Two candidates to be UGA’s AD: McGarity and Williams
Carla Williams (right) could well be Georgia's next AD. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Georgia is again in the market for an athletics director, and it’s safe to assume Vincent J. Dooley won’t be riding to the rescue. (Michael F. Adams would rather eat a charbroiled rat than turn to Dooley.) There seem two logical candidates. Both are Georgia natives and UGA, and one of them a UGA employee. The two:
Greg McGarity: He’s from Athens. He played tennis under Dan Magill at UGA. He worked his way up the athletics department chain of command under Dooley. He left in 1992 to become an assistant AD at Florida, and he’s now Jeremy Foley’s chief aide. He’s wildly popular among Georgia fans, and his background of having worked under two of the best in the business — Dooley and Foley — would make him the odds-on favorite. Except for this:
Adams is still Georgia’s president. McGarity was viewed as a likely successor to Dooley back in 2004 but wasn’t hired. The thinking then was that he was viewed by Adams as a Dooley loyalist.
It’s possible that, six years later, the president has softened his anti-Dooley stance. It’s also possible he hasn’t. In which case, the leading candidate would be …
Carla Williams: She’s from LaGrange. She played basketball (as Carla Green) at Georgia under Andy Landers. She has a PhD from Florida State. She has worked as an assistant AD at Vanderbilt. She has worked at UGA as assistant AD since 2004 and has been regarded as a rising star in the nation’s second-most profitable athletics department.
It was Adams who, with Damon Evans in 2004, appointed the first African-American AD in SEC history. Williams would be the first female athletics director the conference has seen and would surely meet with in-house approval.
My guess: Carla Williams.
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656 comments Add your comment
d1reality
July 5th, 2010
1:41 pm
How bout buying out Dan Rad’s contract at Tech and bringing him on in Athens. Tech atheltics are running close to even with UGA the last couple of years, and he has done it with 1/10 of the budget and half of the facilities – and his football coach has played them even with about 1/2 of the “star” recruits.
Uga'91
July 5th, 2010
1:50 pm
What about George Wynn Assistant AD at Texas. Played at UGA when I was there and is second in command at the most powerful athletic program in the nation.
GoDAWGS Woof Woof
July 5th, 2010
1:57 pm
d1reality – because D Rad couldn’t handle the SEC….too tough in all sports. He needs to stay at GT where he fits into more that ACC cream puff volleyball stuff, ya know.
MM
July 5th, 2010
2:09 pm
Suggested replacements : Bob Pittard, Darrell Huckaby. Both are Georgia grads, very intelligent, former coaches and know the program.
MAC
July 5th, 2010
2:15 pm
Vince Dooley is going to push for someone who WON’T win a national championship to keep his way over-rated legacy intact. Without Herschel he’s Tommy Tuberville. Ray Goff numbers. But still a god in Athens.
Dooley’s influence on this hire should be disregarded entirely.
damngooddog
July 5th, 2010
2:16 pm
Not that I am promoting Dan Radokovich at all for the UGA job…but GoDAWGSWoofWoof he came to tech from LSU. Personally, I think Williams is the best candidate for the job. She is far superior to George Wynn. Can’t believe he is in the conversation.
Evans out as AD at Georgia | BigBlueRules
July 5th, 2010
2:25 pm
[...] to Mark Bradley at the ACJ Carla Williams should be the favorite to replace him. There is a third possibility out [...]
Observer
July 5th, 2010
2:30 pm
Both appear to be well qualified, however, I’d choose Carla for the job. She’s overseen the women’s sports prorams at UGA for several years now and those have been the programs that consistently win championships, have the best academic performance and have the least amount of off the field issues. She’s a very intelligent and professional member of the staff and is also a good person outside of the work environment. Maybe someone like Carla is needed to get things back in line.
Bill
July 5th, 2010
2:38 pm
Here is a novel idea. Let’s have a nationwide search and hire a qualified candidate instead of trying to look progressive by hiring an in house minority. This is UGA. It is one of the top 5 AD jobs in the country. Anybody want to bet on whether we screw this up too? I am betting Adams will be more concerned with how this makes HIM look than getting the right person for the University.
Just Groovy
July 5th, 2010
2:57 pm
Gret reporting Mark. I am pulling for Carla Williams. She is capable, qualified, and most important won’t have a zipper problem.
Joe
July 5th, 2010
3:02 pm
We don’t need another quota hire so Adams can try and make himself look good. We see where that got us with Evans…..
MAC
July 5th, 2010
4:03 pm
You’re kidding, right?
“This is UGA. It is one of the top 5 AD jobs in the country.”
