Done in April of 2022.....

https://utrockets.com/news/2021/1/28/ath...-2022.aspx

While we all have some things we wish he could accomplish, the tenure has been pretty successful. Nice to see that they are going to do a national search. Dave Nottke will likely be an applicant

I hope UT sends him out with multiple MAC championships in his final year.

There are a lot of universities in the MAC that have never had someone like Mike and the longevity and hard work that he brought to Toledo. He has been a great AD and I hope he stays connected to UT after he retires.

now we can beatch about this! lol Make the triumverant of Potts, MBG, and UTF happy they get to beatch about our beatchin.

This will give the new AD who, hopefully, has no connections to UT, a chance to evaluate our coaches and do some housecleaning.

This announcement puts real pressure on all current UT AD staff, HEAD COACHES, and all coaches period!!!!

Time to refocus and push for excellence.

This announcement is good for near future performance

Go Rockets!

(01-28-2021 03:33 PM)DetroitRocket Wrote:  This will give the new AD who, hopefully, has no connections to UT, a chance to evaluate our coaches and do some housecleaning.

Just wondering, what kind of housecleaning is needed?

Definitely helped develop and expand UT a "brand". Great work on the facilities as well, leading to some of the best if not the tops in the MAC!
Could be a turning point for the Rockets. Well done Mike!

(01-28-2021 09:16 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 03:33 PM)DetroitRocket Wrote:  This will give the new AD who, hopefully, has no connections to UT, a chance to evaluate our coaches and do some housecleaning.

Just wondering, what kind of housekeeping is needed?

The kind that a new not previously connected to UT AD would do. Pay attention.

(01-28-2021 10:10 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 09:16 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 03:33 PM)DetroitRocket Wrote:  This will give the new AD who, hopefully, has no connections to UT, a chance to evaluate our coaches and do some housecleaning.

Just wondering, what kind of housekeeping is needed?

The kind that a new not previously connected to UT AD would do. Pay attention.

How long has MOB been the AD? I could probably scroll and find out but I do not know.

Now, whatever that amt of time has been. I guarantee he has updated facilities by quite a bit. And won titles. Has mbb done that? I'm hoping we do this year. I think that could go as his greatest downfall of his tenure. The rest of what he has done (besides maybe one too many FCS game), surpasses all MAC AD's without the agenda to move on after 3 years.

(01-28-2021 11:10 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 10:10 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 09:16 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 03:33 PM)DetroitRocket Wrote:  This will give the new AD who, hopefully, has no connections to UT, a chance to evaluate our coaches and do some housecleaning.

Just wondering, what kind of housekeeping is needed?

The kind that a new not previously connected to UT AD would do. Pay attention.

How long has MOB been the AD? I could probably scroll and find out but I do not know.

Now, whatever that amt of time has been. I guarantee he has updated facilities by quite a bit. And won titles. Has mbb done that? I'm hoping we do this year. I think that could go as his greatest downfall of his tenure. The rest of what he has done (besides maybe one too many FCS game), surpasses all MAC AD's without the agenda to move on after 3 years.

his biggest downfall was certainly the hiring of gene -hisssssssss- cross. lousy coach, $hitty human, bad role model who basically destroyed the men's bball program.

(01-29-2021 01:33 AM)pono Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 11:10 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 10:10 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 09:16 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 03:33 PM)DetroitRocket Wrote:  This will give the new AD who, hopefully, has no connections to UT, a chance to evaluate our coaches and do some housecleaning.

Just wondering, what kind of housekeeping is needed?

The kind that a new not previously connected to UT AD would do. Pay attention.

How long has MOB been the AD? I could probably scroll and find out but I do not know.

Now, whatever that amt of time has been. I guarantee he has updated facilities by quite a bit. And won titles. Has mbb done that? I'm hoping we do this year. I think that could go as his greatest downfall of his tenure. The rest of what he has done (besides maybe one too many FCS game), surpasses all MAC AD's without the agenda to move on after 3 years.

his biggest downfall was certainly the hiring of gene -hisssssssss- cross. lousy coach, $hitty human, bad role model who basically destroyed the men's bball program.

