The AD of CU is going no where. This was confirmed to me via email after Bruce read this blog. He wasn't very happy with my opinion of the situation but I'm really glad he chose to clear it up completely. I still believe that he could have killed the story yesterday on the podium when he was asked about Arkansas but I'm really glad he killed it today:
Matt, you drew conclusions that seemed perfectly logical to you. Butyou were very much in the wrong. I was not going to Arkansas, I am notgoing to Arkansas, I will not go to Arkansas. And I would challengeyou, in the future, to make a better effort to look at the entire beastbefore you draw your conclusions. And, if you are going to draw harshconclusions based upon you level of information, make certain you haveasked the harsh questions. You did not ask me if I were going toArkansas. My answer on friendships was a very open answer--I have beenfriends with Dana for 13 years...we have together poured our hearts andour souls into this program for 13 years...we have spent more time witheach other in the past 13 years with each other than with our wives(sad,but true). Our friendship will not end...nor will it change....the onlything that was to change was the business relationship...he would becoaching in Arkansas and I would be AD-ing in Omaha.
I want to thank Bruce for that information and I apologize for any inconvience I might have cause him. I'm really happy he is staying at CU.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Monday, April 2, 2007
Is Bruce Next?
Now that Dana is gone to Arkansas - all eyes are on AD Bruce Rasmussen. ESPN.com reported this tonight:
A source close to the situation said Creighton also is losing athletic director Bruce Rasmussen, who will go with Altman to Arkansas as his director of operations for men's basketball.
The move, viewed as a step down for an athletic director, would put Rasmussen in line for an administrative position once athletic director Frank Broyles retires, which is expected at the end of the year, the source said.
On Monday, Rasmussen dispelled that scenario.
"Obviously, I'm not in Arkansas," Rasmussen told The Associated Press. "If my bosses will have me, I plan on continuing to be here."
Here is what he told me afterwards:
Q: Is it strange to have a rumor about yourself going to Arkansas?
A: Well there have been a lot rumors about me not being the Athletic Director at Creighton (laugh). I think it's human nature that when two people have a close relationship, have a friendship - that people would suspect that that would continue, not only as a friendship but as a business relationship. I think that's human nature. But the reality is that we will continue to have a friendship but our business relationship is going to change. (- More on the one on one interview with Bruce tomorrow on the show)
So Bruce is playing the Dana Altman game. "I am at CU so that's where I am". Does that mean he is not going to Arkansas at any point? He never said that. Does that mean he isn't going to help CU get a coach and then leave? He never said that. So the speculation will continue.
My feeling - he isn't going to Arkansas....yet. You don't need to hire a director of basketball operations until the end of the summer. Plenty of time to get a coach, find a successor for Bruce with the new coaches approval and move to Fayetteville with Dana. Not being the AD and a Basketball Ops person would be a change in business relationship right?
The next phase of waiting and seeing has begun.
PS - How about Iowa? I was wrong about Gary Barta not doing anything with the head job....getting Todd Lickliter from Butler is a great hire. Nice work.
A source close to the situation said Creighton also is losing athletic director Bruce Rasmussen, who will go with Altman to Arkansas as his director of operations for men's basketball.
The move, viewed as a step down for an athletic director, would put Rasmussen in line for an administrative position once athletic director Frank Broyles retires, which is expected at the end of the year, the source said.
On Monday, Rasmussen dispelled that scenario.
"Obviously, I'm not in Arkansas," Rasmussen told The Associated Press. "If my bosses will have me, I plan on continuing to be here."
Here is what he told me afterwards:
Q: Is it strange to have a rumor about yourself going to Arkansas?
A: Well there have been a lot rumors about me not being the Athletic Director at Creighton (laugh). I think it's human nature that when two people have a close relationship, have a friendship - that people would suspect that that would continue, not only as a friendship but as a business relationship. I think that's human nature. But the reality is that we will continue to have a friendship but our business relationship is going to change. (- More on the one on one interview with Bruce tomorrow on the show)
So Bruce is playing the Dana Altman game. "I am at CU so that's where I am". Does that mean he is not going to Arkansas at any point? He never said that. Does that mean he isn't going to help CU get a coach and then leave? He never said that. So the speculation will continue.
My feeling - he isn't going to Arkansas....yet. You don't need to hire a director of basketball operations until the end of the summer. Plenty of time to get a coach, find a successor for Bruce with the new coaches approval and move to Fayetteville with Dana. Not being the AD and a Basketball Ops person would be a change in business relationship right?
