(01-14-2013 12:13 AM)NTMB Wrote:  

(01-13-2013 10:43 PM)Atlanta Wrote:  I'll take a middle ground on Bowen. I do like his approach to accountabilty & hope he does develop and maintain better discipline within the athletics dept. That said, I have to scratch my head when it comes to the unprofessional public & contradictory pronouncements about BB scheduling. When did OUR Athletic Director make any public pro(?)nouncement about scheduling UT? Oh wait... he didn't. The UT AD did that, and then local media ran with it. The only pronouncements were Pastner's grandstanding about killing the series. What happened with the announcements by our BB coach & our AD again, when did our AD make any announcement to contradict Pastner? regarding the UTK schedule is embarassing. It proved to undermind the coach publically, especially considering that our BB coach is charged with scheduling (as most D-1 BB coaches are).Not necessarily an honest assessment, since NO schedule has been set, and it is QUITE COMMON for ADs to negotiate multi-sport scheduling agreements. I do understand that the AD has a financial responsibility and to that extent should be involved in BB scheduling but the public announcements were just bush league. Guess what... He didn't make a public announcement until AFTER all the lemmings flew off the cliff to Geoff's delight. Then this article states Bowen holds a monthly meeting with the head coaches - making the miscommunications all the more bewildering.Because NOTHING can happen between those meetings right? No new developments can happen OVERNIGHT in the world of collegiate sports. I mean it's just unheard of. I have to ask myself, surely this would come up in those meetings - unless it was intentional. I'm hoping just misscommunication, if intentional, we'll see it again - and it could run off our coach (and any other coach who might want to control his program, FB or BB). Crawl away from the ledge. No one is trying to run off your beloved basketball god.

My response in bold.

Some of you need to come back to reality.

This here is what we call a "thread locker".

(01-14-2013 12:20 AM)NTMB Wrote:  

(01-13-2013 01:58 PM)ncrdbl1 Wrote:  

(01-13-2013 01:15 PM)Gray Avenger Wrote:  Considering that the only man who ever walked the face of the earth said to be perfect had mortal enemies, it isn't surprising that the athletic director of a university located in a community full of fools, jackasses and SEC-loving haters would quickly have his share of critics and scapegoaters. Bowen has thick skin and knows what he is doing.

More like Bowen thinks he walks on water and is perfect.

I am the great and powerful Bowen. All head coaches will drop what ever they are doing and you will meet me with once a month. I have spoken. I the great Bowen am too important to meet with mere assistants. You the head coach WILL meet with me face to face and thous shalt report to me.

"Bowen has instituted a monthly head coaches' meeting that has lasted as long as three hours. There's no wiggling out or sending a substitute, either. If a head coach can't make it, the meeting is simply rescheduled. "

Why do so many refuse to see the classic signs of a control freak staring them straight in the face. He has shown over and over that he needs to prove his superiority over the mere coaches and they must do his bidding.

The stupid is strong with this one.

true...... but obvious

I think Bowen's main area of growing room centers around community relations. Not saying he owes us daily radio interviews, or anything, but the culture of Memphis with regards to athletics is probably a bit different from anywhere else he's ever been, and the sooner he recognizes that the better off I believe he'll be.

Loyalty is important to the community. Condescension of any kind is greatly frowned upon. Secrecy is regarded with suspicion, especially when seemingly-unnecessary. The Memphis athletic community is very complex and personality-oriented, and applying formulae in a "CEO" kind of way or being overly reductive of the complex fabric that constitutes the community can backfire. In other words, plan ahead, but always keep an eye on the ground in real-time.

Memphis culture, foremost, is more about people than it is about business plans. We're a community built on trust and relationships-- not on data. There can be a balance to strike, and admittedly we could probably use a bit more pragmatism and no-nonsense in the AOB, but there's a balance to strike and a way to bring it around with finesse.

I think he will figure this stuff out, if he's open to figuring out. He seems like a bright guy-- which is refreshing.

I have had the pleasure of meeting with Tom Bowen privately and in a group meeting in the last six months he has been here. As the past president of the Highland Hundred, I was able to have a meaningful and frank discourse with our new AD. Quite the polar opposite of our previous AD.

