Why being the Michigan AD is a step up from nearly every other university.

Submitted by ThadMattasagoblin on

Michigan has one of the largest fanbases in the nation. According to Nate Silver they are the 2nd biggest in the country. Michigan has been in the top 5 for athletic department money for several years now. These resources can only be matched by a few teams such as Texas and Alabama. The athletic department is fortified by money coming in from BTN which is also good exposure to our teams and university. We have some of the best facilities in country for each sport which will only get better with the contributions of Stephen Ross. We have steep traditions in all 4 major sports. The football program is the winningest program in college football, our basketball has been resurrected by John Beilein and has been one of the better national programs throughout history, our hockey program has won the most national titles in that sport, and our baseball program is the 4th winningest in college baseball. We are the only division one university to win national titles in each of these sports. We have 27 teams to preside over which is much more than teams like Oklahoma, Arkansas, Oregon, or texas who all have under 20. We have loyal fans which is evident by our 100,000 streak that has continued despite all that has happened the past 7 years.

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Doctor Wolverine

November 1st, 2014 at 12:32 AM ^

I guess it makes sense that a user with goblin in their name is still up creating threads on Halloween. Anyway, yes, Michigan is amazing and will continue to be so for many years to come.

Joined: 08/13/2009

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SFBlue

November 1st, 2014 at 12:35 AM ^

Yet oddly, we have never hired a lateral AD.  Michigan has always either hired from within, often a coach (as with Yost, Canham, Bo, Crisler), or hired a distinguished businessman who does it for a second career (Brandon, Goss, Martin). 

Joined: 11/02/2009

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UMxWolverines

November 1st, 2014 at 9:56 AM ^

Agreed which means let the AD have the most say in it. Not former coaches. As for Schlissel going to practice a few weeks ago with fucking Debord, I really hope he and others like him won't be having any influence.

Joined: 03/01/2009

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SFBlue

November 1st, 2014 at 1:02 AM ^

Yeah, that is the trend in modern ADs at big programs, i.e. the position has become professionalized.  Time was, it was always a former coach in his sunset years.  Now, our AD is the largest it has ever been, and Michigan can't just treat it like a "gentleman farmer" position.

Joined: 11/02/2009

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Izzoiswashedup

November 1st, 2014 at 12:45 AM ^

I think Michigan is a move up from Oklahoma or Arkansas based off the fact that Michigan isn't just football. Yes Arkansas has a better baseball program but that's pretty much it. We blow both of them out of the water in basketball and we're normally on par with Oklahoma for football and much better than Arkansas at football.

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BornSinner

November 1st, 2014 at 12:48 AM ^

It's Halloween either get your kids off their sugar highs and put em to bed and go to bed... 

 

or

 

 

go party and get lucky! 

 

HA! 

Joined: 09/20/2014

MGoPoints: 14672

Mr. Yost

November 1st, 2014 at 10:28 AM ^

Go look up most schools in the NE, like the Ivy's and such, then get back to me.

.Number of schools has nothing to do with it...it's just more student athletes to oversee and a bigger change of something bad happening.

SEC schools have like 10 teams (exaggerating), so they're less desirable?

Joined: 07/25/2011

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FGB

November 1st, 2014 at 10:59 AM ^

I'm not sure this is the point of the post, but I think there's at least something to be said for recognizing that, while the coaching search might wind up overly ambitious in terms of the targets because the football program is not as high caliber as fans would like to believe, the job overseeing the Athletic Department as a whole is in the top tier of 5 or so schools in the country.  A football coach may not consider moving from Arkansas to Michigan a step up, but an athletic director certainly would.

Not that there aren't a ton of other reasons why someone wouldn't come (pressure, fundraising obligations, family situation, job security), but it's sort of like being the GM of the Yankees.  It's not for everyone but you can't deny that it's pretty close to the zenith of the field.

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