USF Names Oliver, Woolard Finalists

[bulls96go]

woolard statement that we begged him to interview and WE need to make it intresting for HIM turned me off to this guy.

i hope he does not get the job i could not wholeheartedly support this guy.

i am not enamoured with either candidate.

[BullDoug]

I like Oliver 'cuz of his football experience and his age.  He could be AD for 20 yrs easily.  With Woolard, he's here a max. of 12-14 yrs.  But what do I know,  that's probably age discrim.

[Markeymark]

He's not stupid - he's gotta cover his ash in case things don't pan out, he doesn't want to appear to be like Seth, hawking himself around and looking like he's trying to get out of town.

Remember this is a public process - would you want all your co-workers and employers know you're looking for a job, and who you're talking to...I doubt it.

If things don't work out, he's still back at SLU where I'm sure a lot of people will wonder what his intentions are.

[Guest S.  Bien]

He was an assistant at Washington State over 10 years ago. There was no BCS then and the football environment is nothing even remotely similar these days. Aside from that I'm not even sure how much I would count experience from that long ago as we all know how hard it is to take something back up after being away even for a couple of years much less over a decade.

Maybe I am focusing too much on this so I'll just trust that those making the decisions see something more then I do and hope he can deliver. I'm not quite as trusting as you and bien but if he is the pick I'll keep an open mind.

I am not "Trusting," I am just not putting that kind of stock in the football.  The football isn't as big of deal as long as the guy can bring all his connections and contacts with him, and relationships.  The BCS is an agreement that already clearly delineates who, what, when, where and how.  The relationship with the BCS flows through the Conference Commissioners office, not each individual school.  Scheduling could be the only issue, but Woolard has tons of relationships, which people are discounting, with AD's across the country that sit on these boards and panels with him.  He's supposedly real tight with White from ND.  Besides, you don't want a guy to step on Leavitt's toes to much.  I personal want a guy that doesn't know too much about football so he doesn't try to micro manage it.  Notice, none have football experience, possibly a reason for that?!

The keys for an AD is his ability to lead, motivate, and take a vision deliver.  Football experience, basketball whatever.  The fact is this school hasn't had a problem with football, its been basketball that we've shot ourselves in the foot on meeting our expectations.  Our football coach acts as sort of a glorified Ass. AD anyway with his flexibility in hiring, and firing, final say in scheduling, revenue, and equipment purchase.  Leavitt's contract doesn't let ANY AD fart on the football practice field without asking him first.  Again, its basketball where we've fallen woefully short, and Woolard, or Oliver seem to be the kind of guys that can get that glory back.

I am not trusting, I just don't find the BCS, or football aspect that compelling to cause an issue.  I look at where SLU was when Woolard got there, and where he took them, and its almost jaw dropping.  I look at Oliver's pet project, given to him by the AD, to raise funds, design, and build the new basketball facility.  He did it, and I am jaw dropped.  I look at Woolard moving from conferences, and at every jump exceeding expectations and making his programs immediately competitive and I am jaw dropped, even being the point on negotiating the A-10 deal and saving Charlotte's proverbial ass..   I look at Oliver was the liason with the football and basketball programs at UVA, during a time when UVA lost their legendary coach, and hired another super replacement in Groh, then managed the expectations of fans and donors after loosing a legend like Welch, and I am floored, he even hired the baseball coach that took them further then ever, again I am floored.

I look at what Oliver benches and I am jaw dropped.

In all seriousness those are the crudentials, not if a guy was sitting in a conference and collecting a BCS check every year.  For all the years Oliver was at UVA, despite being in the ACC and BCS they never even came close to sniffing a BCS game.  Should that be a harm?  NO!

Again, I look at it like this.  Oliver has that "IT" factor, he seems like the guy that could be great, and I mean really great.  On the other hand, Woolard is solid, and solid all around.  He has no weaknesses, no chinks, and is loaded with great experience, contacts, proven track record, etc.

The question now remains to take yet another risk going after the WOW factor with Oliver.  We did that with LRS and it took us about 3 years for him to get up to speed, or do we go with the proven leader in Woolard.  Tough call, and I can't fault them for either decision.  With Oliver things might start slower, and we see things improving through the years, and with Woolard changes and improvements could come immediately.

Again, if you think realistically, and relatively about USF you realize both are great choices, and we really can't go wrong with either.

[BULLheaded]

as I said I'll keep an open mind. I disagree with you on the importance of football and BCS experience, I do however agree that several of the other points you bring up are valid and feel that it was important to have both in the next AD. I am concerned that we are leaving out ONE of the most important qualifications if we choose woolard. It is my opinion that our success will be tied almost entirely to our success in football and I would have felt much more comfortable knowing that the person to lead us in that area had some hands on experience in that area.

