What do you want in your next Duke AD?

[duketaylor]

This question just begs to be asked, IMO. I'll not offer my response, yet, but let's hear it. Actually, we could put together a poll of varying responses and go from there, including:
a) someone with loads of athletic administration background and success
b) someone with plenty of Duke background, little or no athletic department background, but a proven successful business man (Mr. Waggoner at GM comes to mind)
c) someone with attributes between the two
d) something completely different (damn, Monty Python always creeps in)

Other ideas please. Create a resume for the next Duke AD.

[prefan21]

Profound respect for the Duke tradition (Cameron Crazies, students as athletes, etc.)

Willing to take a chance to elevate a sport (lacrosse in particular) to an elite level

Willing to put the necessary resources behind football to make it competitive

Business experience and an excellent fundraiser

Scandal-free, engenders a mutual sense of trust with student body and alumni

Understands that part of the job is promoting the Duke mystique, as Coach K does

[Sixthman]

A Duke man, a gentleman, someone who can see the big picture and inspire others to see it to, someone who can speak to the media, and someone who can balance the budget.

[bludev03]

A Duke man, a gentleman, someone who can see the big picture and inspire others to see it to, someone who can speak to the media, and someone who can balance the budget.


Why does it have to be a "Duke man" , "a gentleman"? There are women ADs who are perfectly qualified and capable of doing the job. Some of these women include: Joan Cronan (Tenn), Debbie Yow (MD), and Chris Plonsky (Texas)

[Duvall]

Someone with extensive experience in managing athletic programs at a BCS level, preferably with at least some experience at an elite private institution. Experience in managing large capital projects, especially facilities expansion and renovation. Must have extensive successful record in fundraising. Extensive experience in crisis management is also desirable - this person has to be someone that be trusted to be the face of the university before the world.

Absolutely don't care about whether they are a Duke graduate.

[Jumbo]

Why does it have to be a "Duke man" , "a gentleman"? There are women ADs who are perfectly qualified and capable of doing the job. Some of these women include: Joan Cronan (Tenn), Debbie Yow (MD), and Chris Plonsky (Texas)

Indeed. I should hope the original poster would be willing to consider a woman.

[DukeFencer]

Any chance the position could be filled by an associate AD or assistant AD currently at Duke? Or is this just not done?

[Sixthman]

Why does it have to be a "Duke man" , "a gentleman"? There are women ADs who are perfectly qualified and capable of doing the job. Some of these women include: Joan Cronan (Tenn), Debbie Yow (MD), and Chris Plonsky (Texas)



Indeed. I should hope the original poster would be willing to consider a woman.

Jumbo and Bludev03, I would indeed consider a woman, however, the question was not who would I consider, who do I think Duke should consider, or who do I think is qualified. The question was "what do I want in the next AD". I DO NOT WANT JOAN CRONAN, DEBBIE YOW OR CHRIS PLONSKY. As a matter of fact, I don't want anyone who is currently serving as an AD anywhere, man or woman (although I would never suggest Duke not consider experienced ADs or that these women are not qualified). First, I want someone with strong Duke ties. Why? I think that a significant factor in the catastrophe that was Duke's response to the Lacrosse mess was the lack of any Duke alum in senior administration at Duke. The perspectives in Allen Building were only that of career academic or management professionals, not of people who love Duke, and thus they failed to understand or serve the core of their constituency (students, alumni, and others who love Duke). There are tons of Duke people who have management and leadership skills and we should be looking for them. Next, the AD should be a gentleman or woman because this is necessary in order to generate respect from those with whom he or she works. The coaches, administrators and alumni with whom an AD must work are a diverse group of mostly strong personalities who have no small measure of professional success. Duke needs an AD who is a leader, manager and supervisor of the entire program. To be a leader, he or she must have the respect of those in the department. Earning and keeping the respect of people like Coach K or David Cutcliff is no small task. A lot of factors go into earning respect in this kind of environment. One important factor is the way you deal with people. The personal characteristics attributable to what most people would call a gentleman are conducive to earning such respect. I mention media skills because I believe our departing athletic director is weak in this area, and that at times of crisis, competence in this area makes a difference. I will never forget when Coach K was thinking about the Lakers job, JA called a press conference at which his comments might be fairly paraphrased as "gee, this would be bad and we have no plan to deal with it and I'm not sure why we're having this press conference". Finally, I speak of someone who sees the big picture and helps others see it. We particularly need this now. One need only hang out on the DBR boards a little to see how destructive focusing on the smaller picture can be. I think, for a variety of reasons, those of us who love Duke sports are having a hard time finding something to feel good about. This is true, even though there is much to celebrate. A good AD can be catalyst for changing the way we see ourselves, and this can have a positive impact on all of our programs.

[dyedwab]

Any chance the position could be filled by an associate AD or assistant AD currently at Duke? Or is this just not done?

IIRC, Alleva was allevated from either assistant AD to AD.

That being said, I would hope that, given the high profile of the Duke Athletic program, the recent expansion of facilities, and the commitment to to more, that Duke would look outside also for Alleva's successor. If we find somebody internally who is great, then let's hire him/her....But I would like to see us look outside for someone with experience running a major organization like the Duke Athletic Department

Really, they should just hire Ozzie!!!!!!

[killerleft]

Coach K. Fine resume, unquestioned love for Duke, could do more for Duke as AD than as head basketball coach. Probably the best choice by far.

Who would bet against Duke becoming one of the top college athletic programs around? Coach K surely has given much thought regarding the overall excellence of the athletics department.

I believe that Duke would continue to be a basketball power.

[devildeac]

IIRC, Alleva was allevated from either assistant AD to AD.

That being said, I would hope that, given the high profile of the Duke Athletic program, the recent expansion of facilities, and the commitment to to more, that Duke would look outside also for Alleva's successor. If we find somebody internally who is great, then let's hire him/her....But I would like to see us look outside for someone with experience running a major organization like the Duke Athletic Department

Really, they should just hire Ozzie!!!!!!

"Alleva was allevated..." Intentional or unintentional?-pretty funny either way:D

[duketaylor]

"Any chance the position could be filled by an associate AD or assistant AD currently at Duke? Or is this just not done?"

I would certainly think that's an option that will be considered.

