Did Dr. Ed just blink...

[DKW 86 7,431]

Ponder this. Many in the sports media were told that there would be an announcement Friday about JJ being named AD.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Well, the rumors of CTT going to LSU are still in play, even on a Natl Media Level. Why? Maybe someone is letting how strongly they feel about certain circumstances out in public.

Also, the announcement was called off at the last minute.

WHY?

Anyone want to do the math here? Maybe Tommy is finally letting his feelings on the hire out of the bag. I was told by members of the Adm that the deal was done and JJ would be announced Friday, no problem. Suddenly dead silence...

I just bet that the AD hire saga is not over yet. Wonder if Dr Ed knows the area code for Baton Rouge?

I am very concerned and pray all this comes out right. Why do we have to have such drama over a freakin AD hire? Can we just not do it right? Why do we have to have all this going on during the heighth of recuiting season? Maybe our biggest weekend.

Why cant we just make the right call on the AD and move on?

The world wonders...

[tombigbeetiger 223]

i have told you guys for months that fast eddie is just a damn puppet....a career politician can't make a decision on what is best for all,he doesn't know how.....he has to see if there is a political or financial advantage in it before he makes a call....those administrative pigs disgust me.....if coach tubs hauls ass,along with the coordinators,then a mutiny is in order....some things never change....ed richardson is a damn joke

[Shug2003 1]

I'm so damn sick and tired of the drama surrounding everything we do at Auburn. It seems that NOBODY is either capable or willing to handle a hire or a fire in a normal manner, thus providing the hostile press with ammunition to screw up anything we are trying to do. He SHOULD have made his intentions known on CTT long ago and rewarded him accordingly. I have reached the conclusion that there are some freakin idiots running out school and we have no voice in removing t hem.

[Auburn alum 0]

Ponder this. Many in the sports media were told that there would be an announcement Friday about JJ being named AD.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Well, the rumors of CTT going to LSU are still in play, even on a Natl Media Level. Why? Maybe someone is letting how strongly they feel about certain circumstances out in public.

Also, the announcement was called off at the last minute.

WHY?

Anyone want to do the math here? Maybe Tommy is finally letting his feelings on the hire out of the bag. I was told by members of the Adm that the deal was done and JJ would be announced Friday, no problem. Suddenly dead silence...

I just bet that the AD hire saga is not over yet. Wonder if Dr Ed knows the area code for Baton Rouge?

I am very concerned and pray all this comes out right. Why do we have to have such drama over a freakin AD hire? Can we just not do it right? Why do we have to have all this going on during the heighth of recuiting season? Maybe our biggest weekend.

Why cant we just make the right call on the AD and move on?

The world wonders...

132560[/snapback]

My sources tell me the deal was done for another candidate and then Dr. Ed started getting pressure from various Alum and TU folks and suddenly got confused as to what he wanted to do. He met with JJ again this week to reconsider his original decision and see if JJ was the right guy. Am told he may announce on Tuesday.

Bottom line is this looks bad and the new AD will have his hands full.

[tiger88 934]

I fired off an email, not that I have any pull with anybody .

I just hope that richardson realizes that he will go down as one of the greatest failures in the history of the state of Alabama if CTT leaves because of his ignorance and lack of anything that resembles a backbone.

We may have to organize the first MIllion Fan March on the university or the capital or some damn where. I'm In!

[WarEagleFL 0]

why can't all the garbage wait until after the season? we still have another game to play and all these distractions can't help.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Hate to be contrary here. I don't know much about the search and hiring process and I'm not defending anyone but:

--Richardson has said for a long time he would name an AD in December. It's still December.

--why are we blaming Auburn people when it was the media which "leaked" the info the AD would be named Friday and it would be Jacobs. So we believe the media and criticize Auburn people. Geez that stinks.

--Richardson and TT have been discussing Tub's contract and bonus for an undefeated season. Tubs isn't going anywhere and there is no friction between Tubs and Richardson.

IMHO we should cool it and quit adding fodder to other school's forums during recruiting season. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy.

[API50 0]

And sometimes we exert a lot of influence. Note last year about this time. Tuberville is still here because of fan support. If he doesn't feel comfortable with Jacobs, we are in a world of hurts if JJ gets the job.

I get the feeling that with the delay in announcing the new AD, the less chance Jacobs has of getting the job.

