Radakovich’s exit shows disparity between Tech, Georgia

The financial issues that Dan Radakovich dealt with at Tech won't be an issue at Clemson. (AP photo)

The financial issues that Dan Radakovich dealt with at Tech won't be an issue at Clemson. (AP photo)

It’s almost always about money. There may be other factors in changing jobs: Going back home, returning to an alma mater, or, as Dan Radakovich said Tuesday, having the desire to “get into a collegiate environment. I hadn’t had the opportunity to be in a pure college town.”

A nice sentiment. But primarily it’s still about the money, either what one can make or one can spend.

When Radakovich resigned from the athletic director’s job at Georgia Tech for the same position at Clemson, it said as much about his former employer than his new one. Radakovich won’t have to sell a ticket or plead with donors at Clemson, which is what he had to do at Tech. The pressure for victories and the chase for dollars is greater than ever in college athletes – too great, actually, but that’s a topic for another column – and right now Tech just isn’t all that attractive.

Radakovich won’t say that. But he’ll use words like “challenges” and “difficulties.” He was weary of trying to get people to “jump off the connector” in hopes he could alter their perceptions of what the metro campus looked like. He won’t criticize Tech’s high academic requirements or limited number of majors, but he’ll amplify on the difficulty coaches have to convince recruits that the school can provide an “enriching” experience.

That’s why he was so driven to improve and add facilities. “Sometimes they [recruits] make their decision first with their eyes,” he said.

Here’s the problem: While Radakovich denies also that the Tech AD position is a “steppingstone” job, relative to others in major college athletics, that’s basically what he just affirmed by leaving one ACC job for another, just two hours up the interstate. He is close with Clemson’s retiring AD, Terry Don Phillips,  and had coveted the impending vacancy for several months.

Greg McGarity knows what drives Radakovich and what wears on him (or any athletic director). (Curtis Compton/AJC)

Greg McGarity knows what drives Radakovich and what wears on him (or any athletic director). (Curtis Compton/AJC)

None of this bodes well for the perception of Tech on the college sports landscape, and we haven’t addressed the ever-present shadow cast by the beast in Athens. Georgia and Georgia Tech are different campuses with different missions. But they’re rival programs in close proximity of each other. The financial situations at the two athletic departments are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

According to the Equity in Athletics database, which tracks budgets of every collegiate athletic program, Tech’s sports teams had total revenues of $46,910,364 for the one-year period ending June 30, 2012. Georgia was nearly double that at $91,670,613.

Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said he wasn’t surprised by Radakovich’s exit. The two have known each other for years and speak often. He knows what drives the man. “When he was at American University, he missed the bright lights of big-time college athletics,” McGarity said.

He also knows what can wear down an athletic director.

“The financial challenges to run a college athletic program are much more difficult at some institutions than others,” McGarity said. “When you have a strong fan base and full stadiums and when you have a tremendous level of support, it makes your job easier from a fundraising standpoint. Financial circumstances can be taxing mentally. You’re always worrying about where the next dollar will come from. It wears on athletic directors just as it wears on anyone. There’s a constant pressure.”

Radakovich was back in his Edge Athletic Center office Tuesday for some desk cleanout. Asked about the challenges of running athletics at the Institute, he didn’t hesitate: “Always looking at ways to get people to consistently come to the stadium and the venues. When we’re winning, attendance is good. When we’re OK, attendance is OK. When we’re not winning, attendance falls. The challenge is to create a bigger core. We tried a lot of things to get that to happen.”

Some have characterized Radakovich’s decision to leave as “jumping ship.” That’s overstatement. Tech isn’t in financial straits. The football team, while struggling, isn’t devastated. But his departure is a reality check for the school.

Radakovich tries to minimize Georgia comparisons, saying, “The comparisons aren’t fair because the schools aren’t chartered the same, and they don’t have the same level of resources athletically. … Georgia has been up the street for the last 100 years. It’s a factor. It’s something that you have to manage each and every day. But it doesn’t make the list of why we do what we do.”

He was still saying “we” Tuesday. A day earlier, he was putting on a bright orange sports jacket at a news conference. “We” is past tense. And the jacket he put on Monday might as well have been green.

