6. A complete house cleaning of the athletic department with serious, qualified, hard working adults hired to replace the children there as an absolute necessity for ANY movement forward on the above athletic objectives.

(09-25-2012 09:09 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  1. Increased efforts with infrastructure in marketing/fundraising so if/when football is returned and conference affiliation is settled the university will be sitting on GO instead of their asses in terms of working on increased community/alumni involvement. I would suggest calling up Sean Henry and the folks at the Nashville Predators. They've made hockey work in Tennessee, taking their ideas and applying them to traditional sports to win new fans/old fans back with the implementation of programs.
I know there are folks that are in there that are working on things, but as with everything, there are shortcomings and there either needs to be an upgrade at the positions or major increases in training.
2. The establishment of Alumni chapters in every major city in Tennessee and the immediate southeast region. Start with Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis and Chattanooga. From there, establish the chapters in Atlanta, Charlotte, Birmingham and Roanoke. Instead of having poorly publicized meet and greets, use your alums to get the word out about alumni chapters. Post here, social media, get your broadcasting alums to do pieces on it (they exist in all of these markets somewhere). Do whatever it takes, if that means Dr. Noland going to door to door to meet the 99 percent from ETSU and get them to care, then so be it.

3. Athletics. There are so many things that can potentially happen, but the first two have got to happen before you can really even look at the issues here. Those issues are obviously plenty, but consist of in no real order. A. Football, if it's brought back, is it a scholarship or non-scholarship program? If scholarship, where does the extra 3-4 million dollars per year come from that will be needed? And no, sticking to 12 million per year is unacceptable, I'm a greedy guy, I want the funding to stay where it is for the irrelevant sports and an extra 3-4 million strictly for football. Employment decisions will need to be determined.

4. The dome/culture of the university. They're already working on the culture, but it'll take more than 9 months.

5. Unity. The bottom line is everyone on here, pro or anti football, soccer, pro/anti Dave, all want the same thing and that's what best for the growth of ETSU and giving us something to be proud of. When we wear our blue and gold, even in music city instead of getting rhetorical questions about dropping football we get questions about the med school, famous alums, and complements about the area. Instead of attacking each other, understand that not everyone has the same ideas to get us where ETSU needs to be. The fact is it's down to this Committee for 125, and either it will or it won't happen. Hopefully it will happen.

There's my short list of five things. The time for complaining is over. Either start making VALID SUGGESTIONS or go sit over at the children's table and let the grown folk get the job done.

Very good points. I agree and I think most people on agree. I think Dr. Noland is working on unifying the alumni as that problem has gone on for too long.

There are folks that work in athletics at etsu that need to go, but there are those doing what they need to do to provide for their family. While some changes need made, its not a full house cleaning.

(09-26-2012 08:56 AM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  There are folks that work in athletics at etsu that need to go, but there are those doing what they need to do to provide for their family. While some changes need made, its not a full house cleaning.

"Full house cleaning" is hyperbole. The first hire is an AD, obviously. That person would need the authority to do a complete job performance analysis of all personnel under his/her supervision in order to decide who goes and who stays. Whatever the deal, it starts with the AD.

I really can't see how the Committee for 125 can be successful with athletic reform without first having a new AD in place to work with unless they're going to be used to help hire a new AD.

Well, at the end of the day Dave is a "yes" man. If he wasn't one, he never would've gotten the job to begin with.
I'm guessing if folks decided to bring football back, one of two things would probably happen. 1: Dave gets on board, does his job and continues being a yes man. 2: He sees the writing on the wall, takes his retirement and bounces off to a country club giving private tennis lessons.

(09-26-2012 03:52 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  Well, at the end of the day Dave is a "yes" man. If he wasn't one, he never would've gotten the job to begin with.
I'm guessing if folks decided to bring football back, one of two things would probably happen. 1: Dave gets on board, does his job and continues being a yes man. 2: He sees the writing on the wall, takes his retirement and bounces off to a country club giving private tennis lessons.

I vote for #2

Just don't be disappointed if there isn't some sort of public firing. Deserved or not, that's not how ETSU can afford to do business.

(09-26-2012 04:21 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  Just don't be disappointed if there isn't some sort of public firing. Deserved or not, that's not how ETSU can afford to do business.

Can the ETSU athletic department be reformed with Dave Mullins as AD? Can football be brought back to ETSU with Dave Mullins as AD. Can there be a successful fund raising effort for a new arena and/or new football stadium with Dave Mullins as AD?

(09-26-2012 04:21 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  Just don't be disappointed if there isn't some sort of public firing. Deserved or not, that's not how ETSU can afford to do business.

Agreed. It has to be done quietly as a retirement. They simply cannot afford anything else.

(09-26-2012 06:03 PM)Buc66 Wrote:  

(09-26-2012 04:21 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  Just don't be disappointed if there isn't some sort of public firing. Deserved or not, that's not how ETSU can afford to do business.

Can the ETSU athletic department be reformed with Dave Mullins as AD? Can football be brought back to ETSU with Dave Mullins as AD. Can there be a successful fund raising effort for a new arena and/or new football stadium with Dave Mullins as AD?

no

(09-26-2012 06:46 PM)bucfan81 Wrote:  

(09-26-2012 04:21 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  Just don't be disappointed if there isn't some sort of public firing. Deserved or not, that's not how ETSU can afford to do business.

Agreed. It has to be done quietly as a retirement. They simply cannot afford anything else.

Are the new tennis courts finished yet?

