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Dee Todd is not a scapegoat for the problems with Aggie football, she is the cause. Hiring a career assistant coach who has never been a co-ordinator or head coach, to a guaranteed 4 year $165k contract, was ridiculous.

Not only was he over his head as head coach, he was put in the position to be offensive co-ordinator as well. Then you wonder why he goes 0-22??

Add on top of that her blowing out of proportion the Central scuffle and she had to go.

For her to not "see it coming" is not surprising.

Sure she's the scapegoat! Removing the athletic director is not the answer to the problem. All of the athletic programs are doing quite well. Football and losing is the issue. If you're in a rebuilding mode, you have to give people a chance to do there jobs. This is premature move. A move that's only done to appease some disgruntled folks that are not directly involved, but want a winner now!

I wonder if this is Dr. Battle's style of making decisions. If so, A&T will be in trouble in areas of its operation.

My 2 Cent!

Thank-God somebody saw the light.
Also Lee Fobes is not the answer to A&T Football either. If Coach Forbes does not win
at least 5 games in 2008 he need to be removed
as well.
Football is a business and what drives the business is winning and along with winning comes the money.

Take that to the Bank My2Cent

I feel it is an absolute tragedy that our AD was dismissed after only three years of her five year contract. She seems to be the scapegoat for an athletics department which is obviously underfunded, and she was never given the full opportunity of having her vision for the program realized.

What confounds me the most is her being "blindsided" by the actions of Chancellor Battle. If I am not mistaken, was it not former AD Todd who took the initiative of firing an A&T Alum in George Small whose budget could not have been any better than that of the current head coach. Wasn't Coach Small fired after only three years of a five year contract?

(The words "reap" and "sow" seem to be popping in to my head.)

I just wonder if Ms. Todd was given an armed escort to her new office in similar fashion to that which an alum of A&T was forced to endure.

It just seems to me that there needs to be a THOROUGH "house cleaning" at A & T.

There have been far too many troubles reported there in the past 10-18 months. Renick appears to be one who "got out while the getting was good." It appears that far too many people affiliated with him have found themselves in deep trouble. What does that say about him?!

As far as Ms. Todd goes, at least she was given another job (even though there was a pay cut). How many other people would be offered the same thing in private sector employment?

I just believe that there needs to be a complete and thorough investigation of A & T by Chancellor Erskine Bowles and his staff. There are too many questions with no answers transpiring from A & T.

This would not happen at any other place and be left uninvestigated. Why the free pass at A & T?

Shalom

I also have to question Dr. Battles ability to make a decision of the matter so fast, seeing that he comes to us from an institution that didn't have a football program.

I guess educating young student athletes is not the priority.

I am glad that the chancellor made some changes in the athletic department. A&T had always being the best in sport in it conception and for this to happen is totally a disgrace to the school the program and the alum that support the programs and the school. For this i applause the president for taking the first step in making some changes in the the sports programs. Th AD could have done better by hiring a qualified person to be head coach there are plenty of qualify people out there who could take A&T football team and turn it around for the best.

It is about time! This move has been long overdue. Dee Todd is not a scapegoat! Let's face it, the other sports programs may be doing well, however they do not generate as much revenue for the university as the football program. Alumni will not continue to support a losing team. NCA&T has a rich football history of winning football games, homecomings and rivalary games (WSSU/NCCU). Dee Todd has set the football program back 40 years and sucked the Pride out of being an Aggie. Football is the heartbeat of A&T athletics. Dee Todd has no vision for the future and how to turn our football program around. "Lee Fobbs may be a great man", as she suggests, but he ain't a good football coach! He had his chance! He went 0-22! Let's replace the coach too...

How long do you think the Athletic Director at an ACC school (UNC, NC State, Florida St) would last after losing 22 straight games? The alumni at these schools would not accept that mess, so why should we! How much time does she need to win a football game?

Let's not start comparing the Aggies to State and Carolina. They're two totally different environments. Personally, I think this is premature move for the president to make. He comes to A&T without a football background. The institution where he was president didn't have a football program. How is it he can just make a qualified decision like this in a matter of months. We'll just have to wait and see if it is the right call on his part.

