Thoughts on Athletic Department

[APPRIDE]

Just my opinion, but David's value to the university can't be overstated. Not only is he the top play-by-play man in North Carolina -- don't believe me? just ask people in the industry -- but he's also a tireless behind-the-scenes worker who does a lot of the grunt work we never hear about. I would imagine David has become frustrated with the state of the athletic department of late, but I sincerely hope our next athletic director appreciates the value David adds to the Appalachian State "brand." David, again my opinion, is every bit as important to ASU as Woody Durham was to UNC.

David Jackson is, in my opinion, the glue that's been holding the Athletic Department together for several years. He is very much the silent, tireless worker behind the scenes that gets the show on despite the obstacles in the way. Those obstacles, be they office/campus politics, network outages, old and "iffy" broadcast gear, people who make promises to him and forget to deliver, shoe-string budgets, hectic travel schedules, you name it--DJ always finds a way to pull it off. And usually, it's done with quiet and confident diplomacy, with a smile on his face and a joke to keep everybody loose.

DJ's an Appalachian guy through and through--but he's got a young family to provide for. If his compensation isn't addressed by the new AD--whoever that may be--then no one should be surprised if DJ accepts an offer to leave. No one in the department is more deserving. No one.

Well put '66 (&'78), thank you for this. Don't want the PTB to "suddenly" realize this AFTER DJ is gone.

[NewApp]

In his own way, David Jackson is irreplaceable.

[hapapp]

His contributions to ASU are immeasurable. The department would be foolish to let someone else swoop in and take him away.

[firemoose]

I just felt I needed to say this and no one has spurred me to do this - recently there was a discussion on MMB concerning Coach Moore, Charlie Cobb, Scott Satterfield and some others - Personally, I know none of these people - However, I do know David Jackson and to me he is the one athletic administration/department staff member that APP cannot afford to lose - To me, he is the voice and face of APP athletics - He is a decorated professional who always portrays ASU in the best light ---
I've said my piece - thank you!!!

WVAPPeer your concerns are have more validity than you realize. Had Cobb not moved on to Atlanta it is almost a certainty several long time athletic department employees would have left. Some were already shopping around. One said the moral in the department was as low as he had ever seen.

Cobb has put the department in very bad financial shape. So bad he started taking Dugout Club donations along with money generated by souvenir and concessions sales (items bought by the baseball staff out of their budget and sold by girlfriends of the players during the games) and was folding it into the general athletics budget. You think that sat too well with the people at Smith Stadium? It gets worse when you realize the baseball program generated more revenue than the men's & women's basketball program COMBINED. Yet the baseball assistants are paid less than half of what the women's bb assistants make. All this is public info from the athletic department budget and UNC system database.

Cobb's accomplice and yes man in everything that has gone on is Rick Beasley. Except for a few select individuals, Rick's reputation among the staff has been severely damaged. The spontaneous celebrations that broke out all over Boone last Thursday are totally understandable. People who were about to jump ship now have hope Chancellor Everts will bring in someone that trims a lot of dead wood out and gets the feel good vibe going again.

This is pretty good information that you have here Peasant. And if you know this then you probably know a lot of the rest. There has been and still is a lot more to the story than has gotten out. It was being very closely held and if the wrong thing was said people could have lost jobs. But most knew it would break out eventually. We now have a chance to move on completely with a new start and fresh ideas.

As to WV's OP, David Jackson is truly one of the best ambassadors for Appalachian State University and a tireless worker for everything App, no matter what has been thrown his way. His loss at anytime would be one that will be difficult to measure. I will never fault a person if they leave for a better opportunity on their own terms. We all have that right and I would be one of the first to congratulate him and wish him the best. But to be forced out or leave because of a toxic work environment would be harder to take. Thanks Be that it appears that we don't have to worry about that for the time being. Hopefully some of the others that were shopping resumes will let things play out.

All of our budgets are pretty well set, especially for fall sports. It's time to take our time, do a real national search, and truly pick the best new Athletic Director to carry us forward in the new era.