FWIW, I have a supervisor that's a WVU grad and is incredibly intelligent, knowledgable about sports and coaching, etc. If the AD job at WVU opened up I could easily see him as a strong candidate with his passion for his school and strong leadership abilities. He, like OZZIE, hasn't missed a (WVU) home football game since the 70's. He was also present for the WVU hoops games recently, and, yes, he and I discussed Duke's weaknesses and why WVU beat us. Just some more food for thought.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Finally, I speak of someone who sees the big picture and helps others see it. We particularly need this now. One need only hang out on the DBR boards a little to see how destructive focusing on the smaller picture can be. I think, for a variety of reasons, those of us who love Duke sports are having a hard time finding something to feel good about. This is true, even though there is much to celebrate. A good AD can be catalyst for changing the way we see ourselves, and this can have a positive impact on all of our programs.

Need I say more?

If I do, BS Engineering from Duke School of Engineering (now Pratt), lifelong salesman and amateur athlete, entrepreneur, experienced in large infrastructure construction projects and dealing with the multiple personalities and politics of such projects. Works hard and well with others, and knows how to delegate tasks and authority while maintaining overall control of the situation. And of course, I'm your paradigm of optimism!

Dyedwab - thank you for your support! The momentum is growing! Make your voices heard!

[BlueintheFace]

Willing to take a chance to elevate a sport (lacrosse in particular) to an elite level


I think you are a little confused. For the past few years Duke has been one of the most dominant lacrosse teams in the nation. Besides that little ummm... hiccup... Duke has been absolutely dominant every year-- second only to hopkins.

[DST Fan]

Coach K. Fine resume, unquestioned love for Duke, could do more for Duke as AD than as head basketball coach. Probably the best choice by far.

Who would bet against Duke becoming one of the top college athletic programs around? Coach K surely has given much thought regarding the overall excellence of the athletics department.

I believe that Duke would continue to be a basketball power.

I think killerleft makes some interesting observations. During a conversation I had earlier this year with the coach of one of the Duke non-revenue sports, the other coach mentioned that Coach K has always been very supportative. My guess, however, is that Coach K isn't ready to give up coaching yet.

[Duvall]

Coach K. Fine resume, unquestioned love for Duke, could do more for Duke as AD than as head basketball coach. Probably the best choice by far.

Wow, I could not disagree more. I think that would be a a terrible idea, and one of the few ways that Duke athletics could end up worse off after Alleva's departure. I just don't see how Duke would be better off with a new head coach and an athletic director learning a new set of responsibilities than it would be with an experienced AD and a Hall of Fame coach.

[Duvall]

As a matter of fact, I don't want anyone who is currently serving as an AD anywhere, man or woman (although I would never suggest Duke not consider experienced ADs or that these women are not qualified). First, I want someone with strong Duke ties. Why? I think that a significant factor in the catastrophe that was Duke's response to the Lacrosse mess was the lack of any Duke alum in senior administration at Duke. The perspectives in Allen Building were only that of career academic or management professionals, not of people who love Duke, and thus they failed to understand or serve the core of their constituency (students, alumni, and others who love Duke). There are tons of Duke people who have management and leadership skills and we should be looking for them.

With all due respect, I'm not sure that this makes any sense. At the time of the lacrosse case Joe Alleva was in his 30th year at Duke. If thirty years at a single institution isn't enough to build strong ties, I'm not sure how spending four years there as a young adult would make a meaningful difference.

I would much rather hire someone with a proven track record of success in the relevant field than put my faith in the power of the old school tie.

[Sixthman]

With all due respect, I'm not sure that this makes any sense. At the time of the lacrosse case Joe Alleva was in his 30th year at Duke. If thirty years at a single institution isn't enough to build strong ties, I'm not sure how spending four years there as a young adult would make a meaningful difference.

I would much rather hire someone with a proven track record of success in the relevant field than put my faith in the power of the old school tie.

With all due respect, if Joe Alleva loved Duke, he would not be going to LSU. Good guy, professional, now experience, and I understand why LSU hired him, but not the kind of Duke guy I'm talking about. Besides, my Lacrosse reference was an analogy, referring to the actions of Allen Building. Joe Alleva was a bit player who had little, if anything, to do with shaping Duke's response to the Lacrosse mess.

[Im4howdy]

Not to sound negative (though this may) I was always under the impression that Alleva was elevated (or allevated) due to K's insistance because, at the time, K was concerned about having an AD who he couldn't control (and Alleva was in his hip pocket). I wonder if that will still (if true) be a condition?

but then again, I'm childpsycho ;)

[OrangeDevil]

What do I want in a new AD? Simple. That his name be Mike Krzyzewski.

[Duvall]

What do I want in a new AD? Simple. That his name be Mike Krzyzewski.

I didn't realize that so many Duke fans were envious of the Guthridge/Doherty experience.

['84 and counting]

A Tom Butters clone! 'Nuf said.

[Duvall]

With all due respect, if Joe Alleva loved Duke, he would not be going to LSU. Good guy, professional, now experience, and I understand why LSU hired him, but not the kind of Duke guy I'm talking about. Besides, my Lacrosse reference was an analogy, referring to the actions of Allen Building. Joe Alleva was a bit player who had little, if anything, to do with shaping Duke's response to the Lacrosse mess.

Well, if the athletic director is a bit player in crisis situations, why is it so important to have a "Duke guy" in that position? Why bring up the lacrosse matter at all?

It would be helpful if you explained what a "Duke guy" is, and how we can spot one if three decades of service to the university isn't enough of an indication.

[BlueintheFace]

All I want out of an AD is somebody who ---

1) Doesn't screw up what Alleva has put together here (truly amazing how we have top5- top15 teams in Mens/Womens Soccer...Mens/Womens Lacrosse...Mens/Womens Golf... Mens/Women's Basketball... Mens/Womens Tennis...Field Hockey... and a few others)

2) Shows better judgement under pressure than Alleva

3) GIVES COACH K EVERYTHING HE WANTS!!!

[Sandman]

I'm sure that the next AD, like Joe Allbad, will have Coach K's stamp of approval. I can't envision us hiring an AD who does not fully understand where the power is and who he must please. I will be comfortable with whomever Coach K (er..., I mean Duke) hires.

[Kewlswim]

Hi,

He came to Duke from the University of Washington in like 1985. He was Assistant SID to John Roth. Then he became SID. Now he is Assistant Athletic Director getting big dollar commitments from donors for the basketball program.

He is an insider, but he came from the outside. He is a nice guy. He cares about football and basketball. He spent some time learning what works and does not work at Duke.

