Mike Garrett Out, Pat Haden In

[Fox1994]

The News:

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5395700

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/422762-reggie-bush-out-at-usc-pat-haden-in

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-usc-garrett-haden-20100721,0,764592.column

Pat Haden:

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HadePa00.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Haden

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Former USC quarterback Pat Haden has been hired by new University President Max Nikias as the new USC Athletic Director. J.K. McKay, son of former USC coach John McKay, will be Associate Athletic Director of football.

In the wake of a rules scandal that resulted in some of the stiffest penalties in college sports history, USC on Tuesday announced that former Trojans football great Pat Haden would replace Mike Garrett as athletic director and that the university would return its copy of Reggie Bush's Heisman Trophy.

Haden's appointment becomes official Aug. 3 and was made by incoming university President Max Nikias, who will take over from Steven Sample two days earlier.

Nikias also ordered that all displays recognizing Bush and former basketball star O.J. Mayo, the athletes at the center of the rules violations, be removed from campus, the Galen Center and at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Bush and Mayo are now professional athletes. Their USC coaches, Pete Carroll in football and Tim Floyd in basketball, have left the university for other jobs. By removing Garrett, the presiding administrator during one of the most embarrassing spans in the school's proud sports history, Nikias begins his era with a clean slate.

The NCAA, the governing body for college sports, announced in June that USC was being placed on four years' probation, banned from football bowl games for two years and would receive a major reduction in football scholarships along with other penalties. It also cited the university for an overall "lack of institutional control" of its athletic program.

On the same day the sanctions were announced, Garrett raised eyebrows during a speaking engagement at a Northern California Trojan Club function when he told the gathering, "As I read the decision by the NCAA, I read between the lines and there was nothing but a lot of envy. They wish they all were Trojans."

Later, sounding none the more contrite, he added, "Today I got a purpose for really wanting to dominate for another 10 years."

...

Garrett, 66, guided USC's multimillion-dollar sports enterprise for 17 years. He was unavailable for comment Tuesday but is expected to take the school's retirement package.

"I thank Mr. Garrett, USC's first Heisman Trophy winner and a tireless advocate of USC athletics, for his work on behalf of our Trojan family," Nikias said in a letter posted on the school's website.

While praising Garrett's leadership and work as a fundraiser — USC won nearly two dozen national championships, built the Galen Center and raised $375 million in gifts and donations for athletics during his tenure — Nikias left little doubt that the university had received a loud and clear wake-up call from the NCAA.

In addition to the change at the top, the incoming university president announced a sweeping overhaul of the school's athletic compliance efforts, which are designed to assure that its sports programs are operating within rules.

"There will be a close collaboration among the athletic compliance office, the athletic department and the provost's office," Nikias said.

...

Among the changes:

—David M. Roberts, an attorney with more than 30 years of litigation experience, has been hired as vice president for athletic compliance. "I believe this is the first position of its kind in the nation," Nikias said.

—Ellen Ferris, former associate provost of athletic compliance, will be associate vice president for athletic compliance.

—Clare Pastore, of the USC Gould School of Law, has been appointed as the school's faculty athletic representative.

—The school has hired The Freeh Group International, headed by former federal judge and FBI director Louis J. Freeh, to "assess the current athletic department programs and processes," and recommend changes.

Haden, 57, becomes USC's seventh athletic director.

...

Haden has been a member of the USC board of trustees for 19 years, a position he will resign to become athletic director. Haden also will no longer broadcast Notre Dame football games for NBC, a job he has held for 12 years.

Max Nikias, the incoming president of USC, has taken some very strong first steps. In a message to the entire Trojan family, Nikias has officially disassociated the university from former Heisman Trophy winner, Reggie Bush.

Nikias wrote: “The Trojan Family honors and respects the USC sporting careers of those persons whose actions did not compromise their athletic program or the opportunities of future USC student-athletes. Accordingly, I have instructed the senior vice president for administration to remove athletic jerseys and murals displayed in recognition of O.J. Mayo and Reggie Bush by mid-August—before the incoming class of students moves on campus—from Heritage Hall, the Galen Center, and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The university will also return Mr. Bush's 2005 Heisman Trophy to the Heisman Trophy Trust in August.”

...

Nikias has named former USC quarterback and Rhodes scholar, Pat Haden, to succeed Garrett. Haden led USC to three Rose Bowls back in the '70s and has more recently served on the USC Board of Trustees.

Haden did not actively seek the position. “This is not something I thought about doing, nor something even on my radar, but I began to see it as a challenge, as something new. And when my wife agreed—and she really doesn't follow sports closely—I took a closer look.”

The player who was on the receiving end of numerous Pat Haden passes throughout high school, college and a year in the old WFL, J. K. McKay, will once again team with Haden at USC.

The son of another USC legend, Coach John McKay, J. K. McKay is the new Associate Athletic Director in charge of the football program. Head coach Lane Kiffin will answer directly to McKay.

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An interesting, but not unforeseen, development.