[Appsolutely]

We need corporate (sponsorship) money. We cannot continue to depend on student fees, ticket revenue, licensing money and the Yosef Club. I am not going to point fingers at any individual; I will just say that those who have been responsible for that aspect of fundraising have failed miserably. If you want to know who is responsible, read the job descriptions for yourself. I look/hope for major changes from the new AD in that regard.

[NewApp]

I just felt I needed to say this and no one has spurred me to do this - recently there was a discussion on MMB concerning Coach Moore, Charlie Cobb, Scott Satterfield and some others - Personally, I know none of these people - However, I do know David Jackson and to me he is the one athletic administration/department staff member that APP cannot afford to lose - To me, he is the voice and face of APP athletics - He is a decorated professional who always portrays ASU in the best light ---
I've said my piece - thank you!!!

WVAPPeer your concerns are have more validity than you realize. Had Cobb not moved on to Atlanta it is almost a certainty several long time athletic department employees would have left. Some were already shopping around. One said the moral in the department was as low as he had ever seen.

Cobb has put the department in very bad financial shape. So bad he started taking Dugout Club donations along with money generated by souvenir and concessions sales (items bought by the baseball staff out of their budget and sold by girlfriends of the players during the games) and was folding it into the general athletics budget. You think that sat too well with the people at Smith Stadium? It gets worse when you realize the baseball program generated more revenue than the men's & women's basketball program COMBINED. Yet the baseball assistants are paid less than half of what the women's bb assistants make. All this is public info from the athletic department budget and UNC system database.

Cobb's accomplice and yes man in everything that has gone on is Rick Beasley. Except for a few select individuals, Rick's reputation among the staff has been severely damaged. The spontaneous celebrations that broke out all over Boone last Thursday are totally understandable. People who were about to jump ship now have hope Chancellor Everts will bring in someone that trims a lot of dead wood out and gets the feel good vibe going again.

This is pretty good information that you have here Peasant. And if you know this then you probably know a lot of the rest. There has been and still is a lot more to the story than has gotten out. It was being very closely held and if the wrong thing was said people could have lost jobs. But most knew it would break out eventually. We now have a chance to move on completely with a new start and fresh ideas.

As to WV's OP, David Jackson is truly one of the best ambassadors for Appalachian State University and a tireless worker for everything App, no matter what has been thrown his way. His loss at anytime would be one that will be difficult to measure. I will never fault a person if they leave for a better opportunity on their own terms. We all have that right and I would be one of the first to congratulate him and wish him the best. But to be forced out or leave because of a toxic work environment would be harder to take. Thanks Be that it appears that we don't have to worry about that for the time being. Hopefully some of the others that were shopping resumes will let things play out.

All of our budgets are pretty well set, especially for fall sports. It's time to take our time, do a real national search, and truly pick the best new Athletic Director to carry us forward in the new era.

RP, firemoose.

[AppinVA]

Remember what Ken Peacock said sometime after the Michigan win in 2007?... He said that athletics were "the front porch to the university." I agree with that and would add that if indeed athletics are the front porch to Appalachian State University, David Jackson is the front steps to our front porch!!!

I would actually say that David Jackson is the man who opens the gate to the front porch and invites others in ---

Naw. He's sitting on the rocking chair waving at cars passing by, and telling stories to the world in a way that only he can.

[WVAPPeer]

Remember what Ken Peacock said sometime after the Michigan win in 2007?... He said that athletics were "the front porch to the university." I agree with that and would add that if indeed athletics are the front porch to Appalachian State University, David Jackson is the front steps to our front porch!!!

I would actually say that David Jackson is the man who opens the gate to the front porch and invites others in ---

Naw. He's sitting on the rocking chair waving at cars passing by, and telling stories to the world in a way that only he can.

Well then Steve Brown must be there sitting with him analyzing what David is reporting -
Absolutely the best college football combo!!! --- PERIOD

[App91]

We need corporate (sponsorship) money. We cannot continue to depend on student fees, ticket revenue, licensing money and the Yosef Club. I am not going to point fingers at any individual; I will just say that those who have been responsible for that aspect of fundraising have failed miserably. If you want to know who is responsible, read the job descriptions for yourself. I look/hope for major changes from the new AD in that regard.

