So after disastrously hiring a former player and TV analyst with no athletic department experience as its AD, USC has turned to another former player and TV analyst with no athletic department experience to serve as its AD.
What could go wrong?
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/15196679/lynn-swann-named-athletic-director-southern-california-trojans
The University of Southern California has hired Lynn Swann to be its next athletic director, the school announced Wednesday.
Swann, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, replaces Pat Haden, who will step down effective June 30.
And prior to Haden was another former player Mike Garrett, who was a complete dumpster fire.
No wonder Katin bolted, ai na?
Matt Leinert is readying his resume for when this hire crashes and burns.
Quote from: MerrittsMustache on April 13, 2016, 12:40:37 PM
Matt Leinert is readying his resume for when this hire crashes and burns.
I was thinking Reggie Bush.
Quote from: GooooMarquette on April 13, 2016, 12:46:18 PM
I was thinking Reggie Bush.
Reggie Bush? Reggie Bush? Just checked with the athletic office and he was never associated with USC.
Quote from: Pakuni on April 13, 2016, 12:24:52 PM
So after disastrously hiring a former player and TV analyst with no athletic department experience as its AD, USC has turned to another former player and TV analyst with no athletic department experience to serve as its AD.
What could go wrong?
To be fair, Haden was an attorney and in PE for 20+ years before becoming AD. Swann has been a sideline reporter and a gameshow host...and a failed politician. If Haden was a disaster, god knows what Swann will be.
Quote from: JWags85 on April 13, 2016, 02:55:41 PM
To be fair, Haden was an attorney and in PE for 20+ years before becoming AD. Swann has been a sideline reporter and a gameshow host...and a failed politician. If Haden was a disaster, god knows what Swann will be.
Right ... and the fact Haden is a smart guy who still was a terrible AD tends to support the notion that it's a fairly specialized position that requires some experience in the business of college athletics to succeed.
See also: Dave Brandon at Michigan; Tim Pernetti at Rutgers.
Holy hell, if only O.J. Simpson was available.
Quote from: BrewCity83 on April 13, 2016, 04:36:31 PM
Holy hell, if only O.J. Simpson was available.
In this age of distributed ops there is no reason The Juice can't work remotely
Say what you want about Lynn Swann, but the dude can destroy an obstacle course .
Quote from: keefe on April 13, 2016, 05:07:42 PM
In this age of distributed ops there is no reason The Juice can't work remotely
as long as he doesn't have to wear those "ugly arse shoes"
Quote from: BrewCity83 on April 13, 2016, 04:36:31 PM
Holy hell, if only O.J. Simpson was available.
O.J. or Larry Williams?
How's the sweat line on Swann's USC cap?
Quote from: Pakuni on April 13, 2016, 12:24:52 PM
So after disastrously hiring a former player and TV analyst with no athletic department experience as its AD, USC has turned to another former player and TV analyst with no athletic department experience to serve as its AD.
What could go wrong?
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/15196679/lynn-swann-named-athletic-director-southern-california-trojans
The University of Southern California has hired Lynn Swann to be its next athletic director, the school announced Wednesday.
Swann, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, replaces Pat Haden, who will step down effective June 30.
USC thinks the AD is a fund raiser. Job is to press the flesh and get alumni to write checks.
Quote from: Heisenberg on April 13, 2016, 10:31:52 PM
USC thinks the AD is a fund raiser. Job is to press the flesh and get alumni to write checks.
Having an AD like that isn't necessarily a bad idea if you have a strong organization behind him. By and large it has worked for UW. (Although I hear things aren't rosy there either.)
But it certainly is not the direction in which the position has gone lately. The "figurehead" AD model is pretty much a thing of the past.
Quote from: Pakuni on April 13, 2016, 12:24:52 PM
So after disastrously hiring a former player and TV analyst with no athletic department experience as its AD, USC has turned to another former player and TV analyst with no athletic department experience to serve as its AD.
What could go wrong?
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/15196679/lynn-swann-named-athletic-director-southern-california-trojans
The University of Southern California has hired Lynn Swann to be its next athletic director, the school announced Wednesday.
Swann, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, replaces Pat Haden, who will step down effective June 30.
Disaster to hire Haden? Really?
He was exactly the hire they needed to get through the stench from the previous regime. Highly, highly regarded to get through the NCAA issues they had. Did he make a bad hires for football? Yup, but it was also the hire that so many USC people wanted because they like to do the "USC man" stuff. He has upgraded basketball incredibly. Other sports doing great, and as someone already alluded...$$$. $270 million going into the Coliseum, new facilities built, etc. Rhodes scholar, was quite active in athletics (NCAA and professional) as a result of the law firm he was a partner in. He was a natural choice when he was hired and SC is better off because of it.
We'll see how Lynn Swann does, but I'd be hard pressed to find anyone that knows anything to call Haden's tenure disastrous, especially when looked at in totality.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on April 14, 2016, 09:47:46 AM
Disaster to hire Haden? Really?
