J Batt interviewing for USC(e) AD job

[Jacket05]

My family is from Columbia. Place is the armpit of the south. No reason to live there

Agreed! My wife is from near there and there is not a place within an hour or more that is not utter trash. My wife couldn't get out of there fast enough when she graduated high school!

Honestly, I don't think there is much to this other than they probably reached out and talked. I think if it was as done of a deal as the tweets had said more people would have reported on it by now. I have only seen 3 or 4 tweets from mostly Tech people.

 

[buzz_wiser©]

Agreed! My wife is from near there and there is not a place within an hour or more that is not utter trash. My wife couldn't get out of there fast enough when she graduated high school!

Honestly, I don't think there is much to this other than they probably reached out and talked. I think if it was as done of a deal as the tweets had said more people would have reported on it by now. I have only seen 3 or 4 tweets from mostly Tech people.

hey now.... Maurices piggy park makes some awesome BBQ

 

[stinger78]

I’m a JOL subscriber but have lost a lot of trust for KQ recently. He’s more of a fan than a journalist.

Quinlan hasn’t been right about GT in a long time.

Even if he stays, he’s now been established as a guy who plays footsie with a paycheck. Those things need to be kept confidential so that kind of damage is not done. Who leaked this? 10:1 it has ties to UGAg.

 

[stech81]

I was told that Batt has had discussions with President Cabrera. Kinda sounds like he's giving GT a chance to match or beat the offer.

I have no idea if Cabrera is like me when I was a VP but when someone did that with me, I just opened the door and told them bye.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Yes. The path of least resistance is for pansies. Real leaders step up to a challenge.

It’s a different culture today. People who take on “impossible” challenges now are referred to as suckers and losers.

 

[BuzzStone]

hey now.... Maurices piggy park makes some awesome BBQ

Didn’t that place catch fire?

 

[Vespid]

What's up with p$^!s envy from SC? They're always coming after our staff and players to try and improve their condition. BC, DMO, BK, Brown.... I think DMO is the only one who found religion over there in that sheet hole (pun intended) All the pansies wringing their hands pontificating SC is a better job....please....just stop. There's a reason JB is at the compensation level he's at. This was his FIRST Head AD gig. If I had to wager, I would be on the side of an agent play to coax GTAA to up his compensation package. Bad timing, but an effective time tested strategy to get more Benjamin's. If not, don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya....and btw, don't bother turning in your phone and access key, they are already cut off.

 

[yeti92]

Even if he stays, he’s now been established as a guy who plays footsie with a paycheck.

Everyone successful does that. Key flirted with South Carolina when he was under TFG. CPJ talked to Auburn. GOL, Bill Curry, Radakovich, etc.

 

[Techwood Relict]

I have no idea if Cabrera is like me when I was a VP but when someone did that with me, I just opened the door and told them bye.

Always have a plan to replace your people. Good people are always in demand, and bad people always need to be replaced. We'll be fine with either outcome.

 

[AugustaSwarm]

Quinlan hasn’t been right about GT in a long time.

Even if he stays, he’s now been established as a guy who plays footsie with a paycheck. Those things need to be kept confidential so that kind of damage is not done. Who leaked this? 10:1 it has ties to UGAg.

I don't fault anyone for taking an interview. If the SC money as big as some have said, it's hard to fault him for being interested. Get paid what you're worth. If GT can't match or beat, then it simply wasn't meant to be.

 

[BCJacket]

I have no idea if Cabrera is like me when I was a VP but when someone did that with me, I just opened the door and told them bye.

Same. If one of my people interviews somewhere else, they better get the job. Because I'll be hiring their replacement as soon as I can. If you're looking, I'm looking.

I've been pleased with Batt. But he's only been here two years and he hasn't done anything transformative, in my opinion. Asking people with money for money isn't exactly an earth shattering innovation. He did not want Key, which turned out to be a good hire. (His picks might have been as good or better.) Stoudamire is looking like a bust. The department is in a much better place than it was a couple years ago. Some of that is credit to Batt. But a lot of it is credit to Cabrera and the football team turning around. I have no doubt Cabrera will be able to hire someone as good or better.

 

[bobongo]

Same. If one of my people interviews somewhere else, they better get the job. Because I'll be hiring their replacement as soon as I can. If you're looking, I'm looking.

I've been pleased with Batt. But he's only been here two years and he hasn't done anything transformative, in my opinion. Asking people with money for money isn't exactly an earth shattering innovation. He did not want Key, which turned out to be a good hire. (His picks might have been as good or better.) Stoudamire is looking like a bust. The department is in a much better place than it was a couple years ago. Some of that is credit to Batt. But a lot of it is credit to Cabrera and the football team turning around. I have no doubt Cabrera will be able to hire someone as good or better.

