Furman Bisher

By DC Dawg

February 15, 2009 4:04 PM | Link to this

Great article that goes to show how hopelessly UGA is now tied up in the web of political correctness. Evidently, Bobby Knight isn’t sensitive enough for UGA’s new enlightened management. Never mind that he is the all time winningest coach in the history of NCAA basketball. I’ll just say that no more money is leaving my pockets to those pretty little UGA alumni relations girls until my alma mater shows that it still values a timeless old fashioned winner like Bobby Knight…

By dap01

February 15, 2009 4:31 PM | Link to this

Great article. What would a search firm know that a competant AD would not know? Does the AD not know what direction he wants the program to go? If he afraid of the decision? A search firm is not hired by a true leader.

By Pago Flyer

February 15, 2009 4:38 PM | Link to this

I was up in East Lansing last week and told my Spartan buddies that Knight was being talked about for the DAWGS…they neat, great. The UGA round ball program would at least get some interest in the media.

By rogeriter

February 15, 2009 4:40 PM | Link to this

I’ll bet Vince Dooley would not hire such a firm. He had guts! Damon Evans is either being held in check by Michael Adams or is lacking the knowledge or guts to make a decision about Bob Knight. Why would you not hire him? And,if not him, why would you need a search firm? What do they know about college basketball?

By Will

February 15, 2009 4:48 PM | Link to this

This article is yet another example of senility and a failure to keep up with the times. Two things - the first is that a search firm can conduct business behind the scenes without broaching etiquette, in order to gauge interest without running the risk that idiot sportswriters will 1) ruin your chances of taking their favorite coach by outing the story, or 2) cause the program to lose respect when they get turned down more than two times because the media hounds all of their potential hires.

The second point is that, were UGA capable of identifying quality basketball coaching talent then the school wouldn’t be conducting its - let’s see…one, two, three, four, fifth coaching search since Hugh Durham. Damon Evans is proving to be a fine Athletic Director. That doesn’t mean he is supposed to be an expert on coaches in every sport under his rule. Kudos to Damon Evans for having the leadership to recognize his limitations.

Bisher is a Techie lover. Always has been.

By UGA

February 15, 2009 4:53 PM | Link to this

Why would anyone think that Damon Evans was actually running the Athletic Department?

By SECFan1

February 15, 2009 4:59 PM | Link to this

The only thing Furman wonders about is where he left his teeth.

By Raleigh

February 15, 2009 5:11 PM | Link to this

What a ridiculous article.

“In no way campaigning” for Knight? This article is nothing but a shill job. Perhaps it’s also a shameless and selfish rant disparaging Evans because he’s not offering up a daily blog on the AJC regarding the coaching search.

The bottom line is that UGA’s basketball program is a second or third rate program at the moment. If Evans ran a fully open search that resulted in the first one or two high profile candidates very apparently (if not publicly and explicitly) turning him down, the effect on the eventual hire could be very detrimental.

Yes, Dooley hired Richt - but had he hired a search firm back in the late 80s, perhaps UGA may not have had to settle on Ray Goff. As I recall, UGA got publicly turned down flat by such esteemed coaches as DICK SHERIDAN at NC STATE! And that’s after a couple decades as one of the top programs in the SEC, a national championship, etc.

And, by the way, in executive recruiting terms, $75,000 is a pretty good bargain for what could be a $2,000,000 job. No, I’m not a recruiter - but I have recognized during my career when there are others that can help me to find great talent so that I don’t have to sacrifice the time I spend on other vital aspects of my job.

By The Truth

February 15, 2009 5:28 PM | Link to this

this same search firm has placed some good coaches for some good schools. the last thing uga needs is bobby knightmare.

By B'ham Dawg

February 15, 2009 5:30 PM | Link to this

The hiring of the Parker firm was orchestrated not by Damon Evans but rather by Michael Adams. If you recall, this was the same firm that brought Adams to UGA.

If UGA is indeed interested in building a top-tier program (rather than perpetuating mediocrity), the list of qualified and potentially available candidates to replace Dennis Felton should be relatively short (maybe a dozen or so). The AJC has already run articles flagging potential coaches; why do we need to waste money on a “search” firm? Could this be Mike Adams’ thank you to Parker. I guess that $75,000 from the donors says thanks pretty well.

By In other news...

February 15, 2009 5:36 PM | Link to this

Enough UGA- here’s a new Braves minor league blog. Come check it out!

By SEC fan

February 15, 2009 5:45 PM | Link to this

Knight lost his class several years ago. Winning a few games just isn’t worth his tantrums. For sure there are those who think winning is everything but in the case of Knight, it just isn’t worth it. There are lots of good coaches around who would love to come to UGA and ya don’t have to worry about some fan getting hit with a flying chair.

By Greg

February 15, 2009 5:49 PM | Link to this

What does Damon Evans know about basketball? Wasn’t he the guy that played Lionel on The Jefferson’s before he came to UGA?

By Slim Pickens

February 15, 2009 5:50 PM | Link to this

Search firm = total waste of Money! UGA will end up with a no name suit! Damon and Adams should be held accountable if this hire doesn’t work out.

By Dubyadee

February 15, 2009 6:09 PM | Link to this

“I have no idea how a search firm operates … but that won’t keep me from using this as an opportunity to make Damon Evans look bad. Besides, I’ll probably be dead before any of this shakes out.”

“I am, in no way, campaigning for Bob Knight to be the basketball coach at Georgia … but let me use a few column inches explaining why he’s a good candidate.”

“That set off some kind of firestorm, in which I chose not to participate. I must be honest and say that 95 percent of the respondents informed our blogging department that they agreed, and when would Evans, et al., get on with it? … That’s a lie (of course) but since open-records doesn’t apply to me, you’ll never know. Oh, and, despite my bad grammar and syntax, I know a Latin phrase.”

“Neither Evans nor President Michael Adams has uttered any kind of response. It struck me as a jolly good move to hire this exceptional coach who virtually threw himself on their laps. It’s probably a somnambulant issue by now, but it has been fun … Do you know what somnambulent means? I hope not, ‘cause I don’t either.”

By buckheadbill

February 15, 2009 6:22 PM | Link to this

Bisher, it’s crap that you write that gives old codgers like me a bad name.

By Terrible Truth

February 15, 2009 6:24 PM | Link to this

Norman Dale.

By "Know it All"

February 15, 2009 6:33 PM | Link to this

Any dawg fan that would call this article good doesn’t know much.

Bisher is a techie homer and shows his age by not knowing about search firms.

Bisher you are one bad liar. Doing another report about Knight and trying to say your not doing it for him.

By country boy

February 15, 2009 6:52 PM | Link to this

Very good article Mr. Bisher !!! Getting a little frisky aren’t we ?

By UGA6367

February 15, 2009 6:55 PM | Link to this

Judas Bisher! He couldn’t be satified knifing Wally Butts in the back with false allegations (proven in court) so he now 45 years later makes another attempt to slander UGA Athletics. Bless his old ACC Tar Heal arse for trying to foist an irrational, irrelevant and destructive former coach on UGA. Good try Mr. Bisher.

P.S. - Wake up Mr Bisher. Sleepwalking can cause injury.

By JB

February 15, 2009 6:55 PM | Link to this

The LAST thing UGA needs is the side show that is now Knight. Why Bisher would even suggest so, much less take a dig at Damon, is beyond me.

Furman, have you been paying any attention for what your boy has done of the last 5+ yeras? He’s known for out bursts, physical and verbal, and not W’s.

And that’s what Evan’s should bring to Athens?

Uh, yeah, OK.

Damoin, go about things as you are. You’re doing a fine job.

HBTD!!!

By 7

February 15, 2009 7:10 PM | Link to this

Evans is just a yes Man for the Pres. Its called passing the buck!

GT needs to fire that sorry a$# Paul Hewitt. Pay him off and kick his butt out of town.

By jeff grady

February 15, 2009 7:11 PM | Link to this

I believe using an intermediate allows a big time coach to be approached by the search agent, yet if the coach turns down an offer or rejects the overture, the school (aka UGA) saves some face.

