Kaler Tweet: Norwood Teague Finalist for U of M AD -- Shaka after Tubby retires?

Donate To GopherHole
MadtownGopher

MadtownGopher

Active member
Joined
Feb 3, 2009
Messages
9,738
Reaction score
1
Points
36
VCU AD Norwood Teague announced as #UMN's #Gophers AD Finalist
Click to expand...

I'm just spit-balling but if we hired the VCU AD, do you think we might be able to get Shaka after Tubby retires?
 

I also really like this part of his bio!

http://vcuathletics.com/information/directory/bios/Teague_Norwood

Known as a visionary leader on many fronts, Teague initiated an extraordinary campaign in the Fall of 2011 to construct a 10 million dollar practice facility. This will not only serve men’s and women’s basketball, both VCU’s other sports as well.

This facility is part of an ambitious master facility plan that Teague and his senior staff devised in 2011. This plan institutes a facility program to align athletic design and use with new services. Moreover, it establishes priorities for upgrades or options for existing facilities, proposes a strategic plan for renovations and identify where and when further facilities may be needed in the future.
Click to expand...
 

He began negotiating a contract extension with Shaka Smart in April 2011. He finished negotiating a contract extension with Shaka Smart in April 2011. Well, that's an upgrade.
 

MadtownGopher said:
I'm just spit-balling but if we hired the VCU AD, do you think we might be able to get Shaka after Tubby retires?
Click to expand...

Couldn't hurt. Hopefully in 3-4 years after a couple Sweet 16's and a Tyus-led Final Four.
 

“@GoodmanCBS: Minnesota has announced VCU AD Norwood Teague as lone finalist. Would be a terrific hire.”
 


Have to wonder if Jim Fiore ever showed an interest.

Guess we'll never know.
 

MadtownGopher said:
I'm just spit-balling but if we hired the VCU AD, do you think we might be able to get Shaka after Tubby retires?
Click to expand...

Would be awesome but I've heard Shaka is waiting for Calhoun to retire at UCONN which, considering the upcoming sanctions, could be sooner rather than later.
 

I also think Shaka is holding out for a premier job but Teague has a track record in finding coaches.
 




Norwood Teague named finalist as Gophers Director of Athletics
By U of M Athletic Communications

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/145588?referrer_id=388419

University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler has announced Norwood Teague as the finalist for the university's director of athletics position.

Teague is currently the director of athletics for Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and has held that position since July 2006. He has more than 20 years of experience working in intercollegiate athletics throughout the nation. Teague, 46, is a native of Raleigh, N.C. He graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1988 with a degree in political science. In 1992, Teague earned a master's degree in sports administration from Ohio University.

"He rose to the top of the candidate pool not only because of his proven history of success but because he is genuine and authentic. He has a superlative track record of fundraising and attracting and retaining high quality coaches. He's committed to maintaining an academic standard of excellence that is a tradition of Gopher Athletics. And he has the expertise, values and work ethic to ensure that athletics at the U of M will reach an even greater level of success," said Mary Jo Kane, director of the university's Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport and co-chair of the athletics director search.

Teague is visiting campus Monday and will interview with President Kaler and the search advisory committee and will meet with coaches, faculty and senior leaders.

Monday's interviews are the final steps of a two-month national search co-chaired by R. Timothy Mulcahy, vice president for research at the university, and Kane. A search advisory committee and a four-person search committee worked with the leading national executive search firm in collegiate athletics -- Parker Executive Search -- to engage a variety of stakeholders and diverse viewpoints in the process.

"This intensive search process included four listening sessions, during which we heard from faculty, staff, student athletes, community members and other key stakeholders," Kane said. "They made it clear - and Vice President Mulcahy and I couldn't agree more - that they wanted to see a finalist that embodies integrity, visionary leadership and management experience, good communication, a focus on student-athletes both on and off the court, fundraising acumen and an overall commitment to excellence at the University of Minnesota. We're confident Norwood Teague is that finalist."

Teague was one of about 40 candidates to apply for the position. Candidates included women, people of color and non-traditional candidates.

During his tenure at VCU, Teague has overseen continued success in the classroom and on the playing field, as well as stunning growth in gifts to VCU's annual and capital funds. This past year, the average GPA for all VCU student athletes was 3.0 and last year's Graduation Success Rate was the highest ever attained by VCU athletics.

