UND's next Athletic Director

[UND-1]

Kupchella and Harmeson hand picked their 'outsider' golden boy last time around and we saw how that turned out. Arguably the worst hire in UND history. They went strictly off of resume and an interview.

Luckily those two don't have much say in it this time around. If they would have just hired Bollinger like the majority wanted, we wouldn't be in this situation. But, unlike a lot of things in life, UND gets a chance to right a wrong so we will see if they do it.

[dakotadan]

Kupchella and Harmeson hand picked their 'outsider' golden boy last time around and we saw how that turned out. Arguably the worst hire in UND history. They went strictly off of resume and an interview.

I will completely disagree with this statement as many others I know would. Buning did many good things while he was here, most importantly was to balance the books. Something Thomas could never figure out how to do. Unfortunately there was a group of people who were pushing for his removal before he even had started the job. He was out the door before he ever had a chance to even get in it.

Luckily those two don't have much say in it this time around. If they would have just hired Bollinger like the majority wanted, we wouldn't be in this situation. But, unlike a lot of things in life, UND gets a chance to right a wrong so we will see if they do it.

Obviously you were one of those people.

[UND92,96]

I don't know Rob well at all, but I do know he loves UND; he's paid his dues over the years; he is a good fundraiser (and Brooks could be a big help in that regard, as well); and the football and apparently most of the hockey alums/influential boosters seemingly are in his corner. For whatever reason, Kupchella and Harmeson didn't feel like he was the right fit the last time around. Hopefully Rob will apply, and Dr. Kelley sees things a bit differently from his predecessor.

[The Walrus]

I will completely disagree with this statement as many others I know would. Buning did many good things while he was here, most importantly was to balance the books. Something Thomas could never figure out how to do. Unfortunately there was a group of people who were pushing for his removal before he even had started the job. He was out the door before he ever had a chance to even get in it.

Obviously you were one of those people.

Roger still getting blamed for REA's lack of control.......

[UND-1]

I will completely disagree with this statement as many others I know would. Buning did many good things while he was here, most importantly was to balance the books. Something Thomas could never figure out how to do. Unfortunately there was a group of people who were pushing for his removal before he even had started the job. He was out the door before he ever had a chance to even get in it.

Obviously you were one of those people.

1. The AD before Roger had us in the black also, so its pretty easy to figure out that Roger just wasn't very good at saying no.

2. Anyone who has any familiarity with the workings of the Athletic Department knows that Buning did a less than adequate job at organizing the department and had minimal respect from the majority of the coaches. Just because you and your buddies thought he did a great job doesn't mean he did.

I am in favor of hiring RB but we will see what happens, I don't have a vote and never will!

[UND92,96]

Roger still getting blamed for REA's lack of control.......

I agree that it really isn't fair to blame Roger Thomas for things that were beyond his control. I honestly think that regardless of who was in charge during that time period, a balanced budget simply wasn't going to happen. It was a far more complex situation than many people seem to realize.

[The Walrus]

That was also before REA, I believe....

[UND-1]

I agree that it really isn't fair to blame Roger Thomas for things that were beyond his control. I honestly think that regardless of who was in charge during that time period, a balanced budget simply wasn't going to happen. It was a far more complex situation than many people seem to realize.

I never looked at it in those terms, good point.

[The Walrus]

I agree that it really isn't fair to blame Roger Thomas for things that were beyond his control. I honestly think that regardless of who was in charge during that time period, a balanced budget simply wasn't going to happen. It was a far more complex situation than many people seem to realize.

Would you mean the complexity of they had three managment people making more than our AD, that they took all our marketing, ticket, and concession revenues for our Major sport and gave us close to nothing in return for almost 5 years......Don't get me started on the Betty....?

It has only changed because we have a honest guy now in Jody Hodgson running it, the best he can with Vegas's influenece.

[sIoUxPeRsTiTiOuS]

The next AD will be required to do much more than just balance the books. I agree with Walrus' sentiments in that the next AD - along with President-elect Kelley - will have to be a team-building diplomats who unite the campus as a whole, not just athletic department entities. Building relationships and repairing burnt bridges from past administrative mistakes will be priority number one. People skills will go a lot further than number crunching skills will at this juncture. Rob's past success at UND has been his biggest detractor in terms of his chances at getting his job in the past. Oddly enough, those same successes will be what makes him a successful athletic director. Fund raising campaigns, "Siouxper-Swings", and endowment funds of many varieties at UND have been creations of Rob Bollinger.