By Dr. Phill

February 15, 2009 7:15 PM | Link to this

It is standard procedure for the BOR to use a commercial search agency to screen candidates for key jobs. I am pretty sure that Adams was not one of the final three recommended by the agency or by the search committee at UGA. Adams was selected by the former chancellor, who was a ruthless, micromanager like Adams. Secondly, Adams ignored the recommendations of the search agency and the AD when hiring his discredited former colleague, Harrick, who lived up to his reputation. Adams will select a new coach of his choice, without regard to search criteria or input from Evans or anyone else. Remember, Adams spent half a million dollars on his office desk.

By VeryOldDawg

February 15, 2009 7:29 PM | Link to this

Underneath that sophisticated exterior, Furman is the same old jerk that he always has been. I’ve been reading him for more than fifty years, and nothing has changed. He’s still the same Tech-loving backstabber. He should have been fired for his role in the Saturday Evening Post hatchet job on Coach Butts.

By the way, Furman, didn’t your beloved Tech use this search firm to “find” CPJ?

By Mike

February 15, 2009 7:29 PM | Link to this

I have enjoyed Mr. Bisher’s article’s for years, sans the Tech is better the UGA crap. This article is definitely one of his weaker, and the weaker ones are coming more frequently.

By Denver dog

February 15, 2009 7:36 PM | Link to this

Furman,

I’ve been reading you since I was a young boy in the suburbs of Atlanta in the 60’s I think Bobby Knight would add excitement to UGA basketball, he is one thing that we have only had once (twice if you count Mr. Adam’s buddy and his son); a proven winner.

On top of that, he brings a spirit to the conference, which we need. We haven’t had it lately, someone throw us a lifeline.

I hope Damon and the firm will look at Bob Knight, and other winners who may be out there. He says he would like the job, he knows how to coach, how to recruit, and as we all have learned, how to teach.

Thanks Mr Bisher for the insight, I hope the young lions in charge of coach hiring, look at all the options, and learn from the hirings of the past.

By Gib Henry

February 15, 2009 7:40 PM | Link to this

Bob Knight is one of the all time greats. But he is not for UGA, except that he does have lots of red sweaters. He would bring nothing but negative publicity to the school, the state and the program. Do you in a clear moment, imagine that our highly tuned media powers would for one second consider covering The Dawg Knight as anything but a potential train wreck? Do you think they will video, tape or repeat anything remotely related to turning the program around the right way? Not a chance. And you also know that they will seek out the most extreme beer-breathed UFO-sighter for fan quotes. Bob Knight brings light to Georgia bsasketball? See Lou Holtz in Columbia for that answer. Nothing wrong with cronyism, Mr. Bisher, but it doesn’t wear well on you, particularly since Knight is a media guy now, same side as you. It’d be like old home week for you all.

By GW

February 15, 2009 7:50 PM | Link to this

I seem to recall that Dooley leaned heavily on Grant Teaff and the AFCA as a defacto “search firm” when Richt was hired. I think a search firm is a good idea. Why? With the season ongoing communication and contact will need to be made between third and fourth parties. No active coach will contact Evans directly, or vice versa, while their season is still playing out. Why not let Evans do this his way? A search firm speeds up the process rather than waiting until mid March to start “vetting” candidates.

By JAYBO

February 15, 2009 7:52 PM | Link to this

Bisher, have you lost your mind??? When was the last time Bob Knight won anything of significance…tell me…answer that!!! Its been years!!!! Yet you guys in the media keep acting like this guy is a major player in college basketball…his time has long passed!!!! Not only that, he is a complete idiot…throws chairs, curses out the media at press conferences, grabs his players and this is who you want as head coach at georgia…man your point of view regarding sports has officially become a joke!!!!! I expected a whole lot more of you, but now I see that you have a good ole boy mentality too!!!

By Tbones

February 15, 2009 8:07 PM | Link to this

UGA doesn’t need a search firm to find their next mens’s basketball coach. They just need a little common sense. UGA is a sleeping giant for basketball, they just need the right coach to wake it up. Every year metro Atlanta has 8-10 players that are ranked in the top 150 nationally and UGA doesn’t ever get any of them, and they’re only 60 miles away from Atlanta. They need a coach with a style that is attractive to this generation, while still being able to recruit players and have the right charisma to charm the parents. Here’s a great find..Anthony Grant, VCU coach. Spent a considerable amount of time under Billy Donovan as a top assistant coach, very successful at his program, beat Duke in the tournament a couple years back where I feel he outcoached Coach K, and that rarely happens. He’s charismatic, young, and has a great coaching style. Something that was missed though, is that after Florida won their back to back NC, and the Billy D. accepted the coaching job at Orlando, Florida flew straight to VCU to offer Grant the job. That’s saying something, especially for a team that was coming off of a back to back NC. They chased him, and not the other way around.

By Devildawger

February 15, 2009 8:32 PM | Link to this

Bish

A search firm is how the hiring is done these days…this allows the university to unofficially contact coaches to find out their interest level. This gives the university a leg up on other institutions that may be looking for coaches as well. Plus, it allows them to contact the current “successful” coaches before the NCAA playoffs even beging. Since this is such an important hire for the university and basketball is a high revenue sport it seems like money well spent. On the subject of Bob Knight. Why should UGA rush to hire someone who wants any job (ours, Alabama, oinsert name here), doesnt want to interview but be offered the job, quit his last job midterm and the previous stop is not any better for his being there? Doesnt make sense and UGA can do better with a more viable long term coach.

By mayorbob

February 15, 2009 8:39 PM | Link to this

What’s all the fuss? We are a first rate athletic machine..that has a goofy aunt in the closet…our basketball program…roll the dice…turn on the lite…and go get Bobby Knight…

By Ted Striker

February 15, 2009 8:55 PM | Link to this

Mr. Bisher —

It seems a little frivolous for a fellow to write a column about a search firm — when he admits “I have no idea how a search firm operates….”

Paragraphs 8 and 9 in the article linked below outline more than enough reasoning for UGA to hire a search firm.

http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/021509/men_388018100.shtml

By shocking

February 15, 2009 9:15 PM | Link to this

Knight is a hypcrit whose own lack of self discipline and self control is staggering. Not to mention his success was prior to any of our most current recruits even being born.

How about staying out of Evan’s business as $75K is nothing, in fact even in this economy we could still celebrate our AD’s huge donation to the Academic side while lighting our cigars with $100 bills.

$75k to take advantafe of others expertise to hire the right coach for UGA, is totally the right thing to do. Only a fool would take this search so lightly after hires like Jirsa, Harrick, and Felton.

By kfc

February 15, 2009 9:19 PM | Link to this

furman bisher does not like the university of georgia…i will give him the title of a journalist, but when it comes to the university of georgia, he is much more like a radio talk show host, he gives his “opinion”…and his opinion on the university of georgia is that they do not seem to ever live up to his “opinon” of the georgia intstitute of technology…being a sports journalist, surely, furman would concede that the state of sports (athletics) across the board, are in a much better state of affairs in athens than they are in atlanta, and possibly the fact that the athletics (sports) director in athens is doing what all of us should do from time to time…ASK FOR HELP!…asking for help is a very unselfish way of saying i do not have all the answers…good for damom evans for showing the one human quality that most of us wish we had more of, humility!…are you humble, furman?

By GWJ

February 15, 2009 9:30 PM | Link to this

Actually, Damon Evans is handling the search the CORRECT way. Furman, when are you going to retire? I have been waiting for the last 35 plus years!

By bigjake

February 15, 2009 9:34 PM | Link to this

furman bisher was covering sports when most of you dog fans were sh#+*n green and losing basketball games. He’s still covering games and georgia’s still losing them. They dont have the stones to hire Knight.Bisher’s right

By Clamor

February 15, 2009 9:36 PM | Link to this

My guess is that the search firm is owned by some significant boosters of the Bulldogs and this is UGA’s way of payback for their continued contributions.

I don’t think any college athletic director has been more successful over all in the revenue producing sports than Jeremy Foley. When he needed a basketball coach, he didn’t hire a search firm. He talked to well respected college basketball coaches and selected Billy Donovan. Donovan’s teams made it to the final game of the national playoffs one year when they lost and they won two consecutive national championships 2005 - 2007.

His head football coaching choice resulted in two national championships in the last 3 years. In the spring of 2007 he hired a young head coach for the women’s BB program and this year they are one of the top teams in the SEC.