This move was necessary if Aggie football is going to recover. This action is in step with what other major college programs do where losing is not acceptable (Georgia Tech,Arkansas,Nebraska, Texas A&M) all fired coaches on the last game of the season. The revenue generating games (Aggie-Eagle classic was discontinued) Battle of the Border was made irrelevant by Aggie AD. Playing Elon and Wake Forest was a disaster. Get back to what made A&T a football winner. Good recruiting, sound leadership to understand your role in football. Black college football is like no other with traditions and rivalries that are more fierce than any ESPN game of the week. Tennessee State vs. FAMU (Atlanta Classic), Grambling vs. Southern (Bayou Classic). These games give the schools great resources to raise money to continue their programs and school scholarships. Hire someone who is in touch with HBCU schools and not 17 years with the ACC (ACC did not "help" keep your job nor "help" A&T)

It’s too bad it had to end this way but I’m sure Dee Todd knew it was coming. After a few weeks in her new position she’ll probably be happy it happened. Only one thing got her fired and too bad that one thing is still running around losing games.
Chancellor Battle should probably make Coach Fobbs athletic director for academics and hire a new coach. Fobbs is well-spoken and he has remained positive despite all the losses. But we lost five close games and we never did well after halftime and we didn’t improve at all over the season. So it’s pretty clear he’s not what we should be looking for in a head coach. If he knew what he was doing we would have won at least half of those games.

This is an excellent move by Dr. Battle! Next let's hire a "real" Football Coach!! There are some excellent coaches at Division 2 schools who would love the opportunity to coach A&T Football.
It's Not rocket science..but you need head coaching experience. It's not all about the money..
It's about leadership. Get the right leadership and money will follow. Look at East Carolina as an example...prior to coach Holtz, they won very few games in 4 years...now they are winning and expanding their fan base.

Was Ms. Todd given the tools to succeed? Did her gender hinder? Looks to me like she's a loser in the testosterone lottery.

I agree with the earlier post, something needed to be done. It is time for a change. In life, hard decisions must be made. I believe in loyalty, but Aggie Football needs to change its direction. If she chose to keep the coach and loose her job, that is the decision that was made. But, Is this move going to help the football program? Last time I looked, I have never seen an A.D. coaching the football game. Zero wins in twenty-two tries and they fire the A.D.? I have a hard time understanding this. I love this university, but I do not know what direction they are going.

I think Chancellor Battle made a good decision in getting rid of AD Todd. The next move must be to get rid of Fobbs as coach. It's AD Todd's fault Fobbs is here anyway. Why would you hire someone that's never been a head coach? Get a new coach in and both decisions will be great for the school.

Something had to be done! Apathy and indifference had begun to place a firm stranglehold around the neck of Aggie Pride. Of course, all of this will be nothing more than a charade should Fobbs be allowed to remain as head coach.

No way she's the scapegoat. I'm wondering why it's taken this long to make the move. She's made a series of questionable decisions for quite some time now.

When she first became AD she talked about cancelling the A&T Central game b/c it wasnt beneficial for our aspirations in moving up in division status. Then she made similar comments this year after Central whipped us again. First of all we can't beat the teams in the MEAC and the A&T-Central game is a tradition.

I'm sure she's great person, just not the right person for the job. This is how the game is played Dee, suck it up and move on.

And for the record, people in athletics get fired all the time and dont start whining about how they're treated afterwards.

Chancellor Battle made an excellent decision in firing Dee Todd. Sometimes a leader has to make unpopular decisions that is in the best interest of the school and the athletics program. Even though Chancellor Battle came from a school that didn't have a football program, he is very qualified as a leader to make some changes. Coach Fobbs should be next. This a coach that has never held a head coaching position and is 0-22 right now! His coaching skills are questionable. Anyone who attended any games this season had to observed what I saw along with the decisions that were made on the field. Dee Todd mention that Coach Fobbs is a good man but what about his coaching abilities.

No, its not scapegoating when you hold someone responsible for doing thier job. Ms. Todd failed in a very big way. Losing is one thing, but she did not display the spirit and "Aggie Pride" that we value so much. I saw the interview where she stated that the future games with Central would be cancelled. I think the Chancellor should take a long hard look at hiring Wheeler Brown permanently and putting more money in the sports programs.

Bring Back Dr. Fort!!!

Kenny Phillips (current Fayetteville State coach and former A&T Assistant) for A&T Football Coach!!!

Yes!!! Bring back Chancellor Fort and while you're at it, bring back Coach Hayes. But in the mean time let's play a bowl game this Christmas: HBCU Toilet Bowl - NC A&T vs. Livingstone College. Somebody's gotta win.

I do not think Ms Todd is fall guy (woman). I am sure she is a wonderful person and lady,, otherwise she would not have been selected for the position, Potential...... I am sure Mr. Fobbs was selected for the same reasons. She will survive and probably will get another chance in the future.

She was responsible for A & T's athletics and all associated with them. She stated she would conduct a national search for a head coach who would lead us to the MEAC championship but the NCAA 1-AA championship as well. Thus far his teams have not won a game, including embarassing losses on national television. He lost some close games this season but good and great coaches find ways to win those close games.

