Semi-OT: OSU Athletic Director Gene Smith to retire
Longtime Ohio State AD Gene Smith just announced that he plans to retire next summer, prior to the start of football season in the new super conference B1G. I wanted to post this as it’s own topic outside of the snowflakes thread since this may have some rivalry implications. Notably, I’m not sure that a lame-duck Gene Smith would fire Ryan Day if he loses in Ann Arbor this fall. However would a new AD chop some heads to appease the fanbase upon their arrival?
https://theathletic.com/4761834/2023/08/09/ohio-state-gene-smith-ad-retiring/
August 9th, 2023 at 12:36 PM ^
What, did Tatoogate Tressel threaten to fire him again?
August 9th, 2023 at 12:38 PM ^
No, it wasn't Tressel. I heard it was Urban Meyer this time.
August 10th, 2023 at 8:06 AM ^
Sigh, that wasn't Gene Smith.
August 10th, 2023 at 6:40 PM ^
If that was the case Warde would have been gone long ago. OSU fired Tressel for lying to the NCAA. Nevermind the criminal Coach Weiss or keeping Mazi Smith on the field after keeping his his gun related crime quiet.
August 9th, 2023 at 12:36 PM ^
Did he ask his bitch Jim Tressel if it was okay to retire?
August 9th, 2023 at 12:54 PM ^
I'm pretty sure the infamous "I hope he doesn't fire me" was from Gordon Gee, the president of OSU at the time, not Gene Smith. Which made that whole thing even more embarrassing.
You are correct!
While I was looking at Google to verify this, I also found a search called "When did Ohio State start calling themselves 'The?'" According to some very shallow reading it was the mid-90s. I would have sworn it was before that but maybe that's just my hazy memory.
Yeah, that was Gee. He retired about ten years ago after he got some heat for saying that Notre Dame was never invited into the Big Ten because "you just can't trust those damn Catholics."
I mean, the hell with Notre Dame, but come on.
Gordon Gee is now the President of THE University of West Virginia where he feared Bob Huggins might have fired him.
I'd forgotten about that! I guess his retirement didn't last that long (and that I wasn't following the Huggins fiasco all that closely).
August 10th, 2023 at 8:07 AM ^
Wild that so many people were so sure this was Smith.
Maybe it's because both of their names start with G and they both worked for the devil?
Edit, wrong guy.
August 9th, 2023 at 12:40 PM ^
eat a bag of you know whats.
August 9th, 2023 at 12:43 PM ^
....I bet Zach Smith ordered those from Amazon also.
Yeah but he asked they come in boxes.
I’ll see myself out.
Funyuns?
August 9th, 2023 at 12:42 PM ^
Afraid to lose 3 in a row to TTUN.
He's leaving next summer, so he doesn't want to be there when they lose 4 straight!!
August 10th, 2023 at 8:07 AM ^
Your math ain't mathin' my man.
August 9th, 2023 at 12:52 PM ^
Gene Smith always pushes hard for his team unlike some ADs who don't.
I'd imagine it would be hard for Thee Ohio State University to get a replacement of his stature. Which I believe is good for us.
Maybe Gene foresees the losing streak with Michigan continuing and he doesn't want to tarnish his legacy.
August 10th, 2023 at 8:26 AM ^
Pushes hard...publicly.
1. You have no idea how much or little Warde pushes behind the scenes (I can tell you he pushes extremely hard for Michigan, in private, and I've seen it firsthand with big things like scheduling and small things like breaking the B1G Championship Game policy to wear patches honor a fallen HS player and literally telling the league office, "we're doing it...do what you gotta do.")
Now I disagree with this, because public figures have to do things publicly. But he knows Dave Brandon ruined a lot of relationships by trying to be Gene and its best not to show people up. So he tries to handle it all "behind closed doors."
2. But comparing Gene Smith to Warde Manuel is a fool's errand. Gene Smith is one of the most powerful and influential ADs, ever. Warde Manuel is a very solid AD, but he doesn't have the same juice. Greg Byrne, Danny White, Jack Swarbrick (who is retiring), and Joe Castiglione (who is likely retiring) might be the only ADs who can say the same. Maybe Dan Radakovich (who is likely retiring in the next few years), Rob Mullens, and Mack Rhoades. Martin Jarmond, Warde, Jen Cohen, Jaime Pollard, Ross Bjork, and others are probably in the next tier in terms of power and influence.
It might be comparable to Lincoln Riley to Nick Saban. Or even Harbaugh to Saban. Why the hell are we comparing anyone to Saban?
Constantly comparing Warde to Gene Smith is ridiculous. He would need to be at Michigan for 15 more years before he came close to being able to walk in a room and own it the way Gene can.
August 9th, 2023 at 12:54 PM ^
Can we send them Warde?
August 9th, 2023 at 12:59 PM ^
lol. i absolutely, 100% KNEW you'd drop some of your pointless #firewarde crap in here. thanks for coming through once again, but maybe get a new hobby.
Yes. Let's get behind the guy who suspended his coach 4 games for a cheeseburger.
August 10th, 2023 at 8:09 AM ^
He didn't suspend him at all, lol. In fact, to this point, no one has suspended Harbaugh for anything.
