What's funny is that a lot of McCombs students (I was one) sitting on the other side from you would agree about wanting a football championship even over receiving a scholarship. Leaders who seem to be most successful have a killer instinct to do better and create something that's actually worthwhile; competitive people don't sit still or settle for a lower standard. There's no sense of vision, risk taking, or significant investment at the highest levels of the athletic department or the administration. It's no different than the lazy pro sports owners who sit on their profits while fans beg hopelessly for them to leave town, claiming that it's the fault of the fans or the players when they fail to put any real investment into their own business. It's all about perception and the narrative about what people think of them, not about achieving real success. I would even take the AD just making a reasonable attempt in trying to achieve success and failing. But for the most part, they're just making excuses and waiting for success to come to them.