[TexasTiger 12,965]

You don't leave candidates hanging this long. At this point I have more confidence in Mr. Ed than in Dr. Ed.

[SKCAUB 0]

You don't leave candidates hanging this long.  At this point I have more confidence in Mr. Ed than in Dr. Ed.

132664[/snapback]

Well that's right, Wilbur!!!!

[moe 0]

Well like I said, Tuberville doesn't like a JJ hire. So why doesn't the administration just freaking please him?! I want tubs to stay...why doesn't the admin?

That's the question here folks. If the admin wants tubs to stay here in auburn, all they have to do is hire whoever he wants. Or atleast not hire whoever he expresses discontent in.

It's easy.

We'll just have to wait on Saban

[DKW 86 7,431]

--Richardson has said for a long time he would name an AD in December. It's still December.

No Actually, he said he would have an AD by September.

--why are we blaming Auburn people when it was the media which "leaked" the info the AD would be named Friday and it would be Jacobs. So we believe the media and criticize Auburn people. Geez that stinks.

The media, including myself, if I am Media? Was told in no uncertain terms it would happen Friday. Finebaum was told this as well.

--Richardson and TT have been discussing Tub's contract and bonus for an undefeated season. Tubs isn't going anywhere and there is no friction between Tubs and Richardson.

Dude, there is more friction between them now than there has ever been. This AD hire was the GOBs trying to take back over the Ath Dept. Again. Plain and Simple.

PT, maybe you dont hear what some of us get to hear. But take this for all it is worth. I put a message on our home page saying support whomever gets the AD job. I still say that. But if JJ gets this job, you are very likely going to see people leave the Ath. Dept. and the whole AU Family will be extremely upset.

[tombigbeetiger 223]

i just sent this page to richardson

[quietfan 233]

I don't have any inside sources and therefore won't render any strong opinion except to say all parties better get their $#it together. After last fall, and after all SACS complained about, we had better not return to the "bad old days"!!!

The following article appeared in today's Birmingham News [do the link if you want it all, I'm only posting a small portion):

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/birmingha...45163257650.xml

Richardson promised to decide on Auburn's new athletics director Monday and announce the winner Tuesday. The two leading candidates are Auburn senior associate athletic director for development Jay Jacobs and LSU senior associate athletic director Dan Radakovich. Two other finalists, Florida associate athletic director Greg McGarity and NBC-Universal executive Scott Etheridge, are being considered.

``The main issue is they are all extremely well qualified, and I only need one. That's the problem. You're trying to separate them," Richardson said.

The president said he recognizes that if he selects Jacobs, the in-house candidate, that critics will say he followed the wishes of selected trustees.

``I hear that," Richardson said. ``I hear equally, if I don't appoint an Auburn person then I am not doing the right thing, either."

Auburn recently was taken off administrative probation by the accrediting agency SACS, which had determined that trustees were too involved in the administration of the university. Richardson said he and athletic assistant to the president Hal Baird have handled the AD search and selection.

``We haven't talked to the board, other than I am required to consult with them," Richardson said.

Richardson has gone slowly, he said, because "Auburn is at a very special juncture in its athletic program, and that is, we've got it completely cleared with SACS, we had no recommendations (from SACS) at all, and I want to make sure we have someone who can maintain that strength. I've got to make this call so that person who will be here longer than I will won't let it slip back. That's the main thing."

...just one question, what kind of idiotic Orwellian double-talk is: ``We haven't talked to the board, other than I am required to consult with them," ???

'...Well no, I haven't talked to the Board...err...except that I have--as required" :huh:

[cadillacattack 0]

Our current "situation d'jour" is a symptom of a more serious, clinical problem.

A slightly different letter appeared in the Birmingham News last January .... one that clearly indicates that the current AD fiasco is nothing more than business-as-usual for the BOT.

B'ham News article

Although board-packing has a long history in Alabama, it became refined at Auburn when activist Auburn alumnus and Colonial Bank President Bobby Lowder used a handsome donation to Gov. George Wallace to cancel a previous trustee commitment the governor had made (to a former AU cheerleader with a financially well-connected husband). Since then Lowder has become one of the state's shrewdest political operatives, backing two conservative Republican governors and two liberal Democrats, plus giving generous contributions to Lowell Barron, the presiding officer of the state's upper house and key member of the state senate committee that confirms trustees. Whether because of his obsession with football - as some critics claim - or his determination to recast the school according to his own inaccurate and myopic understanding of what a land grant university ought to be, Lowder has used his political influence to pack the board with trustees beholden to him.