Since Teague's arrival, the VCU athletic annual fund has increased more than 119 percent, with annual average increases of more than 20 percent. Teague is lauded for his work in advancing construction for athletics including a campaign to build a $10 million VCU practice facility for men's and women's basketball and other sports.

Teague has also led VCU to all-time high Verizon Wireless Arena attendance records, and season ticket revenue has doubled since his arrival at VCU.

VCU has also achieved heightened athletic success under Teague's guidance. The Rams' men's basketball team reached its first ever Final Four in 2011; women's basketball earned the first NCAA Tournament bid in program history; the baseball, golf and tennis programs all made multiple postseason appearances; and the track program had several student-athletes qualify for NCAA regional appearances.

Teague arrived at VCU after five years as associate athletic director at the University of North Carolina, where he oversaw external operations such as the Tar Heels' multimedia property, marketing and licensing. Prior to that, Teague honed his craft at some of the nation's most prestigious athletic departments. From 1999-2001, he served as general manager of the Sun Devil Sports Network at Arizona State. While in Tempe, he increased sales and negotiated several multi-year television contracts. Teague oversaw radio, television, Internet and signage operations, while operating in one of America's top 20 media markets.

During 1998-99, Teague headed up new programs for Vilcom Sports and The Tar Heel Sports Network at the University of North Carolina.

At the University of Virginia Athletic Department from 1993-98, Teague worked as director of marketing, and then served as the director of operations for the Cavaliers' men's basketball program under Jeff Jones.

Gophers Athletics is nationally lauded for both academic and competitive success. The program has recorded top-15 finishes in Directors' Cup standings two of the last three academic years, and has been in the top 30 for 16 consecutive years. Befitting its stature as one of the nation's premier public research and land grant universities, Minnesota placed 68 student-athletes on the Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholar Athletes list in 2010-11, matching Michigan State for most honorees by an individual school.

Minnesota's 25-sport program boasts impressive facilities, including TCF Bank Stadium, the conference's first new on-campus stadium in nearly 50 years. With more than 500,000 "U" alumni, the Twin Cities campus draws an average of nearly 1 million fans to Gopher athletic events annually.
 


Pewterschmidt said:
FYI: Shaka is from Wisconsin. Midwest guy at heart.
Click to expand...

He's already rejected the job at Illinois. Supposedly, according to "experts", Illinois is both an elite job and one that would have paid a ton, plus you really can't get much more Midwest than Champaign.
 

Son of a Badger said:
He's already rejected the job at Illinois. Supposedly, according to "experts", Illinois is both an elite job and one that would have paid a ton, plus you really can't get much more Midwest than Champaign.
Click to expand...

He's looking for the right opportunity. Still, he's Midwest at heart. That I know. Lived in the same small town in Wisconsin that he did. Know his situation.
 






Tweet from Reusse:

"First time Tubby & Gophers lose one they shouldn't next season, do you think name 'Shaka Smart' will be mentioned on Gopher Hole?"

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
VCU fans react - they aren't happy to lose Teague (good sign for us) and they believe this is a slap in the face to Shaka:

http://www.vcuramnation.com/forums/...-to-be-minnesotas-new-athletic-director.8660/

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...

Some of the posts in that thread are downright hilarious. Saying going from VCU to Minnesota is anything but an enormous upgrade, implying that Minnesota isn't a major Division I athletics program, implying that it's cold here year round, etc. Great comic relief on a Sunday night.
 

"@GoodmanCBS: Minnesota has announced VCU AD Norwood Teague as lone finalist. Would be a terrific hire."

Go Gophers!!
 

Shaka may be from the midwest, but he has stated that he did not like living in the Madison area because he had to deal with a lot of racism growing up. Not sure how that would effect his decision to coach in the midwest, but I wouldn't be surprised if it played into his decision to turn down Illinois. I'm not sure we would be able to get him but having his old AD would definitely help.
 

From Jeff Goodman of CBS:

"I'm told it's just a formality for Norwood Teague's hiring as new AD at Minnesota. Done deal. As I've said, that's a terrific hire."

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
From Jeff Goodman of CBS:

"I'm told it's just a formality for Norwood Teague's hiring as new AD at Minnesota. Done deal. As I've said, that's a terrific hire."

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...

Sounds like a great hire. Now get that practice facility done!
 