I found him to be honest, forthright and supportive of, not only our mission of the Highland Hundred, but of the mission of athletics at the University, as a whole.

He has presented ideas that haven't previously been presented to help improve attendance, game day atmosphere, and increased involvement with and by the community at large. His main concern is to improve the quality of the athletic department in all areas, not only in the performance of all the teams.

Control freak? No, but rather an administrator who is in control and cognizant of his responsibilities. I look forward to his leading our athletic department and bring us to the national limelight in all sports!

I believe that Tom Bowen is taking our U of M athletics in the right direction. I have met him and talked to him, and I think that he is exactly what we needed. Alan Graf thinks so too, and he was the main guy behind this hire.

I am sorry that we have a couple of so-called Tiger "fans" who have their panties in a wad over the Bowen hire. All I can say is that you need to get on board or get left at the station. Tiger athletics (and especially football) is moving on and will improve under Bowen. Those who can't buy into the direction we are going need to move in another direction. The rest of us are sick of your whining.

(01-14-2013 08:59 AM)covingtontiger Wrote:  I believe that Tom Bowen is taking our U of M athletics in the right direction. I have met him and talked to him, and I think that he is exactly what we needed. Alan Graf thinks so too, and he was the main guy behind this hire.

I am sorry that we have a couple of so-called Tiger "fans" who have their panties in a wad over the Bowen hire. All I can say is that you need to get on board or get left at the station. Tiger athletics (and especially football) is moving on and will improve under Bowen. Those who can't buy into the direction we are going need to move in another direction. The rest of us are sick of your whining.

CT, great post and I agree 100%. +3

We've got the right guy, if any feathers get ruffled, it's way overdue

(01-14-2013 08:42 AM)juggoman Wrote:  I have had the pleasure of meeting with Tom Bowen privately and in a group meeting in the last six months he has been here. As the past president of the Highland Hundred, I was able to have a meaningful and frank discourse with our new AD. Quite the polar opposite of our previous AD.

I found him to be honest, forthright and supportive of, not only our mission of the Highland Hundred, but of the mission of athletics at the University, as a whole.

He has presented ideas that haven't previously been presented to help improve attendance, game day atmosphere, and increased involvement with and by the community at large. His main concern is to improve the quality of the athletic department in all areas, not only in the performance of all the teams.

Control freak? No, but rather an administrator who is in control and cognizant of his responsibilities. I look forward to his leading our athletic department and bring us to the national limelight in all sports!

Well said - thanks for sharing your experience with Mr. Bowen!

(01-14-2013 12:13 AM)NTMB Wrote:  

(01-13-2013 10:43 PM)Atlanta Wrote:  I'll take a middle ground on Bowen. I do like his approach to accountabilty & hope he does develop and maintain better discipline within the athletics dept. That said, I have to scratch my head when it comes to the unprofessional public & contradictory pronouncements about BB scheduling. When did OUR Athletic Director make any public pro(?)nouncement about scheduling UT? Oh wait... he didn't. The UT AD did that, and then local media ran with it. The only pronouncements were Pastner's grandstanding about killing the series. What happened with the announcements by our BB coach & our AD again, when did our AD make any announcement to contradict Pastner? regarding the UTK schedule is embarassing. It proved to undermind the coach publically, especially considering that our BB coach is charged with scheduling (as most D-1 BB coaches are).Not necessarily an honest assessment, since NO schedule has been set, and it is QUITE COMMON for ADs to negotiate multi-sport scheduling agreements. I do understand that the AD has a financial responsibility and to that extent should be involved in BB scheduling but the public announcements were just bush league. Guess what... He didn't make a public announcement until AFTER all the lemmings flew off the cliff to Geoff's delight. Then this article states Bowen holds a monthly meeting with the head coaches - making the miscommunications all the more bewildering.Because NOTHING can happen between those meetings right? No new developments can happen OVERNIGHT in the world of collegiate sports. I mean it's just unheard of. I have to ask myself, surely this would come up in those meetings - unless it was intentional. I'm hoping just misscommunication, if intentional, we'll see it again - and it could run off our coach (and any other coach who might want to control his program, FB or BB). Crawl away from the ledge. No one is trying to run off your beloved basketball god.

My response in bold.

Some of you need to come back to reality.

