What make's someone a great Athletic Director?
It's true that experience as a sitting AD is important. It's also important for an AD to wisely manage the athletic department staff, facilities, and finances. But what really makes an Athletic Director great? My answer to that would be his or her ability to hire the right people for the most important jobs; specifically, head coaching jobs.
Mal Moore is the man who gets credit for hiring Nick Saban and turning Alabama football around, but how did he do it? It wasn't his understanding of economics that got the deal done. It was his understanding of people. In case you aren't familiar with the story of how Saban ended up at Alabama, I encourage you to read this insightful article:
http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/al...inside-story-of-how-alabama-hired-nick-saban/
Long story short - Mal Moore knew who he wanted and he pursued his man diligently. It was a tough pull, but at the end of the day Mal got to Saban through his wife, Terry, and when he had the opportunity to make a pitch, he leaned on his experience as a recruiter to make a pitch that changed college football history. Here's what Terry Saban had to say about that meeting in their living room.
“It was Mal Moore’s soft approach, fatherly advice, sweet Southern charm … ‘I’m here for you … come back home … back to where you belong … you are a college coach … we need each other …’ His siren songs were in my ears and I made sure Nick heard them. The three of us stood in our living room in tears, acknowledging that our hearts were still in college and that there was not a number that Wayne could throw out to us that would make us reconsider what was the best thing for our family, not double, not triple. It was never about that.”
Does that remind you of anyone? If you want a man who can convince the best of the best that Tennessee is the right place for them, you hire Phillip Fulmer at Athletic Director.
It's true that experience as a sitting AD is important. It's also important for an AD to wisely manage the athletic department staff, facilities, and finances. But what really makes an Athletic Director great? My answer to that would be his or her ability to hire the right people for the most important jobs; specifically, head coaching jobs.
Mal Moore is the man who gets credit for hiring Nick Saban and turning Alabama football around, but how did he do it? It wasn't his understanding of economics that got the deal done. It was his understanding of people. In case you aren't familiar with the story of how Saban ended up at Alabama, I encourage you to read this insightful article:
http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/al...inside-story-of-how-alabama-hired-nick-saban/
Long story short - Mal Moore knew who he wanted and he pursued his man diligently. It was a tough pull, but at the end of the day Mal got to Saban through his wife, Terry, and when he had the opportunity to make a pitch, he leaned on his experience as a recruiter to make a pitch that changed college football history. Here's what Terry Saban had to say about that meeting in their living room.
“It was Mal Moore’s soft approach, fatherly advice, sweet Southern charm … ‘I’m here for you … come back home … back to where you belong … you are a college coach … we need each other …’ His siren songs were in my ears and I made sure Nick heard them. The three of us stood in our living room in tears, acknowledging that our hearts were still in college and that there was not a number that Wayne could throw out to us that would make us reconsider what was the best thing for our family, not double, not triple. It was never about that.”
Does that remind you of anyone? If you want a man who can convince the best of the best that Tennessee is the right place for them, you hire Phillip Fulmer at Athletic Director.
