What do you think of her performance? I am only grading her on football and basketball which really are the two most impactful sports to a university's image.

Regarding football, I am giving her a current B+ for results and an A for effort. Hiring Creighton was a big win for EMU. We won 7 games in his 3rd season is the biggest accomplishment. I truly believe we will challenge Toledo for the West title next season. Instead of being the laughing stock of NCAA football, we have a local football image "The Factory" with gray turf that could become a national image if we keep bowling and winning. Until we get our Athletic facilities updated, Lyke implemented interim containment by adding tarps to unused seating that is attractive for TV. Finally, i wrote Lyke an email stating that if she can remove the track around our stadium and get seats closer to the field, EMU should erect a statue of her at Rynearson. Coaches will come and go, but the AD may be the most important position at an university.

Regarding basketball, Lyke gets an incomplete. Lyke's hands are tied because she didn't hire Murphy nor did she write his contract that has the bogus contract extension with 20 game win clause. I have spoken to the athletic department and they are going to take control of the schedule and try to get more competitive teams at the Convo for preseason games. Unlike football, the Convo is still a state of the art basketball facility. I don't have any insider knowledge but my hunch is the staff is chomping at the bit to bring in their own coach. EMU basketball should be like Akron challenging for MAC titles every 3rd year. Last night was a glimpse of what EMU Basketball crowd could be, we just have to win conference games at a minimum pace of 11-7 seasons.

Mostly good, but I believe giving up that home game against MSU was a mistake.

I hope Lyke stays to complete the athletic facilities...

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/.../99381582/

@McMurphyESPN: Eastern Michigan AD Heather Lyke is leaving to become Pitt’s new athletic director, source told @ESPN

Wow. I did not see this coming.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/Pitt/...1703190192

I assume Christian Spears should be the next AD. I would find him to be a very, very strong candidate.

(03-19-2017 09:14 PM)emu steve Wrote:  I assume Christian Spears should be the next AD. I would find him to be a very, very strong candidate.

Agreed. Spears is qualified. I bet they'll still do an external search, but wouldn't be surprised at all if Spears still ends up with the job.

Another guy that could come back to EMU.
http://www.loyolaramblers.com/genrel/ste...81358.html

(03-04-2017 09:42 AM)Luckeyone Wrote:  What do you think of her performance? I am only grading her on football and basketball which really are the two most impactful sports to a university's image.

Regarding football, I am giving her a current B+ for results and an A for effort. Hiring Creighton was a big win for EMU. We won 7 games in his 3rd season is the biggest accomplishment. I truly believe we will challenge Toledo for the West title next season. Instead of being the laughing stock of NCAA football, we have a local football image "The Factory" with gray turf that could become a national image if we keep bowling and winning. Until we get our Athletic facilities updated, Lyke implemented interim containment by adding tarps to unused seating that is attractive for TV. Finally, i wrote Lyke an email stating that if she can remove the track around our stadium and get seats closer to the field, EMU should erect a statue of her at Rynearson. Coaches will come and go, but the AD may be the most important position at an university.

Regarding basketball, Lyke gets an incomplete. Lyke's hands are tied because she didn't hire Murphy nor did she write his contract that has the bogus contract extension with 20 game win clause. I have spoken to the athletic department and they are going to take control of the schedule and try to get more competitive teams at the Convo for preseason games. Unlike football, the Convo is still a state of the art basketball facility. I don't have any insider knowledge but my hunch is the staff is chomping at the bit to bring in their own coach. EMU basketball should be like Akron challenging for MAC titles every 3rd year. Last night was a glimpse of what EMU Basketball crowd could be, we just have to win conference games at a minimum pace of 11-7 seasons.

I don't know what to make of this post, only a few weeks ago. Not sure of what you were getting at.

It was ALWAYS my view that Heather has a big national reputation and a big school would come calling.

Pittsburgh makes a LOT of sense as her girlhood roots I believe were in Canton, Ohio so MI, OH, PA, etc. all make sense for her (I'd doubt if she would have taken a job down in Tulsa ala Dr. Gragg).

(03-19-2017 09:02 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  I hope Lyke stays to complete the athletic facilities...