If we want an insider, maybe he is a good choice. I wouldn't mind seeing some new blood, but that isn't always possible. Sometimes the best candidates are from within. OH, and I think Coach K would like the move.

GO DUKE!

[OldBlue]

Agree that the one person inside the department who would be great is Mike Cragg. He loves the institution. He is smart. He is engaging. And he knows how to raise money.

[DukeWarhead]

Danny Ferry. OK, maybe not. But the next AD should have a nice jump shot.

[Sixthman]

Well, if the athletic director is a bit player in crisis situations, why is it so important to have a "Duke guy" in that position? Why bring up the lacrosse matter at all?

It would be helpful if you explained what a "Duke guy" is, and how we can spot one if three decades of service to the university isn't enough of an indication.

As I mentioned before, I brought the Lacrosse matter up as an analogy. In this case, I used an situation with which most of us are somewhat familiar, to explain my position as to some possible unknown situation which might arise in the future. The AD was not a major player in the Lacrosse matter because it was a University matter as to which Allen Building and its paid consultants shaped the response. However, AD's present and past have faced matters of great import to the to department, fans, alumni and the University, situations, as to which, in my opinion, the same characteristics are important.

i have explained what I think a Duke guy is. I do not think you do not understand my view, I think we disagree, and that is okay.

[arnie]

Very important that whomever is chosen will be strong enough to stand up for the needs of athletic department when times are tough. That may mean putting his/her job on the line if the truth needs to be told.

[A-Tex Devil]

I said somewhere else I'd like to go outside to bring someone in, but I wouldn't be upset if Mike Cragg got the job. I met him a few times when he was SID in the mid nineties and he's a terrific guy, on the ball, and sharp.

I'm all for a woman AD if she has experience running both men's and women's programs. Plonsky does a great job here at Texas. The problem is she has NOTHING to do with football. The athletic departments here are split up between men and women, and honestly, football is a different animal and I'd like someone with experience. I went to Tennessee's website and it says Mike Hamilton is he AD. I plead ignorance on this one, but where is Joan Cronan now?

I don't like Yow, honestly, plus I don't think she would leave MD.

I still think Dan Morrison at TCU would be a great hire. Are there any other names out there people are throwing out yet?

[msdukie]

I would like Mike Krzyzewski to be my men's head basketball coach.

The posts above suggest this is not a unanimous position on the boards.

Do you want to contemplate the post-K era? I don't.

Also, whether the AD is a Dukie or not is irrelevant as long as they learn the importance of Duke's traditions. It's not like he/she won't have a support staff full of Dukies/long-time Duke officials.

We also need someone who will stand up to everyone (including K) when necessary for the best interests of the department. Tom Butters would do that. We also need an outside of the box innovative thinker, like we used to have. An AD should be willing to take some risks, but should also admit to it when mistakes are made. This AD should attempt to build the best department in the nation while also understanding Duke's academic mission and it's unique culture.

We've also talked about women's ADs v. men's ADs. Some schools (like Tennessee and perhaps Texas) have two separate athletic departments that work together. This wouldn't be the easiest thing to do, but maybe this is something Duke should consider in the future.

In sum, a proven track record is far more important than Dukie ties. The day Coach K no longer is our basketball coach likely be the saddest day in the history of Duke athletics. Remember the Panic of 2004?

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

As the discussion of inside hire vs. outside hire has continued, I've been thinking about the athletic directors Duke has hired over the years. If I remember my Duke history correctly, there haven't been many ADs. Eddie Cameron was already working at Duke when the position was created. He was replaced by Tom Butters who was heading up fund raising after being the baseball coach. Tom Butters was replaced by Joe Alleva. Eddie Cameron and Tom Butters each brought strong leadership and vision to the job. Each knew how to say "no" yet continue to work the room and develop resources needed.

A committee is likely to be formed for the AD search. One person I'd like to see on the committee is Jerry McGee, Mike McGee's brother. Jerry played football under Coach Bill Murray and has has been recognized nationally for his role in developing the role of athletic director at the high school level. He has contacts among college athletic directors all over the country.

[Wander]

Do not let Coach K make the decision. If you want to have him give advice or something like that, that's fine I guess, and obviously it's a good idea to have someone that K gets along with, but it isn't his place at all to make this choice.

[duketaylor]

DukeWarhead, I can shoot the rock, I can also drive a golf ball 300+ yards, what else is important?

[Indoor66]

DukeWarhead, I can shoot the rock, I can also drive a golf ball 300+ yards, what else is important?

How quick are you in pads? :)

[Verga3]

Hi,

He came to Duke from the University of Washington in like 1985. He was Assistant SID to John Roth. Then he became SID. Now he is Assistant Athletic Director getting big dollar commitments from donors for the basketball program.

He is an insider, but he came from the outside. He is a nice guy. He cares about football and basketball. He spent some time learning what works and does not work at Duke.

If we want an insider, maybe he is a good choice. I wouldn't mind seeing some new blood, but that isn't always possible. Sometimes the best candidates are from within. OH, and I think Coach K would like the move.

GO DUKE!


I agree Mike Cragg would be an excellent candidate and his experience, love of Duke and fundraising abilities are huge positives. I would also mention Senior Associate AD, Chris Kennedy as a smart, saavy, well-qualified 29-year Duke insider. His overall breadth of knowledge and experience in college athletics administration is significant. I don't know if he would be interested, but he would make us all very proud.....as would long-time Associate AD, Jacki Silar. Jacki, as Senior Women's Administrator has presided over the past and notable present successes of the Duke women in basketball, golf, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer (and others through the years I'm sorry I've surely missed).

There's great inside and seasoned talent (with loads of integrity and class) at Duke now that understands where we have been, where we are, and where we can go. It will be an interesting and difficult process for a "national search" selection committee to undertake. Let's just not ever forget who we are.....

[bludev03]

I said somewhere else I'd like to go outside to bring someone in, but I wouldn't be upset if Mike Cragg got the job. I met him a few times when he was SID in the mid nineties and he's a terrific guy, on the ball, and sharp.

I'm all for a woman AD if she has experience running both men's and women's programs. Plonsky does a great job here at Texas. The problem is she has NOTHING to do with football. The athletic departments here are split up between men and women, and honestly, football is a different animal and I'd like someone with experience. I went to Tennessee's website and it says Mike Hamilton is he AD. I plead ignorance on this one, but where is Joan Cronan now?