I hear this said around here alot and I want to point out that there is not some slush fund sitting out there that we are not getting. Corps must have a ROI for their sponsorships and to get this money we must provide that. I agree that we must have this money, but simply asking for it is not going to work. We have to provide the ROI. Don't pretend someone is just going to give it to us.

Now for the other inuendo, Moose if some of these stories are true then go ahead and put this stuff out here. thats what this forum is for to be an 'eyes wide open' sort of place. i view myself as a stake holder, being a donor. If there is that sort of stuff going on, then I want to know about it. i certainly can vote with my dollars as to who/what I want to support.

[AppState2014]

I just felt I needed to say this and no one has spurred me to do this - recently there was a discussion on MMB concerning Coach Moore, Charlie Cobb, Scott Satterfield and some others - Personally, I know none of these people - However, I do know David Jackson and to me he is the one athletic administration/department staff member that APP cannot afford to lose - To me, he is the voice and face of APP athletics - He is a decorated professional who always portrays ASU in the best light ---
I've said my piece - thank you!!!

WVAPPeer your concerns are have more validity than you realize. Had Cobb not moved on to Atlanta it is almost a certainty several long time athletic department employees would have left. Some were already shopping around. One said the moral in the department was as low as he had ever seen.

Cobb has put the department in very bad financial shape. So bad he started taking Dugout Club donations along with money generated by souvenir and concessions sales (items bought by the baseball staff out of their budget and sold by girlfriends of the players during the games) and was folding it into the general athletics budget. You think that sat too well with the people at Smith Stadium? It gets worse when you realize the baseball program generated more revenue than the men's & women's basketball program COMBINED. Yet the baseball assistants are paid less than half of what the women's bb assistants make. All this is public info from the athletic department budget and UNC system database.

Cobb's accomplice and yes man in everything that has gone on is Rick Beasley. Except for a few select individuals, Rick's reputation among the staff has been severely damaged. The spontaneous celebrations that broke out all over Boone last Thursday are totally understandable. People who were about to jump ship now have hope Chancellor Everts will bring in someone that trims a lot of dead wood out and gets the feel good vibe going again.

I've been hearing some of this as well. A few of those who were looking to leave need to go anyway. There is a lot of arrogance up here on the mountain.

I love Jackson and I'm glad he stuck around after graduation. He's a very good guy and someone I would like to keep but I will understand if he decides to grow even more and go to a P5 program and eventually move into an AD role 10-15 years from now.

I like Beasley personally I know he doesn't see things the way they are but with black/gold glasses on. Leaders have to see things straight down the middle and make the best decisions for our university.

Anyone who thinks Cobb and Rick Beasley are the sole reasons for increases in donations and attendance must not have known the App State situation previously. Anyone forgetting the dictator and tyrant we had in Roachel Laney? I don't think JM, the change in offense, and Cobb are the only reasons why we won 3 titles in a row. There will never be a bigger party in the athletic department thrown than the month after Laney was gone. I was told by some folks who worked at App back then that there was literally dancing in the halls and offices by some and most people definitely took a few weekends of celebration when he left. Cobb was better than Laney, by far, but Laney didn't set the bar high. I would say 75% of those sitting in the gold seats and press box could have and would have done a better job than Laney.

I look at this AD opening as a chance to shake things up and hopefully things will change for the better. Cobb did some good but he also did some bad as well. Let's hope a change in attitude comes and we get back to our winning ways. The new AD could have as much to do with sparking our football team and other sports than anything our coaches do on the field. The momentum from Laney leaving has long gone and we now need a new spark. This new AD can be that spark.

[Appsolutely]

"I hear this said around here alot and I want to point out that there is not some slush fund sitting out there that we are not getting. Corps must have a ROI for their sponsorships and to get this money we must provide that. I agree that we must have this money, but simply asking for it is not going to work. We have to provide the ROI. Don't pretend someone is just going to give it to us."

