Brooks, Stout, Coaches, Coleman, Benny...

[SteinPizza]

Fans should never influence the hiring/firing of a coach. The school hires an AD and support staff to evaluate those type of things. (in my humble opinion). Fans (not all, but some) think they're on the athletic department payroll and know all there is to know about coaching decisions.

OK, the business analogy fits here. The athletic teams at most D1 universitys are revenue engines for the school. They're in the business of attracting and building a fan base for the purpose of generating revenue for the school. This can be direct (donating money, buying game tickets, buying official merchandise) or indirect (ie. listening to games on the radio, which boosts ratings, which allows the school to negotiate higher rights fees in the future). The active or semi-active fans are your customers. In that sense, the AD shouldn't be autonomous from the fans (particularly large donors) in hiring decisions. Large donor/know-it-all types shouldn't have undue influence, but it's not a perfect world, and we can all think of other schools that have a reputation for donors controlling everything (some of the SEC schools come to mind). Big time college football and basketball is a business. The statement that the AD and school administrators should dictate all policy, I disagree with that. In this case, they're public employees, and they work for everyone who pays taxes in Iowa. Other than that, you and I are totally on the same page. The select few here bashing the players and coaches via mud slinging are wrong, and probably beat their dogs after a bad day at work.

[AmesPanther]

Fans should never influence the hiring/firing of a coach. The school hires an AD and support staff to evaluate those type of things. (in my humble opinion). Fans (not all, but some) think they're on the athletic department payroll and know all there is to know about coaching decisions. We all know that's not true. Look, without sounding snotty...I think I know what's going on in the world of basketball...but I can't say anything about what's going on at any school right now...because I'm not there everyday. I don't know what's going on behind the scenes. So, even though I've been around the game all my life...that doesn't give me the right to challenge or question the decisions of a coach or AD...becuase I'm on the outside looking in.

I'd totally disagree with that. The fans have to be part of hiring a new coach.

For one the fans pay for the AD, without them there would be no coaches. The fans in general should get some voice and need to be happy enough to keep buying the product. The fans shouldn't get the only voice but certainly are a factor even if it's small (influence).

Sometimes the people in the AD are a little too close to the situation and they need someone from the outside to put another take on a situation.

Most of the "big donors" are very good buisnessmen and know what it takes to run a successful company. They can help out with evaluating employees, negotiation, everything, and then can be there to pony up money to pay the coach.

[panther2317]

So...how do they get 'their voice'? Should a fan be a part of the selection committe when the coaches are interviewed? Should a fan get to be a part of the decision to fire a coach? Fans do have decision-making power in one respect. They can decide to stop buying the product. That's how they voice their opinion. But should it influence who the coach of a school happens to be? I don't think so. Because fans can have personality conflicts with coaches. Also...does it have to be a 'big donor'? Why is their money more important than my money? I'm a 'small donor' and I think I should have a voice too!

Fans should stay fans. And coaches/administrators should remain just that. There should be a very distinct line of demarcation. When there isn't one...that's where NCAA violations take place. Fans remain fans. Coaches and administrators do their jobs. When they don't do their jobs...their is a chain of command at the college/university that they have to answer to...and it's not the fan.

Board of Regents answer to the governor
President answers to the Board of Regents
AD answers to the President
Coaches answer to the AD

The fan isn't in this chain of command. Look, people love Kirk Ferentz, but I heard some big money donors at the U of I question his ability after two straight losses this season. Two weeks before you would have thought the guy walked on water. That's why fans don't get a direct say in coaching decisions. They are reactionary and fickel. The AD's, the administrators at the school get paid to evaluate their employees.

Look, I love to eat at Pepper's when I'm in Cedar Falls. If I have a bad experience with a waitress there, should I be able to get her fired? I don't think so, because I don't know what her work history is. What if she is a model employee who had a bad day and made a mistake? I can report the bad service and then it's up to her supervisor on how to handle the situation. I'm on the outside looking in. I may not like having her work there, but her boss thinks she does a pretty damned good job and is going to keep her out there. How come they didn't listen to me more? I mean, I'm a big donor to Pepper's. I spend all of my going out to dinner budget on them. They should fire that girl. She didn't live up to my expectations.

