Me and Mr. Cegles, LBSU's New AD
by JJ Fidler, www.lbunion.com
September 18, 2006 Monday September 18th, 2006
I had my Saturday planned a week in advance. Work in the morning and the No. 1 Ohio State v. No. 2 Texas football game that night, but I had one problem: Athletic Director Vic Cegles.
After contacting Director Cegles (seg-less) for an interview, he responded immediately. On Friday afternoon his assistant told me he would be at the Long Beach State Volleyball match on Saturday night; yah, that Saturday night.
It was my fault, though. In my infinite wisdom I requested a different type of interview; a "day in the life of..." So, when the Athletic Director is going to be at the game and he invites you to join him, you go.
* * *
I left the football game before halftime, right after Ted Ginn Jr. caught the touchdown pass that put Ohio State up 14-7. To be completely honest, I didn't want to leave. Not since 1996 had No. 1 and No. 2 faced each other in the regular season, but if I didn't show up it would look bad for the paper and for me. It's the sacrifices that make us "responsible."
The volleyball match started on time, but I was about two minutes late. Problem being, I had not arranged a meeting spot with Cegles. Try finding someone in the 'Myd in the middle of an event; it's not easy. I thought, "if I were the Athletic Director, where would I sit?"
The match was well underway with the Beach taking the lead in the first game. "What if I can't find him?" I worried. "What if he leaves?" Then I will have missed the football game and the interview. Unacceptable.
Media Relations Assistant Director Chris DeConna saw me fretting and, champion that he is, found him in the 15th row behind the benches.
* * *
Director Cegles was sitting by himself, intently watching the match. As I approached him with notebook in hand and a very relieved look on my face, he extended his hand to meet mine, "Director Cegles, it's a pleasure" I said.
He offered me the seat next to his and, like any good interviewee, he asked me about myself. Needless to say I took the bait, "Well, I'm a fifth year senior. I've been working at the Union for a few years and I just wanted to talk to you about the state of our sports department, and your plans... your biographical story has been done a lot, so..."
He shook his head and acknowledged that I was sincere, but he waited until the point on the floor had concluded to answer me. "Well, did you have some questions, or..."
I froze. I did have questions prepared. A lot of them as a matter of fact, but after sweating the fact that I might not get the interview I sacrificed for, I wasn't exactly in the best state of mind. So, I went to the money card: "Well, some people from the Union and I are going to try and organize the students to make these games events, you know, get that student section filled..." and that was all I had to say.
"Oh definitely," he said confidently. "I mean look at programs like Duke Basketball, it's all about the students. We need to get some traditions here. If we could get about 100 dedicated students who were at every game..."
"The trickle down effect," I interrupted. He shook his head again, but this time with a little more conviction. I can just imagine how many interviews he has done since arriving on campus over the summer, how many questions he gets that are carbon copies of each other. But here he had a student who was on the same page, a student with a pen and an idea. Admittedly, aspiring to be like the Dukies is aiming pretty high. But where else do you aim?
* * *
Long Beach took game one of the match, 30-23. Cegles looked over at me after the winning point, "I have to go say hello to some people." I told him I would wait in my seat until he was done. I would have liked to follow him, listening how he talks with people, but nothing's perfect.
He walked towards the home bench and talked to some people from the ticket office, then over to the courtside seats to say hello to President Alexander and the season ticket holders. What impressed me was how confident he looked walking around the 'Myd. He just got here, but he walks like he owns the place, because he does and that's how a good administration official acts.
When he returned to his seat as the second game started I stood up so he could sit, but he placed his hand on my arm and said, "Let's go up here."
Where would he take me? Are we going to meet someone? Is he going to show me the secret closet where they keep all the school spirit?
No, he took me to what used to be the beer vendor section on the far side of the 'Myd's upper walkway. There, under what looked to me like a beacon from above, was a television broadcasting the Ohio State/Texas game. Cegles turned to me, "Now we can watch both."
I could have hugged him. With the score 17-7 Ohio State, the next score would decide the game, and here I was with the new AD watching the volleyball game AND the football game.
Now I was comfortable, so I asked him what his plans for the university sports are. He didn't hesitate, like he had been waiting for the question all night.
"I've got to be here for awhile. It takes time to evaluate a program, so over the next 3-5 months I will see what we need to improve. We do a lot of things very well here, and there are some areas we need to improve on." My first thought was the student support.
"Yes, it all starts with the students," he said. "But you have to win."
I mentioned last year's Commissioner's Cup win, and the success of the volleyball team on the floor, and he agreed. But again, his aim is high.
"It also has to do with opponents. If we were to bring in a Michigan or UCLA to play here, obviously the stands would be more full... but, you have to be careful. Our goal is to be the best in the Big West and MPSF, then gain recognition in NCAA tournaments."
He turned to look at the football game, then back to the volleyball game, then back to me.
"Look at great programs like that, like Ohio State. They have incredible facilities and those recruits are impressed by what they can offer. We need those types of facilities here. Locker rooms for each sport, and training facilities for teams."
I had to stop him there because on a campus where Puvugna and parking are two of the hot button issues, here he is talking about building more. So, what about space?
"Space isn't an issue if you are smart about it. Look at our Women's Soccer program. [Head coach] Ingrassia is doing a great job and we need to build them a stadium. It would be real easy to put a locker room under a grandstand."
He took a look at Ohio State driving for the put away score, "Ohio State is going to win the National Championship. You can write that down."
Football fan. Honest. And best of all, he's ambitious.
"We've got a half million people in the surrounding area." He stopped, looking around at the 'Myd. I can imagine he was thinking of all that we had talked about. How this university has so much potential, and how he's here to lead us into the next chapter. "We can do better."
We looked back at the television after the 'Niners won the second game to see that Ohio State was inside the Texas 20, ready to put the game out of reach. We exchanged business cards as OSU punched it in for the final score of the game, 24-7.
* * *
I walked away satisfied. The night didn't start like I would have hoped, but after seeing Cegles reign over the 'Myd it's clear that he's the right man for this job. The type of man ready to boost a sports department primed for a rise to the top.
As I walked out I caught my reflection and noticed that part of my shirt collar was sticking straight up while the other side hung loosely. I had just spent an hour with the new Athletic Director, attempting to sound and act professional, while I looked all disheveled. Well, I guess nothing's perfect. |