He was exactly the hire they needed to get through the stench from the previous regime. Highly, highly regarded to get through the NCAA issues they had. Did he make a bad hires for football? Yup, but it was also the hire that so many USC people wanted because they like to do the "USC man" stuff. He has upgraded basketball incredibly. Other sports doing great, and as someone already alluded...$$$. $270 million going into the Coliseum, new facilities built, etc. Rhodes scholar, was quite active in athletics (NCAA and professional) as a result of the law firm he was a partner in. He was a natural choice when he was hired and SC is better off because of it.
We'll see how Lynn Swann does, but I'd be hard pressed to find anyone that knows anything to call Haden's tenure disastrous, especially when looked at in totality.
I like how you gloss over the trainwreck that was his single most important decision (the hiring of a known alcoholic as head coach) as if it were just one of many things he did at USC. Yeah, a lot of fans thought it was great. They also didn't know Sarkisian's off-field issues, something Haden either knew and ignored or somehow missed in the search process. You pick. Either is damning.
And do we need to be reminded about his zero-class firing of Lane Kiffin (who deserved to be fired, but not like that) or his embarassing sideline tirade at officials?
Bottom line, the single-most (by far) important athletic program at USC, the program Haden was hired to return to glory, was a total mess under his leadership. Your singing his praises is tantamount to praising Larry Williams and Scott Pilarz for the fine job they did with women's soccer while ignoring the mess they helped create with the basketball program.
Also, he has not upgraded USC basketball "incredibly." They remain in the lower half of a middling conference and their attendance remains utterly pathetic.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on April 14, 2016, 09:47:46 AM
the hire that so many USC people wanted because they like to do the "USC man" stuff.
Isn't that more correctly referred to as "Trojan Man?"
(http://www.yourlogoresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Trojan-logo.jpg)
Quote from: Pakuni on April 14, 2016, 10:45:01 AM
I like how you gloss over the trainwreck that was his single most important decision (the hiring of a known alcoholic as head coach) as if it were just one of many things he did at USC. Yeah, a lot of fans thought it was great. They also didn't know Sarkisian's off-field issues, something Haden either knew and ignored or somehow missed in the search process. You pick. Either is damning.
And do we need to be reminded about his zero-class firing of Lane Kiffin (who deserved to be fired, but not like that) or his embarassing sideline tirade at officials?
Bottom line, the single-most (by far) important athletic program at USC, the program Haden was hired to return to glory, was a total mess under his leadership. Your singing his praises is tantamount to praising Larry Williams and Scott Pilarz for the fine job they did with women's soccer while ignoring the mess they helped create with the basketball program.
Also, he has not upgraded USC basketball "incredibly." They remain in the lower half of a middling conference and their attendance remains utterly pathetic.
I didn't gloss over it. You said disastrous hire, and I simply don't agree. What did he take over and did he leave it in better condition than when he left? The answer to that is unequivocal YES. A disastrous hire \ tenure would mean he ran the thing into the ground, which he most certainly didn't. Not close.
You put me in a tough spot having to defend the school I hate the most on the planet, but Pat is a smart man and what he inherited was an absolute mess on so many levels. You have to also understand the USC football culture, which is go with USC people where they can, that included the football hires. The booster money that dictates some of that stuff is incredible out here. He was under enormous pressure to hire a USC guy, with Kiffin and Sark. I despise both of those coaches, and both are now gone. I do believe the Clay hire will do well.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on April 14, 2016, 12:57:46 PM
I didn't gloss over it. You said disastrous hire, and I simply don't agree. What did he take over and did he leave it in better condition than when he left? The answer to that is unequivocal YES. A disastrous hire \ tenure would mean he ran the thing into the ground, which he most certainly didn't. Not close.
Remember kids, hiring an alcoholic football coach is better than bringing JUCOs into a college basketball program.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on April 14, 2016, 12:57:46 PM
I didn't gloss over it. You said disastrous hire, and I simply don't agree. What did he take over and did he leave it in better condition than when he left? The answer to that is unequivocal YES. A disastrous hire \ tenure would mean he ran the thing into the ground, which he most certainly didn't. Not close.
OK, you're entitled to your opinion.
But, simply put, when you're AD at a program like USC (or Alabama, Michigan, Texas, etc.) the primary measure of success is going to be the football program. And while you may disagree, I think most people would say the football program during his tenure was, at best, disappointing.
Combine that with several embarrassing episodes (firing Kiffin on a tarmac, berating officials on the sidelines, hiring Sarkisian then waiting too long to do something about his behavior) and it's hard to see his time in the AD's office as anything but bad.
Quote from: Pakuni on April 14, 2016, 02:09:19 PM
OK, you're entitled to your opinion.
But, simply put, when you're AD at a program like USC (or Alabama, Michigan, Texas, etc.) the primary measure of success is going to be the football program. And while you may disagree, I think most people would say the football program during his tenure was, at best, disappointing.
Combine that with several embarrassing episodes (firing Kiffin on a tarmac, berating officials on the sidelines, hiring Sarkisian then waiting too long to do something about his behavior) and it's hard to see his time in the AD's office as anything but bad.
