Lee Hutton wants the AD job (link)

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http://spokesman-recorder.com/2016/04/28/will-u-m-hire-first-black-athletic-director-20-years/

Will U of M hire first Black athletic director in over 20 years?

Candidate says he brings long-needed experience in diversity

A 1999 University of Minnesota graduate with a B.A. degree in journalism and speech communications, Hutton later earned his juris doctorate degree from William Mitchell College of Law in 2002. He is a practicing attorney, and is a partner at Zelle, LLP an international law firm, with offices in downtown Minneapolis, London and China. “I also manage and oversee offices in London, China and in seven states. We’re a multi-million dollar company,” said Hutton.
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“I think I can strongly say that I am the only one, or one of a few [among the AD candidates] that have represented Division I intercollegiate athletic programs in issues of diversity and inclusion, gender equity and Title IX compliance,” continued Hutton on his “demonstrated experience” in such issues. “The University of Minnesota has had a history of not understanding [this]. I am very versed in NCAA by-laws. It is what I do every day.”
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Is that article his cover letter or something?

He also won 2010 Lawyer of the Year in Minnesota after successfully winning almost a half million in a bench decision for a land dispute case, and $732,000 in a fraudulent disclosure case.


Oh well then.... but no AD stuff, not even close.
 

Too bad Jack Prescott passed. He'd be a prime candidate because its all he'd do, and he'd do it well!
 

I didn't see Hutton's name mentioned in the story the Trib ran a few days ago about top emerging candidates but he would seem like someone at least worth taking a long look at with his background. I know he is very well respected locally and clearly has strong ties to the area and the U of M. No idea how well he would stack up against some of the others being considered though.
 

What the new AD (when named) needs to do is bring someone like Hutton in and start grooming him as a successor. Could end up being a great AD but needs 5-10 years of experience.
 


Winnipegopher said:
What the new AD (when named) needs to do is bring someone like Hutton in and start grooming him as a successor. Could end up being a great AD but needs 5-10 years of experience.
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That's the problem with Goetz. She lacks enough experience. If this had all happened 5 years down the road I would be for hiring her, but she is not all that far removed from coaching soccer at Missouri St Louis. We need someone who can get the money for the athletic village and improve our position in conference.
 


I don't know Lee Hutton from your sister Sarah, but he's obviously very smart and super confident, educated in a number of the issues that face major college athletics, and he's a well-connected former Gopher. Plus he really wants the job. That's enough to merit consideration.
 

I want the AD job too. The difference is I have the self-awareness to realize that I'm not qualified.
 



dpodoll68 said:
I want the AD job too. The difference is I have the self-awareness to realize that I'm not qualified.
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Not me. Sounds like a lot of work. I am willing put myself forward for the job Sid wants for Jerry Kill though.
 



STPGopher said:
Just curious. How do you know that Lee Hutton is not qualified?
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No professional experience in athletics, for one. It's crazy to me how people think you can just waltz into a Big Ten AD job with literally zero experience in the field (and presumably zero experience in any kind of fundraising, for that matter) and expect to be successful. He sounds like a great attorney - he should stick to that. Or, if he wants to be the Gopher AD, work his way up like everyone else and get a lower-level job in the AD here or try to become the AD at a DIII or DII school. Josh Whitman is a perfect example. He's about the same age as Hutton, a few years younger perhaps. Like Hutton, he is an attorney. Unlike Hutton, he is a former NFL player. Unlike Hutton, he served as AD at two different DIII schools before getting the Illinois job. And despite all of that (a far, far better résumé for a Big Ten AD job than Hutton has at this point), he still has people saying he's "unorthodox" and "unqualified". If he's unorthodox and unqualified, what is Hutton?
 



dpodoll68 said:
No professional experience in athletics, for one. It's crazy to me how people think you can just waltz into a Big Ten AD job with literally zero experience in the field (and presumably zero experience in any kind of fundraising, for that matter) and expect to be successful. He sounds like a great attorney - he should stick to that. Or, if he wants to be the Gopher AD, work his way up like everyone else and get a lower-level job in the AD here or try to become the AD at a DIII or DII school. Josh Whitman is a perfect example. He's about the same age as Hutton, a few years younger perhaps. Like Hutton, he is an attorney. Unlike Hutton, he is a former NFL player. Unlike Hutton, he served as AD at two different DIII schools before getting the Illinois job. And despite all of that (a far, far better résumé for a Big Ten AD job than Hutton has at this point), he still has people saying he's "unorthodox" and "unqualified". If he's unorthodox and unqualified, what is Hutton?
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Knowledge of contract negotiations is a huge part of the job. IMHO that already puts him ahead of the likes of Najarian, or the US Banks guy. While I agree that he'd be a reach compared to some of the candidates, I still think it would be worth looking at him. If not for any other reason than to gage interest in other areas with the athletic department.

BTW I have spoken to him several times, and he seems to be very self aware.
 

STPGopher said:
Knowledge of contract negotiations is a huge part of the job. IMHO that already puts him ahead of the likes of Najarian, or the US Banks guy. While I agree that he'd be a reach compared to some of the candidates, I still think it would be worth looking at him. If not for any other reason than to gage interest in other areas with the athletic department.

BTW I have spoken to him several times, and he seems to be very self aware.
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Come on guys. Just because he is smart, nice guy, lawyer, etc. doesn't mean he knows anything about being an AD.
 