(09-27-2012 11:29 AM)Seattle Bucs Wrote:  

(09-26-2012 06:46 PM)bucfan81 Wrote:  

(09-26-2012 04:21 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  Just don't be disappointed if there isn't some sort of public firing. Deserved or not, that's not how ETSU can afford to do business.

Agreed. It has to be done quietly as a retirement. They simply cannot afford anything else.

Are the new tennis courts finished yet?

Looks like they will be finished on time.

(09-26-2012 06:46 PM)bucfan81 Wrote:  

(09-26-2012 04:21 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  Just don't be disappointed if there isn't some sort of public firing. Deserved or not, that's not how ETSU can afford to do business.

Agreed. It has to be done quietly as a retirement. They simply cannot afford anything else.

.


I disagree. A public firing would make a strong statement about a new direction for ETSU athletics. Would such a headline possibly perk-up interest among alumni and Buc supporters in general?

Headline:
"ETSU AD out as university looks to improve athletics"



Besides, it seems to have been the order-of-business elsewhere:

"University of Montana fires football coach, athletic director"
http://missoulian.com/news/local/univers...963f4.html

"SMU Fires Athletic Director"
http://www.kolotv.com/sports/headlines/S...94495.html

"Boise State fires athletic director"
http://www.oregonlive.com/collegefootbal...c_dir.html

"CSU athletic dept. fires current athletic director, hires ex-Rams QB"
http://www.9news.com/news/education/arti...c-director

"Georgia State Fires Athletic Director"
http://www.11alive.com/news/article/1248...c-Director

"UNCW fires athletic director Capaccio"
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20.../704060372

"Brookdale Community College fires athletic director, saying he violate ethics code"
http://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/...ge_fi.html

"Arizona State Fires Athletic Director; Sleeping Giant Status?"
http://www.rantsports.com/ncaa-football/...nt-status/

"Rutgers fires athletic director Robert Mulcahy"
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/12..._robe.html

"AASU athletic director fired"
http://www.wtoc.com/Global/story.asp?S=13955893

"FAU Athletic Director Craig Angelos fired"
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-03...d-grossman

"Ex-Duquesne athletic director fired from St. John's"
http://www.theduquesneduke.com/ex-duques...-1.2792363

"Associate Athletic Director Fired for Scalping"
http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes...d-scalping

"Penn State assistant athletic director Mark Sherburne fired over documents, reports say"
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.s...tic_2.html

"Source: Georgia AD Evans ousted"
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5354373

"Frazier fired as University of Hawaii athletics director"
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3187261

"KU's Athletic Director Fired"
http://www.kake.com/sports/headlines/245332.html

"Winslow out as Central State AD"
http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/s...-ad/nPR28/

"WCU athletic director Chip Smith fired today, Citizen-Times reports"
http://www.mountainx.com/article/36689/W...es-reports

Why cause more division when simply putting him our to pasture would be easier. Like it or not, there are folks whon't think Mullins has done a bad job, so instead of alienating them, you announce his "retirement." It sends the message that a new direction is coming without division.
Being brash/harsh doesn't always work. Fans/alums need to be united, not further alienated. That philosophy has been the ETSU way for the last 60 years, it hasn't worked.

(09-27-2012 03:45 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  Why cause more division when simply putting him our to pasture would be easier. Like it or not, there are folks whon't think Mullins has done a bad job, so instead of alienating them, you announce his "retirement." It sends the message that a new direction is coming without division.
Being brash/harsh doesn't always work. Fans/alums need to be united, not further alienated. That philosophy has been the ETSU way for the last 60 years, it hasn't worked.

In all honesty, Mullins did only what he was hired to do. A real athletic director would not have abandoned his profession and the integrity of the position to carry out the directive that he was given. Get rid of football, de-emphasize athletics, pump up the invisible sports, take the sports program to irrelevancy, and keep athletics and athletic issues out of the president's office. He's just the symptom of the problem and the shinning symbol of the decline of ETSU athletics. He catches the heat because his name is all over the sorry state of athletics. At this time, with a new president on board and after almost ten years, the honorable thing for him to do is retire. In fact, that should become the theme going forward - now is the time to retire. And, that, my friends, is a most positive and generous recommendation.

What I was thinking was if he had some time left on his contract and do not think we could afford to buy someone out. But if they retire...

Retiring isn't boat rocking, and truthfully he doesn't have to retire from the university. They could probably let him teach a PE class or two and pay him fulltime if they wanted. It wouldn't hurt a thing. Whatever it takes to make a seamless transition.

(09-27-2012 07:37 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  Retiring isn't boat rocking, and truthfully he doesn't have to retire from the university. They could probably let him teach a PE class or two and pay him fulltime if they wanted. It wouldn't hurt a thing. Whatever it takes to make a seamless transition.

Now we have something to take forward and stop looking backwards. This would be the move-on-of-Dave Mullins and the future work of the athletic arm of the Committee for 125. With the Dave Mullins name no longer associated with ETSU athletics and the former president already retired, this could help get everyone focused on the future of ETSU athletics minus these significant impediments. So, it is imperative that Dave Mullins moves on as soon as possible.

But that decision, once again can't be abrupt, and while maybe it can't "happen soon enough," it has to play out with a new guy on board. It just can't be the new guy coming into town, ridin and rompin, and work up a number six on them.
Keep it low key, make sure the writing is on the wall and then if it doesn't take care of itself, then you offer retirement, reassignment or all out termination.

I don't care how or why, I just care when.

Get the chump out sooner than later.