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)
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)
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
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517 comments Add your comment
Twilb Dawg
October 31st, 2012
1:53 pm
Can someone explain why Tech changed their uniforms this year? In the games I have seen, they have not worn the gold helmets. I thought those white helmets were a one-time deal.
Really?
October 31st, 2012
1:54 pm
Interesting take on Tech history, Thomas. Can you provide any sources for any of those allegations, besides your own bias and hate. I’ve heard similar stories for over 40 years as a Tech fan, but never from anyone that was not a UGA fan. The same way that the only people that do not recognize Tech’s 90 title either live in Colorado or Athens.
Thomas Brown
October 31st, 2012
1:56 pm
35 years in a just a few more days, and you still will have only 1 Title ever in your stinking cupcake conference. Duke, for God’s sake has 4.
Thomas Brown
October 31st, 2012
1:58 pm
______________________________________________
“Can you provide any sources for any of those allegations”
______________________________________________
You don’t know about your own team ?
Sure I can.
List what you what sources for. What do you think I just sit around thinking up lies like you do ?
northern neighbor
October 31st, 2012
1:59 pm
Tech needs another Homer Rice type, someone who is interested in the kids and the program. DRad had his positive points, but he wasn’t a good match for Tech.
Tech and Atlanta can be sold to young athletes. Those of you who so it can’t are probably old, white and never been to Midtown or the Tech campus. Many young people really like the atmosphere and environment.
Winning teams will get the fans. Good coaches can get the players. In hindsight, I’m sorry we ran off Galey. He recruited some pretty talented and smart athletes.
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
1:59 pm
TB…………..I didn’t say we are talking D.R. What I said is it happens at UGa more than you even know. CRIME is CRIME. If you think your daughter is SAFE in Athens as compared to Atlanta you are just BLIND DRUNK just like the UGa student body thanks to Don LEEBERN. UGa has more bars than the Legal Drinking Age people can support. What does that tell you?
Really?
October 31st, 2012
2:02 pm
3 acc titles (1 vacated), 5 sec titles (more than uga had during the same time span), 8 conference titles in the predecessors to the sec and 4 national titles. I count 15 conference and 4 national. What math are you using, thomas?
Thomas Brown
October 31st, 2012
2:08 pm
I am a student of the game, as my hobby. I read it all the time. I have a library full of books I read and study. I buy books every few days all my life. I don’t know what you want sources for, but I will be more than happy to provide you anything you want. Some of the books are pretty thick and don’t have a lot of pictures in them. Some do. Like for example the picture of the train that came back to Atlanta to Brookwood Station which was rocked by the UGA students when our football players 1892 who were our students, won games at UGA in 1892 while Georgie tek experienced one of your 7 seasons of -0- victories in football. The headlines read in the AJ-C : Rambling Wreck returns to Georgie tek in 1893 with our students our football players you named your dormitories for at Georgie tek on the ramp at North Avenue who you paid to play for you in 1893 to beat us.
Nowadays somehow it is not a train wreck from 1893 but an automobile from the 1930 period which is a Ramblin’ Wreck.
You guys are notorious for re-writing history.
I have the sources. I’ve lived here all my life. Like I said Dad had seasons’ tickets to UGA, and took us to nearly every Crackers’ game and all the Georgie tek games. I was there. I have the books. You are welcome to look at them here in Dunwoody.
Allegations indeed. You agree to remove allegations if you are satisfied ?
Thomas Brown
October 31st, 2012
2:11 pm
1 ACC title.
You want to start there ? I said specifically I ACC title in your now 35 years in the America’s Cupcake Conference.
You want that reference ?
Or is this some ruse ?
Ouch
October 31st, 2012
2:12 pm
“get into a collegiate environment. I hadn’t had the opportunity to be in a pure college town.”
Thomas Brown
October 31st, 2012
2:13 pm
I said Georgie tek has 6 national championships, not 4.
I said UGA has 6 national championships, by the same polls who said Georgie tek has 6.
You want those references ?
Tell me what you want. Don’t bandy words with me son.
Ouch
October 31st, 2012
2:13 pm
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.
Ouch
October 31st, 2012
2:17 pm
Vacated titles don’t count, much like polls that no one but your University (Alabama, Georgia Trek, etc.) recognizes.
Thomas Brown
October 31st, 2012
2:22 pm
_______________________________________________________
“If you think your daughter is SAFE in Athens as compared to Atlanta”
_______________________________________________________
You’ll are crawling out of the woodwork now, aren’t you ? Look, you post what you want to know, and I will research it and provide you the references you request which I have already read and studied and already know, which you too could do your research on and are too lazy to do. Typical. Then, when I get finished with my business, I will answer all your questions with the references.