By Jeff Schultz

517 comments Add your comment

flagboy?

October 31st, 2012
10:56 am

Timeout, when you enrolled at whatever school you went to, did you know the professors you would study under?

Why is a 4-5 star athlete getting interviewed? Because of where he’s going to school to play sports. The interview will focus mostly around sports because that’s the only reason it is news.

There are plenty of highly recruited athletes who are pretty dang good in the classroom as well. Are there some idiots? sure. I’d argue there are idiots in every grouping of people (in some form or fashion. . read Accpet no Substitute above). again, i’ll ask the same question as I did earlier, since you continue to post links which don’t really relate.

This is complete garbage. Please provide where you get your information that students who are 4-5 star recruits put more energy into sports than they do academics, which results in their higher “star” ranking.

if you do that, i’ll concede you are right.

Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.

October 31st, 2012
10:57 am

Flagboy….you have heard the phrase “The PROOF is in the PUDDING”? Do you understand what it means? More likely than not if a student isn’t making the grades then they are not studying as much as needed. Athletes spend more time in the weight room, film room, practice field than the class room…..The PROOF is in the PUDDING.

flagboy?

October 31st, 2012
10:58 am

Skeptic

October 31st, 2012
10:50 am
flagboy–are you a Flagger?

Sonny DID lie, after all.
__________________

I don’t get the reference. sorry.

flagboy?

October 31st, 2012
11:05 am

“The Proof in how much and how well said students study is in their Grade Point Averages and their ACT or SAT numbers and how many are SPECIAL ADMITS at colleges”

Timeout. . if you honestly believe that. . . well. . .

I’ll post this question to any tech person, since I am not one. tech person. . did you study that hard in high school? did you really have to work your butt off for a high GPA? I know I didn’t, and (taken with a grain of salt since this is the internet) I did quite well. I took the SAT once and didn’t study for that either.

Skeptic

October 31st, 2012
11:06 am

Sorry, man; it’s hard to resist trolling around here. So many buttons just dying to be pushed.

flagboy?

October 31st, 2012
11:07 am

proof is in the pudding. . . yeah, i’ve heard that one before.

It’s normally used when actual evidence or proof isn’t available.

Kind of like the Cam newton thing at Auburn a few years back. . The proof was in the pudding, but actual hard facts weren’t, so Auburn wasn’t punished. . . unfortunately.

GTBob

October 31st, 2012
11:08 am

Thomas Brown
October 31st, 2012
8:17 am

Can you give me the cliff notes version of that rant you went on. I don’t really have the time to read more than 5000 words. I’m pretty sure it was about how much you hate GT though. Actually, it seemed very similar to a WnE post. Hmm…

flagboy?

October 31st, 2012
11:09 am

skeptic. . no problem. I honestly just don’t get the reference though. There is good trolling on AJC boards though. that’s one thing I won’t argue.

PB

October 31st, 2012
11:12 am

Boy, Schultz sure knows how to get ‘em stirred up. Especially on this Ga Tech- Georgia rivalry thing. This argument about which school is better in which areas, which has prettier campus, higher SAT scores, better nightlife, etc, all interesting. And the arguments could go on for days…

Thomas Brown

October 31st, 2012
11:13 am

BravesJackets October 31st, 2012 10:07 am

“Right around 1960 is when Georgia’s football dominance began over Georgia Tech.”
____________________________________________________________________
That’s just not true.

At end of 1942 season :

234-142-32 UGA
228-147-26 Georgie tek 12 places worse than UGA in the rankings

_________________________
UGA is All-Time Top 10 in Wins
_________________________

754-401-54 UGA All-Time Top 10 in Wins
689-458-42 Georgie tek # 18 All-Time in Wins

Georgie tek has had a worse football than UGA from the beginning.

7 different seasons Georgie tek has had -0- wins
5 more seasons Georgie tek has had 1 win

Actually Texas A and M is over-taking Georgie tek 2012 for # 18

# 19 All-Time Georgie tek in college football wins
Top 10 UGA All-Time in college football wins

1942 was 70 years ago. How much further should I go back to find this dominance your program has compared to our own ?

