is in the running for the job. I wouldn't be shocked to see Jeff Bower considered. Whoever comes needs to be innovative, creative, and uber-aggressive in fundraising.
Wow, I didn't see that coming! I wish Mr. McGillis well, I have NO idea who
- Thread starter scotteagle
- Start date
Maybe this time Jeff Hammond will receive serious consideration. I hope so but because of all this political correctness I wouldn't bet on it.
Glad hes gone! Made a terrible basketball hire. Football was almost a catastrophe this year. He saw the writing on the wall and had to get out while he still could. Wasnt worth the risk. I predicted he would resign. He just did it a little sooner than i thought. Good for him. Hire Brad Teague.
Dean Smith/John Calipari/Roy Williams rolled into 1 couldn't fix that dumpster fire in under 5 years. That being said, glad he's gone.
They need to hire Bower (can't believe I typed that). He has intimate knowledge and 1st hand experience with the problems and circumstances that go with USM Athletics. No more outsiders.
From what I noticed over his tenure, he would bring up concepts or ideas but never seemed to follow through on them. In that vein, I'll believe he's leaving when he's gone.
By the way, I wish he would take our Pres too.
By the way, I wish he would take our Pres too.
I would be shocked to learn that the president would consider that, after what transpired during the 2012 football season and during the Donnie Tyndall era.
I'm not sure Bower would be the right pick for AD. His loyalty is his biggest attribute, but it's also his biggest liability because I'm not sure he'd hold Hopson accountable for mediocre play and coaching since Hopson was once a member of his staff. No, I'd rather have someone who can not only make smart coaching hires, but is also a fundraiser.
We need to finally get the long promised (by two different ADs!) and still not delivered overhaul of Reed Green done. We may never be truly considered for another conference as long as we keep talking about a major overhaul of Reed Green but never fully make those plans a reality. There's been two different plans for major renovations in the last 13.5 years and all we've got to show for it is the new wing that houses the basketball offices and locker rooms. I'm not sure the renovation plans McGillis put together will come to fruition now that he's leaving.
We also need more money to grow our athletic budget (it's only going to get tighter as our tv revenue continues to shrink).
I just don't have confidence that Bower is up to those tasks.
We need to finally get the long promised (by two different ADs!) and still not delivered overhaul of Reed Green done. We may never be truly considered for another conference as long as we keep talking about a major overhaul of Reed Green but never fully make those plans a reality. There's been two different plans for major renovations in the last 13.5 years and all we've got to show for it is the new wing that houses the basketball offices and locker rooms. I'm not sure the renovation plans McGillis put together will come to fruition now that he's leaving.
We also need more money to grow our athletic budget (it's only going to get tighter as our tv revenue continues to shrink).
I just don't have confidence that Bower is up to those tasks.
Problem is they hire outside firm(s) to pick a few outside contestants to chose from, both of which have zero clue about the depth of the financial problems and hardships. Time to hire someone who has had a up close and personal view.
Funny the athletic department/school does not have 30k for the baseball coach to get work done on the playing field and new carpet. They are forcing him to go beg the counties for money, but, the $$$$ are available to piss away on some firm of alleged "experts" to draw up some names. Pfffft, give Bower a public apology or whatever he needs, give him the job and give the search firm $$$$ to the baseball coach.
Inconsequential.
His claim to fame was helping USF get out of CUSA, didn't get that 1st priority done here. And separate of that he has underwhelmed.
With TV $ all but gone and the last rumored realignment not coming to fruition, maybe nothing he can really do here.
Hiring a consultant to do YOUR job, and to insulate yourself from responsibility, is a sign of weak leadership.
Prediction: we blow a bunch of $ then hire J.B. and live happily ever after in Munchkin land.
His claim to fame was helping USF get out of CUSA, didn't get that 1st priority done here. And separate of that he has underwhelmed.
With TV $ all but gone and the last rumored realignment not coming to fruition, maybe nothing he can really do here.
Hiring a consultant to do YOUR job, and to insulate yourself from responsibility, is a sign of weak leadership.
Prediction: we blow a bunch of $ then hire J.B. and live happily ever after in Munchkin land.
Last edited:
Our athletic department is a dumpster fire right now. No money, zilch. He probably saw the writing on the wall. Basketball is done, next season football will be done and baseball has become a damn crap shoot. We are in a dumpster fire of a conference with no way out. It's a damn lost cause in my opinion with no viable options.
It is all fixable. The bigger question is does the small, loyal base of fans have the stomach and patience to due what needs to be done.
The biggest thing and the first thing that has to be done is rid the entire A.D. of the 30+ year culture of poor poor pitiful me. It's past time to get rid of the good old boy network.
The 2nd biggest thing is to get rid of everyone in the A.D. and E.C accept the secretary, the academic advisor, the compliance officer (if they have even filled that position yet), the coaches, the equipment guy, and the custodians. Hire aggressive, progressive, forward thinking people and hold them accountable.
