‘Tiger’ Takes Stage
Visitors to the announcement of the new athletics director Thursday might have thought they stepped off campus and into a segment of ESPN’s Sports Center.
Why it matters
Heeke’s introduction was pure corny theatre
In the middle of Rose Arena was a stage, a 60 to 70-foot long black curtain, a Chippewas back drop and four chairs, upon which sat University President Michael Rao, retiring Athletics Director Herb Deromedi, Field Hockey Coach Cristy Freese and Trustee Gail Torreano.
Once various CMU officials were finished with their self bloviating, Rao announced new Athletics Director Dave Heeke, and then started the true example of corniness.
Enter stage left, Heeke, to the blaring sound of CMU’s fight song, which, of course, inspired the masses — about 100 CMU officials, community members, students and media outlets — to stand up and clap along with the music.
And there, on stage, was an Athletics Department patsy waiting to dress the newly anointed director with his very own, custom-fit maroon sports jacket, which coordinated well with Heeke’s maroon and gold tie.
(We are still not sure what happened to his more traditional black suit jacket.)
“I feel a bit like Tiger Woods,” Heeke said, referring to the Green Jacket given to the winner of The Master’s, a professional golf tournament. “I got my jacket and I’m ready to go.”
The fortunate thing is that all this unnecessary pomp and circumstance — which over dramatized a very routine process — did not seem like Heeke’s style.
CMU’s new athletic director addressed the crowd, and with great knowledge and directive, told of his plans for the program.
The most worthwhile, and reassuring, aspect of his speech came when he described his philosophy for the student athlete, which he dubbed the “championship experience.”
Heeke wants to provide athletes social, academic and athletic growth while attending CMU — which he described with honest conviction.
While this goal may be on paper somewhere in the current Athletics Department file cabinets, it seems that Heeke will actually put this philosophy into practice.
And when that happens, CMU athletics will officially be set in a new direction.