I want to preface my statements by saying I am not a JP groupy. I think he lacks floor coaching skills (not unlike Calipari) but he is probably a top 10 recruiter and for that I patiently support him as he grows in the job - especially since recruiting is likely 75%+ of the success in college BB today.

Now, if you would have taken time to read and comprehend what I stated, you would have understood I did not attribute an initial public announcement to Bowen. Instead I correctly stated "unprofessional public & contradictory pronouncements about BB scheduling" without assigning to anyone an intial announcement (your reply shows your bias). But rather than read and comprehend what I said, you made my statement mean what you wanted in order to present an erroneous strawman & then complain about your created meaning. Further JP didn't release a statement on scheduling instead he responded to an inevitable media question because the UTK game was next on the schedule - and he responded based directly upon information and discussion with Bowen.

Point is, the contradictory positions that were a source of media comment within the state of TN among several news sources and then repeated nationally by ESPN and other athletic news sources IS an embarassment to our university and our athletic dept specifically. Bowen himself, now on several fronts has accepted responsibility.

And as regards scheduling, clearly JP is charged as part of his job description, with BB scheduling - as is most every D-1 coach in the country. I would hope the AD's scheduling input would be financial, public relations, assistance to the coach as a facilitator and overall benefit to the athletic dept. and not hands on scheduling where an AD is likely less equipped to make good decisions than the head coach (& certainly not without informing the coach). Next thing some will say is that the AD because he is the athletic "director" that he can begin helping/directing the coach as he coaches players, maybe sit on the bench during games and provide direction, etc. And one more thing, if the AD is so intent on communications with his head coaches, there is no excuse for not communicating his dicussions with the UTK AD.

(01-14-2013 10:31 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 12:13 AM)NTMB Wrote:  

(01-13-2013 10:43 PM)Atlanta Wrote:  I'll take a middle ground on Bowen. I do like his approach to accountabilty & hope he does develop and maintain better discipline within the athletics dept. That said, I have to scratch my head when it comes to the unprofessional public & contradictory pronouncements about BB scheduling. When did OUR Athletic Director make any public pro(?)nouncement about scheduling UT? Oh wait... he didn't. The UT AD did that, and then local media ran with it. The only pronouncements were Pastner's grandstanding about killing the series. What happened with the announcements by our BB coach & our AD again, when did our AD make any announcement to contradict Pastner? regarding the UTK schedule is embarassing. It proved to undermind the coach publically, especially considering that our BB coach is charged with scheduling (as most D-1 BB coaches are).Not necessarily an honest assessment, since NO schedule has been set, and it is QUITE COMMON for ADs to negotiate multi-sport scheduling agreements. I do understand that the AD has a financial responsibility and to that extent should be involved in BB scheduling but the public announcements were just bush league. Guess what... He didn't make a public announcement until AFTER all the lemmings flew off the cliff to Geoff's delight. Then this article states Bowen holds a monthly meeting with the head coaches - making the miscommunications all the more bewildering.Because NOTHING can happen between those meetings right? No new developments can happen OVERNIGHT in the world of collegiate sports. I mean it's just unheard of. I have to ask myself, surely this would come up in those meetings - unless it was intentional. I'm hoping just misscommunication, if intentional, we'll see it again - and it could run off our coach (and any other coach who might want to control his program, FB or BB). Crawl away from the ledge. No one is trying to run off your beloved basketball god.

My response in bold.

Some of you need to come back to reality.

I want to preface my statements by saying I am not a JP groupy. I think he lacks floor coaching skills (not unlike Calipari) but he is probably a top 10 recruiter and for that I patiently support him as he grows in the job - especially since recruiting is likely 75%+ of the success in college BB today.

Now, if you would have taken time to read and comprehend what I stated, you would have understood I did not attribute an initial public announcement to Bowen. Instead I correctly stated "unprofessional public & contradictory pronouncements about BB scheduling" without assigning to anyone an intial announcement (your reply shows your bias). But rather than read and comprehend what I said, you made my statement mean what you wanted in order to present an erroneous strawman & then complain about your created meaning. Further JP didn't release a statement on scheduling instead he responded to an inevitable media question because the UTK game was next on the schedule - and he responded based directly upon information and discussion with Bowen.

