New Orleans Paper on Dickson's Interview

[McClown27]

Wave AD Dickson interviews at SMU
He's one of several candidates for job
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
By Fred Robinson
Staff writer
Tulane confirmed Monday that Green Wave athletic director Rick Dickson has been in contact with officials at Southern Methodist about its athletic director vacancy.

"We are aware that SMU has spoken with Rick Dickson," Tulane spokesman Michael Strecker said.

Strecker also confirmed that Tulane president Scott Cowen and SMU president R. Gerald Turner, who are good friends, have spoken about Dickson interviewing for the job at the Dallas university.

When reached Monday evening, Dickson said he "really didn't have much to say" about interviewing with SMU.

Dickson is one of several candidates for the SMU job. Other reported candidates are former Tulane athletic director Chet Gladchuk, who currently is at Navy, Northern Iowa's Rick Hartzell and Wyoming's Gary Barta.

It has been reported that Turner's preferences for his next AD are that the candidate is currently an AD and from a BCS conference.

SMU, which is in its first year as a member of Conference USA, helped Dickson and Tulane's football team after Hurricane Katrina struck Aug. 29. While staying in a Dallas hotel, the Green Wave used SMU's weight room and ate at its dinning hall on campus.

SMU is looking to fill the position held by Jim Copeland, who is retiring after 11 years as the school's AD.

Southern Methodist is not the first school that has interviewed Dickson. A few weeks ago, Dickson reportedly turned down an offer to become New Mexico's athletic director, sources said. Dickson also was in the running for the job at Virginia a few years ago.

During the football season, Dickson set up his office at the Conference USA headquarters in Irving, Texas, which is near Dallas, and resided in the area through November. Tulane ended up having athletes taking classes during the fall semester at four Texas universities, while the football team relocated to Louisiana Tech's campus in Ruston.

Shortly after Dickson returned to New Orleans at the end of the football season, the athletic department was stripped of eight programs. On Dec. 8, Cowen announced the university-wide cutbacks, including the suspension of the men's outdoor track and cross-country teams, the women's swimming and diving team, the men's and women's tennis and golf teams, and the women's soccer team.

Dickson took over the reins of Tulane's athletic department in early 2000. In 2003, the athletic department survived a review by the university's board of trustees, which was contemplating eliminating the football program or dropping it from Division I-A status.

After the review in 2003, Dickson was forced to spend the majority of his time with fund-raising events through the Perpetual Wave Campaign. Dickson was Washington State's athletic director from 1994 to 2000 and spent six years as the athletic director at Tulsa, his alma mater.

[giacfsp]

.... On Dec. 8, Cowen announced the university-wide cutbacks, including the suspension of the men's outdoor track and cross-country teams, the women's swimming and diving team, the men's and women's tennis and golf teams, and the women's soccer team.

Is it considered vulture-like to even consider taking any athletes from these teams? On first glance, I would say yes -- no poaching. But if they don't have a team on which to play at Tulane, I'd welcome them with open arms at SMU.

[CalallenStang]

Dickson is one of several candidates for the SMU job. Other reported candidates are former Tulane athletic director Chet Gladchuk, who currently is at Navy, Northern Iowa's Rick Hartzell and Wyoming's Gary Barta.

It has been reported that Turner's preferences for his next AD are that the candidate is currently an AD and from a BCS conference.

Does anyone else find these two paragraphs strange, especially right next to each other? If you don't see it off the bat, here's what it says: List of four SMU candidates none of whom are from BCS conferences, but SMU wants an AD from a BCS conference.

[McClown27]

Does anyone else find these two paragraphs strange, especially right next to each other? If you don't see it off the bat, here's what it says: List of four SMU candidates none of whom are from BCS conferences, but SMU wants an AD from a BCS conference.

I think he is intentionally highlighting the contradiction in SMU's search. Watkins also highlighted Turner's alleged criteria with the list of candidates. I don't know why an established & successful BCS athletic director would come to SMU, it is simply not rational. Of course, he/she would come if we doubled their salary, but why would we do that. Tulane's success just does not give me any "wow" factor, although I am sure he is competant at running an athletic department.

[couch 'em]

Has this guy actually DONE anything impressive? He seems like just another average AD overlooking a typical middle of the pack program. Nothing special.

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

Doesn't matter. he withdrew from the search process as of today.

[Hoop Fan]

what, no one is mentioning that he apparently was offered and turned down the New Mexico job a few weeks ago? Thats pretty significant, New Mexico is not a bad job at all. This guys seems to have some respect in a lot of corners.

[Hoop Fan]

Doesn't matter. he withdrew from the search process as of today.

Dickson withdrew?