Who is the problem--Cowen or Dickson?

[Mike V]

Many of you have expressed the opinion that Dickson is the problem and suggest that a new AD will solve our problems. I have to believe, however, that the AD gets his marching orders from the man to whom he reports directly--the President--and that he will not get aggressive about building athletics until he gets the command to do so--and the funding to do it.

On the other hand, it is certainly possible that a new, agressive AD can make real improvements. I wonder, though, if any AD will take this job without being convinced he works for a President who is completely behind athletics.

I've known a lot of coaches and ADs, and when they evaluate a job, the critical element is the guy he's going to work for. If the candidate isn't convinced that his superior will enable him to succeed, he won't take the job.

Who do you all think?

[TURVS71]

COWEN, end of story. HE is running the show. Dickson does the day to day ops. as long as they fall within the parameters set by "THE GREAT WHITE-HAIRED ONE!"

[jonathanjoseph]

Dickson has certainly been incompetent. Not bad, but incompetent. So he is a problem.

But Cowen is the bigger problem. He's retained an incompetent AD for over a decade, given him no budget and no chance for success with the ridiculous "Tulane Model" which is so amorphous and full of PR-speak that no one has ever even defined it publicly.

The first problem is Cowen. second problem is Dickson. Third problem is Toledo, who I actually feel sorry for. Right now Tulane athletics is a no-win situation for coaches which is why all you can get is a retread looking for one last shot and no upward mobility- which describes CBT exactly.

It's not either/or. It's both.

[tpstulane]

Dickson has certainly been incompetent. Not bad, but incompetent. So he is a problem.

But Cowen is the bigger problem. He's retained an incompetent AD for over a decade, given him no budget and no chance for success with the ridiculous "Tulane Model" which is so amorphous and full of PR-speak that no one has ever even defined it publicly.

The first problem is Cowen. second problem is Dickson. Third problem is Toledo, who I actually feel sorry for. Right now Tulane athletics is a no-win situation for coaches which is why all you can get is a retread looking for one last shot and no upward mobility- which describes CBT exactly.

It's not either/or. It's both.

+1
Excellent analysis, that's exactly how I feel about it. Except Cowen isn't going anywhere. I just hope that the next AD and coach get full financial support from our admin. Otherwise we're back here once again in the next few years.

[Bigschtick]

Cowen is in complete control and that is the scary thing because getting rid of this egomaniac will be
difficult, if not impossible, without the involvement of the big monied people, the student body overall, not just pro-athletic types etc. He has not helped our scholastic standing and clearly, has done great damage to athletics, football in particular. If there cannot be real change, then I say drop down or drop out the football program because being one of the worst teams in the country is depressing.

[HoustonWave]

Cowen has to go first. If Cowen were to replace Dickson there is no reason to think the replacement would be any better than Dickson. In fact, nobody but a lackey would even consider working for Cowen. Cowen has to control everything, so any competent AD or head coach would by definition not mix well with Cowen. So until Cowen is replaced, we will probably just be spinning our wheels when it comes to AD and/or head coach replacements. That's why we have no chance of a "name" head coach as long as Cowen is on the scene.

[OUG]

Cowen has to go first. If Cowen were to replace Dickson there is no reason to think the replacement would be any better than Dickson. In fact, nobody but a lackey would even consider working for Cowen. Cowen has to control everything, so any competent AD or head coach would by definition not mix well with Cowen. So until Cowen is replaced, we will probably just be spinning our wheels when it comes to AD and/or head coach replacements. That's why we have no chance of a "name" head coach as long as Cowen is on the scene.

If you're going to wait for Cowen to be removed, you'll be waiting forever. Won't happen.

Rick Dickson is the problem. My reasons for stating so are enumerated elsewhere in this forum. The zeitgeist of the Tulane fan community is at odds with my viewpoint, and I don't really want to get into it again. I'm about as likely to succeed in changing people's minds about Cowen as Tulane athletics fans will be in removing him, so I'll just leave it at that.

[torbida]

Dickson and Cowen are stinkin' losers who could care less about athletics.Cowen can't even maintain Tulane in the top level of schools.There has to be a way to get Cowen out and as for Bob "excuse machine" Toledo-you sir are definitely a LOSER!

[kookingkajun]

From an outsiders point of view. if i didn't know about the problems with cowem i'd say rd has togo. however since you guys have no and i mean no support from above, you have to get rid of sc.i really feel for you guys.your passion for tulane is unbelievable. you deserve better.

[Fred Dowler]

Dickson has certainly been incompetent. Not bad, but incompetent. So he is a problem.

But Cowen is the bigger problem. He's retained an incompetent AD for over a decade, given him no budget and no chance for success with the ridiculous "Tulane Model" which is so amorphous and full of PR-speak that no one has ever even defined it publicly.

The first problem is Cowen. second problem is Dickson. Third problem is Toledo, who I actually feel sorry for. Right now Tulane athletics is a no-win situation for coaches which is why all you can get is a retread looking for one last shot and no upward mobility- which describes CBT exactly.

It's not either/or. It's both.

This is completely right except that the whole model was actually devised in 1980's, of course prior to Scott Cowen coming to New Orleans, and everyone at the time thought that it could/would work. Of course Scott Cowen completely endorses such thinking for his own part.

I also concur that Cowen is going to get to be around for as long as he wants, seeing as how more than a few people actually regard him as a hero, in addition to that, as the poster said, the times when college presidents get "fired" are quite rare indeed (and Case Western Reserve could have taken him back to serve as their school president but they opted not to).

[tpstulane]

This is completely right except that the whole model was actually devised in 1980's, of course prior to Scott Cowen coming to New Orleans, and everyone at the time thought that it could/would work. Of course Scott Cowen completely endorses such thinking for his own part.

I also concur that Cowen is going to get to be around for as long as he wants, seeing as how more than a few people actually regard him as a hero, in addition to that, as the poster said, the times when college presidents get "fired" are quite rare indeed (and Case Western Reserve could have taken him back to serve as their school president but they opted not to).

Fred you are correct about the 1980's it was 1986 to be exact in response to the Tulane basketball point shaving scandal. We dropped PE as a major because of that also.

[tpstulane]

Here's a quote from my good friend Ken Trahan........

Tulane is an outstanding school. The Wilson Center is a nice facility. New Orleans is charming, attractive to many potential recruits. Of course, as Chris Scelfo, Tommy Bowden, Buddy Teevens, Greg Davis, Mack Brown, Wally English, Vince Gibson, Larry Smith, Benny Ellender, Jim Pittman, Tommy O’ Boyle, Andy Pilney, Raymond Wolf, Henry Frnka, and Claude Simons discovered, it is a very tough place to win in football.

Tulane has had 37 head coaches in its 107 year college football history. That’s an average of 2.89 years per coach. Tulane has been more of a stay of execution or a required stay as a training ground, rather than a stay for its head coaches.

[sader24]

Both Dickson and Cowen are horrendous. Cowen is the main problem b/c he has the agenda that is suffocating Tulane athletics, Dickson is just incompetent. I don't think Dickson would be a good AD in a better scenario, but I think when your boss is basically making your job impossible it doesnt help.