I don't like Yow, honestly, plus I don't think she would leave MD.

I still think Dan Morrison at TCU would be a great hire. Are there any other names out there people are throwing out yet?

Joan Cronan is the women's AD at UT.
http://www.utladyvols.com/inside-ut/page.aspx?id=9784

[Bluedawg]

Hi,

He came to Duke from the University of Washington in like 1985. He was Assistant SID to John Roth. Then he became SID. Now he is Assistant Athletic Director getting big dollar commitments from donors for the basketball program.

He is an insider, but he came from the outside. He is a nice guy. He cares about football and basketball. He spent some time learning what works and does not work at Duke.

If we want an insider, maybe he is a good choice. I wouldn't mind seeing some new blood, but that isn't always possible. Sometimes the best candidates are from within. OH, and I think Coach K would like the move.

GO DUKE!

When i heard that Joe was leaving my first thought was Mike Cragg. Second thought...Jacki Silar. Either one would be a good choice.

[-bdbd]

All I want out of an AD is somebody who ---

1) Doesn't screw up what Alleva has put together here (truly amazing how we have top5- top15 teams in Mens/Womens Soccer...Mens/Womens Lacrosse...Mens/Womens Golf... Mens/Women's Basketball... Mens/Womens Tennis...Field Hockey... and a few others)

2) Shows better judgement under pressure than Alleva

3) GIVES COACH K EVERYTHING HE WANTS!!!


=======
I like your priorities Blue...

I've been thinking about this for some time - at least since the LAX events and post-mortem analysis. My priorities:
A. Don't just look internal. Emphasize breadth of (leadership and major program) experience. Duke is a big-time name/opportunuity, we should expect/demand no less. Internal is possible, but external preferable. We WANT new ideas and approaches (that doesn't mean 'inexperienced').

B. Demonstrated good judgement and experience with a major D1 program.

C. New person must be a LEADER, with presence and clear, confidence-inspiring independence.

D. It relates to C, but individual must be able to fundraise.

E. Vision. He/she must "get it" as to the Duke values AND have a vision of, strategically over time, how to get there within that value system. IOW, once you go out and rally the fans and alums - maybe partially in order to do so - he/she must understand where those funds are going to optimally go over the long-haul investments in order to maximize returns. What's the PLAN??

F. We need someone who knows something about big-time D1 football. Decide now: are we getting serious about D1 competitive football at Duke or not?!? If so, then the AD must be equiped to contribute to that conversation with authority.

G. Personality and Presence: Work well with media and public. Also work well with and inspire trust from the coaching staffs.

H. Oh yeah, and as Blue says, GIVE K WHATEVER HE WANTS! (only half kidding...)

;)


Sounds pretty simple, right?? Just remember gang - we are not going out hat-in-hand. This is DUKE. It is a damn attractive position. We should demand and absolutely expect top-flight candidates, experience, ideas, vision and success.

No problem.

-BDBD

[jmb]

As other posters have mentioned, we have exemplary programs in Mens and Womens Soccer, Mens and Womens Lacrosse, Mens and Womens Golf, Mens and Womens Basketball, Mens and Womens Tennis, Womens Cross Country, and Field Hockey. Thus, I don't care what a candidate has done with these sports. As long as he/she can maintain some organizational momentum, these sports should continue to thrive.

What I care about is finding someone who has brought to prominence teams in our other sports that aren't shining as brightly: Football, Baseball, Mens Cross Country, Mens and Womens Track, Wrestling, Volleyball (could arguably go in the previous category category), Mens and Womens Fencing, Rowing, and Mens and Womens Swimming.

These are the programs that should take precedence in finding experienced candidates.

[jjasper0729]

this quote in the small piece from the dbr page kind of rubbed me the wrong way:

“Football is outstanding,” Alleva said. “Baseball’s outstanding. All 20 sports have the chance here to be national champions, and I wanted to compete on that level. I really wanted to go to that level.”

I can't explain why it irked me, but it did and does. Duke is nationally competitive in m/w basketball, m/w lacrosse, m/w soccer, m/w tennis, m/w golf, field hockey, fencing and has started to have a rejuvenation in volleyball. swimming and diving are becoming competitive with the new coach and approach. I don't know that much about wrestling, rowing or the track/cc teams.

why couldn't he have done better with football or baseball? was it him? was it the allen building. Was that quote just "saying the right thing because of where you are now"? It just rubs me wrong when I read it.

I want the next AD to care about all of Duke's sports and to do whatever it takes (ethically of course) to make sure we are competitive and play to the best of our ability with the best players for Duke.

[hughgs]

As other posters have mentioned, we have exemplary programs in Mens and Womens Soccer, Mens and Womens Lacrosse, Mens and Womens Golf, Mens and Womens Basketball, Mens and Womens Tennis, Womens Cross Country, and Field Hockey. Thus, I don't care what a candidate has done with these sports. As long as he/she can maintain some organizational momentum, these sports should continue to thrive.

What I care about is finding someone who has brought to prominence teams in our other sports that aren't shining as brightly: Football, Baseball, Mens Cross Country, Mens and Womens Track, Wrestling, Volleyball (could arguably go in the previous category category), Mens and Womens Fencing, Rowing, and Mens and Womens Swimming.

These are the programs that should take precedence in finding experienced candidates.

I don't understand what you mean by prominence. Swimming just hired a new coach who has coached All-Americans. Baseball was able to post wins against top twenty teams already this year. And rowing is competitive in the ACC given their lack of facilities. And depending on your definition of prominence I'm not sold that the tennis teams are there any more.

[bjornolf]

Need I say more?

If I do, BS Engineering from Duke School of Engineering (now Pratt), lifelong salesman and amateur athlete, entrepreneur, experienced in large infrastructure construction projects and dealing with the multiple personalities and politics of such projects. Works hard and well with others, and knows how to delegate tasks and authority while maintaining overall control of the situation. And of course, I'm your paradigm of optimism!

Dyedwab - thank you for your support! The momentum is growing! Make your voices heard!

I was busy helping my wife bring our newest addition into the world (details on Off-Topic board) so I missed throwing in my vote. The second I saw this thread title, I thought of Ozzie. Campaign slogans? "Who needs the wizard of westwood when you can have the wonderful Wizard of Oz!" ;)

[jmb]

I don't understand what you mean by prominence. Swimming just hired a new coach who has coached All-Americans. Baseball was able to post wins against top twenty teams already this year. And rowing is competitive in the ACC given their lack of facilities. And depending on your definition of prominence I'm not sold that the tennis teams are there any more.

