Goodbye, David Hart

ESPN is now reporting that Florida State’s president, T.K. Wetherell, has told athletic director David Hart, Jr. that his contract will not be renewed following the 2009 season when it ends. That’s a really nice way of saying, “You’re fired.”

Hart’s had a rocky road at Florida State. While the football program revenue has gone in the crapper, while other programs, like women’s soccer and men’s track and field, are thriving. I’m all about equality for all sports programs…but women’s soccer? Men’s track and field? When is the last time these programs at any school attracted the type of national interest you see with Seminole football? Few people give a shit, and I’m sorry if that sounds harsh, but that’s American culture. College football is more popular than women’s college soccer. When you’re an athletic director, it is your job to ensure that all sports get the attention they need relative to the amount of revenue and prestige they bring to the school. And it looks like he hasn’t been doing that well enough.

Or maybe its the fact that he hasn’t held the same vision as Wetherell on other positions, like communication among departments and improvements upon procedures for athletes in trouble with the law. On top of that, Hart’s coaching hires have sucked the past few years and the whole department was part of a huge scandal last year in which two employees were fired and many others simply left.

Hart’s saying goodbye to a $557,821.21 paycheck. That’s a kick in the balls. But hey, maybe if he moves on to a college where he can better make use of his talents, everyone will be much happier. He just didn’t see eye-to-eye anymore with Wetherell’s vision for Florida State athletes.

Hart calls the news a “mutually acceptable and amicable separation agreement with the university.” That’s like the beauty queen who doesn’t win the crown but smiles and claps while she’s screaming instead. I bet if we could hear Hart’s inner monologue right now, it would go something like this.

“F*** this. Damn it, this blows a**. Everyone can suck my d***! You here me? SUCK IT!”

Oh wait. That was Bobby Bowden’s inner monologue after last week’s game…

AP Photo/Craig Litten