You said 1960. Well, we know that’s not true.

Georgia beat Georgie tek 4 of the 1st Five games.
I’d be more than happy to discuss that 1st Georgie tek win anytime you want the details.
It’s not pretty, I warn you.

Anytime you want to discuss any of the war years either, please let me know with the same proviso.

______________________________________________
62-37-5 All-Time just Georgia over Georgie tek in football.
______________________________________________

Both claim 6 national championships by the same exact polls Georgie tek claims their nc by.

There was a string of losses in a row back in the 1950 decade. I went to those games; you did not.

I went to every game. We even went to the Junior Varsity games between us too.

Even if you look at the very end of that string :

22-22-5 and that was AFTER you won 8 games in a row.

So :

(1) Our Football Program has had DOMINANCE over your football program from day 1
(2) Out Football Program has maintained DOMINANCE over your football program through and including today.
(3) Your football program at NO TIME has had DOMINANCE over UGA in Football including especially even after your run of 8 straight wins against us.
(4) Your football program at NO TIME has ever been ahead of our football program in wins. LIAR.

We sit in the Top 10 All-Time as a college football program in wins with 684 Wins today, and have 6 nc by the same exact polls you have 6 nc in. At the worst run against us, you still had NO DOMINANCE OVER US at all, whatsoever – that’s even after beating us 8 straight years. Again, Georgie tek was not even ahead of UGA in football AFTER your run of 8 straight wins back in the 1950 decade.

Your football program is # 19 as we speak in All-Time College Football Wins with only 689 wins.

We have a winning record at Bobby Dodd Stadium, named for a college drop-out of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

We have a winning record in Atlanta.

We have a winning record in Athens.

We have a winning record at Home.

We have a winning record at Sanford Stadium.

You are not better than us in football, and NEVER were.

You just misrepresent what you want brag about when you can tell from your sentence that you know you don’t know and are guessing.

You won’t study this or the research it presents.

You are happy in your ignorance. Either that, or just a plain LIAR.

Bad Dawg, Bad Dawg

October 31st, 2012
11:14 am

The core issue is everywhere in society (except the federal government). Work in the private sector? Your CEO has to meet quarterly earnings targets expected by Wall Street. Remember…greed is good says Gorden Gecko. Our society is focused on immediate pleasure, win at all costs. Are you in Sales, you better make your numbers. You’re in sports, you better win, your fans will pay for nothing less. How you get there, with integrity, character and honor does not seem to matter today. It’s all about the dollar. AD’s from some small schools are putting their student-athletes up against FSU to “build the program” (i.e. Savannah State, etc.) which is disgraceful. It will take a player getting hurt badly before being addressed. Heck, even my sons 8th grade basketball coach has said “it’s all about winning”. Ever contemplate the negative side effects of “winning at all costs” values? Look around, it’s all around us. Oh, is the piece on the federal government. They just borrow more money from China and kick the can down the road.

flagboy?

October 31st, 2012
11:15 am

PB

October 31st, 2012
11:12 am
Boy, Schultz sure knows how to get ‘em stirred up. Especially on this Ga Tech- Georgia rivalry thing. This argument about which school is better in which areas, which has prettier campus, higher SAT scores, better nightlife, etc, all interesting. And the arguments could go on for days…
__________________________

. . . the blog post could be about the London Olympics and the discussion would eventually lead to those topics. I wouldn’t give Schultz too much credit/blame for it.

Skeptic

October 31st, 2012
11:18 am

flagboy: I won’t go all into it, just google ’sonny lied’ and you can read at your leisure

I didn’t study very hard in HS, but they didn’t have GPA in HS then. I barely got into Tech by the skin of my teeth, and hit it hard then, because it was costing money after that

flagboy?

October 31st, 2012
11:24 am

ah. .I was told I had to catch Squidbillies but haven’t gotten around to it. I’m still a sucker for Spaceghost.

Skeptic, it’s amazing how a little motivation like actually having to pay for something makes a world of difference.

anyway, enough arguing for a while.

Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.

October 31st, 2012
11:31 am

Flagboy If you didn’t have to study to get good grades in school I would say you didn’t take Classes that pushed your Intellectual abilities or you went to a Government School with average teachers.

IL Jacket

October 31st, 2012
12:13 pm

After having a day to calm down, I wish DRad the best of success in his new venture, he work hard for Tech and I am sure the Clemson job will be an easier one for him. Since their position was open since the summer, I guess I just don’t understand the difference between taking the job November 1st and December 1st.

As I say, however, thanks DRad for your hard work on our behalf.

Taxi Smith

October 31st, 2012
12:20 pm

What does Athens offer that Atlanta doesn’t? How about a campus where your students aren’t regular victims of armed robbery and rape?

[...] Radakovich’s Exit Shows Disparity Between Tech, Georgia (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) [...]

Kc

October 31st, 2012
12:25 pm

“It is hard to be MIT Monday thru Friday and Alabama on Saturday”-George O’leary.

Pitbull

October 31st, 2012
12:32 pm

I reiterate: The problem at Tech is the character of its people.

They think they are better than everyone else and act like it and talk like it and treat others like it.

No one wants to associate with people like that so they don’t go to their games and don’t support their teams.

In fact they root against them. People like to see arrogant people who feel entitled lose.

Its in the character of the institution, the students, the grads, and the alumni in general.

Look at how Tech posters refer to UGA alum and fans and Georgians in general. That alienates the populace from the Tech program. And don’t forget that all of those Georgians that Tech of whom people think they are better pay the tax dollars to financially support that school. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!

So things will never change until the Tech character changes and it never will because it can’t and won’t.

I hope it won’t change because Tech is Tech’s own worst enemy and Tech’s lack of character will always keep Tech down,

Tech people turn a blind eye because they do not want to see it.

So Tech will always be a bottom feeder in the FBS.

Get used to it. I enjoy watching it.

Thomas Brown

October 31st, 2012
12:33 pm

George O’Leary ?

Isn’t that the guy who lied on his résumé saying he had all these degrees, when he left Georgie tek to take the job at Notre Dame, only to find out he got fired a few days later when they checked it all out, and found then that EVERY coach at Georgie tek all had nothing but lies about degrees they had or didn’t have.

Pitbull

October 31st, 2012
12:36 pm

Yeah, Thomas brown,

George O’Leary is just another blowhard Techie that fabricates the truth.

John Ford

October 31st, 2012
12:37 pm

I’m going to keep saying it. We need to jump to the Big East and win a conference championship every other year to be able to stave off Georgia State from beating us out for recruits. This may not be popular amongst our fan base but it’s what is necessary. We don’t want to be a sinking ship.

Thomas Brown

October 31st, 2012
12:38 pm

Pitbull,

You’re right again. Did you see the guy rant back above who said they throw degrees through the window with the window down at UGA while he has retired early and earned his degree at Georgie tek ?

Either your post, or his, either-way, should come one after the other.

He proves your point.

Pompous, arrogant, portentous, pretentious, snobbish, exaggerated, grandiose, vain, ostentatious, self-important liar.

We’re talking about why the Georgie tek football team can do nothing right in the classrooms or on the football field, and he tells us how stupid we are and how smart he is.

To make your point.

Tech Fan Here

October 31st, 2012
12:38 pm

We will never be able to win big at Tech because our football players must take an introductory calculus class with unlimited free tutorial assistance.

At least that is our excuse until we can come up with one better.

Thomas Brown

October 31st, 2012
12:45 pm

John Ford,

It’s too late, now. Just never play them in a football game, so no one can ever compare the 2 schools on the football field. I mean if Middle Tennessee State loses to Louisiana Monroe and loses to McNeese State college, then plays Georgie tek and beats you —

It’s already too late.

Your graduation rate of highest IQ football players in the world is atrocious, so either they lied and had someone else take their SAT, or Georgie tek is not doing its job of teaching kids who have the scholastic background to be able to do the work at better national universities than # 36 in the nation.

