Awkwardness of Kent Haslam...

[AZDoc]

I understand the sentiment of the OP. I think it's a fair perception of the press conference. Admittedly, I am sooooo far from the Program I don't know these people.

I came away thinking KH had a hard time with the firing, and was a bit relieved it was done.

I'm watching it now. I see the exact same thing. I think some of what he said was done to lighten the mood, both in the room and in his head. It stinks, but part of his job. He will do great as we move along as well.

 

[grizpack]

AD is a thankless job. If one group is happy about football, another group is pissed about men's or women's basketball. Golf, track, softball or tailgating. Hell you name it, someone is pissed about something.

This. Bill Moos and Wayne Hogan both said that it is a common belief among people in that profession that if you do your job, you piss off 10% of the people per year. After 5 years......

 

[kemajic]

The University of Montana is beyond fortunate to have Kent as their AD.

Unfortunately, he'll get sucked up by a P5 far too soon.

You beat me to it; I was going to post exactly the same two thoughts. He is far smoother than Jim O'Day ever thought of being. It is naïve for anyone to think that an AD's decisions should be insulated from key donors. A big part of the job is finding the funds to keep the lights on. This was very hard for him; he hired Bob Stitt against a lot of input; he really, really likes Bob Stitt. Bob Stitt was not getting it done. Tough day for Kent; still he answered all the questions professionally.

I think there is some confusion as to "booster input" There are certainly those Boosters who somehow feel they have ownership of the program and can dictate what happens. a skillful AD deals with those folks, makes them feel important, gets them to pullout their checkbooks before they leave and goes ahead and does what needs to be done.

But the real influencers are a different breed, they understand (after they are successful people in their own right) that there is a business end to this whole thing and can offer some very valuable and helpful insight on how to make things work. That clearly is the case this time (and Kent said as much in his presser)

Right now the athletic program is short some 600K. There are a lot of possible reasons but i would submit the biggest is the drop in attendance in fact the numbers almost match, 12,000 fewer tickets at $50.00 a ticket plus the loss of other game day income covers it and then some. These community leaders and business people likely have more insight than anyone in the Athletic department. Their advice and insights are near as valuable as their checks and on it goes.

I don't see how Kent could have been asked to do anymore. I'm not sure that what egriz, or reporters looking for a scoop add to that or how anyone can even remotely believe they have a better idea of whats going on than the folks doing it. The end result may very well be what the outsiders predict BUT that doesn't mean those same outsiders have a clue how that result was reached. Kent will follow the "process" even if he knows the likely outcome. he is a professional and a damn good one.

The reduced enrollment means reduced student athletic fees. He cited that in one of his answers.

 

[kemajic]

AD is a thankless job. If one group is happy about football, another group is pissed about men's or women's basketball. Golf, track, softball or tailgating. Hell you name it, someone is pissed about something.

This. Bill Moos and Wayne Hogan both said that it is a common belief among people in that profession that if you do your job, you piss off 10% of the people per year. After 5 years......

That is something Haslam has going for him. It is very hard to not like him one on one. He is first and foremost a collaborator and a very good listener. He influences donors more than they influence him. He connects.

 

[ari gold]

Washington State?

Have they already hired their next AD or is he still interim?

Still have an interim, probably until sometime in January or February. But There is no way Haslam is on that shortlist. They have people already on staff there that are much more qualified for a P5 job than Kent.

They may hire internally. But they will absolutely contact Montana about the right to talk to Kent. I'm not convinced Kent will leave UM for the Coug job, but I assure you they have already considered him.

That may be true, but they'd be fools to hire him over someone of their internal staff, one person specifically.

 

[Jaymerz]

Kent has done a solid job, as far as I am concerned. He took a chance on Stitt and it wasn’t what he hoped, but it was far from a disaster. People immediately want to throw decision-makers to the wolves and disect every jot and tittle to uncover weakness or flaws. Let him do his job, which he is doing across more sports than just football. His presser was great, and I certainly don’t question his performance because he briefly talked about something other than the matter at hand.

 

[cmtgrizzly]

I hope he does go through a process and doesnt just hire Hauck without comsidering others and all of the factors that affect the decision. If the Hauck going to NAU theory is accurate then I suppose there would have been a time crunch and if he wanted to hire Hauck there probably wasnt time to go through much of a process. There are likely other great candidates out there. They are probably more risky given alot of them dont have a history of being a head coach.

 

[grizcountry420]

I hope he does go through a process and doesnt just hire Hauck without comsidering others and all of the factors that affect the decision. If the Hauck going to NAU theory is accurate then I suppose there would have been a time crunch and if he wanted to hire Hauck there probably wasnt time to go through much of a process. There are likely other great candidates out there. They are probably more risky given alot of them dont have a history of being a head coach.

well Hauck going to NAU theory is completely dead since NAU and Souers agreed to a deal.

 

[cmtgrizzly]

I hope he does go through a process and doesnt just hire Hauck without comsidering others and all of the factors that affect the decision. If the Hauck going to NAU theory is accurate then I suppose there would have been a time crunch and if he wanted to hire Hauck there probably wasnt time to go through much of a process. There are likely other great candidates out there. They are probably more risky given alot of them dont have a history of being a head coach.

well Hauck going to NAU theory is completely dead since NAU and Souers agreed to a deal.

