BILL MARTIN TO RETIRE IN 2010

Submitted by FabFiver5 on

http://www.detnews.com/article/20091021/SPORTS0201/910210401/Michigan-a…

From the article:
Coleman said she will oversee the search for the next athletic director with the help of a small advisory group.

"We expect this process will take a number of months," Coleman said. "With this advance notice, we have the opportunity to make a thoughtful and deliberate choice and to manage a smooth transition."

Alright everyone, start throwing out names.

UMphd

October 21st, 2009 at 11:07 AM ^

But there will a looooong line of folks from all over the country, many of whom worked here once before (Jeff Long at Pitt, Bob DeCarolis at Oregon State, Warde Manuel at Buffalo, etc.).

jblaze

October 21st, 2009 at 11:14 AM ^

is an AD at another large institution. This should not be somebody's 1st job as an AD (e.g. Lloyd). Michigan has to be one of the top 5 AD jobs anywhere, so we should hire a proven AD.

blueblueblue

October 21st, 2009 at 11:20 AM ^

NOT LLOYD CARR. NOT LLOYD CARR. DONT HIRE CARR. DONT HIRE CARR. I will picket outside of S. Hall day and night, or find some tree to sit in, or some bulldozer to sit in front of, if Lloyd is considered. Let the past be the past. We need someone who is not entrenched in the past, someone with vision and business acumen. The future is now, and it starts with a visionary AD. For example, it is probably safe to assume Lloyd would not have made the visionary RichRod hire.

James Burrill Angell

October 21st, 2009 at 11:43 AM ^

He has said all along he wanted to be done once the Big House was completed. He certainly doesn't need the money as his bank (First Martin) and real estate development businesses have made him a very significant fortune. The word in University circles has been that Martin would step down some time between September and December 2010. Guess its official now.
The word I've heard in the Athletic Department circles for the new A.D. have been two and a third darkhorse that has emerged lately:
#1) Brad Bates - A.D. at Miami (OH) - Michigan grad '81 and masters '82 and was a walk on D-back under Bo. Here's his bio http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:62oRhf24DhEJ:www.muredhawks.com/sch…
#2) Warde Manuel - A.D. at University of Buffalo, a LONG time Assoc. A.D. at Michigan until he took the Buffalo job a few years ago. Has undergrad and MBA from Michigan and played under Bo. http://www.ubathletics.buffalo.edu/headlines/news/uba07-22-2005-Manuel…
#3) The Dark Horse - I've heard this name batted around since he gave up his look into running for governor but David Brandon's name has been popping up in this discussion in the last few months. Also former Bo player, former Michigan Regent, CEO of Domino's Pizza and formerly CEO of Valassis.

Shalom Lansky

October 21st, 2009 at 11:20 AM ^

Lloyd would be a great choice but would Lloyd want that job? I thought his retirement was supposed to be a time for traveling the world with his wife and time with the grandkids, would he really want another overfull-time job?

Secondly, does anyone else imagine Bill Martin spending his retirement years on his boat singing "I'm on a boat bitch!"?

blueblueblue

October 21st, 2009 at 11:25 AM ^

Why on earth would Lloyd be a great fit? I fail to see any merit other than the overvalued (as we see in RichRod) 'Michigan Man' pedigree, and can't think of any other reasons Lloyd would be the better choice over someone who has actual AD (not assistant) experience at a big progressive school.

BiSB

October 21st, 2009 at 11:43 AM ^

Michigan is still big on tradition. Big. HUGE. RichRod has changed some things, but innumerable core traditions remain. A number of alums, myself included (to an extent), value those traditions. They're part of what makes us Michigan.

Sure, Lloyd ran a conservative offense. But he also understands the Michigan Tradition as well as anyone, and he's seen the operation of the Athletic Department up close for dozens of years.

Does that make Lloyd a perfect choice? Of course not. But it certainly helps.

blueblueblue

October 21st, 2009 at 11:53 AM ^

I agree, tradition is very important, and as a UM alum myself, I value it. But there are two very different types of tradition here - the one you refer to in terms of personnel at elite positions, and the many other more process and symbolic traditions (e.g., the banner, the helmet). But a defining characteristic of tradition is that is outlasts individual people. We can hire someone from outside the university and not hinder the second type of tradition at all. I think there are good things about the personnel tradition and very bad things. Like having outdated ways of operating, goals, etc. We saw such very bad things begin to manifest themselves toward the end of Carr's tenure. I would hate to see that sort of thing at the AD level. Plus, we can still hire a Michigan Man who has vision. Lloyd is not the only choice.

James Burrill Angell

October 21st, 2009 at 11:53 AM ^

Particularly with so many former players who are good candidates (See the post above for Brad Bates, Warde Manuel and David Brandon). There is utterly no need to step outside the Michigan family.

Martin was a good hire at the time because the AD was in the red financially and in dire need of renovations or new buildings for most of the teams. Martin's mandate going in was to get the finances together (which he did, primarily through seat licenses) and to handle new facilities (which he had a huge background in). Those missions are now accomplished. I suspect that with those two issues handled, they'll now bring in someone with more credibility in the sports world and, face it, at Michigan, having been a former player under Bo brings you the Michigan cred and having tremendous experience in the business or athletics world brings you job cred. Thats why I believe it will be one of the three I mentioned.

Without getting into whether Lloyd would be good or bad, I can just guarantee you he doesn't want it.

Blue In NC

October 21st, 2009 at 12:19 PM ^

"I suspect that with those two issues handled, they'll now bring in someone with more credibility in the sports world and, face it, at Michigan, having been a former player under Bo brings you the Michigan cred and having tremendous experience in the business or athletics world brings you job cred."

Not going to disagree with you but remember that Martin was on the US Olympic Committee, is a world-class sailor and a pretty big basketball fan. Yes, he is a businessman first but I don't think it's fair to imply that he didn't have credibility in the sports world. Maybe you simply mean "among the football circles."

Let's just remember what happened the last time UM hired a former Bo player for the job. Ugh.

Kilgore Trout

October 21st, 2009 at 11:46 AM ^

1. History has had several big name coaches go on to be ADs. Bo, Alvarez, Perles...

2. Fund raising. Name recognition and respect among alumni and donors go a long way to continue raising the funds necessary for the department.

3. Experience is probably not that big of a deal. Bill Martin came from the real estate field and he did fine.

4. There are plenty of lackeys and deputies who can do the nuts and bolts work. Putting a face on the department is probably the most important aspect of the job.

That being said, I'll have to think about whether I like it or not, but saying it's not a good fit for Lloyd is inaccurate in my opinion.

mjv

October 21st, 2009 at 1:06 PM ^

The AD is the one who signs off on the big decisions, not the lackeys. The AD likely has the biggest vote in hiring and firing decisions. And LC would be the single worst choice of the likely names to be presented in this most critical role. He values loyalty over everything else. Performance matters.

[EDIT] and even if he isn't AD, LC can still play a major role in fund raising.

Papochronopolis

October 21st, 2009 at 11:09 AM ^

Lloyd or David Brandon.

Personally I'd be disappointed with either of them (esp the latter). Not that I don't like Lloyd, but I think we've taken some steps in a new direction and I don't want to go back to the old ways.

blueheron

October 21st, 2009 at 11:18 AM ^

If the conspiracy theories floating around are 5% true, he's one of the stooges that has been campaigning against RR. I'm not sure UM wants someone that simple-minded (career accomplishments aside) in the AD position. It would move the school closer to, say, Auburn (home of the would-be Petrino snatchers).