Veazey Blog: Talked to Doc

[Maroon Eagle]

From the blog (click the above link):
</p>

<span style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: trebuchetms,geneva"><font size="2"><span style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: trebuchetms,geneva"><font size="2">Mississippi State President Doc Foglesong returned my call while he was out running this morning and entertained a few of my questions.</font></span></font></span></p>

<span style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: trebuchetms,geneva"><font size="2">The most pressing interest on my end, of course, dealt with the transition between outgoing athletic director Larry Templeton and the incoming one, Greg Byrne.</font></span></p>

<span style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: trebuchetms,geneva"><font size="2">"I really havent talked to Larry and don't intend to until after basketball season," Foglesong said. "He's pretty well tied up, as you could imagine (with basketball tournaments and plans)."</font></span></p>

<span style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: trebuchetms,geneva"><font size="2">Foglesong said to expect a news release today that outlines his reasons for leaving Mississippi State. "I'm getting a hundred emails a day kind of asking why," he said.</font></span></p>

<span style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: trebuchetms,geneva"><font size="2">"The long and the short of it is I came here to change a number of things that had turned in the wrong direction and needed a change in another direction, and I've done that," Foglesong said.</font>
</span></p>

 

[bulldogcountry1]

is that we hired a guy that came in, made positive changes, ruffled feathers, and left. of course, we don't know the whole story, but it's safe to say the next guy will be a little more diplomatic. we can hope that he still wants to make chances, but i can imagine the ones that hated doc will say, "well, he's not as bad as doc." and be grateful...for a while, at least. this should make it easier on whoever comes along next.

 

[Temple of the Dawg]

I was just thinking about this whole President issue. I have supported Doc on here many times and still feel like he was doing plenty of good on many levels for MSU. As I have read stories about him in the paper recently, I believe he may have been doing just as much bad in terms of his treatment of faculty, students, & alumni. Believe me, I liked the fact that he was a no nonsense no ******** type of guy. However, at some point, a leader like that has to re-evaluate himself if the vast majority of those he is leading are in opposition to him. I can somewhat sympathize with those on campus who did not like his dictatorial style. I'm in an industry that has many retired service people now working as civilians. They are often arrogant, rude, and hot-headed when they don't automatically get the same respect that they did in the service. They seem to be of the opinion that "Hey, I was a Colonel in the Army, I demand your respect." However, that is not the way the civilian world works. In the Armed Services, you are granted automatic respect as a leader based on the number of stripes on your shoulder. In the civilian world, you have to earn the true respect of those you intend to lead by displaying true leadership qualities. Don't get me wrong, I fully respect those in our Armed Services for what they have done & their sacrifices for our country. However, I will not automatically truely respect someone in authority over me at work just because they were of a certain rank while in the military. Does any of that make sense? Anyone have an opinion?

The real point of this post was not what I wrote above. It was really to wonder "aloud" so to speak if it is not time to find a President from within (i.e. with ties to the University). In my mind, we have not had a President that truly loved MSU above all else since Zacharias left. I'm not sure where he came from prior to MSU (& I'm too lazy to look). However, the past 3 Presidents all seemed to be more interested in other things or moving on quickly. I know arguments can be made against this, but I would like to have our next President be someone who would love to be at MSU 10, 15, even 20 years. From what I have read of Keenum (which isn't extensive, so the following may be way off), he seems as though he would fit this mold. I really think MSU needs some stability at this point. Just my thoughts.

/Sorry for the hi-jack

 

[Xenomorph]

Since the first time anyone around here heard his name was the day he was named president, I wonder how he knew so many things had "turned in the wrong direction".

What an *** clown.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

He was president at Western Kentucky, had been in administration at the University of Texas, and got his PhD from Indiana. In his first year as president, his son Eric was a freshman at MSU.

Not that it matters any, but I was also a freshman the year Dr. Zacharias began his tenure at MSU. One of the best classes I had when I was an undergrad was a class he taught my senior year.

 

[patdog]

You don't think he maybe did some research on MSU before he accepted the job? Most people don't accept a job until they check their potential employer out a little. He's made a lot of questionable PR moves, but there's no denying that the university is in much better shape now than it was the day he was hired.

