Asbury Park Press: EDITORIAL: Rutgers still has a problem: Barchi

[Knight Shift]

http://www.app.com/story/opinion/editorials/2015/11/30/rutgers-flood-hermann-barchi/76581400/

Did NJ.com take over The Asbury Park Press. Their editors have beat this drum before. Edelson is never kind to us. In my opinion, Barchi learned a lesson from the last debacle, and grabbed the bull by the horns. Nice glaring error highlighted below.

From the Editorial:


"But what about Barchi? What price does he pay for the dysfunction that has permeated Rutgers athletics in recent years? He bears significant responsibility as well, but he talks like he’s merely cleaning up the mess left by others."

"But don’t forget Barchi’s role in bungling the Rice affair. He couldn’t be bothered to watch a video of the coach’s abuses, did nothing until public outrage forced his hand, then scapegoated Pernetti and hired Hermann, who committed one public-relations blunder after another until she was effectively muzzled during an extended lame-duck period."

"Now Barchi dumps Flood and Hermann and immediately hires Hermann’s permanent replacement, Patrick Hobbs, dean emeritus of Seton Hall Law School and the ombudsman on Gov. Chris Christie’s presidential campaign staff."

 

[rutgersal]

As long as Christie has Barchis back, nothing will come of it.

 

[Jim_from_RU]

We can't escape it.

 

[RUBigFrank]

always felt the problem starts at the top and Barchi is the root of the problem. Concern is how he handles the hiring of the FB coach.

 

[chase07470]

Whatever negative things I felt about Dr. Barchi evaporated into pure love on Sunday. He changed the process of hiring people this round and find it hard to fathom that a guy with the legal background our new AD has, is going to let anything at all slide over at the AD's office.

He gave us a fresh start. Enough with the negative!

 

[rutgersguy1]

I'm telling you it doesn't matter who our AD is, they are always going to come after us for anything big or small. It's still the honeymoon stage, when the first thing from off the field happens then we need to see how this AD handles it. To me I said the playbook should be to avoid them unless necessary like introductory pressers like yesterday and coaching hires. The rest can be done through RU media platforms. I don't care if it was JH, this guy or the next guy stay away from media unless absolutely necessary.

 

[pmvon]

What a douche!

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

Nice to see the Pernettitards are still alive and well.

Barchi isn't going anywhere, and he didn't scapegoat Pernetti. Management of the coaches was Pernetti's job first and foremost, the fact that Barchi didn't review Pernetti's decision may have been wrong, but it doesn't shift any of the blame.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

The facts are that he learned is lessons and knocked out of the park this weekend.

Sorry, but he is NO LONGER the problem or a problem in any way.

 

[RUChoppin]

Did he knock it out of the park, really? Is Hobbs a home run hire?

Firing Flood was a no brainer - even the barest level of competence yields that. Firing Hermann seems like it was a foregone conclusion given how much she was removed from the loop this last year, too. Hiring Hobbs seems like it was a rushed decision, or a political one. I cannot believe he was the best, most qualified AD option on the market.

 

[MidwestKnights]

http://www.app.com/story/opinion/editorials/2015/11/30/rutgers-flood-hermann-barchi/76581400/

Did NJ.com take over The Asbury Park Press. Their editors have beat this drum before. Edelson is never kind to us. In my opinion, Barchi learned a lesson from the last debacle, and grabbed the bull by the horns. Nice glaring error highlighted below.

From the Editorial:


"But what about Barchi? What price does he pay for the dysfunction that has permeated Rutgers athletics in recent years? He bears significant responsibility as well, but he talks like he’s merely cleaning up the mess left by others."

"But don’t forget Barchi’s role in bungling the Rice affair. He couldn’t be bothered to watch a video of the coach’s abuses, did nothing until public outrage forced his hand, then scapegoated Pernetti and hired Hermann, who committed one public-relations blunder after another until she was effectively muzzled during an extended lame-duck period."

"Now Barchi dumps Flood and Hermann and immediately hires Hermann’s permanent replacement, Patrick Hobbs, dean emeritus of Seton Hall Law School and the ombudsman on Gov. Chris Christie’s presidential campaign staff."

