Do you like Bill Martin?

[bighousemike84]

Ok I asked you all how you felt about coach Rod. Naturally I want to know what you think of our AD Bill Martin.
Martin can run people the wrong way but that's because he is a business man first then a sports fan second. At times it seems as if he doesn't have the best interests of the program at heart. Still the man has done an incredible amount for M athletics.
Before Martin got there the state of the AD was pathetic. Hence the reason the regents hired him as director. He took a department deep in the red and resurrected it to become one of the top money makers in all of college sports. He has championed the renovations to the big house as his personal legacy.

He runs it like a business because he is a business man but he has done a lot of good for the whole of Michigan athletics

[RichRodriguez]

i hate him. i ran into him at a hockey game this season. he was dressed in all black ready to go to a funeral. even he wont wear that adidas crap

[amazinblue]

Who was the AD that Martin took over from? Was it Bo?

My impression of an AD is Don Canham - great for the University, very knowledgeable of sports, committed to excellence, and with a business saavy. Don's the benchmark of "superior" AD in my book...

[elno lewis]

He's no Mic Jagger.

[Mich97c]

Before Martin got there the state of the AD was pathetic. Hence the reason the regents hired him as director. He took a department deep in the red and resurrected it to become one of the top money makers in all of college sports. He has championed the renovations to the big house as his personal legacy.

He runs it like a business because he is a business man but he has done a lot of good for the whole of Michigan athletics

Deep in the red? You sure about that?

[bighousemike84]

Deep in the red? You sure about that?

Im positive. I dont know exactly how bad financially the Athletic Department was but there is no doubt that before Bill Martin got there the AD was suffering and he came in and in the course of about 5 years turned the ship around

[rickyleach]

didnt he used to be on the tv show rowen and martin laugh in show.are we talkin about the same person and if so i wonder if he disclosed that on his application when he applied for the ad job ,

[BBA1994]

UM's athletic department was never "in the red." UM has never even remotely been close to having poor financial years in the athletic department. UM has always been one of the top grossing and netting athletic departments since Canham invented the concept of athletic department merchandising.

[bighousemike84]

I know you think im lying and I will do my best to come up with some solid evidence to back me up but believe me I am not lying

[BBA1994]

No one is saying you are lying. I just know you are mistaken.

[W0lv3r1n3]

I'm pretty sure Bighouse is right, at least that's what I've heard anyway. Even if it wasn't necessarily in the red Martin has definitely been great financially for the AD. The only problem people seem to have him is with the Sail boating fiasco, and there's no way any of us know what was actually happened with Miles.

[ronleflore]

I know you think im lying and I will do my best to come up with some solid evidence to back me up but believe me I am not lying

I don't think you are lying. But "i will do my best to come up with some evidence to back up what I believe".... oh that's strong!

Mike, easy on the nachos and weed. The holidays are over!

[kofine05]

I am positive myself that bighouse mike is correct. UM was miss managing their money before martin got there. Sadly I dont have the evidence to prove it but maybe my word means something. Can anyone come up with some stats???

[bighousemike84]

I don't think you are lying. But "i will do my best to come up with some evidence to back up what I believe".... oh that's strong!

Mike, easy on the nachos and weed. The holidays are over!

Kiss my Arse

I found an article from the Detroit News that has the information I was looking for.


As you might expect of a businessman, numbers were Martin's focus from Day 1.

For the fiscal year 1998-99, the U-M athletic department had a deficit of $2.8 million, followed by $1.4 million in 1999-2000. The department turned a profit in Martin's first full year as AD and has hovered around $17 million in the black in each of the past two years, enough to contribute $1.5 million annually to scholarships for the general student body

I would think for a major university like Michigan -2.8 million is a substantial hemorrhage

heres the link
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-32843441_ITM

[michAGAIN]

He seems to me like the Mr. Potato Head of athletic directors.

[amazinblue]

One thing that Martin has done, IMO, is increase the breadth of sports that Michigan is competitive in - for both men and women. I would love to see Michigan win (what used to be called) the Sears trophy someday - signifying the best athletic program in the country.

I believe that Stanford's won it numerous times - primarily because of the range of sports that they compete in, and the overall quality of their athletic department.

I think Martin has found two solid coaches for the men's basketball and football programs, the renovation of Michigan Stadium is tremendous, and the overall competitiveness and depth of sports where Michigan fields competitive teams has increased.

So far, so good. Perhaps not "great", but he seems to be doing a decent job.

[ronleflore]

Kiss my Arse

I found an article from the Detroit News that has the information I was looking for.


As you might expect of a businessman, numbers were Martin's focus from Day 1.

For the fiscal year 1998-99, the U-M athletic department had a deficit of $2.8 million, followed by $1.4 million in 1999-2000. The department turned a profit in Martin's first full year as AD and has hovered around $17 million in the black in each of the past two years, enough to contribute $1.5 million annually to scholarships for the general student body

I would think for a major university like Michigan -2.8 million is a substantial hemorrhage




http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-32843441_ITM



$1.4 M and $2.8M. A substantial hemorrhage ?

Pennies professor Mike. Mere Pennies! That's like Northwestern's piece of the Rose Bowl, by being a member of the Big Ten.

The Big Ten Network, ESPN, ABC, CBS, concessions, gear, DONATIONS. Realize that "pigskin" pays for or subsidizes other programs, like all but hoops. And before you go asking others to kiss your arse, look back at '97 '98 and see if there was approved expansion of the Big House, to be paid over 5 or 7 years or thereabouts.


A substantial hemorrhage ? A mere shaving cut!

[ronleflore]

Kiss my Arse

I found an article from the Detroit News that has the information I was looking for.


As you might expect of a businessman, numbers were Martin's focus from Day 1.

For the fiscal year 1998-99, the U-M athletic department had a deficit of $2.8 million, followed by $1.4 million in 1999-2000. The department turned a profit in Martin's first full year as AD and has hovered around $17 million in the black in each of the past two years, enough to contribute $1.5 million annually to scholarships for the general student body

I would think for a major university like Michigan -2.8 million is a substantial hemorrhage

heres the link
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-32843441_ITM

Mike, I bet you got a "Bill Martin" doll for Christmas, with all the dressings! Probably got the "Rich" Doll too, but I think you are sweet on Billy moreso. Breath, Mike, Breath!

[Revelli]

Ok I asked you all how you felt about coach Rod. Naturally I want to know what you think of our AD Bill Martin.
Martin can run people the wrong way but that's because he is a business man first then a sports fan second. At times it seems as if he doesn't have the best interests of the program at heart. Still the man has done an incredible amount for M athletics.
Before Martin got there the state of the AD was pathetic. Hence the reason the regents hired him as director. He took a department deep in the red and resurrected it to become one of the top money makers in all of college sports. He has championed the renovations to the big house as his personal legacy.

He runs it like a business because he is a business man but he has done a lot of good for the whole of Michigan athletics

I've never met either of them in person and therefore cannot like or dislike them. I only judge them on how they do their jobs. Word is still out on RR and Martin seems ok but what do you judge him against?

[elno lewis]

I don't think it was Martin who got the UM AD in the black. I think it was the women's volley ball ticket sales.

I could be wrong.