April 19, 2005


GREENSBORO, N.C. - Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford announced that Associate Commissioner Fred Barakat will relinquish his duties as the league's Supervisor of Men's Basketball Officials.

"I commend Fred for his long service to ACC basketball officiating. He has always been committed and diligent in this complex task and has always performed admirably. With our conference now being 12 schools, the rotation of the tournament to the various sites and the complications of scheduling and television, it's time to separate these functions from the officiating responsibilities," said Swofford.

Barakat began his tenure at the conference office on September 1, 1981. A native of Union City, N.J., he is a 1961 graduate of Assumption College in Worcester, Mass., where he starred in both basketball and baseball. Over his 24 years at the ACC, Fred has served as the ACC Men's Basketball Tournament Director since 1990 along with assuming the responsibility for men's basketball scheduling and developing its television package.

"I look forward to Fred continuing his service to the league and I appreciate the many years he provided in such a challenging capacity. I will begin the search to locate a new Coordinator of Men's Basketball Officials immediately," said Swofford.

Here's your shot Tom. Go ahead and apply for the position.

Hey - I graduate in less than a month, and still don't have a job . . .

Think they're accepting cold calls?

Graduating?
Man, do I feel old. :(
Seems like yesterday, you were keeping score at HS games.

Gee, has it really been eight short years now since Mark went off to college? Seems like yesterday. My, how time flies.

Be nice.

The happiest 3 years of my life were the 7th grade.

Just another example of the clock not starting again?

(Dammit, why do I keep doing that?)

Because you secretly have a crush on me???

http://diskarcher.mastak.com/graphics/scared.gif

:D

I can neither confirm or deny those rumors.

I'll just leave you in suspense...

Never mind, I'll do it myself... :D

http://www.harpers.org/art/archive/s...01_350x298.gif

Yeah, that's about the only way that you'd ever find "Dan" and "hung" in the same sentence.

Whatsamatta, pets get into your bottle of "helper" again?

http://marbella.to/humour/sep00/viagra.jpg

Had a friend who used Viagra.
He took a pill but his wife wasn't interested.

He made her pay him $15 for the wasted pill. :D

is that the same guy
 

Is that the same guy that took the Viagra pill but it got stuck in his throat?? Now he has a stiff neck??? :D

Re: is that the same guy
 

What do you get when you cross Viagra with Rogaine?

Don King.

Re: is that the same guy
 

Hardly!

I wonder if tomegun has given up on this thread by now. Only this forum can go from Fred Barakat to Viagra to Don King.

Now, I REALLY hate to get back on topic, but the press release doesn't really say if this was initiated by Fred, or if this was a conference decision. In other words, was Fred being "asked" to resign, or was he doing it because, for example, he's had enough and is ready to retire.

I'm still here.

Fred isn't really retiring. He basically runs men's basketball and the officials have just been one facet of his job. The job has grown with TV and such so he is stepping away from being over the officials. He will remain with the ACC. Actually it is pretty awesome that he has been able to do everything for as long as he has.

I heard that when a new coordinator comes into a conference, everyone has to re-earn their position on the officials roster.

I promise that I'll be totally fair in assigning.

And if any new spots open up on the roster, OfficialForum.com members get first dibs at the tryout camp.

As to the eight years to graduate comments, will you guys just shut the dexter up? ;)