Bulls AD Harlan About to Sign an Extension

[Brad]

I would agree with that assessment. Hopefully he knows we’re not lost without him.  And Judy knows, hopefully, too.  

[USF Bulls Football]

Solid B minus w room for improvement. 

[Skingraft]

He's the single reason I pulled all my money away from the Bulls Club and started a fund in the college of medicine 

[cophbulls]

my 2 cents, Harlan seems to have been brought in to take an athletic dept from a mom and pop shop to a full-fledged corporate type business. I remember, the difference between being able to interview players pre-harlen to post harlen was night and day. One of the reasons I stopped doing it.  Everything had/has to roll thorough his office or him just to get permission to talk to a player. Last interview I had was with Mike White at the preseason Bulls tailgate and Mike had to go get permission to talk to me. It was no big deal but you could see the writing on the wall re: player accessibility. The difference in the flexibility in the rules surrounding every aspect of any sport has corporation written all over it. Its not necessarily a bad thing. Certainly tightens things up dollar-wise. For those of you who remember, compare today's events with those of the 90s/00s, very very different feel. 

[Bausfkid]

1 hour ago, cophbulls said:

my 2 cents, Harlan seems to have been brought in to take an athletic dept from a mom and pop shop to a full-fledged corporate type business. I remember, the difference between being able to interview players pre-harlen to post harlen was night and day. One of the reasons I stopped doing it.  Everything had/has to roll thorough his office or him just to get permission to talk to a player. Last interview I had was with Mike White at the preseason Bulls tailgate and Mike had to go get permission to talk to me. It was no big deal but you could see the writing on the wall re: player accessibility. The difference in the flexibility in the rules surrounding every aspect of any sport has corporation written all over it. Its not necessarily a bad thing. Certainly tightens things up dollar-wise. For those of you who remember, compare today's events with those of the 90s/00s, very very different feel. 

This is a good thing.  College athletics are a business.  Nothing good happens without guard rails for 18 - 22 year olds.  Smart for USF to cover themselves and their people and not leave anything open to interpretation.

Go Bulls!

[NewEnglandBull]

10 minutes ago, Bausfkid said:

This is a good thing.  College athletics are a business.  Nothing good happens without guard rails for 18 - 22 year olds.  Smart for USF to cover themselves and their people and not leave anything open to interpretation.

Go Bulls!

But what if the CEO is poor in decision skills.....

[George_Bullnard_Shaw]

Good news for Bourbon Bull!

[Bausfkid]

27 minutes ago, NewEnglandBull said:

But what if the CEO is poor in decision skills.....

I would ask what poor decisions?  COA?  We've all hired people that look like "can't miss" candidates, but they do.  Consistently poor hires are a leadership issue.  A one or two off is just that, a one or two off. 

I feel good about CWT, CCS, CBG and the continued success of CJF.  Athletics continues to show great progress with graduation rates and APR scores are tremendous.  Facilities are much improved and there is now a real possibility of an IPF and a current exploration of an OCS. 

Fundraising has been a struggle and certainly butts in seats is the 1K lb gorilla in the room.  Harlan is an owner of not being able to figure out how an area of 3M people aren't able to get 30K to consistently watch a product that is rock solid (football). 

Seminole FL is my hometown and I'm very passionate about Tampa and the surrounding areas.  That said, it's an apathetic city on it's best day towards USF.  Harlan has not been able to move the needle in this arena.  However, on items he has direct control over it's hard to say he's not at least met expectations. 

[SoFlo All Day]

When it comes to major sports I'd say Harlan is so/so in hiring - Antigua was a bust, but I'll give him a pass. Getting Charlie seemed like a slam dunk, but this past season was a disappointment. Gregory looks like he's on the up and up. Like how he handled the baseball coach situation this past year too. Not sure why people are giving Harlan credit for hiring Tags though...Woodard hired Taggart before he was canned in 2014. Fernandez has been here for like 15 years? I think that was all Selmon. 

Heard he's rubbed some large boosters the wrong way though...not sure what's happening behind the scenes there...

Think Harlan has done well on the marketing front and the two recent scheduling deals for football seem pretty good. I think he's done a lot with a little considering that he practically inherited our athletics program in a crappy realignment environment for us. That said, if he does sign a long term extension - his legacy will be tied to where we go during the next round of realignment, getting the practice facility up, and progress on OCS. 

 

[NewEnglandBull]

1 hour ago, Bausfkid said:

I would ask what poor decisions?  COA?  We've all hired people that look like "can't miss" candidates, but they do.  Consistently poor hires are a leadership issue.  A one or two off is just that, a one or two off. 

I feel good about CWT, CCS, CBG and the continued success of CJF.  Athletics continues to show great progress with graduation rates and APR scores are tremendous.  Facilities are much improved and there is now a real possibility of an IPF and a current exploration of an OCS. 

Fundraising has been a struggle and certainly butts in seats is the 1K lb gorilla in the room.  Harlan is an owner of not being able to figure out how an area of 3M people aren't able to get 30K to consistently watch a product that is rock solid (football). 

Seminole FL is my hometown and I'm very passionate about Tampa and the surrounding areas.  That said, it's an apathetic city on it's best day towards USF.  Harlan has not been able to move the needle in this arena.  However, on items he has direct control over it's hard to say he's not at least met expectations. 

Jury is still out on current MBB coach so we will see. But in general I am ok with his hiring decisions. The issue I have is with his personality. I have heard from a few of the whales that he can be disingenuous sometimes. As you mention Tampa is a tough place to fund raise...but too bad we need $ ASAP. ADs are turning more and more into college presidents as they have one specific purpose...get money. Does this man, in your opinion, have the personality to make this happen? I am saying no he does not but I am hopeful that yes he can. I can separate my personal opinion about the guy (I just don’t think he is likeable to the few times I have met him) if he gets $ results. 

Edited April 20, 2018 by NewEnglandBull