Heck, Evans, if you don’t have the cajones to make the tough call, why not ask your compatriot at UF? He appears to have a pretty good system of selecting head coaches.

By doc

February 15, 2009 9:46 PM | Link to this

paul johnson was recruited by the same firm and the ad for ga state is also being handled by the same firm. my initial reaction was to say what? after reading how they do it, it seems a legit way to go about it and it also defuses the fire storm of bobby knight.

By crabapplejoe

February 15, 2009 9:48 PM | Link to this

Somebody’s brother-in-law works at the consulting firm…its the way the world works.

By Scott

February 15, 2009 10:11 PM | Link to this

I would like to know why, in this economic client, we are paying a “search firm” 75,000 dollars to compile a “short list” of coach’s whom we can all name. Give me 10 dollars and I will give you three or four names -one will be the coach. Capel, Knight, Grant, and some guy from Xavier. Geeez, that was hard! Nice move Damon!

By 1+2

February 15, 2009 10:26 PM | Link to this

Bottom Line: UGA’s bball program is pathetic!!!!! Florida should be embarrassed losing to them the other day. I actually agree with Evans for hiring an outside firm to help them find the best possible coach. With the talent in the state, this program can become relevant. However, the answer is not Knight. As a matter of fact, Knight is said to be interested in the Bama job as well. Something tells me that both programs (UGA and Bama) will totally overlook him. Why hire a coach that will last a couple of seasons? Why hire a coach that hasn’t won anything in recent memory. The following should be Georgia’s finalist: Xavier’s coach, Grant (VCU), Gary Williams (MD - maybe out after this season), Capel (OKL - money will be thrown his way), and Sam Mitchell (if he convinces the program that he is not in it for the short term and wants to recruit).

By bank walker

February 15, 2009 10:33 PM | Link to this

What do they pay Evans for anyway? I though that was part of his job! Total waste of tax payers money!

By WD

February 15, 2009 10:40 PM | Link to this

Why didn’t Bisher ask this question when Tech was using a search firm to hire Paul Johnson? Seems like a glaring omission.

By Florida Dawg

February 15, 2009 10:43 PM | Link to this

I agree with everything you say Mr. Bisher, neither Evans or Adams can deal with Knight so they hide behind a “search firm” for $75,000 plus expenses. I would like to add this: Evans can spend this money BECAUSE it is NOT his money!

By Local Boy

February 15, 2009 10:48 PM | Link to this

Bisher should stick to his profession - not UGA’s business. Let UGA’s AD do the job his way!

By KrisG

February 15, 2009 11:57 PM | Link to this

I agree that from the outside, it seems crazy for an AD to hire a search firm to find a coach. But frankly, acting like Damon Evans is incompetent ignores the insane profitability UGA Athletics achieves so consistently. As for all you guys to eager to hire Bobby Knight, seems typically hypocritical on AJC blogs. To be a “thug” does not require youth, corn rows, or dark skin.

By KrisG

February 15, 2009 11:59 PM | Link to this

I agree that from the outside, it seems crazy for an AD to hire a search firm to find a coach. But frankly, acting like Damon Evans is incompetent ignores the insane profitability UGA Athletics achieves so consistently. As for all you guys to eager to hire Bobby Knight, seems typically hypocritical on AJC blogs. To be a “thug” does not require youth, corn rows, or dark skin.

By Tech Grad 1958

February 16, 2009 12:46 AM | Link to this

Furman Bisher’s editorial opinions — semi-relevant when he did homework & research — have lost any value since what he produces is substandard conjecture with no journalistic effort.

I remember him when his writing was good, intriguing. Sadly, he doesn’t know when to quit, and sadder still, the AJC can’t seem to do the right thing.

By BravesFan79

February 16, 2009 1:46 AM | Link to this

I was thinking the same thing Mr Bisher!! Who the crap needs a “search firm”…. isnt that the athletic directors job??
What good is he then?
Makes about as much sense and Clayton county wasting their $$ on uniforms for the bus drivers…. because of “terrorist” … lol… like the terrorist cant just wear some kakis and a red polo shirt to match!

By VirginiaDawg

February 16, 2009 5:22 AM | Link to this

Furman, Furman, Furman….you have just illustrated your need to retire. Did you not see the list of exceptional recruits this search firm has placed. You admit that you don’t know how search firms operate, so why would you write an article blasting Damon Evans for hiring one. In today’s world both sides need an independent party to negotiate on their behalf. The coaches have agents, the schools have search firms. This is a smart business move on behalf of UGA.

By No Axe to Grind

February 16, 2009 7:11 AM | Link to this

Not to worry, Furman, the University will jack up ticket prices in 2010 to make up for the waste of $75,000.

Regarding “Pretty Boy” Damon, my guess is that he was told to hire a search firm, and, probably, this one at that.

By Sharecropper

February 16, 2009 7:33 AM | Link to this

Bisher is “in no way” campaigning for Bobby Knight? There is an old editorial writing and column-writing rule: first issue an obligatory disclaimer, and then run roughshod over it. It never works but you feel better.

Now, I am in no way criticizing Furman Bisher. But he spent the last five paragraphs as Knight’s personal representative.

There, see how it works?

By Happy

February 16, 2009 7:34 AM | Link to this

Furman,

Too bad Jesse Outlar is gone. It is time for you to go to the Old Techsters retirement home. Over the years, your hatred of UGA and love of Tech has been obvious.

By Raleigh

February 16, 2009 8:07 AM | Link to this

UGA is paying Felton $1.5 million NOT to coach and some of you are worried about how $75,000 is going to affect ticket prices?

UGA will pay it’s next coach more than $1 million per year and you’re concerned about spending $75,000 to hire the right one?

By william

February 16, 2009 8:21 AM | Link to this

Bisher: Parker Executive Search aided in the hiring of Bug Coach Paul Johnson. I don’t recall you whining about that. So you’re either uninformed, a hypocrite, or both as they are typical traits of a Bug.

Dawgs: Knight still may get hired. Just because UGA is using Parker Executive Search doesn’t mean he won’t. However, in the best interests of the UGA basketball program, they need to hire a YOUNG man, not some dried up old horse (like Bisher). Knight throws tantrums like a 2yr old and may up and quit in the middle of the season. Is that REALLY what you want?

By dawgrph

February 16, 2009 8:22 AM | Link to this

NEVER hire bobby knightmare. do we really want the world to think that winning is THAT important. that we would intentionally hire a known belligerent hothead chair thrower who has been arrested for shooting at his neighbors house with his shotgun when their kids were outside. then he had the gall to curse and threaten the neighbor for politely asking, again, for knight to please stop.. Yeah… just the kinda guy we need. NOT.

By DawgFan24

February 16, 2009 8:32 AM | Link to this

People, enough with the Bob Knight talk. That would be just another band-aid to a situation most Dawg Fans would coin ‘dire.’ What we need is a solid coach, proven winner, and someone with DEEP recruiting ties in the SouthEast, and that man, simply put, is Anthony Grant. I cant believe we haven’t offered him yet!

And finally Mr. Moore, I agree with you. Why are we employing a search firm to find a head basketball coach? It seems to me that there are plenty of good candidates out there. And it’s not like you have to convince a good coach to come to the SEC. I dont get it?

By Doug

February 16, 2009 8:37 AM | Link to this

“I am, in no way, campaigning for Bob Knight to be the basketball coach at Georgia,” he says … right before campaigning for Bob Knight to be the basketball coach at Georgia.

Damon Evans’s plan: Bring in some outside help to make a lengthy list of good candidates and find the absolute best one available. Furman Bisher’s plan: Eh, just hire this old guy (who already retired once because he was “exhausted”) because he said he’d take the job. I can’t speak for the rest of Bulldog Nation, but I am thanking my lucky stars that it’s Evans, not Bisher, who’s making the decisions here.

By JP

February 16, 2009 8:52 AM | Link to this

The University of Georgia should hire University of Washington Assistant Coach Cameron Dollar as the new basketball coach. He’s young, a Georgia Native (Atlanta-Douglass H.S.)and has been a part of a national championship team as a player at UCLA. Mr. Evans, Parker Executive Search Firm, et al make the call.

By cjones

February 16, 2009 9:02 AM | Link to this

Look to Butler Univ. Forget Knight. What UGA needs is fresh air, not an old f**t!

