If I look at the state of our athletics program....only the women's programs have any sustained success since Ray left the baseball program and took over the AD job. Help me understand.
Serious question: What is the reasoning for believing in Ray Tanner as an AD?
- Thread starter Coq_de_Combat
- Start date
Dude please give it a rest!!! This ridiculous premise gets kicked more than the proverbial dead horse!
Since Ray became AD in 2012, the football team had consecutive 11-win seasons, culminating with their highest final ranking in program history in 2013 at #4, the men's basketball team made the Final Four for the first and only time in program history, and the women's basketball team won a national title and 4 consecutive SEC championships. When you add the glory years the baseball team also experienced under his leadership, the Ray Tanner era has been the single best era in Gamecock sports history for each of the major revenue sports.
Also, in the "Director's Cup" standings, 2017 and 2018 were the two best years that South Carolina has ever had at #21 and #26 respectively. In the 10 previous years, the program's average finish was #40.
Meanwhile, the Athletic Department has posted record revenues, impressive academic progress and graduation rates, and has experienced substantial facility upgrades.
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USCBatgirl21
Well-Known Member
But the men can't beat Clemsux so NONE of this matters!
Or so we are supposed to believe and cry about day in and day out.
Because he's our AD, for starters.
Because he's won two national championships for this school -- the first in any team sport in the school's history. Plus all that stuff the coyote said. Plus, quite frankly, I like Ray and think he's a good leader who cares about the school, the coaches and the athletes.
Why the hell do so many people feel compelled to view everything as if it's not good enough?
Because he's won two national championships for this school -- the first in any team sport in the school's history. Plus all that stuff the coyote said. Plus, quite frankly, I like Ray and think he's a good leader who cares about the school, the coaches and the athletes.
Why the hell do so many people feel compelled to view everything as if it's not good enough?
I assume your post is at least partially sarcastic but I'll reply anyway.But the men can't beat Clemsux so NONE of this matters!
USC's historical struggles are largely self-inflicted by leaving the ACC way back in 1971. That decision subjected the program to 21 years of independent purgatory in football (or Metro conference affiliation in other sports), followed by 27 years of brutal SEC scheduling. If you want to know why USC's program hasn't advanced to the level of Clemson today, there's your explanation.
Imagine for example Spurrier or Holtz's best teams playing an ACC schedule. Imagine if Joe Morrison or Jim Carlen could have claimed ACC titles in their best years. Imagine if we actually had a conference TV package, revenue sharing, and bowl tie-ins all those years were were independent. Imagine if South Carolina could have continued to recruit basketball players with the promise of facing Duke, UNC, UVA, Syracuse, etc.
Meanwhile, Ray can only play with the hand he's dealt and he's done a pretty respectable job so far.
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USCBatgirl21
Well-Known Member
With his contract he is not going anywhere, doesn't matter who thinks what.
April 21, 2017 at 6:27 PM EST - Updated August 12 at 9:55 AM
COLUMBIA, SC (The Big Spur) - South Carolina athletics director Ray Tanner's contract was extended on Friday with approval in Executive Committee from the university's Board of Trustees.
Already on contract through June 30, 2019, Tanner's contract was extended three years and now runs through June 30, 2022. His base salary was increased when his contract was extended in 2014, making $725,000 per year.
His new salary is an increase of $175,000, and will he will now earn $900,000 in annual salary. Starting in 2019 his salary will increase by another $100,000, making his annual salary $1 million through 2022.
This extension is pending full approval by the BOT, meeting in full later on Friday afternoon.
April 21, 2017 at 6:27 PM EST - Updated August 12 at 9:55 AM
COLUMBIA, SC (The Big Spur) - South Carolina athletics director Ray Tanner's contract was extended on Friday with approval in Executive Committee from the university's Board of Trustees.
Already on contract through June 30, 2019, Tanner's contract was extended three years and now runs through June 30, 2022. His base salary was increased when his contract was extended in 2014, making $725,000 per year.
