University of Houston Athletics
Mack Rhoades Press Conference Quotes
6/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | General
June 11, 2009
Mack Rhoades Press Conference Quotes
June 11, 2009 * O'Quinn Great Hall Athletics Alumni Building * Houston, Texas
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON PRESIDENT/ CHANCELLOR RENU KHATOR
Opening Statements
"Good morning everyone. I am delighted to see all of you here. It was very short notice, but I can't keep good news just to myself. I wanted to make sure that you were all a part of this and we could celebrate together. I am delighted to be here, having accomplished tasks and very good results. You know how we all believe that the University of Houston is going to be a Tier 1 university. We are very grateful for the legislature and the community for helping move toward that goal, but a Tier 1 university is not going to be built without a Tier 1 athletics department. I have said that and this is part of the regent's goals. "
Dr. Renu Khator Introducing Mack Rhoades
"I want to thank John Robinson, who took charge as the interim AD and did a fabulous job as well as al of the staff. You hung in there. Now, roll up your sleeves because it is going to go very fast from here. Now I am very excited to give you your Athletics Director Mack Rhoades. He has been at Marquette University, Yale University, UT-El Paso and the University of Akron. There are several things he has accomplished. There is something very important about student-athletes, the student part of the word student-athlete. Of course we want to win games, we are the University of Champions.
"However, we want to make sure our players are winning the game of life. Therefore, the passion for the for these 18 year olds, how they do, how they retain, how they graduate is extremely important. The commitment is also important. Building an athletics complex, which he accomplished at Akron is a success. It is a beautiful complex and it was very impressive to the search committee. The University of Houston is also the University of the community and his passion and vision to get the community here and its programs here and build it into a Tear 1 program is something that impressed me. Before I introduce you to Mack, I want to introduce you to his boss, Amy, his wife.
"And now here is your athletic director, a person who has a vision in his head, passion in his heart, fire in his belly and dirt on his hands. I present to you your athletic director, Mack Rhoades."
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS JIM WISE
Opening Statement
"This is an exciting day for the city of Houston and the University of Houston. Amy and Mack, we are so delighted to have you here. This university has rich traditions and deep roots. There are several generations of people who are excited today. I have always said and I continue to say that the most important vote as a regent that I have cast is to bring Dr. Khator to the University of Houston. She hires excellent people, "A" players at the top of their field and challenges them. This is a great day because this is an athletics director that is going to meet those challenges and meet those goals that many of us for many years have worked on and hoped for the best. Mack we are glad to have you here and if there is anything we can do to help we would be delighted. Thank all of you for your interest in being here today."
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON BOARD OF REGENT LYNDON ROSE
Opening Statement
"Welcome. This is a great day. Before I get started I would like to give a great thanks to Dave Maggard for his great job of seven years. Also, I would like to thank his staff, John Robinson, Katina Jackson and everyone else involved with this program to help us get to the places we want to be. Thanks for a job well done.
"With that in mind, where there is a vacancy, there is an opportunity. And that opportunity is today because what Dave Maggard has done. IT allows Mack to take us in the direction that we all want to go and where we aspire to be. I have been here long enough to see many ADs, in fact too many. I hope that this time Mack will be a keeper for a long time to come. Welcome Mack."
HOUSTON DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS MACK RHOADES
Opening Statement
"What a welcome and thank you everyone for being here. I truly appreciate your support of this University and this athletics department. It's great to be back in the great state of Texas. I was happy to see many of our student athletes here. I realize they didn't come to see me but because they saw the free food, but it's great that they were here and I certainly appreciate that. And again, I appreciate everyone else that made the effort to be here.
"What a special place. As we began to look at this opportunity, we realized more and more what a special place it is. And it's special because of its tradition, the teams and the national championships. But what makes it more special is the people. That's what truly makes something special - the people. That's how you win, that's how you move forward, you do that with people.
"It is an honor and a privilege to be your director of athletics. I want to thank Dr. Khator so very much for placing your trust in me and in our team, because this will be a team that builds this. Collectively, we will all have to work together. Truly it's an honor to be here.
"There are some people I would like to thank. This has been a journey for Amy and I, and you don't get here without crossing paths with some wonderful people. The people at the University of Akron. They are wonderful folks, and again, I would never have been up here without their help and support. I know my friends are watching back home and to all of you, thank you very, very much.
"To Dave Maggard: I appreciate everything you have done. In his seven years here I know he worked very hard with his staff to continue to put Houston athletics on the map. We will take what he has done and move it forward. To my wife Amy: thank you for your support. I work tremendous hours and spend a lot of time away from my family. We have three beautiful daughters. They are the treasures of our life, and Amy makes sure our family runs the way it runs.
"To our current student-athletes: thank you for all your hard work and your commitment, not just to the athletic side, but to the classroom. We will make that commitment. Here at the University of Houston, we are going to build and develop champions for life. That's what intercollegiate athletics is all about. It's about taking young men and young women and developing them so after their days here at Houston they can go on and make wonderful contributions to our society. We're going to do everything we can to make sure we are dedicated to that effort. We're going to win championships and that is absolutely important. That is part of the student-athlete experience. We are going to work collectively with our head coaches, our student-athletes, our staff and across campus so that we can develop all of the resources it takes to be the best in our conference.
"We are in a great conference, we have great leadership with Britton Banowsky. We need to be the leader in this conference across the board. That's going to be our first measure. That's where we are going to start. We're going to make sure we do things the right way. We're going to follow the rules and we're not going to cut corners. We're going to out work everyone that we come across because that is what it's going to take. I'm honored, I'm privileged, I look forward to getting to know each and everyone of you and I will take the time to do that. I want to be out in the community, I want to meet people, I want to share our vision and I'm asking you for your help as we move UH athletics forward. Thank you very much."
