Tom Goss, a California business executive and former Michigan defensive tackle, was the University's first choice for athletic director four years ago.
| Goss' yearbook photo from 1968, when he graduated from the University. |
But since Goss was unavailable, the job went to Joe Roberson, the man Goss will replace as the University's ninth athletic director this fall. Sources close to the department said University President Lee Bollinger plans to announce Goss' nomination on Sept. 8.
Just days after Roberson publicly announced his intention to retire two weeks ago, rumors began circulating that Goss would lead the troubled Athletic Department.
If confirmed by the Board of Regents, he will be the University's first black athletic director.
Percy Bates, who served on the athletic director search committee that chose Roberson, said Goss would have been hired four years ago if his professional situation at that time had not prompted him to drop out of the competition. Bates said that if Goss had not pulled his name out of the running, he would have been offered the position.
"Things did not get that far," Bates said. "He would have (been hired four years ago). I can say that unequivocally.
"I think it should be understood that in the previous search, Goss was designated as one of our excellent candidates."
Before the committee recommended a final candidate, the search was halted amidst controversy when former University President James Duderstadt handpicked Roberson to fill the position. Roberson, who was the University's lead fundraiser at the time, was not even on the list of finalists when Duderstadt picked him to head the athletic department.
While Duderstadt was criticized for not accepting the advice of the search committee, Bates said Bollinger did not need to use a committee to find the best athletic director.
"If he was an excellent candidate then, I don't think it is necessary to go through a completely new search," Bates said.
Former Athletic Director Don Canham said the Michigan defensive tackle was actually a front runner in two past University athletic director searches.
"Two different search committees zeroed in on Goss," Canham said. "Goss was among the top three in the search when I retired to take my place and he was in the top three four years ago."
Duderstadt said he wishes he could have enticed Goss to come to the University four years ago.
"I tried very hard to attract him to Michigan, but his own ongoing commitments made it impossible at that time," Duderstadt said. "He is an outstanding person, a strong business leader, with a good understanding of athletics. He has been involved with Michigan athletics throughout the years and he already knows a great many people in the program. I think he will do very well."
Canham said another search this year would have been redundant.
"He is a very dear friend of mine," Canham said. "He played football at the University when I was athletic director. He is a great guy and I think he will be a great athletic director."
Goss received his undergraduate education at the University and played football from 1966-68. He was an All-Big Ten defensive tackle in 1968.
Since his days on campus, Goss has been an active part of the business world, holding the positions of vice president for sales of Faygo Beverages, executive VP and general manager of National Beverage Corp.'s Western Shasco Division and president and chief operating officer of PIA Merchandising.
Through all of his business endeavors, he still has not forgotten his maize and blue roots.
In the early 1970s, Goss was a member of the Big Ten's Black Commission, a delegation of black athletes that looked for ways to improve college athletics. Goss also served as the president of the Detroit branch of the University Club, an alumni organization.
Goss will become the fourth person to serve as athletic director in nine years. He will inherit a bruised and battered athletic program that is currently conducting an investigation into alleged NCAA infractions with the basketball team and trying to overcome four straight disappointing football seasons, in which the University lost four games each year.
Bollinger would not confirm Goss' nomination.
"I've spent several months looking into questions about the nature of the program and the type of leader the program needs," Bollinger said.
Though the news of Goss' future nomination has spread around the University community, Vice President for University Relations Walter Harrison and Regent Philip Power (R-Ann Arbor) said they would not confirm the reports
"Goss was a leading candidate in our search four years ago and he impressed many people very greatly," Power said.
Michigan mens' swimming coach Jon Urbanchek said Goss will be an ideal person for the position.
"The athletic program at Michigan is like a freight train - it just keeps going. It is nice to have a new leader, but this program will just keep going," Urbanchek said. "We just want to make sure that whoever is going to be at the top continues to let the sport blossom."