Martin tells A&M coaches he's leaving


Wednesday, February 15, 2006
By REGGIE BENSON
Times Sports Staff [email protected]
AD, coaches decline comment on his possible departure

Alabama A&M officials refused to discuss the expected departure of athletic director Jim Martin on Tuesday. The Times reported in Tuesday's edition that Martin was being forced out of his position by new school president Robert Jennings.

Jennings, sources say, informed Martin late last week of his decision and he informed a number of his head coaches Monday morning that he would be leaving the university as early as April.

http://www.al.com/aam/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/sports/1139998816207480.xml&coll=1
 



J-State said:
MD, I thought you guys were moving in the right direction. There are those on the hill who have problems with everything and everybody. If it's the Prez behind this, he will make enemies really fast. His tenture will become a living hell. I remember the stuff they did to Gibson and his family. Prayers go out for him and his family.



'sho you're R-I-G-H-T!!! Just pure hatred, jelousy, dislike and disdain for ATHLETICS and The ATHLETIC Dept. :shame:
 
the one thing that I don't agree with J-State's comment is this. The job of the Prez is to try and put the university in a positive direction, not everyone is going to agree with some of those moves but sometimes they need to be done.

One of the largest problems that has plagued the hill is lack of new fresh ideas. I am not just talking in athletics, I am talking as a whole. I have heard of several people being asked to resign that I respected, but these things must happen.

Just like if a coach stays at .500 for too long, he will be replaced. The same goes for everyone else too.
 
Bishop, I don't disagree with your statement, but the same people will soon turn on him just as soon as he fails to do what they want. I understand change is good and it may very well be a good move.
 
you are always going to have those do not agree with you, but if you work speaks for its self then there is no denying it.
 
J-State said:
MD, I thought you guys were moving in the right direction. There are those on the hill who have problems with everything and everybody. If it's the Prez behind this, he will make enemies really fast. His tenture will become a living hell. I remember the stuff they did to Gibson and his family. Prayers go out for him and his family.

We had accomplished a great deal, but many of those who did not embrace the program have fought Jim for 10 years. Some of the changes that I have heard about will kill our program. I hope the folks who has worked against Jim help the new AD, because the changes I am hearing about will not work and they need to be around to support the new AD. My favorite saying is that nobody really need anybody, This President has stated that he is the man.
 
I thought Jim Martin was doing a good job. We would love to have him in Montgomery.
 
Hey MD is woulds Jay Stevens former asst commish of the SWAC, now Associate AD at Samford and an A&M Alum get alumni support.
 
MightyDog said:
We had accomplished a great deal, but many of those who did not embrace the program have fought Jim for 10 years. Some of the changes that I have heard about will kill our program. I hope the folks who has worked against Jim help the new AD, because the changes I am hearing about will not work and they need to be around to support the new AD. My favorite saying is that nobody really need anybody, This President has stated that he is the man.


He might be the man for now, but the same people who brought him in will take him out. The life span of a president at AAMU is short. This is not smack, but you step into the door on death row.

If the Martin is gone, you can bet some of the coaches will be next. If this happens, every athletic defeat will be blamed on the president and the A.D. If the new president is smart, he must bring in a plan that is failure proof. If not AAMU will have new president in 2-3 years.

With the possibility of Bama State and Jackson State rebuilding for the future combined with the possibility of AAMU declining, this is not good for the SWAC. I support the SWAC; therefore, this could be a sad day in SWAC athletics.
 
It always happen when a new administration come aboard. Usually the administration want their own people which is understandable. You dont want same people that was in on the last regime. I suspect there will be a lot of other people that will leave or get transfer to other departments.
 
bigtyme2 said:
Hey MD is woulds Jay Stevens former asst commish of the SWAC, now Associate AD at Samford and an A&M Alum get alumni support.

You mean Jay Roberson?


Let's look at this:

:idea:

Alumnus...
Former Athlete (Quarterback)...
YOUNG (Fresh Ideas)...
Connected (Worked in SWAC Office)...



:nod::tup: :swink:
 
MightyDog said:
We had accomplished a great deal, but many of those who did not embrace the program have fought Jim for 10 years. Some of the changes that I have heard about will kill our program. I hope the folks who has worked against Jim help the new AD, because the changes I am hearing about will not work and they need to be around to support the new AD. My favorite saying is that nobody really need anybody, This President has stated that he is the man.
Dang MD, I hate to hear this. I was really looking forward to some challenges that A&M would have provided, but I guess that the (Great SWAC Takeover) will have to wait now. Good luck man on the hill.
 



Ntelekt said:
You mean Jay Roberson?


Let's look at this:

:idea:

Alumnus...
Former Athlete (Quarterback)...
YOUNG (Fresh Ideas)...
Connected (Worked in SWAC Office)...



:nod::tup: :swink:
Jay would be the idea guy to fill the AD position.
 
1979 said:
If the new president is smart, he must bring in a plan that is failure proof. If not AAMU will have new president in 2-3 years.

Yes the smart thing to do is present the plan and see if the AD can live with it and if he cannot then I believe he will leave on his own. But if you want to bring in one of your own, as in other positions then the President should say I want my own man. I don't know why we cannot have a transition period. But it appears that the style of managment is to start over.
 