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/.../99381582/

This is one reason why I'd think Spears is a very, very strong candidate to get the AD job.

I think he was the man behind the facilities project. He has extensive experience doing the same at NIU.

One thing folks may recognize: In large organizations, it is common to have a CEO and COO (chief operating officer). In the federal government, the COO is the deputy secretary of the department.

I've always gotten the impression that with Lyke she was the CEO and Spears the COO.

I believe under Lyke it is the first type we've had specifically a DEPUTY AD. I believe before there were senior men's and women's assistant (or whatever term they used) under other ADs.

I'm wondering if Heather kept control of the big sport, FB, and Spears had day-to-day over a lot of others such as MBB. Don't know about WBB or the Olympic sports.

BTW, the Pitt story has been out in the media for a few days.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/Pitt/...1703170232

I was on vacation last week and pretty well out of the loop. Doubt I even saw a newspaper the last 5 days.

I hope Spears gets the job, however I also believe they will post the job do an external search and then see what happens. If Spears gets promoted I hope he will groom a future AD in case he leaves. I agree nothing better than promoting from within.

Can we all sit back and reflect on how much more attractive this athletic program is? Lyke did an excellent job, which is why she is leaving. But, come on! Remember when she came in? She is leaving us in the one of the most healthy shapes you could. Now, watch us screw this one up.

Anyways, there's lot to like about coming to EMU now -- which is not a normal feeling for us. Can Crieghton be AD too?

(03-20-2017 10:35 AM)JonesGoddard Wrote:  Can we all sit back and reflect on how much more attractive this athletic program is? Lyke did an excellent job, which is why she is leaving. But, come on! Remember when she came in? She is leaving us in the one of the most healthy shapes you could. Now, watch us screw this one up.

Anyways, there's lot to like about coming to EMU now -- which is not a normal feeling for us. Can Crieghton be AD too?

My opinions:

The days of head coach and AD are long, long gone.

Running am athletic department is like running a small corporation. EMU has an athletic budget of around 30+M.

The legal, budget, compliance, facilities, fund raising, personnel, etc issues in running an athletic department are great. More and more ADs have law degrees, etc. They are no longer simply athletic people.

That said, I believe Spears knows EMU and played a big part of what we are seeing so hiring him would seem to be an excellent move.

Remember, in a lot of corporation, federal departments, etc. the #2 typically runs the day-by-day, not the CEO.

BTW, I draw the parallel to what we saw with Braun and Waters. Braun was the head coach, but Waters did the 'recruiting and relating.' An AD (e.g., at Kent) knew
what Waters did and was a head coach in waiting.

CC is running the football program the WAY it should have been run long ago. Lets him focus on that.

Sorry, that was meant more facetious/playful. My point being we have much more positives than before.

Tony Paul of the Detroit News says this:

"It's confirmed. Heather Lyke is leaving Eastern Michigan to become AD at Pittsburgh. She's been looking to move on for quite some time."

Hmm. Obviously that last sentence is of interest. She's had aspirations for a big time AD job for some time? Or she wanted out for some time?

(03-20-2017 11:49 AM)FrankAnderson Wrote:  Tony Paul of the Detroit News says this:

"It's confirmed. Heather Lyke is leaving Eastern Michigan to become AD at Pittsburgh. She's been looking to move on for quite some time."

Hmm. Obviously that last sentence is of interest. She's had aspirations for a big time AD job for some time? Or she wanted out for some time?

I do not know of any of Heather's goals or aspirations, but I'd assume she had higher desires.

Most in this business have grander designs, e.g., B1G, ACC, etc.

(03-20-2017 11:49 AM)FrankAnderson Wrote:  Tony Paul of the Detroit News says this:

"It's confirmed. Heather Lyke is leaving Eastern Michigan to become AD at Pittsburgh. She's been looking to move on for quite some time."

Hmm. Obviously that last sentence is of interest. She's had aspirations for a big time AD job for some time? Or she wanted out for some time?

Just another cheap slight at EMU. Sure she always had aspirations to move on, but it wasn't because she had any particular problems with EMU, as this guy is seemingly trying to imply.

'Journalism' in Michigan............