As far as his contract is concerned, it had to be approved by others. Who did it? Board of Trustees?, Administration? Someone did. They accepted her recommendation. He failed. They were not going to leave so her reassignment was the logical choice. It is about winning. No one likes a loser.

There is a statement linked to the late great Coach Vince Lombardi, Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing.

Firing Todd was a very poor move, and scapegoat is an understatement. This highlights many key fallacies in how A&T operates that need to be seriously addressed. This is a great display of emotional people influencing a fresh leader to make uninformed decisions. Just as a precautionary measure, Battle shouldn't have been making any decisions about athletics until he's had the opportunity to learn about how a school this size operates in that area. The difference between a football school and a non-football in terms of over-all athletic department strategy is phenomenal, and so is the learning curve on how to operate. Furthermore, there definitely shouldn't have been any meetings taking place concerning athletics that did not involve the athletics department. It shows a great deal of inner discord when you meet with officials from other institutions, and don't include your own staff.

And whether my fellow Aggies want to hear it or not, WE SHOULD NOT BE PLAYING CENTRAL. Failure to observe history results in failures to succeed in the future. Ask the real "old heads" (and by real I mean they had to at least graduate 2 decades ago) and they will tell you almost any game where Central was invited into our house was almost always marred by inexcusable behavior on their part (fans included). Not to mention, playing them does more harm than good to our strength of schedule. At some point out of respect for your own reputation, you just need to stop inviting bad guests over. Period.

Just to set the record straight for those of you that seem to know everything. Wheeler Brown was involved in every aspect of hiring the football coach. He did the background checks and made recommendations. Also, A&T's budget is more than 2 million dollars behind the next Football school in the MEAC. That's not the fault of the AD. My understanding is that she exposed the budget problems and told everyone that the first mistake in Football was getting rid of Bill Hayes. Do you think she came in and decided to fire Coach Small? No, I know for a fact that Rednick wanted him fired after the Bethune loss and she told him that no way should that happen. CEO's at HBCU's have all the control over Athletics. That does not happen in Major College. Ms Todd's problem was she saw A&T's program higher that the finances allowed for. She made changes that were going to help A&T down the line, you will all see later and give the credit to the next person. Mark my word when the next years schedule is released that A&T may have 7 home games. She did the schedule but someone else will get the credit. Lastly, her support of the Football program is the right thing to do in her position. Recruits read everything written about a program they are looking at, including these comments. If the administration is not supporting the program recruits see that as a unstable program and will chose to go elsewhere. None of you I bet have ever worked in college athletics because if you did you would not put A&T and UNC, NCSU in the same sentence!. As far as not being a head coach before, guess what? No coach in the country was never a head coach at some time. You people are sexist and are mad because this women knew what she was doing and tried to make changes. If you keep doing what you are doing you get the same results. To bad for A&T because we lost a very good person that is well thought of in the nation for her ability. She was only foolish enough to think she could make it at A&T. She's was to good for us and we will never see it. She allowed Wheeler Brown in every meeting and asked for his opinion on everything. Now Wheeler Brown will get his time to be AD, only thing Wheeler has only been at A&T and Bowie. He will do as he is told by all of you and Battle. Hopefully Battle will put the money in the program and we will be back to the old A&T in one year! Right!

Your information on A&T's budget is wrong. Look here:

http://ope.ed.gov/athletics/search.asp

Battle made his decision based on his experience with her and interviews with faculty and staff about her ability.

Her fundraising ability was nonexistent yet she complained about not having any money.

She openly spoke about refusing to consider a white coach at Aggie Club meetings and at games.

She ignored every suggestion Wheeler Brown gave her until she became aware that her job was on the line.

She hired a coach that had never been a head coach or a coordinator before and gave him both jobs. He has never been in one location more than four years. He has only been a part of four winning seasons on the college level. Is there any surprise he hasn't won a game in two years?

She had to be browbeaten into extending Coach Eaves contract.

What good is strength of schedule when you haven't won a game in two years? We're harming Central's strength of schedule!

Every time we played Central she made a fool of herself by overstating any little thing that happened.

What good is 7 home games when we haven't won in over two years and the coach is the same?

What good is a recruit if he isn't properly coached?

Most presidents at major colleges, if not all, have direct control over athletics. They just allocate it to the A.D. unless they deem the A.D. to be incompetent.

Battle played football in college. Todd's experience never brought her in contact with football until she was hired at A&T. That's what led her to hire who she did.

Where did you get that link? That's some good information. According to that we spent more on football than Nofolk State, MOrgan State, FAMU, Winston Salem, and Central last year.

