Mike Slive: gentle style accomplished big things

Mike Slive: the Southern Commish

The Commish, as the New York born Dartmouth trained transplant to the South was often called, brought his coffee diplomacy to the administrators of the SEC. For years while Slive was commissioner, SEC administrators often held meetings for hours while drinking coffee at a Starbucks in Mountain Brook, an affluent community in Birmingham.

It was more than coffee, of course. It was Mike Slive’s ability to listen and his sincerity and gentle honesty that set his style apart.

Slive made “everyone feel important,” Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity told Bleacher Report’s Lars Anderson at the time of Slive’s retirement as SEC Commissioner. “He can recall everybody’s name. He doesn’t big-time anyone. It could be very easy for him to do that. When you call, he’ll return your calls. He’s always like two or three steps ahead in his thinking.”

He doesn’t big-time anyone. – Greg Magarity

Said Ole Miss athletic Director Ross Bjork, “The main thing is that he listens and allows people to have their voices heard in a fair, civil way. ”

“He has this amazing ability to come into a room filled with coaches who are only concerned about their own self-interest and get everyone to see common ground and do what’s best for the group.”