Warde Manuel panel discussion - being a Black P5 AD
Warde recently sat on a panel with other power 5 athletic directors who are Black, courtesy of ESPN's new site The Undefeated. I thought it was very interesting, enjoy...
http://theundefeated.com/videos/top-athletic-directors-talk-about-how-t…
February 14th, 2017 at 11:06 AM ^
It is an interesting article, but anytime Vanderbilt is involved I wonder what it's like for David Williams to be an Athletic Director at a school that has no Athletic Department*. That's a fascinating dynamic to watch, but it's been off my radar for a few years.
*If that's still true - Vandy abolished its Athletic Department some years ago, further establishing it as the least "SEC School" in the SEC.
February 14th, 2017 at 11:13 AM ^
VU not having an athletic department is kind of in name only. Their AD just reports to someone intermediate, unlike Warde who I believe reports directly to Schlissel. Does add a layer of bureaucracy and allows the administration to meddle in athletics, but for a small yet extremely wealthy school it makes more sense.
Also makes sense when you're at a school with a smaller AD, and whose most relevant sports are non-revenue (esp. baseball).
February 14th, 2017 at 11:15 AM ^
Interestingly enough that decision was made by Gordon Gee.
February 14th, 2017 at 11:12 AM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 11:15 AM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 11:35 AM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 11:29 AM ^
The video is an interesting watch, and I love the focus on (i) encouraging students to find their true voice while (ii) appreciating that what they say may have unpleasant consequences. It was a very measured discussion, though - nothing approaching fireworks (which makes sense when you're interviewing administrators). Thanks to the OP for posting.
Also, someone stole Warde Manuel's neck. The authorities should look into that!
February 14th, 2017 at 11:36 AM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 11:38 AM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 11:49 AM ^
Black droids are Imperial droids and, therefore, can't be loveable. P5AD will be Kylo Ren's new sidekick.
February 14th, 2017 at 1:47 PM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 2:18 PM ^
Amazing, yes. Amusing, yes. Not loveable. <snorts and pushes up glasses>
February 15th, 2017 at 7:43 AM ^
February 15th, 2017 at 9:30 AM ^
SPOILER ALERT
February 14th, 2017 at 11:54 AM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 11:56 AM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 12:10 PM ^
Sounds like you're trying too hard. I have noticed that he is black...also male, also a little overweight, also bald.
February 14th, 2017 at 12:19 PM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 1:07 PM ^
I thought he was hispanic. To be honest I haven't watched any of his press conferences and kind of made an assumption that Manuel was a hispanic last name, and quick glances at his pictures in articles, I kind of just assumed, and we all know what happens when you assume.
February 14th, 2017 at 2:32 PM ^
You're not alone. I thought, based on both name and appearance, that he was Latino. I think he's doing a solid job as AD, in that I never find myself saying "Fucking Warde," as was the case with Dave Brandon.
February 15th, 2017 at 9:31 AM ^
why would you say "fucking warde" about dave brandon?
February 14th, 2017 at 12:20 PM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 12:59 PM ^
and no im not being willfully ignorant, or trying to dismiss the relation between race and sports. He just has a lighter skin pigment than alot of other black people.
February 14th, 2017 at 2:07 PM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 2:50 PM ^
To be fair, most of the world does not follow our irrational "one drop of blood" rule.
February 14th, 2017 at 3:03 PM ^
In Brazil, Wilson would be considered white, and probably Manuel as well.
February 14th, 2017 at 12:22 PM ^
Clearly, they are just men.
Why aren't they wearing capes?
February 14th, 2017 at 12:24 PM ^
Warde Manuel is black but is light-skinned enough that one could plausibly think he's white. He's certainly a spitting image of Daredevil's Kingpin so my working theory at this point is that he's the genetic fusion of Vincent D'onofrio, who is white, and Michael Clarke Duncan, who was black.
February 14th, 2017 at 12:54 PM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 2:00 PM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 2:11 PM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 3:53 PM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 3:00 PM ^
Hired solely on merit, no doubt.
February 14th, 2017 at 5:47 PM ^
Who cares ?
February 14th, 2017 at 6:03 PM ^
As a white dude, I find it interesting to hear perspectives of black guys in predominately white fields.
February 14th, 2017 at 6:14 PM ^
February 15th, 2017 at 8:55 AM ^
Shel was a SHE. Learned I had two bad assumptions.
February 14th, 2017 at 7:00 PM ^
I don't care about that, i care that he sucks at his job by all measures so far. And really, of all the staff and athletes he oversees, so many are also black
I also have to point out that if this were a thread on "being a gay AD" even though that's probably far more rare and challenging, there would be tons of complaints of NO POLITICS
February 14th, 2017 at 7:13 PM ^
February 15th, 2017 at 12:31 AM ^
So race=politics? First I've heard of it.
February 15th, 2017 at 9:36 AM ^
well, as it turns out, being gay and being black are different things