New ASU Athletic Director: Graham Rossini

[SeattleCardinal]

Meanwhile Crow and Co. with a “go slow” approach.

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[Mainstreet]

Arizona State's slow search for a new AD is hard to swallow.

Maybe it's related to resolving the NCAA investigation.

 

[SeattleCardinal]

It would be nice if the delay is because Rocky Harris is just not available until his Olympics work is completed. From what I've read, Harris and the UConn AD, David Benedict, both of whom have ties to ASU and are highly regarded as sports administrators, would be great choices.

 

[Raindog]

Pretty sure that the holdup is that Crow is trying to figure out a way to sneak hiring his chauffeur as the AD past the ABOR.

 

[Mainstreet]

Here is a name to keep an eye on in regard to ASU's search for a new athletic director.

With Michael Crow as president, I'm not looking for a big name hire.

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[SeattleCardinal]

An internal hire, after all this delay, would be really disappointing.

 

[Mainstreet]

There is reportedly a backlash about an internal hire for an athletic director such as Graham Rossini.

Can we start by Michael Crow leaving?

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[Mainstreet]

Per report, Crow was to present Rossini as his target to ABOR as early as tomorrow.

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[Dback Jon]

What a mess

 

[Mainstreet]

If Michael Crow gets another contract, maybe ASU should consider quitting athletics.

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[Raindog]

If Michael Crow gets another contract, maybe ASU should consider quitting athletics.

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Well, that's not the worst idea I've ever heard of. Sounds like the ABOR is starting to respond to donor/booster concerns.

Maybe Crow will leave in protest? At least we can dream.

 

[AZCB34]

Crow isn’t going anywhere and ABOR will not push him out.

 

[Dback Jon]

Crow isn’t going anywhere and ABOR will not push him out.

Correct. He’s done a lot of the academic side, but screwed the pooch on the athletic side - especially the big 3 sports

 

[Mainstreet]

Please, the ABOR, should ask Michael Crow these questions.

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[AZCB34]

Please, the ABOR, should ask Michael Crow these questions.

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Some good questions but at the end of the day they won’t matter as it relates to Crow. Dude is safe. Your only hope is if he resigns and I really don’t foresee that

 

[CardsFan88]

Crow needs to retire

 

[Mainstreet]

Some good questions but at the end of the day they won’t matter as it relates to Crow. Dude is safe. Your only hope is if he resigns and I really don’t foresee that

If Crow is safe, it doesn't bode well for ASU athletics, unless he listens to those in the know and finds an AD that can.

 

[AZCB34]

If Crow is safe, it doesn't bode well for ASU athletics, unless he listens to those in the know and finds an AD that can.

You may be right. I am hoping the new AD will be strong and will not only be able to convince Crow to embrace athletics more positively but also be able to advance the program (all sports) forward and sustainably do so.

If Crow is not using a search firm, which is suggested in Karpman’s list of questions, then I’m not sure what type of AD will ultimately be hired.

 

[Mainstreet]

Graham Rossini, ASU's chief business officer, is expected to be hired as the Athletic Director.

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[Raindog]

Graham Rossini, ASU's chief business officer, is expected to be hired as the Athletic Director.

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Sounds like more cronyism from Crow. What does a "business officer" know about major college athletics?

 

[AZCB34]

Graham Rossini, ASU's chief business officer, is expected to be hired as the Athletic Director.

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I’m not certain what being “executive senior associate athletic director” means within the ASU hierarchy but I’m hoping that means he can hit the ground running and we’ll have minimal hiccups and a shortened learning curve.

The lack of external vetting/interviewing is a concern if for no other reason than Crow and his hiring committee could have at least gotten differing opinions and conceptualizations about how to grow the athletics programs. Additionally, they may have come across someone with actual AD experience that was a great fit.

At the end of the day this is a wait and see hire. I kinda like that he is an alum since I think he really wants the various sports to achieve all they can. His lack of previous AD experience does give me pause. A program like ASU should not really be in the business of giving a guy his first gig in the role but maybe this is just further proof of where this program really is these days. I can say the fan base in baseball and softball seem to be largely be on board with the hiring as of now

 

[Mainstreet]

Sounds like more cronyism from Crow. What does a "business officer" know about major college athletics?

I’m not certain what being “executive senior associate athletic director” means within the ASU hierarchy but I’m hoping that means he can hit the ground running and we’ll have minimal hiccups and a shortened learning curve.

The lack of external vetting/interviewing is a concern if for no other reason than Crow and his hiring committee could have at least gotten differing opinions and conceptualizations about how to grow the athletics programs. Additionally, they may have come across someone with actual AD experience that was a great fit.

At the end of the day this is a wait and see hire. I kinda like that he is an alum since I think he really wants the various sports to achieve all they can. His lack of previous AD experience does give me pause. A program like ASU should not really be in the business of giving a guy his first gig in the role but maybe this is just further proof of where this program really is these days. I can say the fan base in baseball and softball seem to be largely be on board with the hiring as of now

Outside candidates should have been interviewed for the job, even if Graham Rossini is a good hire. It does give the appearance of cronyism.

 

[AZCB34]

Outside candidates should have been interviewed for the job, even if Graham Rossini is a good hire. It does give the appearance of cronyism.

I realize what I’m about to say may not be entirely accurate but something about this hire just occurred to me.

This is the kind of hire made when you are trying to maintain the status quo. You have an athletic department that is humming along and everything is going fine and you don’t want to upset the apple cart. Obviously we want to move as far away from our recent status quo as possible. Not saying Rossini isn’t the answer but I would have liked a broader search and if you stop land on him, so be it.

 

[Mainstreet]

I realize what I’m about to say may not be entirely accurate but something about this hire just occurred to me.

This is the kind of hire made when you are trying to maintain the status quo. You have an athletic department that is humming along and everything is going fine and you don’t want to upset the apple cart. Obviously we want to move as far away from our recent status quo as possible. Not saying Rossini isn’t the answer but I would have liked a broader search and if you stop land on him, so be it.

Yeah, I don't think ASU wanted an AD that would rock the boat although Michael Crow is reportedly finally realizing the importance of NIL. How much so, remains to be seen.

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[Mainstreet]

This is why ASU can't have nice things. I recommend listening to the entire audio at the link below.


By Arizona Sports Bickley & Marotta Show Audio Chris Karpman, Sun Devils insider:


And why would Crow opt for an in-house option rather than hiring an external candidate who has proven himself elsewhere?


“The most likely scenario that people have said to me is Michael Crow wants control,” Karpman said. “He wants things to be done his way, that someone who’s external and has already been successful at another as an athletic director would have a lot more deeply intrenched perspective about what needs to happen to course-correct at ASU and that would be something that Crow would maybe be resistant to and that makes a lot of sense.”


“(The lack of vetting ahead of the expected Rossini hiring) was very baffling actually to a lot of (people in the industry), particularly given the atmospherics of ASU really struggling in the last few years, the NCAA investigation, a lot of sentiment out there that there needs to be a course correction of kind of the leadership element and Michael Crow almost being tone deaf to that is the perception in the industry,” he added.

Karpman: ASU hiring Graham Rossini as next AD 'baffling' to many

The expected hire of in-house option Graham Rossini as ASU's new athletic director has thrown up some red flags across the industry.

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