Hackett email that just went out

Submitted by UESWolverine on

Good morning,

I am pleased to share with you that this morning Dr. Schlissel announced Warde Manuel as our next Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics. Warde will start on March 14.

Many of us know or may remember Warde. He is a three-time U-M alumnus, with a degree in general studies and a focus in psychology, Master’s in Social Work, and an MBA from our Ross School of Business. He was a U-M student-athlete in football under Bo Schembechler and also competed in track & field. He has also served our athletic department previously as a member of our administration. 

Warde comes to us most recently from the University of Connecticut, where he served as athletic director. I know that you will join me in welcoming him home to Ann Arbor.

The Michigan Athletics community is so fortunate to be celebrating its 150th year. So many have contributed to our tradition throughout the years, and it is humbling to consider the depth of those contributions. This is not only a moment to reflect, but it is a moment to think about the profound impact we can have on the future, and I am excited for Warde's place in that future.

As I wrote back in December when this process began, I am incredibly thankful to Dr. Schlissel for affording me the opportunity to join our athletic community. It has been a life experience that I will treasure. I look forward to supporting Warde through this transition.

I invite you to watch his introductory press conference live beginning at 11:15 a.m. by visiting: http://umich.edu/watch/.

Go Blue!


Jim Hackett

Acedpar3

January 29th, 2016 at 11:22 AM ^

you are the best ad we ever had. i sure hope you stay in contact and your advice is always welcome. thanks for a great job enjoy the rest of your retirement

The Mad Hatter

January 29th, 2016 at 11:39 AM ^

I like Jim Hackett as much as the next guy, and I think he's done an outstanding job, but best ever?  Yost, Crisler, and Canham would like a word.

Michigan has had some outstanding AD's over the years, just not so much over the past couple of decades.

 

East German Judge

January 29th, 2016 at 11:53 AM ^

Good point MH, if you consider he probably had the shortest tenure in the job he has done an amazing number of great things. Also they each served at a different time and faced very different issues both inside and outside of the AD.  We can all agree that we have had some great ones.

The Mad Hatter

January 29th, 2016 at 12:01 PM ^

At exactly the right time.  He hired JH, extended Beilein, handled the Nike contract, and began undoing a lot of the things that Brandon fucked up.

We owe him a serious debt of gratitude, and if we're ever at the same bar his drinks are on me.

I just don't think you can call him the greatest due to the short amount of time he was here.

LSAClassOf2000

January 29th, 2016 at 1:13 PM ^

I would agree actually - I don't know that I would put someone who clearly was supposed to be an interim hire among the greatest perhaps, but I will say that if we're talking about someone whose ability to take a situation and manage it with astounding effectiveness and to set an organization that was in many respects failing on a successful path, then Hackett might very will be the best AD in a while. He was indeed the right person in the right moment.

Yeoman

January 29th, 2016 at 1:34 PM ^

I think people are being a bit unfair to Bill Martin, lumping him in with the other not-so-great ADs of recent times. He may not have been perfect, but he came through in the area of greatest need at the time. The department was in bad, bad need of facilities upgrades when he took over, and he got them done.

Crisler 71

January 29th, 2016 at 11:46 AM ^

Fielding Yost created the athletic campus, the Fieldhouse (hockey arena) the IM building, the women's IM building (at the time), the track and do much more.

Don Canham inheirited a half empty stadium averaging less than 50K for each home game, hired an unknown Bo and filled the place up.  He also invented marketing athletic merchandising without selling out the soul of the university.

Jim Hacket took a disfunctional athletic department created by Michigan's worst athletic director and brought it back to Canham levels.  For that we can be grateful.  But even he would say that he was not the best AD ever.

 

Beaten by Mad Hatter

MGoPoe

January 29th, 2016 at 11:29 AM ^

After the hell that Brandon put the entire AD through we somehow plucked a gem who not only righted the ship but installed Harbaugh.  He did performed admirably with a level head and a calming hand.  Thank you Mr. Hackett if I ever run into you (unlikely) first round is on me.  Go Blue!

Sopwith

January 29th, 2016 at 11:39 AM ^

It is almost incomprehensible how lucky we were to have Hackett to be the post-Brandon turnaround guy. On the other hand, maybe we were owed some good karma after our wander in the desert.




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