They need a image overhaul, a marketing overhaul, a fundraising overhaul, a game day experience over haul and they need to be done yesterday.
They need to find the funds by hook or crook for a facilities over haul. Starting with blowing up the east and west sides of that Texas High School looking football stadium and matching the rebuild with the north and south end zone sections. Second, they need to drop a nuclear bomb on that 3rd world building they play basketball in. Build a 5k seat box style arena. Then modernize the Pete. The coaches in all sports are a 1 legged man in a ass kicking contest with recruiting due to substandard facilities.
The list can go on and on, but.........
sure....all that takes MONEY. WE HAVE NONE. The AD knows it, Bower knows it, I know it...etc etc. Can't squeeze blood from a turnip. It's over.
It does not take money to change the culture and loser mentality. That is the 1st step.
Jay Artigues from Southeastern Louisiana. Solid go getter type guy that has made unbelievable upgrades at SELA the last few years. Ties to this area from his days as HC for PRCC baseball.
Then Bower could do the ribbon cutting on his academic center
And its pretty sad McGills resigned before he completed the groundbreaking on the academic center. In my opinion he didn't move us ahead.
I think that would be smart. We need south miss connectionsomething for sure. He is from bay st Louis I believe?
I read the open letter from Bill. It seems he just wanted to reconnect with family. He said he had mixed emotions about leaving. Now sure I know there are "hidden/undisclosed" motives but I think for the most part it was about heading back home to the west coast.
USM has managed their money as best they can. The TV deal is bad but I believe (or want to believe) that if football can continue to stabilize that the other sports will do the same. At least that has been the history of USM athletics.
Look guys we are celebrating a football bowl championship no need to get too worked up on the AD situation. Not that I'm trying to defend Bill just saying that if he was indeed inefficient then him resigning is a good thing for him and for USM.
USM has managed their money as best they can. The TV deal is bad but I believe (or want to believe) that if football can continue to stabilize that the other sports will do the same. At least that has been the history of USM athletics.
Look guys we are celebrating a football bowl championship no need to get too worked up on the AD situation. Not that I'm trying to defend Bill just saying that if he was indeed inefficient then him resigning is a good thing for him and for USM.
We CANNOT suffer some grinning squirrel from the lower dregs at this juncture.
As much as I hate to admit it we could and probably will do much worse than Bower.
As much as I hate to admit it we could and probably will do much worse than Bower.
No more excuses about
Reed Green and needing to get Johnny Dupree and his jailbird buddy's approval. Bennett needs to hire an outsider with success at the fcs level or an assistant from the fbs level.
Reed Green and needing to get Johnny Dupree and his jailbird buddy's approval. Bennett needs to hire an outsider with success at the fcs level or an assistant from the fbs level.
And thank you.
Jeff Bower for AD is a perfect example of small time thinking and good ole boy networking that has plagued this athletics program for decades.
Hey, let's bring in our old football coach who we fired 10 years ago because he lost his fire. He has no experience in athletics administration and hasn't worked in 10 years.
Yeah...bring him in to do one of the most difficult jobs in college athletics--running a financially-strapped D1 mid-major in desperate need of facilities upgrades and has a basketball program under sanctions.
Get a professional to do this--preferably a young up-and-comer who was an assistant at a major program and not another McGillis-type.
Jeff Bower for AD is a perfect example of small time thinking and good ole boy networking that has plagued this athletics program for decades.
Hey, let's bring in our old football coach who we fired 10 years ago because he lost his fire. He has no experience in athletics administration and hasn't worked in 10 years.
Yeah...bring him in to do one of the most difficult jobs in college athletics--running a financially-strapped D1 mid-major in desperate need of facilities upgrades and has a basketball program under sanctions.
Get a professional to do this--preferably a young up-and-comer who was an assistant at a major program and not another McGillis-type.
It seems to me that hiring someone who really does care about Southern Miss is the ONLY choice when it comes to AD. We need someone who will fight with us. Any outsider won't really give a flying rat's behind what happens to us.
As "Mao" said, we can't bare another "grinning squirrel" at this point. (LOL)
As "Mao" said, we can't bare another "grinning squirrel" at this point. (LOL)
Anybody heard any names swirling around? I may alone on this one but I don't want some young up and comer who will leave in 3 years as soon as we have a successful year. I want a guy who will work his butt off, is charismatic, and who can sale a popsicle to an Eskimo. Artigues is still my choice but the only one I really know of just from following sports from around this area.
No sense in even trying to guess. The Prez will wait to see what name or names he gets from the "professional" search firm. He will try to hang with their recommendations so as to say he is getting the best candidate out there.
Getting someone who's not an up and comer who will work their butt off and is charismatic is near impossible. Even if they aren't young, those personalities move up. That's just fact. We need someone who will set a precedent for our Athletic Department that the next guy will have to match and improve on.