Job loyalty is a thing of the past. Just about everybody's looking, just about all the time. Coaches and ADs are professional job-hoppers. It's just the way things are. Unless you're at the top of the heap, the best thing you can hope for is that the next job hopper makes a name for himself before moving on.

 

[buzz_wiser©]

Didn’t that place catch fire?

the processing portion did..
where they make the sauces and catering

as well as business offices.

The 3 restaurants are still active.
I think it may have curtailed the amount of food the restaurants were able to sell..
Briefly..

 

[bigrabbit]

Fwiw I’m of two minds now, either (1) he was leaving unless we could roughly match, and that negotiation is ongoing - so we either match or we don’t, OR (2) he’s leaving and just holding off announcing anything until tomorrow. Either way, he was poised to leave, or is leaving and I agree Cabrera’s sustained interest is way more important than JBatt. If JBatt (or his manager) over play their hand, he might find himself having to leave. We like him, but imo he does not have infinite stored up good-will around here after just 2 years…

 

[Jacket05]

Fwiw I’m of two minds now, either (1) he was leaving unless we could roughly match, and that negotiation is ongoing - so we either match or we don’t, OR (2) he’s leaving and just holding off announcing anything until tomorrow. Either way, he was poised to leave, or is leaving and I agree Cabrera’s sustained interest is way more important than JBatt. If JBatt (or his manager) over play their hand, he might find himself having to leave. We like him, but imo he does not have infinite stored up good-will around here after just 2 years…

I love my job and my company but if someone came to me with an offer somewhere else I would at LEAST listen. And if the offer was super competitive I would probably have a discussion with my company about it.

My guess is they reached out to Batt and he and his agent said sure I'll hear you out, which he would be dumb not to at least listen. Then he went to PAC and let him know about the discussion and likely is negotiating terms of his contract at Tech. As an employee not tied to the school he would be dumb not to at least entertain any offer that comes his way and take advantage of it to improve his current situation.

 

[684Bee]

Same. If one of my people interviews somewhere else, they better get the job. Because I'll be hiring their replacement as soon as I can. If you're looking, I'm looking.

I've been pleased with Batt. But he's only been here two years and he hasn't done anything transformative, in my opinion. Asking people with money for money isn't exactly an earth shattering innovation. He did not want Key, which turned out to be a good hire. (His picks might have been as good or better.) Stoudamire is looking like a bust. The department is in a much better place than it was a couple years ago. Some of that is credit to Batt. But a lot of it is credit to Cabrera and the football team turning around. I have no doubt Cabrera will be able to hire someone as good or better.

Part of how we view both Key and Batt is relative to who they replaced. In both cases, it wasn’t hard to look good in comparison.

 

[CEB]

There is a lot of crazy conjecture here.

I have no clue who is responsible for what in terms of our athletic department, fundraising, relationship with administration, etc. I’m guessing that’s true for most of us here…

while I understand that no one is irreplaceable Im also reminded of another axiom… if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. We have a recipe that seems to be working right now and it would be a shame to start tinkering with ingredients. Hopefully this is much ado about nothing.

 

[g0lftime]

I love my job and my company but if someone came to me with an offer somewhere else I would at LEAST listen. And if the offer was super competitive I would probably have a discussion with my company about it.

My guess is they reached out to Batt and he and his agent said sure I'll hear you out, which he would be dumb not to at least listen. Then he went to PAC and let him know about the discussion and likely is negotiating terms of his contract at Tech. As an employee not tied to the school he would be dumb not to at least entertain any offer that comes his way and take advantage of it to improve his current situation.

I suspect his wife may have some input in this decision. Her roommate from UNC also lives in Atlanta and they are from the same hometown. Columbia is not the garden spot of the south either. That is one hot, humid place in the summer. If he does leave it will be for the money. It is a lateral move career wise at best.

 

[57jacket]

My understanding when he was hired that he was a geat fund raiser, which is so important to GT.

 

[Richland County]

Agreed! My wife is from near there and there is not a place within an hour or more that is not utter trash. My wife couldn't get out of there fast enough when she graduated high school!

Honestly, I don't think there is much to this other than they probably reached out and talked. I think if it was as done of a deal as the tweets had said more people would have reported on it by now. I have only seen 3 or 4 tweets from mostly Tech people.

I'm sorry but your assessment is completely wrong.