Simple yes or no: Judging Joel's tenure

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SelectionSunday

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There are obviously strong feelings both here and on the football board about Joel Maturi's leadership as the U's athletic director. He's definitely become a lightning rod regarding Gopher athletics. Let's do an informal poll here, with a simple yes or no answer.

If both Tubby Smith and Tim Brewster -- Maturi's most important hires -- go on to have successful head coaching stints at the University of Minnesota, will you consider his tenure as the U's athletic director successful? Not one or the other, both.

For these purposes, I'll define basketball success as becoming a regular top 3-4 finisher in the Big Ten with some notable runs in the NCAA Tournament (Sweet 16 or beyond). For football, I'll define success as getting to Iowa and Wisconsin's level, a legitimately competitive top 3-4 Big Ten football program with semi-regular appearances in meaningful New Year's Day bowls (Capital One, Outback, Gator) and/or the historic, maybe once-in-a-lifetime season that ends in a Rose Bowl or another BCS bowl.

Yes or no, add a comment if you like.

I'll start us.

Yes. If both these guys deliver, I don't see how anyone could say Joel was a failure.
 

Yes. Heck, if I felt highly optimistic that either of those things was going to happen in the next 12 months, it would make it easier to tolerate Maturi.

But let's face it, it we're a long way from that in football, and if the basketball team makes the Sweet 16 this year, it will be a mild surpise. And it will be in spite of, not because of, decisions the AD has made along the way.
 


Well, yes. But this is almost like asking "If Maturi is successful, will you think he is successful." The real issue is A) what is defined as success, and B) if that will be reached.

I know Lucia wasn't a Maturi hire, but let's not forget the slide of the hockey program.
 

Yes. Odds of this happening very close to zero.
 


Hopefully the slide of the hockey team is temporary. The basketball program has been mediocre for years. The less said about the
football team the better. I would call a A.D. successful if things improve on his watch. As far as the revenue sports are concerned things have not improved. I don't know what the answer is but, I would have to give him a No.
 


Maturi's already a failure, close the book on him. He's been here 8 years already and been an obstacle to success for both the BB and FB programs. Its like asking if we gave Monson or Wacker or Mason more time and they got us to to the upper echelon of the Big Ten, would they be a success. It implies that we should give him more time in hopes of a turnaround. Time to close the chapter on Maturi and bring in someone who has a better chance of being successful.
 




If I reflect upon this, if I think really hard, I really don't get this "poll" about what happens if something happens.
 

Financially he's been very successful already...but it's just been the winning part he hasn't mastered...
 

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