[thepostman]

If he moves on, so be it. We will be fine and have a lot of good things going. With the resources we have we'll draw another talented guy. There are plenty of people out there that could do the same job with the kind of money we have flowing through our athletic dept these days.

That is not a knock of Jeff Barber because he has done a decent job but if he chooses to move on it may actually end up being best for both parties. Kind of like Danny Rocco leaving.

[logic]

Being an Alma Mater is a huge 'Besides'. You walk into a room and say 'Im the AD at LU' or 'I'm the AD at ECU'. Which has better prestige? And people move their families all the time, the kids will be fine.

10 years from now it won't even be a question. Liberty > ECU. How is ECU unique? I would argue it is a glorified UNC branch campus that will always be in the shadow of Wake, UNC, State, Duke, etc. It has no national appeal and will forever remain a regional university. As a state school you're always at the whim of state budgets, and said budgets could and often are cut. More so than his alma mater I think he wants to win, and knows the resources to win are here at Liberty. Then you have legacy...no man wants to be forgotten and JB can cement his place in history by guiding Liberty to national prominence.

ECU spent a bit more than 30 million on athletics in 2011. James Madison of all schools spent more, and Liberty spent the same amount, roughly 30 million, last year. So we already spend just as much as East Carolina and that number will only go up from here. We'll surpass them next year. The time is now. The resources are here. Liberty > ECU. You heard it here first.

[BJWilliams]

Forget it postie...he's long since jumped off the bridge of "logic"

[thepostman]

that wasn't directed towards anybody BJ. Just my thoughts on the possibility of him leaving.

[Purple Haize]

Being an Alma Mater is a huge 'Besides'. You walk into a room and say 'Im the AD at LU' or 'I'm the AD at ECU'. Which has better prestige? And people move their families all the time, the kids will be fine.

10 years from now it won't even be a question. Liberty > ECU. How is ECU unique? I would argue it is a glorified UNC branch campus that will always be in the shadow of Wake, UNC, State, Duke, etc. It has no national appeal and will forever remain a regional university. As a state school you're always at the whim of state budgets, and said budgets could and often are cut. More so than his alma mater I think he wants to win, and knows the resources to win are here at Liberty. Then you have legacy...no man wants to be forgotten and JB can cement his place in history by guiding Liberty to national prominence.

ECU spent a bit more than 30 million on athletics in 2011. James Madison of all schools spent more, and Liberty spent the same amount, roughly 30 million, last year. So we already spend just as much as East Carolina and that number will only go up from here. We'll surpass them next year. The time is now. The resources are here. Liberty > ECU. You heard it here first.

Wait. If the time is now why do we have to say 10 years from now
They have the resources to win at ECU and have proved it
Isn't ECU moving to the Big East?
Who has a more rabid fan base?

Liberty is a nice job but taking a job at ECU is neither a step down nor a lateral move

[logic]

ECU spent 8.9 million on its football program last year. Liberty spent 8.4 million. The second we go FBS that number will overtake ECU, by a lot. I am not sure some of you understand exactly how good we have it here compared to other schools that may seem "above" our level.

ECU is ertainly not a step down, but when looking at the big picture it is most certainly a lateral move.

Forget not the faith aspect as well...my guess is JB is "all in" for the mission of Liberty and wants to be the man to help fulfill the mission of this great university.

[alabama24]

Blah Blah Blah.

As others have said: I will be grateful if JB stays, and happy for him if he leaves.

[ballah09]

sorry but ECU>Liberty. stop being a homer

[logic]

sorry but ECU>Liberty. stop being a homer

How?


Not being a homer. If he were leaving for LSU as was suspected two years ago I wouldn't be saying this.

[PAmedic]

If he moves on, so be it. We will be fine and have a lot of good things going. With the resources we have we'll draw another talented guy. There are plenty of people out there that could do the same job with the kind of money we have flowing through our athletic dept these days.

That is not a knock of Jeff Barber because he has done a decent job but if he chooses to move on it may actually end up being best for both parties. Kind of like Danny Rocco leaving.

excellent post man

see what i did there?

[SuperJon]

ECU is by far a better gig.

Better football.
Basketball is irrelevant like here.
Better baseball.
Bigger fan base.

[Purple Haize]

ECU is by far a better gig.

Better football.
Basketball is irrelevant like here.
Better baseball.
Bigger fan base.

Closer to the beach

[logic]

ECU is by far a better gig.

Better football.
Basketball is irrelevant like here.
Better baseball.
Bigger fan base.

And on the "Job satisfaction for ADs" scale, where do these rate in significance? High enough to warrant ECU being "by far" a better position? Put yourself in JB's shoes. Football here can be better than at ECU. Baseball's facility will be nicer and there is no reason why we can't be better. Fan base? Does that really rate near the top of reasons to stay or go?

[SuperJon]

Our baseball facility, while awesome, is not as good as ECU's.

[adam42381]

ECU spent $11 million on their stadium. Liberty estimated theirs would be around $5 million. While Liberty's looks awesome, I'd agree with SJ that ECU's is better.

