http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/...c-director

http://collegead.com/fundraising-athletic-director/

For the first time in a long time I feel good about the leadership at Pitt...

@PantherLair: 2 things re: Barnes: 1. Got recognition for running "economically efficient" ath. dept. 2. increased private FB funding by $2.5 mill. #Pitt

Seems credibile.
http://www.utahstateaggies.com/genrel/ba...ott00.html

Pitt been making the right moves since Gallagher was hired as Chancellor. Gallagher and Narduzzi are doing a fantastic job of bringing back the alumni to the program that was lost when the Pitt Stadium was torn down. And now, Barnes seems to be a guy w/ a track record of increasing donations at Utah State. All I have to say is if this Barnes/Narduzzi experiment doesn't work, it's not for a lack of effort. I think Pitt as an entire athletic entity is on the up and up.

As an outsider looking in, I also feel good about the direction of Pitt football. It's my hope that VT will get back to late '90's levels soon... then we could see a real Coastal division threat to the FSU/Clemson power structure!

As many on this board have pounded over and over I do think that Pitt in recent years shorted foootball seeing that hoops was the easier sport to compete at a high level in. I know some Pitt fans very much don't agree with that opinion but it certainly feels that there is a new invested attitude in football and it's tradition and it's future going forward. That is just me though.

(04-23-2015 10:57 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  As an outsider looking in, I also feel good about the direction of Pitt football. It's my hope that VT will get back to late '90's levels soon... then we could see a real Coastal division threat to the FSU/Clemson power structure!

I would love to see Pitt / VT games return to what they once meant in the early 2000's!!!!

It's hard to be too down or too excited on an AD hire. They're not generally household names and most people don't put the time and effort in to research their track record.

There's nothing not to like about this hire, in my opinion. What I like most about it is that Gallagher and company made the decision and currently they're on a hot streak of making what seem to be good decisions for the athletics programs at Pitt.

Hail to Pitt! Welcome AD Scott Barnes.

Wait-and-see mode on Pitt.

(04-23-2015 01:17 PM)Marge Schott Wrote:  Wait-and-see mode on Pitt.

Sure. You do have to admit, these guys are at minimum upgrades - the question is, will it be enough?

Except I don't have to admit Narduzzi is an upgrade. He's another coordinator with no HC experience. Utah State has had a good athletic department the last 5-10 years, but you know who was the AD at Utah State that started that run? FSU's former AD, Randy Spetman (USU from 2004-2008).

I have no idea of these are upgrades or not, you NEVER do with coaches or ADs or anything like that.

However, I am encouraged at the attempt to upgrade at least by Pitt and Syracuse. Both of those guys were in over their heads in the ACC.

Narduzz and Barnes are seemingly good hires on the surface, but no one has proven anything yet. At this point, it is all hype. But Pitt needed a fresh start because the fan/booster base had grown fragmented and disgruntled.

The Utah St AD has been recognized for running an extremely efficient athletic department, which is exactly how Pitt has to operate, because it will never pull in the revenue of the large land grant universities it is surrounded by. It has to be more efficient, and sell its relatively unique attributes and traditions. Fundraising must improve.

But everything depends on the hiring of head coaches. Something Pitt has had 30 years of terrible luck and decision making with. Winning makes people look brilliant. Pitt has many more self inflicted wounds than victories.

The new chancellor, Gallagher, is seemingly off to a great start all around...not just athletics...but he's been on the job for 7 months. There's a long way to go, and he's not faced anything remotely like the challenges that were faced by the prior admin, and hopefully he never has too. His athletic department also has several millions of more annual revenue coming in thanks to the ACC and the prior admin, and no, they did not short change football, which is an absolutely fallacious suggestion with zero basis in reality as they had put more money and effort into the program than any other time in the history of the school (but obviously with lackluster results).

(04-23-2015 02:39 PM)Lou_C Wrote:  I have no idea of these are upgrades or not, you NEVER do with coaches or ADs or anything like that.

However, I am encouraged at the attempt to upgrade at least by Pitt and Syracuse. Both of those guys were in over their heads in the ACC.

True, we don't know how this will turn out. However, they have increased Narduzzi's budget for assistants dramatically compared to Chryst's and began serious upgrades to the facilities. So at least there is an appearance that they are putting forth for of an effort.

The last admin was a complete joke. I know of several people that that last joke turned away from donating and ignored several letters/emails from him.

Cubic dollars don't win every time but they put you in the game. Any AD worth his salt should have a field day raising money at Pitt.

Seems like a good hire. I officially withdraw my name from consideration.

(04-23-2015 02:39 PM)Lou_C Wrote:  I have no idea of these are upgrades or not, you NEVER do with coaches or ADs or anything like that.

However, I am encouraged at the attempt to upgrade at least by Pitt and Syracuse. Both of those guys were in over their heads in the ACC.

...and in the Big East before that.

(04-23-2015 01:17 PM)Marge Schott Wrote:  Wait-and-see mode on Pitt.

Me too.