Your part is the backend of that theory

 

[Paytonlives]

The University of Montana is beyond fortunate to have Kent as their AD.

Unfortunately, he'll get sucked up by a P5 far too soon.

I agree while everyone focuses on Football

He hired A rated coaches in Basketball, Softball, Soccer, Volleyball etc...

 

[cmtgrizzly]

I think the theory goes-

Hauck was going to take over at NAU with the exit of Souers. Then Stitts contract is not renwed and Hauck says "hold up a sec" to NAU and expresses interest in the UM job. The next part is even more theoretical as who communicated what to whom is unknown but somehow Hauck gets an indication the job would be his and lets NAU know. NAU is now screwed without Souers and without the AD who fired him so they do the best they can (which I dont think is a bad thing for them) and rehire Souers and we are now waiting for the announcement of BH as our next head coach. Just a theory though.

 

[tnt]

The University of Montana is beyond fortunate to have Kent as their AD.

Unfortunately, he'll get sucked up by a P5 far too soon.

You beat me to it; I was going to post exactly the same two thoughts. He is far smoother than Jim O'Day ever thought of being. It is naïve for anyone to think that an AD's decisions should be insulated from key donors. A big part of the job is finding the funds to keep the lights on. This was very hard for him; he hired Bob Stitt against a lot of input; he really, really likes Bob Stitt. Bob Stitt was not getting it done. Tough day for Kent; still he answered all the questions professionally.

I think there is some confusion as to "booster input" There are certainly those Boosters who somehow feel they have ownership of the program and can dictate what happens. a skillful AD deals with those folks, makes them feel important, gets them to pullout their checkbooks before they leave and goes ahead and does what needs to be done.

But the real influencers are a different breed, they understand (after they are successful people in their own right) that there is a business end to this whole thing and can offer some very valuable and helpful insight on how to make things work. That clearly is the case this time (and Kent said as much in his presser)

Right now the athletic program is short some 600K. There are a lot of possible reasons but i would submit the biggest is the drop in attendance in fact the numbers almost match, 12,000 fewer tickets at $50.00 a ticket plus the loss of other game day income covers it and then some. These community leaders and business people likely have more insight than anyone in the Athletic department. Their advice and insights are near as valuable as their checks and on it goes.

I don't see how Kent could have been asked to do anymore. I'm not sure that what egriz, or reporters looking for a scoop add to that or how anyone can even remotely believe they have a better idea of whats going on than the folks doing it. The end result may very well be what the outsiders predict BUT that doesn't mean those same outsiders have a clue how that result was reached. Kent will follow the "process" even if he knows the likely outcome. he is a professional and a damn good one.

The reduced enrollment means reduced student athletic fees. He cited that in one of his answers.

less than 200,000 from high enrollment. It all adds up but revenue from lost attendance for football is 3 times as much. I would hate to think that Kent is trying to blame it on main hall......

 

[Griznationalist]

This is a funny thread. Haslam has proven to be anything but a “yes man,” unless you mean he says yes to his own leadership judgment of what is necessary and right. He runs a clean program that has never stepped in it (e.g., no NCAA infractions) and he holds people accountable. I have been to Griz events in a lot of locations (in-state and out-of-State). Haslam and his team (every member of the Athletic Department) are greatly admired and appreciated by everyone I know in the ranks of Griznation. It’s funny that this thread suggests there was “awarkdness” yesterday. Awkward? I bet the guy who wrote that would have crapped his own pants yesterday if he were in Haslam’s place. Sad deal all around for a very dedicated coach and his tremendous staff and for a lot of student athletes. I thought our coach and players and AD handled it all with class. My 2 cents.

 

[Grizzly Oredigger]

I think the theory goes-

Hauck was going to take over at NAU with the exit of Souers. Then Stitts contract is not renwed and Hauck says "hold up a sec" to NAU and expresses interest in the UM job. The next part is even more theoretical as who communicated what to whom is unknown but somehow Hauck gets an indication the job would be his and lets NAU know. NAU is now screwed without Souers and without the AD who fired him so they do the best they can (which I dont think is a bad thing for them) and rehire Souers and we are now waiting for the announcement of BH as our next head coach. Just a theory though.

I don't think this is a theory...Hauck was going to get the NAU job, especially since his son has already committed to NAU.

 

[AZDoc]

I think the theory goes-

Hauck was going to take over at NAU with the exit of Souers. Then Stitts contract is not renwed and Hauck says "hold up a sec" to NAU and expresses interest in the UM job. The next part is even more theoretical as who communicated what to whom is unknown but somehow Hauck gets an indication the job would be his and lets NAU know. NAU is now screwed without Souers and without the AD who fired him so they do the best they can (which I dont think is a bad thing for them) and rehire Souers and we are now waiting for the announcement of BH as our next head coach. Just a theory though.

