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OSU's Smith named to prestigious post
by Doug Lesmerises, Plain Dealer Reporter , Plain Dealer
Smith on Tuesday was named the chair of the men's basketball committee for the 2010-11 season, giving the Cleveland native one of the most high-profile positions among college sports administrators.
The chair is the face and the voice of the otherwise secretive selection committee that chooses the 65 teams for March Madness .
Smith has served on the selection committee for three years, a job he has always considered as fun as it is prestigious. He spends the basketball season overseeing a 36-sport athletic department at Ohio State, then retiring to his home to pick up late-night basketball games from one of the conferences outside the Big Ten that he is assigned to monitor for the year.
Mike Slive, the commissioner of the SEC, was the selection head in March, while UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero will run the show next season.
"There is a high level of admiration for the way past chairs have handled keeping with the mission of this committee, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue the important work of this group," Smith said in a statement from Ohio State.
The appointment shouldn't have any direct effect on Ohio State's tournament hopes. Members of the selection committee must leave the room when their home schools are discussed. But the move follows the arc of Smith's career. The athletic director at Ohio State for five years, Smith has a long history of serving on NCAA committees.
"Gene is a thoughtful leader who has tremendous dedication to intercollegiate athletics, knowledge of the game and leadership that will serve this committee well," Slive said.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479
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