Besides balance the budget, which I agree was a good thing, what else did Tom Buning do that is considered a positive on his legacy as UND AD? Tom Buning got a fair chance to succeed at UND. Nobody was pushing him out the door before he even started. He just failed at a very important task - people skills. He couldn't even unite his own department, much less REA, Memorial Stadium, and the alumni community. I think Rob Bollinger is capable of doing all of these things and more.

I'll admit that I was upset at how the whole presidential process went down. In hindsight, I still believe the committee should have forwarded 3 names to the SBoHE like they were charged to do. If protocol had been followed and the SBoHE determined Robert Kelley was the right hire, so be it. Having said that, I think 'outsider' Robert Kelley will be a fine President for this institution. I think having an 'insider' in the athletic department would be a good balance of old and new.

Opinions have always and will always vary on these topics and I respect that. One thing that is not disputed, is that the vast majority think that Rob Bollinger is the most qualified candidate. The people and community support the school. If it doesn't work, then we will have nobody to blame but the people of the community, who in my opinion have the best interest of UND in mind. They also happen to be the same people who understand the cultures and traditions that have made UND the success it is, both academically and athletically. If this went to a public election tomorrow, Rob Bollinger would win in a landslide. What would be wrong with that? Why not execute the people's will? Fundamentally, it is the right thing to do.

[82SiouxGuy]

Opinions have always and will always vary on these topics and I respect that. One thing that is not disputed, is that the vast majority think that Rob Bollinger is the most qualified candidate. The people and community support the school. If it doesn't work, then we will have nobody to blame but the people of the community, who in my opinion have the best interest of UND in mind. They also happen to be the same people who understand the cultures and traditions that have made UND the success it is, both academically and athletically. If this went to a public election tomorrow, Rob Bollinger would win in a landslide. What would be wrong with that? Why not execute the people's will? Fundamentally, it is the right thing to do.

Sorry, but I have to disagree with making a decision this way. Bollinger could very well do a great job. And he might be the best candidate (if he decided to become a candidate). But most people that support him know little or nothing about any of the other candidates. So they would be making an uninformed decision. As good as he may be, he might not be the best person for the job. UND is at a point where they need the best possible person. So I am going to trust the people that are working on the search committee (who also have the best interests of the school in mind) because they have the most information on the candidates. They are going to recommend the people that they think will do the best job. Then one of the candidates will be offered the job and we will find out if it works out.

[sIoUxPeRsTiTiOuS]

Sorry, but I have to disagree with making a decision this way. Bollinger could very well do a great job. And he might be the best candidate (if he decided to become a candidate). But most people that support him know little or nothing about any of the other candidates. So they would be making an uninformed decision. As good as he may be, he might not be the best person for the job. UND is at a point where they need the best possible person. So I am going to trust the people that are working on the search committee (who also have the best interests of the school in mind) because they have the most information on the candidates. They are going to recommend the people that they think will do the best job. Then one of the candidates will be offered the job and we will find out if it works out.

Sorry, but I think you are missing the point as to why most people on this forum think this way about Rob. The other candidates will not have the exact qualifications that put Rob ahead of his competition. His UND ties and knowledge of the inner-workings are the difference. None of the other candidates have that. Relationships and people skills will be paramount. The others will no doubt be more qualified fiscally because of their experience with budgets. That is not disputed. I think that's where Rob has to find a number-crunching guy to surround himself with. Team-building again will be huge like in the past when Rob was the OC for the football team, which I think is under-estimated in the big scheme of things.

I also think if a vote were to happen that the people who vote would do their homework on the other candidates. No uninformed decisions would be made. If people were going to vote, I would think they would be knowledgeable about the situation and the candidates involved. Blindfolds with guns in the small of the back wouldn't be the case. I just happen to think that after the homework is done, Rob would be the guy. I just hope that Rob gets a fair chance. If he doesn't get the job now, he will never be an administrator at UND. To me, that would be a huge loss for UND. All of this of course, is just my opinion.

[MplsBison]

Wow. I can tell how resistant to outsiders the UND community is just from reading this thread.