Excuse me, but I don't believe my post indicated that there are corporate "slush funds" for college athletics sponsorships. ROI does have to be sold to the corporations, and I am not under the impression that "simply asking for it" is going to get the job done. So, let me ask you: who is responsible for selling the idea that there is an ROI for an investment in App athletics?

Thanks for supporting my argument that the current staff is not getting the job done with regard to raising corporate dollars.

[AppState2014]

I just felt I needed to say this and no one has spurred me to do this - recently there was a discussion on MMB concerning Coach Moore, Charlie Cobb, Scott Satterfield and some others - Personally, I know none of these people - However, I do know David Jackson and to me he is the one athletic administration/department staff member that APP cannot afford to lose - To me, he is the voice and face of APP athletics - He is a decorated professional who always portrays ASU in the best light ---
I've said my piece - thank you!!!

WVAPPeer your concerns are have more validity than you realize. Had Cobb not moved on to Atlanta it is almost a certainty several long time athletic department employees would have left. Some were already shopping around. One said the moral in the department was as low as he had ever seen.

Cobb has put the department in very bad financial shape. So bad he started taking Dugout Club donations along with money generated by souvenir and concessions sales (items bought by the baseball staff out of their budget and sold by girlfriends of the players during the games) and was folding it into the general athletics budget. You think that sat too well with the people at Smith Stadium? It gets worse when you realize the baseball program generated more revenue than the men's & women's basketball program COMBINED. Yet the baseball assistants are paid less than half of what the women's bb assistants make. All this is public info from the athletic department budget and UNC system database.

Cobb's accomplice and yes man in everything that has gone on is Rick Beasley. Except for a few select individuals, Rick's reputation among the staff has been severely damaged. The spontaneous celebrations that broke out all over Boone last Thursday are totally understandable. People who were about to jump ship now have hope Chancellor Everts will bring in someone that trims a lot of dead wood out and gets the feel good vibe going again.

This is pretty good information that you have here Peasant. And if you know this then you probably know a lot of the rest. There has been and still is a lot more to the story than has gotten out. It was being very closely held and if the wrong thing was said people could have lost jobs. But most knew it would break out eventually. We now have a chance to move on completely with a new start and fresh ideas.

As to WV's OP, David Jackson is truly one of the best ambassadors for Appalachian State University and a tireless worker for everything App, no matter what has been thrown his way. His loss at anytime would be one that will be difficult to measure. I will never fault a person if they leave for a better opportunity on their own terms. We all have that right and I would be one of the first to congratulate him and wish him the best. But to be forced out or leave because of a toxic work environment would be harder to take. Thanks Be that it appears that we don't have to worry about that for the time being. Hopefully some of the others that were shopping resumes will let things play out.

All of our budgets are pretty well set, especially for fall sports. It's time to take our time, do a real national search, and truly pick the best new Athletic Director to carry us forward in the new era.

Hopefully no more "national searches" by the definition Cobb has for it. It's time for a REAL national search here. I have confidence Everts will do so.

[Saint3333]

I believe that Chancellor Everts knows this is an important hire for her. It may not be the most important hire she will make during her time here, but is mostly likely the most visible.

There are less than 130 FBS AD positions out there, the applicant pool should be deep.

[Rekdiver]

How do we know that Cobb and Beasley didn't try to get corp donations and were told no ho? Even Peacock had a tough time getting money from everyone he touched. Face it...what's in it for Wells BofA or any corporate sponsor in a small college town. We have to have success on a national scale and that includes basketball. We need people like Brad Wilson to help up.....

[App91]

"I hear this said around here alot and I want to point out that there is not some slush fund sitting out there that we are not getting. Corps must have a ROI for their sponsorships and to get this money we must provide that. I agree that we must have this money, but simply asking for it is not going to work. We have to provide the ROI. Don't pretend someone is just going to give it to us."

Excuse me, but I don't believe my post indicated that there are corporate "slush funds" for college athletics sponsorships. ROI does have to be sold to the corporations, and I am not under the impression that "simply asking for it" is going to get the job done. So, let me ask you: who is responsible for selling the idea that there is an ROI for an investment in App athletics?

Thanks for supporting my argument that the current staff is not getting the job done with regard to raising corporate dollars.