The people on this site are fans that have an agenda. I happen to know first hand that my information is correct. The budget you see on this site is based on information given by a person at A&T NOT in athletics for the EADA report. A&T did spend more money than WSSU and NCCU but no other school. Since you know so much, both schools teams are based on Div II standards. Effective this year they must now recruit on Div I standards which are harder. As for fund raising that was not her job. As for Eaves contract that was her decision only. In the ACC Todd was in charge of the ACC Football Banquet held in Atlanta every year. She worked with all the coaches on coach of the year and other awards. This was a black tie affair that included all the best football players in the ACC. I know because I attended the affair at $50 a head. She had the respect of every football coach in the ACC. Call Bobby Bowden or his son and they will tell you. Why don't you check out the history of Univ of Md? Debbie Yow made many of the same changes Todd did and people hated her for her decisions. She went though over 250 people in the department because people didn't like how she operated but look at Maryland now. People in HBCU's are known for having an opinion based on limited information, they hear what they want to. I have a daughter that loves Todd and wanted so badly to follow in her footsteps. Todd always took time to help any body that wanted to talk and learn about the business. My daughter is heartbroken seeing what has happen to a good women in the athletics. Now she does not want to ever work at a HBCU. But we knew her before A&T and people across the nation love her. Our people are resentful from where Todd came from instead of embracing her experiences.
Two years is not enough time to see changes in a situation that was a mess to begin with. Keep writing your negative comments it really does not matter. We have lost more than some Football games. Until we let the professionals do their jobs and stop second guessing every decision then we will be where we are forever. Since I know where Todd came from and visited her office at Grandover with my daughter I feel sorry that she thought she could make a difference at A&T! What a shame!

So A&T lied about what it spent on athletics? Thats just silly. And because she was a mammy for an ACC banquest shes qualified to run a department? Thats even sillier. If bobby bowden and his son like her so much she should go work for them. And fundraising was her job. So was marketing. Do your research and quit lying when the truth si right there posted.

That link shows we spent more on football than a lot of schools we played but we spned lest on football than the big schools. but she said we spent less than anybody. She was lying and why she spend all that money on that ocach if she didnt have the money? Kenny Phillips from fayeteville would have come for alot less and won a lot of games. how we have a week off and let sc state college set records on us. She should go back to the acc if they woulld take her and take her coach with her.

I wasnt resentful of where she came from I thougt she would do a good job because of it but she didnt.

A white man as Head Coach of A&T Football? O HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why hire inexperience people if your school is already a mess. Let's find the correct people to put A & T back on the map. It is "Aggie Pride" right?

Is she a scapegoat? Yes and no.

Yes: She didn't openly come to us to apply for the job. James C. Renick (the guy that ran out of town after insuring our graduation rate would drop below 40% and failing to raise the athletics budget for years) chased her down and begged her to take the job. Dee Todd's signature was not the only one on Lee Fobb's contract. Jim Renick and Mable Scott signed it too. If given time and support, she might have come into her own. I doubt it, but my opinion and two dollars won't get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Only time could have answered that question.

No: She could have named herself head football coach and gotten the same results. Probably better, considering her successful coaching experience. I would think that the only thing that got her reassigned was the poor performance of the football team. That is how they do it at big schools. They can the a.d. that hired the coach and then they can the coach. I know we're not a big school, but Dee did want to "show us how they do it in the ACC." The irony would be funny if somebody’s life wasn’t wrapped up in it.

The bottom line is that it’s ultimately not about “scapegoating.” These people serve at the pleasure of the Chancellor. He didn’t hire her so it was likely her contract would not have been renewed anyway. If anybody was paying attention they noticed that practically every time a new president or chancellor comes aboard at a university, a housecleaning occurs. Battle just picked this day to clean his gym.

There is life after being an AD at A&T.
Bill Hayes goes to Florida A&M as the new AD. Salary $175,000.

So who's going to N.C. Central now???

So who's going to N.C. Central now???

So who's going to N.C. Central now???

WOW!!! there have been some very good remarks about the AD..
I was reading the previous posts and agreeing with everyone who said she was NOT a scapegoat..

She hired the man... she is directly responsible for him. .

alot of folks talking about Dr. Battle not having the right to fire her....
DID we forget he is the CHANCELLOR!!!!!!

Aggie Pride is a special feeling and knowing about HBCU LOVE!!! Dr Battle PROBABLY (likely) got pressure from alumni to get rid of her...ASAP..

Alunmi are major ticket buyers for football games. If we don't come to the games who will.
I went to the NCCU, WSSU, Homecoming, SC State games.. A&T alumni attendence is down.

I am a second generation AGGIE. I am an AGGIE till I die... This will only make us stronger..

People make the remark about gender... male or female... the housecleaning was coming with the new chancellor... so Forbes ... best to get looking... ASAP!!!

V-doubleU