Point is, the contradictory positions that were a source of media comment within the state of TN among several news sources and then repeated nationally by ESPN and other athletic news sources IS an embarassment to our university and our athletic dept specifically. Bowen himself, now on several fronts has accepted responsibility.

And as regards scheduling, clearly JP is charged as part of his job description, with BB scheduling - as is most every D-1 coach in the country. I would hope the AD's scheduling input would be financial, public relations, assistance to the coach as a facilitator and overall benefit to the athletic dept. and not hands on scheduling where an AD is likely less equipped to make good decisions than the head coach (& certainly not without informing the coach). Next thing some will say is that the AD because he is the athletic "director" that he can begin helping/directing the coach as he coaches players, maybe sit on the bench during games and provide direction, etc. And one more thing, if the AD is so intent on communications with his head coaches, there is no excuse for not communicating his dicussions with the UTK AD.

I see.

Well since you're so in tune with the inner workings of the Athletic Department, why don't you provide a timeline for when the last meeting between the two occurred and when Bowen had any contact with the UT AD that would give HIM the impression that continued scheduling was in the works? Since you're claiming that he basically knew before the last meeting prior to the "snafu" and just failed to mention it.

Also, since you are so dead set on labeling the man as a micro-manager, how about YOU tell us when our next scheduled game with UT is?

What's that? Oh it hasn't been scheduled? So Bowen DIDN'T go behind anyone's back and SCHEDULE A GAME? SO Bowen didn't contradict Pastner by SCHEDULING UT? So maybe Pastner jumped the gun just a little? SAY IT AIN'T SO!!! Sure Bowen took the heat... that's his job also. Coach needs to learn when to not run his mouth with absolute statements.

Finally, my reading comprehension is perfectly fine. My bias is with the University of Memphis. Your bias, since you are one of the "cool" kids here now I guess is to complain about PERCEIVED slights to the character and persona of Josh Pastner ALLEGEDLY perpetrated by that "heinous" criminal mastermind (or bumbling fool- depending on who you listen to) Tom "Program Killer" Bowen. Your entire post was about what an asshat Bowen has been, when in reality the man has simply done his job like any decent AD is supposed to do. But in typical Memphis Fan fashion, you think you know better than the man who was hired by our university's leaders and approved by our biggest boosters. In typical Memphis Fan fashion, you assert the divine right of basketball coaches to answer to no higher power and ADs must bow to that holy calling.

Don't backtrack now that you've stepped in it, your heel still has sh.t on it.

(01-14-2013 05:58 PM)NTMB Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 10:31 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 12:13 AM)NTMB Wrote:  

(01-13-2013 10:43 PM)Atlanta Wrote:  I'll take a middle ground on Bowen. I do like his approach to accountabilty & hope he does develop and maintain better discipline within the athletics dept. That said, I have to scratch my head when it comes to the unprofessional public & contradictory pronouncements about BB scheduling. When did OUR Athletic Director make any public pro(?)nouncement about scheduling UT? Oh wait... he didn't. The UT AD did that, and then local media ran with it. The only pronouncements were Pastner's grandstanding about killing the series. What happened with the announcements by our BB coach & our AD again, when did our AD make any announcement to contradict Pastner? regarding the UTK schedule is embarassing. It proved to undermind the coach publically, especially considering that our BB coach is charged with scheduling (as most D-1 BB coaches are).Not necessarily an honest assessment, since NO schedule has been set, and it is QUITE COMMON for ADs to negotiate multi-sport scheduling agreements. I do understand that the AD has a financial responsibility and to that extent should be involved in BB scheduling but the public announcements were just bush league. Guess what... He didn't make a public announcement until AFTER all the lemmings flew off the cliff to Geoff's delight. Then this article states Bowen holds a monthly meeting with the head coaches - making the miscommunications all the more bewildering.Because NOTHING can happen between those meetings right? No new developments can happen OVERNIGHT in the world of collegiate sports. I mean it's just unheard of. I have to ask myself, surely this would come up in those meetings - unless it was intentional. I'm hoping just misscommunication, if intentional, we'll see it again - and it could run off our coach (and any other coach who might want to control his program, FB or BB). Crawl away from the ledge. No one is trying to run off your beloved basketball god.

My response in bold.

