Arizona AD Search

[AZWildcat]

Friday, 8:24 p.m., wondering if UA president Robert Shelton will hire Xavier’s Mike Bobinski as Arizona’s next athletic director.

That job will almost certainly become vacant this weekend when Jim Livengood will be announced as the new AD at UNLV.

Good for him. Livengood beats the posse out of town and gets to start anew at a school in desperate need for what he does best: balance a budget. Other than that, he’s on his own at a competition-challenged football school in a league with TCU, BYU and Utah.

He’ll also be asked immediately, within a week or less, to hire a football coach at UNLV. How about Gary Barnett?

Bobinski was a finalist for the AD job at TCU last month. He’ll surely be on Arizona’s radar.

It wouldn’t be a shock if Shelton bypassed Livengood’s top lieutenants, Rocky LaRose and John Perrin, and named one of his staffers, Stephen J. McCarthy, as the interim AD.


http://regulus2.azstarnet.com/blogs/hansen/17638/expect-livengood-to-take-unlv-job

[CinciX12]

Just so I can get this straight.

Sean Miller just left Xavier to go to Arizona because Jim Livengood convinces him to.

Then that said AD takes a position at the lesser school UNLV (who beat UA), and we are supposed to believe that Arizona is a good program and isn't falling apart?

[cinskyline]

I don't see this happening.

Unfortunately, I do think that Bobinski will leave for another job-- and probably sooner rather than later. He's been here for 15 years, and I think he is looking for a change of scenery.

Does anyone know who would be in charge of hiring his replacement if or when he does leave?

[Snipe]

I think we need to pay Michael Bobinski money. Nothing says lovin like cash on the barrelhead.

Xavier is a great place. Arizona is a great place too. TCU is probably an incredible story if you follow it all. Don't fall into the Notre Dame trap about how special we are because we are special. We are special. We are a great place. But yet nothing saying lovin like cash on the barrelhead. Just pay the man. If we have one cog in the machine I don't want to let loose, it is one Michael Bobinski. Pay the man and do this now. Get that done.

[Xman95]

If Bobinski goes to join the fat bastard in the desert it would be the ultimate slap in the face. And, honestly, it would have more of an impact on our program than Miller leaving. Coaches can be replaced. In fact, we always seem to be better after one leaves. But that's due in large part to Michael Bobinski.

[boozehound]

I will hate Arizona more than any sports program ever if they take Bobinski.

[Cheesehead]

I will hate Arizona more than any sports program ever if they take Bobinski.

Amen.

[ZONACAT]

Just so I can get this straight.

Sean Miller just left Xavier to go to Arizona because Jim Livengood convinces him to.

Then that said AD takes a position at the lesser school UNLV (who beat UA), and we are supposed to believe that Arizona is a good program and isn't falling apart?

No indication that the program is falling apart. Quite the opposite.

Livengood was in effect, fired (contract not being renewed), that is why he has to go take a job at a MWC school. Make no mistake, Livengood didn't convince Sean Miller, someone else did. And the program Sean Miller bought into isn't something that Livengood built, Lute did. If anything, Livengood almost destroyed it (Tim Floyd, Kevin O'neal), which is why he is being pushed out.

Doubt we hire Bobo though, probably someone from North Carolina.

Nice win over Kent State.

[xsteve1]

Well Livingood did a nice job with a football program that has been a Pac 10 embarrassment that is now respectable under Stoops (Bob's brother). I look for the Arizona football coach to be moving on to greener pastures shortly. Louisville would be a good spot for him.

[XU 87]

Coaches can be replaced. In fact, we always seem to be better after one leaves. But that's due in large part to Michael Bobinski.

Bobonski is a great AD. But let's not forget, Staak, Gillen and Prosser were all hired before his tenure. And let's not forget that Staak and Gillen both struggled when they left.