By HELUVSBOBBYDODD

February 16, 2009 9:17 AM | Link to this

Why doesn’t AJC do the humane thing and have ole Furman put down?

By Florida Dawg

February 16, 2009 9:21 AM | Link to this

Why doesn’t UGA hire a “firm” to recruit football and basketball players? My goodness, if the AD can’t recruit and sign a quality basketball coach, how can they possibility think that the “new” or ANY UGA coach could actually do their job without hiring a recruiting service??

By Bill Kovach

February 16, 2009 9:27 AM | Link to this

I just got a tip that Dean Smith would jump at the UGA job if approached.

By jason

February 16, 2009 9:27 AM | Link to this

A direct quote from Bisher’s article on Paul Johnson’s hiring: “When Dan Radakovich needed a new football coach, he wasted little time. He went through the required routine, contacted one of those search firms, and a week after the Army-Navy game the search firm called Paul Johnson. The deed was done. No lollygagging.”

So, when Tech needed a football coach, a search firm was “required routine”. NOW, Bisher doesn’t know why you hire a firm??? Come on, this is just ridiculous.

Once again, I’m glad I canceled my AJC subscription years ago.

By Trey

February 16, 2009 9:28 AM | Link to this

The fact that you have readers is a testament to show how ignorant this world has become. How much of a complete clueless moron do you have to be to think hiring Bobby Knight is a good move? Oh that’s right, hiring old coaches that won a long time ago always seems to work out. Oh wait, no, it never does. We won’t even talk about what he did at Texas Tech and how he left that place in shambles for his son. How dare UGA go out and try to hire a coach that will be around for the next 10 years, will actually be pleasant for recruiting, and will give us a chance to build a foundation for the future. How DARE them!

By NGB

February 16, 2009 9:31 AM | Link to this

It seems quite apparent to me that they,{being Evans & Adams ],want to be able to “pass the blame”on for the future failure

By Joel in ATL

February 16, 2009 9:38 AM | Link to this

Damon Evans is a former FOOTBALL PLAYER. Enough said. That explains why they hired a search firm and in every sense is “scared” in every sense of the meaning of Bob Knight. The higher ups at UGA doesn’t want a person that knows more basketball than them combined.

It’s tough to sell a coach that UGA isn’t just a “stop over job”, which it is!!

By dawgfan

February 16, 2009 9:52 AM | Link to this

Furman,

You are too old. Bob Knight is an idiot. The AJC should can you along with Terence Moore.

I would trust Damon Evans with my life.

By GT Fan

February 16, 2009 10:12 AM | Link to this

Mr. Bisher I usually agree with you but not this time. I believe Mr.Evans is right hiring a search firm.* UGA could be #1 power house in Basketball with the right coach and Knight is not that coach.* I wish Braine had used a firm before hiring Paul Hewitt.(I can’t give away tickets to Paul’s GT games anymore and that sucks)Fire Hewitt ASP.

UGA has a chance now to win big and I hope they make the right move…Mr. Evans the balls in your court…go for it.

I pull for both schools when they’re not playing each other.

By Desert Dawg

February 16, 2009 10:31 AM | Link to this

Use of a search firm is a good investment. Always smart to get a second opinion from a neutral party.

To point out that Vince Dooley didn’t have to use search firms is a bit of a reach. The world has changed quite a bit since the Dooley days…Internet, Blackberries, million dollar salaries just to name a few.

The times are changing. Either keep up or find another profession!

By Chuck

February 16, 2009 10:55 AM | Link to this

Gee whiz - what are the odds?

UGA uses the same search firm Tech hired when filling their recent football coaching vacancy.

I wonder where this second-guessing was when that happened? Oh yeah, it’s Tech, and you’re Furman Bisher. I must be going senile.

By No Axe to Grind

February 16, 2009 10:56 AM | Link to this

To Raleigh: Living in research triangle park, I gather, has caused your cognitive thought processes to become muddled. I don’t really give a damn whether they hire a search firm or not, and, furthermore, I don’t have any opinion on whom they should hire or how much they pay him. I do know, however, no matter what the ultimate cost of hiring may be, season ticket holders such as I am, are going to be stuck with picking up the tab anyway. That was the point.

By Charles

February 16, 2009 10:57 AM | Link to this

It’s funny how Bisher presents one side when he is actually promoting Knight. Eaves or Dooley would not have hired Knight or anyone who has been a liability to another universityand was fired for doing so. If you want opinions just ask the parents of the sons who have been hit or choked by Knight. I know he was able to get his old friend to hire him at Texas teck, but other than that, he has not been able to convince anyone else to hire him. We don’t want of need someone like that.

By Dorsey Hill

February 16, 2009 11:06 AM | Link to this

If the only thing Damon knows is that running out and hiring Bob Knight is a dumb idea, then he is Einstein compared to Bisher and the rest of the pro-Knight idiots.

By Sam

February 16, 2009 11:09 AM | Link to this

Every now and then I read Bisher just to remind myself of why I no longer read Bisher.

Let me see, the AJC dumps Barnhart and keeps Bisher?

By Keeping It Real

February 16, 2009 11:18 AM | Link to this

You would think that a good old gentlemen of the south would know that the state of Jawja would not trust a decision of this magnitude to a black man. Our president faces the same scrutiny every day (even before he became president). It seems that qualified black men are never quite good enough to make a critical decision no matter what qualifications that they possess.If Dooly(a football coach )could select a basketball coach, then so can Damon Evans.

Maybe Evans(or the administration) is smart to let someone else take the heat if things go bad. This is especially true when dealing with a moron like Knight.One good thing, Knight would put people in the seats if he stays more than two years. Sports is entertainment and this guy can be a show stopper especially when he loses. I have a feeling that Knight is coming to Jawja.

By dan

February 16, 2009 11:28 AM | Link to this

I don’t mind hiring an outside consulting firm for coaching hires. I agree that the athletic director should have a feel for where a program should go, but if Evans doesn’t know basketball then getting an outside firm is the right decision. I do think that firing Felton( while abrupt) was the right call. He had lost control of the team, and when that happens there’s no sense in prolonging the envitable. I will say that this doesn’t bode well for Coach Knight’s chances at UGA. You either love Bobby and the S** Kicker mentality he brings to the table or you don’t. If UGA is bringing in an outside firm then that tells me their looking elsewhere.

By k. jude

February 16, 2009 11:37 AM | Link to this

The Bisher haters are blinded by their lack of respect for their elders.It is a shame that these experts cannot realize that the man can write cogent articles. You may not agree with his writings but age should not be a criticism. Some of you need to grow up.

By MoMassDGD

February 16, 2009 11:45 AM | Link to this

Anyone who thinks the hire of a dinosaur like Bobby Knight would be in the best interest of REALLY getting the UGA basketball program going in a PERMANENT upward trend, would be quite simply an idiot. And secondly, anyone who believes hiring a search firm to aid in the unbelievably intricate process of researching potential candidates and getting the proper contacts is also an idiot. AD Damon Evans is a DGD and has the highest of expectations for ALL of Georgia’s athletics programs.

By Blackberry Cobbler

February 16, 2009 11:55 AM | Link to this

Bisher—

Did it ever occur to you that It just might be Michael Adams pulling the strings here? Did it ever occur to you that perhaps it is Adams taking this out of Evans hands? Did it ever occur to you that it is Adams that will make the choice of the next BB coach- just like he chose Harrick? Why don’t you run this rabbit and see where it goes?

By Lewis Grizzard

February 16, 2009 12:02 PM | Link to this

Furman, I guessed it escaped your feeble mind that your precious Gnats used the same search firm to hire Paul Johnson, huh?

By scooterdawg

February 16, 2009 12:03 PM | Link to this

Furman, a poster on the Dawgrun states that you once wrote the following: “When Dan Radakovich needed a new football coach…he went through the required routine, contacted one of those search firms and a week after the Army-Navy game the search firm called Paul Johnson.” The poster further notes that this was the same search firm that Damon Evans contacted. I cannot speak to the accuracy of this poster’s comment. Can you?

By Life Will Go On!

February 16, 2009 12:04 PM | Link to this

A search firm handles all the peripheral administrative work so that when viable candidates are settled upon Damon Evans doesn’t have to spend so much time and effort in that area. It will actually speed up the process because the search firm regularly handles this stuff and the AD would have to assign someone to do it in-house and that person or those persons might miss an important fact that would have a bearing on the choice made. You guys that want to complain about everything the UGA administration does need to wake up and join the new century, finally!

