ADC: who are the Primary Candidates?
In light of what appears imminent, it seems appropriate to consider who may be considered (perhaps already chosen?) as the next athletic director. It's my belief, that only someone very familiar with Michigan will be chosen. Furthermore, it will most certainly be someone with athletic director experience -- I think the Prez and the Regents have seen their fill of marketing gurus and businessmen. With that in mind:
Your Inside the Tracks Candidates:
Brad Bates: Bo nominated him as the next Michigan AD. Has the requisite experience at Michigan, and as an AD at BC. Likely that Bates is choice 1 or 1A.
Ward Manuel: As with Bates, has a great deal of experience with Michigan, and as AD at Buffalo and UConn.
Jeff Long: A good history within the Michigan athletic department, and understands it well. Currently the AD at Arkansas. Has hired Petrino and Bielema. To me, he would appear the favorite.
Bob DeCarolis: Spent a long time in the Michigan athletic department and is presently at Oregon State as AD. He hired Mike Riley, who has done well.
Your Outside the Tracks Candidates:
I don't think there are any likely candidates than those identified in the first section. It seems extraordinarily unlikely that an assistant would be tapped, as it Brandon's successor will need to carry enough experience, expertise, and weight to have those in the department follow his lead. No sense in hiring someone who has what may be a superior already at the department.
Regardless:
Joe Parker: Assistant AD TTU.
Mike DeBord: You know his background. Presently serving as assistant athletic director at Michigan.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:27 PM ^
BC is big enough program to be a training ground for Michigan. He (so far) has made what seems to be a successful football hire, and he was responsible for keeping Enrico Blasi at Miami (NTM) during his first couple years along with the magnificent refurb of the Miami hockey arena which shows me all the hockey chops I need (that being the next most likely important hire coming up after football)
October 15th, 2014 at 2:56 PM ^
I think Bates' track record of football hires are spotty at best, actually. His hires at Miami basically destroyed what had been the MAC's premier program for over 50 years and his hire at BC amounted to little more than the sort of MACtion hire that we'd all sneer at Illinois for making.
Everything else about him is a net positive, but that might be the most important decision a new AD will have to make
October 15th, 2014 at 4:05 PM ^
October 15th, 2014 at 11:12 PM ^
a very shitty reason to hire anyone... if we don't have any legit shot at either Harbaugh, as is probably likely, I want the AD who can go out there and pull the shock hire or identify the the up and comer... not the dude who went through three head coaches at Miami and then hired a generic dudebro with one good MAC season at BC.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:28 PM ^
October 15th, 2014 at 1:32 PM ^
Told by who?
October 15th, 2014 at 1:35 PM ^
Herbstreit. Don't make me do everything for you.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:41 PM ^
/that guy
October 15th, 2014 at 1:44 PM ^
My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw Bates get on the Michigan private airplane...guess it's pretty serious.
October 15th, 2014 at 2:24 PM ^
Thank you, Simone.
October 15th, 2014 at 2:31 PM ^
On a side note, anyone ever notice that the kid in this scene is wearing a letter jacket that says Groves on it? I thought it was interesting....
October 15th, 2014 at 3:34 PM ^
One would have to actually watch whatever that is to notice whatever you're pointing out. So... not likely.
October 15th, 2014 at 3:44 PM ^
that the references to Ferris Bueller's Day Off would be rather recognizable, and if you've never seen it...shame on you.
October 15th, 2014 at 5:05 PM ^
Oh, how I detest that movie. Who wants to watch a movie about a bunch of snooty, snotty kids?
October 15th, 2014 at 5:08 PM ^
Dude, what do you care? You didn't even show up for your reservation...
October 15th, 2014 at 4:08 PM ^
...was a Groves grad. As told to me by a close friend who is a Groves grad.
October 15th, 2014 at 4:09 PM ^
explains why Cameron wore a Red Wings sweater as opposed to a Chi-Hawks.
October 15th, 2014 at 7:23 PM ^
Is Kristy Swanson, who later became the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the object of adolescent male fantasies everywhere.
October 16th, 2014 at 9:27 AM ^
forget that she was also in The Program as Joe Kane's girl friend...
October 15th, 2014 at 4:00 PM ^
October 15th, 2014 at 1:28 PM ^
...any thoughts that perhaps Bill Martin will serve an Interim role until a new candidate is sourced?