There's no doubt that X has done a great job hiring coaches. But I think the primary thing that has made this such a great program, is just that, we have a great program. We don't have football so our emphasis is on basketball. We have great support from the administration. But perhaps most importantly, we have great fan support. And these fans have spent and donated a lot of money which enabled X to build a first class arena, pay good coaches a very good salary, allow large recruiting budgets etc, etc. And as long as X has the fan and administrative support, we're going to be in good shape.

[ZONACAT]

Well Livingood did a nice job with a football program that has been a Pac 10 embarrassment that is now respectable under Stoops (Bob's brother). I look for the Arizona football coach to be moving on to greener pastures shortly. Louisville would be a good spot for him.

Who made the hire that made Arizona a Pac 10 embarrassment? Jim Livengood.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mackovic

[jco17]

There has been no short list out so far for the Arizona AD job. Not sure why somebody would come over here and post this crap. I know this would piss me off. There is a rumor going around that Shelton already has somebody in mind and he is from North Carolina. Not sure about the validity of the rumor, but it did come from somebody that knows the Az program very well. It seems to be a rumor that has recently picked up steam and Livengood leaving was a longtime coming as well.

[CinciX12]

No indication that the program is falling apart. Quite the opposite.

Livengood was in effect, fired (contract not being renewed), that is why he has to go take a job at a MWC school. Make no mistake, Livengood didn't convince Sean Miller, someone else did. And the program Sean Miller bought into isn't something that Livengood built, Lute did. If anything, Livengood almost destroyed it (Tim Floyd, Kevin O'neal), which is why he is being pushed out.

Doubt we hire Bobo though, probably someone from North Carolina.

Nice win over Kent State.

Carolina? Good luck with that.

Nice loss to UNLV. You guys really executed well.

[Nocalmuskie]

If Bobo leaves, the obvious hire is Greg Amodio.

[Nocalmuskie]

More Bobo chatter:

http://regulus2.azstarnet.com/blogs/hansen/17638/expect-livengood-to-take-unlv-job

[jamal4xu]

If Bobo leaves, the obvious hire is Greg Amodio.

You're kidding, right?

[SixFig]

In the event Bobo leaves, I'd like to announce my candidacy as a replacement. Very little credentials, but I've got spunk!

[Nocalmuskie]

You're kidding, right?

why would I be kidding?

[Muskie1995]

Seems that AZ is looking at us again to fill a void as Bobo is one of their targets to replace former their AD Jim Livengood.

I never say this word but I will HATE the University of Arizona should Bobo leave.

[jco17]

I just wanted to give an update. Livengood has taken the UNLV job and the UofA has an interim in place for the moment while they search for a new AD. Bobinski is on their list of candidates right now, but he is not on top of that list right now. It's very early in the process and I have no idea which direction Robert Shelton will go in at the present time.

[jco17]

http://www.azstarnet.com/sports/321845

This is an newer article about the Arizona AD Job. It doesn't mention Bobbo in it, so if you could care less, don't bother reading it.

[SixFig]

Kinda old rumors. I think Bobo will look on Sean as a test case. If the AZ faithful want him fired for a mediocre to bad season (as this seems destined to be) he would shy away from the job.

[SixFig]

I just wanted to give an update. Livengood has taken the UNLV job and the UofA has an interim in place for the moment while they search for a new AD. Bobinski is on their list of candidates right now, but he is not on top of that list right now. It's very early in the process and I have no idea which direction Robert Shelton will go in at the present time.

As I recall Miller wasn't high on the list either...

[Masterofreality]

This whole thing to me is just one more piece of evidence that the desert raccoon left because of nothing but money.

One of the important things in any job is that you should get along with your peers and bosses. Uncertainty that the guy who is trying to hire you may not be there long term is a deal breaker many times. If the raccoon didn't see this AD thing coming down the pike, he's either A) more stupid than I thought, or B) it was all about the money.

I guess that raccoon also lied about how important the working environment, and the people in that environment, was to him. He sure had that before. Now all he has is the unknown for a new boss.

[jco17]

As I recall Miller wasn't high on the list either...