His new salary is an increase of $175,000, and will he will now earn $900,000 in annual salary. Starting in 2019 his salary will increase by another $100,000, making his annual salary $1 million through 2022.
This extension is pending full approval by the BOT, meeting in full later on Friday afternoon.
I give Ray credit for (finally) getting the football operations building completed. These record revenues, however, have far more to do with changes implemented by Eric Hyman and the conference's deal with ESPN than anything Tanner has done.
Yes, the director's cup finishes have been strong, but I really don't pay any attention to that.
It's simple: beat Clemson and win some SEC championships in football, baseball, and basketball or few people will view the Tanner era as successful.
Yes, the director's cup finishes have been strong, but I really don't pay any attention to that.
It's simple: beat Clemson and win some SEC championships in football, baseball, and basketball or few people will view the Tanner era as successful.
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We have to believe in tanner and unicorns now that we realize we cannot accomplish in the next 100 years what Clemson has in the last 5
Not true. Carolina had higher finishes in the Director's Cup under Mcgee
Because we like being mediocre, losing to the Citadel etc.
I don't believe that is correct. Look for yourself...
https://nacda.com/sports/2018/7/17/directorscup-nacda-directorscup-previous-scoring-html.aspx
Some of the links are broken for the early 2000's, but McGee was AD from 1993-2005 and the only time USC ranked in the 20's during that span was 1997 at #27. All of the other years, USC ranked in the 30s or 40s. So, I believe 2017 and 2018 (#20 and #26 respectively) were indeed the two highest Directors Cup rankings the program has ever achieved.
I have never questioned his AD chops before, and I'm not necessarily doing so at this moment; more playing devil's advocate:
At, let's say, the high school level, I think an AD's job is pretty much to be in charge of all athletic teams - boys' and girls' - and make sure they're successful. Seems like a pretty simple, straight-forward responsibility.
Now, at the collegiate level, just what does an AD do? Certainly there is a broader scope to what an AD does. Money-raising, facilities management, etc, etc - those two 'etc's cover all the stuff an AD does that I have no clue about
. I say that to say, can an AD not be considered successful if teams are having moderate success and all of those other AD duties are accomplished with at least moderate to great success? And, at this level, with all of the other duties therein, how much direct influence does an AD have over the end result - success or failure - of individual sports teams?
Before someone flames me for this, I'm not advocating for or making excuses either way; just rambling and trying to throw some thoughts out for discussion.
At, let's say, the high school level, I think an AD's job is pretty much to be in charge of all athletic teams - boys' and girls' - and make sure they're successful. Seems like a pretty simple, straight-forward responsibility.
Now, at the collegiate level, just what does an AD do? Certainly there is a broader scope to what an AD does. Money-raising, facilities management, etc, etc - those two 'etc's cover all the stuff an AD does that I have no clue about
. I say that to say, can an AD not be considered successful if teams are having moderate success and all of those other AD duties are accomplished with at least moderate to great success? And, at this level, with all of the other duties therein, how much direct influence does an AD have over the end result - success or failure - of individual sports teams?Before someone flames me for this, I'm not advocating for or making excuses either way; just rambling and trying to throw some thoughts out for discussion.
But the men can't beat Clemsux so NONE of this matters!
Or so we are supposed to believe and cry about day in and day out.
I'm know you're being sarcastic, but I really do believe this. If we are not competing for conference/national championships (which we're not close to doing in any major sport), then that's the only thing that matters.
We've never won a national championship in football or basketball. We've only won 3 conference championships in those sports. Our rival owns us in football.
I'm not disagreeing that Ray is a good leader who cares about the school. I'm not even saying he's not the man for the job. I'm just saying, it's easy to see why people think what we have in athletics isn't good enogh.