[Purple Haize]

ECU spent $11 million on their stadium. Liberty estimated theirs would be around $5 million. While Liberty's looks awesome, I'd agree with SJ that ECU's is better.

Someone should post compare/contrast pictures of LU v ECU facilities and let the public decide! I already give ECU the edge on Softball

[BJWilliams]

I am also in the camp that will be happy if JB stays here, but not going to think of him as some sort of traitor if he leaves. He has done a wonderful job here and I would like to see him take us to the next level in football, but we arent at some level where we cant get a very good person to be the AD here (unlike before his arrival)

[SuperJon]

And remember, as we've said for years, it's not all about wins and losses and facilities and money.

[adam42381]

PH, lots of good pics here: http://bassball.smugmug.com/Baseball/Cl ... &k=3qkVmfz

[JK37]

Even before Mr. Barber's arrival, Liberty was more than capable of hiring an excellent AD. No disrespect to Mr. Barber, but how much of what's been done in his time would not have been accomplished were he not hired in December 2005? The resources made available to him, especially beginning in 2007, are what has made so much possible. And Mr. Barber has done an excellent job of organizing and focusing those resources toward the needs and enhancements of the department.

As with many of these moves, I suspect the criteria used to make the decision IF the position at ECU. Is offered will be as follows:
*Effect on personal life, family, etc.
*Ability to have continued impact in current position
*Relationship with current supervisor
*Opportunity to have impact at new university
*New university is subject's alma mater

This is not as open-and-shut a decision as some on here may think.

[Purple Haize]

PH, lots of good pics here: http://bassball.smugmug.com/Baseball/Cl ... &k=3qkVmfz

Advantage = Liberty. ECU still uses dirt and grass. They need to move into the 21st century!

[TH Spangler]

Even before Mr. Barber's arrival, Liberty was more than capable of hiring an excellent AD. No disrespect to Mr. Barber, but how much of what's been done in his time would not have been accomplished were he not hired in December 2005? The resources made available to him, especially beginning in 2007, are what has made so much possible. And Mr. Barber has done an excellent job of organizing and focusing those resources toward the needs and enhancements of the department.

As with many of these moves, I suspect the criteria used to make the decision IF the position at ECU. Is offered will be as follows:
*Effect on personal life, family, etc.
*Ability to have continued impact in current position
*Relationship with current supervisor
*Opportunity to have impact at new university
*New university is subject's alma mater

This is not as open-and-shut a decision as some on here may think.

You forgot the most important one .... Support and dedication to the Liberty U mission.
http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=6899

[Purple Haize]

The 'Its a ministry' arguments next phase

[logic]

I looked at the ECU stadium and the stats before making that claim. Here's your sign -




1. We have a bigger/better scoreboard. No way their scoreboard is 14.5 x 35 like ours. I tried to find the dimensions but just by looking at it..no way. Especially with a 15mm dot like ours. No way they built a 14 x 35 foot board with 15 dot pitch in 2004.

2. Their concourse takes up valuable seats...look how small the purple chairback sections are right behind the dugouts....5 rows tops?? As our concourse is at the top we'll have 15+ rows of chairback seats!!!

3. Their design is odd - tell me about that large set of bleachers set high up against the third base line? Look a bit out of place, no?

4. I see bleacher seats....that is a no-no. Ours will feature ALL chairbacks!!

5. They only seat 500 more than us...but again we have all chairbacks and their 3,000 capacity includes bleacher seats

6. We'll have the same player lounge, clubhouse, batting cages, etc. HOWEVER ours will also include a weight room and training room....ECU does NOT. You cannot put a price tag on having your own weight room and not having to share it with golf, softball, etc.

7. They stream their games live online....we broadcast ours live on TV. Which stadium do you think is better equipped for media...television, radio, etc. ?

8. They have one suite for the donor and his family...We'll have suites in the plural. Both stadiums feature a club room for donors.

9. If our suites feature outdoor seating it won't even be a question anymore as to which stadium is better.



Look, I realize I tend to drink a lot of Liberty kool-aid, and a lot of you don't like that. I love this place, and I won't apologize for that. But some of you feel the need to debate me just for the sake of debating, yet no one brings the facts.

Tell me again how ECU has a better baseball stadium than we do? Ours will be better for the fans, the players, the donors, the suite-holderS, and most importantly, recruits. Just the fact that ours will have its own weight room makes it better than ECU's, regardless of all the other reasons. Tell me about the logic of having practice on the baseball field and then having to walk 15 minutes to get to your weight room, only to share it with cheer and tennis? Nothing against those sports, but baseball having its own weight room is good for everyone.


Adam and SJ, after seeing the comparison, please, tell me how/why ECU has a better baseball stadium?

[flameshaw]

Regardless of how this pans out, I will always be grateful for the excellent job JB has done at LU. I believe that the wild card may be the potential of each school. I don't see much upside for ECU in the long term, they will always live in the shadows of the ACC schools. They can and will get better, but they have reached 90% of their potential. LU still has lots of potential and the Administration has proven that the sports program will remain a priority. Bottom line is we have a lot to be thankful for.