Whatever you think of Barchi and the politics of his decisions, he is cleaning up the mess left by others in the RU AD. A decades long mess.

He strikes me as a guy who wants to surround himself with trusted, experienced people he can delegate too. Pernetti failed that task and Julie could never build consensus among the warring factions at RU. So he moves on.

 

[Knight Shift]

Whatever you think of Barchi and the politics of his decisions, he is cleaning up the mess left by others in the RU AD. A decades long mess.

He strikes me as a guy who wants to surround himself with trusted, experienced people he can delegate too. Pernetti failed that task and Julie could never build consensus among the warring factions at RU. So he moves on.

I love what Barchi did this week. He saw how poorly it turned out last time with a hiring committee. The Editorial is extremely myopic, and seems to overlook Barchi's job is not to run Athletics. Yet, that's what he was effectively doing since August, and he took action to remedy the problems.

 

[LevaosLectures]

Hobbs might turn out to be good...who knows...but it's hardly a slam dunk hire. In fact, it's sort of crazy. A law school dean....

 

[PaKnight]

He strikes me as a guy who wants to surround himself with trusted, experienced people he can delegate too. Pernetti failed that task and Julie could never build consensus among the warring factions at RU. So he moves on.

Bingo

 

[wheezer]

I love what Barchi did this week. He saw how poorly it turned out last time with a hiring committee. The Editorial is extremely myopic, and seems to overlook Barchi's job is not to run Athletics. Yet, that's what he was effectively doing since August, and he took action to remedy the problems.

----
Love the fact we hired an a.d. Quickly and decisively ....... Now we can smoothly move onto hiring the coach.....

The last A.d. Search was a joke, did we not learn from that?...... Let the new a.d. Do his job now

 

[chase07470]

Hobbs might turn out to be good...who knows...but it's hardly a slam dunk hire. In fact, it's sort of crazy. A law school dean....

You have two choices in hiring:

1. You hire an outsider with the experience who comes into NJ, knowing no one and basically has to start a network from the very ground up.

2. You hire someone who has all the contacts to pick up the phone and get people to help him or her and live with the lack of experience. There are no experienced AD's running around NJ.

To me, it's imperative to have those relationships in place. You build on an already robust network which helps enormously in fund raising. His legal background will be enormously beneficial on the compliance front. Does he need a number two from a big school with a lot of experience in running the Olympic programs? Probably.

Raising money and staying out of trouble are one and two on the list for an AD. Go get someone to help with the third part, building strong programs beneath football an basketball. Both have enough resources where they really don't need the AD for much beyond over site.

 

[RUMBA-JK]

Hobbs might turn out to be good...who knows...but it's hardly a slam dunk hire. In fact, it's sort of crazy. A law school dean....

Yes, who knows ... But to say it is sort of crazy & consider him just 'a law school dean' is a bit inadequate... it would be a bit like having been dismissive of Alan Mulally as an 'airplane guy' with no 'automotive knowledge' when he came in from Boeing to run Ford.

Hobbs is coming in to be the AD at the state university

- a state university with an athletic program that realistically needs a wide variety of facility upgrades - some big - some huge .... so, it will be helpful to be well connected in the state political circles, and in state financial circles ( does not hurt having had involvement in the development of the Prudential Center - probably provides valuable experience)

- a state university with an athletic program that need strong growth in the area of "Development / Fund raising " so a guy who has done the following might have a clue as to how to move this area forward - Served as associate dean of finance at Seton Hall Law from 1996 to 1999, Former co-chair of the American Bar Association Development Committee. He knows finance, financial management & Fund raising.


But who knows - he could be a total screw up that stumble & creates controversy all over the place and is clueless as to which key influential players he need to get on board to achieve success - but somehow I doubt it.

 

[BROTHERSKINNY]

You have two choices in hiring:

1. You hire an outsider with the experience who comes into NJ, knowing no one and basically has to start a network from the very ground up.