Auburn trustee Jack Miller, also a Colonial Bank director, one year earned $1.8 million in legal fees from Colonial Bank. The late Jimmy Samford was the bank's lobbyist. Most other trustees either held loans from Colonial or served on the Colonial Bank board of directors. This interlocking trustee financial network was one of the violations cited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools for placing Auburn on probation. Also cited was financial conflict of interest such as involved Barron, who dominated senate trustee confirmations and through them controlled appointments to the university's administration, who in turn approved contracts with a company owned by Barron's family. SACS also cited inappropriate trustee involvement in athletics as another reason for probation. According to the testimony of various former coaches and a considerable trail of documents, athletics decisions went directly from coaches to Lowder, bypassing both presidents and athletics directors in violation of NCAA guidelines.

As Lowder squeezed independent-minded trustees (Bob Harris of Huntsville, Bessie Mae Holloway of Mobile, Morris Savage of Jasper, John Denson of Opelika) off the board, he lost one battle: a state amendment that changed the way Auburn trustees were chosen. Previously nominated by the governor and confirmed by the senate, they now are chosen by a five person committee - two selected by the trustees, two by the board of the national alumni association, plus the governor.

To win control of this new process, Lowder tried to take over the alumni association, nominating his own slate of candidates to run against the association's nominees, then tried to pack the election. When this failed, he and newly installed interim President William Walker declared war on the alumni association, pressuring the director to resign, demanding that letters critical of the trustees be withdrawn from publication in the alumni magazine, threatening to withhold funding from the association, and even attempting to replace the association with a competing set of interest-based alumni organizations (representing football players and commodity groups, for example). The administration also spent $750,000 of desperately needed money on a new public relations firm to improve the image of the trustees (never has so much money been wasted on such a hopeless cause). Walker then spent a million dollars suing SACS to block an investigation of university violations of SACS standards. This colossal blunder alienated SACS, compounding Auburn's troubles with its accrediting agency.

[SLAG-91 1,483]

I'm about 700 miles away and the stench from all of this resonates in my nostrils. Until something is done about him, Bobby Lowder is the proverbial 800-pound gorilla that can do whatever the hell he wants, damn the consequences. No one man should hold sway over an entire university like he does...it's absolutely appalling and embarrassing that AU is essentially unable to divorce itself from him.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

I'm about 700 miles away and the stench from all of this resonates in my nostrils.  Until something is done about him, Bobby Lowder is the proverbial 800-pound gorilla that can do whatever the hell he wants, damn the consequences.  No one man should hold sway over an entire university like he does...it's absolutely appalling and embarrassing that AU is essentially unable to divorce itself from him.

132730[/snapback]

Ah I finally got it. All of this is Lowders's fault. I should have known since everything Auburn is about is Lowder's fault. Louisville was his fault (although he didn't go and was never tied to it....and don't give me the old crap that his plane was used because that don't tie him to it), SACS was his fault, firing DeMent was his fault (although you don't hear much controversy coming out of the Alumni Assn. since she left), firing Ellis was his fault, hiring Borges and Lebo was his fault, etc. And oh yeah, I almost forgot, it was his fault we hired Tubs (and if you don't believe that just go back and look at the many posts here a year ago who were reminding all of us that). So I'm surprised it took me so long to figure out the AD situation (if there is one) is Lowder's fault.

I guess Lowder should just call Rumsfield and get together for a beer

[TexasTiger 12,965]

I'm about 700 miles away and the stench from all of this resonates in my nostrils.  Until something is done about him, Bobby Lowder is the proverbial 800-pound gorilla that can do whatever the hell he wants, damn the consequences.  No one man should hold sway over an entire university like he does...it's absolutely appalling and embarrassing that AU is essentially unable to divorce itself from him.

132730[/snapback]

Ah I finally got it. All of this is Lowders's fault. I should have known since everything Auburn is about is Lowder's fault. Louisville was his fault (although he didn't go and was never tied to it....and don't give me the old crap that his plane was used because that don't tie him to it)...

