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News Nuggets, 05.01.04
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NOTES FROM ECU AND BEYOND...

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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Ballard extends Pirates' AD hiring timetable

Haste makes waste appears to be the philosophy of East Carolina University Chancellor-elect Steve Ballard, at least when it comes to hiring a new boss to oversee intercollegiate sports at the school.

Ballard said in a Friday announcement from the ECU News Bureau that he will delay the appointment of a new athletics director until mid-May to give him more time to review candidates and to become familiar with the department.

"While I know that we are all anxious to reach a decision, it is more important to keep our eye on the target and make the decision that will have the best long-term impact,"  Ballard said in a memo to members of the search committee that was quoted in the announcement. "I intend to make a decision no later than May 19."

Ballard, who officially takes office as chancellor on June 1, had said earlier that he hoped to announce an AD appointment by the end of April.

He has met with three finalists identified by the search committee and said he also is reviewing the credentials of other applicants who passed the initial screening by the committee.

Bonesville.net has reported that those candidates are Nick Floyd, ECU's interim AD, South Carolina associate athletic director and ECU alum Jeff Barber, and retired Air Force colonel Randall W. Spetman, the former AD at the Air Force Academy.

In addition, noted the ECU announcement, Ballard is studying a number of internal documents and reports including the self-study prepared by the university for the recent re-certification of its athletics programs by the NCAA.

The new AD will succeed Mike Hamrick, who left ECU last summer in the wake of a simmering dispute with the N.C. High School Athletics Association and the controversial firing of former Pirate football coach Steve Logan to take a similar position at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

Garrard tripped up by chronic tummy malady

Doctors have diagnosed Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback David Garrard with Crohn's disease, an intestinal ailment that sent him to the hospital last week and left him sidelined Friday for the start of the team's minicamp.

Crohn's disease causes blockage in the intestines. The cause of the illness is unknown and there is no known cure. Crohn's disease causes chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever and weight loss. It afflicts more than 500,000 people in the United States.

Garrard, a third-year veteran out of East Carolina, said he started feeling sick in January. After a battery of tests, he was diagnosed with Crohn's on March 23.

He has since lost about 10 pounds. Last week, medicine he had been taking to combat the illness lost effectiveness and he had be hospitalized. He opted against surgery to alleviate the blockage and instead went on a relatively new medicine, Remicade, that removes a type of protein from the bloodstream that can cause the inflammation.

Garrard said he was feeling fine Friday, but is sitting out because he's not in playing shape.

"It feels like I'm walking in mud right now," Garrard said. "I'm healthy, not having any problems, eating right. I'm just trying to get my legs back."

While not considered life-threatening, Crohn's can stay in a person's system for years, and patients can relapse at any time. Doctors have assured Garrard that playing football won't put him at any risk because of the disease.

"It's going to do whatever it's going to do on its own," Garrard said. "Football isn't going to bring it back or keep it away."

The Jaguars signed free-agent quarterback Doug Johnson earlier this week. In Friday morning's workout, Johnson took several snaps that would have gone to Garrard. Coach Jack Del Rio said the signing had nothing to do with Garrard's health.

"I thought it was a great opportunity to bring in a quarterback and strengthen ourselves at that position," Del Rio said.

Garrard conceded he was scared before he knew what was wrong. Now, however, he's looking at the bright side: He's eating better, has lost weight and is happy because the illness isn't as serious as it could have been.

"It's bigger than football," he said. "It's just how I'm going to be from now on."

Calipari's office carries big price tag

University of Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson recently announced that the naming rights for his office had been sold to Mike and Debbi Rose for $100,000, news that led to another key Tigers athletics office being purchased by a supporter.

The naming rights for the office of Memphis head basketball coach John Calipari have been purchased by an anonymous donor for $100,000.

Under the plan, offices, locker rooms and even playing fields and practice areas are available to be named after a Tiger fan or donor for the right price. If all of the available areas were sold, over $10,000,000 could conceivably be deposited in the U of M general athletic fund.

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News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Page Updated: 02/23/2007