The AD and the Fanbase

Submitted by UMVAFAN on

As we've beaten the Fire Brandon drum over the past week, I was thinking what would make a good AD candidate at Michigan. Frankly, generating revenues and keeping the entire Department afloat is an easier job than some make it out to be. Michigan has always been one of the richest athletic departments in the country and only an epic collapse of the football program would change this (making the almost decade long struggle we're in very concerning). With the TV contracts, apparrel revenues, and a 100,000+ seat stadium, putting out a winning team will generate excess revenue on it's own.

The primary thing I'm looking for is a down to earth athletic director that is in touch with the Michigan fanbase and understands what will make us cheer and celebrate and what will make us seethe.

Bill Martin was a good AD and didn't ruffle too many people's feathers, but he made a major mistake hiring Rich Rodriguez. It was a bold move and seemed like a great idea given RR's success at WVU, but success required a complete overhaul of the offense. Even if everything went right in terms of recruiting, having minimal off-field issues, having an average defense, and catering to former players, it was still going to take 3-6 years for Michigan to compete for B1G and National Championships after such an overhaul. Did Martin really think Michigan's fan base would have the patience to stomach a losing season or even 7 win seasons to get to this point? He was out of touch. If he truly understood the fan base, he wouldn't have made this move and would've hired a coach that didn't require such a heavy lift to get us to the promised land.

I'd go into how Dave Brandon is out of touch with the Michigan fan base, but there's plenty of threads out there that go into great detail on this subject.

If having an AD that is in tune with the Michigan fanbase is a top priority, do we need to hire an AD who has worked in college athletic departments or do we take another person from outside the "industry" if they genuinely get what makes Michigan fans tick?

pearlw

October 3rd, 2014 at 11:34 AM ^

There is no doubt Cleary worded the tweet poorly and I doubt that was the main point he was trying to make. We are starting to see a very string division between former/current student athletes and coaches on one side and the rest of the students and fans on the other side of many of these arguments. Just look at how heated the whole Todd Howard message and the SAAC announcement turned into. i think it does highlight that when you criticize/boo the coaches/AD, the players take it as the fans are booing them and dont appreciate the work they put in.



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Tater

October 3rd, 2014 at 11:33 AM ^

Warde Manuel.  

Knows sports injuries, having had one end his career.  

Knows Michigan.  

Track record of success and upward mobility.

No blemishes on record..

 

Trebor

October 3rd, 2014 at 11:39 AM ^

Hiring Rodriguez wasn't a mistake. Not giving him support (assistant coach pay, the entire athletic department buying into the change, etc.) was the mistake.

danimal1968

October 3rd, 2014 at 12:40 PM ^

were the highest-paid staff UM has ever had, and the salary pool for them was specifically negotiated  by RR and was written into his contract.

When Jeff Casteel balked because WVU offered him a raise, RR decided not to ask for more money at the very same time he was asking for, and getting, a million dollars for new weight room equipment at Schmebechler Hall.  Shift a few of those dollars to Casteel, and who knows?  Maybe the story would have been very different for RR in Ann Arbor.

Trebor

October 3rd, 2014 at 2:41 PM ^

Rodriguez's staff in 2008 earned a total of $4.4 million. Hoke's staff in 2011 earned $5.81. Ignoring the head coaches (Rodriguez was making $2.5 million, Hoke was at $3.3 million), that's a $600k difference. Maybe the data I found is incorrect, but it looks like there was a significant pay bump for assistants under Hoke. And interestingly enough, when Shafer 'resigned', the total staff salary actually dropped $20k with the Robinson hire.

For Casteel, it was literally a $10k difference between what Michigan and WVU were offering. Yes, WVU was throwing in the contract that Michigan was (also stupidly) not offering, but $10k is NOTHING to a football program like Michigan. It was a stupid decision at the time, and looks even worse in retrospect.

MI Expat NY

October 3rd, 2014 at 11:43 AM ^

A good AD is one we barely mention.  A good AD is a guy whose name you have to look up when it comes time to replace a retiring coach.  Ok, the last one isn't realistic.  But nevertheless, an AD shouldn't be well known to the general fan.  He should be well known to donors.  He should sign his name to the occasional newsletter.  He should introduce a coach or a team being honored from time to time.  But other than that?  The less you see of him, the better things are probably going.  

That being said.  I think Michigan should look for an AD that understands what is really important about Michigan athletics.  A guy that knows what kind of support his coaches need.  A guy that will then stay out of the hair of his coaches.  And a guy personable enough to be a good fundraiser. 

wlubd

October 3rd, 2014 at 12:22 PM ^

Couldn't have said better. It's genuinely alarming to me how involved Brandon is with everything and how he has made himself the face of the athletic department. I recognize that sounds odd given he runs the department, but it is ultimately supposed to be about the players...If the AD is doing his job well, their name shouldn't be commonplace amongst the fanbase (this blog excluded from the fanbase as a whole).

I'm not concerned about getting a new AD as there are several qualified candidates out there that should jump to come here. I would just like them to return the dept. to what it is supposed to be about...the student-athletes.

 

bjk

October 3rd, 2014 at 11:58 AM ^

having an AD that is in tune with the Michigan fanbase is a top priority, do we need to hire an AD who has worked in college athletic departments or do we take another person from outside the "industry" if they genuinely get what makes Michigan fans tick?

Yes.

Webber's Pimp

October 3rd, 2014 at 12:51 PM ^

I support Dave Brandon 100%. These arguments I've read calling for his removal are petty and short-sighted. The interview Brandon gave to the Daily should be studied closely. He gave some very good answers and if the people on this board can't see it I would just conclude that they made up their minds on him long ago. People have simply stopped listening and that attitude is not up to par with teh "Michigan Man" standard that everyone worships like some holy grail. 

Whatsmore, UM had it everything it needed in Rodriguez. An offensive minded coach for the offensive game of football that is played in the 21st century. And then we fired him because he wasn't a "Michigan Man". Simply put - we BLEW IT! And we will continue to pay a heavy price as long as this nostaligic, arrogant and anachronistic concept continues to dictate the conversation. 

Webber's Pimp

October 3rd, 2014 at 12:59 PM ^

The man we all worship these days...

“I know I am speaking for all the head coaches -- and I am certain of their agreement with me on this -- when I say Dave Brandon has had an incredibly positive impact on this athletic department,” Beilein said. “He has been a great leader and mentor to so many of us in his transition here. What I think is best about what Dave has done is how he has championed the student-athlete, their experience and their welfare.” (John Beilein)

MileHighAnnArborite

October 3rd, 2014 at 1:03 PM ^

Not sure where to put this, so I'll just add it here, but I for one am looking forward to tomorrow when the attention turns back to the actual football on the field and I can return to the state of comfortable apathy I was complaining about a week ago.