Trib: Spetman Stresses His Experience in Interview

[USFMikeB]

You can tell he's military, he automatically goes on the attack against the other candidates.  Alternatively, the committee might have asked him what sets him apart from the rest of the field.  So, I'm not sure how to take those kind of comments, and wish they had been put in context.  This guy isn't my choice...

http://bulls.tbo.com/bulls/MGAIL9NKNTD.html

Spetman Stresses His Experience In USF Interviews

By JOEY JOHNSTON

jjohnston@tampatrib.com

Published: Apr 30, 2004

TAMPA - During the Gulf War, Randy Spetman oversaw an Air Force squadron that flew 843 missions in 40 days and dropped more than 20 million tons of bombs in the Middle East.  While stationed in Germany, he was responsible for nuclear weapons in Europe.

``I am a big believer in team- building and putting people in a situation to succeed,'' he said. ``And I am not afraid to make a hard decision.''

Spetman, a retired colonel who served 8 1/2 years as athletic director at the Air Force Academy, said that characteristic would be a perfect fit at the University of South Florida as it prepares to enter the Big East Conference in 2005. Thursday, Spetman became the first candidate to interview for USF's AD position. He met with several school constituencies, including the 10-person search committee.

``Randy is a very well-qualified candidate,'' said Hinks Shimberg, chairman of the search committee. ``We're anxious to meet the others, so we can do some comparisons.''

Jon Oliver, Virginia's senior associate athletics director for administration, will visit Monday, while Mark Hollis, Michigan State's associate athletic director, interviews Tuesday.

The obvious comparison? Spetman has been an athletic director. Oliver and Hollis have not.

Spetman, showing he has studied the competition, eagerly pointed that out to the search committee.

``Mark Hollis is an innovator, an idea guy ... and he has done some great things in that regard,'' Spetman said. ``I'm curious and I don't know him well enough to know ... has he hired and fired coaches? Does he know the right coach to bring in? That's what's going to make you successful.

``Jon Oliver is a quality guy with a legal background. I don't know at what level he's making the decisions. What you get with me is a person who has done it.''

Assessing USF's immediate future, Spetman said the athletic budget must eventually be $10 million. Facilities improvement is a must, particularly establishing a master plan for those facilities. Little things make a difference. As an example, he said drawing more fans for baseball and softball might be encouraged by more comfortable seating and protection from the sun.

He said USF's athletes should participate in meet- and-greet sessions with the community and seemed shocked to learn a search- committee member had never met any players from the school's nationally ranked softball program.

He predicted the Bulls will fare well in the Big East's non- revenue and Olympic sports. Football, he said, should annually challenge for the league championship.

``Your big challenge is basketball, men's and women's,'' Spetman said. ``You can market to people, but you've got to win. If you lose week after week after week, even for your loyal supporters, it's hard. So we've got to help that and make the Sun Dome a place where people want to be.''

[USFMikeB]

http://bulls.tbo.com/bulls/MGA6Q7PINTD.html

Four Questions

Published: Apr 30, 2004

The Tampa Tribune is asking each candidate for the USF athletic director position four questions. Today's Q&A is with Randy Spetman.

If hired, what is your first priority?

Job One is to meet the student-athletes, the faculty and the staff and let them know who I am. Then we will do a study of where we are and what we should work on, strategically, to take us into the Big East. We have one year [before joining the Big East in 2005], so we must use that time wisely.

What is your strategy for growing USF's athletic budget to compete in the Big East?

The university already has the basis for that with its [athletic] foundation and [chief fundraiser] Lee Roy Selmon. But when you're talking to corporations, partnerships and alumni, you can't just say, ``We're going to the Big East and we need more money.'' You must show comparisons of what the other universities have. You've got to explain the negatives of not [increasing fundraising] and the positives of having more resources. The student-athletes and coaches will be involved. The soccer coach can express what's needed to alumni and donors in a very tangible way.

How can USF athletics find its niche in an area filled with professional sports?

First of all, I love it. The Bucs and Lightning have people thinking about sports, and that just bleeds over to USF. Naturally, we have a different forum than the bells and whistles of pro sports. Our events are much more affordable and accessible. I love going to pro events, but it's very expensive. It can be difficult for a family of four. We offer an alternative and we must make sure people know about that.

