News Article: Former Aggies AD Spells Out Trouble at Texas A&M

Chukker Veteran

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I realize this is ancient history, but when the Aggies snaked Fran from us, the Aggie fans were over the top explaining how much more money could be raised by them as opposed to us...

I hope Sumlin taps them for all he can.
 

B1GTide

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Apr 13, 2012
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I don't buy that he was surprised at how involved the boosters expected to be at aTm. How could he spend so many years as an AD and not expect that at aTm, a school with some of the wealthiest grads in the country? What, he thought that they would leave him alone to do his job as he saw fit? Very few ADs get that kind of autonomy.

We all knew that he left in a tizzy, and that he was not really accepted in the political circles there, but if he was surprised at what he faced there, he probably didn't belong in the job anyway. What is happening at aTm is happening everywhere, and it has been for as long as he has been in this vocation.
 

RTR91

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I don't buy that he was surprised at how involved the boosters expected to be at aTm. How could he spend so many years as an AD and not expect that at aTm, a school with some of the wealthiest grads in the country? What, he thought that they would leave him alone to do his job as he saw fit? Very few ADs get that kind of autonomy.

We all knew that he left in a tizzy, and that he was not really accepted in the political circles there, but if he was surprised at what he faced there, he probably didn't belong in the job anyway. What is happening at aTm is happening everywhere, and it has been for as long as he has been in this vocation.
Right. I'm sure Gene Smith wouldn't object to a booster handing him a contract and say "This is what we're giving the coach." :rolleyes::rolleyes:
 

RTR91

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If you believe that it happened that way. I don't. :rolleyes::rolleyes:
Why shouldn't we believe it? Do you not remember the arrogance and involvement Texas fans showed after Mack Brown and then after Charlie Strong? Why wouldn't their rivals be the same way?
 

B1GTide

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Why shouldn't we believe it? Do you not remember the arrogance and involvement Texas fans showed after Mack Brown and then after Charlie Strong? Why wouldn't their rivals be the same way?
Oh, I believe that their boosters were totally disruptive. I just don't buy that he was handed a contract and told that he had no say in it at all. I suspect that their boosters were no worse than Alabama's or Ohio State's, which are bad enough, but nothing like that.
 

uafanataum

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Oh, I believe that their boosters were totally disruptive. I just don't buy that he was handed a contract and told that he had no say in it at all. I suspect that their boosters were no worse than Alabama's or Ohio State's, which are bad enough, but nothing like that.
Alabama's boosters are not bad at all. Can you imagine one of them telling CNS what he is going to do?
 

tusks_n_raider

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Is it any different than the state of Alabama athletics pre Saban?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Booster involvement? Probably not by much. Financial irresponsibility....YES!!!

In 2006 the Highest paid coach was I believe Pete Carroll making about 3 Mil a year. At that point he had won 2 NC's and 5 Pac-12 Titles.

In the meantime Mike Shula was making around $900K but we doubled it to $1.8 Mil following the 10-Win 2005 season, based on no accolades really. Now that was probably not the best decision but was still outside of the Top-10 paid coaches at the time and less that our Rival Auburn was paying Turberville at the time who was making close to Top 5 money.


Now flash forward to 2017 and look at the Top 10 Highest paid coaches and their respective career accolades:

1) Nick Saban - $8.125 Mil PYA (5 NC's and 7 SEC Titles)
2) Jim Harbaugh - $7.00 Mil PYA (ZERO Power 5 Titles)
3) Urban Meyer - $6.00 Mil PYA (3 NC's and 3 Conf Titles SEC/Big-10)
4) James Franklin - $5.78 Mil PYA (1 Big-10 Title)
5) Jimbo Fisher - $ 5.30 Mil PYA (1 NC and 3 ACC Titles)

6) Dabo Swinney -$5.125 Mil PYA (1 NC and 3 ACC Titles)
7) Tom Herman - $5.00 Mil PYA (ZERO Power 5 Titles, 1 AAC Title)
8) Kevin Sumlin - $5.00 Mil PYA (ZERO Power 5 Titles)
9) Gus Malzahn - $4.75 Mil PYA (1 SEC Title, 1 SBC Title)
10) Kirk Ferentz - $4.50 Mil PYA (2 Big-10 Titles)

There are TWO schools in Texas paying their HC's 63% of the amount of the highest paid coach. Both have literally won nothing. One thing that's not 'Bigger in Texas' is their fiscal sense.

*I can't even begin to describe what's going on in Ann Arbor, MI. Maybe B1G can fill us in on that mindset...Lol.*

Circling back to 2006 Texas A&M was paying Franchione 2 Mil+ which was 8th highest....

....while Texas in comparison was paying Mack Brown $2.7 Mil which was 4th highest (although he HAD actually won 1 NC and 4 Big-12 Titles then).

So all in all it's over 10 years later and Texas A&M still seems to enjoy paying Top-10 Money for virtually NO results to speak of really. I mean that's just unfathomable. It's almost like they have to prove to the University of Texas they can match them dollar for dollar regardless of on the field results/success.

I don't think we've ever really been close to THAT level of incompetence.
 
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uafanataum

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Booster involvement? Probably not by much. Financial irresponsibility....YES!!!

In 2006 the Highest paid coach was I believe Pete Carroll making about 3 Mil a year. At that point he had won 2 NC's and 5 Pac-12 Titles.