Firing Kiffin on the tarmac was embarrassing for one individual...Kiffin. As for Sark, most of that was led by the attorneys at USC and directing Haden to do what he did. You, of all people, should know this.
You are entitled to your opinion, but he guided USC out of the craphole. I don't know why you "gloss" this over.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on April 14, 2016, 10:26:25 PM
Firing Kiffin on the tarmac was embarrassing for one individual...Kiffin. As for Sark, most of that was led by the attorneys at USC and directing Haden to do what he did. You, of all people, should know this.
You are entitled to your opinion, but he guided USC out of the craphole. I don't know why you "gloss" this over.
Re: Sark - everyone in Seattle knew about Sark's penchant for drink and women. His $20,000 bar tabs are not fiction.
Haden should have known that Sark was out of control. I know for a fact that he was under scrutiny at UDub for many things.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on April 14, 2016, 10:26:25 PM
You are entitled to your opinion, but he guided USC out of the craphole. I don't know why you "gloss" this over.
This is where you're wrong. He didn't guide USC out of the "craphole." They're still very much in the craphole, and last year may have been the deepest in the craphole they've been. I mean, you've got coaches turning down USC to stay at Mississippi State and you have to settle for Clay Helton.
Quote from: keefe on April 15, 2016, 12:44:04 AM
Re: Sark - everyone in Seattle knew about Sark's penchant for drink and women. His $20,000 bar tabs are not fiction.
Haden should have known that Sark was out of control. I know for a fact that he was under scrutiny at UDub for many things.
USC knew about the issues as well, and unfortunately all too often people think they can get others help, etc....that it will work here, etc. We can all rattle off a gazillion examples in sports, business, etc....and many times those individuals have "corrected" their ways, that's why so many keep showing that compassion to do it. And many times it is a gigantic risk.
I'll just repeat that USC football money is controlled essentially by about 7 individuals, for the most part. Their sway is enormous, and they wanted whom they wanted. In a bit of irony, years ago these folks didn't want Pete Carrol, but then again USC in general was turned down so many times back then and when the got Carrol they were panned coast to coast.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on April 15, 2016, 09:19:40 AM
USC knew about the issues as well, and unfortunately all too often people think they can get others help, etc....that it will work here, etc. We can all rattle off a gazillion examples in sports, business, etc....and many times those individuals have "corrected" their ways, that's why so many keep showing that compassion to do it. And many times it is a gigantic risk.
I'll just repeat that USC football money is controlled essentially by about 7 individuals, for the most part. Their sway is enormous, and they wanted whom they wanted. In a bit of irony, years ago these folks didn't want Pete Carrol, but then again USC in general was turned down so many times back then and when the got Carrol they were panned coast to coast.
Perhaps there's a lesson in there.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on April 15, 2016, 09:19:40 AM
In a bit of irony, years ago these folks didn't want Pete Carrol, but then again USC in general was turned down so many times back then and when the got Carrol they were panned coast to coast.
And how did that turn out?
The one thing we know about SC is that their football program goes through up and down cycles. However, the up cycles are so tremendously good their is very little damage that the down cycles can inflict.
SC used football to build up the stature of the overall institution to the point that the school is now aspirational for many, instead of just being the University of Spoiled Children back in the day.
Quote from: Marquette Fan In NY on April 15, 2016, 07:45:30 PM
The one thing we know about SC is that their football program goes through up and down cycles. However, the up cycles are so tremendously good their is very little damage that the down cycles can inflict.
SC used football to build up the stature of the overall institution to the point that the school is now aspirational for many, instead of just being the University of Spoiled Children back in the day.
My folks met at SC where my father played baseball. The SC football team has been a machine since at least the '30's. I would hardly characterize SC as a Johnny Come Lately to the ranks of college football's elite.
Quote from: keefe on April 15, 2016, 02:17:20 PM
And how did that turn out?
Depends whom you ask. They got their national titles, and they also got hammered by the NCAA.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on April 16, 2016, 06:55:26 PM
Depends whom you ask. They got their national titles, and they also got hammered by the NCAA.
I think he also raised their floor. USC was pretty mediocre all through the 90s with the exception of Robinson's first 2-3 years in his second stint. Going a game or two over 500 consistently will now get you canned at USC while that was a regular outcome for awhile before Carroll
Quote from: keefe on April 16, 2016, 10:36:04 AM
My folks met at SC where my father played baseball. The SC football team has been a machine since at least the '30's. I would hardly characterize SC as a Johnny Come Lately to the ranks of college football's elite.
Exactly.
USC is 10th all time in wins among FBS programs, despite playing fewer games than anyone else in the top 20.
Quote from: keefe on April 16, 2016, 10:36:04 AM
My folks met at SC where my father played baseball. The SC football team has been a machine since at least the '30's. I would hardly characterize SC as a Johnny Come Lately to the ranks of college football's elite.
I don't think anyone was characterizing them as Johnny Come Lately.
At any rate, as much as I loathe USC, I give them and Pat Haden props for this yesterday. Great story.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/pac12/2016/04/16/jake-olson-blind-usc-long-snapper-college-football/83102462/