🏈 Silver lining to NCAA investigation?

[TerryP]

Dude the LAST thing Bama needs right now is a new AD that even smells funny in regards to the NCAA. Hiring Hart is begging the NCAA to slam Bama again. If we hire Hart, the NCAA will take it as if we are personally thumbing our noses at them by hiring the guy that was AD when FSU had system-wide cheating.

Sorry but Hart is now damaged goods to Bama.

I don't disagree with that; at all. Going back to something I said in this thread. When Hart was hired, the positive I took from the choice was the fact I knew this would put the basketball program, specifically the coach, under a strong microscope.

I've never said I thought he was the right guy to be "that guy;" the Head Athletic Director.

And how many schools would Ozzie even consider being the AD at, other than Bama?

Zero.

Now we are saying the same thing. I said I didn't think Ozzie would be a good choice because he isn't qualified.

Now, if you think that the chances of another school hired him as AD are "Zero," why do you think that is?

Are you serious? So none of the skills and experience he has accumulated in the front offices of two NFL franchises would benefit him at all if he were Bama's AD?

Okayyyyy....

BTW even if you are right, what qualifications for AD did Moore have when we hired him? Do you think working in the front offices of two NFL franchises makes Ozzie more qualified than being Bear/Bebes OC did Mal?

And I'm not saying we have to hire Ozzie, I think Gene Hallman might also be a good choice.

But hiring Hart is like begging for an NCAA investigation. Have no idea why any Bama fan would want to bring that sort of attention to the program. And it doesn't have to do with what Hart did or did not do at FSU, if has to do with if the NCAA would think that Bama was thumbing their nose at them by hiring Hart.

And they would.

Sure, some of those skills would benefit him. But, having a portion of a skill set doesn't equate to being qualified for a position where other responsibilities are required.

As a GM he's in charge of evaluating talent and negotiating the personnel for one specific team, a football team. That's the reason I said he'd be a good fit to start off as the Director of Football Operations for the football program. He has the skill set right now and the experience to fit that position.

There were few decisions Andrew Sorenson made when he was President that I agreed with. When he hired Moore I wondered about that.

However, Moore did have experience within the Ath. Dept. More so than your description of just being an offensive coordinator for Coach Bryant and Coach Stallings.

He was hired as the Assistant Athletic Director in '93. In '94 he was moved to the Associate Director for External Affairs.

Why was he the right hire at that time? Because his "platform," for lack of a better expression was built on establishing the Crimson Tradition Fund. His emphasis during his interviews with Sorenson for the job were solely based on building an up-to-date academic center.

Sorenson, who by choice or by nature I'm not sure, had a severe disconnect with the Athletic programs as a whole. He didn't get over that and thank the good Lord he took that with him when he went to South Carolina. His sole focus, without consideration of what successful sports programs can do for the educational side of a University, was on improving academics.

When he heard "academic center" he was sold on Moore.

Now, you are asking what experience Moore had in respect to Newsome? Seven years working in the Athletic Dept. as an assistant and associate Ath. Director.

Now, by no means am I saying it isn't time for Alabama to move forward. I am by no means saying Hart is the right choice.

All I'm saying, and all I've said in this thread, is Ozzie isn't qualified for the position. There are better candidates.

 

[Crimson Jangles]

Now we are saying the same thing. I said I didn't think Ozzie would be a good choice because he isn't qualified.

Now, if you think that the chances of another school hired him as AD are "Zero," why do you think that is?

I didn't say that. I said that there is only one school that Ozzie would be interested in being the AD of.

Now, you are asking what experience Moore had in respect to Newsome? Seven years working in the Athletic Dept. as an assistant and associate Ath. Director.

If Bama hadn't hired him as AD, do you think another school would have? Do you think another school has approached him about being their AD since he became Bama's AD?

Look, I like Coach Moore, and he's as classy as they come. But other than being a good fundraiser, he has no redeeming qualities as an AD. And we have no reason to believe that Ozzie wouldn't be just as good of a fundraiser, since he was one of Bear's favorite players, and is well-respected among Bama's boosters, and all fans of the university.

It just sounds like you are going out of your way to find reasons why Ozzie shouldn't be considered, while also going out of your way to find ways to prop up Mal as the current AD, and Hart as his potential successor.

Oh and above all else, it would be positive pub for the University to hire an African-American AD. That of course wouldn't be a consideration, but would be a nice byproduct of the hire.

 

[Crimson Jangles]

However, Moore did have experience within the Ath. Dept. More so than your description of just being an offensive coordinator for Coach Bryant and Coach Stallings.

He was hired as the Assistant Athletic Director in '93. In '94 he was moved to the Associate Director for External Affairs.