Jesus Christ, you all act as if Prez Jennings just ran the whole university into the ground because he made some changes. I am more than sure that he did not just come in and look at Martin and saying you have to go. I would like to believe that he made what he considers to be an informed decision.

Look at it like this, when a new coach is hired he has to evaluate the current staff and make changes to have a staff that is compatible to what he wants to do. The same thing goes for Jennings and A&M.

This is the nature of the business. I don't recall anyone having too many words when Martin let Pettiford go. At the time Pettiford had 3 straight winning seasons, but it was a decision that he felt was neccessary to not renew Pettiford's contract. Same thing goes when he let Joe Henderson (national champion women's track coach) and Parham go.

So I say cry me a river and suck it up and move on. It is not the end of the Hill and I don't think that A&M athletics are going to just bottom out because of this.
 
Parham (RIP) NEEDED to be let go... we had a different girls basketball team EVERY year, players didnt like each other, players didnt like coach.. that was the best FIRE Martin did at AAMU......Track program hasnt been the same since Henderson was let go...
 
Ntelekt said:
You mean Jay Roberson?


Let's look at this:

:idea:

Alumnus...
Former Athlete (Quarterback)...
YOUNG (Fresh Ideas)...
Connected (Worked in SWAC Office)...
Not sure if working in the SWAC Office is a good indicator.
:(
 
mighty hornet said:
Not sure if working in the SWAC Office is a good indicator.
:(
Roberson is qualified...


205170.jpeg


Roberson comes to Samford after serving as an assistant commissioner for the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) since 2002. While with the SWAC, Roberson served as the director for the conference's football championship game and basketball tournament.

Roberson managed and developed sponsorship packages, marketing and advertising campaigns for the SWAC. He also served as the liaison for all television partnerships with the SWAC, and he served as the host of the SWAC Magazine Show.

Prior to working at the SWAC, Roberson was the event director for the Bruno Event Team/Alabama Sports Foundation from 1999-2002. He served as the event coordinator for several championships and other events for the Bruno Event Team. He also managed and developed sponsorship packages, marketing and advertising campaigns, operations and logistics for those events.

From 1997-99, Roberson was the director of media for Ramsay/Classic Sports Marketing. In his role with Ramsay, he served as the producer/talent for the college football magazine show "It's Showtime!" on Fox Sports South. He was also the host/color analyst for the Ramsay Game Day College Football Broadcast on Fox Sports South and the Sunshine Network.

Roberson also served as a teacher and coach at his alma mater, Homewood High School from 1996-98. From 1995-96, he was an intern with Alabama Power, assisting in various areas of corporate communications.
 
wbishop3 said:
Jesus Christ, you all act as if Prez Jennings just ran the whole university into the ground because he made some changes. I am more than sure that he did not just come in and look at Martin and saying you have to go. I would like to believe that he made what he considers to be an informed decision.

Look at it like this, when a new coach is hired he has to evaluate the current staff and make changes to have a staff that is compatible to what he wants to do. The same thing goes for Jennings and A&M.

This is the nature of the business. I don't recall anyone having too many words when Martin let Pettiford go. At the time Pettiford had 3 straight winning seasons, but it was a decision that he felt was neccessary to not renew Pettiford's contract. Same thing goes when he let Joe Henderson (national champion women's track coach) and Parham go. So I say cry me a river and suck it up and move on. It is not the end of the Hill and I don't think that A&M athletics are going to just bottom out because of this
.


My response is that the President can hire anyone he feels comfortble with and he has the right to do this. All he has to say is that I want my own man. There is no need to say that Jim has not accomplished anything since he has been the AD or I don't like his management style. Jim didn't fire Joe Henderson. If you recall AAMU was cited for lack of Insitutional control prior to Jim coming to AAMU. Jim had to establish Institutional Control and this was taken care of, but pissed off a lot of people. If you recall Pettiford did not want to move to Div 1AA. Under Title IX, is it not true that AAMU was mandated to hire female coaches, but how soon we forget what the real issues are. Now if the President don't want our support, that is fine with me. When Jim came to AAMU he asked for support and we gave him support. It is evident to me that this President don't need anyone support and I can live with any decision that he makes. All I have to do is start wearing my suits everyday and act like a big shot the same as others.
 
1979 said:
He might be the man for now, but the same people who brought him in will take him out. The life span of a president at AAMU is short. This is not smack, but you step into the door on death row.

If the Martin is gone, you can bet some of the coaches will be next. If this happens, every athletic defeat will be blamed on the president and the A.D. If the new president is smart, he must bring in a plan that is failure proof. If not AAMU will have new president in 2-3 years.

With the possibility of Bama State and Jackson State rebuilding for the future combined with the possibility of AAMU declining, this is not good for the SWAC. I support the SWAC; therefore, this could be a sad day in SWAC athletics.

I don't think this is a sad day in the SWAC...Things changes everyday. Martin hasn 't done any more than any other AD at A&M other than the switch to the SWAC. His days were numbered and I personally think this is a good move. Too much money is unaccounted for at A&M and their alumni like turning their heads too much as long as they can get a litttle hook-up from it...this is prevalent at the majority of our HBCU's. We need to learn how to handle our business better. I think the new president is doing what should have been done years ago. J-State, Gibson and his family weren't mistreated...they stole more money than should have been allowed by any institution in america or any where else.
 
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