 

[Temple of the Dawg]

to be at MSU for the last 2 years of Dr. Zacharias' tenure. I absolutely loved the guy. He was the most personable and friendly person employed by the University that I ever personally met. I passed him one fall day my freshman year in front of Allen. He stopped me and introduced himself and then took several minutes to learn about me. After that, there were many times that we passed and he would always speak, always remembered my name, and would ask how I was doing. He had "it"; the combination of abilities to run a university effectively, be a strong & confident leader, convince people that they wanted to follow him, and the ability to stop and have a conversation with anybody.

 

[patdog]

You complain about the past 3 presidents, but 2 of them had MSU ties prior to being hired (1 was a graduate and the other was a long-time faculty member). I'm not opposed to hiring from within AFTER a nationwide search has been done and IF the best candidate happens to be already on campus.

I will say though, that a fast-track Keenum hire would probably be the best thing for MSU right now, based on what I've read about him on Internet message boards (which as we all know is the best possible source for information).

 

[saddawg]

In his first year as president, his son Eric was a freshman at MSU.

another KA Dopehead & F-UP.

Dr. Z was prez my whole time at State. Never heard a student say one bad thing against him.

 

[Stormrider81]

You disliked him, we get it. He's gone now, you can let it go. We'll probably end up with another Dr. Lee that won't ruffle any feathers and enrollment will go down, the image of the campus will begin to slide, and athletic success won't be a high priority. I'm sure you'll be thrilled.

 

[VegasDawg13]

In all fairness, he's just balancing out the people who post ad nauseum about how "people only hated Doc because he made them get off their *** and actually do some work."

 

[Stormrider81]

I sure don't. People didn't like Doc because he instituted change, period. He wasn't very diplomatic, but that wasn't the main reason people hated him, that was just a weapon used against him (that he helped bring into play in fairness to all). Doc brought about change. He removed LT, thus making the cigar boys mad. Reportedly 3 of our biggest donors stopped giving because of this. He placed emphasis on the look of the campus. Two big things happened here. One, the brown paint that his detractors bring up as if it is the most ridiculous thing they've ever heard of. Secondly, some things were changed, most infamous of which was operation daffodil extinction, although they weren't killed. Doc demanded change and that isn't something that's accepted by everyone. He should have been more diplomatic and should have weighed certain issues more, but even without those things some people would still have hated him. They would have had less ammo, but they still would've wanted him gone.

Hopefully the runner-up last time will get another shot. Without having to make these changes, hopefully he won't attract the ire of so many. He definantly won't be as brash as Doc.

 

[VegasDawg13]

but it sure as hell gets said on here all the time.

 

[was21]

paragraph. I worked in several Defense agencies with military commissioned and noncoms as a civilian. In most cases, when they were about to retire, they were somewhat surprised at the lukewarm reception that their military resumes had on the civilian world..... O-6's being offered jobs as branch manager trainees for collection agencies, and other similar type jobs. These officers as well as higher enlisted members had a trumped up idea of their true market value outside the military. There's a tremendous difference between military leadership and civilian leadership...two very different avenues up the "chain of command." The "rank" in the military moves with the person regardless of what their job duties and responsibilities call for, and it's totally different in the civilian world where pay is based on job duties and responsibilities. Also, taking and giving orders without question or being questioned is the very basis for discipline in the military. BTW, I also served in the military for six years, so I'm not antimilitary.

 

[Temple of the Dawg]

you are right. The two proceeding Doc did come from within and were not good overall for the University. In all honesty, I had forgotten that detail, so starting within is probably not the best idea. Frankly, I don't know the best place to start. I agree that a nationwide search is in order. Obviously the first criteria should be experience & qualifications; after that though, I want someone that is going to love our University with his (or her) whole heart and treat her with the respect, admiration, & dedication she deserves. Dr. Zacharias did that so well. Our last 3 have not in my opinion. I believe that Doc did a lot of good in his short tenure, but his heart was never truly here in my opinion.