You haven’t played competitive football in so long, if you did, no one would suspect anything other than cheating. Thus the back-to-back NCAA Major Infractions NCAA Probations including this very day in Football.

Thomas Brown

October 31st, 2012
12:48 pm

Your football recruits are not suited for the purpose for which they are intended in your classrooms or on your football field.

robodawg

October 31st, 2012
12:50 pm

Atlanta is not a bad place for a college campus. Maybe a few decades back when white flight hollowed out the city core, but that doesn’t quite explain the disparity nowadays.

Partly it’s the nature of the institutions, partly it’s the size of the local alumni base, partly it’s the gap in fan enthusiasm. But another thing is that Tech has never really bounced back from Bobby Dodd’s decision to leave the SEC and try to be a power independent like Notre Dame.

CommonSenseRules

October 31st, 2012
12:50 pm

To Utah Dawg,
If your criticism is about Schultz’s writing, I only have ‘this just in’ for you: Context. Parallelisms. Allusions. Schultz opened with the observation that it’s always about the money; as his observations often are, this one was spot on. Closing with the mention that the jacket might as well have been green isn’t jaded (no pun intended). While closing with a parallel mention Schultz manages, as well, to bring in a familiar hook — as in Augusta. Back to English Comp for you, Dawg.

John Ford

October 31st, 2012
12:52 pm

Believe whatever you want but we’re still a powerful enough program to compete for the Big East championship year in and year out.

Tech Fan Here

October 31st, 2012
12:56 pm

I think it would be appropriate to hire a woman as our new AD since our football team plays like a bunch of girls and our alumni and fans get so histerical.

ramblinwreck80

October 31st, 2012
1:01 pm

I say throw morals out the window and bring in Damon Evans and Bobby Petrino…

Thomas Brown

October 31st, 2012
1:01 pm

“We will never be able to win big at Tech because our football players must take an introductory calculus class with unlimited free tutorial assistance. At least that is our excuse until we can come up with one better.”
_______________________________________
Why can’t they pass the courses ? Why do the majority of them flunk-out and NEVER graduate ? You’ll say they were the smartest football players in the world. I can’t seem to get a direct answer to what seems a specific question to me ? I think you have provided what you think is an excuse for their play on the football field. But, when you get right down to it, you recruit these highest SAT score football players in the world, bring them there, have you say a good coaching staff and great school and they neither can do a damn thing in their classes nor on the football field, none of them. Surely, you see the disconnect about what you say about them, and their performances both on the football field and in your classrooms.

Thomas Brown

October 31st, 2012
1:15 pm

____________________________________________________________________
“I say throw morals out the window and bring in Damon Evans and Bobby Petrino…”
____________________________________________________________________
You tried that and both Paul Johnson and Dan Radakovich promptly both instantly put Georgie tek BACK on NCAA PROBATION in football. And, you had to VACATE your only title ever and all the wins. Fat lot of good it did us to beat you at your Bobby Dodd Stadium, for you would have had to VACATE that win too, had you won. Unfortunately for you, you LOST dropped in the polls from Top 10 to finish # 13, lost your bowl game too, and then had to VACATE the title and the wins. No matter what you do, what you try : You remain an embarrassment on the field and most especially in the classrooms with your highest SAT score football players.

Rick James

October 31st, 2012
1:20 pm

@Thomas Brown

I’m always amazed at the memory loss of Tech fans when it comes to Reuben Houston.

Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.

October 31st, 2012
1:30 pm

Enter your comments hereTaxi Smith
October 31st, 2012
12:20 pm

What does Athens offer that Atlanta doesn’t? How about a campus where your students aren’t regular victims of armed robbery and rape?
——————————————————
You need to read the Crime Stats for Athens/ UGa campus.
In Athens the STUDENTS commit the crimes. In Atlanta the criminals are in the city. There is not a Big City College that doesn’t have this problem. The Crime problem at TECH is an APD problem not a tech problem. it is happening at ALL the Colleges in ATL(Emory, State, Agnes Scott, Morris Brown, Clark Atl, Speliman and Morehouse. Any place where people are denied their 2nd Amendment rights this will happen. the Criminals are hunting on a baited field. The Students can’t arm themselves and the Criminals know it.