The next phase of waiting and seeing has begun.
PS - How about Iowa? I was wrong about Gary Barta not doing anything with the head job....getting Todd Lickliter from Butler is a great hire. Nice work.
Dana is Gone
Well, it finally happened. Dana Altman will be introduced as the new Head Coach of Arkansas at 5 pm tonight. I'll have a lot more on this today on the show
Guests:
2 pm - Jeff Goodman Foxsports Radio
Others: - Travis Live in Arkansas
Barry Hinson - Coach of Missouri St.
A talk show host in Arkansas too....
A LOT of phone calls....talk to you at 2
Guests:
2 pm - Jeff Goodman Foxsports Radio
Others: - Travis Live in Arkansas
Barry Hinson - Coach of Missouri St.
A talk show host in Arkansas too....
A LOT of phone calls....talk to you at 2
Monday Morning Thoughts
Back in the Big O. Here are some of the things rolling around in my head this morning.
- Dana Altman to Arkansas? Well, I've got an emailer sending me flight plans of this Booster plane landing in Omaha at Noon from Fayetteville via Atlanta. No clue if this is a sign of Dana going to there but it would not shock me. I was once told that Reva, Dana's wife, wants to get away from the cold. She wants to be somewhere warm. Arkansas is great job with great facilities. The Bud Walton is a nice as the Qwest and they own the place. No Husker games there I promise you that. And this state has a had a history with Arkansas.........stay tuned.
- I gave my playoff predictions yesterday. Here are my individual awards:
NL MVP - Carlos Beltran Mets
NL Cy Young - John Smoltz Braves
AL MVP - David Ortiz Red Sox
AL Cy Young - Dice-K Red Sox
- How about this gem reported by The Boston Globe: We pretty much think of baseball as the Red Sox and Yankees and everybody else is the Washington Generals," said one ESPN employee who shall remain unnamed. Ouch
- We won't see Dice-K in KC....He'll pitch on Thursday....Josh Beckett on my birthday...Great.
- Dana Altman to Arkansas? Well, I've got an emailer sending me flight plans of this Booster plane landing in Omaha at Noon from Fayetteville via Atlanta. No clue if this is a sign of Dana going to there but it would not shock me. I was once told that Reva, Dana's wife, wants to get away from the cold. She wants to be somewhere warm. Arkansas is great job with great facilities. The Bud Walton is a nice as the Qwest and they own the place. No Husker games there I promise you that. And this state has a had a history with Arkansas.........stay tuned.
- I gave my playoff predictions yesterday. Here are my individual awards:
NL MVP - Carlos Beltran Mets
NL Cy Young - John Smoltz Braves
AL MVP - David Ortiz Red Sox
AL Cy Young - Dice-K Red Sox
- How about this gem reported by The Boston Globe: We pretty much think of baseball as the Red Sox and Yankees and everybody else is the Washington Generals," said one ESPN employee who shall remain unnamed. Ouch
- We won't see Dice-K in KC....He'll pitch on Thursday....Josh Beckett on my birthday...Great.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Closing Out Vacation Thoughts....
It's always sorta sad when vacation comes to an end. Your brain for the last 9 days has been on cruise control and the reality of life hasn't been around to bother you. Well, as I close out my vacation and get back to the grueling schedule of a 30 minute show tomorrow and then a roadie to KC for the Sox game on my 30th :), here are some closing thoughts that have entered my mind over the past week
- Vacation is great. However, it sucks when your girlfriend works nearly the entire ti
me. I definitely caught up on my wandering around over the last week. I easily walked 20 miles this week - I might walk 20 miles in a month in Omaha and that's stretching it.
- Philly and Omaha are very similar when it comes to football - always on the brain
. I have been listening to sports talk radio out here and when Takeo Spikes was traded here a few days ago - you would have thought that Tom Brady was coming to town to play. That's all people wanted to talk about. Not that he hasn't been a player for 2 years or that the Eagles still won't win because they aren't a team (they are a QB with 10 other players on offense). This town hasn't won anything in 23 years and it shows when they go bonkers for a Linebacker.