By scooterdawg

February 16, 2009 12:11 PM | Link to this

Furman, a poster on the Dawgrun quotes you as once writing the following: “When Dan Radakovich needed a new football coach…he went through the required routine, contacted one of those search firms and a week after the Army-Navy game the search firm called Paul Johnson.” The poster notes this was the same search firm that Damon Evans contacted. I cannot speak to the accuracy of the poster’s comments. Can you?

By Life Will Go On!

February 16, 2009 12:14 PM | Link to this

Could it be that Furman wrote a column that nobody cares about. Write about Tech, Furman, you’ve been a “homer” for them most of your career anyway! You’re like the Tech guys that always show up on UGA blogs - just leave us alone and write something about that sorry Tech basketball team!

By William

February 16, 2009 12:27 PM | Link to this

I grew up in South Georgia and have always loved UGA football. I happened to graduate (twice) from IU and am also a Bob Knight fan. While I can understand the reluctance of hiring RMK, UGA would immediatley have credibility on the basketball court and a genuine emphasis on academics among the basketball players (otherwise they’ll be “former” basketball players). UGA as a football school, shoudl appreciate that Bob knight has never done anything that Joe Paterno hasn’t done 100s of times (per JoPa’s own admission). So if it is done in football it is OK…but not basketball? Of course, Richt is a gentlemen and has a very different persona from Knight. Despite that, Richt’s players tend to err on the “hood” side quite a bit, as evidenced by the rash of personal foul penalties. Tbat will not be the case with Coach’s Knight’s basketball team. At the end of day, no one is perfect and I would be excited to hear that greatest college basketball coach (from my alma mater) has been married up with my school of my boyhood football allegiance. Go Dawgs. Go IU.

By ohplease

February 16, 2009 12:40 PM | Link to this

This is arrogance at its worse. I would expect better from Bisher.

By decatur dawg

February 16, 2009 12:45 PM | Link to this

Well Furman, the same reason GA Tech hired Parker Executive search to hire Paul Johnson!!!!! Did you write an article about that when your nerd yellow jackets did the same thing?

Retire already, your senility is starting to show!!!

By Dawg Fud

February 16, 2009 12:48 PM | Link to this

go to Virginia Commonwealth University and seal the deal. we need a coach like that.

By greg embry

February 16, 2009 12:58 PM | Link to this

Mr. Bisher…after being in leadership with GE for 18 years and now in executive search, I would be glad to help you understand why and executive search firm is the right decision for UGA to make especially mid season. Let me know if you would like to discuss. If you have never used or been involved with an executive search firm, it is easy to not understand why so critical to search process.

By Kstaz

February 16, 2009 1:16 PM | Link to this

Can we use this search firm to find some basketball players while their at it? Maybe they could find some fans too.

By Pitbull

February 16, 2009 1:37 PM | Link to this

Bisher, why do you care? You hate Georgia and always have.

You always were the GT PR man, writing articles to hurt their programs whenever you could.

By OhioDawg

February 16, 2009 2:28 PM | Link to this

I hope the Dawgs get a good coach by whatever process works. The troubling thing about the column is that writing a column about search firms which contains a blatant admission that the author has no idea how search firms work is very much like writing a column about art and beginning with the admission, “I don’t know anything about art, but I know what I like.” Sound familiar?

By reservoirDAWG

February 16, 2009 2:29 PM | Link to this

Mr. Bisher, with all due respect to you and the ACC, you both suck.

By Raleigh

February 16, 2009 2:44 PM | Link to this

No Ax - No offense.

I interpreted your comment that the $75,000 is a “waste” as “giving a damn” about hiring a search firm. I’m a season ticket holder, too (for football). I just don’t think that spending $75,000 is really going to make a difference when you consider the revenues and budget of the UGA athletic department. If a search firm is deemed the best way to get a jump on hiring the right guy for the job, then I’m not going to second guess the decision. Whatever the process, I hope that it leads to the hiring of a coach that creates some excitement.

By Pulpwood Smith

February 16, 2009 3:09 PM | Link to this

Furman, do these words ring a bell?

“He went through the required routine, contacted one of those search firms, and a week after the Army-Navy game the search firm called Paul Johnson. The deed was done. No lollygagging.”

You wrote them in 2008. And seriously, you’re surprised that no one from UGA has responded to your column? Really? Is that the way it works now? You express an opinion, and the local sports teams are required to respond? Really?

Get off my lawn.

By Iceman

February 16, 2009 3:09 PM | Link to this

Never mind that he is the all time winningest coach in the history of NCAA basketball

No, Pat Summitt is.

By BBBDawg

February 16, 2009 4:51 PM | Link to this

Why don’t you stick to writing about Golf & Horses because you obviously don’t have a clue about what you are talking about in this article.

By Chris Broe

February 16, 2009 5:53 PM | Link to this

I liked the late paragraph, near closing use of the thrown-pie, somnambulant very very much. I loved the open, too.

You are a fun-loving man, Mr Bisher.

(Bobby Knight lost me when he tackled that opposing player running for a sure touchdown near his bench and he, like, cheated in front of everybody, and well, it totally set back sportsmanship fifty years and everything.)

By Evan

February 16, 2009 6:18 PM | Link to this

Bobby Knight is a terrible pick for Georgia. Georgia has to recruit the best talent from Atlanta in order to win. That talent will, hopefully, be so good that they are unlikely to spend four years in Athens. BKnight might be a great teacher, but he is not a great recruiter, and having good kids for only two years does not bode well for his hopes in Athens.

I think the need for an Executive search firm stems from the increased role agents play in securing college basketball coaches. ADs don’t have the extensive experience working with agents that GMs do because they only have to make major hires (of people with agents) once every 3 or 4 years. I think the relationships an executive search firm has with the various agencies makes it a valuable addition to the process.

Besides, it’s %75,000 bucks. That’s not much considering what we’re ultimately going to pay the guy.

By jeff grady

February 16, 2009 6:26 PM | Link to this

The use of an agent simply allows both the school and the coaches to interface “beneath the radar”, so in the end, no one can say “he rejected us” or “we rejected him”.

By Justin

February 16, 2009 8:11 PM | Link to this

It’s a “somnambulant” issue? It’s a sleepwalking issue? Come on, old-timer.

By What the...?

February 16, 2009 9:01 PM | Link to this

Poor old guy. Probably would have helped if he had checked his facts before writing this clunker….he didn’t get past the 2nd paragraph before his first mistake.

To set the record straight, Dooley did use a search firm when he hired Mark Richt - he used Chuck Neinas.

By The Ole Ball Coach

February 16, 2009 9:45 PM | Link to this

Mr.Bisher is it true that you praised Georgia Tech for using the same search firm to help in the hiring of Paul Johnson just last year?

What kind of reporting do you call that? Biased And now you know why AJC is losing readers.

WOW

By The Ole Ball Coach

February 16, 2009 10:20 PM | Link to this

Johnson trusts his old offense By Furman Bisher | Tuesday, February 19, 2008, 09:09 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Furman Bisher

Jack McCain, a cadet at the Naval Academy, had a political suggestion for his father, who happens to have his eyes on the White House, “Get Paul Johnson for your running mate,” he told Senator McCain.

Bully idea, lad. There’s just one hangup. Paul Johnson is already taken. He has signed on at Georgia Tech. When Dan Radakovich needed a new football coach, he wasted little time. He went through the required routine, contacted one of those search firms, and a week after the Army-Navy game the search firm called Paul Johnson. The deed was done. No lollygagging. (That’s an old term from Johnson’s boyhood world that means “foot-dragging,” or “dawdling around.”)

Well he went through the required routine????? contacted one of those search firms?????/

By hop

February 16, 2009 11:00 PM | Link to this

IF DAMON EVANS HAD DONE HIS HOMEWORK, WE WOULD HAVE A LIST OF CANDIDATES READY TO START INTERVIEWING,BUT I GUESS OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTIOR DECIDED TO SIT since ” ROME BURN LAST YEAR.

THE SEC CHAMPIONSHIP WAS THE ONLY THING THAT SAVED FELTON JOB LAST YEAR.

