The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, October 12, 1988, Page 9, Image 9
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* Editor's note: Sports editor Kevin Adams asked the
following questions in an exclusive interview with USC interim
athletic director Albert "King" Dixon Jr. Dixon
was named to that post Oct. 3, when former athletic director
Dick Bestwick requested a leave of absence because of
health problems.
What was your first official act as athletic director?
My first priority, of course, was to work with the administration,
to see what we could do as a staff in support
of Dick Bestwick and his family ? that was our first concern.
As far as my first official act, it was to come down
here (last) Monday afternoon after a hastily-called press
conference, to be interviewed by the press.
What are your immediate short-range goals for the
athletic department? - -*
Whether you have 20 or 25 years experience in sports
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number one thing, priority wise, would be to meet the
people you are working with, because they're the ones
that really make it go.
Two, is to take a look at the organizational structure,
once you meet the people, and find out who is responsible
for what.
Third, is to take a look at the ongoing programs as to
where we are. And of course there were several significant
things that were going on that Dick Bestwick had been
working with for six months, and there was some degree
of implementation of those. Those particular areas were
the areas that I had been primarily devoting most of my
time.
What about long-range goals?
! My long-range goal as we move toward 2001, the 200th
birthday of this great university of ours, would be that,
not only would we rank as one of the top 10 university
; systems of education within the United States, but also
that we would rank in the top 10 across the board in our
athletic programs, and that by doing this, we would have
tremendous quality student-athletes who look forward to
competing in a very fine program, and who can live up to
these high standards that we will be having for our young
men and women.
How did you find the condition of the athletic department
when you came in?
I am grateful that Dick Bestwick was here for the time
that he was. Dick brought with him many years of sports
administration and many years of working with student
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ting in place, some fine programs. I found that the staff is
a tremendous, well-dedicated, professional staff. I found
probably the best coaching staff and some of the best
facilities that you will find in this country. Now it's a matter
of what we do with it, and that's our challenge.
Was the move made strictly because of Best wick's
health problems?
Dick Bestwick, I have been told, has a health problem.
To what extent, I don't know what it was. Coach
Bestwick asked, upon the advice of his doctors, that he be
given six months medical leave of absence from the
athletic department, and as such a time that he was able to
come back to the university that he be reassigned. That
floored me. . . that he asked to be reassigned. When I
say that floored me, I knew that Dick, as we all do
sometimes, had some type of health problem. I was not
aware of the extent of that, but obviously it is in his best
interest that he made that request and, certainly, we at the
university moved quickly to honor that request, and we're
just grateful that Coach Bestwick will be returning to the
university, reporting directly to the president and be involved
in the athletic administration and the help of the
student-athletes in our nine-campus system. " ~ *,
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"My long-range goal as we move
toward 2001, the 200th birthday of this
great university of ours, would be that,
not only would we rank as one of the top
10 university systems of education
within the United States, but also that
we would rank in the top 10 across the
board in our athletic programs.''
Albert "King" Dixon,
USC interim Athletic Director
It's been said there are some open dates on USC
schedules in the early 1990s. Is this true, and if so, how
are you going about filling those openings?
Primarily, this is in the area of football. Of course,
when you take a look at your revenue sports, football and
basketball, it's imperative that you schedule as far in advance
that you can, because you're building a schedule
that you're comfortable with for your football program
? it's your major source of revenue, but it's also your
major source of expense, so you're looking at distance of
traveling and so forth, and that's the same thing across
the board that you look at in the many non-revenue sports
that we're in, and we're taking a good look at that.
So we had some holes that we thought needed shoring
up, starting in the mid '90s, and Coach Sterling Brown,
who came on in July, has been spending a great deal of
time, about three days a week, making a lot of phone
calls, and looking around the country, trying to develop
alternatives. Ot course, these things are coordinated very
closely with Joe Morrison. We like to present Coach Joe
with the options and get the feedback from him.
Do you have any one trait that you feel qualifies you
for this job?
I leel as though I have been bought up in a t'adition of
values. My dad used to tell mc " i.A'hen the bell rings,
be prepared to answer it, whatever it may be."
I leel as though serving 22 years and working with the
finest young men in the world, the United States Marines,
that you learn the real value of discipline and leadership.
While in the marine corps I played football and I was
athletic officer twice. I've scheduled football games in advance
and started football for the marine corps after they
gave it up in the Vietnam War. I have many friends in the
coaching ranks- both college and professional. I think you
put the communicative skills, managerial skills, leadership
skills together.
Do you feel that you are the man to bring integrity and
stability to this athletic department?
I would hope to bring that, and 1 will do everything that
1 possibly can to affect that end.
What's your position on drug-testing?
We have a very fine program. This is one of my major
areas of concern. There is a great responsibility, that not
only the athletic director, but the coaches in high school
and college have with our student-athletes of today. We
have a program, and I am so happy that I find this program
in place, that came in place in August of this year.
