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« on: March 03, 2017, 05:42:15 PM »
I have a fascinating story about an episode in K-State athletic directorship-hiring history. Hold on to your hats.
In 1976, I served as a student rep on the Intercollegiate Athletic Council, a useless, rubber-stamp committee of amateur, though ambitious, bureaucrats that approved whatever Ernie Barrett wanted. (I remember sitting by Ernie in one of our pointless meetings and him offering me a breath mint. It's a moment I'll never forget – Ernie Barrett played in the NBA.) Our Very Important Committee, known around campus and as far west as Ogden and east to the outskirts of Zeandale as simply "the IAC," was tasked with "reviewing" (yeah right) resumes for the position of athletic director.
One of the notable resumes was from Lou Saban, who had just resigned as head coach of the Buffalo Bills because he was mad at owner Ralph Wilson over the handling of OJ Simpson's contract, which led to Wilson refusing to ever add Saban's name to the Bills' Wall of Fame. We (well, not we really) didn't hire Saban, because he obviously paled in comparison to the clearly superior Jersey Jermier. (I remember sending Jersey a note of congratulations. He sent one back that said, "Thanks.") By the end of that same year, however, the spurned Lou Saban had served as the athletic director at both Cincinnati (for 19 days) and Miami (Fla.).
Of course, you've already figured out the obvious: that Lou Saban is the father of Nick.
You would be wrong. Not related.
Anyway, Amy Button Not-Yet-Renz was just another cute chick on campus when I was helping to conduct all of this important business. Took her more than 40 years to get into a position to hire an AD. Pffft ... I was doing it before I graduated.