Actually he was very high on our list of coaches, but he initially said no. We wanted Calipari, Pitino, and then Miller. The only reason Arizona looked at Floyd was because of Miller initially turning down the job. We never had talks with half of the coaches the media mentioned.

[waggy]

From smoking cigars and drinking cognac in Detroit about 8 months ago.

What happened?

[Snipe]

This whole thing to me is just one more piece of evidence that the desert raccoon left because of nothing but money.

Money is actually a pretty good motivator. I would do a lot for money. If you paid me two million a year, I could root for Duquesne over Xavier. I could even root for the Steelers and go to the games.

Of course it was about money. Do you work for free? Our Alma and our love for it is special, but I would lay all you bastards out in a heartbeat for two mill a year. It is not like he has to kill people or rape young children. He still gets to coach basketball in sunny Arizona for millions of dollars. Oh what a tragic fate.

Get over Miller. He was great for us. We do need to keep Bobinski. I would not be happy to lose him. Pay the man.

[Masterofreality]

Get over Miller.

I'll "get over raccoon face" the same time that you stop cheering for a hated rival no matter what the sport.

Spending even a dollar to enrich said rival in any venue is unacceptable. And this coming from someone who had the brilliant idea of flying a banner over a stadium impugning the intergrity of Beelzebob.

Where's the venom, Snipe? You've gone soft. :rolleyes:

[coasterville95]

Snipe bought that banner plane? Great going man!

[XUOHTX]

Losing Bobinski would be worse than losing any coach in my eyes. Coaching is coaching but the "Xavier Way" comes from the AD. There is a very specific philosophy, if you will, that an AD at Xavier must possess compared to a big State School. I think replacing Bobo is a much bigger task and I hope there is a good short list in Father Graham's office in case that happens.

[boozehound]

I think that Father Graham (and Hoff before him) is as much responsible for the "Xavier way" as Bobinski. That does not mean to downplay Bobinski's role but I think that Father Graham would find a good replacement for Bobinski if he leaves.

[Xman95]

One of the goals of many at X, including Fr. Graham, was to get the basketball program and other sports at Xavier to be powers on the national level. Well, if you want to be a power you have to act like a power. That means paying the people that got you there. You can't keep playing the "we'll just replace him" game. At some point you'll miss on a hire and, if that happens, it could set the program/athletics back several years, thus destroying everything you've built to this point.

Look at the Sean Miller situation. He left because of money. And, while I have actually hit a point where I'm kind of glad he's gone, I still can't help but think about what might have been if he stayed. Perhaps D. Brown stays too, we don't have to go through the growing pains of a new coach/staff, Parrom and Ivan Drago provide depth at some key spots...maybe this was the year that X made it to the Final Four. But the money wasn't there so we'll never know. (FYI - big picture I'm thrilled to have Chris Mack at the helm and I think we dodge a bullet.)

If the university allows Mike Bobinski to get away because of money, then the powers that be will have to look at themselves in the mirror and ask what they really want from the athletics at Xavier. Of course, if Bobo decides to leave because he just thinks it's time and there's another challenge out there for him, money not being a factor at all, there's nothing that can be done about that.

If there's someone ready to step into Bobo's place, maybe the university doesn't feel the need to pay him bigger bucks because there's a belief that the perfect replacement is ready to step in. It's like a pro team that trades a proven vet because they have the big time prospect ready to step in. But, while some of those prospects turn into hall of famers, many are busts. So like I said at the beginning, just feeling you can replace anyone who leaves will probably blow up on you at some point.

[waggy]

I don't think it's money. He was in great spirits 8 months ago.

[jco17]

I have no idea how much he makes at Xavier, but I think Livengood was only making around $250,000 a year at Arizona. The AD at TCU Del Conte is making $850,000 and I think Bobbo was one of the candidates for that job as well, if I am not mistaken. The Board of Regents aren't thrilled about the money Sean Miller is getting, so I don't think they are gonna be throwing money at him in huge amounts.