I guess Lowder should just call Rumsfield and get together for a beer

132744[/snapback]

If you don't believe that he gave his approval to firing Tubs and hiring Petrino, you are very naive.

Maybe he and Rummy will have a beer after they receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom since the measure now seems to be avoidance of accountability.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

If you don't believe that he gave his approval to firing Tubs and hiring Petrino, you are very naive.

Maybe he and Rummy will have a beer after they receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom since the measure now seems to be avoidance of accountability.

132752[/snapback]

It doesn't matter what I "believe", show me the proof. I mean what the heck, you naively believed Kerry would be elected Pres. So why should I put much stock in what you believe.

[Boss 0]

Why doesn't everyone just chill out for a while....have some Christmas eggnog (or Miller Lite like me). Whoever is chosen as AD, I am going to support them wholeheartedly...just like every Auburn man or woman should. If its Jay Jacobs or one of the others, I'll be happy. David Housel is a great Auburn man....but IMO he was a little out of his league as AD...he was probably the best SID in the SEC for a long time though. It was time for him to retire...I'm glad he did. JJ is a true and blue AU man...and he actually has considerable athletic department experience. If he is chosen, let's give him a chance. Having been in the athletics department for the past year and a half, he certainly knows which way the wind is blowing. He knows that CTT is way more popular than the prez, and is likely the most powerful AU man around. Quit giving our opponents ammunition during recruiting season when you really don't knoe the whole truth.

Have a Merry Christmas and hope to see everyone in New Orleans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Auburn85 432]

ED Richardson is only the temperary pres. ? I wonder who they will get to replace him? Why not Don Siegelman, I hear he's out of a job

[TexasTiger 12,965]

If you don't believe that he gave his approval to firing Tubs and hiring Petrino, you are very naive.

Maybe he and Rummy will have a beer after they receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom since the measure now seems to be avoidance of accountability.

132752[/snapback]

It doesn't matter what I "believe", show me the proof. I mean what the heck, you naively believed Kerry would be elected Pres. So why should I put much stock in what you believe.

132754[/snapback]

Thinking something might happen and interpreting what did happen are two different things. When I said you were being naive, I was being generous-- Christmas season, and all.

[Auburn85 432]

Auburn is a great place to have a job because once you're fired or forced to quit, you remain on the payroll or they give you someother job.

Like Dye, he's now a quote unquote "fund raiser"

I really don't know why they thought Petrino's so great, he didn't beat Miami. They are in a mid major conference, although they are going to the generic version of the Big East or what's left of it.

Petrino and Louisville would be a middle of the road team in the SEC, they would beat Kentucky and Vandy, but after that, it's a toss up.

Maybe when or if Tommy leaves are we going to try and get the Jacsonville st coach or the North Alabama coach or the Hawaii State coach or Alabama State of Elmore County.

Hopefully we can get a coach with good recognition.

I felt last year Tommy should have been fired, but we can do anything simple. Maybe they get the mail in a normal way, I don't know, but I sure didn't want Patrino.

Now, Tommy has gone 12-0 and is earning the school a big fat check for the bowl .

As John Longshore says, "you have a $40 million dollar athletic budget, so act like it"

[tiger88 934]

Hate to be contrary here. I don't know much about the search and hiring process and I'm not defending anyone but:

--Richardson has said for a long time he would name an AD in December. It's still December.

--why are we blaming Auburn people when it was the media which "leaked" the info the AD would be named Friday and it would be Jacobs. So we believe the media and criticize Auburn people. Geez that stinks.

--Richardson and TT have been discussing Tub's contract and bonus for an undefeated season. Tubs isn't going anywhere and there is no friction between Tubs and Richardson.

IMHO we should cool it and quit adding fodder to other school's forums during recruiting season. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy.

132655[/snapback]

How do you breathe with your head continously up certain people's a$$e$?

[moe 0]

If you don't believe that he gave his approval to firing Tubs and hiring Petrino, you are very naive.

Maybe he and Rummy will have a beer after they receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom since the measure now seems to be avoidance of accountability.

132752[/snapback]

It doesn't matter what I "believe", show me the proof. I mean what the heck, you naively believed Kerry would be elected Pres. So why should I put much stock in what you believe.

132754[/snapback]

well, let's see....IT WAS LOWDER'S PLANE!!!

what else do you want man?