Few names touch off more of a firestorm for longtime Columbia sports fans than Al Paul.
Paul was the Athletic Director during an era when Columbia athletics went from a scrappy program with some occasional successes to the basket case of American collegiate sports.
Mr. Paul died Monday at his home in Maryland at the age of 88.
His legacy will be debated for years, but I never met anyone who said he wasn't a decent person.
And I do believe his heart was in the right place.
15 comments:
Personally, he seemed like an affable enough guy. I remember when he, like all almost all CU head coaches save Buff Donelli, "taught" gym. (Stuart MacKenzie, the head heavyweight rowing coach, taught "Basic Conditioning" around the same time and he was a very serious and dedicated instructor.) I had him for handball. Controversial tenure as AD, to be sure.
Still nothing on the Ath. Dept. website about his death.
When I was on the lightweight team our locker room was in a weightlifting room at Baker Field. When Al Paul was an assistant ooach, he used to come in and do bicep curls before practices. I can't recall what weight he used. Not too substantial though.
I had the great Jack Rohan for basketball gym class. He was the perfect coach for CU.
Mitch S 68CC
It is difficult for me to fathom that my first experience with Al Paul was when he was 36 years old, back in 1962.
For better or worse, he's part of the CU athletic legacy. May he rest in peace.
I always thought he was a gentleman and did the best he could while dealing with our laissez faire Admin
RIP. The only conversations I ever had with one of our ADs, beyond one or two routine letters or emails, was with one (not Paul or Murphy) who seemed very bright, polite and well-intentioned. This went on for between a ear or two via email. No inside stuff or personal opinions, but a willingness to share some routine information and thoughts that the Athletics Dept. could share with fans but does not.
I'm mostly theorizing, or guessing, but it seems that our ADs reflect the Admin's basic attitude. They want a competent dept. manager who gets all the basics done, a bureaucrat who could do the same thing in any industry. NOT a gung-ho leader who might rock the boat, especially in football.
Chick
I agree with your theory.
Going a bit further, re "bureaucrat", it appears what they want and what they have obtained over the years are bean counters; folks who can construct and maintain a budget, who can say the "correct" things to the alums, who can avoid HR and PR issues , who can keep the animals in check, who can run a non-bumpy, vanilla department. Just as all the rest of CU department heads are expected to do. It is, after all, a huge, multi-billion dollar bureaucracy.
When we see someone appointed to the AD slot who has both expertise and passion, then perhaps we will see a sports renaissance. Until then, it will not happen.
Fellow Lions-
I have fond memories of the man and what he tried to accomplish. It's okay to have positive remarks here, especially after his passing. Tomorrow is a new day, everyone can go back to bashing the administration in 24 hours. For the rest of today, let's try and respect the man.
Greg Abbruzzese
CC '91
Still nothing on the CU AD website nor the Columbia.edu website. This guy served CU for many, many years. No obit. This remains the single worst PR policy I have ever seen out of Columbia and that's really saying something. No, I did not love the guy, but this is how Columbia treats its own.
Jake, not that you singled me out, but I wasn't bashing Paul, didn't really know him at.just ruminating on the job of AD. He did serve CU a long time, and having some personal insight as we all do, on the pressures of various jobs, I'm sure he had more than his share of pressure and probably didn't like many of the realities.
I don't think the AD or coaches are really part of the CU Admin. But as at GE or GM, they are forced to reflect it. The problem is an institutional one.
Al Paul on AD now...give the bashing a break fer chrissakes.
There has been no bashing of Al Paul here by anyone. Try reading before making false accusations.
Chick, I was referring to the perpetual bashing of the AD and other aspects of the program (such as the complaint that a tribute to Paul had not yet appeared by press time of this blog), rather than to Al Paul himself, who had some major accomplishments.
Yes, it's appropriate at this time to think of his accomplishments, which are well stated in the obit on the
AD website.
After Garrett imploded, Al attended practice. Daily, I believe.
Post a Comment