Stanton? Bartow? The guy in your english lit class that keeps hitting on you, and you're a dude?

I was thinking about this and if I had a vote, it would be Mullins. Here's why-

If Stanton leaves, there is no guarantee that he would be replaced with a football-loving president who demands more for the ETSU athletic department. It could very easily be someone like Wylsie Bishop or Wayne Andrews would would more than likely only be a continuation.

But if Mullins were to find cheap Maui beachfront property and retire tomorrow, he would likely be replaced by someone like Kemp or Bartow if they wanted to stay within, which would mean more attention to basketball.

If they did an outside search, ADs like to have their own vision.

The thought here is that Mullins is a yes man for Stanton at best and a tennis coach whose focus is not on improving the presitige of ETSU's brand name but rather making sure the non-revenue sports get their fair share above all, no matter what it means to the higher profile programs, at worst.

A new AD would not have that vision. A new AD would see where there were facilities in place for golf, soccer, and softball, one for baseball on the way, and then focus on what is left, which is basketball and the question of football revival.

No new AD comes in with the idea of status quo. He wants to put his own mark on the program.

Would he butt heads? Of course! And that's where ADs take things public.

This AD may crash and burn by doing so, but the question of what direction the Bucs are taking would be pushed to the forefront.

Instead of "The Bucs had their greatest year in 2007," the question would be "Can the Bucs go to the next level?" What the next level is becomes the discourse.

And that would be a positive.

Yes, they could promote Mike White, which would be like having Enos Strate as the athletic director.

But I'm at the point where I think even that would be an improvement.

Personally, I think ETSU had several AD’s in the 1990’s with their own vision for ETSU athletics. That vision included scholarship football and staying in the SoCon. Starting with Keener Fry, who was essentially run off by Stanton, in fact, Stanton ran off every AD he ever had at ETSU until he found his boy Mullins. The answer is total house cleaning at ETSU, starting at the top. The sooner the better.

I really think Stanton has to go first. If Mullins goes...a new tennis coach will take his place.


However you make one interesting point. Murry Bartow would probably make a better athletic director than he does a coach.

Very interesting. I think it would be a great idea of the in-coming President to try Bartow at AD. He might do a great job of getting football re-established and everything else in order. Might work.

Hand over the AD's job to a person who has never been an AD. fired from his last basketball job, has done nothing to elevate ETSU basketball, never been a fund raiser, nearly invisible in community affairs ( been here for 6-years ) and refers to ETSU basketball supporters as "friggin fans".

Why would anybody think Murray could take ETSU's athletic program upward? He's struggling in one of the worst basksetball conferences, even though he has the largest fanbase behind his team. Hell, he can't draw up an inbounds play.

Where has the thinking gone that we need an experienced and personable person that knows what it takes to move ETSU athletics to a higher level. A person that knows how to bring the University, the students, the athletes, the coaches, the business community, the alumni and the fans together as a unified body.

Murray Bartow, no-way.

(02-26-2010 11:30 AM)bucone Wrote:  Where has the thinking gone that we need an experienced and personable person that knows what it takes to move ETSU athletics to a higher level. A person that knows how to bring the University, the students, the athletes, the coaches, the business community, the alumni and the fans together as a unified body.

I don't know where you've been but we don't hire experienced people at ETSU.

Gotta be Stanton, even if we were to hire a football loving, forwarding thinking AD their hands will be tied by whoever the president is. We don't necessarily need a football loving president, just one that isn't going to get in the way of its return.

Gold - I was referring to the thinking of most of the persons on this board, not the usual university suspects.

I say put them all in one room and chain the doors. The last one to survive is let free!

Gold- I could see under Stanton a new AD coming from within. If Mullins retires after a new president is hired, then I could easily see the new president hiring an AD from the outside.

Stanton.

Stanton

(02-26-2010 02:03 PM)ETSUfan1 Wrote:  I say put them all in one room and chain the doors. The last one to survive is let free!

This is a really good idea. Only, I would put them all in a room with Chuck lidell.