The Beast : Kirby, We Hardly Got To Know You

The rumors became truth as University of Miami ‘Director of Athletics’ (as he liked to be called instead of Athletic Director) Kirby Hocutt is on his way to Lubbock, Texas to take over the Red Raider program and I’m extremely perplexed.

I will say this, from the moment that I first met Kirby and his lovely wife Diane, I knew they weren’t long for Miami. They are a family of Midwestern values. Very religious and right out of ‘Fly Over States’ Central Casting.

In my mind as he and I first shook hands and made small talk years back, I had this vision of transvestites dancing on South Beach and half the UM student body wearing less clothing to class than strippers wear on stage. It just didn’t seem like the perfect fit. Not quite square peg in round hole, but maybe oval peg in round hole.

That’s not to say that from a purely business of athletics perspective that Hocutt wasn’t the right guy, because I believe he was, but there’s more to a job than that. We all know how unique ‘The U’ is – and all of South Florida for that matter. The saying goes that if you want to go to the south, you have to go north from Miami.

‘The U’ is part Northeast, and part Latin America. There might be some California, a little Mid-Atlantic, and lots of other nationalities. The one thing it’s not is Midwest. As a very close friend and former big time donor to the program told me as he pulled back his donation, “we go to Hurricane Club events and expect part Carnegie Deli and part Capital Grille, instead we get Popeye’s.”

I have no doubt that this move is all about family and familiarity for Kirby. His parents are in Texas. He was born in Texas. He played in the Big XII and was an associate athletic director in the Big XII. Texas is in his and his family’s comfort zone and Miami was not. I’m guessing Donna Shalala knew this when she hired him, but maybe she thought his desire to turn ‘The U’ around would overcome his comfort with his surroundings. In the end, it did not.

While Kirby was just here three years, he did accomplish a lot. He got a much needed basketball practice facility built. He secured funding for the Schwartz Center for Athletic Excellence, although in reality Randy Shannon was responsible for a big chunk of the donation on that as it was Mr. 28-22 who played a big part in reeling in the Schwartz family. Kirby over saw the sky-rocketing academic performance of our student athletes. Of course there was that little matter of a coaching change in football.

There are all sorts of issues I have with this aspect of Kirby leaving. I wasn’t born yesterday and there’s no way I’m going to believe that in the past week or even the past few weeks the idea just popped into his mind to head to Lubbock. Texas Tech’s long-time athletic director announced he was leaving last August and I’m assuming like any other major organization the search for a successor started the day he announced his intentions to leave.

It would only be logical to assume that from the get go Kirby Hocutt’s name was at or near the top of the wish list for Texas Tech. The question that we never get the answer to is when did Kirby start to think about the opportunity.

Was it when he refused to interview former Tech head coach Mike Leach, knowing that his future employers wouldn’t look too kindly on it?

Was it when he was supposedly talking to current Tech coach Tommy Tuberville? Tubbs said he gave Kirby advice. Was the advice about the Miami job or the Tech job?

Did Kirby know he was leaving when he decided to fire Randy Shannon? Did he know he was leaving when he hired Al Golden? These are all questions Canes nation will be asking, and we may never get an answer to.

How do you feel if you are Coach Golden tonight. The word on the street is that Kirby made some pretty big promises to Al in regards to financial support that the football program would get. Will the next AD keep up Kirby’s end of the bargain?

No matter how well you do, you never want to be in a situation where the guy that hired you is not your boss anymore. Remember, every AD wants to put their impact on the program. Where will the next AD make their impact? Coach Golden, Frank Haith, Jim Morris and every other coach on the UM program are thinking about that tonight, that’s for sure. We wish Kirby luck in his new gig, but he leaves with a lot of questions unanswered.

With out really putting a lot of time and effort into it, here’s my unofficial, in no particular order short list of potential AD candidates:

OUTSIDE CANDIDATES

– Craig Angelos (Florida Atlantic AD) – Was at UM for years in the Associate AD role. Awesome guy. Smart, down to earth, and understands the challenges of the job.

– Keith Tribble (Central Florida AD) – Keith is a Miami native. He did an outstanding job with the Orange Bowl committee, and is really making a big impact at UCF. He wouldn’t be the first Gator to be an AD at UM (see Paul Dee).

– Ross Bjork (Western Kentucky AD) – He had a similar position here at Miami. He’s another very smart, innovative guy, that has turned a lot of heads in the NCAA community. He’s been here, knows the deal. He has experience at another major university in a large international city.

– Barry Alvarez – You bring his name up for every job open on the UM Campus, so I thought I’d beat you to the punch

INTERNAL CANDIDATES

– Tony Hernandez – The UM Deputy Athletics Director, meaning he was Kirby’s number two. He’s a UM guy through and through having gone to school at Miami, as well. He’s a brilliant guy, who more than knows the ropes.

– Blake James – The current Senior Associate Athletic Director. He was at UM back in the 90’s before heading to the University of Maine, where he was the Athletic Director for five years. He’s been an AD, and knows Miami.

– Connie Nickel – As the faces have changed over the years in the Hecht Center, the one constant has been Connie. She’s done it all in the department, but holds the title of Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations and Senior Woman’s Administrator. While Connie did used to yell at me for playing the drums during play of woman’s basketball games back in the mid 90’s, there’s no one that carries the spirit of ‘The U’ in them more than her.

**Notice Pete Garcia is not on the list. See Mike Leach.

One last thing – again, props to head coach Katie Meier, her staff and players as they beat them Noles at The BUC the other night, making for an undefeated record at home this season.

In the meantime, if you missed the great conversation I had with Coach Meier this week on allCanes Radio. It was a great show this week and we got a very special from Mr. ProCanes himself, so check it out. Go Canes!!!

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