Some of you need to come back to reality.

I want to preface my statements by saying I am not a JP groupy. I think he lacks floor coaching skills (not unlike Calipari) but he is probably a top 10 recruiter and for that I patiently support him as he grows in the job - especially since recruiting is likely 75%+ of the success in college BB today.

Now, if you would have taken time to read and comprehend what I stated, you would have understood I did not attribute an initial public announcement to Bowen. Instead I correctly stated "unprofessional public & contradictory pronouncements about BB scheduling" without assigning to anyone an intial announcement (your reply shows your bias). But rather than read and comprehend what I said, you made my statement mean what you wanted in order to present an erroneous strawman & then complain about your created meaning. Further JP didn't release a statement on scheduling instead he responded to an inevitable media question because the UTK game was next on the schedule - and he responded based directly upon information and discussion with Bowen.

Point is, the contradictory positions that were a source of media comment within the state of TN among several news sources and then repeated nationally by ESPN and other athletic news sources IS an embarassment to our university and our athletic dept specifically. Bowen himself, now on several fronts has accepted responsibility.

And as regards scheduling, clearly JP is charged as part of his job description, with BB scheduling - as is most every D-1 coach in the country. I would hope the AD's scheduling input would be financial, public relations, assistance to the coach as a facilitator and overall benefit to the athletic dept. and not hands on scheduling where an AD is likely less equipped to make good decisions than the head coach (& certainly not without informing the coach). Next thing some will say is that the AD because he is the athletic "director" that he can begin helping/directing the coach as he coaches players, maybe sit on the bench during games and provide direction, etc. And one more thing, if the AD is so intent on communications with his head coaches, there is no excuse for not communicating his dicussions with the UTK AD.

I see.

Well since you're so in tune with the inner workings of the Athletic Department, why don't you provide a timeline for when the last meeting between the two occurred and when Bowen had any contact with the UT AD that would give HIM the impression that continued scheduling was in the works? Since you're claiming that he basically knew before the last meeting prior to the "snafu" and just failed to mention it.

Also, since you are so dead set on labeling the man as a micro-manager, how about YOU tell us when our next scheduled game with UT is?

What's that? Oh it hasn't been scheduled? So Bowen DIDN'T go behind anyone's back and SCHEDULE A GAME? SO Bowen didn't contradict Pastner by SCHEDULING UT? So maybe Pastner jumped the gun just a little? SAY IT AIN'T SO!!! Sure Bowen took the heat... that's his job also. Coach needs to learn when to not run his mouth with absolute statements.

Finally, my reading comprehension is perfectly fine. My bias is with the University of Memphis. Your bias, since you are one of the "cool" kids here now I guess is to complain about PERCEIVED slights to the character and persona of Josh Pastner ALLEGEDLY perpetrated by that "heinous" criminal mastermind (or bumbling fool- depending on who you listen to) Tom "Program Killer" Bowen. Your entire post was about what an ****** Bowen has been, when in reality the man has simply done his job like any decent AD is supposed to do. But in typical Memphis Fan fashion, you think you know better than the man who was hired by our university's leaders and approved by our biggest boosters. In typical Memphis Fan fashion, you assert the divine right of basketball coaches to answer to no higher power and ADs must bow to that holy calling.

Don't backtrack now that you've stepped in it, your heel still has sh.t on it.

He will be right back, just give him a minute.

(01-14-2013 05:58 PM)NTMB Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 10:31 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 12:13 AM)NTMB Wrote:  

