coolhorn
Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2012
- Messages
- 205
Here's all you need to know about Steve Patterson. He doesn't care what you think about him. He doesn't care what you think about his job performance. He's convinced that he's the smartest man in the room. He's wealthy enough to not worry about where his next meal is coming from, and he's pretty certain that if he gets canned by UT, he's gonna be even wealthier. Your opinion of Patterson means less than nothing to him.
I'm not sure what search parameters were used in choosing Patterson over Oliver Luck, but the next time UT's looking for a new AD, which I hope will be soon, I hope somebody seriously recalibrates those parameters. The AD at UT needs, among other things, to be a people person. The main job of AD at UT is to promote the product, provide needed help to the various sports, make smart and informed coaching hires, and RAISE MONEY for facilities improvements and other necessities of the athletic program. The big money donors at UT over the years have been very generous to the athletic program, and indeed, to the entire university. A part of the reason for that is because the AD, DeLoss Dodds, got that those donors needed to feel like they're part of the program. Dodds made the donors feel welcome, listened to, and appreciated. Dodds could do that because, whatever flaws he had, he was a people person. Patterson so far has turned off a lot of important people connected to UT. That happens when you operate in secret. It happens when you treat people condescendingly. It happens when you believe you're above having to listen to anybody, including your boss, and convey that belief to just about everybody you run into. The one thing you can say about Patterson is this...he's living his beliefs. What you see is what he is. What he is is NOT what UT needs out of an athletic director.
I've heard all of the arguments about why UT's not gonna can Patterson anytime soon. I've heard that he's doing exactly what some important people want him to do. I don't buy that. You get nowhere, and you get nothing, by turning off the very people that pay your salary. It's not a sin to make a bad hire...that happens in every business, but things generally don't get any better if you bury your head in the sand and ignore the problem. Steve Patterson's not gonna change in any important ways, despite what his boss has told him to do. What you see is what he is. He needs to be removed before he can damage UT's athletic program more than he has. President Fenves and other big money types need to go back to the Louisville well one more time, and this time, hire the 'Ville's AD. He's done wonders at making Louisville's program big time, and he already has a great working relationship with Charlie Strong. Jurich gets what being AD at a big school like UT is all about. He understands things that Steve Patterson will never get.
I'm not sure what search parameters were used in choosing Patterson over Oliver Luck, but the next time UT's looking for a new AD, which I hope will be soon, I hope somebody seriously recalibrates those parameters. The AD at UT needs, among other things, to be a people person. The main job of AD at UT is to promote the product, provide needed help to the various sports, make smart and informed coaching hires, and RAISE MONEY for facilities improvements and other necessities of the athletic program. The big money donors at UT over the years have been very generous to the athletic program, and indeed, to the entire university. A part of the reason for that is because the AD, DeLoss Dodds, got that those donors needed to feel like they're part of the program. Dodds made the donors feel welcome, listened to, and appreciated. Dodds could do that because, whatever flaws he had, he was a people person. Patterson so far has turned off a lot of important people connected to UT. That happens when you operate in secret. It happens when you treat people condescendingly. It happens when you believe you're above having to listen to anybody, including your boss, and convey that belief to just about everybody you run into. The one thing you can say about Patterson is this...he's living his beliefs. What you see is what he is. What he is is NOT what UT needs out of an athletic director.
I've heard all of the arguments about why UT's not gonna can Patterson anytime soon. I've heard that he's doing exactly what some important people want him to do. I don't buy that. You get nowhere, and you get nothing, by turning off the very people that pay your salary. It's not a sin to make a bad hire...that happens in every business, but things generally don't get any better if you bury your head in the sand and ignore the problem. Steve Patterson's not gonna change in any important ways, despite what his boss has told him to do. What you see is what he is. He needs to be removed before he can damage UT's athletic program more than he has. President Fenves and other big money types need to go back to the Louisville well one more time, and this time, hire the 'Ville's AD. He's done wonders at making Louisville's program big time, and he already has a great working relationship with Charlie Strong. Jurich gets what being AD at a big school like UT is all about. He understands things that Steve Patterson will never get.