Drexel Gal
July 5th, 2010
4:14 pm
The perfect candidate: Jim Harrick.
[just kidding]
Pi$$onaDawg
July 5th, 2010
4:16 pm
UGA people Love this guy so much maybe UGA fans want him for the new AD.
Reggie Ball
Dawg Tired
July 5th, 2010
4:19 pm
If you really want to know who it is just ask David Pollak….good call on that Kirby Smart thing
EmoryDawg
July 5th, 2010
4:22 pm
Look for Michael Adams to reach beyond the UGA circle for a national candidate who can stand next to Jeremy Foley. If he’s concerned about his image as so many people believe, and who wouldn’t be in his position, he has no choice.
SentientDAWG
July 5th, 2010
4:59 pm
OK, someone please fill us in on Adams … why is he apparently despised and hated so much? If the UGA board has the same opinion of him, that many of these bloggers do, then why can’t he be fired, too?
GoDawgs88
July 5th, 2010
5:02 pm
Matt Stinchcomb sounds like a great canidate for the next AD. We need a fresh start with someone who can build the UGA athletic program academically and athletically for decades to come…Great suggestion Dangerous!
Gimme a Handout
July 5th, 2010
5:04 pm
Gee whiz…Carla Williams? Why? ANOTHER affirmative action promotion by which we elevate a younger black person over more qualified non-minority candidates?
Funny how there’s no mention of Frank Crumley…who is ALSO a UGA grad (like Williams) and would be considered senior to her… Hmmm….
And how on earth could Williams be considered a more qualified candidate than McGarity?
Let’s face it, if Carla Williams was a white lady, would we even be having this conversation? NOPE.
DMACK
July 5th, 2010
5:07 pm
Mr Cox you are an IDIOT. Upwards mobility in a career isn’t always about affirmative action. What did Dooley have to gain by grooming a former UGA football player to be an AD one day? Maybe you have been overlook for promotions because of Affirmative Action discrimination….but your response indicates your have been overlooked due to INCOMPETENCE.
dawgone
July 5th, 2010
5:08 pm
When did she play football? What is her experience with football?
John
July 5th, 2010
5:13 pm
Dang woman don’t know anything about football.
UGA Fan
July 5th, 2010
5:16 pm
I think it is way past time to get rid of Adams!
Travis McGee
July 5th, 2010
5:16 pm
Glad to find that the gentleman was Ed Tolly, a lawyer. I couldn’t imagine what Boston Blackie, with his pencil-thin mustache, was doing at UGA.
Pablo Escobar- "Puda Vida"
July 5th, 2010
5:21 pm
My suggestion is that all of the African American athletes stop attending Majority White institutions like UGA. Then we can dispel this Affirmative Action B.S. for all the white entitlement crackheads who think they are the only ones qualified to be THE BOSS. Give me a break! Evans should have known that he would be stopped in Atlanta driving Ms. Daisy if she wasn’t sitting in the backseat. Success doesn’t EQUAL access to WHITE WOMEN……just broken marriages, alimony and ruined careers…….ASK TIGER WOODS.
brandon
July 5th, 2010
5:22 pm
Folks…UGA needs to have a ‘nation wide seach’ to find the best candidate…and low and behold…after all that seaching it just happens to be another African-American from a school with the worst record and would have been fired, but wasn’t for fear of his playing the race card…That is is how you find the best guy for the job…so please stop making all these ridiculous suggestions….
PT
July 5th, 2010
5:23 pm
The timing is perfect to hire a new AD. This was the next step in getting UGA’s house in order. I know the situation is difficult, but the future looks very bright indeed! My only concern is Adams’ judgement. Remember his choice for Basketball. Round three is next!
tar and feathers party
July 5th, 2010
5:27 pm
I vote for Quincy Carter, almost a clone of Evans….imho.
Another Dawg
July 5th, 2010
5:34 pm
Looks like you missed two important factors for Carla…
She’s black and a woman. If I ever could think UGA’s athletics were at risk of sinking, it’ll be under her watch.
Gators’ Greg McGarity linked to Georgia AD job after Damon Evans mess | Fitness & Nutrition
July 5th, 2010
5:35 pm
[...] media outlets are already linking McGarity as a hot name for Georgia to track. McGarity has a solid reputation at UF and is known as a sound decision-maker for Florida Athletics [...]
been a dog and a jacket
July 5th, 2010
5:37 pm
Folks,
Evens, as ugly as it has been, is not out of the norm for what is happening in Athens. From stealing hub caps in the 70’s to the recent arrests of current athletes you give detractors all the fodder they need to look down on the programs. Rationalize it any way you want but UGA has the best performing least principled program in “name your region”. Adams would have had a hard time firing Damon for not upholding the standards of the university, moral turpitude was a slam dunk.
two-dawg-day
July 5th, 2010
5:39 pm
Hire Evan’s soon-to-be ex-wife. You can almost be sure she will NEVER wear red panties! If y’all don’t like her, how about the apartment manager Who was accompanying Evans? Uh Oh, I forgot! She’s going to be busy getting Evans an apartment! Oh, the woes of the Bulldog Nation!