(01-13-2013 10:43 PM)Atlanta Wrote:  I'll take a middle ground on Bowen. I do like his approach to accountabilty & hope he does develop and maintain better discipline within the athletics dept. That said, I have to scratch my head when it comes to the unprofessional public & contradictory pronouncements about BB scheduling. When did OUR Athletic Director make any public pro(?)nouncement about scheduling UT? Oh wait... he didn't. The UT AD did that, and then local media ran with it. The only pronouncements were Pastner's grandstanding about killing the series. What happened with the announcements by our BB coach & our AD again, when did our AD make any announcement to contradict Pastner? regarding the UTK schedule is embarassing. It proved to undermind the coach publically, especially considering that our BB coach is charged with scheduling (as most D-1 BB coaches are).Not necessarily an honest assessment, since NO schedule has been set, and it is QUITE COMMON for ADs to negotiate multi-sport scheduling agreements. I do understand that the AD has a financial responsibility and to that extent should be involved in BB scheduling but the public announcements were just bush league. Guess what... He didn't make a public announcement until AFTER all the lemmings flew off the cliff to Geoff's delight. Then this article states Bowen holds a monthly meeting with the head coaches - making the miscommunications all the more bewildering.Because NOTHING can happen between those meetings right? No new developments can happen OVERNIGHT in the world of collegiate sports. I mean it's just unheard of. I have to ask myself, surely this would come up in those meetings - unless it was intentional. I'm hoping just misscommunication, if intentional, we'll see it again - and it could run off our coach (and any other coach who might want to control his program, FB or BB). Crawl away from the ledge. No one is trying to run off your beloved basketball god.

My response in bold.

Some of you need to come back to reality.

I want to preface my statements by saying I am not a JP groupy. I think he lacks floor coaching skills (not unlike Calipari) but he is probably a top 10 recruiter and for that I patiently support him as he grows in the job - especially since recruiting is likely 75%+ of the success in college BB today.

Now, if you would have taken time to read and comprehend what I stated, you would have understood I did not attribute an initial public announcement to Bowen. Instead I correctly stated "unprofessional public & contradictory pronouncements about BB scheduling" without assigning to anyone an intial announcement (your reply shows your bias). But rather than read and comprehend what I said, you made my statement mean what you wanted in order to present an erroneous strawman & then complain about your created meaning. Further JP didn't release a statement on scheduling instead he responded to an inevitable media question because the UTK game was next on the schedule - and he responded based directly upon information and discussion with Bowen.

Point is, the contradictory positions that were a source of media comment within the state of TN among several news sources and then repeated nationally by ESPN and other athletic news sources IS an embarassment to our university and our athletic dept specifically. Bowen himself, now on several fronts has accepted responsibility.

And as regards scheduling, clearly JP is charged as part of his job description, with BB scheduling - as is most every D-1 coach in the country. I would hope the AD's scheduling input would be financial, public relations, assistance to the coach as a facilitator and overall benefit to the athletic dept. and not hands on scheduling where an AD is likely less equipped to make good decisions than the head coach (& certainly not without informing the coach). Next thing some will say is that the AD because he is the athletic "director" that he can begin helping/directing the coach as he coaches players, maybe sit on the bench during games and provide direction, etc. And one more thing, if the AD is so intent on communications with his head coaches, there is no excuse for not communicating his dicussions with the UTK AD.

I see.

Well since you're so in tune with the inner workings of the Athletic Department, why don't you provide a timeline for when the last meeting between the two occurred and when Bowen had any contact with the UT AD that would give HIM the impression that continued scheduling was in the works? Since you're claiming that he basically knew before the last meeting prior to the "snafu" and just failed to mention it.

Also, since you are so dead set on labeling the man as a micro-manager, how about YOU tell us when our next scheduled game with UT is?

What's that? Oh it hasn't been scheduled? So Bowen DIDN'T go behind anyone's back and SCHEDULE A GAME? SO Bowen didn't contradict Pastner by SCHEDULING UT? So maybe Pastner jumped the gun just a little? SAY IT AIN'T SO!!! Sure Bowen took the heat... that's his job also. Coach needs to learn when to not run his mouth with absolute statements.

Finally, my reading comprehension is perfectly fine. My bias is with the University of Memphis. Your bias, since you are one of the "cool" kids here now I guess is to complain about PERCEIVED slights to the character and persona of Josh Pastner ALLEGEDLY perpetrated by that "heinous" criminal mastermind (or bumbling fool- depending on who you listen to) Tom "Program Killer" Bowen. Your entire post was about what an ****** Bowen has been, when in reality the man has simply done his job like any decent AD is supposed to do. But in typical Memphis Fan fashion, you think you know better than the man who was hired by our university's leaders and approved by our biggest boosters. In typical Memphis Fan fashion, you assert the divine right of basketball coaches to answer to no higher power and ADs must bow to that holy calling.

Don't backtrack now that you've stepped in it, your heel still has sh.t on it.

Talk about a kick @zz post. DAYUM!!!!