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These are all good points and I agree there has been some success. But it's hard to get past how brutal these past 5 years have been in every major sport- and how swift and thorough of a decline we've seen in baseball and football. Throw in the fact that our rival has ascended to the pinnacle of athletic success and is only showing signs of getting better, and it's easy to see why people are upset.
USCBatgirl21
Well-Known Member
It was that way LONG before CRT took over. No one would be able to turn that completely around in such a short amount of time.
Some of you just want one thing to blame. It's the definition of a simpleton. Why don't you look at the overall direction of department? You give him way too much credit for specific wins and losses.
I have no idea what you suggest. "Demanding excellence" is not a plan. You guys should really get that on a bumper sticker. I'm sure the people who want to fire someone every week have really high-stakes jobs.
I have no idea what you suggest. "Demanding excellence" is not a plan. You guys should really get that on a bumper sticker. I'm sure the people who want to fire someone every week have really high-stakes jobs.
He could've canned a HOF football coach one season earlier and could've hired someone other than the best assistant baseball coach in the country. Hindsight sure is 20/20.
Never once mentioned Ray Tanner or his role in any of it. Said it's easy to see why people are upset, Simpleton.
And I'm an importer/exporter of the highest quality latex in the country. How's that for high stakes?
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With respect to the bolded part, my guess (and hope) would be very little. Other than hiring the coaches and meeting with them annually to review the prior season and set goals for the subsequent season and determining what they need as far as facilities, etc. to accomplish those goals, I doubt he has any say in the day-to-day operations.I have never questioned his AD chops before, and I'm not necessarily doing so at this moment; more playing devil's advocate:
At, let's say, the high school level, I think an AD's job is pretty much to be in charge of all athletic teams - boys' and girls' - and make sure they're successful. Seems like a pretty simple, straight-forward responsibility.
Now, at the collegiate level, just what does an AD do? Certainly there is a broader scope to what an AD does. Money-raising, facilities management, etc, etc - those two 'etc's cover all the stuff an AD does that I have no clue about
Before someone flames me for this, I'm not advocating for or making excuses either way; just rambling and trying to throw some thoughts out for discussion.
On this level, I would venture his primary role is overseeing the facilities, raising money, and facility planning and construction....and frankly, I don't remember any AD we've had that has been a consistently busy as Tanner in improving and building facilities. He is one helluva fundraiser from what I understand which allows him to get the seed money to get these projects underway.
We were better when he took over seven years ago then we are now.
Baseball: had just gone to three consecutive national title series. Finished runner up in last one, national titles the previous two when Ray became AD in 2012
Football: won 11 games in 2011, won the east in 2010 when Ray took over in 2012
He hired what many considered the best assistant coach in baseball to replace him. It didn't work out...but it's hard to blame him for that.
In football, two more 11 win seasons and our highest ranking were under his watch.....and then the HOF coach and his staff essentially quit a couple of years before he resigned. As many have noted, USC isn't a big enough program to fire a HOF coach and get by with it. Hard to blame him for that either.
Facilities have improved greatly under his watch, as have many, if not most, other athletic teams. He is raising money to get other projects started and completed. Football and baseball have improved since the end of the previous coaches tenure. And women's basketball has taken off. Even in our most inconsistent sport....basketball...we went to a final four. Not enough, but better than what we previously accomplished.
I was surprised Tanner fired Holbrook when he did. It needed to be done, but I respected that he could acknowledge that the program had higher standards and his hire was a dud.
If you don't blame Tanner for hiring Holbrook then when is he held accountable?
There was no way to know that Holbrooke was going to be as bad as he was. Prior to us hiring him as Tanner's replacement, he had been approached by Tennessee and several other programs to gauge his interest in being their HC. He was accountable and made the necessary change....but the hire itself was a good one from any and all perspectives at the time.
Look I’m just venting because we’ve sucked in everything for most of my entire life. I’m not blaming Ray Tanner. I’m just saying it’s easy to see why Gamecocks are perpetually pissed off and looking for something or someone to blame.
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