My suggestion to the new AD is this: if anyone in the athletic department doesn't get behind you and your new vision for UND, cut them immediately.

Clean the whole house if you need to.

Get rid of all the holdovers and get your own people in there if you can't trust them.

[bincitysioux]

Has Rob Bollinger applied for the position? I have not heard that.

I don't know anything more or less about Bollinger than I do about the other canditates, other than the fact that the UND coaches and the UND/GF community know and respect him. And that he is known to be a great fundraiser. Aside from being noted for being able to raise funds at a DII university in North Dakota and a DII university in Minnesota, what are his other administrative qualifications that could be found on his resume, if he decided to to present it? It sounds like he has great relationships and connections with the community, alumni, former players, potential donors, etc. That would be a great asset to have right now, for sure. But what relationships, connections, or contacts does he have with other coaches, athletic directors, or administrators of other schools that we'll be needing to forge quick relationships with in DI. What conference officials does he have the ear of while we search for a home for all sports? Basicaly, what relationships or skills does he have to help make this transition go as smoothly as possible?

I ask these questions because I don't know, and I'm sure some here do. I would not necessarily be against Bollinger being the next a.d., nor am I ready to endorse him. But I do know that for those who want him mainly because he has great relationships with the coaches and community, should remember that he did not originally come to UND with them in place. As everyone else he built them over time. Who's to say one of the candidates who have actually applied for the position could not do the same over time?

[82SiouxGuy]

Sorry, but I think you are missing the point as to why most people on this forum think this way about Rob. The other candidates will not have the exact qualifications that put Rob ahead of his competition. His UND ties and knowledge of the inner-workings are the difference. None of the other candidates have that. Relationships and people skills will be paramount. The others will no doubt be more qualified fiscally because of their experience with budgets. That is not disputed. I think that's where Rob has to find a number-crunching guy to surround himself with. Team-building again will be huge like in the past when Rob was the OC for the football team, which I think is under-estimated in the big scheme of things.

I also think if a vote were to happen that the people who vote would do their homework on the other candidates. No uninformed decisions would be made. If people were going to vote, I would think they would be knowledgeable about the situation and the candidates involved. Blindfolds with guns in the small of the back wouldn't be the case. I just happen to think that after the homework is done, Rob would be the guy. I just hope that Rob gets a fair chance. If he doesn't get the job now, he will never be an administrator at UND. To me, that would be a huge loss for UND. All of this of course, is just my opinion.

I am not missing the point, I know exactly why most people support Mr. Bollinger. From all indications he has great relationships with a lot of people. They are much better at this point in time than anyone else that has even considered the position. He has done great work at UND in several different positions. He could possibly do great things as an AD. I don't dispute any of that.

My point is that I would want to look at other potential candidates and find out what they offer to see if one of them is even better. I would have no problem hiring an internal or familiar candidate if they are equal or better than the competition (even if they are close to equal because the knowledge they would have should give them an advantage). I don't want someone hired if they have lesser qualifications but they are "one of us". This hire at this point in the development of the University and the Athletic Department is very important. It could make a huge difference in how both operate for many years to come.

As far as people doing their homework for an election, I have serious doubts about that. A lot of people don't do their homework for state and national elections, many barely know the names of candidates. The person with the most recognizable name usually wins whether they are qualified or not. Expecting people to spend time researching candidates for an Athletic Director position would be a little much. Only the most involved would take the time, and that is a minority of the interested parties.

As of the last report, Mr. Bollinger is not an official candidate for the position. The process is winding down quickly. If he wants a shot at this job he is going to have to do something soon. From everything I have heard, the position will probably be filled in the next few weeks. If he applies, then he can go up against the remaining candidates and the committee can decide who to recommend. If he doesn't apply, then all of this debate will be for nothing.

[UND-1]

Wow. I can tell how resistant to outsiders the UND community is just from reading this thread.

My suggestion to the new AD is this: if anyone in the athletic department doesn't get behind you and your new vision for UND, cut them immediately.

Clean the whole house if you need to.

Get rid of all the holdovers and get your own people in there if you can't trust them.

I would love to know what your love affair with 'outsiders' is? We tried that already and it was a horrible disaster. For that matter, off the top of my head we have hired the following 'outsiders' to prominent positions:

Brian Jones

Charles Kupchella

Robert Kelley

Tom Buning

Jones has done nothing but we have to give him a chance to get his players. Kupchella was at best decent from everything I have seen, not a big athletics guy. Buning was a complete failure.

