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Pitt hires Kelly Brennan

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Many places. but not all
Heather hired a woman from EMU for a position obviously designed to maximize donations at the highest level.
My complaint for years has been that Pitt never really had an athletic "department".
It didn't.
I'm sure the refrain from some will be that Heather should focus more on hoops or stop hiring people she knows...
Ok.
But for me the creation of an infrastructure means far more than this one hire.
I see Pitt taking athletics seriously. Attention to detail was unheard of in the past, there was no strategic plan and thus nothing good was built to last.
Nothing works without a sufficient foundation and based on what I see Pitt is investing in the business of athletics. In the end, fundamentals matter.
Especially when they don't exist.
Pitt is making good business moves.
 
So it's OK for Lyke to do what Barnes did....but to a higher degree? How about some diversity (not in race or gender), but have more than an athletic department full of your EMU cronies.
I don't think that Brennan has a national reputation for doing less with more like Stallings...
 
What exactly is the position?

Wasn't that the role of Maureen Anderson?

Has Maureen decided to retire? What she let go? Is this new woman replacing Maureen?

If so, what exactly has Pitt done other than keep the needle right where it is?
 
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Heather hired a woman from EMU for a position obviously designed to maximize donations at the highest level.
My complaint for years has been that Pitt never really had an athletic "department".
It didn't.
I'm sure the refrain from some will be that Heather should focus more on hoops or stop hiring people she knows...
Ok.
But for me the creation of an infrastructure means far more than this one hire.
I see Pitt taking athletics seriously. Attention to detail was unheard of in the past, there was no strategic plan and thus nothing good was built to last.
Nothing works without a sufficient foundation and based on what I see Pitt is investing in the business of athletics. In the end, fundamentals matter.
Especially when they don't exist.
Pitt is making good business moves.
More EMU personnel... We continue to hire athletics admin. Staff from the NCAA gold standard athletics program... Who would have thought Pitt could pull this off...
 
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What exactly is the position?

Wasn't that the role of Maureen Anderson?

Has Maureen decided to retire? What she let go? Is this new woman replacing Maureen?

If so, what exactly has Pitt done other than keep the needle right where it is?
I don't think Maureen's responsibilities included all of the new position or if they did, many collected dust.
You could exercise your fingers and look at Pitt's website. Here is the site address.
http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/




June 16, 2017

PITTSBURGH—University of Pittsburgh director of athletics Heather Lyke announced today the hiring of Kelly Brennan as executive director for strategic initiatives and engagement.
...
In her new capacity for Pitt Athletics, she will be responsible for developing departmental strategic initiatives as well as planning, executing and creating extraordinary experiences and events for donors, fans, coaches, staff, student-athletes and the campus community.
 
More accurate.
Always better to wait for results to see it the move works
It's been my experience that when you hire new leadership they tend to bring their team with them. Maybe I've missed something, but re-inventing the wheel seems to take up time (and time is money) in large chunks.
I always like putting together a team of people who have no history with one another and watching them struggle to learn the ropes, their areas of influence and how to work with one another. It's a great study in human behavior....if you are in the classroom, but it stinks in business.
 
its a miracle. its hard to believe. its so cool that were bringing in all those people from that powerhouse school. our compliance will be better than any other acc school...



More EMU personnel... We continue to hire athletics admin. Staff from the NCAA gold standard athletics program... Who would have thought Pitt could pull this off...
 
Read the woman's bio. Way more than EMU. She worked protocol for two Michigan governors, has as MS in athletic administration.

Besides, she has a pretty face--bonus for the guys to have someone easy on the eyes!
 
its a miracle. its hard to believe. its so cool that were bringing in all those people from that powerhouse school. our compliance will be better than any other acc school...
There aren't too many lateral moves at the P5 level and the MAC has been a stalwart in feeding P5 programs with coaches and administrators for close to 75 years. It would be great if Pitt had Ohio States ADepartment and could throw dollars around like cigarette butts in Market Square, but it doesn't.
Remind me to not give you any wishes out of the magic bottle...i already have a CD player.
 
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So it's OK for Lyke to do what Barnes did....but to a higher degree? How about some diversity (not in race or gender), but have more than an athletic department full of your EMU cronies.
As in any organization if you are hired as the President, in this case AD, you are going to hire people you are comfortable with and that in your mind can do the job well. In the end if it doesn't work then you all get fired. She obviously feels the current people she is hiring can get the department where it needs to go. The AD certainly wasn't hired to ask our opinion on who should be hired in each position.
 
As in any organization if you are hired as the President, in this case AD, you are going to hire people you are comfortable with and that in your mind can do the job well. In the end if it doesn't work then you all get fired. She obviously feels the current people she is hiring can get the department where it needs to go. The AD certainly wasn't hired to ask our opinion on who should be hired in each position.
Agree - I don't remember reading any threads here when Barnes was hired criticizing who he brought in.

If life was just about hiring people at the highest level, well, candidates would quickly dry out. In corporate USA, (in even any entrepreneurial-based careers too), people are at all different stages of their career. There is nothing wrong with hiring people who are on their way up. The EMU disdain is cracking me up.

Like you said if her choices don't work out, they'll eventually get fired. It's the way the world works.
 