- I saw Dice-K for the first time in person yesterday. My mother and my Stepfather flew down from Boston to go to the game with my girlfriend and I. He
was everything that I thought he'd be. How about striking out Ryan Howard, NL MVP on 3 PITCHES! Now, he gave up a 2-run homer to the next batter Pat Burrell, but everyone knows that Burrell will never do that in the regular season, so I was happy. Anyways, can you blame Dice-K for losing focus a little bit after blowing away Ryan? I mean, it was Dice-K's first game ever inside in MLB ballpark and he just K'd a guy who was the '05 NL Rookie of the Year, '06 NL MVP and hit 58 bombs last year. He froze him on a crazy breaking pitch and even smiled a bit after throwing it. Definitely the highlight of the week.
- The Red Sox won both exhibition games this weekend over the Phillies who paid them to come play here. How about that? Guarantee games in MLB like College basketball but unlike college - you lose them both at home with about half the crowd cheering against you! It would be like paying Duke to come into your building on back to back nights and having them bring the Cameron Crazys along. The Red Sox hammered the Phillies starting pitching and you would have thought you were at Fenway as they did. Cole Hamels - Mr. Next Big Thing gave up 4 homers on Friday including a bomb to hated JD Drew. Adam Eaton served up a cheeseburger to Big Papi on Saturday on his way to giving up 6 earned runs in 4 innings of work. The AL is SO much better than the NL and it was obvious by watching the back-ups play late in the game. No doubt guys like Joe McEwing would make the Phillies' roster but barely will play in Boston this year. However, it was the number of Boston fans inside Citizen Bank Park that impressed me. The Nation is still growing.
- It's Flo
rida and Ohio State's world and we are just living in it. After watching UF kill Ohio St. in the BCS Championship game.....do we really have to see it happen AGAIN! Ok, sure it's basketball but do you really think that the Buckeyes are going to be able to handle Noah, Horford and co. on Monday
night? Pssshh...Please. Greg Oden is great but he's not very bright basketball wise right now. He played 3....count 'em 3 minutes in the first half vs. Georgetown after picking up 2 really dumb fouls. Scary thing is - THEY WON THE GAME! Know why? G'Town couldn't handle Mike Conley Jr....know who can? Florida. Expect another Noah- standing on press row - Gator chomp celebration.
-Shouldn't Opening Day be holiday? Think about it - what other sports day has their ENTIRE fanbase smiling and feeling good about themselves? Royal fans are excited, Devil Ray fans are hopeful, and Nationals fans are argueing with the experts about their team and wondering "what if?". What other day in sports has the ability to make people believe the impossible? Nobody should have to work when feeling like that.
- Tell Philadelphia that "Why Not Us" is a Red Sox term that can't be ripped off just because Jimmy Rollins opened his mouth and forgot how good the Mets and Braves will be this year.
- Milwaukee is going to be my favorite National League team this year. While I was in Huntsville, I saw Ben Sheets, Prince Fielder, Ricky Weeks, and Tony Gwynn Jr. all develop at AA. I think they are ready to have a break out year. If Sheets stays healthy, the Beer City could be loving life this summer. (It's hard for me to be happy about this because I hate Bud Selig for what he did to The Extra Innings Package. Yet, the players can't control the fact that they have a jackass for an owner in hiding) They won't make the playoffs but it will be fun to watch them try.
- Baseball Predictions: Red Sox, Tigers, Twins, Angels in the AL for the postseason. I won't say who I like in the World Series....but come on - guess? But I know what you are thinking - Matt, come on we know you hate the Yankees but no New York? I have fought myself on this but have you seen their rotation? It's horrible! Who the HELL is Darrell Rasner????? That guy is in their rotation and you want me to put them in the playoffs? Unless they trade A-Rod this year - no way. The Sox might have Julian Tavarez but Schill, Dice-K and Beckett make up for it.
Mets, Braves, Cardinals, and LA in the NL for postseason. I like the Mets to get to the Series finally after last year's joke of a playoff ending. They should have beaten the Cardinals. They weren't that good but they got hot at the right time.