Think you took something from my post that was unintended. I meant nothing of the sort, but I do see where you could have gotten that. Yours was simply the last one of those that I have seen, it appears that some think there is the fairy god mother of corp money to sprinkle fairy dust upon us. You are very correct someone has to SELL that. My guess that ROI would be eyes on the product, which truthfully "around the mountain" on MTN will not get it done. So not sure what there is to sell. Might need to refine the product before we sell. remember, for the investment we are talking about, the product is not the product on the field, that is just the reason for the gathering. The product is what people can see or what makes them congregate...advertisement. So maybe more ears for the coaches shows, more eyes for the same, not just about butts in the stadium/arena.

[Appsolutely]

"I hear this said around here alot and I want to point out that there is not some slush fund sitting out there that we are not getting. Corps must have a ROI for their sponsorships and to get this money we must provide that. I agree that we must have this money, but simply asking for it is not going to work. We have to provide the ROI. Don't pretend someone is just going to give it to us."

Excuse me, but I don't believe my post indicated that there are corporate "slush funds" for college athletics sponsorships. ROI does have to be sold to the corporations, and I am not under the impression that "simply asking for it" is going to get the job done. So, let me ask you: who is responsible for selling the idea that there is an ROI for an investment in App athletics?

Thanks for supporting my argument that the current staff is not getting the job done with regard to raising corporate dollars.

Think you took something from my post that was unintended. I meant nothing of the sort, but I do see where you could have gotten that. Yours was simply the last one of those that I have seen, it appears that some think there is the fairy god mother of corp money to sprinkle fairy dust upon us. You are very correct someone has to SELL that. My guess that ROI would be eyes on the product, which truthfully "around the mountain" on MTN will not get it done. So not sure what there is to sell. Might need to refine the product before we sell. remember, for the investment we are talking about, the product is not the product on the field, that is just the reason for the gathering. The product is what people can see or what makes them congregate...advertisement. So maybe more ears for the coaches shows, more eyes for the same, not just about butts in the stadium/arena.

I completely agree that raising corporate dollars is not as easy as some would have us believe. It takes some very savvy folks to do so.

[Appsolutely]

How do we know that Cobb and Beasley didn't try to get corp donations and were told no ho? Even Peacock had a tough time getting money from everyone he touched. Face it...what's in it for Wells BofA or any corporate sponsor in a small college town. We have to have success on a national scale and that includes basketball. We need people like Brad Wilson to help up.....

Who said anything about Cobb and Beasley?

[Rekdiver]

We need corporate (sponsorship) money. We cannot continue to depend on student fees, ticket revenue, licensing money and the Yosef Club. I am not going to point fingers at any individual; I will just say that those who have been responsible for that aspect of fundraising have failed miserably. If you want to know who is responsible, read the job descriptions for yourself. I look/hope for major changes from the new AD in that regard.

I believe you did when you referenced the position description?

[Appsolutely]

We need corporate (sponsorship) money. We cannot continue to depend on student fees, ticket revenue, licensing money and the Yosef Club. I am not going to point fingers at any individual; I will just say that those who have been responsible for that aspect of fundraising have failed miserably. If you want to know who is responsible, read the job descriptions for yourself. I look/hope for major changes from the new AD in that regard.

I believe you did when you referenced the position description?

Man...I can't get away with anything around here.

[wataugan03]

Title IX plays a significant role in the emphasis on women's sports as opposed to men's sports. When Linda Robinson was in compliance and in her previous position as Women's basketball coach, she created a bruha (sp) regarding inequity of the coaching salaries, travel expenses,etc between women's sports and men's. In her time as compliance director, she may have kept our entire athletic department out of numerous NCAA infractions. She was definitely a thorn in our side, but thankfully it balanced out in positive regards. Just goes to show there is the proverbial silver lining in every storm cloud.

If L-Rob put is in compliance with legal, NCAA, and Dep. of Education standards before the hammer came down then she wasn't a thorn in our side at all. She was a savior. She was only a thorn in the side of the fools who thought they could (and should) ignore the law.