My definition of prominence is at least threatening to win championships at the ACC and NCAA level (but ideally actually winning them).

[hughgs]

My definition of prominence is at least threatening to win championships at the ACC and NCAA level (but ideally actually winning them).

In that case volleyball is definitely prominent. I'm not terribly familiar with fencing but I don't believe there's an ACC championship and Duke does send a number of competitors to the NCAAs so I don't know how you would define that.

For rowing I believe that we're reasonably prominent, but I think they need a bit more support. They finally got a boat house, but they're on campus facilities stink.

I will agree that wrestling and swimming are not prominent. But, we have a new swimming coach who came in with a fantastic resume so I think you need to give that program some time.

Finally, in order to be prominent in football and baseball Duke has to be a nationally ranked (probably top 10). Is that a realistic expectation in those areas?

It seems that you're setting yourself up for failure here. Maybe a more realistic expectation would to be competitive in the Sears cup.

[Surfsideron]

I want the guy who turned down the LSU position in hopes of getting the position he really wanted....DUKE!

[jmb]

In that case volleyball is definitely prominent. I'm not terribly familiar with fencing but I don't believe there's an ACC championship and Duke does send a number of competitors to the NCAAs so I don't know how you would define that.

For rowing I believe that we're reasonably prominent, but I think they need a bit more support. They finally got a boat house, but they're on campus facilities stink.

I will agree that wrestling and swimming are not prominent. But, we have a new swimming coach who came in with a fantastic resume so I think you need to give that program some time.

Finally, in order to be prominent in football and baseball Duke has to be a nationally ranked (probably top 10). Is that a realistic expectation in those areas?

It seems that you're setting yourself up for failure here. Maybe a more realistic expectation would to be competitive in the Sears cup.
Are we really setting ourselves up for failure by hoping to attract an AD who has experience elevating some of these programs to a nationally competitive level?

[hughgs]

Are we really setting ourselves up for failure by hoping to attract an AD who has experience elevating some of these programs to a nationally competitive level?

Some is fine, I don't think anyone would disagree. But, you listed all our programs and implied that our AD should be able to elevate them all to prominence. If that's not what you meant then I'm even more confused about what realistic goals you want for our next AD.

[jimsumner]

Q.

What do

Tom Butters
Terry Sanford
Mike Krzyzewski
Eddie Cameron
Wallace Wade
Vic Bubas

have in common?

A. None graduated from Duke.

You don't have to graduate from a place to love it. And that comes from a Duke alum.

[Capn Poptart]

I have to agree with Prof. Spragens, who stated that he was surprised at the timing of the move, and that he thought Alleva had weathered the storm.

I've had my beefs with Alleva, but he did seem to be figuring things out at the end. The two anemic sports, football and baseball, seem to be finally headed in the right direction, and the facility building boom continues.

The areas in which Alleva seemed to excel were ones people keep mentioning as desirable in a new AD: fundraising and elevating non-revenues.

There's no doubt that the committee will be looking for someone with better PR and personal skills than JA. But it will be interesting to see if we can find someone with the total package: (major sports, nonrevenues, fundraising, people skills, creative thinker, etc.).

As I recall, the last time this position was open, the interest was pitiful.

[Surfsideron]

There's no doubt that the committee will be looking for someone with better PR and personal skills than JA. But it will be interesting to see if we can find someone with the total package: (major sports, nonrevenues, fundraising, people skills, creative thinker, etc.).

As I recall, the last time this position was open, the interest was pitiful.

There is a candidate out there that fulfills most, if not all, of the requirements the committee will be looking for.

He took a school with almost no football pedigree to one that was hugely successful and continues to grow on that success.

His fundraising skills at that school were much better than anyone previous or since.

He then moved on to a prominent football program that won a National Championship during his tenure and challenged for many others. He has experience dealing with a coaching icon.

He has the respect of every conference and their leaders, in the country.

He could have had many jobs over the past 5-6 years, including those that are/were open this year. However, he wants Duke and for all the right reasons.

The man is former ECU & FSU AD, Dave Hart.

[Duvall]

He could have had many jobs over the past 5-6 years, including those that are/were open this year. However, he wants Duke and for all the right reasons.

The man is former ECU & FSU AD, Dave Hart.

I'm not sure that Florida State has the kind of athletic department we want to emulate.

[Wander]

Is this part of the Duke curse for LSU, for beating us in the tournament two years ago?

[Stray Gator]

There is a candidate out there that fulfills most, if not all, of the requirements the committee will be looking for.

He took a school with almost no football pedigree to one that was hugely successful and continues to grow on that success.

His fundraising skills at that school were much better than anyone previous or since.

He then moved on to a prominent football program that won a National Championship during his tenure and challenged for many others. He has experience dealing with a coaching icon.

He has the respect of every conference and their leaders, in the country.

He could have had many jobs over the past 5-6 years, including those that are/were open this year. However, he wants Duke and for all the right reasons.

The man is former ECU & FSU AD, Dave Hart.

Sorry, but I strenuously disagree. We don't need an AD who tolerates, even if only by turning a blind eye, violations of academic and athletic rules to the extent that FSU is now facing NCAA punishment for having allowed under Hart's watch. We don't need an AD who'll wink at allowing a coach like Bobby Bowden to get away with circumventing the school's anti-nepotism policy by hiring his son as offensive coordinator. We don't need an AD who makes embarrassingly puerile public statements, like saying of a football coach at a rival school (Spurrier) that "somebody ought to put him over their knee and spank him." Finally, and most significantly, FSU's athletics program clearly declined during Hart's tenure. (For that matter, I believe East Carolina had a decent football pedigree under Coach Clarence Stasovich (sp?) before Hart arrived.)

I don't mean to characterize Hart as a bad person or an incompetent AD. But he is, to put it diplomatically, a lightweight. IMO Duke deserves, and should be able to attract, much better candidates.

[sagegrouse]

As other posters have mentioned, we have exemplary programs in Mens and Womens Soccer, Mens and Womens Lacrosse, Mens and Womens Golf, Mens and Womens Basketball, Mens and Womens Tennis, Womens Cross Country, and Field Hockey. Thus, I don't care what a candidate has done with these sports.

