Rick Hart

[Stallion]

Agree 100%. A lot of the haters on here have negative things to say about him which are always misinformed vitriol. He's a great AD and we're lucky to have him,

You mean that one guy?

The guy that likes to talk about "me and my group of big wigs wup wup wup..."?

[stl.pony]

He's doing a great job. He's earned my trust to deal with the farce of a football coach. Really appreciate his openness with the community.

[mustang1108]

It has taken me a while, but after this basketball season I will say I've become a big Rick Hart fan. I still have my questions in terms with football, but we will know in about 8 months

[Pony147]

Just out of curiosity, how much are we paying him relative to a Big 12 or SEC school? If a school from one of those conferences tries to poach Rick, are we even in the same ballpark? I'm talking strictly salary, not perks/prestige/profile

[EconPony'10]

I think everyone can agree it is football 1st (way in 1st) over bball in the SEC. I would say we are safe from Hart going to the SEC until he can show that he can get the fb team going. If we win 9+ games in football... watch out

[East Coast Mustang]

For the 7,000th time, Rick couldn't do anything about June after 2013 season. He didn't have the money to buyout JJ + assistants

[EconPony'10]

For the 7,000th time, Rick couldn't do anything about June after 2013 season. He didn't have the money to buyout JJ + assistants

Yes we all know this but if you take the stance of Hart firing June then you are looking at next year with June + 1st year with new coach (which is bound to not end up so well). So basically what I am saying is that we are safe with Hart for at least three more years.

[Grant Carter]

He can blog and twitter his [deleted] off, but I suspect most everyone will agree that his legacy will be forged in about 8 months.

Agreed.

[blackoutpony]

Rick is extremely accessible, via twitter, his blog, etc, and seems to be a really nice guy who has done a decent job with some of the marketing stuff. He's still turners yes man.

Some of the things you guys are neglecting to mention is how far our swim and dive as well as soccer programs have fallen and Rick has done nothing about it. He's letting them crumble. He's more concerned about improving players grades and balancing our budget than winning. He even said as much when he came here from the powerhouse that is UT-Chattanooga. Now is not the time for austerity (yes I know we can't spend wildly). We are in a crucial stage where we are trying to jump on the last train that has already left the station. We're on a push cart chasing the P5 bullet train here you guys.

I think he's content to win a few games and get to a bowl game every few years in FB instead of striving for league championships and big time bowl games. In his "straight from the heart" blog he's come up with excuses multiple times about why it's so hard to win here. "we can't do this. we don't have that. It's hard because..." And while I appreciate his candors at times, he shouldn't be embracing these excuses, only their solutions. Larry Brown was hired before he was. This bball teams success this year has nothing to do with him being a good AD.

Some say his legacy will be shaped by what he does in 8 months about June, which I totally agree with, but unfortunately AND I PRAY I"M WRONG, I think we've already seem his stripes based on the mess in our soccer program and deteriorating swim and dive. I'm not sure he has the stones to upset the apple cart, and once again I really do hope I'm wrong.

[redpony]

BOP- IMO you are spot on with your comments. I think Rick has made some good changes- especially in the bball area with game presentation etc. but has totally neglected the other sports that you reference.. It seems he is afraid to make any coaching changes or do what is necessary to move some of our other sports programs forward.
I like many am very interested to see what he does regarding the change in fball coaches. Will he hit it out of the park with an outstanding selection or strike out with a 'nothing of interest' coach? guess we'll all know in about 8 months of less.

[East Coast Mustang]

I think Rick knows that swimming and soccer do not drive the boat w/r/t P5 inclusion, which should be the ultimate goal.

[2ndandlong]

Rick is extremely accessible, via twitter, his blog, etc, and seems to be a really nice guy who has done a decent job with some of the marketing stuff. He's still turners yes man.

Some of the things you guys are neglecting to mention is how far our swim and dive as well as soccer programs have fallen and Rick has done nothing about it. He's letting them crumble. He's more concerned about improving players grades and balancing our budget than winning. He even said as much when he came here from the powerhouse that is UT-Chattanooga. Now is not the time for austerity (yes I know we can't spend wildly). We are in a crucial stage where we are trying to jump on the last train that has already left the station. We're on a push cart chasing the P5 bullet train here you guys.

I think he's content to win a few games and get to a bowl game every few years in FB instead of striving for league championships and big time bowl games. In his "straight from the heart" blog he's come up with excuses multiple times about why it's so hard to win here. "we can't do this. we don't have that. It's hard because..." And while I appreciate his candors at times, he shouldn't be embracing these excuses, only their solutions. Larry Brown was hired before he was. This bball teams success this year has nothing to do with him being a good AD.