EVANS SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT IT WAS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE HE WOULD HAVE TO FACE THIS SITUATION aagain THIS YEAR.

I THINK IT IS RESONABLE TO CHARGE THIS FEE FROM THE OUTSIDE FIRM AGAINST EVANS SALARY AND MAYBE, THEN DAMON WILL DO HIS HOMEWORK.

furman as always was right on target and the homers of the bulldognation need to get a grip!

By BravesFan79

February 16, 2009 11:47 PM | Link to this

Keeping It Real You would think that a good old gentlemen of the south would know that the state of Jawja would not trust a decision of this magnitude to a black man

O…. ok NOW i understand why UGA went thru a search firm… lol… What has black leadership done for Decatur? Clayton County? ehh…?
Well….. besides spend all their $$ to protect the kids on their buses from “terrorits” LOL
Note to terrorist: Just buy a red polo shirt from Target and your in.

Want more evidence? How about South Africa? or Zimbabwe thats now BEGGING for all the white farmers to come back after forcing them out of their homes and leaving hundreds of white farmers brutally murdered/raped??

Funny… S Africa was NEVER one of the most dangerous places in the world before aparti. Now there’s more than 500,000 rapes a year.
Shows you what the liberal MORONS have in mind when they promote: “progress and diversity”

http://www.africancrisis.org/photos45.asp

By Florida Dawg

February 17, 2009 6:47 AM | Link to this

I agree with the poster “Hop” above at 2/16 11:00PM. Damon Evans who is paid how much?…did not know last year that this day was coming? And UGA has to spend $75,000 + expenses for someone else to do his job? These guys operate like Wall Street thieves. Is this Adams at work maybe or both? If any of you think this is “chump” change, why don’t you write a check today and send it in with your name on it….oh I know… you already have.

By Joe D.

February 17, 2009 7:48 AM | Link to this

Coming from an SEC rival, it’s great to see UGA going the search firm route instead of having a big-time AD who knows who to choose as the next head coach in any sport.

A search firm starts with the 10 LOSERS from the firm’s most previous coaching search because it saves them time and money not to have to start from scratch in the vetting process. Unfortunately, the school (UGA) is stuck with the 10 LOSERS to start the process.

Inexperienced/incompetent AD + Search Firm = Crap Shoot in Coaching Search

Georgia might get lucky and hire a great basketball coach, but it will be a result of luck, not a strong AD.

By Go Hawks

February 17, 2009 8:57 AM | Link to this

Why did you PRAISE GEORGIA TECH for using “help” and the SAME EXACT SEARCH FIRM that UGA is using?

DID YOU FORGET YOU WROTE THAT HYPOCRITE?

By JudgeDawg

February 17, 2009 11:23 AM | Link to this

Furman, Dooley DID use a search firm when he hired Richt.

By Charles

February 17, 2009 11:26 AM | Link to this

Why? Because that’s the way it works nowadays. If you weren’t so out of touch, you’d know that, Bisher.

You didn’t have a problem with it when your Techies used the same firm to hire Johnson.

This is common business practice for AD’s everywhere now, and absolutely the right thing to do. It’s really not even an arguable point for those with in any knowledge in how this stuff works.

Did you realize, Mr. Bisher, that with an agency UGA can start feeling out agents and make appropriate contact at this juncture…all behind the scenes, avoiding guys like you writing about how candidate X isn’t interested in the Georgia job?

Try doing a little research before you write, old man. You really sound ignorant with this one. And your Tech colors really shine through as well.

By DirtyDawg

February 17, 2009 11:32 AM | Link to this

Hey guys, it’s not that Furman is a hypocrite for his criticism of UGA for using a professional ‘search’ firm to do a thorough job of finding the right guy for our next coach, it’s that the senile old fart ‘forgot’ that he had praised Tech for just such a ‘business-like’ approach. Face it, it’s probably not so much that Damon doesn’t have some people in mind, it’ s that he’d like to have a ‘process’ that sufficiently p** Bobby Knight off so he’ll go with Alabama or maybe go nowhere at all, cause you know he wouldn’t stand still for having to ‘interview’ for the job.

Bisher, you were just a tool for them to use, just like the writer in B’ham, so don’t get the idea that Knight thinks you’re anything special. Just keep writing all those ‘spell-binding’ pieces about some long-dead spit-baller from the Carolina League in ‘48 or something, that’s what your good at - nobody cares, but at least you’re good at it - and leave us alone. Your hatchet-job on Wally and Bear all those years ago cost you, or at least that mag you wrote it for, money - and made it impossible for you to venture into Alabama (seems to me you had to use Tallapoosa, Ga as your dateline whenever you were writing about an Alabama game cause you’d never have been heard from again if you actually showed up in Tuscaloosa.), and you’ve never seemed to ‘get over it’…guess what, neither have we.

By Pitbull

February 17, 2009 5:02 PM | Link to this

Bisher, how about your annual article about how as a young AJC reporter you used to go interview Bobby Dodd at a Tech practice and how he was so helpful to you that he practically wrote the lead sentence in your story.

You are a pathetic old tool. You need to retire.

By chazz

February 17, 2009 7:31 PM | Link to this

“sonambulent” seems awkward.

By HoosierDaddy

February 17, 2009 10:24 PM | Link to this

Great article and probably dead on. Evans is afraid of Knight and Adams does not want someone coming in that might stand up to him.

Too bad. It would have helped make that program something besides an afterthought.

The only “tools” on this blog are the ones that resort to insults instead of debate.

By Pete

February 18, 2009 8:35 AM | Link to this

Richt was hired by a search firm. Check with Chuck Neinas Assoc. Get your stuff straight.

By Captain

February 18, 2009 3:54 PM | Link to this

Folks, if you haven’t learned by now, and you should have, ‘ol Furman is a GT fan. He loved Bobby Dodd, hates the day Vince Dooley arrived in Athens and began whipping Dodd’s teams. No matter what goes on at The Univ of Georgia, Furman is going to find something wrong with it. His campaign for Bobby Knight is little more than his veiled attempt to keep Georgia basketball down. Sadly, those who make decisions do not listen to the baseless, meaningless, writings of a man who isn’t past his prime because he never had a prime,unless accusing Wally and Bear of rigging a game was his prime.

Furman’s questioning of the hiring of a “search firm” is nothing more than an attempt to impune Damon Evans and call into question Damon’s ability to ‘get the job done’. Furman knows better, or should. Furman’s calling Damon into question over the hiring of a search firm and the other inaccuracies in the piece could well smack of racism. Is he suggesting that Damon isn’t capable of hiring a coach? Come on Furman are you that full of hate or just out of touch?

To compare the method of hiring of a basketball coach in 2009 to the hiring of a football coach in 1963 is absurd, but then again, that’s coming from a man who has shown something less than journalistic integrity during that same time frame. The AJC may still be paying Furman what they did back in 1963 but suffice it to say a whole lot in this world has changed over the last 46 yrs Furman. The old telephone party lines from which you claimed to have heard Bear and Wally rigging games disappeared long ago, as did Black and White TV, separate bathrooms, and the Eidsel.

What’s puzzling is how Furman found no reason to question the hiring of a search firm by GT’s AD to find a football coach yet somehow it’s WRONG for the Univ of Ga AD to hire that same search firm to help find a basketball coach for the Dawgs.

Furman, give it a rest. You’ve been hating on The Univ of Ga your entire adult life. You’re bitter, and at your advanced age being bitter is not a good thing, they’ll toss you out of the retirement home if you aren’t careful.

Hey Furman, you’re a real Hoot, that’s what you are!!!

By Einstein

February 18, 2009 5:20 PM | Link to this

Thanks, Furman, for an excellent article. Everyone knows that Damon Evans is just the figure-head Athletic Director for our micro-manager President (Adams). And, why not spend the taxpayers money on a search firm…leaves the AD more time to shine Adam’s shoes and play games on the computer. If Coach Richt was hired by a search firm, shame on everyone involved. Who didn’t know he was the best choice for head coach and a fine, Christian leader for young men. Wonder how this would play out if Evans had to spend his money looking for a coach? Peace.