What I care about is finding someone who has brought to prominence teams in our other sports that aren't shining as brightly: Football, Baseball, Mens Cross Country, Mens and Womens Track, Wrestling, Volleyball (could arguably go in the previous category category), Mens and Womens Fencing, Rowing, and Mens and Womens Swimming.

These are the programs that should take precedence in finding experienced candidates.

Uhhhh.... The logic here escapes me.

(a) Are you suggesting that Duke should be nationally competitive in sports in which it does not award athletic scholarships? We really do need to match aspirations and resources.

(b) I can't for the life of me understand why expertise in rowing (or any other individual sport) means anything for an AD. I would think a good AD should be able to make great hires in sports where he/she did not either play or coach.

You did not mention fund-raising, which has been very good at Duke, thanks to the Iron Dukes, the basketball team, and generous individuals like Yoh, Schwartz, etc. I would be interested in learning how high on the list is the requirement for improved fund-raising.

sagegrouse

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Looks like we'll have an opportunity to see how Chris Kennedy performs since he's the interim AD. More information on goduke.com.

[arnie]

Looks like we'll have an opportunity to see how Chris Kennedy performs since he's the interim AD. More information on goduke.com.

This could mean that we conduct the "search" and then determine that Kennedy is the best candidate. If he doesn't do anything stupid, he may be our man. I seem to recall that he is respected among the other staff.

Incidentally, our baseball program is not as great as some posters have insinuated. 4-10 in hte ACC and all our OOC wins were really against poor teams. However, improvement is expected to be slow.

[blueprofessor]

Sorry, but I strenuously disagree. We don't need an AD who tolerates, even if only by turning a blind eye, violations of academic and athletic rules to the extent that FSU is now facing NCAA punishment for having allowed under Hart's watch. We don't need an AD who'll wink at allowing a coach like Bobby Bowden to get away with circumventing the school's anti-nepotism policy by hiring his son as offensive coordinator. We don't need an AD who makes embarrassingly puerile public statements, like saying of a football coach at a rival school (Spurrier) that "somebody ought to put him over their knee and spank him." Finally, and most significantly, FSU's athletics program clearly declined during Hart's tenure. (For that matter, I believe East Carolina had a decent football pedigree under Coach Clarence Stasovich (sp?) before Hart arrived.)

I don't mean to characterize Hart as a bad person or an incompetent AD. But he is, to put it diplomatically, a lightweight. IMO Duke deserves, and should be able to attract, much better candidates.

************************************************** ********

...for a number of reasons,in addition to those mentioned by Stray.
Friends at the companion sports publication which covered FSU sports(The Osceola) noted that Hart says next to nothing when he speaks(15 minutes in conversation yields about 1 paragraph of usable material).
He insulates himself and divided the FSU alumns into pro-con camps.

Hart is a football man ,period.The overall sports program,despite a great population base in FL and GA, underperformed in terms of dollars spent using the Directors' Cup as a criterion.

IMHO,Hart is not a heavyweight.
In one of his first speeches, Dave said he wanted FSU athletics to model itself on Disney Corporation.Yet he knew little about Disney,including the fact that about 85% of employees were extremely low-payed ,while the top person earned about 60 millions a year( I like profit).Disney was one of 300 participating companies in my 3 year study that led to writing a couple books.Disney was having a great number of HBO problems--- frankly,he was very shallow in his reasoning.

IIRC,Dave was a Teaching English ,as opposed to an English , major at Alabama.Yet he always projected his major as English.Huge difference.

In addition, he said he played on the bball team.Efforts in calling Alabama to get details about that "playing" by a very prominent alumnus who was preparing a detailed intro of Hart at an important big giver event led to no info which confirmed his assertion of having "played." Dave may have played....

Dave was the vanguard for ACC expansion to include Miami,BC,and VT----replete with the unbalanced bball schedule.

I do not believe he would be a good fit at Duke,although he is smart and attracted highly competent people as associate ADs ,who helped insulate him from the rabble.

Best regards.:)

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

This could mean that we conduct the "search" and then determine that Kennedy is the best candidate. If he doesn't do anything stupid, he may be our man. I seem to recall that he is respected among the other staff.

Incidentally, our baseball program is not as great as some posters have insinuated. 4-10 in hte ACC and all our OOC wins were really against poor teams. However, improvement is expected to be slow.
Kennedy has been at Duke for 29 years. According to his bio on goduke.com, his undergraduate and masters degrees are from Georgetown University. His doctoral degree is from Duke. In addition to the duties he's had over the years in the athletic department, he continues to be an adjunct assistant professor in English at Duke. He's certainly brought a focus to academics, especially for the basketball team.

[Classof06]

I want AD who actually acts like football exists. Say what you want about academics, there is absolutely no excuse for Alleva letting Duke become the laughing stock of Division 1 football. It was an embarrassment to the university and the administration watched losing season after losing season without lifting a finger. Simply pathetic.

And don't tell me Duke can't realistically compete in the ACC when Wake Forest just won the conference in football 2 seasons ago. Their academic requirements are barely discernable from Duke's and they're a smaller school.

[Surfsideron]

************************************************** ********

...for a number of reasons,in addition to those mentioned by Stray.
Friends at the companion sports publication which covered FSU sports(The Osceola) noted that Hart says next to nothing when he speaks(15 minutes in conversation yields about 1 paragraph of usable material).
He insulates himself and divided the FSU alumns into pro-con camps.

Hart is a football man ,period.The overall sports program,despite a great population base in FL and GA, underperformed in terms of dollars spent using the Directors' Cup as a criterion.

IMHO,Hart is not a heavyweight.
In one of his first speeches, Dave said he wanted FSU athletics to model itself on Disney Corporation.Yet he knew little about Disney,including the fact that about 85% of employees were extremely low-payed ,while the top person earned about 60 millions a year( I like profit).Disney was one of 300 participating companies in my 3 year study that led to writing a couple books.Disney was having a great number of HBO problems--- frankly,he was very shallow in his reasoning.

IIRC,Dave was a Teaching English ,as opposed to an English , major at Alabama.Yet he always projected his major as English.Huge difference.

In addition, he said he played on the bball team.Efforts in calling Alabama to get details about that "playing" by a very prominent alumnus who was preparing a detailed intro of Hart at an important big giver event led to no info which confirmed his assertion of having "played." Dave may have played....

Dave was the vanguard for ACC expansion to include Miami,BC,and VT----replete with the unbalanced bball schedule.