_________________________________________________________________
As to this BS, tell that to the Daddies in this state who send their 55 % of the student-body at UGA women to UGA and not to Georgie tek with your what is it now – still 29 % percent women’s percentage of your student body ? About what ? 4 percent less than your Asian percentage of your student-body ? Look, college is for kids. There should be a God-Given exchange between man and woman in college. It’s not normal not to. I love Asians; I just think you don’t have Daddies on-board in this state who send their little girls to college with your BS in this post.
Let’s put it like this : My entire family grew-up here. Valedictorians, President of the Student Bodies, Top 5 % Graduating Class Doctors Lawyers Business Owners and none of us sent any of our little girls down there to Georgie tek.
Really?
October 31st, 2012
2:22 pm
Bandy words, thomas? You made claims that tech has always cheated and listed one example in the late 1800’s and then vague references to war era’s. the bulk of your claim were generic, tech hate filled references. Simply give me a name of a book or books that will support the claims you make that tech has always cheated. Never mind, I have better things to do than argue with you. Enjoy your day.
Holy Sh*t!!!!!
October 31st, 2012
2:26 pm
Thomas, have the doctor check your dosage. Lighten up dude.
Thomas Brown
October 31st, 2012
2:33 pm
___________________________________________________________________________
“In hindsight, I’m sorry we ran off Galey. He recruited some pretty talented and smart athletes.”
___________________________________________________________________________
Yes, Paul Johnson certainly did very well with them too, when he got here. And, NOTHING since with his average # 52 Recruiting ranking by Scout.com every year. I told you what the Defensive Recruits say every day too : I don’t want to practice every day against a high-school offense.
Only a couple of you know how to read. The rest are too lazy and too happy in your own ignorance, although I read your posts very well thank you – as you can see. I don’t come over to your Georgie tek blogs and don’t consider this a Georgie tek blog either – not with this blog headline.
Are You Serious?
October 31st, 2012
2:35 pm
“I’m sorry we ran off Galey. He recruited some pretty talented and smart athletes.”
Only coach worse than Gailey was Lewis!
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
2:38 pm
Thomas Brown…………..has BOOKS and Studies? he never said the years he was a Walk-on at UGa. I think the books he studies is PLAYBOY and hustler.
Thomas Brown needs to get LAID.
Dog Central
October 31st, 2012
2:39 pm
Tech has their athletes curriculum. Dont lump them in on the engineering fantasy.
UGA has higher SAT entrance scores and a lot more reasons to be there, harder to get in UGA.
Those are facts.
Bill
October 31st, 2012
2:40 pm
To the pompous GT posters concerning academics: Yes Tech is rated higher nationally-top 23 or so compared to UGA’s top 57 or so. UGA is catching up. As to the brilliance of Tech students; there are probably just as many at UGA. UGA has twice the Freshman class of Tech. Take the top 50% of UGA’s students SAT scores and compare with Tech’s student body, and they will be about the same. UGA has more students, serving more interests. But, UGA students are well rounded overall; Tech’s are, it’s the painful truth, nerds.
Who Dat?
October 31st, 2012
2:46 pm
Thomas Brown – The PRIME example of why UGA fans are the most HATED fans in the entire country. No other school else even comes close.
Thomas...
October 31st, 2012
2:49 pm
…were you one of the uga fans that toilet papered Aaron Murray’s house after the SC beatdown? Or were you even aware they had a game that day? You seem far more interested in Tech than UGA. Worst fan base in all of sports!!!
the truth hurts
October 31st, 2012
2:54 pm
Thomas Brown = Application for Admission to Georgia Institute of Technology REJECTED
Ignition
October 31st, 2012
2:55 pm
Thomas Brown is a Troll…
Don’t feed the Troll..
But it’s hilarious how he took over the the post. I don’t believe it’s one person researching and typing all of that.
Voyceofreason
October 31st, 2012
2:58 pm
Aside from more stringent academic standards, Tech may be handcuffed in the recruiting process itself by its own rules vs. Georgia’s. For instance, it might have changed in the past 3-5 years, but at SMU, they wouldn’t even allow a recruit to visit campus until he had qualified with his SAT scores. I’m sure beyond the initial contact/form letter, there are a lot of kids Tech won’t even look at that Georgia will chase long and hard.
Midtown
October 31st, 2012
3:12 pm
GaTech & GaState should merge and form the University of Atlanta…
dr love
October 31st, 2012
3:15 pm
Thomas Brown is a sad old man, even a bitter old man. Nobody in his entire family has ever been accepted into Ga Tech.
