PartyBear said:
Bearknuckle said:
Ashley Hodge said:
read through the comments, not terribly surprised.
I'll go on record saying it's going to be a terrific hire.
1- I know Doug fairly well, deep down he will cut you to win. Ultra- competitive and he will work tirelessly to make Baylor athletics better. And he absolutely knows football is king.
2- He gets marketing and revenue. He's not afraid to pick up the phone and ask for money from anyone and everyone. I've spoken to a lot of wealthy donors about this and the ones I spoke to already have strong connections with him and are ready to give and support his vision.
3- Scott Drew wanted him and pushed hard for him. Athletics has changed. The most important part of the job now is raising money and finding revenue streams to fund NIL and getting ROI on every expenditure. He understands this. He will take a version of DOGE to Baylor athletics and cut out all the waste and get a department that is lean and mean.
4- He understands we are in the entertainment business. Of course, winning cures all. But he was on staff for the Briles era. He knows what made it successful and he will attempt to get back to that "vibe". The quote about making sure it is a good experience... of course he knows wins is what creates a good experience. But that's out of his control every single game. He's going to control what he can control and try to get the best coaches for Baylor and make sure they have the resources to succeed.
Watch his presser and give him a chance. I've been critical of Linda's decision to send out that letter and retain Aranda for another year. But I give her props for making this decision. It was certainly not the conventional one. I would have been happy with Dickey or McNamee but I think she made the riskier and higher return potential move. He's a Baylor guy through and through.
Baylor Athletics: Doug McNamee Introductory Press Conference | December 8, 2025
Thanks for posting this, Ashley.
We're at unprecedented levels of Batter Baylor Fan Syndrome right now...so I don't know how many are open to your message right now. Seem clear to me that Doug 'gets it' and is committed to getting us back on the right track, so the holdouts will eventually see the light!
Unless you joined Baylor nation within the past 8 years, , nothing about any of this is unprecedented. There is actually nothing more stare decisis regarding Baylor than right now.
I get that you really hoped a new AD was going to fire Dave...but just because that didn't happen doesn't mean we aren't now making progress towards recovery.
Doug is not Tom Stanton 2.0. Doug has both an educational and professional background in athletics administration. AFAIK Tom did not specialize in that in either bachelor's or grad school, and he certainly had no professional experience. Doug's resume is far better than Tom's on that front.
Further, Tom's fatal mistake was a bad hire, not complete incompetence in every facet of the job. That mistake is why Baylor relies on search committees and headhunters in 2025 - as Grunt Tuff has posted, Doug won't be solely responsible for a coaching hire in any sport, at least certainly not the football or basketball teams.
But I understand the deja vu induced nausea - because Tom was a 'Baylor guy' too, and both he and Doug have been touted for their 'marketing experience'.
But I'd say they had very different corporate experiences: Tom worked for one organization until coming to Baylor - Doug has continued to grow professionally and has succeeded in multiple sectors.
If we actually limp through next season with a 7-5 record or worse and Dave is retained, I will put on sackcloth and cover myself in ashes. But I'll be shocked if that happens - to quote Cyclone Larry: I'll taze my own nuts.
pathological optimist