Baseball is BACK! Enjoy it!!! :)
- Vacation is great. However, it sucks when your girlfriend works nearly the entire ti
me. I definitely caught up on my wandering around over the last week. I easily walked 20 miles this week - I might walk 20 miles in a month in Omaha and that's stretching it.- Philly and Omaha are very similar when it comes to football - always on the brain
. I have been listening to sports talk radio out here and when Takeo Spikes was traded here a few days ago - you would have thought that Tom Brady was coming to town to play. That's all people wanted to talk about. Not that he hasn't been a player for 2 years or that the Eagles still won't win because they aren't a team (they are a QB with 10 other players on offense). This town hasn't won anything in 23 years and it shows when they go bonkers for a Linebacker.- I saw Dice-K for the first time in person yesterday. My mother and my Stepfather flew down from Boston to go to the game with my girlfriend and I. He
was everything that I thought he'd be. How about striking out Ryan Howard, NL MVP on 3 PITCHES! Now, he gave up a 2-run homer to the next batter Pat Burrell, but everyone knows that Burrell will never do that in the regular season, so I was happy. Anyways, can you blame Dice-K for losing focus a little bit after blowing away Ryan? I mean, it was Dice-K's first game ever inside in MLB ballpark and he just K'd a guy who was the '05 NL Rookie of the Year, '06 NL MVP and hit 58 bombs last year. He froze him on a crazy breaking pitch and even smiled a bit after throwing it. Definitely the highlight of the week.- The Red Sox won both exhibition games this weekend over the Phillies who paid them to come play here. How about that? Guarantee games in MLB like College basketball but unlike college - you lose them both at home with about half the crowd cheering against you! It would be like paying Duke to come into your building on back to back nights and having them bring the Cameron Crazys along. The Red Sox hammered the Phillies starting pitching and you would have thought you were at Fenway as they did. Cole Hamels - Mr. Next Big Thing gave up 4 homers on Friday including a bomb to hated JD Drew. Adam Eaton served up a cheeseburger to Big Papi on Saturday on his way to giving up 6 earned runs in 4 innings of work. The AL is SO much better than the NL and it was obvious by watching the back-ups play late in the game. No doubt guys like Joe McEwing would make the Phillies' roster but barely will play in Boston this year. However, it was the number of Boston fans inside Citizen Bank Park that impressed me. The Nation is still growing.
- It's Flo
rida and Ohio State's world and we are just living in it. After watching UF kill Ohio St. in the BCS Championship game.....do we really have to see it happen AGAIN! Ok, sure it's basketball but do you really think that the Buckeyes are going to be able to handle Noah, Horford and co. on Monday
night? Pssshh...Please. Greg Oden is great but he's not very bright basketball wise right now. He played 3....count 'em 3 minutes in the first half vs. Georgetown after picking up 2 really dumb fouls. Scary thing is - THEY WON THE GAME! Know why? G'Town couldn't handle Mike Conley Jr....know who can? Florida. Expect another Noah- standing on press row - Gator chomp celebration.-Shouldn't Opening Day be holiday? Think about it - what other sports day has their ENTIRE fanbase smiling and feeling good about themselves? Royal fans are excited, Devil Ray fans are hopeful, and Nationals fans are argueing with the experts about their team and wondering "what if?". What other day in sports has the ability to make people believe the impossible? Nobody should have to work when feeling like that.
- Tell Philadelphia that "Why Not Us" is a Red Sox term that can't be ripped off just because Jimmy Rollins opened his mouth and forgot how good the Mets and Braves will be this year.
- Milwaukee is going to be my favorite National League team this year. While I was in Huntsville, I saw Ben Sheets, Prince Fielder, Ricky Weeks, and Tony Gwynn Jr. all develop at AA. I think they are ready to have a break out year. If Sheets stays healthy, the Beer City could be loving life this summer. (It's hard for me to be happy about this because I hate Bud Selig for what he did to The Extra Innings Package. Yet, the players can't control the fact that they have a jackass for an owner in hiding) They won't make the playoffs but it will be fun to watch them try.
- Baseball Predictions: Red Sox, Tigers, Twins, Angels in the AL for the postseason. I won't say who I like in the World Series....but come on - guess? But I know what you are thinking - Matt, come on we know you hate the Yankees but no New York? I have fought myself on this but have you seen their rotation? It's horrible! Who the HELL is Darrell Rasner????? That guy is in their rotation and you want me to put them in the playoffs? Unless they trade A-Rod this year - no way. The Sox might have Julian Tavarez but Schill, Dice-K and Beckett make up for it.
Mets, Braves, Cardinals, and LA in the NL for postseason. I like the Mets to get to the Series finally after last year's joke of a playoff ending. They should have beaten the Cardinals. They weren't that good but they got hot at the right time.
Baseball is BACK! Enjoy it!!! :)
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