2. You hire someone who has all the contacts to pick up the phone and get people to help him or her and live with the lack of experience. There are no experienced AD's running around NJ.

To me, it's imperative to have those relationships in place. You build on an already robust network which helps enormously in fund raising. His legal background will be enormously beneficial on the compliance front. Does he need a number two from a big school with a lot of experience in running the Olympic programs? Probably.

Raising money and staying out of trouble are one and two on the list for an AD. Go get someone to help with the third part, building strong programs beneath football an basketball. Both have enough resources where they really don't need the AD for much beyond over site.

NJ is a cesspool of insider dealing and corruption. Barchi found out that having an insider as an AD is going to make the difference for Rutgers. Hobbs is a democrat who is well liked by republicans. As Seton Hall Dean he has rubbed shoulders with most of the power players in Trenton. Because Rutgers fortunes are so closely aligned with Trenton it is imperative that RU's AD have the contacts to make shit happen! I think where most of us are concerned with Hobbs is in his prowess hiring a D1 coach for the revenue sports. Also his fundraising and ability to connect with the alumni Bonafides are open to question but we will see. lastly, his ability to negotiate contracts for merch and coaches remains to be seen. With all that said, He is much better than Julie on paper now we get to see him in action over the next few years. Barchi is getting ready to retire and Hobbs if he does well in his AD role could be in the running to be president of the whole university.

 

[suggakane]

NJ is a cesspool of insider dealing and corruption. Barchi found out that having an insider as an AD is going to make the difference for Rutgers. Hobbs is a democrat who is well liked by republicans. As Seton Hall Dean he has rubbed shoulders with most of the power players in Trenton. Because Rutgers fortunes are so closely aligned with Trenton it is imperative that RU's AD have the contacts to make shit happen! I think where most of us are concerned with Hobbs is in his prowess hiring a D1 coach for the revenue sports. Also his fundraising and ability to connect with the alumni Bonafides are open to question but we will see. lastly, his ability to negotiate contracts for merch and coaches remains to be seen. With all that said, He is much better than Julie on paper now we get to see him in action over the next few years. Barchi is getting ready to retire and Hobbs if he does well in his AD role could be in the running to be president of the whole university.

it's been noted in another article that maybe he will rely on Greg Brown's advice on football matters

 

[RU31trap]

No matter how hard you try to paint or spin a positive light regarding the Hobbs hire it will be viewed as political patronage at the highest level. Yes he's a democrat but right now the Democratic Party is divided which is why Christie won a second term. Yes, Christie has Barchi's back for now but in 24 months everything will change in Trenton and Rutgers. View that article as a shot across the bow. Right now democrats are like Vulchers perched on a branch waiting for an animal to die.

 

[bac2therac]

Barchi is part of the problem. I chuckle at people groveling at his feet and apologizing to him all of a sudden. He is still a guy who will ultimately lay the blame on others and not himself. He cant be bothered with athletics so that's why he made this move and allowed the money to be spent.

He is not the only problem. RU is ripe with bureaucracy and fiefdoms..they are not going away once Barchi leaves and they aren't going away because of Hobbs either. Things are going to stay the same until we get major turnover on the BOG and get a President here who can work the NJ polticians not live in fear of them

 

[SanFranRutgers]

Rutgers still has problem: is located in New Jersey, staffed almost entirely by New Jerseyans.

 

[c_husk]

http://www.app.com/story/opinion/editorials/2015/11/30/rutgers-flood-hermann-barchi/76581400/

Did NJ.com take over The Asbury Park Press. Their editors have beat this drum before. Edelson is never kind to us. In my opinion, Barchi learned a lesson from the last debacle, and grabbed the bull by the horns. Nice glaring error highlighted below.

From the Editorial:


"But what about Barchi? What price does he pay for the dysfunction that has permeated Rutgers athletics in recent years? He bears significant responsibility as well, but he talks like he’s merely cleaning up the mess left by others."

"But don’t forget Barchi’s role in bungling the Rice affair. He couldn’t be bothered to watch a video of the coach’s abuses, did nothing until public outrage forced his hand, then scapegoated Pernetti and hired Hermann, who committed one public-relations blunder after another until she was effectively muzzled during an extended lame-duck period."