Actually, I think he probably does know a lot about it and if he knows something about coaching and recruiting, he might do great, or he might be terrible. For sure we do not need another administrator/bean counter in the job, which is what most of them have been, Giel and Dienhart being exceptions.
As for Goetz, I think she could be really good in the future, but she needs a lot more experience dealing with the public than she got in her last job. She is a really good person but this job needs someone who is ready to lead immediately. Teague was bad with people including Coach Kill, large donors, administrative people who did not share his view of the world (I am not saying getting rid of some of them was wrong, but I don't believe he worked really hard to bring them around either). Being good with people is a critical skill for this job. I am not nominating JK for the job, but that kind of people skills would be exactly what we need.
The AD can not be on the "outs" with any of his major coaches or major donors and build anything lasting. His relationship with JK was basically delegated to Kaler, and the fund raising was delegated to the development staff, JK and Nanne among others.
If he/she can't work with those folks very comfortably either they need to go or he does. ADs are easier to find than major donors. In Teague's case he should have been gone before the sexual harassment stuff did him in just based on performance, but I am sure Kaler did not want things to look chaotic in the middle of the facilities drive, but he got that anyway.
 


For those interested he is hosting an Alumni event at the Perfect Ash in Lilydale on May 21st from 4-7.
 

Lots of talk about qualifications, experience, etc, etc,etc. Little about the intangibles, and fit with your team. These are things that can only be felt out in lengthy interview processes. Many people are "qualified" for position X, but people are hired and fired and passed over and promoted for the intangibles.

I get the feeling NFL teams put more time into vetting Connor Cook than Kaler will into his next AD. Lots of,cooks in the kitchen. A search firm, 16 member committee. Will there be a chimney and smoke signals?
 


Pompous Elitist said:
I get the feeling NFL teams put more time into vetting Connor Cook than Kaler will into his next AD. Lots of,cooks in the kitchen. A search firm, 16 member committee. Will there be a chimney and smoke signals?
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You're a bit behind the times. Kaler will bring the Vanilla wafers, one of the other committee members will bring the ouija board.
 

raindog said:
You're a bit behind the times. Kaler will bring the Vanilla wafers, one of the other committee members will bring the ouija board.
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I once suggested Clever Hans or a cat but it didn't gain traction. I like your idea, although they might only be able to fit 8 people's hands onto the board. Maybe Kaler can have a sub-committee use the Ouija board and forward the results to his admin assistant for final approval.
 


Pompous Elitist said:
Lots of talk about qualifications, experience, etc, etc,etc. Little about the intangibles, and fit with your team. These are things that can only be felt out in lengthy interview processes. Many people are "qualified" for position X, but people are hired and fired and passed over and promoted for the intangibles.

I get the feeling NFL teams put more time into vetting Connor Cook than Kaler will into his next AD. Lots of,cooks in the kitchen. A search firm, 16 member committee. Will there be a chimney and smoke signals?
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+1 Totally agree!
 

alchemy2u said:
Come on guys. Just because he is smart, nice guy, lawyer, etc. doesn't mean he knows anything about being an AD.
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+1. It's so baffling to me that people will knock Goetz (who has been in athletics administration for 15 years) for a lack of experience, but somehow support people like Hutton or Najarian who literally have no experience in the field.
 

Golden_Sloth said:
+1. It's so baffling to me that people will knock Goetz (who has been in athletics administration for 15 years) for a lack of experience, but somehow support people like Hutton or Najarian who literally have no experience in the field.
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Because many of us feel the U could use someone with real business experience to take the Dept to a new level, rather than someone with simply more "administrative experience," ie a bureaucrat. The U already has too many bureaucrats.

Also, I think it's fair to surmise that an internal hire of Goetz would be a vote for the status quo, and after watching 50 years of mostly losing in the two sports that matter the most, we want a change from the status quo.
 

Golden_Sloth said:
+1. It's so baffling to me that people will knock Goetz (who has been in athletics administration for 15 years) for a lack of experience, but somehow support people like Hutton or Najarian who literally have no experience in the field.
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Also, I'd be in favor of Goetz if she were a package deal with someone like Kill or Mason as AD (or VP), someone with the gravitas to change the culture and bring in $$ while someone like Goetz dealt with day to day details.
 

WanderingGopher said:
Because many of us feel the U could use someone with real business experience to take the Dept to a new level, rather than someone with simply more "administrative experience," ie a bureaucrat. The U already has too many bureaucrats.

Also, I think it's fair to surmise that an internal hire of Goetz would be a vote for the status quo, and after watching 50 years of mostly losing in the two sports that matter the most, we want a change from the status quo.
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Great points. Hadn't heard it in that context yet. We should strive to always be working towards the top rather than stagnating in the middle.
 

WanderingGopher said:
Because many of us feel the U could use someone with real business experience to take the Dept to a new level, rather than someone with simply more "administrative experience," ie a bureaucrat. The U already has too many bureaucrats.

Also, I think it's fair to surmise that an internal hire of Goetz would be a vote for the status quo, and after watching 50 years of mostly losing in the two sports that matter the most, we want a change from the status quo.
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Provided Goetz doesn't interview promising or given a mandate to **** **** up.

It wouldn't be the first time I've seen that at. Just being in the organization doesn't mean you've given it your stamp of approval from a leadership perspective. If she got a mandate to do that it might help that she's been there and knows what is up. New guy can come in and make changes and only later figure out what the real issues where ... ooops. Hard to know any of this stuff.
 

WanderingGopher said:
Also, I'd be in favor of Goetz if she were a package deal with someone like Kill or Mason as AD (or VP), someone with the gravitas to change the culture and bring in $$ while someone like Goetz dealt with day to day details.
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We all know Goetz won't stay on as someone's number two, I don't think any sane person would stay to work for the person taking their job.
 

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