It's our Wellness, Alcohol, Development, and Health
Program, and I fully support this program, which is
educational and preventive in nature. It is not one that is a
negative-type program, and one that you are looking for
punitive action. I believe that student athletes need to
know and be well aware of what can happen when one
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abuses alcohol and abuses drugs. I very much believe in
counseling, and I'm very much into helping share the
knowledge that's available to society today about the
abuse of these drugs. We are really concerned over continuing
to develop a program of education and one of
counseling.
Supposedly Bestwick did not have a strong personal
relationship with Joe Morrison or George Felton. Will
that be a problem for you?
If that's the case, I was not aware of that. Joe Morrison
is a tremendous football coach and George Felton is a
tremendous basketball coach and student of the game.
Both are friends. I look forward to working with them
and supporting them, and I hope that we're all here on the
2001 team. I really mean that, because that's the way this
university is going, and we need to provide the continuity
in our sports program across the board, in character
development, as well as win-loss records. I know beyond a
shadow of a doubt that Coach Joe and Coach George are
the type of people that I can relate to, and I certainly will
work with them in every way that I possibly can. I think
the problem will be how can I support them more rather
than looking for support from them. We're one team, and
we're going to make it a great one.
Describe your relationship with Dr. Holderman.
The reason that I am at USC is because Jim Holderman
asked me to come to the university to use what he considered
were my talents and my leadership to help move
our university to the year 2001.1 jumped at it. He's a man
of vision. He's an aggressive person. He's a man who has
a vision for this university to work hand-in-glove with the
Columbia community, with our state, with this nation,
and even internationally. I consider him a friend, and I
hope that our relationship will last until we realize those
goals and objectives that we've established.
When you played for the Gamecocks in the late '50s,
did you ever see yourself returning to the school in this
position?
I had hoped that some day I would have the opportunity
to return to the university. And of course it was always
in the back of my mind to be the athletic director, but as
the years nave gone by, and when 1 came down as
associate vice-president for alumni affairs and Dick
Bestwick was here, I just wanted to be available to serve
wherever President Holderman wanted me to serve. It just
so happened, as a matter of fate, and I regret the situation
that occurred, but I am absolutely delighted to be at Rex
Enright Athletic Center in this position at this time.
When you were hired as assistant vice-president for
alumni affairs, were there any guarantees that there
would be an athletic position in your future?
No, none whatsoever. It never came up. It absolutely
did not.
In March, you were not an applicant for the vacant
athletic director's position. Why did you accept the position
now?
I was not looking for a job (in March). However, if Jim
Holderman had wanted to interview me for this particular
job, then I would have looked forward to that interview.
(I took the job now because) Jim Holderman asked me to
take the job.
Bestwick was said to be working as much as 20 hours a
day. Obviously, that was a strain on his health. How will
you keep the same thing from happening to you?
I think a lot of that is temperament. You're blessed by
the Lord with good health and some things happen some
time which you have no control over. My work habits are
to work with the staff. We have very highly qualified,
professional, aggressive folks, not only "bit the coaching
staff, but also in our professional staff. I am going to sup
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King Dixon
port and let our folks work. They know the job to do and
my job is to coordinate it and to make sure we're all working
together as a team. I realize after 22 years in the
marine corps, you need to develop those work habits
where you do not get too emotionally or physically involved,
or it will break your health. I certainly hope that I
have learned a lot over the years and that I have learned a
lesson from that.
Bestwick reorganized the department pretty dramatically
when he came here. Are you pleased with those
changes, and do you plan your own reorganization?
I do not know what the organization was before Coach
Bestwick came. I know what it is now. I like the organization
as I see it right now. There are some gray areas that
are going to need to be worked out. For the immediate six
months, I can see very little change, if any. However,
come the first of the year, there may be some changes,
just to continue fine-tuning what is there.
Are you pleased with (JSC's affiliation with the Metro
Conference and would you like to get back into the Atlantic
Coast Conference?
I think as the years go by, that every Division I school is
going to be reviewing where they are in their affiliations,
not only the conference schools, but also the in
dependents, and weighing those options. As the years go
by, we will continue to assess the situation and look at our
options as to any conference. I believe that, five years
from now, there are going to be a lot of changes in conference
affiliations, and we will continue to view and look
at our options in regard to it, and we will address that as
we continue to grow.
Is the ACC your top priority?
Right now the Metro basketball tournament (which
USC hosts in March) is my top priority. But there are a lot
of folks that have approached me already about the ACC,
and I will say that we will do a lot of talking in regard to
that, and you have to, because when you have folks who
are interested in this or in any other conference affiliation,
we're going to sit down and listen, and then we'll
review the options. But right now, I would have to say
that we have some good folks representing the Metro
Conference, but once again that's for basketball and diving
and some of those other sports, and we want to make
sure our football side of the house, our total package, we
are happy with. Right now, we are evaluating that.
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