By slimpikens

February 18, 2009 8:50 PM | Link to this

Furman — Are taxpayer dollars being used to fund this? No — Athletic Association money via game and concession receipts, TV revenue, booster dollars, etc. When you start contributing to the UGA Athletic Association, then you can complain. In the meantime, just shut up and go support the North Avenue Trade School like you have always done.

By kay

February 18, 2009 9:07 PM | Link to this

Evans is not the AD, Adams is…He is not about to hire an coach that gets more press that the egotistical boss….K…………….

By Dixie Dog

February 19, 2009 9:37 AM | Link to this

Furman, I’ve always respected you and you are probably correct regarding the Search Firm. However, the fact that 95% of the people who wrote in are figuratively willing to sell their soul to the devil for a few wins in Basketball is not reason to hire Knight as a coach at UGA. Is it written somewhere that you have to sacrifice dignity, morals and ethics to win? I don’t think so. It is still possible to get someone that will do things right, that we can be proud of and who will also win games. Come on Bisher, you are better than this.

By seh

February 19, 2009 5:39 PM | Link to this

Will, Thank you! I was about to rattle off a reply but you summed it up.

By Knight

February 19, 2009 7:27 PM | Link to this

It’s a no brainer for me if Knight wants the job. Like him or not you would get one of the best teacher of the game of all time, and unlike Jim Harrick, did it without any NCAA violations. He would energize the program, fill empty seats, and return them back to the NCAA tournament in a year or two. We would also more than likely stop losing good in state players to other states. Give him 5 years and see what happens,

By tomevans1962

February 20, 2009 8:16 AM | Link to this

Bob Knight? I am from the middle of Indiana so please excuse me if sometimes I seem a bit bias- because I’m really not and to prove so, I’ll start out with reality. After 30-years of Indiana University patting Knight on the back because of such a winning b.b program and turning it’s head the other way- I think Knight became arrogant, maniacal, somtimes he used his temper and his words to help create the ‘starpower’ that he still possesses today. I think he stuck his foot in his mouth more times than I can count. I would even sometimes cringe at his actions. With that said let me tell you my story. My father and I, when I was growing up and through my life till they fired Knight which was in my 40’s. We had ONE thing in common- Indiana University Basketball. We would sit in front of the t.v. and scream right along with Knight. When he threw the chair- we cheered. When he won the 76’ N.C.A.A Championship (I believe at 32-0 and it still has never been done since)- we celebrated. Same thing in ‘81 (with a sub-par team), and yes it’s been 22-years since the ‘87 team that won the Championship. If I.U didn’t win the Championship every 5 years- they’d win the Big-10 or a N.I.T Championship. When he coached ‘college kids’ to the Olympic Gold it was the same thing. He won 75-80% of the almost 700 games he coached at Indiana. But something happened. Yeah it seemed as if there were becoming other powers such as Duke (who I believe is coached by a Knight alumni), and then other schools, even mid-majors like (use Gonzaga as an example) started beating the big dogs. Kentucky, North Carolina, and the likes of UCLA, plus Indiana-were used to dominating the College scene. As College B.B become such a phenomonon largely because of Television coverage and ESPN and as the times changed and kids changed- It become a shock for Indiana to lose to someone like a Richmond Spider team in the 1st round of the Big Dance- people started saying the game passed him by. He also began competing with Purdue and Gene Keady or Notre Dame and Digger Phelps for in-state talent. Not every kid wanted to play for Knight anymore, but he was still getting top notch talent and he was still winning but not Championships every 4-5 years like with we were used to. He still didn’t resort to cheating or paying players to play for him. He still graduated his players. During this transformation of college basketball with other schools being more competitive and more capable of knocking off the giants- his administration constantly changed around him- then comes Myles Brand. The man who was going to have the &()(^%^% to fire Knight. He didn’t walk up to Knight and say you’re fired, he had people relaying messages, he tried a 0 tolerance policy, he kept telling Knight that it was okay- and then he fired him. The student body didn’t want Knight gone, the state of Indiana didn’t want Knight gone- but he was and I believe to this day even being the big rednecked bully people vision- it hurts him to talk about it- and Indiana has went down hill, really down hill, since Knight packed his things and left. These are facts. Sports Illustrated comes out with a story about how I.U should fire Knight but claimed that Brand and the A.D were spineless. After he was fired they had a cover story that says and I quote from the front cover of S.I: FIRED! THE DOWNFALL OF BOB KNIGHT. That cover devestated me and then a year later comes Texas Tech. They went 9-20 the year before he arrived. He cleaned house and kept like 4 players and shipped in JUCO players. In his 1st year he went 20-9 and to the N.C.A.A tournament. Alot of people forget that he took Texas Tech to the Sweet 16 of the Big Dance during his 6 years there. He got the record for winning the most games because there was never a downfall of Bob Knight. I don’t think for a 2nd that Georgia will hire Knight- but if they did: they would be on ESPN alot, he’d raise millions for the school, they’d win, and he’d set a standard for someone who’d come in to replace him. Without a doubt there a few that could be loved and hated as equally as Bob Knight. There are few legends as big in the world of sports. He has a big mouth but somewhere inside of the man has to be ‘integrity’ or he wouldn’t have a 90% graduation rate. He would’ve somewhere during a 40-year old career- committed some kind of infraction in the N.C.A.A (which ironically Myles Brand is president of). If Knight was what many people seem to think- he’d never had won ‘902’ games as a coach without bending the rules. I am not endorsing Knight either but he brought me many memories with me and my father. He was the common link and provided us with something we could do together and enjoy. That’s not so bad when it’s all said and done. I always thought Dean Smith was class, Coach-K of Duke has run an awesome program, I like Roy Williams- but no-one can dispute that Knight is one of the top-5 coaches of all time and he’d like to coach Georgia? Yeah I guess they do need a committee to find someone to get the b.b program up to par. I don’t understand it, but it doesn’t matter what I think…

By tomevans1962

February 20, 2009 8:31 AM | Link to this

I just forgot a couple of things- #1: the Indiana team that went to the final-4 of the N.C.A.A tournament in 2002 was Knights team. His players and he had coached them for 3-years, he wasn’t coach since he had been fired earlier in the season- but people seem to think he can’t coach anymore. The other thing I wonder about is. If he was the man or coach (and I’m not saying he’s the salt of the earth) that some people think he is- his players and loyal friends don’t seem to have the same opinion. In fact the kids of his great players won’t send their boys to Indiana to play anymore.

By Too Easy

February 20, 2009 8:45 AM | Link to this

tomevans: you summed it up with the last line of your 1st blog (which was so long I’m surprised I got to the end of it).

By Lew

February 20, 2009 10:13 AM | Link to this

What Georgia really needs is: a new president and a new athletic director. Had micromanager Adams kept his nose out of Vince Dooley’s business, our coach would be Mike Bray (now at Notre Dame.) As for Damon Evans, renewing the deal to continue playing Florida in Jacksonville was stupid. Just check the record there versus Florida’s SEC road record.

By Ken Stallings

February 20, 2009 10:40 AM | Link to this

Once again Furman Bisher tears down the pretentious nature of modern era management and tries to appeal to common sense. Rather than expect the executives of a complex and expensive organization to “execute,” such “executives” now consult outside agencies.

Doesn’t anyone like getting sweaty and dirty doing any honest work any more!

While we’re on the subject, let’s also dispel the necessity for third party intermediaries. Bobby Knight “wants” the Georgia job? Well then, pick up the phone and ask for it! If it’s beneath the “dignity” of the gentleman to ask for employment like the rest of humanity, then perhaps he’s not a worthy candidate!

If nothing else, perhaps this recession/depression will accomplish one thing. Perhaps it will finally wipe away the stain of pretention, the layers of vainglorious smell that has given birth to the modern aristocracy of America.

What we need are more Sam Walton’s who start businesses, actively lead them to great success, and continue to drive pickup trucks because they think anything else is against their integrity.

Nobody should be too rich or powerful to pick up a shovel and do his own digging!

By Ken Stallings

February 20, 2009 11:11 AM | Link to this

I don’t know if Furman Bisher truly “hates” UGA. But if he does, it surely seems the hostile rampage of posts against him herein by UGA fans would offer more than enough justification!

Has it not occurred to those in hysteria that the phrase “required routine” is not an endorsement for the hiring of a search firm? I think that might require a bit more open-mindedness that shown by some here, but try hard an you might see it.