Honestly, it’s very rare in the South to find such an angry old man. Most of his generation were reared to respect others, clearly he was not. Anger is such a bitter pill for most people to swallow, but Thomas Brown eats a handful for breakfast every morning.
It’s so sad to see an elderly person harbor such anger toward a university for simply having high admission standards. Poor Mr Thomas Brown.
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
3:28 pm
Dog Central
October 31st, 2012
2:39 pm
Tech has their athletes curriculum. Dont lump them in on the engineering fantasy.
UGA has higher SAT entrance scores and a lot more reasons to be there, harder to get in UGA.
Those are facts.
……………………………………………………..
harder to get in UGa on VOLUME.
UGa players don’t have Higher SAT score than TECH players check your FACTS again. I posted the articles and links to prove you WRONG. A BS degree is more difficult than a BA degree.
Yellowjacket.aj
October 31st, 2012
3:32 pm
Until the Administration and Alumni demand that Tech compete at the highest level and put in place the coaches with the skills to make it happen, it won’t. Great football is one of Tech’s most important traditions – it makes us unique among other schools and helps attract academic talent too (the Flutie effect). Tech has added lots of liberal arts and management degree programs that never existed in the past and there’s enough academic support for any student willing to put in the work. Time to engage the Alumni in a new way and clean house!
Nativebird
October 31st, 2012
3:45 pm
If any of my fellow Jacket fans thinks this jerkoid of an AD left for Clemson due to anything other than the sure knowledge of his inevitable firing, then you’re all just kidding yourselves. This is a tried and true modus operandi of the privileged professional class in modern day corporate political careerism and is well prevalent in today’s white-collar world. Talk a big game..get hired, take the money, perform to your inevitable lack of underachieving ability, run your organization into the ground, then quit right before it all comes down on your head for next sucker you just conned.
Snellville Jacket
October 31st, 2012
3:46 pm
Truth be known, one of the main problems with football attendance is the cost. Last Saturday, seven of us attended the Tech – BYU game. I paid $350 for tickets, another $40 to park (two cars), another $30 – $40 for concessions, not to mention the gas to drive down from South Carolina. That’s around $500 for just one game! Because of these costs, many fans are being priced out of attending games, especially those fans with families. And that’s a shame.
Dog Central
October 31st, 2012
3:48 pm
Reggie Ball for AD.
CPJ: A Legend In HIs Own Mind
October 31st, 2012
3:50 pm
What Nativebird said +++
Radakovich takes Travelin’ Failure Show to Clemson, SC.
Dog Tired
October 31st, 2012
3:50 pm
Tech should join the southern conference.
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
3:59 pm
Yellowjacket.aj
October 31st, 2012
3:32 pm
Until the Administration and Alumni demand that Tech compete at the highest level and put in place the coaches with the skills to make it happen, it won’t. Great football is one of Tech’s most important traditions – it makes us unique among other schools and helps attract academic talent too
================================================================
The Alumni are not as concerned with sports as we are with being a WORLD LEADER in EDUCATION. Winning in Sport is great but producing QUALITY GRADUATES is a lot more important. You do know COLLEGE is about EDUCATION and not sports right? I think you are so wrong about Football attracting college students. You must not know much about the past freshmen class. We have students from 86 different countries and 49 states(Wyoming being the only state not to be represented) and most of those students didn’t even have TECH FOOTBALL or BASKETBALL as top 5 on their list as to why they picked TECH.
Pitbull
October 31st, 2012
4:04 pm
What makes you think the Southern Conference would take Tech?
That would pretty much slum up the Southern Conferece, wouldn’t it?
Barry
October 31st, 2012
4:07 pm
Hate to tell you folks, but academics is not the primary problem or hindrance for recruiting football players at Tech. They get admitted to school many of the exact same kind of so called – student/athletes – that everyone else does. They definitely are not going to be engineers, unless you mean the kind driving trains!
P. Johnson has the personality of a very, wet, wrinkled blanket and takes a back seat to most football coaches in the South when it comes to recruiting. Also, when his offense stinks he always blames the players. In his mind, it is never his fault. Recruits notice things like that.
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
4:07 pm
Snellville Jacket
October 31st, 2012
3:46 pm
Truth be known, one of the main problems with football attendance is the cost. Last Saturday, seven of us attended the Tech – BYU game. I paid $350 for tickets, another $40 to park (two cars), another $30 – $40 for concessions, not to mention the gas to drive down from South Carolina.