Actually, looks like a really good hire:

Strong fundraising background, great associate AD experience at some big schools, awesome track record spotting coaching talent (Anthony Grant & Shaka Smart), recently turned down the U of Miami AD job and the U of North Carolina AD job, AND his current school is madder than hell that he's leaving...

Color me impressed so far...
 

BleedGopher said:
Tweet from Reusse:

"First time Tubby & Gophers lose one they shouldn't next season, do you think name 'Shaka Smart' will be mentioned on Gopher Hole?"

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...
Post on Gopherhole: How long til Reusse writes a column on Shaka Smart?
 

Great get by Minnesota. As I've said, if VCU were to lose Shaka (and a lesser extent Teague) I'd want either or both to go to the U. Im glad he chose to go far away from his roots, to Minnesota. His focus on fundraising and basketball here at VCU have helped pave the way for success. He saw the changing from Anthony Grant and the hiring of Shaka Smart. His fundraising has seen upgrades (box suites) to our arena, and an in progress campaign for a new practice facility. This is what Minnesota needs, an active AD on the basketball side, who has also worked in football (UNC, UVA) and the Olympic sports. The one sport that Minnesota has, that I assume he has no background in, is hockey.

Before, I thought Shaka would never leave VCU for Minnesota. Now... I'll give it a 5% chance. At least Norwood knows exactly what Shaka is looking for. Just some more connections (besides Tubby) that could make a matchup in the Battle 4 Atlantis interesting.... And we're always looking for H+H partners in the future!

Go Gophers and Rams!
 


Credit to Charley Walters for having it first (sort of)

Charley Walters ‏ @Charley_Walters Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Virginia a.d. Norwood Teague getting mentioned for Gophers' a.d. job.

That was April 19th, right name, wrong school. I looked him up when I saw that tweet and was impressed with some of the fundraising he's done at VCU. It will be interesting to see what he has to say when he's introduced.
 

goldengophers said:
I also think Shaka is holding out for a premier job but Teague has a track record in finding coaches.
Click to expand...

Suffice it to say, when Tubby retires eventually, we can rest assured of a Shaka Smart-type hire.
 

Shama weighs in:

Norwood Teague is the only finalist for the Gophers athletic director position and is meeting with the search committee this morning. During the interview process he’s encountered many questions but the truth is his effectiveness as Minnesota’s athletic director will come down to this:

How effective will Teague be in hiring and firing coaches?

The best coaches build winning programs. Winning sells tickets, private suites, signage and increases donations. It also builds brand awareness and a sparkling image.

As with any skill, some individuals are better at identifying the right hires than others. For decades now the Gophers have often tripped up trying to hire the right athletic directors, and also the best coaches in the high visibility sports of football and basketball. Minnesota fans have only to look across the border to see where spot-on hires in Wisconsin Badgers athletics have made a night and day difference.

Teague, who has been the athletic director at Virginia Commonwealth University since 2006, has a strong background in business including marketing. Those skills no doubt attracted University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler and so, too, did VCU’s basketball reputation.

Teague hired Shaka Smart and he’s turned VCU into a national basketball success story. If Teague can consistently show hiring expertise at Minnesota he will ensure a legacy that will place him at the top among the school’s athletic directors since World War II.

Kaler had told Sports Headliners on Saturday the announcement of the new athletic director could come within days. Yesterday the University released a statement saying Teague was the only finalist. It seems likely a news conference will be held soon confirming the official hiring of Teague whose name has been associated with other athletic director openings around the country.

A search to find a new athletic director was announced on February 21. The Parker Executive Search firm from Atlanta has been working with Kaler and University search committee volunteers. “It’s a good pool (of candidates) and I think we’ll get a great athletic director,” Kaler said on Saturday.

Kaler said he’s been committed to receiving input regarding the athletic director position. “We’ve spent a lot of time listening to the community about the features they want in the next A.D. and I think the person we hire will match those qualities,” he said. “I expect the community will reach out and embrace that person. I think people want success in Gopher athletics as much as we do and we’re gonna work together to make that happen.”

The president confirmed on Saturday that talks are ongoing regarding a contract extension for basketball coach Tubby Smith but no deal will be finalized without communications involving the new athletic director. “I am not going to do anything with Tubby and then hand it to the new A.D. They’ll (the athletic director) have input on it.”

Go Gophers!!
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom