I consider EJ a friend, excellent at his job, and a bigger Pitt supporter and advocate you will not find.
But being the Head of Media Relations and Athletic Director are really quite far from being the same thing.
It's much like promoting the White House Press Secretary to the job of White House Chief of Staff.
Sure, that can work on "The West Wing," but in real life, not so much.
Also, there are several Associate Athletic Directors at Pitt.
It's telling that so many, including members of the local media who have come out in support of this, don't truly understand that being an AD at a place like Pitt is a complicated matter that requires a certain skill set. That skill set must be honed and it must be built with the intention of reaching that position. EJ Borghetti seems to be a wonderful human being, but he has honed his skill set in a particular way because he chose a particular path and it seems to be what he loves doing.
Colin Dunlap made mention of how Barry Alvarez went from football coach to AD at Wisconsin, using it as evidence that anyone can make this jump. He failed to note that Alvarez was at a place with no football attendance or development (donations) issues. Furthermore, Alvarez took that job before the days of conference realignment and mega-billions media rights deals. He had time to learn the nuances of what it takes to be a modern AD. Pitt has challenges that require a certain kind of leadership and experience.
Pitt's next choice must be someone with a strong, STRONG fundraising background. That background must include the ability to muster corporate support as well. He must be technology and social media forward, and it won't hurt if he comes from a conference that has a conference network in place because Pitt will be moving in to that world in a few years also.
Barnes may have been a sitting AD, but he was coming from a very small school in the Mountain West. I prefer sitting AD's, but I have changed my thinking on this issue somewhat. I feel that a number two from a BIG or SEC school would be a great hire. Will that person eventually leave? Yes. But Pitt should never hire someone just because "they won't leave". They simply need to put a buyout in place that guarantees a certain level of stability that doesn't impair progress. What we have right now is yet another holding pattern on progress because we'll be faced with an interim AD and a learning curve for the next AD.
It's frustrating to see people just throw names out as if you can take any former athlete, coach, etc. with Pitt ties and say they have the skill set.
There's literally only one name among former Pitt players that should even be mentioned in conjunction with this job. And that name is Jimbo Covert. And if you think I'm crazy you should do your research. After that, Pitt should seek exclusively among current sitting AD's or Deputy AD's from major schools with strong football programs.