Somebody please explain to me why hiring a 'insider' is a bad thing?

[MplsBison]

Just like anything: you are either adapting to the new standard or falling behind your competitors.

There is no such thing as just staying the same and that's what hiring an insider is, staying the same.

[Shawn-O]

Has Rob Bollinger applied for the position? I have not heard that.

I don't know anything more or less about Bollinger than I do about the other canditates, other than the fact that the UND coaches and the UND/GF community know and respect him. And that he is known to be a great fundraiser. Aside from being noted for being able to raise funds at a DII university in North Dakota and a DII university in Minnesota, what are his other administrative qualifications that could be found on his resume, if he decided to to present it? It sounds like he has great relationships and connections with the community, alumni, former players, potential donors, etc. That would be a great asset to have right now, for sure. But what relationships, connections, or contacts does he have with other coaches, athletic directors, or administrators of other schools that we'll be needing to forge quick relationships with in DI. What conference officials does he have the ear of while we search for a home for all sports? Basicaly, what relationships or skills does he have to help make this transition go as smoothly as possible?

I ask these questions because I don't know, and I'm sure some here do. I would not necessarily be against Bollinger being the next a.d., nor am I ready to endorse him. But I do know that for those who want him mainly because he has great relationships with the coaches and community, should remember that he did not originally come to UND with them in place. As everyone else he built them over time. Who's to say one of the candidates who have actually applied for the position could not do the same over time?

I nominate this for post of the year so far. Very, very well said.

[UNDvince97-01]

I ask these questions because I don't know, and I'm sure some here do. I would not necessarily be against Bollinger being the next a.d., nor am I ready to endorse him. But I do know that for those who want him mainly because he has great relationships with the coaches and community, should remember that he did not originally come to UND with them in place. As everyone else he built them over time. Who's to say one of the candidates who have actually applied for the position could not do the same over time?

While it certainly sounds all fine and dandy in theory, some might say we don't have time to allow the new AD to build those relationships that Rob Bollinger built over his 20+ years of service at UND. I think that is the major point of all of this. We are in the transition period, which is probably the most vital time ever for UND for many different reasons. Hence the reasoning for many people wanting Rob.

Also, I can't remember ANYBODY saying that Rob has applied for the job. I'm not sure where you got that information from. Are you just trying to argue with yourself? I think most of these comments are speculative in the event that Rob does apply for the job.

[UND-1]

Just like anything: you are either adapting to the new standard or falling behind your competitors.

There is no such thing as just staying the same and that's what hiring an insider is, staying the same.

Thanks for the reply. Just to clarify, nobody from North Dakota or with any ties to UND is capable of leading UND into the D1 transition and beyond. That's some fundamentally sound thinking.

[GeauxSioux]

So, are we close to naming the new AD? Will Rob B throw his hat in the ring at the last minute? Will the new AD be announced in Denver during the Frozen Four?

Any insider info? Opinions?

[The Walrus]

Once again, a committee of who...? make a decision to not accept a application of the best possible canidate for the job........absolutely unbelievable!

http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/i...mp;section=News

A canidate by the way that the Coaches and Community would have highly endorsed and followed into Division 1 with overwhelming support.

[Smoggy]

Once again, a committee of who...? make a decision to not accept a application of the best possible canidate for the job........absolutely unbelievable!

http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/i...mp;section=News

A canidate by the way that the Coaches and Community would have highly endorsed and followed into Division 1 with overwhelming support.

And who is this candidate that you are hinting about? I could make a guess, but c'mon man just tell us.

[dakotadan]

Once again, a committee of who...? make a decision to not accept a application of the best possible canidate for the job........absolutely unbelievable!

http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/i...mp;section=News

A canidate by the way that the Coaches and Community would have highly endorsed and followed into Division 1 with overwhelming support.

There was plenty of time for anyone to submit an application that wanted to.

[MplsBison]

The committee voted not to accept any further applications, though commmittee chair Greg Weisenstein received a letter of interest from a potential candidate.

Letter of interest is not an application.

If it was from someone who is already inside the UND circles, it is a good idea to leave them out of this round.

UND needs a new direction brought by someone who is from outside the current UND circles.