Lynn Swann Named Athletic Director

SWANNIt just gets better and better. Another athletic director who has never been an athletic director. But now we have another athletic director who belongs to Augusta National Golf Club. Like Pat Haden.

It’s all about star power these days at USC. So do you trust Lynn Swann to hire the next football or basketball coach? He has no experience doing it. Like Pat Haden. In its entire history, USC’s had one athletic director with experience as an AD (Mike McGee). Perhaps instead of fighting this tradition, USC should start hiring coaches with no experience in coaching.

If I were a coach at USC, I would be a little nervous about this hire.

59 thoughts on “Lynn Swann Named Athletic Director

      • Remember Ronald Regan? He was the oldest person voted into the White House and he did a great job as well. There is something to say about age.

  1. I beat you to this info SW! Just one question about this interesting choice: Does Mr. Swan feel the only answer to a sports dept.need comes only from a source with USC ties?

  2. I was hoping for an experienced AD from another school; but I am not going to fly off the handle & trash Swann or Nikias or USC. I will wait to read and hear the follow up reporting that is sure to happen. I am looking forward to finding out how serious the search was, why Swann was the choice and was he the first choice. So, I will be checking out legitimate new organizations, professional reporters and informed sports commentators. to find this information.

  3. Lynn Swann has a ton of experience in professional sports and college sports. He also has a ton of charisma which will help with fund raising and public events. All of those traits are currently lacking in the guy who is doing the sports reporting for USC.

  4. Great hire. He is astute, a professional, and knows how to act as a professional. The gutty little ruins are squirting in their pants right now knowing that there world will be covered by USC’s domination in all sports.

    • I’ll tell you what squirted – my coffee out of my mouth after reading your comic drivel. Why not hire Bozo the Clown – that actor went to USC?

      • Swann has already beat the chump guerro, the AD at ugly. Who will turn heads when they walk in the room, chump or Mr. Swann? Yes, you are right, it will be Mr. Swann.

          • Hey dunkin donut boy, aren’t you late for your pizza delivery job? That’s right I forgot, you don’t start work until 1:00 P.M.
            Sit down and read very carefully, I know it will be hard for you to understand, however I will make it simple for you, and it is this, Swann has more crediablity right now as an A.D. than Guerro does for all the years he has wasted by being hired by ugly. Guerro hired that goof ball Moran and the extorisnit Alford. What is Guerro’s background? He tried to play baseball at ugly and jumped around like a floundering fish in college athletic administration until he was hired due to political correctness and pressure by ugly. Guerro has no outstanding experiences unlike Swann. Guerro is playing second fiddle to Swann and Swann’s accomplishments in life such as being an executive on Heinz’s and Whyndham Hotels, being in the executive director for the Boys and Girls club, running a World football league team, broadcasting, running for governonor in Pennsylvania, running for congressin the same state, and I won’t have to get into detail about him playing football for the Steelers and the Trojans where he won Superbowls and National Championships in ’72 and ’74. Now, I know that is a lot of information and probably a class equivlant to a class at ugly, but hopefully you can retain and learn from this. No, I won’t charge you as I should for schooling you in history, political sceince, marketing, civics, and business. Now go along and run and play for in 3 hours you will ahve to deliver pizza’s and I don’t wnat you having trouble reading a road map. Oh, that’s right you use the google map on your phone because you don’t know how to read a Thomas Guide Book, you stupid putz.

  5. You write as if someone needs experience to be the Athletic Director at a high profile university. The director directs he doesn’t do the minutia. Looking back over the past few directors it s clear this is the way things are going at USC. You should pray to live long enough to see Carson Palmer named as Athletic Director in 30 years.

  6. Glad it wasn’t Lopes for sure. Swann was a surprise, and like him except for being a member of the Republican Party. Now there is 14 WR on scholarship (lol). Like to know who the three finalist for the job were.

  7. Best news out of USC in a long time. Great hire. All these high school kids are going to want to come to SC now.

  8. You know folks An Athletic Director is not a Professional Team GM. He doesn’t require the type of experience that many are saying….does he need to rebuild programs…NO but he could if needed by leadership selection…but he doesn’t have to worry about salary cap and draft choices and wavers. MOstly he sets the example with integrity and good business, good leadership, fund raising, opportunities for USC. Lynn is a fast learner anyway and highly respected by many at different levels. And he’s one of us…a Trojan. Great choice and look forward to his example for all Trojans to follow> Thank you Pat for your service and welcome home Lynn

  9. Mr. Swan is a great choice. How many NCs did Mike McGee win? But USC is just following the example of the Daily News…..hiring people without the necessary experience to succeed. Hello moderator.

  10. “If I were a coach at USC, I would be a little nervous about this hire”. That statement can be applied to every coach at every school that has a turn over at AD. The reason for nervousness has nothing to do with Swanns experience or lack of–it has everything to do with him being the new AD & the AD that did not hire any of the coaches. If an experienced AD without any prior USC connections would have been hired the reason for nervousness would be the same.

  11. Looks like the Blogger just burned the bridge with the new AD before he already started – no interviews being granted to the Blogger.

  12. I’m sorry this is not a “great choice ” at all. It is another safe in house hire and a sign that nothing has changed in heritage hall. Why hire a PR firm if you were going to make this hire? Why drag it out for four months? A failed politician who was a below average sideline reporter. Who I think still lives in Pittsburgh. I’m sorry I cannot get behind this hire.

  13. Well, at least he has the name recognition. I think this will prove to be a good hire, let’s support him and see where this goes. Fight On!

  14. I knew this would be SW’s reaction. Very predictable. By his stated criteria (this time – subject to change based on whimsy), the only good hire would be a proven AD at another school. And had they done that, he would have said that such a hire proves that SC cannot develop from within, that they have to piggyback off the success of some other place, and its a sign that they are desperate.

    Just a reminder – there is no Athletic Director master’s degree. This is a fundraising and media relations gig before it is anything else. If it were a more reasonable environment (eg not driven by billions of dollars) it would be an education and career development gig before anything else. Alas, it is not. And Swann is a totally logical fit, well not for Scott – but agreeing with a move by SC would not bode well for his blog.

    Only 3 of USC’s ADs have not been professional athletes and/or come from USC. And take a wild guess – those were the least successful eras in USC history. Swann is a media relations expert, he understands the SC culture, apparently has an interest in the ugly business of politics, served on the BoDs for three large corporations, and has been involved in sports most of his adult life.

    • if you are happy with reaching the first round of post-season hires and .500 coaches playing in midrange bowls, then yes…it’s a tremendous hire.

  15. There’s more to an Athletic director’s duties then hiring coaches , because basically it’s all about fundraising, and business. But at the same time, Lynn Swann will be judged on the success of the major, money making sports teams at USC. So let’s wait and see what direction the athletic department goes, moving forward .

    • I’m a little surprised to hear that Fred. I know that you also wanted somebody with experience. Look if I’m wrong about this I will be elated and happy to admit it. And for the record I hope that I am entirely wrong and he has great success. However I feel that this is leaving things in the status quo and not moving forward.

  16. Is it just me or does he look like Mr. McDowell.. .

    Maurice: Mr. McDowell?
    Cleo McDowell: Yes?
    Maurice: There’s some people here to see you.
    Cleo McDowell: They’re not from McDonalds are they?

    #Zamunda

  17. The hire fits perfectly the way things are done at USC. Nikias does not go outside. Lynn Swann is a very good man. I hope his decisions will be better than Haden’s. Being a great football guy, I think he will embrace Helton and the staff and help to build and rebuild traditions. I disagree with Wolf about coaches being nervous. Wolf should be nervous after this posting of his.

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