JustSaying
July 5th, 2010
5:41 pm
Couple of thoughts: (1) Ed Tolley’s chin is the most eye-catching thing in that photo. Speaking as a woman, I think he’d look better if he got a plastic surgeon to relieve him of that wobble-gobble. It’d take 10 years off his appearance. (2) Carla Williams’ age is probably going to work against her in this competition. From a Human Resources standpoint, experience is paramount for that position.
Pi$$onaJacket
July 5th, 2010
5:43 pm
Enough with the affirmative action experiment. Can we please get a man in there with a desire to win the national championship in every sport since UGA is already a world class academic institution?
DIZZY DOG
July 5th, 2010
5:43 pm
In re. the photo at the beginning of the story: O.K. I can understand why Damon’s wife and Carla Williams were there at the press conference, but why, for crying out loud, was Nathan Lane there? If they are going to make this into a musical they should at least wait until the dust settles. JMHO.
howard
July 5th, 2010
5:47 pm
Carla Williams is my choice…She makes a powerful statement about UGA and its willingness to hire the best and brightest stars. The older guy would be a good assistant AD if he’d take it but not the AD position…he’d be old school and let’s keep things moving forward by looking ahead of the curve, not in our rear view mirror.
Dylan
July 5th, 2010
5:49 pm
It’s nice to be able to choose between such well-qualified candidates. Either one will ensure Georgia continues to be one of the best universities in the country athletically.
GO DAWGS!!
Kirby Smart
July 5th, 2010
5:57 pm
This is what happens when you think with the wrong head.
Logic 88
July 5th, 2010
5:59 pm
What do you say we hire someone who actually deserves the job instead of an affirmative action selection.
Pi$$onaDawg
July 5th, 2010
6:00 pm
Sonny Sielar(?) the real Mutt Wrangler should get the job as AD.
Big Dog 98
July 5th, 2010
6:02 pm
Please, please hire someone with the appropriate experience who can do the job…not an affirmative action candidate.
David Milton
July 5th, 2010
6:02 pm
The white girl panties sealed the deal. No way a black man in America can survive that. And you know Saban hired that girl for $10,000 and when she pulled the panties off, Damon started hyperventilating and swerving all over the road just thinking about that forbidden fruit and bam, the planted trooper was right there. New century, same old. Can’t stand to see black succeed. Take ‘em down one at a time.
The Big Question
July 5th, 2010
6:05 pm
What does Carla Williams know about football? She played basketball … but, so what? And doesn’t everybody have a doctorate these days?
It’s irritating to see UGA treated like P.C. State University.
A new AD needs to know how to bring in coaches for the big-money sports. That means football, not other sports that people pay lip service to and don’t really care about.
been a dog and a jacket
July 5th, 2010
6:07 pm
Dylan you are right pick who you want and you can continue to have a top performing, hypocritical student /athlete programs. I’d surmise the relationships in Gainesville and Tuscaloosa are similar. When will the alumni demand a legitimate scholarship athlete program?
Vince
July 5th, 2010
6:09 pm
The only logical choice is Mel Gipson.
Pi$$onaDawg
July 5th, 2010
6:13 pm
Hiring a black woman for this position would be a terrible mistake. Anytime a black person has a position of power, they ALWAYS abuse it.
Blacks working for UGA should keep to cleaning the bathrooms and swepting the SLC.
Safe Hire
July 5th, 2010
6:14 pm
Adams will go PC and hire Williams, to appease the African-American leaders in Atlanta and argue the board of regents that he is “promoting diversity” and therefore deserves a big raise and bonus.
Decatur Tech Fan
July 5th, 2010
6:14 pm
Pick Marcus Vick…he has white out parties where people get shot……good fit for that cowtown u call Athens.
SuperB
July 5th, 2010
6:15 pm
I’ve known Greg since 1974 when he was the team manager (I was an intern) for Coach Magill. He is the man for the job! Carla would be a great associate AD for Greg. Her time will come.
Mark Bradley
July 5th, 2010
6:19 pm
Is there any chance you will go back to writing non-UGA stories and leave the univ of GA headlines to Tucker, Towers and King? Please!