"Now Barchi dumps Flood and Hermann and immediately hires Hermann’s permanent replacement, Patrick Hobbs, dean emeritus of Seton Hall Law School and the ombudsman on Gov. Chris Christie’s presidential campaign staff."

Barchi is President. He pays his Director of Athletics a half million a year to oversee Athletic Department. If Director of Athletics is not up to job and something goes awry, the Director of Athletics is going to pay with his/her job. It is no different than any business. CEOs/Presidents are not going to pay with their job if their is an issue in one area and the rest of the business/University is operationally in a good place. The President/CEO cleans it up by bringing in a new guy in the area that needs to be cleaned up. Barchi probably 10 or more direct reports he pays a lot of money to that run a certain aspects of the University. He can give guidelines and make budgets for each Department but he needs the Directors of the Department to run the department efficiently. If sh** happens the Directors pay with job. No different than business world. You are only seeing Athletic Department because it is more public than the rest of the University.

 

[c_husk]

Now matter how hard you try to paint or spin a positive light regarding the Hobbs hire it will be viewed as political patronage at the highest level. Yes he's a democrat but right now the Democratic Party is divided which is why Christie won a second term. Yes, Christie has Barchi's back for now but in 24 months everything will change in Trenton and Rutgers. View that article as a shot across the bow. Right now democrats are like Vulchers perched on a branch waiting for an animal to die.

I heard Chris Christie was going to shut down Route 287 and Exit 18 on turnpike during home football games if Hobbs wasn't hired. [winking]

 

[RUInsanity]

Barchi's job is to run the University, not the Athletic Department. That's why he has an AD.

 

[Captain Hogleg]

Did he knock it out of the park, really? Is Hobbs a home run hire?

Firing Flood was a no brainer - even the barest level of competence yields that. Firing Hermann seems like it was a foregone conclusion given how much she was removed from the loop this last year, too. Hiring Hobbs seems like it was a rushed decision, or a political one. I cannot believe he was the best, most qualified AD option on the market.

The problem with what you ask is that hiring anyone from coach to AD is always going to be subjective in the initial stages, there is no obvious answer. You are of the opinion that it was rushed, others like myself think Barchi did exactly what we want from our leader. I happen to feel he made a very logical hire, you want someone else.

Barchi made an authoritative decision without all of the noise that comes from opening it up to the litany of opinions by committee. Maybe you recall what a circus Rutgers looked like last time, because we had 28 people with differing opinions. This time around he was determined not to be played or made to look like a fool by opening up a protracted search in which the media becomes involved etc... Barchi, took responsibility and acted with authority this time, keeping out all of the varying factions and said "This is our guy and we're moving forward". I respect and want that type of decision making from the top.

 

[Captain Hogleg]

Barchi is part of the problem. I chuckle at people groveling at his feet and apologizing to him all of a sudden. He is still a guy who will ultimately lay the blame on others and not himself. He cant be bothered with athletics so that's why he made this move and allowed the money to be spent.

He is not the only problem. RU is ripe with bureaucracy and fiefdoms..they are not going away once Barchi leaves and they aren't going away because of Hobbs either. Things are going to stay the same until we get major turnover on the BOG and get a President here who can work the NJ polticians not live in fear of them

I don't understand why the issue with Barchi at this point. He made an authoritative decision, which Rutgers is woefully lacking in otherwise. I applaud this wholeheartedly. Personally, I also love the choice of Hobbs who closes a number of loopholes that were open with either Tim or Julie. I disagree completely when you say he can't be bothered with athletics. The man just brought the hammer down on those he deemed incompetent and made a hire of someone he feels will move this program in the right direction. I think he seems very interested in not being an embarrassment in sports anymore. Hopefully amateur hour is finally over at Rutgers.

 

[BROTHERSKINNY]

The problem with what you ask is that hiring anyone from coach to AD is always going to be subjective in the initial stages, there is no obvious answer. You are of the opinion that it was rushed, others like myself think Barchi did exactly what we want from our leader. I happen to feel he made a very logical hire, you want someone else.

