don't even care if he has ties to The University, as long as he is capable of doing a great job. Allowing Saban to run his football program and giving him all the resources he needs/wants should be a requirement, but there is much more that I would like to see...
I want someone who will make a commitment to all sports. From Track & Field to Women's Rowing. If they are competing with the script A on their uniform, then they deserve nothing but total support from the top of the athletic department and the best resources that can be provided.
Women's Basketball has been lost a sea for several years now and needs to be fixed ASAP (read that as a new hire needs to be made). Coach Hudson was a not just a bad hire, it was a lazy hire. If the athletic department isn't going to care anymore about women's basketball than it currently does, then they just need to cut the sport from the department. It has become an absolute embarrassment.
Our baseball team has probably the worst facilities in the SEC. Promises have been made about "major" upgrades to Sewell Thomas Stadium, but so far, plans have yet to be announced and months keep passing... and recruiting keeps suffering. A big concern of many (including me) is the "major upgrades" will be Coleman Makeover Part II, and the Tide will still have the worst baseball facilities, just with new bathrooms, a fresh coat of paint, and LCD TV's at the concession stands. Either build a new stadium or gut Sewell Thomas and make it appear to be new (but by the time you do that, you could have built a new one).
The Track & Field facilities? :shake:
Swimming and Diving facilities? :dejection:
We have several programs that have risen to the top in recent years, such as Men's & Women's Golf and Softball. Keeping these coaches happy has to be a top priority. We see how Alabama has thrived as a gymnastics powerhouse under Coach Sarah Patterson... and is now starting to do so in softball under Coach Murphy. Golf will be the same way, as long as Coach Potter and Coach Seawell are kept happy. The better we are in more sports, the stronger our athletic department will become, the more money it will generate, the more popular our University will become, etc...
I guess the theme and bottom line is, the new AD needs his fingers on the pulse of the entire Athletic Department... I'd like to see him at the occasional soccer or softball game. It is a great situation for someone to step into, but keeping our top programs at Championship level while bringing our lackluster programs out of the ditch isn't going to be easy. One thing about The university of Alabama though, we have the resources, we just need the leader...