=============================
WHY would a SNELLVILLE Jacket need to drive down from South Carolina? If you came down 85 you could have parked at the Doraville MARTA station for free but paid $5 per person for the train ride( 7people x $5= $35). If you talked on the TECH blog you could have tailgated with us for free. It would be nice to bring your own beer and maybe leave some money for the meal we prepared but it would have saved you money. Tommy and the boys at the BUS did the FISH FRY. They feed 50+ people and would love to meet TECH FANS. You need to do some work to find PARTY people to meet at the games.
Pitbull
October 31st, 2012
4:07 pm
To: Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
That’s really funny. You are providing all of this leadership education for students from third world countries. In the meantime, Tech leadership has you on your second straight 4 year football NCAA probation and you are on basketball NCAA probation.
Tell me some more whoppers about Tech leadership.
The Ugly Truth
October 31st, 2012
4:15 pm
Radakovich’s exit – From worst to first in the ACC.
athens dog
October 31st, 2012
4:17 pm
He leaves Tech for a pay raise of almost 100k per year. I’d leave my job for that same percentage increase. Most especially if it meant leaving Atlanta and going to live in a smaller, quieter town at a more successful, profitable 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
4:22 pm
Snellville jacket here is the post from the BYU fan that was talking to us all week and he came for JAX for the game.
BYU Fan in Fl
October 28th, 2012
1:56 pm
Gentleman (you know who are) I wold like to thank you again for your gracious hospitality. My wife and I enjoyed the time we got to spend hanging out yesterday. Just sorry we couldnt make it up sooner. Sorry things didnt work out better on the field for you but I will take it. Good luck with the rest of your season and thank you again you are a classy bunch!!!
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
4:27 pm
Pitbull…….3rd World countries? Are you just to STUPID to know the US is WEAK and not the Greatest Country in the world any more? Those 3rd World Countries you deride have better economies than the US. Their kids VALUE Education more than the kids in the US. What do you think is says when the Dwag nation is Gwinnett County Government School grads but TECH’s NATION it the ENTIRE GLOBE?
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
4:37 pm
I know this is about SPORTS but are some of you for real? Just because TECH isn’t the BEST in sports that means TECH isn’t a leader in Education? I don’t think Oxford or Cambridge are GREAT in Sports but the do produce Rhode Scholars. I think their BIG Sports are Rowing and Cricket followed closely by beer drinking. I know the beer Drinking is something the SEC fans can relate to. Rhode Scholars are from a more LIBERAL degrees and not Engineering. So, TECH engineering grads don’t get Rhode Scholarship offers. Tech offering the BS in History &Technology more GT grads can look for a shot at a Rhodes Scholarship.
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
4:41 pm
JUST for FUN you TECH HATERS……………I would challenge you to go to the High School that has the MOST D-1 Recruits and give them a MATH TEST.
The School is ….now LAUGH…cause I do….STEPHENSON.
Tech got REGGIE BALL from Stephenson……but many many other SEC teams have kids form that school too.
YelloJacket
October 31st, 2012
4:56 pm
Is it just me, or does Thomas Brown seem to be a few fries short of a Happy Meal? Perhaps one of you UGA grads can pull some out of the fryer and bring them to him.
Thomas Brown
October 31st, 2012
4:59 pm
Georgie tek is neither a leader in athletics nor a leader in graduating your student-athletes. You know that.
PAUL R
October 31st, 2012
5:00 pm
The difference between Tech and Georgia is the competition for the entertainment dollar.
In the old days I have been told that Tech sold out annually – the 72,000 seat Grant Field was the place to be on the weekend. That was back when their were no Interstates – No Hawks – No Falcons – No Braves. We were the only game in town. That ended in the mid ’60’s.
The only way to overcome this is to get the school children engaged with Ga Tech – get them to realize that Georgia Tech doesn’t have cook book degrees – basketball or football Administration majors. That to be a Tech Man or Women means something – something very special. That is why the average starting salary for a Tech Grad is 58k. We need to sell them when they are young – and they will come – and as they come, attendance will rise, because parents do things that their kids want. Just sell the Kids!
air of mendacity
October 31st, 2012
5:18 pm
Get real -yes, the average starting salary for GT engineering degrees is high. None of them are football players Paul R. You are an idiot. The honors program at UGA is more important than the engineering program at GT. Until they drop the calculas requirement and offer more degrees, then it is hopeless for tech.
And before you bash – this is an Emory grad with a law degree and masters in econ. So don’t give me me that bs about GT. You cannot sell 5 star football players with the current curriculum at GT.