With Warde Manuel set to helm the athletic department at Michigan, the head job at UConn Athletics is open once again. As Husky fans loudly campaign for the return of former athletic director Jeff Hathaway, we at A Dime Back take our role as a trusted member of the UConn media seriously. We know the university deeply values our input and is depending on us to weigh in on its search for Manuel’s replacement. With that in mind, and after serious deliberation, we officially endorse current men’s basketball player Rodney Purvis for the position of UConn Athletic Director.
Earlier today, Purvis announced his candidacy on Twitter.
Can a student athlete on the mens basketball team be the AD as well? If so I vote for myself as the new AD. #VotePurvo
— Rodney Purvis (@rpurvis44) January 28, 2016
Support for Purvis quickly followed.
Elect the right man for the job. #VotePurvo for UConn AD. pic.twitter.com/N8T1XEDZeO
— Penfield (@BpenfieldJ) January 28, 2016
Purvis is a known ambassador for the program. We expect him to bring the same energy and effort that he has applied to recruiting to athletic department fundraising. With Purvis at the helm, the university should have little problem raising the capital necessary to construct new hockey, baseball and softball facilities, in addition to a substantial renovation of Gampel Pavilion.
As a native of Raleigh, North Carolina and a former member of the North Carolina State athletic department, Purvis has strong ties to the ACC. UConn is desperate to move into a stronger conference and should look to exploit Purvis’s connections.
Purvis also has standing relationships with university boosters, coaches and his fellow student-athletes. In an added bonus, Purvis is forbidden from taking a salary, presenting an added financial benefit.
There are other fine candidates for the position, all of whom were granted serious consideration, including UConn alum Sean Lester, currently the number two at Kansas; Boo Corrigan currently at Army; Northern Illinois AD Sean Frazier. We disqualified former Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti from consideration because his résumé contains the word “Rutgers.” And while former West Virginia AD Oliver Luck is a worthy candidate, he’s lacks the charm, panache and university ties possessed by Purvis.
So it is without reservation that the editorial board of A Dime Back dot com endorses Rodney Purvis for UConn Athletic Director.
Can someone explain to me why Husky fans are supporting the return of the AD who hired the football coach that ran that program into the ground, contributing to our current conference problem?
You’d almost have to think it was a joke.