Last week was a big week for Mizzou and the Athletic Department. We all keep focusing on the Athletic Director and the Board of Curators. I am wondering why President Choi hasn't been held to task for his past leadership, or lack thereof, which has played a big role in where we are today.
First, I appreciate Laird's enthusiasm for coming to Mizzou, but I feel it's being played on a bit too much. Realistically, a Division 1 SEC school that offers a hefty seven-figure salary should easily attract quality candidates who can help move the needle. Honestly, I bet most of us would tolerate quite a bit for that kind of paycheck. I know I would! If Laird is effective, I hope he stays for a long time; if not, then I hope he doesn't stay for a long time. This seems obvious, yet it feels like the current discourse is a bit overblown—we're starting to look desperate. I think an age-old talking point has been blown into "We hired Laird Veatch because he wanted to come here, not because he was the best candidate."
Regarding the success of this hire, a lot depends on President Choi. He has to get this hire right from a support standpoint. He’s known for being tough to work for, and his understanding of athletics isn’t deep, despite his background in football as a youth. (LOL) He enjoys the spectacle of sports as a self-proclaimed celebrity, but it’s not really in his blood. His track record with managing Athletic Directors hasn’t been good—we were surprised that he pushed Jim Sterk out under a cloud of unclear direction, and Desiree, a choice seemingly favored by Choi, was left unsupported and ultimately unsuccessful and ended up leaving to our surprise as well. Two AD's. Two different reasons for leaving. Both surprising. Poor leadership by Choi. To me, if he messes this hire up then it might be time to show him the door.
President Choi’s statement about involving the Board of Curators in the search for a new AD was interesting. He said it shows a crucial commitment to alignment from the start. This needs to translate into real action, though, as past misalignments weren’t just the fault of the AD-like Desiree—they reflect heavily on Choi’s leadership. He is ultimately responsible, good or bad.
I hope Laird will take a page out of Drinkwitz's book. Drinkwitz has managed to align well with those who control the finances, which seems to be the BOC. Securing a massive investment in our football facilities and a nice raise for himself was no small feat. Laird seemed to understand this at his press conference, embracing the idea of working with the Athletics Oversight Committee, which he was looking forward to taking advantage of. Football is king. We need to keep investing in athletics. Ultimately, this has shown us that having Choi's support is nice but not essential at the right levels.
To address the question Gabe raised that Choi didn’t answer: For real alignment to happen, President Choi needs to act like the accountable leader he should be, not as if the board should answer to him. The responsibility for previous misalignments falls on his shoulders as much as on anyone else’s. After all, it’s said that the fish rots from the head down, and people don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses. Repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results is just insanity.
Just my opinion, of course.
First, I appreciate Laird's enthusiasm for coming to Mizzou, but I feel it's being played on a bit too much. Realistically, a Division 1 SEC school that offers a hefty seven-figure salary should easily attract quality candidates who can help move the needle. Honestly, I bet most of us would tolerate quite a bit for that kind of paycheck. I know I would! If Laird is effective, I hope he stays for a long time; if not, then I hope he doesn't stay for a long time. This seems obvious, yet it feels like the current discourse is a bit overblown—we're starting to look desperate. I think an age-old talking point has been blown into "We hired Laird Veatch because he wanted to come here, not because he was the best candidate."
Regarding the success of this hire, a lot depends on President Choi. He has to get this hire right from a support standpoint. He’s known for being tough to work for, and his understanding of athletics isn’t deep, despite his background in football as a youth. (LOL) He enjoys the spectacle of sports as a self-proclaimed celebrity, but it’s not really in his blood. His track record with managing Athletic Directors hasn’t been good—we were surprised that he pushed Jim Sterk out under a cloud of unclear direction, and Desiree, a choice seemingly favored by Choi, was left unsupported and ultimately unsuccessful and ended up leaving to our surprise as well. Two AD's. Two different reasons for leaving. Both surprising. Poor leadership by Choi. To me, if he messes this hire up then it might be time to show him the door.
President Choi’s statement about involving the Board of Curators in the search for a new AD was interesting. He said it shows a crucial commitment to alignment from the start. This needs to translate into real action, though, as past misalignments weren’t just the fault of the AD-like Desiree—they reflect heavily on Choi’s leadership. He is ultimately responsible, good or bad.
I hope Laird will take a page out of Drinkwitz's book. Drinkwitz has managed to align well with those who control the finances, which seems to be the BOC. Securing a massive investment in our football facilities and a nice raise for himself was no small feat. Laird seemed to understand this at his press conference, embracing the idea of working with the Athletics Oversight Committee, which he was looking forward to taking advantage of. Football is king. We need to keep investing in athletics. Ultimately, this has shown us that having Choi's support is nice but not essential at the right levels.
To address the question Gabe raised that Choi didn’t answer: For real alignment to happen, President Choi needs to act like the accountable leader he should be, not as if the board should answer to him. The responsibility for previous misalignments falls on his shoulders as much as on anyone else’s. After all, it’s said that the fish rots from the head down, and people don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses. Repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results is just insanity.
Just my opinion, of course.
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