Athletic Director Wanted...

joshuca · **Posted:** Wed May 10, 2006 11:03 am

Looks like our friend Central AR Bear Fan is on 103.7 The Buzz this morning talking about the big news from this morning and a little mention of UCAFANS.com on the radio...Thanks! ; )

joshuca · **Posted:** Wed May 10, 2006 11:58 am

http://www.thehometownchannel.com/sports/9191543/detail.html
Former Hogs Coach Takes UCA AD Post

POSTED: 11:22 am CDT May 10, 2006
UPDATED: 11:27 am CDT May 10, 2006

CONWAY, Ark. -- The University of Central Arkansas announced Wednesday that former University of Arkansas assistant football coach John Thompson will be athletic director at the Conway campus.

Thompson will lead UCA as it moves from NCAA Division II to Division I-AA during the next school year.

Thompson was introduced today during a news conference on the campus. Thompson graduated from Central Arkansas and replaces Vance Strange, who resigned last week.

Bear Fan 101 · **Posted:** Wed May 10, 2006 11:59 am

good find, the first station updated was out of Ft. Smith...

treyuca · **Posted:** Wed May 10, 2006 12:09 pm

The new AD is on the Buzz right now.

Football Fan · **Joined:** Sat May 06, 2006 3:51 pm **Posts:** 18

I wish I was a fly on the wall for the first staff meeting. Thompson won't stand it when a coach goes over his head.

Also is Thompson there for the long run? He is known for his one year and out! Is he going to be able to run the department or be the puppet for Lu and the board.

With all the egos on campus, it won't be long before all he!! brakes loose

joshuca · **Posted:** Wed May 10, 2006 12:11 pm

Congrats to the new AD, he sounds like a great guy and will hopefully lead this university on to great things!

Bear Fan 101 · **Posted:** Wed May 10, 2006 12:12 pm

I echo those sentiments no matter what anyone thinks of the hire or not, it is time to get on board and support UCA athletics!!!

GO BEARS!

treyuca · **Posted:** Wed May 10, 2006 12:13 pm

Football Fan wrote:

I wish I was a fly on the wall for the first staff meeting. Thompson won't stand it when a coach goes over his head.

Also is Thompson there for the long run? He is known for his one year and out! Is he going to be able to run the department or be the puppet for Lu and the board.

With all the egos on campus, it won't be long before all he!! brakes loose

You seem to think there are egos... we get it.

Thompson said on the Buzz that he moved back to Conway to make "deep roots." Hopefully that means he'll be around for a while.

Like some of the others here. It's time to move on and continue to support the university no matter what decision was made.

Bear Fan 101 · **Posted:** Wed May 10, 2006 12:15 pm

whooo, we got us a reddie starting trouble, it's not like they dont have their own down there! :lol:

Enjoying the Bears · **Joined:** Mon May 08, 2006 10:06 am **Posts:** 5

John Thompson will be fine and he has seen the promise from the D-I side. With patience and support of UCA's quality array of coaches the Bears will do well. President Hardin has been good for the University and for the athletic department. Vision is a gift that he and, we all hope, Thompson bring to the program to support Clint, Rand, Checola, Doug and the other leaders of the UCA programs. If John can match Lu's energy and constant presence on and around the UCA universe things will be fine.

Hopefully, now we can go back to commenting about offensive schemes and fast breaks.

A Fan

UpandIn913 · **Posted:** Wed May 10, 2006 3:28 pm

Very well said!

bearly legal · **Joined:** Mon Feb 06, 2006 4:50 pm **Posts:** 102

[A little prediction... I believe John Thompson will probably be the next AD, if he hasn't already reached an agreement with UCA.[/quote]

Bears Fan 101 and myself called this minutes after Strange resigned, so give us a bow. :roll:

... Since my tie-in to UCA is now officially gone, I will now bid adieu to all the new friends I have made on this board and wish the Bears good luck next season as they transition to D1AA... see you in August at War Memorial.

BigtimeBS · **Posted:** Thu May 11, 2006 12:52 am

This hire does not suprise me in the least bit. I don't doubt that Thompson will do a fine job, but how extensive of a search did the university do. A position of this magnitude should take more than five days to fill, and is a total joke that they did so.

Being a UCA grad has a lot to do with him getting the job, but what is to make me believe he has what it takes to be a good athletic director. To me, it just seems like this was an easy move that most would accept because he is an alumni. Sure he coached in the SEC and had a head gig at ECU, but being a mediocre coach doesn't make you an administrator. If that was the case, Houston should run for president.

Only time will tell but I am not at all pleased with this move.

joshuca · **Posted:** Thu May 11, 2006 7:28 am

Quote:

Hardin said a limited search was planned at first, but Thompson quickly emerged as the strongest candidate. The Board of Trustees and Hardin felt comfortable making the hire without conducting a search. With UCA’s move to Division I, Hardin said there was no time to leave the position unfilled.

“I thought, on Saturday, that perhaps we would have a limited search, but if you have an individual with the qualifications, the desire and the work ethic then there is no need,” Hardin said. “And there is a gross misperception that you have to (conduct a search); you do not, and in many cases it’s much better not to and in this case we were very fortunate to have an individual that can step in and do the job.

“I will quote Ecclesiastes,” Hardin joked. “There is a time for a national search and a time not for a national search.”

From: http://getoffus.com/2006/05/the_thompson_era_begins.html

NWABearFan · **Posted:** Fri May 12, 2006 9:31 am

In my previous comments regarding the AD situation, I questioned John Thompson's commitment to any program. He's had such a history of "jumping ship" everywhere he's been. Another concern I had was if the AD job was the only position on his radar screen. Was he ultimately after Conque's job? My sources tell me that he is very commited to staying at UCA (only time will tell) and that he really wants to establish roots in Conway. Also, he will fully support Conque and his efforts to succeed in DI and is in no way interested in coaching the Bears. With that said, my concerns have been addressed and I fully support JT in this new endeavor. I wish him the best of luck and pray that Lu will let him do the job his way.

Go Bears!!!!

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Athletic Director Wanted...

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