If universities can jump from conference to conference, administrators from program to program, and coaches from team to team, why would anyone expect this opportunism to not trickle down into the fabric of collegiate athletics?
For example, I’m sure Kevin Durant’s move to Golden State has been brought to your attention by now. If not, NBA player Kevin Durant recently switched from one championship caliber team to another championship caliber team. Contracts aside, what makes Kevin Durant’s departure inherently any different than say Mack Rhoades leaving Mizzou taking the opportunity to become the athletic director at Baylor? From the outside it looks like both merely saw the opportunity to go from a good to great situation and aptly didn’t hesitate to make the move.
I had the opportunity to remain at Georgia State University working as a graduate assistant in development. Instead, I left a well-established situation to attend Texas A&M University. I took this leap of faith without having a secured role in the athletic department because of the sheer possibilities. Reasons and scale aside, my decision ultimately lies in the same frame as Durant’s and Rhoade’s. I left a more than great situation to continue advancing my career on the basis of a potentially great opportunity available, even if I had to make that opportunity happen from scratch. Of course I was met with no scorn, but rather congratulations, encouragement, and offers of advice.
Again, this is status quo, universities switch divisions, conferences, apparel brands, broadcast deals, and so on to consistently provide themselves a better opportunity. The same opportunism trickles down from administrators, coaches, and, albeit less applauded for it, student-athletes. At this early stage of my career the advice I’ve been given is to consistently explore opportunities. There are endless reasons that makes one opportunity better than another for the various stakeholders within college athletics, but the consistent movement within the industry comes off as a necessary expectation rather than an option.
If the culture of collegiate athletics has bred systemic opportunism, we should certainly applaud the increased growth and talent that has come with this system. However, athletic departments are not major corporations, too big to fail, but they are part of academic institutions where character should be prioritized over championships ten times out of ten. Ultimately, an individual is well within their right to make the best of any opportunity presented to them, but does building high character as an industry get left in the way side as collegiate athletic administrators are encouraged more and more to think like executives rather than educators.
About Erick Taylor
Erick Taylor is an aspiring college sports professional and MPSA candidate attending Texas A&M University. Originally from the Greater Atlanta area, Erick received his bachelor’s degree from hometown Georgia State University, where he also served as a development intern for the Panther athletic department.
A young, relatively inexperienced prospect in this industry, Erick is in search of the tools and skills required for success. By sharing his journey, he hopes to help others achieve their professional goals as well.
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