We talk about ADs hiring and firing coaches, try to balance budgets (not easy at EMU), compliance, scheduling (as we know from FB, it is as much about the budget as games, and negotiating contracts with the opposing school), discipline (that 2:00 a.m. call on Sunday morning that a couple FB players were involved in a big fight at a bar), facilities (maintenance and expanding them), fund raising, public relations and marketing, etc.

I can imagine the AD at L'ville trying to figure out what to do for the parents of Kevin Ware.

They weren't in Indy for the game.

I believe from the article that Ware's parents took the next flight to Indy. Then on to L'ville and then Atlanta.

Not cheap!!!! Who paid? As a NCAA tourney game, can the NCAA pay? L'ville? What protocol is involved? Who approves for the school and NCAA? (nice to have the NCAA president at the game, but this is rare).

The NCAA is very wary of 'extra benefits' where a school, esp. the rich ones, can provide extra benefits to the players or parents of players.

What happens if a neck or spine injury happens at Rynearson and not at the Elite Eight?

I don't know anything about Ware's parents, but to some parents, the statement: "Just pay the flight and lodging and we'll reimburse you' would send some parents into shock. Just fork over a few grand on a few minutes notice. Hope the credit card limit isn't near its max. Some athletes come from families which are poor.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketba...-says-fine

In short, an AD has to know collegiate sports inside out, budgeting, HR, compliance, legal issues, facilities, scheduling, marketing and public relations, etc. etc.

An AD is a true manager of a big enterprise whose budget might be 10 to 100M bucks.

This isn't a position for a coach who wants to wear two hats or to kick a person up who didn't succeed as a head coach.

In my post above I raised an issue about what happens when the parents or guardians of an injured player need to be with their child.

I have NO ideas how that is handled.

What happens in the most severe cases like a FB player who has a broken neck.

A parent needs to be near their child but that can be very difficult and very costly.

How are out of pocket expenses handled for the player and his/her family.

I bet just understanding medical insurance and all of the issues which can occur with an athletic department of hundreds and hundreds of athletes can be tough.

P.S. I bet being an AD at a school without football is much easier. Catastrophic injuries are uncommon in T&F, tennis, softball, swimming, etc.

One of the jobs of the AD is do deal with out-of-contrlol coaches like the guy at Rutgers and that guy, Bobby Knight, at IU.

Here is a case where a RedHawk FB player got him into some hot water.

http://www.hustlebelt.com/2013/4/2/41766...i-redhawks

And the first (?) player from Rutgers men's hoops is transferring.

http://www.scarletknights.com/basketball...Vw8N1cvZKY

That program might hit a rough patch with internal problems.