Trib: Spetman Stresses His Experience in Interview

[Cubanbull]

Mike, i noticed samething and wasnt crazy about it. True we do not know the context of the question but i would have much rather have read, how he plans to raise budget and improve facilities. To me the line that the foundation and LRS are already in place to fundraise was kind of lame. We need NEW ideas and i dint get any from him in that report.

I say we pass on him.

[USFMikeB]

I think that even though he's the sole candidate with AD experience, he's still the weakest.  Hollis appears on paper to be the strongest of the finalists.

[dabull80]

Very interesting read.  He has the experience and sounds good to me.  I think the biggest issue may be the one out of his control and that is the investigation at Academy.  If you remmeber what happened to Paul G you may have the same thing happening here.  Not his fault but somehow he gets dragged though the mud and his crystal ball should have told him what to do.  If that where to happen we would be in a real mess.  I predict he doen't get hired and that may be to bad because he sounds like a great complement to Leroy and a person who cares.

[Papa_Bull]

Cuban bull I think that military people don't go off half cocked by coming in with a plan of attack before they have studied the particular problem in detail, so I don't fault him for not being more forward in that regard.

He does recognize what we do have to work with starting out by citing the Foundation and LRS and will utilize them in the best way possible. I don't really know what more he could say at this time without making himself out to be rash.

The fact that he does have a proven track record as an AD where he successfully raised big donations shows that he can get it done once he has all the facts to work with.  

[bulls96go]

what you are missing is this guy is a nut and bolts guy

if lrs is doing the fund raising and this guy give him max support this may be a good marriage of form and fuction.

you could bring a good marketing guy in pascal's open position and you would have a great team.  this guy is a team builder this quote had me "we need a master plan...one year to move to BE...use it wisely."

I would not write this guy off, but i would want due diligence done about why he "really" left air force

i still worry a little about the "ego" comment

[dabull80]

I guess what I don't know is who he brought in as coaches and how succsessfull they were at AF.

[sdgukhsdgl]

I think you guys are overreacting to one comment and taking it out of context... when I read it I didnt see it as him attacking the other candidates, I read it as him distingushing himslef from the crowd with facts.  It would be on thing if he said Oliver was a foul-mouthed alcoholic or something, but I think he was just doing what any person interested in a job would do.  I have been on several interviews for jobs lately and everyone asks what makes you different from everyone else?  I didnt know the pool of candidates for my job, but if I did I guarantee I would say something to distinguish myself...

originally I wasnt sold on this guy, but after reading the articles I really like him and would have no problem with any of the candidates.  He has a certain swagger to him, but he is well groudned enough to want to get to know EVERY athelte

[Guest AFRugger]

As an AFA graduate and Tampa resident, I am thrilled at the prospect of Randy Spetman taking the AD position at South Florida.  He is truly a quality all-around individual.

Don't read too much into the circumstances surrounding his departure from the academy.   The scandal there has left the athletic department untouched and there are no fingers pointing at Randy.  None at all.  His position was changed as a part of sweeping and, IMHO, knee-jerk changes incorporated by a new administration.  Randy correctly viewed the changes as a demotion brought about by circumstances unrelated to his performance.  Air Force sports fans truly miss him as do the athletes and coaches.

If bringing winning teams to South Florida is a priority, then Randy is an outstanding candidate.  Air Force hadn't had a winning season in men's basketball versus Division I teams in over 20 years and hadn't been to the NCAA tournament in 42 years.  Randy made it a priority to put a winning product on the court.  He found an obscure assistant coach at Princeton named Joe Scott and hired him.  Joe improved the team's record in each of his four years culminating in a conference championship and tournament invitation this year.

Randy has presided over the funding and building of a world class athletic center at AFA which opened this past year.  The $37 million project boasts the largest weight training facility in the NCAA.  I think South Florida would benefit tremendously from an athletic director who has succeeded in making significant facilities improvements.

I hope USF makes the right choice here.

[Ricky the Bull]

We very much appreciate your input, AFRugger!  It's hard to know if there is any baggage when you give a cursory glance at the reasons for his departure.

I trust the committee will come to a decision which will help the program the most and have investigated each candidate and have gotten the same information you brought to us concerning this candidate.

[BullDoug]

One thing The Col. may be able to arrange is a visit by the AFA football team.  A very nice fringe benny IMO.