Paul Griffin

[Brad]

We all know JoeBulls started this thread in response to my thread about LRS' hiring options last time out.  I feel it necessary to point out the contradictions as JoeBulls continues his smear campaign against LRS - one he started back when LRS hired McCullum.  It's necessary to see through the mess here sometimes.  I was sorry to see PG leave, especially under the conditions he was under.   I am only arguing this to point out that we have not been in a vacuum since PG left, regardless of what some think, LRS and his team led us to the Big East.  PG did a nice job staging us in previous conference's and building a solid foundation.  

Both had their successes and failures.  

Let's move on.

[hightechbull]

There has been very little talk on this board about the man that I believe set the foundation for USF's success..

I would like to know what many think abou the man who hired CJL -- who brought our atheltic department out of the "red."

I think this university owes a lot to him.

my 2 cents.

Griffin was good, but what I find funny about your fondness for him is the "mediocrity" that engrained itself at USF during Griffin's tenure.  Who did he fire for performance related issues?  Not to be a JoeBulls, but where were our higher expectations then?

Griffin was good at what he did, but Herman would have noted that the man had no personality.  

To be clear, Griffin accomplished a lot at USF while not posessing a cup of personality and allowing mediocre sports success.  I'm thankful for what he did, but I will not make him larger than life to overshadow other ADs, past and present.

We got in the BE because of LRS and his team of people that worked tirelessly promoting USF to the Big East.  We'll be successful in the BE because of people like DW and his team.

You are so wrong about Paul Griffin and winning. With Paul Griffin as USF's AD USF did nothing but win. He hired the only coaches to take our men's and women's basketball programs to the NCAA tournament. In Conference USA, for the years under Griffin, USF had more combined NCAA appearances, plus C-USA regular season and tournament titles than any other school. We didn't have the budget of Louisville or Memphis but no school won more than USF. The leadership of USF Athletics today, was still mostly hired by Griffin, these department leaders lead USF into the Big East (LRS as one of them, who was also wisely hired by Griffin)

I am confident that in time history will record that Paul Griffin was the driving force that lead to USF's rise to greatness. Other AD's will be at USF for national championship and other great accomplishments, but PG and the people he hired laid the fondation for the greatness.

By the way, he had a personality and a great sense of humor if you got to know him, but he was also smart enough to realize his limitations and the voice of USF Athletics during his tenure was LRS and Coach Leavitt (another pretty good PG hire).

You have to get a kick out of someone with the handle "RealitySmackdown" who only has one post.

Oooooh. You got me there.  With a name like "RealitySmackdown", you must be telling the truth.  How can anyone argue with someone whose name is "RealitySmackdown"?   :

That handle is just as lame as other handles like "The Truth" or other lame handles people come up with to portray that they are the source of truth, justice and the American way.

[JoeBulls]

I will be the first to admit that I am not that fond of LRS.

I think he was a lot of talk.  

Brad knows this.

Brad and I just disagree on this subject.  I think Paul Griffin made some tremendous hires in his day and rescue our athletic program from the brink of financial collapse.

And he think his name gets very little mention in the rise of USF

He did hire CJL guys.

[JoeBulls]

Brad knows that there is no hard feelings.

Im just giving him a hard time.

[bulls96go]

There has been very little talk on this board about the man that I believe set the foundation for USF's success..

I would like to know what many think abou the man who hired CJL -- who brought our atheltic department out of the "red."

I think this university owes a lot to him.

my 2 cents.

Griffin was good, but what I find funny about your fondness for him is the "mediocrity" that engrained itself at USF during Griffin's tenure.  Who did he fire for performance related issues?  Not to be a JoeBulls, but where were our higher expectations then?

Griffin was good at what he did, but Herman would have noted that the man had no personality.  

To be clear, Griffin accomplished a lot at USF while not posessing a cup of personality and allowing mediocre sports success.  I'm thankful for what he did, but I will not make him larger than life to overshadow other ADs, past and present.

We got in the BE because of LRS and his team of people that worked tirelessly promoting USF to the Big East.  We'll be successful in the BE because of people like DW and his team.

what is left out of your marginalization of a great...GREAT AD (griffin) is usf moved steadily up in conf. competeition during his entire tenure.  

not to put words in your mouth but are you saying given a chance of mediocrity in the BE we should have stayed in cusa or sunbelt or metro?

griffin kept his focus on the prize of advancing usf athletics to better and better conf affiliation despite very poor resources and that rates the man an A+ in my book, mediocre coaches not withstanding.

[bulls96go]

I will be the first to admit that I am not that fond of LRS.

I think he was a lot of talk.  

Brad knows this.

Brad and I just disagree on this subject.  I think Paul Griffin made some tremendous hires in his day and rescue our athletic program from the brink of financial collapse.

And he think his name gets very little mention in the rise of USF

He did hire CJL guys.

LRS was not AD by choice he was pushed into that spot by an administration that was scared shitless, for his background and experience the man preformed above and beyond all expectations. most importantly he did not drop the ball when it came to getting us into the BE. next to that ALL other transgressions can and should be forgiven and long forgotten, IMO.

[smazza]

Paul Griffin was the best administrator USF has ever had as an AD.  His PR skills were lacking, and so far DW seems to be close to his level as a department leader while having a far higher ability on the 'soft' side.

USF is not in the BE without Paul Griffin.

Agreed, Paul was a great adminsitrator. He lacked on the people skills. When I was there we had an on going pool in the athletic department where the pot would go to someone who got PG to give you a high five.  His nickname was Darth Vader.

a good AD needs people skills

[SRQ]

I will be the first to admit that I am not that fond of LRS.

I think he was a lot of talk.  

Brad knows this.

Brad and I just disagree on this subject.  I think Paul Griffin made some tremendous hires in his day and rescue our athletic program from the brink of financial collapse.

And he think his name gets very little mention in the rise of USF

He did hire CJL guys.

One of the best things PG did was bring LRS on board.  And that took a much more humble nature to do so than PG projected, because LRS is BMOC in Tampa.

LRS never wanted the AD job, but he accepted the call to duty.  He is a terrific role model.

LRS was not AD by choice he was pushed into that spot by an administration that was scared shitless, for his background and experience the man preformed above and beyond all expectations. most importantly he did not drop the ball when it came to getting us into the BE. next to that ALL other transgressions can and should be forgiven and long forgotten, IMO.

[SRQ]

Paul Griffin was the best administrator USF has ever had as an AD.  His PR skills were lacking, and so far DW seems to be close to his level as a department leader while having a far higher ability on the 'soft' side.

USF is not in the BE without Paul Griffin.

Agreed, Paul was a great adminsitrator. He lacked on the people skills. When I was there we had an on going pool in the athletic department where the pot would go to someone who got PG to give you a high five.  His nickname was Darth Vader.

a good AD needs people skills

PG proved that you can be a very good AD without people skills; just not a great one.