UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES TWO HIRES

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June 29, 2016
The University of Minnesota today announced two additions to the Athletics Department, Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Financial Officer Rhonda McFarland and Deputy Athletics Director for Administration John Cunningham.

http://www.gophersports.com/genrel/062916aaa.html
 


The purge of the Syracuse athletic department begins! Welcome Rhonda and John!

Go Gophers!!
 

If nothing else, the fact that both people were willing to leave Syracuse and move to MN indicates that they liked working with Coyle. And, as noted, they have experience working with successful programs. Hopefully, they can use some of that experience on behalf of the U.
 




Interesting. Not that there is anything wrong with these hires, but the best people he finds just happen to be a couple of people that followed him to Cuse from Boise? Not casting the net very far or looking for any big fish?


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alchemy2u said:
Interesting. Not that there is anything wrong with these hires, but the best people he finds just happen to be a couple of people that followed him to Cuse from Boise? Not casting the net very far or looking for any big fish?
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SOP is to hire people you're comfortable with and have worked with before. I assume you were upset when Kill brought his staff over almost fully intact instead of conducting nationwide searches for all of his assistants?
 

The fact that this thread used all CAP letters was enough to sell me on these hires.
 



dpodoll68 said:
SOP is to hire people you're comfortable with and have worked with before. I assume you were upset when Kill brought his staff over almost fully intact instead of conducting nationwide searches for all of his assistants?
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So what you're saying is that you're pissed Claeys fired Limey and Zebs.
 

dpodoll68 said:
SOP is to hire people you're comfortable with and have worked with before. I assume you were upset when Kill brought his staff over almost fully intact instead of conducting nationwide searches for all of his assistants?
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Apples and oranges.

So the U is basically being run by the Boise staff from a year ago. I am a big fan of the new AD, but I think that it is a bit of a lazy move to not branch out and bring in some people with experience at this level. Beth may have left big shoes to fill.


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alchemy2u said:
Apples and oranges.
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How so?

alchemy2u said:
So the U is basically being run by the Boise staff from a year ago. I am a big fan of the new AD, but I think that it is a bit of a lazy move to not branch out and bring in some people with experience at this level. Beth may have left big shoes to fill.
Click to expand...

Beth's highest profile job before coming here was Butler, a school with no football team and an athletics budget of ~$15 MM. These people came from Syracuse, a school which spent more on football alone ($19.8 MM) than Butler's entire athletic department, and had a total budget of $87 MM. Since you lazily bring up Boise St. and discount the experience at Syracuse, they had a ~$44 M budget and a football team at Boise St., so a program roughly three times the size of Butler's. They do have experience at this level. Beth had none. You were cool with Beth, but not these people, who, again, DO have experience at this level, which Beth did not have. Your posts make no sense.
 

Huh?

alchemy2u said:
Apples and oranges.

So the U is basically being run by the Boise staff from a year ago. I am a big fan of the new AD, but I think that it is a bit of a lazy move to not branch out and bring in some people with experience at this level. Beth may have left big shoes to fill.


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If you are big fan of Coyle and these two people are willing to follow him from Boise to Syracuse to Minnesota, what more affirmation do you want that this is a competent healthy working relationship from all sides?
If you are fan of the new AD?
Trust and loyalty go a very long way in contributing to successful organizations!!
 




dpodoll68 said:
Beth's highest profile job before coming here was Butler, a school with no football team and an athletics budget of ~$15 MM. These people came from Syracuse, a school which spent more on football alone ($19.8 MM) than Butler's entire athletic department, and had a total budget of $87 MM. Since you lazily bring up Boise St. and discount the experience at Syracuse, they had a ~$44 M budget and a football team at Boise St., so a program roughly three times the size of Butler's. They do have experience at this level. Beth had none. You were cool with Beth, but not these people, who, again, DO have experience at this level, which Beth did not have. Your posts make no sense.
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One correction, Butler plays division 1 FCS football in the Pioneer League.
 


People generally like to hire those they have a past relationship with. Trust goes a long way. Since Coyle hired these people in the past I am not surprised he wants to hire them now.
 



I think it boils down to this: Our Athletics Department has been a dumpster fire recently, and as AD its his job to fix it. Given that situation, it would make sense that you would bring in people you are confident can help you do that, without a doubt. Since he has been with them since Boise, he has that confidence in them. If he was taking over an Athletic Department that wasn't in turmoil, after an AD just retired or something, I would be a bit more critical, but given the situation I think it was the best play.
 

Taji34 said:
I think it boils down to this: Our Athletics Department has been a dumpster fire recently, and as AD its his job to fix it. Given that situation, it would make sense that you would bring in people you are confident can help you do that, without a doubt. Since he has been with them since Boise, he has that confidence in them. If he was taking over an Athletic Department that wasn't in turmoil, after an AD just retired or something, I would be a bit more critical, but given the situation I think it was the best play.
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Alternately.... every head honcho brings in some folks he knows... happens everywhere.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
Alternately.... every head honcho brings in some folks he knows... happens everywhere.
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That too, but since the validity of that was under debate, I figured using a different argument would fair better.
 

I've hired enough people to know that the interview process is a crap shoot. People that look good on paper and interview well can be not so great once asked to do the day-to-day tasks. I'll take someone I am familiar with, and have confidence in, any day of the week.
 

alchemy2u said:
Apples and oranges.

So the U is basically being run by the Boise staff from a year ago. I am a big fan of the new AD, but I think that it is a bit of a lazy move to not branch out and bring in some people with experience at this level. Beth may have left big shoes to fill.


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Click to expand...

What if they're really good at their job? It would be irresponsible to not try to hire them if Coyle knows they'll do a great job.
 

zman said:
I've hired enough people to know that the interview process is a crap shoot. People that look good on paper and interview well can be not so great once asked to do the day-to-day tasks. I'll take someone I am familiar with, and have confidence in, any day of the week.
Click to expand...

This x100
 

Good discussion, it is a common practice to bring in people you trust and have worked with in the past. It just struck me funny that his first two hires are people that followed him from Boise. I am sure we have all had situations where a new boss comes in and brings along a couple of yes men that have followed him along on his career. I have never been impressed with the people because they usually get in way over their head. I hope this isn't the case, but there are hundreds of qualified candidates across the country that would give there right arm for a shot at those positions. He also may be feeling he has to look out for those people he brought to Cuse because they may be out of a job soon.


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alchemy2u said:
Good discussion, it is a common practice to bring in people you trust and have worked with in the past. It just struck me funny that his first two hires are people that followed him from Boise. I am sure we have all had situations where a new boss comes in and brings along a couple of yes men that have followed him along on his career. I have never been impressed with the people because they usually get in way over their head. I hope this isn't the case, but there are hundreds of qualified candidates across the country that would give there right arm for a shot at those positions. He also may be feeling he has to look out for those people he brought to Cuse because they may be out of a job soon.


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So did it strike you as funny that Kill brought so many assistants from Southern Illinois to Minnesota?
 




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