In the meantime Mike Shula was making around $900K but we doubled it to $1.8 Mil following the 10-Win 2005 season, based on no accolades really. Now that was probably not the best decision but was still outside of the Top-10 paid coaches at the time and less that our Rival Auburn was paying Turberville at the time who making close to Top 5 money.


Now flash forward to 2017 and look at the Top 10 Highest paid coaches and their respective career accolades:

1) Nick Saban - $8.125 Mil PYA (5 NC's and 7 SEC Titles)
2) Jim Harbaugh - $7.00 Mil PYA (ZERO Power 5 Titles)
3) Urban Meyer - $6.00 Mil PYA (3 NC's and 3 Conf Titles SEC/Big-10)
4) James Franklin - $5.78 Mil PYA (1 Big-10 Title)
5) Jimbo Fisher - $ 5.30 Mil PYA (1 NC and 3 ACC Titles)

6) Dabo Swinney -$5.125 Mil PYA (1 NC and 3 ACC Titles)
7) Tom Herman - $5.00 Mil PYA (ZERO Power 5 Titles, 1 AAC Title)
8) Kevin Sumlin - $5.00 Mil PYA (ZERO Power 5 Titles)
9) Gus Malzahn - $4.75 Mil PYA (1 SEC Title, 1 SBC Title)
10) Kirk Ferentz - $4.50 Mil PYA (2 Big-10 Titles)

There are TWO schools in Texas paying their HC's 63% of the amount of the highest paid coach. Both have literally won nothing. One thing that's not 'Bigger in Texas' is their fiscal sense.

*I can't even begin to describe what's going on in Ann Arbor, MI. Maybe B1G can fill us in on that mindset...Lol.*

Circling back to 2006 Texas A&M was paying Franchione 2 Mil+ which was 8th highest....

....while Texas in comparison was paying Mack Brown $2.7 Mil which was 4th highest (although he HAD actually won 1 NC and 4 Big-12 Titles then).

So all in all it's over 10 years later and Texas A&M still seems to enjoy paying Top-10 Money for virtually NO results to speak of really. I mean that's just unfathomable. It's almost like they have to prove to the University of Texas they can match them dollar for dollar regardless of on the field results/success.

I don't think we've ever really been close to THAT level of incompetence.
Either Urban Meyer is under paid or Harbaugh is overpayed.
 

tusks_n_raider

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Either Urban Meyer is under paid or Harbaugh is overpayed.
Harbaugh is grossly overpaid.

Franklin is a tough call. He took a job with the worst public relations image ever yet has turned them into probably the #2 Big-10 team behind tOSU....quickly.

Dabo should be in the Top 3-4 without question.
CNS should be #1 (obviously) and Meyer #2.

Herman and Sumlin are the recipients of the Texan mindset that they have fat wallets and can just buy whatever they want like that *finger snap*

Ferentz has pulled off the longest fleece job in sports history. Why Iowa has paid him Top 5-10 money for over a decade just can't be explained...:conf3:
 
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B1GTide

TideFans Legend
Apr 13, 2012
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Alabama's boosters are not bad at all. Can you imagine one of them telling CNS what he is going to do?
Saban, no. They would be afraid that he might leave. :biggrin:

The meddling has all but stopped at OSU now with Meyer, too. But how about the guys between Bryant and Saban? Like at OSU, I am betting that they tried to put their hands in everything.
 

tusks_n_raider

Hall of Fame
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Saban, no. They would be afraid that he might leave. :biggrin:

The meddling has all but stopped at OSU now with Meyer, too. But how about the guys between Bryant and Saban? Like at OSU, I am betting that they tried to put their hands in everything.
Oh they did for sure. I think most people would agree it's a big reason why CGS decided to leave after the 1996 season. Many thought if it weren't for everyone having their grubby hands in everything he might have even considered returning in 2003 in a transitional role to help stop the bleeding.

Some might think that's absurd with CGS being 68 then....but CNS is about to be 66 this Halloween. It wasn't that far-fetched an idea considering the bind we were in.....it would have made me feel better than that initial 'deer-in-the-lights' opening presser with Shula. Man you could tell he was in over his head right then....lol.
 

bama61

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Aug 24, 2004
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You'd be right about that and there was plenty of booster/fan involvement pre-Bryant too, especially in the case of J.B. Whitworth. The story back then was that Bryant was offered the job before Whitworth but declined it when told he had to retain the then current staff. He refused the job and Whitworth (another former Bama player and Frank Thomas assistant) was hired even though his record at Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State) was a bit under .500. This was essentially throwing the middle finger up to Bryant as an ungrateful SOB since after all this was Bama, and Whitworth knew what it took to win as he had played and coached under Coach Thomas.

After the ensuing three year debacle (combined record of 4-24-2), when Fred Sington Sr. met with Bryant in Dallas about coming in and cleaning up the mess, Bryant proved to have learned a bit from the first go around and one of the conditions for taking the job was that not only would he bring in his own staff, he would also be the AD. I might point out that the AD at that time was Hank Crisp who was in addition to being the AD also Whitworth’s Line Coach. Interesting situation there, having your boss as one of your primary assistants, and apparently one that Bryant had no intention of repeating. In all fairness to Bryant, he took care of all the old assistants, finding them positions at the University excepting only those who decided to retire.

There’s a lot more to the story, but the above is the gist of what went on back then and this is a good spot to end this part of the narrative.
 

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