Perhaps the key with Paul Johnson’s hiring isn’t the search firm but the quick decision that the GT staff made, deciding whom they wanted and going after him with gusto.

Perhaps Furman believes AD’s should know the territory sufficiently to decide whom is the best candidate for an open position and then using contacts to see if the person is interested. Then, once mutual interest is shown, to work the deal directly.

I recall the GT coaching effort. Tech knew who they wanted and went after him. I don’t think anyone knows who UGA wants as their next basketball coach.

Oh, and no, I’m not a GT alum nor fan. I just think some here got their panties in a wad and needed someone to hand them a hot iron to press the wrinkles out!

By Charles

February 20, 2009 11:34 AM | Link to this

Actually, Ken, Damon Evans and the AD know exactly who they want as the head basketball coach. They also know who is the second choice and so on…

The firm’s job is to contact said coach’s agents during the season to go ahead and gauge interest…essentially, this allows UGA to gauge interest at this juncture and keep it off journalist’s radars…I don’t need to explain to you why both are important. And Damon simply should not be making those calls for a myriad of reasons.

This is the right practice. It’s how things are done…and it has nothing to do with ‘hard work’. This is about being smart and looking out for your long-term interests. UGA is rich. 75K is a drop in the bucket to ensure that we make contact appropriately, ensure positive PR throughout, and hire a young coach who will make a lasting impression on what has been a downtrodden program. We’ve left dollars on the table on the basketball side for too long. Damon is taking the necessary steps to ensure that we don’t any longer.

This hire will be his legacy. I’m pleased that he’s exhausting every resource possible to ensure that UGA gets the best coach possible…especially considering what we’re willing to spend.

By derrickl

February 20, 2009 11:35 AM | Link to this

Damon Evans has continues to make sound decisions as an AD unlike Bisher w/this drivel! Bobby knight is a recruiting nightmare which would haunt UGA for years to come! He would be a better pick for one of the “good old boy” AD’s not a young AD whose bball program needs stability and not a flash in the pan who will ultimately self-destruct! He has an impressive resume but there is quite a downside to all those wins! Hey Bisher you didn’t say anything about Tech when they used a firm!! Selah lol

By Otto

February 20, 2009 11:41 AM | Link to this

Bobby Knight is a jerk atleast Woody Hayes gracefully retired.

By Ken Stallings

February 20, 2009 2:51 PM | Link to this

Charles,

Appreciate the mature response. However, I think the point both Furman and I agree on is that an AD should be able to solicit interest while keeping it off the radar scopes of the reporters. Furman and the AJC may be insightful, but they no more wiretap phone calls than does the FBI and CIA. And no, that’s no a joke. The CIA doesn’t wiretap domestic calls and the FBI doesn’t do it without a court warrant.

So, that being the reality, the AJC has less ability to convince Southern Bell to wiretap for them!

Most of the “leaks” that come to reporters such as Bisher are from staff on the respective athletic departments, and most of those are actually trial balloons which are coordinated and brought out to measure reaction.

The AD has two primary functions. To oversee the budget and to select and review the head coaching staffs. For this they are paid handsomely. To do these two roles they are expected to be functional experts in the field of college athletics.

So ergo, why do they need to hire an outside agency? The point being that we are in lean times and it’s time for colleges to get back to basics. $75,000 isn’t chump change. It could provide a scholarship for several deserving students.

That money is better spent. And yes, it is certainly time that we demand our public colleges start paying attention to money and to avoid raising tuitions at the rate of 300% of cost of living, which they’ve done for the better part of two decades!

Furman is welcome to expand, but I suspect this is the root of his concern.

By VeryOldDawg

February 20, 2009 3:11 PM | Link to this

Well, Ken for about the third time in this blog, the $75,000 isn’t tax money—it’s completely unrelated to tuition.

By Kyle

February 20, 2009 3:30 PM | Link to this

Respectfully, Mr. Bisher, because in this age, this is how it is done.

By Charles

February 20, 2009 5:09 PM | Link to this

Ken, when an athletic director makes overtures towards a coach, that is about as close to a formal offer as you can get…as such, many coaches will make that offer known and leverage their current school for more money. Everyone knows this. Damon does not want to contact, say, Jeff Capel until he feels that there is mutual interest…if, say, Capel still leverages, oh well, at least we tried to mind our P’s and Q’s.

Public relations are a tricky business nowadays, and will due respect, you sound a little uneducated on the whole matter considering you believe the $75k is coming from tax dollars…AD revenue can and should be used to up subsequent annual revenue…Evans would be an idiot not to hire a firm.

It’s common practice in college athletics nowadays. Ask Radokovich at Tech. He’s a hell of an AD who was a huge step up for the Nerds, and he would laugh in both yours and Furm’s face for suggesting that using a firm is unwise.

Sorry if I sound a little harsh, but you’re trying to throw a very smart man in Evans under the bus for practicing sound business tactics. It’s intellectually dishonest. And Furman fully realizes such, but the man can’t help himself.

Your argument on Bisher’s behalf was that Tech knew who they wanted…I’ll submit to you with 100% confidence that Evans does as well.

By VeryOldDawg

February 20, 2009 5:27 PM | Link to this

Spot on, Charles. Look up intellectual dishonesty in the dictionary, and there you will find a picture of Furman Bisher. He writes beautifully about azaleas at Augusta or fairways at Pinehurst, but underneath this urbane exterior is Furman Bisher, the liar.

By Ken Stallings

February 20, 2009 7:31 PM | Link to this

The athletic department budget comes from the university’s overall budget. It isn’t monopoly money!

Even if the AD used money from the booster supplimental (which is normally extensive) it represents money that could have gone to the general scholarship fund, or to something more substantial than to a head hunter organization. In case you did not know, many non-revenue sports are required to use partial scholarships because of a lack of general scholarship money. I’m sure UGA makes us of those partials.

With this additional information, you should now know that I know what I’m speaking about. So, leave the insults at your home where it appears they belong! Unfortunately so!

And Bisher a liar?

Well, a more personal insult one cannot imagine. To call him a liar over this column is beyond the pale. I would call you a UGA fan, but frankly I have too much respect for UGA to make the association. I hope you are not!

By Midtown Man

February 21, 2009 11:59 AM | Link to this

It appears Ken Stallings is Furman Bisher’s secret boy friend and will swish to his aid at the drop of a (well you know).

Ken, way to “stand up” for your man.

By Ted

February 21, 2009 3:59 PM | Link to this

Pay Me THE $75,000 and Hire Bob Knight. GA basketball immediately goes up in stature and recruiting, and I will donate the $75,000 to the Knight - Bisher politically correct scholarship fund.

By nath hayes

February 22, 2009 12:01 PM | Link to this

Furman: According to your own newspaper, Tech used the same search firm to hire their football coach…Do you think he turned out to be a pretty good one…Or did you jsut choose to ignore that.Sometime your dislike for the University clouds you vision…Whcih is it???

nath

By Charles

February 23, 2009 3:04 PM | Link to this

Money in the AD budget is used for athletic purposes almost exclusively…Adams has allocated some in ‘09 to go towards general academics, which is tremendous, but that $75K is being used as an investment in the AD dept…spend money to make money. Of course football and basketball dollars go towards subsidizing the girls soccers of the world…which is all the more reason to hire the search firm and ensure we quit leaving money on the table.

It’s humorous that you’re going to sit there and act as if dropping $75K out of a $30 million budget or so is some kind of big deal…realistically, if we make the right hire, that 75K will be seen turned around 10-fold…and then we can spread the wealth around all you want, Ken.

And I never called Furman a liar. I did call him a hypocrite, which he is.

Realistically, I’m not sure why we’re even arguing about this…the search firm has very practical purposes that are being employed as we speak…whereas no contact would have been made at this juncture if Evans had to call himself.

The whole thing is so blatantly obvious…and you’re the only reasonably intelligent blogger I’ve seen yet that doesn’t understand this is the way things are done now. It’s all very simple.

By ArkDog

March 4, 2009 10:37 AM | Link to this

I am a Dawg fan living in Arkansas across the river from Memphis. I don’t know how much it would take, but John Calipari at University of Memphis would be a great basketball coach for UGA. He might see it as a move up to coach in the SEC. He really can not do anymore at U of M and in Conference USA other than win the national title. What are your feelings on this?