Just a few minutes ago, the University of Colorado made it official. They have hired Rick George - a former assistant AD at CU, and the current president of business operations for the Texas Rangers - to be the new athletic director. He will be announced at a press conference at 2pm this afternoon.
George was the hot name from the moment Mike Bohn was fired. It was easy for BuffNation to focus on a former football star (at Illinois) who knows the program, knows Boulder, and has strong sports management credentials. So easy, in fact, that it became the straight-forward, logical hire.
George now steps into a department that is publicly complaining about it's money woes, while still, purportedly, trying to move the ball on a transformative facilities improvement project. Hopefully, he's the right man to balance the two, re-heal the fissure that has formed in BuffNation over the past few years, and get Colorado Athletics back into national prominence.
The news broke yesterday in yet another informative Ryan Thorburn Wednesday chat: Shannon Sharpe is leaving the program. According to the Camera, the reserve guard is planning to transfer to a school closer to his family home in SoCal to take care of family business. Speculation on Allbuffs has said Cal State Fullerton is a possibility, but I will update when there's confirmation of his new home.
Good luck, Shannon, and God bless.
It was only two years ago that I wrote this about Shannon: "I haven't been this excited to see a CU freshman since I heard about Richard Roby tearing up preseason practices in 2004." He was recruited as a hyper-athletic project guard, with a tantalizing vertical ability. His practice court exploits were the talk of fall camp when he arrived on campus in '09, and it's no wonder when watching this tape:
But, as is often the case, hyper-athleticism doesn't necessarily translate into in-game ability. Shannon was never able to develop the kind of jumper required to earn chunks of playing time under either Coach Bzdelik or Boyle, and his on-ball defense, an absolute necessity under Boyle, was often lacking when he jumped into a game. What's more, a devastating knee injury, just minutes into his first practice in Boulder, set back his development.
While he proved to be an important reserve on the '10-'11 squad, appearing in all 38 games, he saw his minutes cut drastically this season as the incoming freshmen duo of Askia Booker and Spencer Dinwiddie proved ready to play from opening night. All told, he only saw 103 minutes of action this past season, with none coming in leverage situations.
Still, he was capable of moments of pure athletic joy. I will never forget his game-capping dunk in the 2011 NIT regional semi-final against Cal. When you talk hops, this is hops:
By all accounts, Shannon was a fantastic guy, and a solid teammate. It's a shame he isn't able to complete his career in Boulder, but I wish him the best of luck in the future. Maybe we'll run into him in post-season play come spring.
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The immediate impact on the program is that it opens up a scholarship to offer to the bountiful 2013 recruiting class. Prior to Shannon's departure, the coaching staff had only been able to offer a speculative spot for new recruits, with limited hope of landing someone in the early signing period. Now, all avenues are open. Should Ben Mills also transfer out, that will only further to improve the staffs recruiting position.
With numerous big-name players not only available, but interested in coming to CU, the program should be able to take this departure in stride.
You keep ringing that bell, Texas Tech dude, and let the whole world know that there's breaking CU news.
While the mass chaos of Signing Day continues to explode in everyone's face, there are a few tidbits of fresh CU news that deserve some mention.
The biggest news, at least in my view, is that Coach Tad Boyle is apparently about to receive a richly deserved contract extension. As reported by the BDC's Kyle Ringo, details are still to come.
One of the best up-and-coming coaches in the West, Coach Boyle has proven capable of injecting excitement and success into the CU mens basketball program that has traditionally exhibited neither. It's vital that his services be locked up for the foreseeable future, and poaching outside programs be kept at bay. I hope that extension comes with some extra cash, 'cause the guy deserves it - he made CU basketball relevant.
(UPDATE) Coach Boyle's extension is proposed through 2016, with a 3% salary bump. Only 3% is bullshit, DiStefano recently got 7% for no reason.
Whatever Coach Boyle wants to be paid is fine by me.
Pay that man his money...
Coach Linda Lappe, of the womens program, is also slated to get an extension. Considering the early season success, that's not surprising.
Also reported by Ringo, CU is going ahead with plans to start-up a womens lacrosse program. It was the logical choice, and the sport most agreed would be the first one to start once the Pac-12 monopoly money started rolling in. Since the 80s, the Buffs have dome more program hemorrhaging than program creation, so it's good to see any new sport added to our offerings.
Before the season started I jokingly called for the return of Casey Crawford. With the loss of Shane Harris-Tunks the Buffs are desperate for size, and the 6'8" Kansas Native left CU with a year of eligibility still on the table.
It was a ludicrous notion, but apparently the Buffs have taken my half-baked advice. Digging into the discarded trash-heap, they've pulled out, not Casey Crawford, but Trent Beckley of all people.
Huh?
I know we're desperate, but that's really scraping the bottom of the barrel. I can't imagine Trent working out in any meaningful way, but at least he'll get some more free education out of it.