October 15th, 2014 at 1:31 PM ^
Last thing you want...
October 15th, 2014 at 1:35 PM ^
And you're suggesting Bill Martin?
October 15th, 2014 at 1:48 PM ^
it be hard for him to accept a call from his sail boat or during a squash match to take the job??? /s
October 15th, 2014 at 2:58 PM ^
why would Bill Martin come out of retirement to do that instead of just promoting someone within the AD like DeBord, who has basically been directing the Olympic sports by himself for the past two years? It's a position that will be held for like two months tops
October 15th, 2014 at 4:01 PM ^
Can someone explain to me what it is that DeBord actually does? Is he essentially just the AD for the Olympic sports? Do other departments do this?
October 15th, 2014 at 8:57 PM ^
October 15th, 2014 at 2:59 PM ^
I got love for my shoes K-Swiss
October 15th, 2014 at 5:26 PM ^
Bill Martin will be best known for botching the Miles hire, but he was a pretty fantastic AD. He brought the program into the black and hired John Beilein.
We are all clammoring for an "ignore Michigan Man and get the best guy" approach for a new football coach and he did just that when he hired RR. Granted RR didn't last, but he was a big name coach at the time of his hire.
October 15th, 2014 at 5:45 PM ^
Also, Crisler renovations were planned and approved by the Regents on his watch. A nontrivial portion of the basketball program's success over the past few seasons can be attributed to Martin laying the groundwork.
October 16th, 2014 at 1:07 PM ^
oversight. A good defensive coordinator would have made his legacy golden.
October 16th, 2014 at 2:31 PM ^
Good God! You'd think there was only one DC in the whole country. Schafer came from Stanford. Guess who his head coach was at the time. Yet he still came to Michigan for whatever money was offered. Too bad he wasn't allowed to coach his way.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:29 PM ^
None of them would turn it down if offered. Only Long could if Arkansas decided to double his pay or something like that. The other 2 would for sure come to Michigan.
Athletics administration isn't like coaching. You can't wait and assume you'll get your shot at a later time. You take it as soon as you get the opportunity.
I'd be shocked if any of the top 3 turned it down. Like I said, Arkansas may be in a position to give Long 1 million/year and that's all I could see stopping him from leaving. That may not even be enough if he truly wants to leave.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:32 PM ^
Arkansas AD Jeff Long, UConn AD Warde Manuel, and Boston College AD Brad Bates - Brian.
And any of those I think would be a marked improvement.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:32 PM ^
The new guy could be Donald freaking Duck and I'd still be happier than I am right now. Just get rid of this moran already!
October 15th, 2014 at 3:54 PM ^
What about his uncle Scrooge? better than DB still.
October 15th, 2014 at 5:03 PM ^
I thought we had Uncle Scrooge in there now ? The way Brandon is trying to squeeze evey last penny out of the fan base, it seems logical.
October 15th, 2014 at 5:48 PM ^
Is it possible to tell when spelling "moron" as "moran" is intentionally ironic, rather than just hilariously ironic? :)
Rob
October 15th, 2014 at 8:50 PM ^
October 20th, 2014 at 9:49 AM ^
It stems from the picture of a guy holding a sign calling people "morans".
October 15th, 2014 at 1:33 PM ^
I want someone with Bro for a last name.
Then he'd be U-M AD Bro.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:43 PM ^
Would be epic.
October 15th, 2014 at 2:23 PM ^
What about U-M AD Bra? KEEP BRANDON!!
October 15th, 2014 at 3:40 PM ^
You mean the Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics Bro.
October 15th, 2014 at 4:11 PM ^
Just doesn't have the same ring to it...
October 15th, 2014 at 1:35 PM ^
"Change is fun, for awhile." - Cary Grant in "Notorious"
October 15th, 2014 at 1:44 PM ^
Cincinnati's [edit: former] AD.
Dantonio, Kelly, Jones.
He's a football coach hiring machine. Isn't that the only thing that matters?
October 15th, 2014 at 1:45 PM ^
They've had 3 ADs in like the last 4 years, lol.
Whit Babcock is now at VT. I believe the guy before him is at Illinois.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:48 PM ^
haha - wait. They've had 3 different successive ADs all hire good football coaches?
So...use Cincinatti's AD search committee?
October 15th, 2014 at 1:41 PM ^
want to work for. Then enter name here: _____________________ New Michigan AD.