See how ludicrous it sounds. They get to make decisions about their business. I can choose not to come back, but that's my problem...not theirs. Now, if all of her customers complain constantly and she is always making mistakes. There will be a groundswell of people not supporting Pepper's any longer. Then, the administration may take a look at making a move, but only because they've evaluated her work on a daily basis. They know what's going on and the whole story. We don't. So...they still get to make the final decisions.

[Bojingles]

Nice Posting of "Puck" for your picture, Reed. Loved that guy.

Kirby stated in an interview ack in the mid 90's, "that if he ever retired, he would just turn into a fat tub of goooo..."

Sadly, he was right.

Everybody....Just SHUT UP and enjoy the ride. These guys have taken us farther than we have ever been on a consistant basis. It will only get better THANKS to these recent efforts.

If you want perfection.. Be a DUKE fan, and let us enjoy our little spot on the earth, affectionatley known as "Suitcase U".

Bojingles - A great view from the 3rd floor

[AmesPanther]

So...how do they get 'their voice'? Should a fan be a part of the selection committe when the coaches are interviewed? Should a fan get to be a part of the decision to fire a coach? Fans do have decision-making power in one respect. They can decide to stop buying the product. That's how they voice their opinion. But should it influence who the coach of a school happens to be? I don't think so. Because fans can have personality conflicts with coaches. Also...does it have to be a 'big donor'? Why is their money more important than my money? I'm a 'small donor' and I think I should have a voice too!

Fans should stay fans. And coaches/administrators should remain just that. There should be a very distinct line of demarcation. When there isn't one...that's where NCAA violations take place. Fans remain fans. Coaches and administrators do their jobs. When they don't do their jobs...their is a chain of command at the college/university that they have to answer to...and it's not the fan.

Board of Regents answer to the governor
President answers to the Board of Regents
AD answers to the President
Coaches answer to the AD

The fan isn't in this chain of command. Look, people love Kirk Ferentz, but I heard some big money donors at the U of I question his ability after two straight losses this season. Two weeks before you would have thought the guy walked on water. That's why fans don't get a direct say in coaching decisions. They are reactionary and fickel. The AD's, the administrators at the school get paid to evaluate their employees.

Look, I love to eat at Pepper's when I'm in Cedar Falls. If I have a bad experience with a waitress there, should I be able to get her fired? I don't think so, because I don't know what her work history is. What if she is a model employee who had a bad day and made a mistake? I can report the bad service and then it's up to her supervisor on how to handle the situation. I'm on the outside looking in. I may not like having her work there, but her boss thinks she does a pretty damned good job and is going to keep her out there. How come they didn't listen to me more? I mean, I'm a big donor to Pepper's. I spend all of my going out to dinner budget on them. They should fire that girl. She didn't live up to my expectations.

See how ludicrous it sounds. They get to make decisions about their business. I can choose not to come back, but that's my problem...not theirs. Now, if all of her customers complain constantly and she is always making mistakes. There will be a groundswell of people not supporting Pepper's any longer. Then, the administration may take a look at making a move, but only because they've evaluated her work on a daily basis. They know what's going on and the whole story. We don't. So...they still get to make the final decisions.

Sure let's use your analogy. What you are saying is fans get zero influence, management should ignore fans opinions, and fans should voice thier opinion by not buying. So at the restaurant the management should ignore all of your complaints and any other customers complains because you aren't in the know. At some point when they notice no one eats at their place then they know that the fans weren't happy. Problem is it's too late, now they are out of biz. In the real world you have to be very aware of how the customer feels about your product and what they want to see in the next version of the product.

The fans have to have a voice, just not the only one and maybe not even a very big one, but they do have to get a voice. You can't be out of touch with the consumer.

I don't know why you always get so offended with the big donor talk. I'm not one, but that doesn't upset me that they get more of a voice. Should the big donors get to be a part of the process because they give more, that is part of the reason. When Larry was at ISU 2 donors basically paid for his salary and it was a large salary so you can't ignore how much that helped. So yeah those guys should get a voice in who the coach is over me. A lot of the big donors are people who made a company from the ground up and can be a huge asset to the AD with the process of hiring a new employee (coach). Most of the general fan base wouldn't be any help with this.

At the end of the day I don't think the big donor's opinion is more important than mine, but he is putting his money where his mouth is and he knows the business of big business which is what college athletics is these days.