Why should you be hired by USF?

I'm a proven resource. I led a successful athletic program for 8 1/2 years. I have a track record for bringing in good staff members and good coaches. I care about the student-athlete. Plus, I've served on NCAA [athletic director] committees, and that provides some credibility in the business. I'm a person of high integrity and character. Mainly, I'm a proven manager and team-builder who will get it done here.

[USFMikeB]

http://bulls.tbo.com/bulls/MGAH47RINTD.html

Randy Spetman Bio

Published: Apr 30, 2004

POSITION: Former athletic director, Air Force Academy (retired from position on Jan. 1).

AGE: 51.

EDUCATION: Air Force Academy, B.S. Civil Engineering; Central Michigan, M.A., Management and Supervision: National War College, M.A., National Security Management.

NOTABLE: Served 8 1/2 years as Air Force's athletic director and oversaw an athletics budget of more than $22 million. ... Three-year defensive end and captain of Air Force football team in the 1970s, earning Sports Illustrated's Lineman of the Week honor in 1974. ... Oversaw Air Force's shift to the Mountain West Conference and its women's athletic programs moving to Division I status. ... Served as third vice president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.

FAMILY: Wife Becky, children Brian (23) and Kim (20).

[Papa_Bull]

Spetman said the athletic budget must eventually be $10 million.

USF already has a $17 million budget, so that probably should read $30 million.

[USFMikeB]

Yeah, I caught that too.  However, we don't know if he screwed it up, or the journalist.

[Papa_Bull]

The one thing he has going against him is the ongoing scandal at the Air Force Academy. Although there does not appear to be any major scandal involving the athletic department there, he did leave in a hurry and that led some people to question why. The thing he has going for him is that the new superintendant at the Academy is his primary reference and that should be sufficient to quell any doubts:

Spetman also has interviewed for East Carolina's AD position, but that process has slowed to accommodate incoming chancellor Steve Ballard, who takes over June 1.

Spetman said he retired from his Air Force AD job because he no longer reported directly to the superintendent. Instead, he worked under the commandant of cadets, the academy's second in command, a move that was viewed as a demotion.

The command change was mandated after allegations of sexual assaults at the academy in 2003, which prompted a series of investigations.

``I was part of the senior leadership, so questions will come up and should come up,'' he said. ``But as far as my involvement [in the scandal], there was none. Nor was there any [involvement] by the [athletic] department. I just felt [after the scandal-prompted command change] it was time to do something else.''

Lt. Gen. John R. Rosa, brought in as the academy's superintendent in the wake of the scandal, is Spetman's top reference.

[Guest BasketBull.]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2003/11/14/air_force_to_probe_academy_athletic_dept/

Air Force to probe academy athletic dept.

By Robert Gehrke, Associated Press Writer, 11/14/2003

WASHINGTON -- The Air Force said Friday it will open a review to determine whether Air Force Academy athletes are given preferential treatment.

"The purpose of this review is to ensure the athletic program continues to support the academy's mission to graduate officers of character and integrity," Air Force Secretary James Roche said in a statement.

Roche said he and the Air Force chief of staff, Gen. John Jumper, "have long felt a thorough review of the athletic program is required and I would emphasize our interest in this area predates the ongoing sexual assault issue."

The announcement comes a month after Col. Randy Spetman, the school's athletic director since 1996, announced his retirement at the end of the semester. Spetman said he was leaving partly because he was made a subordinate of the commandant of cadets in the aftermath of the sexual abuse scandal. He had previously reported directly to the superintendent.

Roche plans to ask former Air Force Chief of Staff Michael Ryan to lead the review. The makeup of Ryan's team has yet to be determined. The Air Force wants to have the reforms recommended by Ryan's review in place at the start of the next academic year.

In recent years, Air Force's athletic program has earned respect and stood out among the other service academies. Its football team, under 20-year head coach Fisher DeBerry, has been to a postseason bowl game five times since 1995 and has beaten Army and Navy to win the Commander-In-Chief trophy six straight seasons.

Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Dewey Ford said the review will include the athletic department's leadership structure, organization, interaction with other departments, interface with the NCAA, recruiting of athletes, special privileges athletes enjoy and any other area the team feels is appropriate.

Spokespeople for the Air Force Academy and the athletic department declined to comment Friday.

