The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(08-12-2020 01:14 PM)BigBlueMonarch Wrote:  

(08-11-2020 09:57 PM)ziggy1 Wrote:  

(08-11-2020 07:54 PM)RoanokeMonarch Wrote:  

(08-11-2020 03:14 PM)bluelotmayor Wrote:  

(08-11-2020 12:37 PM)Nukesquad Wrote:  Although I have profound respect for what President Broderick has done and continues to do for ODU, as in taking us to FBS, etc., I find myself agreeing more with the sentiments you eloquently expressed. I also was one in a group of three alumni guests invited to dinner with President Runte in DC when she visited with Vice President(?) Brandon/Alonzo to gauge our interest for ODU Football. There's no question in my mind she was really good for ODU and wish she could have stayed longer.

I agree with that I hope ODU's next president will sell the school hard, and don't have preconceived "limitations" on where ODU could go. However, Broderick took ODU upwards from where Runte had it. She fit your definition exactly with "not think as highly of ODU place in the world" and operating as "small time." Broderick was instrumental in ODU's bringing back football; he basically pushed it though, when Jarrett was hesitant.

As for ESPN Radio, that station cares mainly about NFL/Tech/UVA. I know media relations have talked to them (spanning decades) until they're blue in the face and nothing has changed.. That has not changed since Jarrett was the AD & Koch/Runte were president.

I just want to point out that the Board of Visitors voted to bring back football in 2005 and Wilder was hired in 2007, under Runte. While Broderick has been a proponent of football, she did get the ball rolling, however reluctantly you feel it was.

Nuke, I 100% disagree with you. I remember President Runte as a huge ODU supporter and very vocal leader. I always thought she had great vision and ‘skies the limit’ mentality. She certainly worked the state general assembly in trying to get better funding for ODU.
I certainly remember her attending all men’s bb games, always engaging with the students and crowd. During her time, the student body was very engaged. We had an awesome home court atmosphere. And, as just mentioned, she was instrumental in starting football. She recognized the national attention football would bring to the university.
I remember her coming to Roanoke soon after becoming President and meeting with local alumni. She was very personable and engaging.
I believe we took a step back when Broderick become President. But just my two cents....

I agree with this. While Johnny B is a good president, he is not great, and I feel like the board settled on him as the best of bad choices. I think he has exceeded my expectations, but if Runte had stayed/been allowed to stay (What ever the situation was) I think ODU would have been in a much better place. Her focus was on making ODU a national academic player and I realize rankings aren't everything, but they were moving up when she was here and they have gone down since she left.

Dr runte was an awesome leader and she was the one who made odu go. She always took time out for me and my family. She tried to make odu keep up with the times and there was nothing she would not do to give odu the best. She left to go back to canada and I believe she is a CEO for a major company there. She agreed with most of us to try and think like a big time university and boy did she deliver some outstanding leadership and very generous donations by alumni and local businesses. We can do that here. We are the big boys in town and we should act like it.