Were there any indications of that? Didn't he come from ND? I believe we had another coach controversy or two. A track guy, Beckman...

Setting that aside, I would say the FB HC coaching search and contract were not well done. Development of non-revenue sports didn't seem accomplished. Finding someone that can improve the revenues of course is a given, so I wouldn't mind seeing someone that had interest in the non-revenues, most importantly out-door track and quidditch but generally across the board improvement of the athletic environment. These sports vest students into the university also, as players and as fans. These athletes are every bit as motivated to succeed after leaving as the revenue athletes. They're excellent graduates.

(01-29-2021 07:39 AM)eastisbest Wrote:  his biggest downfall was certainly the hiring of gene -hisssssssss- cross. lousy coach, $hitty human, bad role model who basically destroyed the men's bball program.

-----------------------
Were there any indications of that? Didn't he come from ND?

First question - That would be a big fat YES! 2nd question - another yes. But that really has nothing to do with his character/ego issues.

A friend of mine who played at another school in the MAC tried to do a mortgage for Cross. The story he told about this guy is almost unbelievable, but when you add in all the other stories, it is believable. I don't like to spread rumors/gossip - but it did give some insight into his character issues. Seems the only thing he learned at Notre Dame was a "holier than thou" attitude - caused by him misinterpreting what the school was about.

(01-28-2021 11:10 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 10:10 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 09:16 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 03:33 PM)DetroitRocket Wrote:  This will give the new AD who, hopefully, has no connections to UT, a chance to evaluate our coaches and do some housecleaning.

Just wondering, what kind of housekeeping is needed?

The kind that a new not previously connected to UT AD would do. Pay attention.

How long has MOB been the AD? I could probably scroll and find out but I do not know.

Now, whatever that amt of time has been. I guarantee he has updated facilities by quite a bit. And won titles. Has mbb done that? I'm hoping we do this year. I think that could go as his greatest downfall of his tenure. The rest of what he has done (besides maybe one too many FCS game), surpasses all MAC AD's without the agenda to move on after 3 years.

20 years

I think MOB was a very good athletic director. He's made his mistakes, but he's brought in some good coaches and helped to build some of the nicest facilities in the Mid-American Conference.

Thanks for all you did, Mr. O'Brien!

(01-29-2021 01:33 AM)pono Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 11:10 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 10:10 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 09:16 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  

(01-28-2021 03:33 PM)DetroitRocket Wrote:  This will give the new AD who, hopefully, has no connections to UT, a chance to evaluate our coaches and do some housecleaning.

Just wondering, what kind of housekeeping is needed?

The kind that a new not previously connected to UT AD would do. Pay attention.

How long has MOB been the AD? I could probably scroll and find out but I do not know.

Now, whatever that amt of time has been. I guarantee he has updated facilities by quite a bit. And won titles. Has mbb done that? I'm hoping we do this year. I think that could go as his greatest downfall of his tenure. The rest of what he has done (besides maybe one too many FCS game), surpasses all MAC AD's without the agenda to move on after 3 years.

his biggest downfall was certainly the hiring of gene -hisssssssss- cross. lousy coach, $hitty human, bad role model who basically destroyed the men's bball program.

That was the second terrible hire on the MBB scene (1st was Jay Eck, not on MOB watch obviously). Same thing happened...we bought into the hype of some hot-air hoops folks that said how great he was. In the Cross case I think ND was looking aggressively to get rid of him.

(02-01-2021 02:10 PM)rocket 51 Wrote:  

(01-29-2021 01:33 AM)pono Wrote:  his biggest downfall was certainly the hiring of gene -hisssssssss- cross. lousy coach, $hitty human, bad role model who basically destroyed the men's bball program.

That was the second terrible hire on the MBB scene (1st was Jay Eck, not on MOB watch obviously). Same thing happened...we bought into the hype of some hot-air hoops folks that said how great he was. In the Cross case I think ND was looking aggressively to get rid of him.

We play them next year in football. As the saying goes, "paybacks a ..."