Barchi made an authoritative decision without all of the noise that comes from opening it up to the litany of opinions by committee. Maybe you recall what a circus Rutgers looked like last time, because we had 28 people with differing opinions. This time around he was determined not to be played or made to look like a fool by opening up a protracted search in which the media becomes involved etc... Barchi, took responsibility and acted with authority this time, keeping out all of the varying factions and said "This is our guy and we're moving forward". I respect and want that type of decision making from the top.

Best post in this thread!

 

[Upstream]

RU is ripe with bureaucracy and fiefdoms..they are not going away

Actually, I see this move as a sign that Barchi is tearing down the bureaucracy and fiefdoms at Rutgers.

For the last AD search, he formed a search committee comprised of all the "stakeholders", and took weeks to find an AD. He was told that this was the way Rutgers had to do this (it was the same process which selected Pernetti previously). Having been on the job only 6 months, he was too new to buck long-established procedures. This time around, he knows which procedures are necessary, and which are there to protect fiefdoms.

I don't necessarily agree with getting rid of Hermann. But I understand that the off-the-field issues with the football program happened on her watch, and sometimes it is necessary to clean house to set the tone for wholesale changes. That doesn't mean Hermann did anything wrong (just like Mulcahy didn't do anything wrong when he was replaced and new fiscal control changes were implemented).

 

[RU76]

RU31trap said: ↑
Now matter how hard you try to paint or spin a positive light regarding the Hobbs hire it will be viewed as political patronage at the highest level. Yes he's a democrat but right now the Democratic Party is divided which is why Christie won a second term. Yes, Christie has Barchi's back for now but in 24 months everything will change in Trenton and Rutgers. View that article as a shot across the bow. Right now democrats are like Vulchers perched on a branch waiting for an animal to die.

I heard Chris Christie was going to shut down Route 287 and Exit 18 on turnpike during home football games if Hobbs wasn't hired. [winking]

]
First, trap what do you mean by "right now?" It is a constant that they are vultures on a branch.

Second, Christie is not going to close down highways. Been there, done that. Rather, the airport will be closed whenever some high school athlete schedules a visit with Urban or Harbaugh and plans to fly out of Ne

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

The media that carries the water for various political factions in this state will always attack and scapegoat Rutgers as long as it retains some degree of self-governance that limits the ability of said politicians to milk its teat.

 

[ru66]

every hire is a political hire of some sort--julies was for reasons that were utterly useless for RU-Hobbes makes tremendous sense and I think we need a crisis/ethics manager around here that is respected ---since what's been left behind needs major help

 

[JPhoboken]

Barchi's job is to run the University, not the Athletic Department. That's why he has an AD.

Correct the AD runs the athletic department. However, the athletic department is part of the university, so don't be so quick to dismiss his role.

He doesn't coach and he doesn't manage the athletic resources, but the President has a very important role. The Big 10 has a charter that says Member Universities will strive for excellence in both academics and Athletics.

This is where the President comes in.

1. Leadership - He needs to Lead. That is his job. He needs to send a message that Rutgers is committed will compete in the BIG 10. We accepted membership, and therefore we will do everything in our power to Compete. We are not just going to sit back and accept BIG payments. He needs to show passion and about academics and athletics, not just academics.

2. Rally donors and help with Corporate sponsors. The president needs to send a message that Rutgers wants partners to help compete. We all know we are behind the 8 ball with money. We don't get enough donations(at present) or state money. That doesn't mean he can't send a message to big donors that he wants a Partnership with them, and that Rutgers will work with them. Saying Rutgers will not spend a dime on infrastructure is not the way to show donors he is committed and wants to work with them.

Barchi showed some leadership with the house cleaning. I think the fresh approach was warranted, and as much as I have been a critic of his, he showed me something here. Now, he needs to follow this up with continued leadership and passion about athletics. Now I understand he works behind the scenes, but If he goes back in his office with nothing to say publicly for months at a time, then this will not help Rutgers moving forward.