This is the Man we Need

[bphi11ips]

Plenty of people can meet those requirements and not have a clue how to manage a budget, what to look for in hiring a coach, and not be able to bring in money either.

What we need in an athletic director is somebody who can bring in the money, who can spot and recruit good coaches, who can schedule games, manage compliance of the rules, promote the athletic program, and mange the budget and facilities.

Long was excellent at all of those except arguably one, the hiring and firing of coaches. Even then, 95% chance that Auburn would have hired Bielema if they knew he was in play over Gus in 2013. Who wouldn't want to hire a coach that went to 3 straight BCS bowls?

I could not care less if the AD can even correctly pronounce Arkansas before the press conference if they can do the job well. I don't want our program to go back to when we had some of the crappier facilities in the conference because we couldn't afford better. When we couldn't afford to hire coaches or were afraid of relatively small buyouts even. Sure, all else being equal, yeah, I'd rather a guy who already knew about our state and program. Otherwise, I'd rather somebody who is a complete stranger to the state that is slightly better at being an AD than somebody who meets all of your needs to a T but isn't as skilled at actually performing the job of being the AD.

You just described the function of the athletic department, not the athletic director.  The AD is responsible for compliance, budget, etc.  Other people perform administrative functions and report to him.

The AD is a politician first.  And a visionary.  Vision without political skills is useless.  And he knows how to identify talented coaches and when to fire one who isn't working out. 

You write well and probably do well in grad school.  If you show as little respect in the real world as you do here to people like Muskogee, you'll quickly learn about old bulls and young bulls.  He watched Frank Broyles build Arkansas athletics before you were a twinkle in your parents' eyes.

[logic]

or woman

That would be political correctness gone haywire.

[HoggyCat]

Me too. 

I heard he was offered.

[fishes2000]

If you want to keep games in Little Rock hire Tommy tuberville.  He believes the hogs should have a game there every year.

[onebadrubi]

Kevin Scanlon

That would be a demotion for him I have to believe, financially.  Guy is basically running Stephens! 

[Pork Twain]

Slick Willy would be a good AD.  Then if anyone talked poorly about us, they would have an "accident".  Of course there would be several "accidents" on Hogville.

[TulsaHawg]

but if you want a politician that would probably be acceptable to almost everyone there is Mike Beebe.  Though why he would be stupid enough to want this job is a mystery to me.  But Senator Boren did a hell of a job at OU, so you never know.

Boren isn't AD

[a0ashle]

Actually, you've completely missed the whole point.

It's not about understanding the people of Arkansas that matters.  Or whether they are all that unique.  It's about CONSIDERING all the people of Arkansas when football and basketball decisions are made by the athlete director.

Whatever you think of Long, it's hard to argue that he has closed more doors on the people in east, SE, and south Arkansas with some or maybe even a lot of his business decisions involving the Razorback football program.

You mean this job is like every other AD job at other schools and how they deal with fan bases?

Also, I have no clue what you think Long did to "close doors" on parts of the fan base, sounds like something you made up, tbh.

[BroyledNutts]

You mean this job is like every other AD job at other schools and how they deal with fan bases?

Also, I have no clue what you think Long did to "close doors" on parts of the fan base, sounds like something you made up, tbh.

I'm not sure, but I think he's referring to the cessation of games at WMS ...

[plumbhog]

George Wallace