Post by FIUFanatic on Jun 20, 2007 23:50:22 GMT -5
"Garcia in a Rush to Turn Around FIU"....Pretty telling article on the situation of FIU Athletics and its new culture of expectations and performance. Even President Maidique was quoted and exerted his total backing of PG and his perormance so far....
www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2007/06/21/a1c_fiu_0621.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=46
www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2007/06/21/a1c_fiu_0621.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=46
Garcia in a rush to turn around FIU
By MARCUS NELSON
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 21, 2007
MIAMI — On a rainy morning last month, Florida International Athletic Director Pete Garcia stood in what used to be the end zone of the Golden Panthers' football stadium.
Garcia looked at the demolition site and pointed to artist renderings of what FIU's new football stadium - to be built at the same location as the old one - would look like when it opens in 2008.
That can't come fast enough for Garcia, who has quickly made his mark at FIU since arriving in October.
"We're in a hurry to do everything around here," said Garcia. "We're not waiting around. As fast as we can do things around here - as long as it's done the right way - we're going to do them."
And sometimes that means more than tearing down buildings.
Since Garcia took over, five coaches have either resigned or been fired, including football's Don Strock, who arrived in 1999 to start the program, and baseball's Danny Price, who had been coach at the school for more than 30 years as a coach and a player.
Also,Garcia fired women's soccer coach Everton Edwards after 21 years at FIU. Men's soccer coach Karl Kremser, who had been at FIU for 27 years, was ushered into retirement and, Kim Gwydir, the Golden Panthers' softball coach for 10 seasons, also was fired.
The dismissal of so many longtime coaches had some wondering about where loyalty to the school figured into Garcia's decisions.
"It was a case of someone who came in from the outside and had no feel for FIU," said Price, who had the first hit in school history as a player on the inaugural baseball team.
Some of the changes may not have been popular, but Garcia said they were necessary.
"My loyalty is to putting the best product on the field or on the court and I'll do whatever it takes to get the best product on the field," Garcia said. "We want to win at the highest level, as long as it's done the right way without any shortcuts. The vision for the program is to compete with anybody in Division I."
Garcia, 45, came to FIU from the University of Miami, where he was senior associate athletic director for a year. It was his second stint at UM, where he had served in a variety of positions from 1990-2001 including recruiting coordinator for the Hurricanes football program, director of football operations and associate AD in charge of many facets of UM's external operations.
When he arrived at FIU, coaches knew many things were going to be different.
"A change in athletic directors usually means there are changes on the way and we all know that," Strock said.
Garcia was brought in to make changes at FIU and he has the blessing of the university administration.
"I think Pete is a man of extraordinary vision," said FIU President Modesto "Mitch" Madique. "It's an aggressive vision. To put it in the vernacular 'Pete ain't afraid of anything.' And neither am I."
When it came to finding new coaches for football and baseball, Garcia remembered two assistant coaches who worked at UM.
To replace Strock, Garcia tapped former UM offensive line coach Mario Cristobal to take over a program that was 0-12 last season. To fill the void left by Price, Garcia brought in longtime Miami assistant "Turtle" Thomas, who was an assistant at Arizona State.
Cristobal was excited to come to FIU and work for Garcia. "I'm used to a certain culture," Cristobal said. "Pete Garcia is used to one that is very demanding."
Changing coaches is easy compared to changing the attitudes of Golden Panthers' fans.
"We get to build this and we get to build it the right way," Garcia said. "I imagine there will be more challenges in the future."
By MARCUS NELSON
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 21, 2007
MIAMI — On a rainy morning last month, Florida International Athletic Director Pete Garcia stood in what used to be the end zone of the Golden Panthers' football stadium.
Garcia looked at the demolition site and pointed to artist renderings of what FIU's new football stadium - to be built at the same location as the old one - would look like when it opens in 2008.
That can't come fast enough for Garcia, who has quickly made his mark at FIU since arriving in October.
"We're in a hurry to do everything around here," said Garcia. "We're not waiting around. As fast as we can do things around here - as long as it's done the right way - we're going to do them."
And sometimes that means more than tearing down buildings.
Since Garcia took over, five coaches have either resigned or been fired, including football's Don Strock, who arrived in 1999 to start the program, and baseball's Danny Price, who had been coach at the school for more than 30 years as a coach and a player.
Also,Garcia fired women's soccer coach Everton Edwards after 21 years at FIU. Men's soccer coach Karl Kremser, who had been at FIU for 27 years, was ushered into retirement and, Kim Gwydir, the Golden Panthers' softball coach for 10 seasons, also was fired.
The dismissal of so many longtime coaches had some wondering about where loyalty to the school figured into Garcia's decisions.
"It was a case of someone who came in from the outside and had no feel for FIU," said Price, who had the first hit in school history as a player on the inaugural baseball team.
Some of the changes may not have been popular, but Garcia said they were necessary.
"My loyalty is to putting the best product on the field or on the court and I'll do whatever it takes to get the best product on the field," Garcia said. "We want to win at the highest level, as long as it's done the right way without any shortcuts. The vision for the program is to compete with anybody in Division I."
Garcia, 45, came to FIU from the University of Miami, where he was senior associate athletic director for a year. It was his second stint at UM, where he had served in a variety of positions from 1990-2001 including recruiting coordinator for the Hurricanes football program, director of football operations and associate AD in charge of many facets of UM's external operations.
When he arrived at FIU, coaches knew many things were going to be different.
"A change in athletic directors usually means there are changes on the way and we all know that," Strock said.
Garcia was brought in to make changes at FIU and he has the blessing of the university administration.
"I think Pete is a man of extraordinary vision," said FIU President Modesto "Mitch" Madique. "It's an aggressive vision. To put it in the vernacular 'Pete ain't afraid of anything.' And neither am I."
When it came to finding new coaches for football and baseball, Garcia remembered two assistant coaches who worked at UM.
To replace Strock, Garcia tapped former UM offensive line coach Mario Cristobal to take over a program that was 0-12 last season. To fill the void left by Price, Garcia brought in longtime Miami assistant "Turtle" Thomas, who was an assistant at Arizona State.
Cristobal was excited to come to FIU and work for Garcia. "I'm used to a certain culture," Cristobal said. "Pete Garcia is used to one that is very demanding."
Changing coaches is easy compared to changing the attitudes of Golden Panthers' fans.
"We get to build this and we get to build it the right way," Garcia said. "I imagine there will be more challenges in the future."
