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Top 10 Most Read is released every Friday afternoon, allowing you to compare the most read stories over the past seven days to your own interest list. Feedback, as always, is welcome to Matt@D1ticker.com.
#10: Florida's new $60M FB facility should be quite nice as the Gators move forward with HOK on the design work. A minute-plus video in the first link here shows expansive strength & conditioning digs, the "locker oasis" area looks like each student-athlete will have an upscale, comfy chair at his stall, meeting area includes a "hologram training environment," plus there's a family balcony on top of the building with hosting & run-around space. AD Stricklin calls it a "substantial commitment." Completion expected by June of 2019. (link, link)
#9:San Diego Union-Tribune's Leonard goes deep on former Stanford and WNBA star Wiggins' take on the "WNBA's 'harmful' culture of bullying, jealousy." Wiggins retired from her eight-year pro career last year: "I wanted to play two more seasons of WNBA, but the experience didn’t lend itself to my mental state. It was a depressing state in the WNBA. It’s not watched. Our value is diminished. It can be quite hard. I didn’t like the culture inside the WNBA, and without revealing too much, it was toxic for me. … My spirit was being broken. ... Me being heterosexual and straight, and being vocal in my identity as a straight woman was huge. I would say 98 percent of the women in the WNBA are gay women. It was a conformist type of place. There was a whole different set of rules they (the other players) could apply. There was a lot of jealousy and competition, and we’re all fighting for crumbs. The way I looked, the way I played – those things contributed to the tension. People were deliberately trying to hurt me all of the time. I had never been called the B-word so many times in my life than I was in my rookie season. I’d never been thrown to the ground so much. The message was: 'We want you to know we don’t like you.'" Lots more, including Wiggins writing an autobiography titled, "The WNBA Diaries," and that she is now pursuing a pro beach volleyball career. (link)
#8:Crain's Cleveland Business reports details of new Cleveland State AD Thomas' five-year contract, which includes a base salary of $250K and potential $80K in bonuses tied to competitive performance; academic performance; and external development, marketing and revenue performance. $45K/year for retirement account that vests if he stays three years and four months. Buyout to move on is $250K prior to 6/20/20 and $50K thereafter. Per diem & prorated consulting fee prior to start of deal on March 1 for general transition-related functions and help with Wolstein Arena renovation plans. Article also lists base salaries for ADs at Ohio's MAC schools, all of which sponsor FB and all but one of which have higher base salaries than Thomas. (link)
#7: Daily Press' Teel: "Virginia Tech wise to reward Babcock for first three years as AD." Of note: "Babcock will make a minimum of $996,750 in 2017, with routine bonuses for team performance almost certain to take him beyond $1 million. […] And with Babcock an alluring target for other Power Five conference schools – cash-flush Texas is hunting for an athletic director – Tech president Tim Sands and the Board of Visitors were shrewd to show some appreciation for Babcock’s first three years in Blacksburg." For perspective, Teel continues by running through AD pay in the ACC, including Notre Dame bossSwarbrick's $1.293M in 2014-15 with another $311K in "other compensation," at Louisville ("which spends like an oil baron on a bender") where AD Jurich was at $1.4M, as well as others. Teel also notes a number of Babcock's incentives in Blacksburg. (link)
#6: The new AD at Arizona won't be Interim boss Barnes. "I still have interest in being the AD here at some point in the future if the opportunity presents itself again down the road. Right now, I am dialed in to the interim role and happy to support our department for the long-term future in whatever capacity that may be." Family may have something to do with Barnes' decision: "It can be really hard to decide between focusing on your career and wanting to be a part of your children’s lives as much as you can." (link); For what it's worth, here's what the Arizona Daily Star's Hansen had to say on the subject Thursday night: "Cedric Dempsey at McKale tonight. I suspect it means he has found Arizona's next AD and press conference could be very soon." (link)
#5: SportsBusiness Journal/Daily released its annual Forty Under 40 list. Campus reps include Northern Arizona VP for Intercollegiate Athletics Campos, Arizona State COO Harris, Ohio State Deputy AD/Chief of Staff Jarmond, Cal Sr Assoc AD/Chief Revenue Officer Puri, and Central Florida VP/AD White. Other class of 2017 members include ESPN VP, College Sports Programming Ben-Hanan, The Aspire Group COO Fagan, ESPN Films and Original Content SVP/Exec Producer Schell, and WWE-IMG Global Head of eSports Sherman. (link)
#4: Check out this National Anthem from Arkansas' MBB game vs. Ole Miss on Saturday that's generated 11M+ views to date. (link)
#3: North Carolina MBB HC Williams was asked about Gottfried's departure & gave a bit of an eye brow-raising response, "I’m a coach. I’m not an athletic director. I’m a coach. I think you should fire more athletic directors. I didn’t say ours. They’re the ones who make the decisions, dadgum. We’re just – it’s like me firing my point guard. I recruited his butt. No, I’m trying to be a little humorous there because it’s a sad thing because Mark’s whole family has got to go through it. It’s not just him. I do have one strong feeling, and I’ve said this forever, it got me in trouble with my athletic director at Kansas before I left there. I don’t think any college coach should be fired during the season. It’s college basketball. It’s college sports, it’s college athletics." (link); Carolina AD Cunningham via Twitter, "RW - not so fast my friend. [eye balls emoji]." (link)
#2: As you've likely seen/heard/read, Ole Miss received an amended Notice of Allegations from the NCAA & as a byproduct, self-imposed a one-year post-season ban on the FB program. Seven Level I violations, though AD Bjork indicates the university will lobby against some & do further investigation to better understand the reality of others. HC control & lack of institutional control were part of the charges. To communicate the new NOA & penalties, the Rebels executed a 20+ minute staged press conference video with Chancellor Vitter, AD Bjork & HC Freeze all adding comments & context. (link, link)
#1: As you know, Boston College AD Bates, who is in the final year of a five-year contract, announced his resignation at the end of the school year to join Collegiate Sports Associates as a VP in charge of the firm's consulting division. Without a hint of irony, the article indicates a national search for his replacement will take place with the assistance of a (as yet unnamed) executive search firm. Seems awfully early to project such things, but Loyola Maryland AD Paquette and VCU AD McLaughlin, both of whom have strong BC ties, are mentioned as potential candidates. (link)
