Northeastern is a school that has an incredibly rare sort of sports department. It’s not like other schools’ that have more money, and that is something we have come to accept as fans. However, when it was announced Sept. 4 that Athletics Director Peter Roby hired seven new members to his staff, this was the news I was hoping, nay, dreaming for. But looking deeper, some of these hires are great, while others don’t mean all that much, given that the “new” hires already worked here.
I like Chris Marshall and think he does a great job in marketing and promotions, but by no means do I consider him a new hire. Chris has been hard at work for a while now, starting as an intern before being hired part-time. Dan Boothby is a great strength coach for the hockey team, but calling him new is a stretch as he has been with NU since 2005. Mike Bishop has been in with the NU Box Office since 2003. These are all fine people, but are these really new hires? Nah.
Before anyone gets hot and bothered, there are some really important new positions. Equipment Manager Matt Nareski can certainly use the help and having two more bodies is clearly a good thing. And from what I can tell George Gardner will do a great job with external affairs.
You hire lots of people to jobs they already had and it is still not forward movement.
“We are thrilled to add this level of experience, enthusiasm and professionalism to our roster of talented and dedicated staff and coaches,” Roby said in a statement. But I ask, what has been added? These people all worked for the school, some of them for years.
One thing we always hear about is the money issue, and it’s an ugly one. It’s the chicken versus the egg. Which comes first, success or spending money? There is no definitive answer, but if this is going to be the Athletic Department’s idea of spending money, then we have got a long way to go. When it comes to money, what happened to the fundraising effort that was announced in February?
I want to see more movement than this. I’m sorry, but there just does not seem to be the massive step forward that the athletic department would like us to believe. If these hires are going to make this “the time for Northeastern Athletics to achieve excellence,” then I think Roby and I have different definitions of excellence. Will these hires help? Well, they won’t hurt, but I just don’t see another compliance coordinator pushing the athletics to the next level.
I want to make it clear: I think these are all fine hires, and I’m glad to see the department adding people and creating a more robust department. But if this is “a major step,” then I am worried. I am worried as a fan. I am worried as a student.
I want Northeastern to succeed. I want the football team to knock off an FBS team, not just collect a paycheck. It kills me to see the status quo proliferated even further.
I know Roby says he plans on making progress in other areas, which is good and important, and I, for one, still 100 percent believe him. I still have faith that this administration has a long-term vision that will succeed eventually. It’s just tough to sit here and feel like nothing is getting done even when something might be. It’s frustrating, and perhaps I am overreacting but I don’t want to graduate from Northeastern in two years, and have five years gone by with all the same fiscal and commitment problems in the athletic department that were present when I came in as freshman.
– Keith Lavon can be reached