The Air Force Academy still is recovering from a sexual assault scandal that led to the ouster of the previous academy commanders.

Since 1993, more than 150 cadets reported they were sexually assaulted at the academy. Of 43 sexual assault cases in which the alleged perpetrator was identified, 15 involved athletes, according to Air Force records. That includes a boxer who was accused of three separate ***** before he was convicted in one attack and sentenced to two years confinement.

In June, the Air Force's general counsel recommended a thorough review of the academy's athletics program after former academy leaders, interviewed as part of the sexual assault probe, complained of a "dysfunctional" atmosphere.

The former commandant of cadets, Brig. Gen. S. Taco Gilbert III, said he received no support from the former superintendent, Lt. Gen. John Dallager, for holding athletes to the same standards of conduct as other cadets. He cited specific cases where those participating in intercollegiate athletics received special treatment.

Former vice commandant Lt. Col. Laurie Sue Slavec complained that she was unable to expel athletes who broke academy rules and that athletes were given special privileges that undermined the academy's military atmosphere.

Last year, Roche capped the percentage of cadets who could be recruited athletes to 25 percent.

A recent report by the General Accounting Office, the investigative body for Congress, found that recruited athletes have a slightly lower grade point average, graduation rate and class ranking than average cadets.

[Papa_Bull]

Colleges

AD candidate would build family at USF

Randy Spetman says he had 953 athletes at the Air Force Academy and he knew all their names.

By PETE YOUNG, Times Staff Writer

Published April 30, 2004

TAMPA - Linda Simmons asked Randy Spetman how he might try to raise the profile of the women's athletic teams at South Florida, such as the nationally ranked softball team.

"Have you met (the softball team)?" Spetman replied. When Simmons said no, Spetman said, "That is pretty incredible to me."

Spetman, the former athletic director at Air Force and the first AD finalist to interview for the USF position, presented himself Thursday as a highly involved leader. His view of USF athletics has prominent alumni and supporters such as Simmons, who is on the AD search committee, on a familiar basis with the student-athletes.

"I had 953 athletes at the Air Force Academy and I knew all their names," said Spetman, who was stunned when his son, Brian, captain of the swim team at Arizona State, told him he had never met the school's AD. "They knew they could come talk to me. And they didn't have to come to me, because I was out at practice.

"I'm a hands-on guy. I'm a team builder, and we do that by making everyone a part of the family."

Spetman, 51, also emphasized his planning and fundraising abilities. Finances are especially vital as USF prepares to move into the Big East, whose schools have much larger budgets, in the fall of 2005. In 81/2 years at Air Force, Spetman led a department that raised $14-million to $16-million annually. Search committee member Brian Lamb, a former USF basketball player, questioned Spetman about preparing student-athletes for life after college. "It's critical that they're prepared to go out and be leaders and ambassadors for the university," Lamb said.

Spetman said his experience separates him from the other two finalists, Michigan State's Mark Hollis and Virginia's Jon Oliver, who are associate ADs.

"What you get with me is a person who has done it, been a part of it," Spetman said.

Spetman played defensive end for Air Force, was a squadron commander in Desert Storm and chief of safety at a nuclear weapons base in Germany before the Air Force asked him to apply for the AD job. He retired as a colonel this spring because of administrative restructuring in the wake of a sexual assault scandal that did not involve the athletic department. But he is determined to remain in athletics. He recently interviewed for AD openings at East Carolina and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, and has applied at Washington.

"The student-athlete keeps you young, and I want to stay young a long time," Spetman said. "I have something to give back to the kids."

[Last modified April 30, 2004, 01:05:39]

[Guest BasketBull.]

Haven't met the guy, but from all that I have read on here and on the Net, he sounds like a Paul Griffin-type (a solid leader with a straightforward approach).

IMO, I think we need someone who can shake and rattle the pocketbooks and the community into really, really caring about USF.

One of the biggest positives from Mr. Selmon was that we brought USF and the Tampa Bay area closer, i.e. more money came USF's way.

[Papa_Bull]

The good thing is that LRS will still be a main Fund Raiser for USF and he'll have more free time to do that.

I'm sure that whoever USF decides on to be the new AD will be able to do the job successfully. All of the final candidates seem to be capable people.