I do not believe he would be a good fit at Duke,although he is smart and attracted highly competent people as associate ADs ,who helped insulate him from the rabble.

Best regards.:)

Obviously your fact finding needs work.

A lightweight? He was voted the best AD in the country by his peers.

He went to Alabama on a basketball scholarship. He may not have played significantly but he had a basketball scholarship.

The FSU sports program declined? Before he got there FSU was not in the top 100 in the Sears Cup, now they are in the top 20. The Women's Soccer program is contender for FF in that sport on a continuous basis.

Who cares what his major was? The AD at Oregon didn't even go to college!

The vanguard for ACC expansion, yes. The ACC needed a football boost and they got it. Do you think he might be able to give Duke a football boost? Did the vote to expand include anyone else's vote other than FSU's? Did maybe other people see the need to expand? I think the basketball thing will work out. The Big East has, what 16?, teams and they are making it work.

Your Disney analogy makes no sense at all. What is your point?

He says next to nothing when making statements. Hmmm, did Aleva say much when the lacrosse team was under the gun? Did he say much when Duke lost its women's basketball coach?

He insulated himself and divided alums into pro/con camps.
More so than did Aleva!! Give me a break. Every AD at every school can't please all of the people all of the time.

As for the NCAA "infraction" that players were receiving answers to tests.......A tudor gave answers to the players. As soon as Hart found out it was reported to the NCAA. Tell me how an AD can be held responsible not only for 1200+ athletes but also for their tudors!

although he is smart and attracted highly competent people as associate ADs ,who helped insulate him from the rabble.

I'm not sure you are trying to turn this into a negative or not but based on the rest of your post I'll assume you are. Now I was in management all my life and I found that the best way to be successful was to "insulate" myself with the best people possible. This helped me and my company to be successful. I would assume you would want the same for Duke and whomever they hire as AD.

[Devil07]

As for the NCAA "infraction" that players were receiving answers to tests.......A tudor gave answers to the players.
Which one? I've always been partial to Henry VIII, but that's just me...

[Stray Gator]

Obviously your fact finding needs work.

A lightweight? He was voted the best AD in the country by his peers.

He went to Alabama on a basketball scholarship. He may not have played significantly but he had a basketball scholarship.

The FSU sports program declined? Before he got there FSU was not in the top 100 in the Sears Cup, now they are in the top 20. The Women's Soccer program is contender for FF in that sport on a continuous basis.

Who cares what his major was? The AD at Oregon didn't even go to college!

The vanguard for ACC expansion, yes. The ACC needed a football boost and they got it. Do you think he might be able to give Duke a football boost? Did the vote to expand include anyone else's vote other than FSU's? Did maybe other people see the need to expand? I think the basketball thing will work out. The Big East has, what 16?, teams and they are making it work.

Your Disney analogy makes no sense at all. What is your point?

He says next to nothing when making statements. Hmmm, did Aleva say much when the lacrosse team was under the gun? Did he say much when Duke lost its women's basketball coach?

He insulated himself and divided alums into pro/con camps.
More so than did Aleva!! Give me a break. Every AD at every school can't please all of the people all of the time.

As for the NCAA "infraction" that players were receiving answers to tests.......A tudor gave answers to the players. As soon as Hart found out it was reported to the NCAA. Tell me how an AD can be held responsible not only for 1200+ athletes but also for their tudors!

although he is smart and attracted highly competent people as associate ADs ,who helped insulate him from the rabble.

I'm not sure you are trying to turn this into a negative or not but based on the rest of your post I'll assume you are. Now I was in management all my life and I found that the best way to be successful was to "insulate" myself with the best people possible. This helped me and my company to be successful. I would assume you would want the same for Duke and whomever they hire as AD.

First of all, I don't know the basis for your vigorous advocacy on behalf of Dave Hart. Regarding your statement that blueprofessor's "fact finding needs work," however, you should understand that blueprofessor not only resides in Tallahassee (as I did for 26 years before moving to Tampa in 2003), but I believe he has been for at least the last 15 years a member of the faculty at FSU who is both involved with and supportive of FSU athletics. I think his sources and credibility are pretty reliable.

Second, you suggest that Hart is no less articulate than Alleva, and that he deserves substantial credit for the ACC expansion. I submit that neither of these attributes are likely to be deemed particularly laudable by those charged with responsibility for hiring Duke's next athletic director, and certainly won't win him much support among the Iron Dukes.

You speak of expansion giving ACC football a "boost"? Did you happen to see the laughable turnout for the ACC Championship Game in Jacksonville? And did you notice how many ACC teams appeared in BCS or New Year's Day bowl games? Unless I'm mistaken, since the last expansion in 2004, the ACC has had only one team--the automatic qualifier--in a BCS bowl each year; and for those keeping score, all 4 of those BCS appearances by ACC teams were losses. That's a "boost"?

Third, if the AD is not responsible for the proper administration of a tutoring program provided by the university's athletics department for the benefit of the university's athletes, who should be held accountable? Do you believe the tutor who was going to be scapegoated before the attempted internal cover-up collapsed should still be held solely at fault? You can bet your sweet bippy that Ole T.K. ain't gonna accept any blame.

Finally, I think that when blueprofessor mentioned that Hart was smart and surrounded himself with competent assistants who insulated him from the rabble, he was trying to be kind more than complimentary. Duke already has a number of superb administrators in the athletic department, and I hope the candidate who is selected to be the next AD will not need those individuals to "insulate" him, but will be able through astute and imaginative and forceful leadership to marshal their talents and energy to build an even better athletic program at Duke.

Like I said, I don't really have anything against Hart; I just don't see anything special that qualifies him as a desirable candidate for the AD position at Duke, when I think we can do far better.

[Surfsideron]

Which one? I've always been partial to Henry VIII, but that's just me...

Good gosh did I say tudor instead of tutor.....thanks for embarrassing me, as I embarrassed myself!!!!

[blueprofessor]

Obviously your fact finding needs work.

A lightweight? He was voted the best AD in the country by his peers.

He went to Alabama on a basketball scholarship. He may not have played significantly but he had a basketball scholarship.

The FSU sports program declined? Before he got there FSU was not in the top 100 in the Sears Cup, now they are in the top 20. The Women's Soccer uprogram is contender for FF in that sport on a continuous basis.

Who cares what his major was? The AD at Oregon didn't even go to college!

