ORU AD Marty Sargent????? - 1994

[ORUalum]

saw this on the TW website.  i sure don't remember this.  anyone know the backstory?  obviously things worked out great for ORU by getting Mike Carter instead.

 

 

1994: A remarkable year in Oklahoma sports

SEPTEMBER 15: Seventeen days after accepting the athletic director's position at Oral Roberts University, Marty Sargent announced that he would return to his assistant AD’s position at Oklahoma State.

[ORUJason]

I have met Marty Sargent's wife before and she is a very nice lady. I don't know if Marty is still at OSU now, but he was as of about 6-7 years ago.

[Old Titan]

Sargent ORU's Choice

RHETT MORGAN | TULSA WORLD

Posted: Tuesday, August 30, 1994 12:00 am

 

FOR THE second time in as many years, Oklahoma State has blessed Oral Roberts University with one of its staffers.

 

"I just thank God for Stillwater every day," said ORU president Richard Roberts, who on Monday named Marty Sargent, 40, as the Golden Eagles' athletic director.

 

Sargent, administrative assistant for football at OSU, replaces former ORU athletic director Bob Brooks, who retired July 31.

 

The Golden Eagles last year named former OSU assistant Bill Self as their head basketball coach.

 

"It's a great opportunity for me and my family to get into the area that we've dreamed about getting into," Sargent said. "It's been a lifelong goal of mine to become an athletic director."

 

"I told the people while I was interviewing I never thought it would really be possible to become a Division I athletic director this quickly. I was thinking I would have to work

my way up through the ranks."

 

Up to 12 candidates interviewed for the position, said Roberts, who called a 8:30 a.m. news conference so he could catch a morning flight to Zambia, Africa.

 

Terms of Sargent's contract weren't disclosed.

 

"I was very impressed with him in both of his interviews," Roberts said. "I believe this is another strong step for Oral Roberts University in a series of strong steps."

 

Having spent 11-plus years at OSU, Sargent appears amply qualified. In addition to his administrative assistant duties, he served as a liaison with Cowboys' interim athletic director Dave Martin.

 

Upon joining the staff in August of 1983, Sargent spent a year-and-a-half with the general university community as a financial counselor. He later served in a similar capacity

for the athletic department.

 

Sargent also was heavily involved in NCAA compliance, helping guide OSU through a four-year football probation that began in 1989.

 

"A lot of positive things have come out of that," said Sargent, a former linebacker at Iowa State, where he received his undergraduate degree in 1977 and his master's degree in guidance and counseling in '82.  "Namely, I know how the NCAA operates and the ramifications of not doing things properly. I feel like I'm ready."

 

Until he ties up loose ends in Stillwater, Sargent said he plans to work once or twice weekly at ORU, getting acquainted with the staff starting a marketing concept for the athletic department.

 

Sargent, however, needs no introduction to at least one staffer - Self.

 

"He has had a hand in running basically every facet of an athletic department over there," said the basketball coach, a member of the school's AD search committee. "He has worked his tail off to put himself in this position, and he is very deserving of being promoted."

 

"He will be sorely missed over there because he was very well thought of."

 

Of immediate importance to Sargent is finding a conference for ORU, an NCAA Division I independent whose major revenue sports are basketball and baseball.

 

During the 1994-95 basketball season, only two Division I teams will be independents, Notre Dame and ORU. The Fighting Irish's basketball team will join the Big East Conference in 1994-95.

 

"Oral Roberts has a lot to offer," said Sargent, a part-time football coach at Iowa State from 1978-81.

 

"We'll just have to do our homework and make a good presentation to them (prospective leagues). A conference is essential for survival, probably."

 

ORU is working toward that end.  The school has had talks with several conferences, including the Mid-Continent and the Missouri Valley.  The University of Tulsa is a member of the 10-school MVC.

 

"We've had communication with them but not to the point where they are beating our door down," Self said.

 

Discussions with the nine-member Mid-Continent have been more encouraging.

 

According to Self, the Mid-Continent has advised ORU to have a presentation ready by the NCAA Convention in January.

 

"That doesn't mean it's positive or negative," he said.  "That just means they want us to be evaluated by that particular time.

 

"It's very tentative right now. They haven't told us they want us. They haven't told us they didn't want us. They just said this is what you need to do."

[Old Titan]

Sargent Resigns From ORU Post

Dave Sittler • Daily Oklahoman

Published: September 16, 1994

 

TULSA - Oral Roberts University basketball coach Bill Self expressed confidence that the school would attract a top-notch athletic director after Marty Sargent, the man hired for the position 18 days ago, changed his mind.

 

Sargent, an assistant athletic director at Oklahoma State University, announced Thursday he had resigned from the position he accepted Aug. 29.

 

The 40-year-old Sargent made the announcement through the OSU sports information office, and said he would have no further comment. In a prepared release, Sargent said it was a "very personal" decision that came after deliberate consideration.

 

"At this time, because of family considerations, we have decided to remain in Stillwater," Sargent said.

 

"I want to express my deepest gratitude to president (Richard) Roberts, not only for giving me the opportunity, but for the professional manner in which he has handled the entire situation."

 

Self, a former player and assistant coach at OSU, had supported Sargent's candidacy to replace ORU athletic director Bob Brooks, who retired July 31.

 

"We think Marty is very talented, and would have made a solid athletic director," Self said. "We respect his decision."

[Old Titan]

ORU's AD Post Still Unfilled

Posted: Saturday, October 15, 1994 12:00 am

Dan O'Kane | Tulsa World

 

JOHN BENN wasn't ready to commit to Oral Roberts University Friday, so the school's president, Richard Roberts, extended the deadline for hiring a new athletic director.

