A boulder has finally been lifted off of the shoulders of plenty of Arizona State fans, as VP of athletics/ athletics director Ray Anderson announced he was resigning today.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Bridges were burned a long time ago with Anderson, who was hired back in 2014, for Arizona State fans. This really dates back to the hiring of his good friend Herm Edwards as the school’s football coach in 2017.
Fans became the most displeased when Arizona State announced a self-imposed bowl ban on Aug. 27 for recruiting violations incurred during the Edwards era. This prompted them to make a website called firerayanderson.com, which includes a laundry list of things that Anderson did wrong. Despite all of these factors, Anderson was one of the highest-paid athletic directors in the country.
As you can imagine, fans are very happy with the news of Anderson’s resignation.
Ray Anderson was Top 3 highest-paid AD in NCAA. Some Achievements:
-0 FB top 25 finishes
-0 Sweet 16's
-Said NIL "did not matter"
-Didn't rebuild old asbestos filled basketball arena
-Sided with a booster who sexually harassed the MBB coaching staff's wives. https://t.co/RXHLJsloST— Zach Schwartz (@zachzachzach) November 13, 2023
… allowed him to resign almost a year and a half later with a $4M buyout.
-Oversaw the football program having its 2 worst seasons of my lifetime (over 40 years) as a result of hiring his inexperienced buddy.
-Did more that can be found at https://t.co/AvGVvmEh6U— Chris Jenkins (@SmartSunDevil) November 13, 2023
https://t.co/klwjtlSNZi pic.twitter.com/98J9IPUt44
— Jack Loder (@JackLoder_) November 13, 2023
Ray Anderson be like https://t.co/fi7x0uhjfh pic.twitter.com/VjGnwXOx4i
— Some.BYU.Dude (@ByuSome) November 13, 2023
OLIVIA WE DID IT!!! https://t.co/dJ8FOZuPbO pic.twitter.com/1vuFcV637j
— Will Novak (@WillNovak13) November 13, 2023
Plenty are pledging donations to the school and its NIL collective as well. This is something that football coach Kenny Dillingham specifically asked for in his weekly press conference today.
Can we rally together and bring in 500 new members today? Spread the word, tag your friends, and let's make this happen!https://t.co/Ekh9pvOkG7
— Sun Angel Collective (@SunAngelNIL) November 13, 2023
Arizona State Football Head Coach Kenny Dillingham on his reaction to the resignation of AD Ray Anderson: #ForksUp #ActivateTheValley pic.twitter.com/Q764b1PBXG
— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) November 13, 2023
Ray Anderson has been gone for a few hours and every coach is already campaigning for NIL donations. That shows you the disconnect that was taking place.
— DesertDawg (@DesertDog6969) November 13, 2023
Just made my first donation to @SunAngelNIL to celebrate the great news today. With Ray gone, I hope all my fellow alumni will share the same sentiment that we need to help Kenny get us to where we want to be. No more Ray, no more Herm, we’ve got our guy, so let’s show support.
— Up The Hill Sports (FIRE RAY ANDERSON) (@UpTheHillSports) November 13, 2023
All in to support @KennyDillingham and the boys! pic.twitter.com/HM4oWDldqM
— Corey Stephens (@CoreyStephens74) November 13, 2023
Now, with the school moving to the Big 12 in 2024, University President Michael Crow has an important decision to make regarding ASU’s next AD.
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
