Fire up those resumes!

[siouxyeahyeah]

Much more qualified? How do you figure? The other two finalists have AD experience, Bollinger does not. I'm not saying Bollinger wouldn't be a good option, just wondering what you're using as a measuring stick for "qualified..."

[dakotadan]

My biggest concern about McCarthy is the fact that Lynn University has neither hockey OR football, the two biggest sports at UND. Sure he has AD experience but I have a feeling that running the athletic department at Lynn would be very differant that at UND.

[star2city]

Much more qualified? How do you figure? The other two finalists have AD experience, Bollinger does not. I'm not saying Bollinger wouldn't be a good option, just wondering what you're using as a measuring stick for "qualified..."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Bollinger is more qualified in areas that will be emphasized in the next few years. UND’s athletic budget is at a mid-major DI program level if the impact of the REA is considered. The two ADs that are finalists are at DIII or low DII programs that don't face the issues that UND must deal with. For the next phase of UND athletics, three areas will probably be emphasized:

Ability to lead fundraising efforts for indoor football/track facility- advantage Bollinger (knows the people with the $’s)

Ability to work with REA - advantage Bollinger

Keep key hockey supporters happy - advantage Bollinger, definite negative for McCarthy

Other issues:

Budgeting - hard to judge

Management skill - hard to judge

Contacts with DI Conferences - no advantage (probably Harmeson’s role anyway)

DII contacts - probably McCarthy (but RT will be the main contact anyway)

Maintain football at high level - advantage Molde, negative for McCarthy

Upgrade men’s basketball performance -advantage McCarthy

Maintain high academic standards - advantage Molde & McCarthy

Commitment to UND - strong advantage Bollinger

[ESPNInsider]

Any new news about the A.D. search? When will they be announcing the decision?

[UND92,96]

Any new news about the A.D. search?  When will they be announcing the decision?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The last of the three planned on-campus interviews occurs April 20-21. Most likely, a decision will be made shortly thereafter.

[Bison Dan]

This isn't smack - but doesn't anyone (sue fans) wonder about the quality of people that applied for & are being interviewed for the AD job at UND. One diii and one dii guy and no DI assistant AD's. Is the word out that Bollinger has the job or what? Something doesn't smell right. You would think that there would be a great list of applicants.

[Hansel]

This isn't smack - but doesn't anyone (sue fans) wonder about the quality of people that applied for & are being interviewed for the AD job at UND.  One diii and one dii guy and no DI assistant AD's.  Is the word out that Bollinger has the job or what?  Something doesn't smell right.  You would think that there would be a great list of applicants.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that's not a good way to sound non-smackish

the next logical step up for most DI assistant ADs, is being the AD at a DI school, even with UNDs success at the DII level and their hockey program, I would have been quite surprised to see many DI assistant ADs apply for the job

[UND92,96]

This isn't smack - but doesn't anyone (sue fans) wonder about the quality of people that applied for & are being interviewed for the AD job at UND.  One diii and one dii guy and no DI assistant AD's.  Is the word out that Bollinger has the job or what?  Something doesn't smell right.  You would think that there would be a great list of applicants.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There were at least 4-5 dI guys who applied, but aside from Purpur who withdrew, all were eliminated prior to the list being narrowed down to the final three. It would be hard for an NDSU fan to knock Molde, the dIII guy, too much considering he was also a finalist for the NDSU a.d. job in 2001, and he was a long-time dI head football coach. As I recall, the three finalists for the NDSU job were Molde, a then South Alabama assistant a.d. (now the a.d. at North Alabama) Joel Erdmann, and Taylor, who was then an assistant a.d. at Navy. I don't see any real difference in the quality of the candidates for the UND job compared to the NDSU finalists from 2001. Clearly Bollinger could have gone into administration years ago had he wanted to, but just as he left coaching so as to have more time to follow Brooks' and his other kids' athletic careers, being an a.d. would have made that more difficult. I believe his youngest is now a senior in high school, so obviously the timing was right for him to seek the a.d. job at the school for which he's worked for many years. McCarthy is still quite young at 34 so the fact that he's risen to a head a.d. at a dII school already is pretty impressive. And Molde has a lot of experience as both an administrator, and as the head football coach at Western Michigan.

[Fedorov]

The students get to decide who gets hired.

The final three candidates for the Athletic Director position will be on

campus the next two weeks. This decision will have an affect on students

and as many students as possible should attend these meetings. The

person that is chosen will make many important decisions regarding

student seating at all sporting events.

John McCarthy

Friday April 15, 2005 at 2 p.m. in Twamley 305

Rob Bollinger

Wednesday April 20, 2005 at 1 p.m. in the Memorial Room of the Memorial

Union

Al Molde

Thursday April 21, 2005 at 2 p.m. in Twamley 305

Please attend each meeting and don't be afraid to let your voice be

heard!

Robert H. Haskins

Student Body President

University of North Dakota

Box 8385

Grand Forks  ND  58202

(701) 777-3129

[ESPNInsider]

The students get to decide who gets hired. 

[siouxjoy]

It's basically the main boardroom of the university, where all of the big meetings take place. It has leather chairs and a long table that seats probably 15 people. There are a bunch of chairs along the wall, too.

[sauce]

I like Rob Bollinger.  He is a great guy, doing a great job in his current position, is well-respected and "bleeds green".  But, does anyone know if he has the administrative and business background for the job? 

Also, he has been a strong proponent of the University actively studying the move to DI - not necessarily a proponent of making the move but of doing the due diligence to make an informed decision.  I agree with this 100%.  However, I think that some people may see this as aggressively wanting to make the move.  And, some of those same people (Kupchella, etc.).  This may work against him!

Any one have any thoughts on this?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I hope not as I think Rob Bollinger would be an outstanding AD, he bleeds green. His experience in the alumni foundation along with his success as a UND coach give him a great combination of experiences. Plus, he has the added bonus of having a son, Brooks, who played college football, so he has a unique understanding of the needs and expectations of student athletes and their parents. Roger Thomas didn't have any AD experience before taking the position and he did alright.

I was under the impression that Kupchella was not totally opposed to going DI, that he just wants to do due diligence. If that is the case, then I don't see how Bollinger's studying the possibility of a move would work against him. I'm glad to hear the Bollinger is not necessarily a proponent of making a move to DI, that he is all for studying it closely. I'm a little nervous about a move and don't think any irrational decisions should be made. NDSU screwed up, it will probably work out all right for them in the long run, but they jumped too early and will pay dearly in the short term.