Martin tells A&M coaches he's leaving


ALJSUII said:
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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I hope that people will starting attending Meeting that I go to where the truth has to be told. If you steal goverment money you are going to be punished, but the fact is that when auditors report mismangement and they discover the truth they do not correct themselves.
 
:smash: I was not going to say anything on this subject because it is already an emotional period. I think everyone needs to step back and look at the results of the changes. AAMU needs someone with a sense of corporate structure. AAMU needs more financial controls and accountability, a stronger customer service culture, more professionalism from its employees and the strengtening of its core academic programs along with a stronger alliance with corporations both in the immediate area and abroad. This is not just AAMU but most other HBCUs. While I will give Martin credit for doing a lot of things there are a lot of things he did not do. Everytime I drive by the stadium I look at the "Gravel" parking lot is a good example. There were monies in the budget for asphalt but the board was swaded otherwise. While he may not had control over expenditures some sort of fundraiser would have been in order. There are other things Gipson and Company have not had to account for but things are going to change. I just say give the new president some breathing room and let him put some things in place.
 



The comments I make are those that we as the Athletic Community Resource Group were involved in as supporters. Nothing I say is hearsay, the things that I talk about are things that I was present when they were discussed. When the ACRG was formed; it was formed to support AAMU Athletics. It is not a group to fire coaches, or defend any actions. Everyone fully understand what it takes to run any type of program, but where the rubber meets the road individuals start making excuses. I don't know how much folks are familiar with the fact that in most cases when you try to get something done, there are folks who demand that certain things get bidded on. Whereas you may find someone who will charge $20,000 for a project, and would like a write off for the other $50,000, but you have folks demanding that the project be bidded and now with bids you are up to $300,000. I want people to really understand what I am saying. It won't matter who takes over the Athletics Department, they are going to need more support than we gave them. Any issues that are currently present now will be there when the new person arrive. I would like to see more people supporting the Bulldog Club, the Hall of Fame and ACRG if we are going to move ahead. We have more folks worried about what they get for $50.00 when they join the ACRG than purchasing things that coaches request. Last year we raised over $25,000 for football recruiting and this year around $12,000. When I look at it from where I sit, we have people who cut the money off maybe because the President got fired. My concern is that we need people to provide financial support rather than keep expressing opinions that will not help pay the bills. On the other hand, we don't need to run people off in a manner that we lose their support. I know for a fact that a lot of people would like to see the ACRG go away, but as supporters we are going to continue to support and hope somebody will join us in keeping this program alive.

Smiley said:
:smash: I was not going to say anything on this subject because it is already an emotional period. I think everyone needs to step back and look at the results of the changes. AAMU needs someone with a sense of corporate structure. AAMU needs more financial controls and accountability, a stronger customer service culture, more professionalism from its employees and the strengtening of its core academic programs along with a stronger alliance with corporations both in the immediate area and abroad. This is not just AAMU but most other HBCUs. While I will give Martin credit for doing a lot of things there are a lot of things he did not do. Everytime I drive by the stadium I look at the "Gravel" parking lot is a good example. There were monies in the budget for asphalt but the board was swaded otherwise. While he may not had control over expenditures some sort of fundraiser would have been in order. There are other things Gipson and Company have not had to account for but things are going to change. I just say give the new president some breathing room and let him put some things in place.
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MightyDog said:
The comments I make are those that we as the Athletic Community Resource Group were involved in as supporters. Nothing I say is hearsay, the things that I talk about are things that I was present when they were discussed. When the ACRG was formed; it was formed to support AAMU Athletics. It is not a group to fire coaches, or defend any actions. Everyone fully understand what it takes to run any type of program, but where the rubber meets the road individuals start making excuses. I don't know how much folks are familiar with the fact that in most cases when you try to get something done, there are folks who demand that certain things get bidded on. Whereas you may find someone who will charge $20,000 for a project, and would like a write off for the other $50,000, but you have folks demanding that the project be bidded and now with bids you are up to $300,000. I want people to really understand what I am saying. It won't matter who takes over the Athletics Department, they are going to need more support than we gave them. Any issues that are currently present now will be there when the new person arrive. I would like to see more people supporting the Bulldog Club, the Hall of Fame and ACRG if we are going to move ahead. We have more folks worried about what they get for $50.00 when they join the ACRG than purchasing things that coaches request. Last year we raised over $25,000 for football recruiting and this year around $12,000. When I look at it from where I sit, we have people who cut the money off maybe because the President got fired. My concern is that we need people to provide financial support rather than keep expressing opinions that will not help pay the bills. On the other hand, we don't need to run people off in a manner that we lose their support. I know for a fact that a lot of people would like to see the ACRG go away, but as supporters we are going to continue to support and hope somebody will join us in keeping this program alive.
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TRUTH
 
Attack Dog said:
I know you didn't mean this.
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I meant exactly what I said. As MightyDog stated, there were some serious things swirling around the women's track program and Martin, as the AD, made moves that he felt was necessary. That his job. As much as I didn't want to happen because Coach Parham and I were good friends, Martin did what he felt that he needed to do with that situation too.

I used these as examples to say that Martin, Jennings, and anyone else in a head position must do things that may not be widely approved of.
 
wbishop3 said:
I meant exactly what I said. As MightyDog stated, there were some serious things swirling around the women's track program and Martin, as the AD, made moves that he felt was necessary. That his job. As much as I didn't want to happen because Coach Parham and I were good friends, Martin did what he felt that he needed to do with that situation too.

I used these as examples to say that Martin, Jennings, and anyone else in a head position must do things that may not be widely approved of.
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Parham's was widely approved of.
 
Just a comment on Parham termination. Yes, it was time for a major change for the Women's Basketball program. I am just of the opinion that it could have been handled differently. I, too was friends with Coach Parham and his family. I see Mrs. Parham at some of the games. She had to change her seat location but she is there for the "Bulldogs".
 
wbishop3 said:
I meant exactly what I said. As MightyDog stated, there were some serious things swirling around the women's track program and Martin, as the AD, made moves that he felt was necessary. That his job.
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Those issues with the track program actually surfaced BEFORE Martin became the AD.

The sanctions against track and field occured in 1995. The initial actions taken in that regard were by then AD Jerome Fitch. I sat in on the press conference in the president's office when that hit the fan.
 
Attack Dog said:
Parham's was widely approved of.
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I didn't say that it wasn't, what I simply stated was of a personal note. Press was a dear friend, but I understand that this is a business and you have to make business decisions.
 
ALJSUII said:
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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ALJSUII, do you have evidence of this statement? I'm not saying they didn't steal money from the school because I don't know. I know there was some mis-management of ROTC funds and then there's the pack of pork chops. Man, let me get out of this, we're trying to restore order on Lynch Street.
 
mighty hornet said:
It wasn't a knock at all against Roberson, just speaking from another angle about working in the SWAC office. :idea:
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I hear ya.

But in his position, he could at least see what not to do! :swink:
 
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