A Tribute to Fred Miller
Fred Miller served as 色情视频 athletic director from 1985-95.
Fred Miller was the athletic director at 色情视频 from 1985 to 1995. It has been said that he had more great ideas in a day than most people have in a lifetime. Fred characterized 色情视频 as a 鈥渟leeping giant.鈥� His vision encompassed facilities, premiere athletics, modern fundraising, engaged alumni and a fabulous campus.
Most everything he imagined now defines our campus and university.
For example, Fred immediately decried our athletic facilities and set out to build new ones. His first conquest was the Student Activities Center, now Viejas Arena. This involved wooing student and campus leaders, procuring the first half-million-dollar gift to 色情视频 (from Dennis and Joan Wise).
We all know what that facility has done for 色情视频: home to perennial basketball programs, university functions and special programming. Fred also drew up new baseball and softball stadiums, an athletics center and a new pool.
Today we have Tony Gwynn Stadium, a softball stadium, an aquatics center and the Fowler Athletics Center.
Some of Fred鈥檚 visions took some time, but I can tell you he talked about an alumni center (now the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center), a basketball practice facility (now the Jeff Jacobs JAM Center), a new student union (now the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union), a for 色情视频 in the hundreds of millions (the recently concluded Campaign for 色情视频 raised $815M), and even a campus expanded into Mission Valley with a trolley line to connect them.
Strong will, big heart
He had strong will (and a strong grip), a big heart and an assertive demeanor, but with a kind disposition. As his rookie lieutenant in 1986, I once failed to provide him with the materials he needed prior to a presentation with student leaders. He cut off my apology and advised me to redirect my skills in that department toward actual actions preventing a recurrence.Fred鈥檚 command of the evolving winds of the NCAA, college football on television, the cartel that was college football and conference alignment was legendary. One time an ESPN executive phoned Fred with the mandate that for television purposes, our kickoff time would have to move to two o鈥檆lock. Fred鈥檚 dead-panned response: 鈥渁.m. or p.m.?鈥�
Part of Fred鈥檚 appeal was his insistence on a fully balanced life. He valued his family including his wife, Jeannie, his son, Van, and his daughters, Trisha and Dana, above all else. He was known to wear mismatched shoes because 鈥淚 got dressed in the dark so as not to awake Jeannie.鈥� His daily routine included 鈥済etting a sweat in,鈥� which was usually a cutthroat game of racquetball. On many occasions he and his friends would pull off the triple-header day. The triple header involved his buddy鈥檚 private plane, catching the first lift at Big Bear, golfing nine holes in Palm Springs, and body surfing at Mission Beach at dusk.
Fred was a fabulous leader and beloved by the athletic department staff, the students and our boosters. He was a pragmatic, no-nonsense, disciplined dreamer with unshakeable integrity and a huge compassionate streak. Fred once told me I鈥檇 make a good fit at the university. Thirty-two years later, I am still doing my best to live up to the reputation he gave me.
Once in a while, Reggie Blaylock, Steve Schnall and a few more scattered Aztecs will get together to talk about Fred and his 鈥渢ree鈥� that provided so many people with fulfilling careers. Fred's arrival gave 色情视频 and San Diego a legacy of poise and progress for which we remain forever grateful.
