“Somewhere, inside, in the dark, the firm is listening.” — Abby McDeere*
Know who the guy is in the picture? That guy is your new athletic director.
His name is Dan Parker. And as of Wednesday, his search firm, Parker Executive Search, is pretty much running the show now on The Hill…at least for a little while.
But did you know he’s also the guy who helped Tubby Smith escape from Lexington to…brrr…Minneapolis? (Now that’s a feat comparable to selling ice cream to Eskimos.) And now, conveniently, he’s been retained by Kentucky to fill the job that…he just helped to vacate? I guess it’s like they say…no one goes against ‘the firm.’
According to this article, here’s how Dan rolls. For a big-time search like Kentucky (and now, Arkansas), he handles the search personally. Apparently that helps “tighten the circle” of those who are actually in the know about what’s really going on.
And in the case of Tubby’s departure, the Parker “process” was brilliantly executed. To keep the thousands of rabid Wildcat fans and college basketball junkies around the world in the dark until just hours before Smith put on a maroon cap with a big yellow “M” on it was impressive.
And so far, much to the chagrin of the ‘Cats fan base and the media, he and Kentucky AD Mitch Barhardt have managed to successfully cloak any details about their alleged courtship of Billy Donovan.
But I’ve got news for you, Dan. This is Arkansas. And since your “circle” is most likely going to include Frank Broyles, John White, and probably Alan Sugg and BOT chairman Stanley Reed…you’ve got a problem. And it won’t take long to see that for yourself.
As has been repeatedly proven over the last month, there is nothing known by any of these four people that won’t be found out by an Internet message board poster in Jakarta by sunset.
Discounting the possibility that senility might be the cause of these leaks, the real reason it will happen is because all the cooks in our little kitchen insist on staying informed. And keeping all the investment bankers and real estate magnates and chicken company executives abreast (sorry) of the latest “can’t miss, big name candidate” is top priority around these parts.
So the good news, Dan, is that you won’t have to hire any “plumbers.” Since you and your firm have already shown the capacity for discretion, the blabbermouths of the “circle” will be obvious.
It’s the same guys who will be telling the Foundation to write your $90,000+ check after this is all over.
* From “The Firm“
"You want the TRUTH? You can't HANDLE the truth!!!" Oh, wrong movie…
Let's hope the next thing we hear about the search for the next basketball coach is when we hire one.
I am already hearing there is a short list of names being tossed around. Supposedly, Bobby Knight is at the top of this list. Bobby Knight ? Are you kidding me? I can't even emagine Coach Knight calling the Hogs, with some sort of enthusiasm. I just can't see this guy coming to Hog land.
Well, with Gillespie going to Kentucky, Dan should be able to concentrate all his resources on UA.
All I can say is Billie Gillespie passed up the best job for a 2nd class opportunity.
Now everyone knows the reality of the phrase "Loose lips, sink ships." I am counting on the lips being closed this time around. One cannot negotiate with multiple people.
Maybe some reality with our fans will rein. Like Notre Dame fans, every now and then the fans need for the program to go down so that they can then appreciate rather than castigate. Notre Dame fans are famous for literally eating up their excellent coaches and then the excellent coaches leave under pressure from fans and then they select a mediocre coach to make the program just average to sub-par. Then when the fans have been humbled, they then hire an excellent coach to bring them back on top. Same old thing happens again and they have to put their fans through the fire again before bringing it back up. Maybe that is where we are.
It was a far gone conclusion, that Gillespie was holding out on A&M for this opportunity. He knew their was a good chance Donavon would pass and stay at Florida. This will take some of the competition out of the picture now for the Hogs. I'm hopeful the Hogs won't still be looking for just a "name" guy, and will consider a guy who is looking hard for an opportunity to make his own name. I still say these are the best guys to look for, in a situation like this. Someone who is hungry for sucsess, and won't stop until he has accomplished it. When a guy like this comes from a smaller program, the sky's the limit. The real challenge is when it comes time to try and retaine him. Just ask Texas A&M officials how hard that can be.
Bobby Knight is too smart to come to Uof A after landing at TT. Also, the political grind at UofA is too much for any clear- thinking individual. I would be surprised if he was interested in any other program other than TT. Too much pettiness with the Dem-Gaz and others in the State to even consider a move here. That is off the board. I suppose stranger things have happened, but White is wanting to run the program and they would not mix well. Maybe it is time for the UofA to downgrade and cool the pettiness that we have witnessed within our State. However, it is generally no different at any other major program. Duke had the right idea whenever they hired the unknown K. They reportedly told K that all they expected was for his teams to be competitive. However, K probably ruined that for the next coach by his untra-successful run at Duke. I believe he came from Army. Can you imagine that? Came from, as far as basketball is concerned, a no name program to a, at that time no name Duke program, and took it to the top, over and over again.
Defense, did you know Coach K played point guard for Bobbie Knight, at Army? He wasn't even considered a great player, but evidently learned some good values that carried over to his coaching. He was also an assistant, along with Roy Williams, at North Carolina, when the Dean was still the HC. How fortunate can a man be, to have such great teachers as a player and an assistant coach? I'm sure this goes along way toward the sucsess he's enjoyed.
Did not know that. It goes to show that good teachers show up in many different places. We had a high school coach whose high school team actually won an Arkansas state championship and he never played football in high school because his high school did not even have football.