 

Roberts talked at length with Benn, 49, late Thursday and well into Friday morning as the school tried to attract the former University of Tulsa athletic director to ORU.

 

Roberts wanted to have an athletic director selected and announced before he left on a trip to Hawaii. The evangelist will not return to campus until Oct. 25.

 

"John was unable to commit to the position," said ORU basketball coach Bill Self, who has assumed many of the roles of athletic director as well as being on the search committee. "The job is still open. John is still involved as well as others. Hopefully, we'll have the position filled soon."

 

Benn said that based on the time frame set by ORU, he was unable to come to a decision Friday. Roberts' decision to extend the deadline will give Benn more time to evaluate the job.

 

"It's not something I'm going to jump into," said Benn, who has been courted by the university for a little more than two weeks. "I need to know it is something I'm completely comfortable with."

 

During the late night-early morning discussions, Roberts expressed his intentions to commit financially to the school athletic department and pledged stability.

 

"I have nothing but the utmost respect for Richard Roberts," Benn said. "They have handled the entire process professionally and thoroughly."

 

Benn said the decision is difficult because of the success he has had as the director of the Barry Switzer and Associates financial service company in Norman. He is in his second year with the company, which has flourished in the past year.

 

The athletic director position has been vacant since Bob Brooks stepped down Aug. 1.

[Old Titan]

Carter Accepts ORU Challenge

Loss of Son, Sports Passion Help Make Decision Easier for Tulsan

Posted: Tuesday, November 8, 1994 12:00 am

Dan O'Kane | Tulsa World

 

THE LOSS of a son, a passion for sports and an impressive commitment to revitalize Oral Roberts University's athletic department convinced Tulsa attorney Mike Carter that the

Golden Eagles athletic director's job was right for him.

 

Carter went from being on the selection committee to being appointed ORU's new athletic director Monday by university president Richard Roberts.

 

"It was a big decision," Carter said. "Losing our son in December made me suddenly realize that life it too short. If getting into athletics fulltime is going to make me happy, then let's go for it."

 

Carter's son Scott received media attention last year because of his sports memorabilia collection and his courageous fight against cancer.

 

When the 13-year old died in December, Carter continued his son's dream of putting the collection on display. "Scott Carter's Heroes Collection" will be on display at various locations throughout the state with the focus on raising money for children's cancer research.

 

"Losing Scott, we learned how valuable time is, not money," said Carter's wife, Paula. "Mike might gain some longevity by doing something he really enjoys."

 

Carter was not the school's first choice to fill the position, which has been vacant since Bob Brooks retired in July.  ORU hired Oklahoma State football administrative assistant Marty Sargent in August, but in September he backed down before starting the job.

 

"It just seemed to work out," Roberts said. "There is a reason why things don't happen. It's been worth what we went through to get Mike."

 

Carter is a 1970 graduate of Oklahoma State University and a 1972 University of Tulsa law school graduate. He has practiced law in Tulsa the last 20 years and has been an adjunct professor at TU.  He also has taught sports classes at OSU and TU.

 

He has counseled athletes from OSU, TU and ORU, regarding the selection process for finding an agent and basic financial management. He also has worked as a consultant with the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Montreal Expos and Florida Marlins, presenting seminars to their minor league players.

 

Besides his professional involvement in sports, Carter has received insight into collegiate sports through close friendships with OSU head basketball coach Eddie Sutton (the Cowboys wore Scott Carter's initials on their jerseys last year), ORU's head basketball coach Bill Self, and TU golf coach Bill Brogden.

 

"I know a lot of wives talk about their husbands being sports nuts, but it really is true with Mike," Paula Carter said. "If there is a competition and it's on television, Mike will watch it. It doesn't matter what sport.  That's why if it's important to him to work in athletics, I fully support him."

 

In fact, Paula Carter was the first to suggest that Carter apply. 

 

"The more he talked about the job, the more you could see the excitement in his eyes," Paula Carter said. "I told him, `Why don't you apply?' Of course, I've probably said that about coaching jobs and other things so don't give me too much credit."

 

Carter, a member of Southern Hills Country Club, was playing golf with Roberts when the conversation turned to the athletic director's position.  Carter joked that his wife suggested he apply for it.

 

"That got my attention," Roberts said.

 

However, it wasn't until John Benn declined the job that ORU turned to Carter.

 

"We interviewed a good 15 candidates," Carter said. "The more I learned about the program, the more interested I got. When John Benn declined the job, Bill and I had lunch. I asked him what the next move would be.

 

He said, `How about you?' "

 

Self said he was joking. Carter surprised the coach by saying he really was interested.

 

"Through the process I got excited about the job but it was not my place to pursue it," Carter said.

 

A reorganization of the athletic department is one of the first challenges for Carter. He plans to hire an NCAA compliance officer, a marketing director and an operations director to manage game day activities and promotions.

 

One focus will be improving attendance at basketball games.  After topping out at almost 6,000 fans during the 1980s, it dropped to close to 500 during the early 1990s.

 

"We recognize that we lost a lot of support with some coaching changes several years ago," Carter said. "All we ask is for the city of Tulsa to give us the chance to show we're doing the right thing."

[ORUalum]

thanks OT.  i remember Carter going from selection committee to taking the job, but not all the drama in between.  things worked out for the best, but i still wonder why Self's hand picked choice from OSU took the job then had second thoughts.  "family considerations" sounds like an easy excuse to back out.  what happened in the intervening 2 weeks?