I don't think this is a theory...Hauck was going to get the NAU job, especially since his son has already committed to NAU.

That was my thought as well. Let's hope he transfers to Missoula at semester!

 

[Griz90]

Kent has been very forthright throughout this process. He was honest and upfront with Coach Stitt before the season began by outlining the three thresholds for a renewed contract, which admittedly had a bit of gray area. The win/loss threshold was 7-4; beat the Cats; make the playoffs. The team achieved 7 wins but failed on the final two. Hence, he is gone. Had our Griz beat the Cats all three would likely have been achieved - with the gray area of playoff qualifications. Beating the Cats but missing the playoffs would most likely have given Kent breathing room and support to renew the contract. But the Griz lost that game and Stitt is no longer the coach. I know that Kent agonized over this decision because he is a good man and considered Coach Stitt a friend and colleague. But he did what needed to be done, awkward or not. As fans and boosters it is easy for us to get wrapped up in wins and losses and rivalries and lose sight of the fact that these decisions affect people's lives. I guarantee the upper echelons of the Athletic Departrment wrung their hands over this decision. I feel strongly that UM is in good hands with Kent at the helm. I feel good about the prospects of our incoming University President. I feel strongly that a great fan base, the strong nucleus of talented players, the Academic Center, our fabulous stadium and the spanking new Champion Center puts our Grizzlies in a fantastic position. Whoever the new coach is will have all he needs to be successful right out of the gate.

 

[Spanky]

Kent has been very forthright throughout this process. He was honest and upfront with Coach Stitt before the season began by outlining the three thresholds for a renewed contract, which admittedly had a bit of gray area. The win/loss threshold was 7-4; beat the Cats; make the playoffs. The team achieved 7 wins but failed on the final two. Hence, he is gone. Had our Griz beat the Cats all three would likely have been achieved - with the gray area of playoff qualifications. Beating the Cats but missing the playoffs would most likely have given Kent breathing room and support to renew the contract. But the Griz lost that game and Stitt is no longer the coach. I know that Kent agonized over this decision because he is a good man and considered Coach Stitt a friend and colleague. But he did what needed to be done, awkward or not. As fans and boosters it is easy for us to get wrapped up in wins and losses and rivalries and lose sight of the fact that these decisions affect people's lives. I guarantee the upper echelons of the Athletic Departrment wrung their hands over this decision. I feel strongly that UM is in good hands with Kent at the helm. I feel good about the prospects of our incoming University President. I feel strongly that a great fan base, the strong nucleus of talented players, the Academic Center, our fabulous stadium and the spanking new Champion Center puts our Grizzlies in a fantastic position. Whoever the new coach is will have all he needs to be successful right out of the gate.

90, Haslam has the courage to take care of a problem. Many critics on this board wouldn’t have showed at the meeting.

 

[timjayko]

You know what Kent.. if your next hire is a bust just like Stitt was your name should be next on the shi** list! You ask for swagger yet your press conference contains none... maybe you should resign too? Look at attendance this year.. worst ever in Washington-Grizzly stadium.... If Kent were AD when Don Read was head coach you probably would have shipped him out too after a few years yes? Reality check Griz Nation: we are currently in the dark ages as a football program.. Our expectations are too high if you ask me. What have we done in the last 8 years? Have we been to a championship? Nope. I think we need to stop having such high expectations of our program.. maybe then when the pressure is not so high players can focus on just playing and coaches can focus on just coaching.. not worry about keeping their jobs! You better hire a true gem HC this around Kent.. or your a** is getting shipped next time around too (taste of your own medicine)!!

 

[IntuitiveGriz]

AD is a thankless job. If one group is happy about football, another group is pissed about men's or women's basketball. Golf, track, softball or tailgating. Hell you name it, someone is pissed about something.

This. Bill Moos and Wayne Hogan both said that it is a common belief among people in that profession that if you do your job, you piss off 10% of the people per year. After 5 years......

That is something Haslam has going for him. It is very hard to not like him one on one. He is first and foremost a collaborator and a very good listener. He influences donors more than they influence him. He connects.

Spot on, kemajic. Haslam is very like-able, a good listener and then collaborator.

I think he thinks things though, and chooses his words carefully in order to deliver the proper message.

 

[get'em_griz]

You know what Kent.. if your next hire is a bust just like Stitt was your name should be next on the shi** list! You ask for swagger yet your press conference contains none... maybe you should resign too? Look at attendance this year.. worst ever in Washington-Grizzly stadium.... If Kent were AD when Don Read was head coach you probably would have shipped him out too after a few years yes? Reality check Griz Nation: we are currently in the dark ages as a football program.. Our expectations are too high if you ask me. What have we done in the last 8 years? Have we been to a championship? Nope. I think we need to stop having such high expectations of our program.. maybe then when the pressure is not so high players can focus on just playing and coaches can focus on just coaching.. not worry about keeping their jobs! You better hire a true gem HC this around Kent.. or your a** is getting shipped next time around too (taste of your own medicine)!!

Asking to contend for conference championships and making the playoffs every year isn't asking too much, especially when Montana has so many advantages and resources to help us do exactly that.