[USCChifan]

Finally that piece of trash is gone

[Fox1994]

Finally that piece of trash is gone

Our first ever Heisman winner is a piece of trash? Or Reggie Bush's Heisman is a piece of trash?

Also, I'm gonna highlight the more important stuff.

[BrntO4Life]

Thank god Garrett is out. What a douche and as a Trojan, I try to be around douche as little as possible (which is, admittedly, difficult here in University Park).

[Senser81]

Our first ever Heisman winner is a piece of trash? Or Reggie Bush's Heisman is a piece of trash?

Also, I'm gonna highlight the more important stuff.

Interesting. USC athletics was a losing program in shambles when Garrett arrived. I don't think people remember just how bad USC football and basketball were in the early-90's. Garrett was kind of hit or miss with the basketball (they did have some good teams), but he nailed it with the football and those USC teams were some of the best in history. So basically Garrett turned a losing program in shambles into a winning program in shambles.

[FirstTimer]

Interesting. USC athletics was a losing program in shambles when Garrett arrived. I don't think people remember just how bad USC football and basketball were in the early-90's. Garrett was kind of hit or miss with the basketball (they did have some good teams), but he nailed it with the football and those USC teams were some of the best in history. .

Garrett didn't really nail it with anything until Pete Carrol came on board. Robinson and Hackett coached incredibly average USC teams and USC only made 1 Rose Bowl appearance until 2003. The first 8 years or so of the Garrest regime in football weren't all that amazing. USC lost something like 7-8 straight games to UCLA and still had a losing record to Notre Dame at the time even though ND was struggling itself.

[Senser81]

Garrett didn't really nail it with anything until Pete Carrol came on board. Robinson and Hackett coached incredibly average USC teams and USC only made 1 Rose Bowl appearance until 2003. The first 8 years or so of the Garrest regime in football weren't all that amazing. USC lost something like 7-8 straight games to UCLA and still had a losing record to Notre Dame at the time even though ND was struggling itself.

What you say is true. Robinson was a lifer brought in to "clean up the mess" as a short-term solution. Hackett was an awful hire. Lane Kiffin was an even worse hire. But Pete Carroll was a great hire, so I am giving Garrett a pass. Perhaps I shouldn't.

[FirstTimer]

What you say is true. Robinson was a lifer brought in to "clean up the mess" as a short-term solution. Hackett was an awful hire. Lane Kiffin was an even worse hire. But Pete Carroll was a great hire, so I am giving Garrett a pass. Perhaps I shouldn't.

Yeah the Robinson hire was a grab at the "Return to Glory" stuff. It worked for a few years but honestly the last few seasons of Robinson were "meh". Hackett was a hideous hire. Carroll was a great hire based on results but as what cost and how much does that decrease the "greatness" of the hire?

Honestly, with the type of guy Haden is IMO Kiffin is already on borrowed time at USC. Haden will have no patience for Kiffin's attitude. It wouldn't surprise me to see Haden let Kiffin go after 2-3 seasons so USC can start "fresh" after the sanctions are gone. I don't see Kiffin having a lot of success either so Haden could always excuse Kiffin's dismissal due to "poor on field performance".

[Diivox]

i dont think you guys are giving Kiffin enough credit. he brought his pops with him, which is huge for defensive recruiting, and he has ties to those glory days with Carroll. if he hadnt gone elsewhere and done those other things, he wouldnt have been taken into consideration for the job. he's high profile, and yes, an attitude problem, but theres no place he has a better shot at succeeding than USC, and I admire him taking the job when the sanctions were probably known to be coming.

[Irish]

Good. Haden was a weak commentator on my NBC football programming.

Hopefully Tom Hammond will leave also, and get some new blood.

[FirstTimer]

i dont think you guys are giving Kiffin enough credit. he brought his pops with him, which is huge for defensive recruiting, and he has ties to those glory days with Carroll. if he hadnt gone elsewhere and done those other things, he wouldnt have been taken into consideration for the job. he's high profile, and yes, an attitude problem, but theres no place he has a better shot at succeeding than USC, and I admire him taking the job when the sanctions were probably known to be coming.

I guess the question is why should he get any credit?

He hasn't done anything as a head coach EVER to deserve any. I mean his time in Oakland was a sham, his time at Tennessee was mediocore and full of violations and then he comes to USC? What has he ever done to earn any credit, let alone have any one "give" him any?

[Senser81]

Good. Haden was a weak commentator on my NBC football programming.

Hopefully Tom Hammond will leave also, and get some new blood.

Agreed. I am surprised that Haden got the job, because the last couple years on NBC he has really gone downhill. Its like his mind is slowing down. I'm 100% serious.

Tom Hammond looks like he is one step away from the grave.

[FirstTimer]

Agreed. I am surprised that Haden got the job, because the last couple years on NBC he has really gone downhill. Its like his mind is slowing down. I'm 100% serious.

Tom Hammond looks like he is one step away from the grave.

I'd really like to see them pull Don Criqui over from the radio play by play and also grab Tom Thayer away from his gig doing color commentary.