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Lots of 50 and 60 somethings like big haired blondes.
Let's look at everything 1) are money is coming in from older people 2) never had or was not allowed and both are true to approach people and businesses to raise money. 3) are sport facilities are at the bottom of the ACC . Money raising next to last in ACC. 4) money donated by season ticket holders last in the ACC 5)we will never get to spend like Florida state and Clemson but we should be in the next group. 6) I have sat in meeting and money being spent and performance are very related. This hire has to be right or we will be so far behind we might never catch up. Can not explain everything but a lot goes into it. We can compete because the administration is now committed like it has not been since the 70's
 
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More EMU personnel... We continue to hire athletics admin. Staff from the NCAA gold standard athletics program... Who would have thought Pitt could pull this off...


well........

maybe Pitt should go find a candidate that came from the cream of the crop....someone with a background at places like Nebraska.....Ohio State....and Tennessee

Whats that?? Pitt tried this once before???

You mean to tell me it worked out so well....that Pitt hired the same guy back for a second go round??
 
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well........

maybe Pitt should go find a candidate that came from the cream of the crop....someone with a background at places like Nebraska.....Ohio State....and Tennessee

Whats that?? Pitt tried this once before???

You mean to tell me it worked out so well....that Pitt hired the same guy back for a second go round??
Pitt's been mining for diamonds in the rough, buddy, for 40 years...how's that worked out? There are never guarantees but the best evidence of future performance is past performance.

The only ADs worth a $hit with solid previous experience Pitt has hired in the last 50 years were Pedersen and Long. Pedersen was pretty good the first time around and then he went to Nebraska and transformed into a divisive, abrasive, conservative know it all who nearly destroyed Nebraska FB, and yet Pitt still rehired him. That was pure stupidity. He was rehired for one reason: he wouldn't make waves and that's all Nordy was concerned about. Long was a good AD but his bosses didn't support athletics so he jumped ship. You keep making all your hires from backwater schools the odds of succeeding will continue to be low.
 
Pitt's been mining for diamonds in the rough, buddy, for 40 years...how's that worked out? There are never guarantees but the best evidence of future performance is past performance.

The only ADs worth a $hit with solid previous experience Pitt has hired in the last 50 years were Pedersen and Long. Pedersen was pretty good the first time around and then he went to Nebraska and transformed into a divisive, abrasive, conservative know it all who nearly destroyed Nebraska FB, and yet Pitt still rehired him. That was pure stupidity. He was rehired for one reason: he wouldn't make waves and that's all Nordy was concerned about. Long was a good AD but his bosses didn't support athletics so he jumped ship. You keep making all your hires from backwater schools the odds of succeeding will continue to be low.
Well Dale she worked at The Ohio State for a very long time and her experience there is really something to behold. I will leave it at that. Went to a backwater school and struck gold. There were some good canadates that were interviewed and you can believe this or not he was way ahead of everyone . Trust me on that.
 
Well Dale she worked at The Ohio State for a very long time and her experience there is really something to behold. I will leave it at that. Went to a backwater school and struck gold. There were some good canadates that were interviewed and you can believe this or not he was way ahead of everyone . Trust me on that.
She worked as compliance counsel.....her experience at OSU couldn't have been any narrower. She was nowhere to be seen with respect to mens' BB and FB. And her staff at EMU was the best money could buy? Because now they are all at Pitt...So she interviewed well...bravo.
 
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Agree - I don't remember reading any threads here when Barnes was hired criticizing who he brought in.

If life was just about hiring people at the highest level, well, candidates would quickly dry out. In corporate USA, (in even any entrepreneurial-based careers too), people are at all different stages of their career. There is nothing wrong with hiring people who are on their way up. The EMU disdain is cracking me up.

Like you said if her choices don't work out, they'll eventually get fired. It's the way the world works.
You didn't read any threads about the search firm or the basketball coach he hired?

Or is this selective thinking?
 
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You didn't read any threads about the search firm or the basketball coach he hired?

Or is this selective thinking?
Sorry - I think you're conflating 2 different issues. I could be wrong, but I don't remember anyone here criticizing the staff that Barnes built after he was hired. That is what the thread is about.

If you're talking many months down the road when he hired Stallings, that was different.
 
Sorry - I think you're conflating 2 different issues. I could be wrong, but I don't remember anyone here criticizing the staff that Barnes built after he was hired. That is what the thread is about.

If you're talking many months down the road when he hired Stallings, that was different.
Hi Dale
I am not fighting with you but your understanding is on a title. That is so wrong but we can agree to disagree. Time will tell and again this hire is very important. The university pursued it that way.
 
Sorry - I think you're conflating 2 different issues. I could be wrong, but I don't remember anyone here criticizing the staff that Barnes built after he was hired. That is what the thread is about.

If you're talking many months down the road when he hired Stallings, that was different.
Sorry, but they are the same.

Feel free to lie to yourself, but not to me.
 
So you want someone to be judged solely on their performance at Pitt? That's humorous. Sounds like white-knighted hypocracy to me. Typical.
I'm not one to defend souf but I'm confused by this. Of course we are going to judge her solely on her performance at pitt. If she fails here, she is a bad hire. If she does well at pitt, she is a good hire. We are pitt fans, who cares what she does before or after us.

Let her next employer worry about her whole resume, al I care about is what she does here.
 
I'm not one to defend souf but I'm confused by this. Of course we are going to judge her solely on her performance at pitt. If she fails here, she is a bad hire. If she does well at pitt, she is a good hire. We are pitt fans, who cares what she does before or after us.

Let her next employer worry about her whole resume, al I care about is what she does here.
Oh, I agree completely. My comment towards Souf was because he's been condescending of Kevin Stallings since day one and hasn't paid him the same liberties.
 
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