The vanguard for ACC expansion, yes. The ACC needed a football boost and they got it. Do you think he might be able to give Duke a football boost? Did the vote to expand include anyone else's vote other than FSU's? Did maybe other people see the need to expand? I think the basketball thing will work out. The Big East has, what 16?, teams and they are making it work.

Your Disney analogy makes no sense at all. What is your point?

He says next to nothing when making statements. Hmmm, did Aleva say much when the lacrosse team was under the gun? Did he say much when Duke lost its women's basketball coach?

He insulated himself and divided alums into pro/con camps.
More so than did Aleva!! Give me a break. Every AD at every school can't please all of the people all of the time.

As for the NCAA "infraction" that players were receiving answers to tests.......A tudor gave answers to the players. As soon as Hart found out it was reported to the NCAA. Tell me how an AD can be held responsible not only for 1200+ athletes but also for their tudors!

although he is smart and attracted highly competent people as associate ADs ,who helped insulate him from the rabble.

I'm not sure you are trying to turn this into a negative or not but based on the rest of your post I'll assume you are. Now I was in management all my life and I found that the best way to be successful was to "insulate" myself with the best people possible. This helped me and my company to be successful. I would assume you would want the same for Duke and whomever they hire as AD.
************************************************** *********
...noted. Stray certainly hit some essential points in his rebuttal.

I will attempt to address other matters you raised .

Dave should not have used Disney as an organization he wished FSU's athletic department to emulate.Disney was a very selfish company with little expressed concern for its employees.It was led by an egocentric CEO who made certain he received enormous benefits (up to 90 millions a year) even when Disney underperformed.I am certainly a capitalist, but this remuneration circumstance is offensive. There were many other systemic deficiencies in the company that rendered it a very poor model for any athletic dept.Dave did not analyze the company before running his mouth.

I do not care what his Alabama major was,but he should not have allowed it to be embellished as it was metamorphosed from Teaching English to English.
I assume you fathom the difficulty of securing an English degree from any school.
Dave was a divider,regardless of Alleva's actions in the same regard.I am not an admirer of Alleva,but he was better than Hart for Duke.

Hart did not like to interact with the alumni and did insulate himself to an extreme.

The awards for outstanding admins are heavily politicked : he was talented at
getting his way.I do not like the outcomes for FSU or for the ACC of his judgment.It is debatable whether we academically(certainly not) or athletically upgraded the ACC by adding the 3 expansion schools.

IIRC, FSU's highest Directors' Cup rankings ever have been 15,17,22 and 24,in spite of a huge budget.In fact, FSU was as high as 49,46,39,46 again,39 again,35,and 30 under Hart.Duke,UNC,and occasionally Wake Forest are higher,and UNC and Duke have a much higher average finish over the last 15 years.In fact Duke has been higher for the last 11 years---sometimes by staggering margins . Duke has finished #7,16,21,18,5,8,and 11 in those years,and is on target for a top 10 finish this year.If one considers the cost/benefit analysis, that FSU performance is decidedly disappointing.Duke does not have a budget that compares to FSU's.

Hart might be a decent fit somewhere(footballcentric state school with a huge budget).

I hope I have adequately explained some of the matters you raised.Except for 3 years at British universities, I have been a professor at this school since 1985---perhaps not a great length for a longitudinal study,but not insignificant either.I have also served on a number of booster appointed committees and helped establish a national position award in college football named after an FSU player who had to clean his hands with turpentine after games!I have a certain affection for the school,turning down professorships at universities in Britain,as well as another school with which most on this board are intimately familiar, that rank considerably higher .I say that because I want to stress my commitment to this school is long lasting. I have no animus regarding Dave,but he is not Duke material.

Best regards.:)

[pratt '04]

Great quote from interim AD Chris Kennedy in today's Chronicle:


The role is to keep things together, keep things moving forward and beat the snot out of Carolina every time we play them.

link (http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2008/04/08/News/Kennedy.To.Serve.As.Interim.A.d-3309785.shtml)

[Lotus000]

I would like a Duke person--yeah, I like inside hires. Somebody with some prior Duke experience. Why? It's important to me.

I want somebody who takes the Carlyle Cup seriously--making sure every major sport is on an elite level is important to this goal, and an end that will justify the means.

And on a PC note...when will everybody realize that in a general comment 'guy' or 'gentleman' is pretty much gender neutral. We'd all be fine with a woman at the helm of Duke athletics.

On a second aside, Coach K will have a GIGANTIC say in whomever Duke hires. More so than Brodhead.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I would like a Duke person--yeah, I like inside hires. Somebody with some prior Duke experience. Why? It's important to me.

I want somebody who takes the Carlyle Cup seriously--making sure every major sport is on an elite level is important to this goal, and an end that will justify the means.

And on a PC note...when will everybody realize that in a general comment 'guy' or 'gentleman' is pretty much gender neutral. We'd all be fine with a woman at the helm of Duke athletics.

On a second aside, Coach K will have a GIGANTIC say in whomever Duke hires. More so than Brodhead.

Mr. Brodhead is appointing the search committee.

[Devil07]

I recall that during the most recent football search the school hired a consultant to help. His name escapes me, but I remember reading about how well regarded he was. And I think most of us would agree that the search ended with a great fit. Does anyone know whether or not we plan on using his or a comparable service this go round? I don't know who will be on the search committee, but I for one would really like to see them take this as seriously as they took the football search. Spending the extra money to bring in an outside consultant would be a wise move in my opinion.

[Bluedawg]

Interesting comments from Greg Beaton (http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2008/04/08/Column/Alleva.Made.Strides.But.Its.Time.For.Change-3309792.shtml)


Where Duke goes from here is now the most important question-one which I'd imagine President Richard Brodhead and his administration have been considering for quite some time. There are two strong internal candidates: Senior Associate Director of Athletics Chris Kennedy, Associate Director of Athletics Jacki Silar and Associate Director of Athletics Mike Cragg, although Kennedy told The Chronicle Monday that he would not seek the position. Cragg has compiled an impressive resume during his 21 years at Duke and will likely receive internal support, particularly considering his closeness to the men's basketball program.

If Brodhead wants to cement his legacy in terms of athletics, however, he'll look outside the walls of the Gothic Wonderland to find an innovative leader with a strong academic profile. Given its combination of athletic and academic prowess, Duke should be the type of place that would attract a long list of impressive candidates that fit this billing.

And maybe, with a new athletic director, the type of place where a fan can see a few football wins, too.