I read NomNom's article and it's a fucking pantload.
Apparently, despite the resounding successes most of our sports programs are achieving (football tbd, obv), everybody hated Greene cuz he was tight with the T&E budget.
Bullshit.
No....it was a reason. Not the whole reason. In fact it was a small part of the overall issue with him.
And its not just Phillip saying that. It was widely known. But on that topic, you CANNOT handcuff yourself into a corner in the Athletic Dept financially. You have to spend money to make money. This isn't a mom n pop hardware store. You do not tell Bruce and Butch to deal with it and cut corners This caused a ton of friction with both coaches, especially Butch. He was recently drug kicking and screaming to give Bruce an extension (Thanks to Gen Burgess and others) and to invest in facilities in both of those successful sports to be able to maintain success.
Greene is a good fundraiser and frankly a great bullshitter. Thats fine. So was Jacobs. Thats what you want in a guy that raises money. But that's also what TUF is for, not being AD. There is an operations aspect to the job. There is leading from the front, vision and being the face of athletics for the program. Greene had NONE of that. And it became apparent. He also had extremely low morale among staffers in the complex. His remote work stance was a complete failure. Demanding people be in the office every day while covid was still in full force while he sat home himself. Coming into the office when he wanted, unexplained absences, closed door policy that was known and on and on. None of these things by themselves is inherently a fireable offense but add them all together and its a collective gasp....
Auburn needs to wash itself totally clean of the Leath era which included: Greene being hired, Gus being given an extension and guaranteed 50 mill and lastly and maybe worst of all - an attempt to fire Bruce. Greene was never qualified for an SEC AD job. I think he would be a great asst AD or TUF Chair. Not his fault, I would have taken it as well.
But....He also started interviewing for other jobs not even a year into the job. He was 0 for 3 in that regard. That gave many people the impression he was a bit of a self promoter above all else and was using Auburn.. Leath was a complete tool, so there is that, but no one is chomping at the bit to hire him now. Both of those things are telling. I wish him well and I think he has a place in college athletics - just not as the head man of a major Athletic Dept at the moment.
8 Replies
509 Views