I can attest that I had minimal impact on the new coaching hires, although I do admit to informing Mack that GD sucked from my seat in the stands since 1999 so I assume I did eventually have some impact so I will not ask for my Foundation money to be returned at this point.
Supposedly, Dodds was ready to hire Gary Barnett, until Red McCombs told him he should "Go get Mack Brown". I don't know how true that story is, but that's how I heard it...
I am, but in regard to the linked story, Robert Burton is a ******* idiot. You don't make a donation to any university and then tell them how to run it.
Great discussion with Bob Knight this morning on Mike & Mike. Needless to say Knight would have told the guy where to put his money and ideas.
Bobby Knight was just on Mike & Mike ripping this guy. Said if he had that much money the guy should start his own university "Ego Tech" and he could hire the coach for the "Ego Tech Bigheads." Funny. EDIT - Viper's a fast typist.....
The story I heard was that Dodds was with the group that met Barnett, they were ready to pull trigger when group that met with Mack (which included Red McCombs) called and said to hold everything. That is not quite the booster telling Dodds who to hire but it is the booster telling Dodds to come meet this guy before you make a decision. i still think ultimately it was Dodds who made the decision though by all accounts Mack blew everyone away in his interviews for the job.
i dont think that boosters should have a say in hiring practices, or make decisions. but fundraisers sell these guys on a relationship with the athletic department. they cultivate an environment where the donor says "hey, i feel good about donating my funds here because i'm part of the team", and then they open their checkbook. so sure burton is a bit of an attention ***** for making this public (if this was in fact him), but i look at this situation as a failure by the AD and whoever their athletic fundraising director is. it's their job to make sure that donors feel "heard" and "understood", even if their input ends up meaning absolutely nothing. they likely sold burton on being a part of the connecticut athletic family. and if you are going to say that, then you at least have to make him feel like a part of the process, even if he's talking gibberish. donors are temperamental and need to be treated with kid gloves. this is a failure by the AD and the fundraising arm of the athletic department.
I'm sure the AD at Oklahoma State is well advised to (and does) get T. Boone Pickens' assent on any athletic coaching changes.
VeggieBoy, Deloss & Tom Hicks met with Barnett, whose attorney lives in St Louis. DKR had the groupgoing to Atlanta at the same time. It was DKR who pulled the trigger on Mack Brown not Red. TexasTaps, Meet Jim MacInvale and NTSU. UConn is a **** program with fans worse than Ohio State. The AD and school president are total dumbasses (not just because of this incident). Should the donor have the final say? No. The fact that he is the largest donor and his son played four years for the guy you're hiring warrants a courtesy call to ask his opinion and that of the former player.
I tend to agree that this guy is being a baby about the deal. Obviously, none of us knows the inside story, but perhaps he was told one thing by the admin and then the admin did another. Texas is a completely different animal than a lot of schools. At many, many smaller schools (especially private ones) there are boosters that actually subsidize the coaches contracts. If a booster is going to pay $150K of a coaches $700K salary, you can bet he will get to have an opinion on who the hire will be. Typically, there are 2-3 board member boosters (boosters is such a silly word now-9 times out of 10 the guys I am referring to are smart guys that love the university and want to help and are not driven by ego) that put up $350K-$400K annually to augment a coach's salary. This does not happen at Texas as the program pays for itself so there is not as much influence.
The top dollar donors (McCombs, etc.) are a big reason Mack's our coach. Don't forget that Dodds was dead set on hiring Gary Barnett. So...yes.
A seven million dollar donation at UT only gets you an invitation to a cocktail party. Have to pony up a lot more than that to have any influence or get your name on a building.
To expound on bronco's point, there are even positions NAMED after donors. Northwestern, for example. Pat Fitzgerald is not "Head Football Coach", he is "Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach". Remember the golden rule....he who has the gold, makes the rules. The Link
Johnny, I was really hoping you were going to chime in on the hiring process at Ill., UT, or AZ. Is there any insight you could/would add to the discussion as it relates to your family?
Pogo - I really don't have much to add, but don't think that's because I have juicy bits that I don't want to share. I just don't know a lot about the details. The "big" donors everywhere expect to be treated as part of the family. For some that just means they get a smile and handshake from the coach and a feeling of inclusion. For others that means a seat at the table during these types of discussions. It seems like there was a lack of communication here on both parties, and the UConn administration should be embarrassed that they didn't at least hear the guy out. Not that they "have" to, but what's the harm? That being said, this guy is ridiculous. If you want your money to buy you decision-making power, buy an NFL team. I also don't know anything about the AD, so his caustic words may ring true, but that doesn't excuse him for unrealistic expectations or a feeling of entitlement.
I actually once worked for a company that was bought by this guy. Not surprised to see his douchebaggery appear again.
Well, the donor (on paper) has no "right" to help decide who UCONN hires, but for an AD to be so arrogant to dismiss him is even more stupid and shows the AD is poor at his job and perhaps in over his head. I have clients who are sometimes a pain in the ***...everyone has people that they need to deal with in their day to day life that the may not enjoy, but the ramifications of not dealing with them are worse than dealing with them. In my opinion these two deserve each other, and Uconn deserves them both.