Some say his legacy will be shaped by what he does in 8 months about June, which I totally agree with, but unfortunately AND I PRAY I"M WRONG, I think we've already seem his stripes based on the mess in our soccer program and deteriorating swim and dive. I'm not sure he has the stones to upset the apple cart, and once again I really do hope I'm wrong.

I'm glad he's focusing on sports that people actually care about. There's not a poster or alumnus I've met that would ever say, we suck at basketball and football, but I'm sure glad that diving has returned to its former glory. or I'll up my athletic donation to make sure I get good seats for field hockey. When I make Morgan Campaign fundraising calls (and I've made thousands over the years), no one has EVER talked to me about non-revenue sports. NEVER ONCE. But I've had hourlong conversations with people about football while I watched my cell drain to nothing.

Saying that this basketball team's success this year has nothing to do with him being a good AD is flat out idiotic. I understand the VAST MAJORITY of the credit goes to Larry, his staff, and the players, but you clearly have no freaking clue how much they have done to help basketball work with the administration to bring in the transfers and freshmen that we did. Orsini took one step forward and two back every freaking time he tried to help until he was out the door. Do you know how much national press we get now in basketball? The athletic department is pushing that; it doesn't just happen. And as much as people on here gripe about ticket sales, they have done a phenomenal job in orchestrating the sellouts. Yeah, Louisville/UCONN may sell themselves, but UCF? That was Rick Hart's team working to close that out.

And while there were hiccups and delays in getting juice boxes in concession stands, Rick got us BEER. BEER. Did you forget this? Do you think this was a small undertaking? This effort was started very shortly after he got here. And while the idea came out of a Mustang Club Board subcommittee, he took it seriously and got it done. FREAKING BEER! You don't think this has been a factor in our home court advantage?

You're grossly understating what these guys have helped us accomplish, and, while I agree that his legacy will be defined by football, I am pleased with what they have done to support basketball.

I have so many other examples but will stop there.

[blackoutpony]

Oh geez......

I don't care if we sell beer as long as we win games (and yes I love beer more than anyone). Our football program is in a dumpster fire right now. What hart does off the court has nothing to do with what Larry and co do on the court, If you even read my post you would see that I am just using his lack of action in the non revenue sports as potential evidence as to what he will do when it comes to the revenue sports with the hiring and firing of coaches.

So he can market stuff? That's great, we need that, but guess what, it's his job to make sure all our sports succeed and not just one or two. He'll be the first one to tell you that. We only have 17. It doesn't matter if we're in the media and have free in-n-out if we suck at everything. The excuse that he simply neglects non-revenue sports because they don't matter is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. Is that a joke? You're just trying to cherry pick an argument and quite frankly, its rather silly.

So far, the only hard evidence about how he wants to shape his programs ON THE FIELD, has been his inaction and letting coaches stick around who should have been let go.

P.S. Legends is in change of ticket sales, not Hart and Co

[Big12Mustang]

Oh geez......

I don't care if we sell beer as long as we win games (and yes I love beer more than anyone). Our football program is in a dumpster fire right now. What hart does off the court has nothing to do with what Larry and co do on the court, If you even read my post you would see that I am just using his lack of action in the non revenue sports as potential evidence as to what he will do when it comes to the revenue sports with the hiring and firing of coaches.

So he can market stuff? That's great, we need that, but guess what, it's his job to make sure all our sports succeed and not just one or two. He'll be the first one to tell you that. We only have 17. It doesn't matter if we're in the media and have free in-n-out if we suck at everything. The excuse that he simply neglects non-revenue sports because they don't matter is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. Is that a joke? You're just trying to cherry pick an argument and quite frankly, its rather silly.

So far, the only hard evidence about how he wants to shape his programs ON THE FIELD, has been his inaction and letting coaches stick around who should have been let go.

P.S. Legends is in change of ticket sales, not Hart and Co

According to what many have said here, the keeping JJ decision was not up to him. It was up to our real athletic director: R.G. Turner

[mrydel]

17 sports. He has been here just over a year and a half and you expect him to have evaluated, fired and hired all of these new coaches while doing all the other facets of the job. I want better soccer, swimming, etc. but I am willing to watch him rebuild our revenue sports first which he is doing. Look at the improvements in game presentation both FB and BB. He is doing a good job and just because he has not genie blinked it all ok in a second is not cause for complaint.