Ignition

October 31st, 2012
1:31 pm

WnE = Thomas Brown lol
Class A Troll

KD Bardadore

October 31st, 2012
1:35 pm

Sorry, but the “Tech is an academic not athletic school” argument doesn’t hold water, several fine academic institutions, Stanford, Notre Dame, etc., have struck a balance. Never used to hurt the Tech basketball program.

Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.

October 31st, 2012
1:36 pm

Rich…………….Nobody has forgot Reuben. We have had a Few problem children like any team, but not nearly the number as UGa, Auburn, FSU, Miami or UT to name a few.

Really?

October 31st, 2012
1:38 pm

“Only title ever” Thomas?

Thomas Brown

October 31st, 2012
1:39 pm

I heard you on that Rick James. I loved all their excuses; but now my posts on that topic reference that the Judge never ordered Georgie tek to play Reuben Houston against us the whole entire game – not that it did them any good. They STILL lost. It goes back to their rationalizations at Georgie tek Rick. From their strategy, anything and everything goes to beat UGA any way possible. It started in 1892. We had a good football team in 1892 and won football games. Georgie tek did not. So, they hired away our top players and paid them to play for Georgie tek in 1893. Nowadays you find the students living in dormitories named after those UGA players who were students at UGA in 1892. Don’t get me on to the war years of WWI or WW2, either. Trashy-cheaters playing players AGAIN who none of them were students at Georgie tek. Not a 1. Just like 1893.

All is fair, if they somehow someway can get a win. They did hold us down in scoring by playing Reuben Jones the whole entire game against us. They are actually PROUD of that. They do not care about GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP and never have.

Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.

October 31st, 2012
1:40 pm

KD Bardadore
October 31st, 2012
1:35 pm

Sorry, but the “Tech is an academic not athletic school” argument doesn’t hold water, several fine academic institutions, Stanford, Notre Dame, etc., have struck a balance. Never used to hurt the Tech basketball program.
——————————————————————————

Please read back a few pages to see my post that refutes your comment.
Yes it did hurt TECH’s basketball….Bobby worked around the 1 or 2 and Done but it Killed Hewitt’s teams. Kentucky is surviving the 1 and Dones right now but it could hurt soon enough. The grad Rate is being KILLED by the college basketball player.

Thomas Brown

October 31st, 2012
1:41 pm

by playing Reuben Houston the whole entire game against us

Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.

October 31st, 2012
1:43 pm

Taxi Smith…………………do you know what the most Unreported or Under-Reported crime in the US is? it is R.a.p.e or Acquaintance R.a.p.e. If you think that at UGa ( a top 5 party school in the US for the last 20 years) doesn’t have a HUGE problem with that crime you are just BLIND.

Thomas Brown

October 31st, 2012
1:44 pm

____________________________________________________
“The grad Rate is being KILLED by the college basketball player.”
____________________________________________________
What grad rate ? You graduate 13 percent of your men’s basketball players.

13 percent is not a grad rate.

It’s atrocious.

You are on NCAA PROBATION in men’s basketball today, too.

Thomas Brown

October 31st, 2012
1:46 pm

We are not talking about date rape in the slums around your campus, and you know it.

Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.

October 31st, 2012
1:48 pm

Thomas Brown…………he should have played. Every College player should play games UNtIL they are CONVICTED of a CRIME.
Breaking a SCHOOL rule will cost a player some games because that is a SCHOOL POLICY. A person Charged with a crime should be able to continue their job until the are found GUILTY. What lawsuit would follow if a player couldn’t play but was found innocent? That liability is too much for a school to risk. The NCAA and Schools have a lower threshold of Guilt than the LEGAL SYSTEM does.

Really?

October 31st, 2012
1:51 pm

Enter your comments here

Thomas Brown

October 31st, 2012
1:52 pm

___________
Only Tile Ever
___________

You have been in the America’s Cupcake Conference since 1978 and only 1 Title ever one (1) ACC CHUMPionship only in 34 years in football.

Thomas Brown

October 31st, 2012
1:53 pm

____________
Only Title Ever
____________