Georgia Tech AD retiring for health reasons

<p>Georgia Tech athletic director Dave Braine said Wednesday he is retiring because he has Crohn's disease, a chronic gastrointestinal ailment.</p><p>"My mind and my body tell me it's time for somebody else to take over," he said.</p><p>Braine, 62, has been Tech's athletic director for nine years. He said he will continue in the position until a replacement is hired.</p><p>He recently said he would not seek another contract when his current deal was to expire in June 2007.</p><p>Braine said he has not been given a timetable for Georgia Tech president Wayne Clough's search for a new athletic director. Braine said he would not participate in the search process.</p><p>"He will leave big shoes to be filled, and we will miss his good service and friendship," Clough said.</p><p>Braine said he has been advised by his doctors that the stress of his job has impeded efforts to deal with the disease.</p><p>"It's much easier on a younger person than an older person," said Braine of Crohn's disease. "I have tried unsuccessfully to battle it and to get control over it. My doctor told me if I continue working much longer I'm going to make myself sick. So basically I am going to retire and try to get my health back in order and try to live as normal a life a person can who has this disease."</p><p>Braine said his condition is not life-threatening but added it has become impossible for him to continue indefinitely in his job. Braine said he hoped his announcement would bring more attention to the disease.</p><p>"I know that stress doesn't help it any," he said. "I told Dr. Clough in December that there would be no way I could continue on in the job the remainder of my contract."</p><p>Braine said he has battled chronic fatigue, caused by the disease, for about a year. He said he was diagnosed last summer when he began losing weight and feared he had cancer.</p><p>Clough will chair a search committee that also includes faculty representative for athletics Dan Schrage, alumni association president Joe Irwin, former Tech football player Chuck Easley and Student Government Association president David Anderson.</p><p>"Dave Braine will leave Georgia Tech with a long list of accomplishments and his leadership will be missed," said Clough, who hired Braine in 1997. "I know Dave as a colleague and friend, and he has been a steadfast resource to Tech."</p><p>Braine first spent time at Tech as an assistant football coach (1974-75) under Pepper Rodgers. He also coached at Virginia, Richmond and Virginia Military Institute but is better known for his administrative career.</p><p>Before moving to Tech, Braine was athletic director at Virginia Tech for 10 years. He also headed Marshall's program from 1985-87.</p><p>Braine's imminent retirement was first reported Tuesday by Atlanta television station WXIA.</p><p>He said he has not decided where he will live in retirement.</p><p>"I think everybody here knows how much I love Montana and fly fishing," he said.</p><p>In recent months, Braine has dealt with the school's first NCAA probation, followed by Tech's appeal. He also recently announced a new five-year contract for football coach Chan Gailey and drew much criticism for saying he does not believe the football program can be a consistent big winner.</p><p>Asked if there has been one issue that has caused him the most stress, Braine said "Sure, the NCAA investigation."</p><p>Braine's announcement was not a surprise to his close associates.</p><p>"He told me about a month ago that he was not going to be staying on," said Tech baseball coach Danny Hall.</p><p>"I always felt he was my friend, over and above being the guy in charge. I felt like you could talk to him about anything. He's a guy's guy and a coach's coach. ... It's nice to have somebody as A.D. who has been in the arena."</p><p>A clause in Tech basketball coach Paul Hewitt's contract gives him 18 months after Braine's departure to leave for another job with no penalty. Hewitt said Braine first discussed his retirement plans with him two months ago.</p><p>"Everybody knows how I feel about Dave and how important he is to me," Hewitt said. "I'm not doing anything drastic or rash. Working at Georgia Tech, you need somebody who understands the school and how things are academically. I just think a lot of my success comes from having an athletic director like him."</p><p>Added Hewitt: "I'm not the only reason we've won that number of games. He's a former coach who had a lot to do with my success."</p><p>The football program has had four straight seven-win seasons under Gailey, and has gone to nine straight bowl games. Meanwhile, the men's basketball program has made back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances, advancing to the championship game two years ago.</p><p>"I appreciate the people here at Georgia Tech very much, especially my staff, the coaches and student-athletes and the people I work with every day because they have known about this, they have helped me through it, and I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for them," Braine said.</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2006/1/131838