Why was he the right hire at that time? Because his "platform," for lack of a better expression was built on establishing the Crimson Tradition Fund. His emphasis during his interviews with Sorenson for the job were solely based on building an up-to-date academic center.

Bingo. Mal was hired because he's a good fundraiser. Which is great when you need to launch a massive program like The Crimson Tradition Fund.

But when it comes to managing coaches, he falls short. That's why he hired Mike Price without doing a thorough check into background as a partier/drinker, and why Witt had to fire him a few weeks after he was hired. That's why he gave a raise/extension to Shula in 2005, then fired him in 2006. That's why he did the same thing for Gottfried in 2007, and fired him in 2008.

Let's be honest, if Mal wasn't a favorite son, and didn't play/coach under Bear and didn't have 7 NC rings with 'UA' on them, he would not be our AD right now.

I'm just not sure why when Ozzie is brought up as being a candidate for AD, that suddenly we are worried about qualifications. The need to hire a qualified AD certainly hasn't been a priority in recent years...

 

[TerryP]

I'm just not sure why when Ozzie is brought up as being a candidate for AD, that suddenly we are worried about qualifications. The need to hire a qualified AD certainly hasn't been a priority in recent years...

You've answered your own question in a round about way.

Qualifications were a concern when the AD's have been hired in the past. In fact, while not discussed as openly as coaching hires, they've been of great concern.

With the CTF drive in full swing there is a need for an AD that is VERY qualified to handle the responsibilities of the Ath. Dept. We are fortunate right now that we have a President in place that will consider all of these things we've talked about in this thread.

{FWIW, I would say it is a very safe statement to say Dr. Witt is the best Pres. we've had in place since David Matthews}

Let's be honest, if Mal wasn't a favorite son, and didn't play/coach under Bear and didn't have 7 NC rings with 'UA' on them, he would not be our AD right now.

That's simply not the case.

Like I mentioned earlier, in the interview process it was his platform, his ideas that sold Sorenson on giving him the promotion. He had the experience within the departement, yes. He did have his contacts within our supporters as well. And both of those played a good part in his hire.

But, it's a combination of things here. Sorenson's ears were perked, his heart strings tugged if you will, when he heard the focus on the Academic center. Then, when Moore not only brought the idea but could also bring the funding it was a done deal.

I know the academic center is what pushed Moore over the other candidates Sorenson was considering. If Moore would have approached the interview with the plans to remodel Coleman and put an addition on BDS he wouldn't have been hired. If he would have approached the interview based solely on "I can raise money for the Athletic Department" he wouldn't have been hired.

Again, what you are missing about that decision is what made Sorenson tick.

This isn't just an opinion. It's what transpired. In a nutshell, first hand knowledge of how that went down is about the only way I can describe what I'm saying here.

I didn't say that. I said that there is only one school that Ozzie would be interested in being the AD of.

I don't know if that is the case or not. Very well may be.

If Bama hadn't hired him as AD, do you think another school would have? Do you think another school has approached him about being their AD since he became Bama's AD?

I don't know. Probably not a school as large as Alabama, but I'd be shocked if he pursued a job away from UA if he wouldn't have been considered strongly for the position.

He did bring a resume that had experience within a large Athletic Department. I'd be inclined to think he very well could have landed a job if he decided to pursue one.

Look, I like Coach Moore, and he's as classy as they come. But other than being a good fundraiser, he has no redeeming qualities as an AD. And we have no reason to believe that Ozzie wouldn't be just as good of a fundraiser, since he was one of Bear's favorite players, and is well-respected among Bama's boosters, and all fans of the university.

I disagree with you on this. But, I'm not going to get into a pro/con debate about Coach Moore other than to say this. Our current football coach wouldn't say the same thing.

It just sounds like you are going out of your way to find reasons why Ozzie shouldn't be considered, while also going out of your way to find ways to prop up Mal as the current AD, and Hart as his potential successor.

I'm sorry, but what?

I've said, "he's not qualified" and said why - wasn't a stretch.

I've said why I liked Hart's hire when he was hired and also said I didn't think he was the man for the next AD job. I've also said it's time to look forward to the future.

But, I'm "finding ways to prop up Coach Moore as our current AD?" Is that the conclusion you come to when I tell you why he was hired?

Oh and above all else, it would be positive pub for the University to hire an African-American AD. That of course wouldn't be a consideration, but would be a nice byproduct of the hire.

Maybe. Logic would assume that's the case, but I have my doubts if much would be made of Alabama hiring an African-American Athletic Director.

He wouldn't be the first in the SEC.

And, more than likely, it would be a story told as "Alabama hiring one of its own."