It's time to give some props to Dave Hart

#1
T

tvols75

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#1
The buddy system that has plagued the AD for the last decade is quickly being eliminated and the true colors of those who were part of it are being revealed.

The one that gets me the most is the Jennings woman bringing Pat into this. Not only did she put a sick woman in the middle of this by saying since Pat said she could stay she was going to stay, but she circumvented Hart's authority. Hart was pretty blunt when it came to the Jennings talk yesterday.

To be a top athletic department it all starts at the top. If the AD is in shambles, more than likely so too is most of the athletic programs. Great start by Hart.
 
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#3
#3
GAVol said:
I was a little surprised at how public and specific his comments were.
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Do you think it needed to be done? I think his intentions were to be quiet but then Jennings forced his hand with trying to get public sympathy. His response was short and to the point.
 
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#4
#4
Put the hammer down. The OP is absolutely right. If the AD is rotten at the core, the whole AD is worthless.
 
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#5
#5
"Pat said I could stay" Nothing against Pat Summit, but she is/was the head coach for the women's basketball program. Does she get to decide who stays and who goes in the AD? I wouldn't think so. And that's not a rub on Summit. Its just that if your defense is that someone that is technically under you makes the decision of if you stay or go is kind of misguided. It works the other way, at least it does in most functioning businesses and ADs.
 
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#7
#7
SnowVol said:
"Pat said I could stay" Nothing against Pat Summit, but she is/was the head coach for the women's basketball program. Does she get to decide who stays and who goes in the AD? I wouldn't think so. And that's not a rub on Summit. Its just that if your defense is that someone that is technically under you makes the decision of if you stay or go is kind of misguided. It works the other way, at least it does in most functioning businesses and ADs.
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I don't think we need to implicate Pat. From everything I've gathered, she has never been one to play the power card. This just goes to show how pathetic Jennings is by using a sick woman to her own advantage.
 
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#9
#9
And this isn't a thing to praise Dooley, but in talking to a recent booster, he was the one that got the ball rolling on trying to eliminate this crap when Hart was introduced. I have been told that Dooley and Hamilton (and his staff) had a lot of disagreements over a lot of things.
 
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#10
#10
Hart's in a difficult position and, I think, has handled it fairly well thus far.

The situation is this: UT's athletic departments were structured for a world of collegiate athletics that has come and gone. No more is it efficient to run two separate departments. In addition, the 'old boy' network that saw people staying with the department for a lifetime is now a liability.

Hart spelled it out - UTAD has just $5M in reserves. Schools like Mississippi State have more in reserve that UT does. That $5M can go away really quickly in one off-year.

So collegiate athletics are now being run as a business, a company if you will. Welcome to the real world, UTAD. For most of us who've worked in the corporate world, this is business as usual. For those who spent their entire lives in the athletic department, not so much, so of course it's going to be painful.

Hart's job is to make the athletic department at the university the best it can be. He can't do that given its current structure, so that has to be one of the first things to change. Call it short-term pain for long-term gain.

Blame the skyrocketing TV revenue for this. Athletics are a huge business and UT is playing in the biggest league of all. In order to remain competitive, this is what needs to happen.
 
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#11
#11
tvols75 said:
I don't think we need to implicate Pat. From everything I've gathered, she has never been one to play the power card. This just goes to show how pathetic Jennings is by using a sick woman to her own advantage.
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Pat probably said something in passing like, "Hun, just because I'm going doesn't mean everyone has to go." This Jennings woman turns that into, "I can work here until I die, because Pat Summitt said so!"
 
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#12
#12
It was an unenviable task on behalf of Hart but something needed to be said in order to stem public perception. He chose a rather blunt way of doing things both privately and publicly...and it's working.

Insubordination is insubordination no matter how tenured an employee may be and it seems Jennings thought herself immune to any repercussions.
 
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#13
#13
tvols75 said:
To be a top athletic department it all starts at the top. If the AD is in shambles, more than likely so too is most of the athletic programs. Great start by Hart.
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Merely firing people is not going to create a top athletic department.
 
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#14
#14
Velo Vol said:
Merely firing people is not going to create a top athletic department.
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Firing people who are unproductive and also people who's presence creates a negative work environment are essential in making the department more effective and efficient. That is why the part you quoted had at the end, "great start." He is nowhere near finished.
 
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#15
#15
Sounds to me they were use to a weak Ad,the buddy buddy system and trying to bully to get your way is over, that crap didn't work on Hart,I like how Hart is doing things..
 
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#17
#17
tvols75 said:
Firing people who are unproductive and also people who's presence creates a negative work environment are essential in making the department more effective and efficient. That is why the part you quoted had at the end, "great start." He is nowhere near finished.
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If he is in fact firing those who are NOT productive then he damned sure shouldn't be finished.
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#18
#18
Velo Vol said:
Merely firing people is not going to create a top athletic department.
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He said "great start". As in there is still more to do! Everyone in the AD should have realize that when they combined departments, some people would have to go. You can't have 2 people doing the job of 1 person anymore.
 
#19
#19
VolBeef88 said:
If he is in fact firing those who are NOT productive then he damned sure shouldn't be finished.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
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Look, someone turning this into a fire Dooley thread. I'm surprised you went that route (sarcasm).
 
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#21
#21
FearlessFreep said:
Hart's in a difficult position and, I think, has handled it fairly well thus far.

The situation is this: UT's athletic departments were structured for a world of collegiate athletics that has come and gone. No more is it efficient to run two separate departments. In addition, the 'old boy' network that saw people staying with the department for a lifetime is now a liability.

Hart spelled it out - UTAD has just $5M in reserves. Schools like Mississippi State have more in reserve that UT does. That $5M can go away really quickly in one off-year.

So collegiate athletics are now being run as a business, a company if you will. Welcome to the real world, UTAD. For most of us who've worked in the corporate world, this is business as usual. For those who spent their entire lives in the athletic department, not so much, so of course it's going to be painful.

Hart's job is to make the athletic department at the university the best it can be. He can't do that given its current structure, so that has to be one of the first things to change. Call it short-term pain for long-term gain.

Blame the skyrocketing TV revenue for this. Athletics are a huge business and UT is playing in the biggest league of all. In order to remain competitive, this is what needs to happen.
Click to expand...

Now if Washington could just do the same.
 
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#22
#22
Heck, Hamilton fired Fulmer, who was being "unproductive." Is anyone going to argue that the football program was better at the end of Hamilton's reign than it was five years earlier?
 
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#23
#23
tvols75 said:
Do you think it needed to be done? I think his intentions were to be quiet but then Jennings forced his hand with trying to get public sympathy. His response was short and to the point.
Click to expand...

Yep, think you're right on target. Usually top executives invoke the "I don't talk about personnel issues" mantra but Jennings comments deserved a response. If she really wants everyone to know the facts then sue UT because I'm sure UT has their ducks-in-a-row and it will just cost her big dollars and in the end she will be embarrassed so bad she won't be able to show her face at UT. Pathetic disgrundled employee.
 
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