Quit making shit up.
August 9th, 2023 at 12:58 PM ^
Maybe their next AD won't be terrified to play football in the cold.
perhaps Gene's replacement?
I love GPT-4:
In the shadows of Ann Arbor, after sunset, Dave Brandon, the illustrious former CEO of Domino's and the Michigan Athletic Director, donned a new identity. He would slide into a red and blue Domino's uniform, cap tilted just so, obscuring his recognizable features. With a car topper mounted, Dave relished the nights delivering pizzas to the unsuspecting Wolverines. There was a certain thrill, an adrenaline rush, in getting to know the pulse of the town and serving slices of joy under the veil of anonymity.
One evening, as he handed a deep dish to a student engrossed in college football reruns, Dave's phone buzzed. Glancing at the screen, he saw an unfamiliar 614 area code - Columbus. The voice on the other end was that of the President of Ohio State University. With Gene Smith retiring, OSU was in a hunt for a new Athletic Director. They had witnessed Dave's ability to merge corporate acumen with collegiate passion, and they wanted him. Torn between his covert pizza endeavors and the allure of leading one of the most prestigious athletic programs, Dave had a monumental decision ahead. Would he trade his pizza delivery nights for the scarlet and gray of OSU? Only time would tell.
Out of curiosity, I looked up what Dave Brandon is up to these days. You know, ever since he paid himself $11 million per year to take Toys R Us into bankruptcy.
Turns out that people have finally figured out to stop putting him in charge of stuff. Only position he's held since is part of the Board of Directors at DTE Energy, which pays him $335k per year.
I DREAM of someday "failing" like this. You know, without the whole "costing thousands of people their jobs and tanking no fewer than 3 organizations" thing
Here's how he describes himself in the "About" section of his Linkedin profile
With over 35 years of experience in creatively leading teams and organizations (and 25 years as CEO of three companies, leading two of them to large IPO's on the NYSE), David A. Brandon communicates his leadership philosophy in simple, easy-to-understand terms. He advocates short, memorable phrases which he repeats often to drive home his messages across a broad and diverse organization. His philosophy is based on the fundamental premise of common sense, and his ability to build strong, unified corporate cultures is well-known. Brandon has a proven track record of building strong, highly-motivated and goal-oriented teams and achieving outstanding financial results.
David is currently Chairman of the Domino's Pizza, Inc. Board of Directors, and is a Board Member at DTE Energy, Herman Miller, PetSmart, and Bay Club. He also serves on the Board of Governors of The American Red Cross.
"He advocates short, memorable phrases which he repeats often to drive home his messages across a broad and diverse organization"
This makes it sound like he is teaching a special ed class.
The only Gene I've ever liked was a dancing machine.
You didn't like Mean Gene Okerlund?
No love for the dancing of Gene Kelly? Or the acting of Gene Tierney?
I remember he royally screwed up the refusal to take a bowl ban during their lost season of 2011 and so screwed the undefeated squad of 2012.
Otherwise, he seemed to be a very effective steward of their athletic department. Good riddance to him!
He’s probably the GOAT of OSU ADs.
I suspect they will take a long look at UCLA AD Martin Jarmond, who was a protege of Gene Smith at Ohio State. Jarmond was the youngest P5 AD in the country when he was hired at his previous stop (Boston College).
The bigger question: When will Larry Johnson retire? That dude has been a recruiting thorn in our side ever since he step foot in the B1G.
August 10th, 2023 at 8:11 AM ^
Honest question: "step foot" or "set foot?"
Have I been saying it wrong my entire life?!
Happy Trails Gene.
Here's your retirement gift:
An ass kicking at the Big House.
Ass kickings at Crisler & .99 Store Arena.
You're welcome,
U of M.
I think he deserves a statue - maybe full size bronze - along with Tressel and Meyer - in front of "Value City" arena.
Jim Tressel come on down?
This could make things interesting wrt Ryan Day's job security. Clearly Smith wouldn't pull the trigger on firing Day when he's a lame duck director, but a new AD could walk into a situation with the head coach on the hot seat. Very curious to see who would want that job.
Hello... My name's Urban - and, there's a rumor that you might be interested in talking to some people about a job in Columbus.
If the new AD fires Day with the record he has, then the AD needs to be fired the very next day. You guys are delusional if you think a third loss to UM and a 12-1 season is going to get him fired. Any talk of Day’s job security right now, with how he’s coaching is downright asinine.
I personally don't think a 3rd loss will get him fired, but what about a 4th? He'd be coaching on the hot seat in 2024, the year a new AD is beginning his job.
After another one/two loss season and still reeling in a top recruiting class? I think it would take 5 in a row. And with an eight team playoff, I’m not sure it will even matter if he can get in the top 4 or 2 every year. Sadly, the way college football is going, the end of year result is going to matter over rivalry wins. I want to beat you guys every year, but the truth is the CFP and conference realignment have killed the importance of the rivalry as far as job security goes.
100% saved himself from having to fire Day. He knows it is coming, so why not retire and leave it for the next AD.
Why? Because he loses one or two games a year?