[Guest S.  Bien]

as I said I'll keep an open mind. I disagree with you on the importance of football and BCS experience, I do however agree that several of the other points you bring up are valid and feel that it was important to have both in the next AD. I am concerned that we are leaving out ONE of the most important qualifications if we choose woolard. It is my opinion that our success will be tied almost entirely to our success in football and I would have felt much more comfortable knowing that the person to lead us in that area had some hands on experience in that area.

He did have hands on experience at WSU, but for whatever reason you choose to be selective on how you deem experience.  I worked at a bank ten years ago, I wouldn't know everything if I returned, but my experience would afford me the opportunity to hit the ground running if I went back, and that experience, albeit 10 years ago was invaluable to where I am today.  I now know I can go back and be a viable candidate.

The same aspect applies.  You haven't told me what you expect this so called football experience would be used for?  What is this BCS experience?  The BCS is already clearly delineated, its a contract signed with conferences not individual teams what is he suppose to do with the BCS that maybe some guy from the BCS can.  How we get paid by the BCS is negotiated through the conference, who we play is negotiated through the conference who goes and how they are selected is negotiated through the conferences.  Therefore, what you need at AD is a politician, and someone with lots of connections- WOOLARD HAS THAT!  What about Leavitt's involvement, doesn't that stand for anything?  It doesn't matter if Jeremy Foley dropped down, he can't chew gum around football operations without asking for Leavitt permission.  Despite the fact Oliver was at UVA he was a basketball guy, doesn't that concern you?  I think that some who are concerned about football experience quite possibly could be ignoring the more global issues that are plaguing this department, and University.  Having a guy that knows football won't solve are lack of exposure, lack of cash, and lack of vision.  Having an AD with all of those skills as a leader, promoter, salesman, and a visionary will!  This is a global position, and its tough to just say football and imagine that is enough to set one guy apart.

[BULLheaded]

I don't count it for a couple reasons

1)time, not only has it been over a decade since he last worked at a college that had football BUT the way football programs run NOW are nothing at ALL like they were back then. If you ran a bank 10 years ago and came back today just about nothing you knew then would be relevant today. You would now have to understand running an investment firm and a brokerage and several other areas of financial institutions in order to run that bank and your experience 10 years ago would be too outdated and I would say the same if you were up for candidacy in that type of situation.

2)Not only was it 10 years ago but he was only an assistant 10 years ago so he NEVER had experience running a football program. If we choose an assistant now it would be ONLY because he is familiar with the environment that we are moving into with the BE.

jesus christ bien, if I knew all that I'D be up for the position now wouldn't I? Excuse the hell out of me that I feel having experience in certain areas is important and don't just bow down to your assessment. As I have said over and over and over and over I will keep an open mind AND I don't think he is destined to fail ONLY that it is a concern to me that he doesn't have this experience.

[Guest S.  Bien]

I don't count it for a couple reasons

1)time, not only has it been over a decade since he last worked at a college that had football BUT the way football programs run NOW are nothing at ALL like they were back then. If you ran a bank 10 years ago and came back today just about nothing you knew then would be relevant today. You would now have to understand running an investment firm and a brokerage and several other areas of financial institutions in order to run that bank and your experience 10 years ago would be too outdated and I would say the same if you were up for candidacy in that type of situation.

2)Not only was it 10 years ago but he was only an assistant 10 years ago so he NEVER had experience running a football program. If we choose an assistant now it would be ONLY because he is familiar with the environment that we are moving into with the BE.

jesus christ bien, if I knew all that I'D be up for the position now wouldn't I? Excuse the hell out of me that I feel having experience in certain areas is important and don't just bow down to your assessment. As I have said over and over and over and over I will keep an open mind AND I don't think he is destined to fail ONLY that it is a concern to me that he doesn't have this experience.

And excuse the hell out of me if I think your ignoring tons of other aspects that make Woolard qualified and glaring on one deficiency and amplifying its importance.  

[BULLheaded]

maybe if your reading comprehension was better you'd notice I said your reasons were valid AND I thought both were important. Just because YOU happen to feel football experience is totally irrelevant doesn't mean you have to harp on those that feel otherwise. But then lord bien has spoken so I guess I'll just agree since that is the only solution.

[Guest BasketBull.]

I must step in here: calm down, Bulls.

There was an intelligent and adult dialog going on and then animosity arose... Was that really necessary?

Life's too freaking serious already. Do we need to do the same with our hobbies (such as this forum)?

Let's get back to the issue: Our next AD.