What Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione Said at His Retirement Press Conference

University of Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione announced his retirement on Tuesday during a press conference at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Here's everything Castiglione said in his opening remarks:

“Wow, I don't know what you all are here for, but good morning. Thank you so much for being here. I stand here today in my 28th year serving this great university feeling both humbled and honored, sort of like that spring afternoon in 1998 when I was standing on the steps of Evans Hall being introduced as the 11th Director of Athletics in Oklahoma's history. You can only imagine the rush of emotions that might be going through. So usually I'm more of an extemporaneous-type speaker, but there are a lot of emotions today, and I want to make sure we stay on point, and I'm going to use some prepared remarks. So indulge me, because just seeing you all even invokes emotions. We're in an emotional business, and I've never, ever shied away from sharing my passion or showing it.

“So why are we here? In the past couple of months, I've moved from a fleeting thought to some deep life reflections. We all do that from time to time, thinking about my career, my life journey, my family, my faith. I guess you could say life itself.

“In 1979 just before I was graduating from the University of Maryland, I was offered a full-time job at Rice University. Obviously excited, I accepted the full-time role. It was the first step in my life where I was going to bet on myself and show that you could take something that no one has ever heard about — back then, now was a different story, but sports marketing at the collegiate level, no one was doing that. And I took that full-time job, and I have been working full time ever since, no breaks, no time, just being part of a journey that is really not work. It's a privilege to do what I do.

“So here I am in my 33rd year as Director of Athletics. Simply put, I love what I do. I love being able to serve the University of Oklahoma in so many ways. As I mentioned, it's just not work-work, as people would think, it's really a privilege. However, from time to time, one does take a moment to ponder one's path, one's future. It's a decision-making kind of rubric: when is the right time? When is the right time to pass the baton? When is the best time to make an announcement like this? Not sure it's ever perfect or predictable, but they always say, you'll know. Well, I see a friend of mine here, multi-Emmy Award winner, producer for CBS, and it just made me think of a certain kind of moment. There's this iconic moment, if you've ever watched the Masters on CBS, where, after the tournament is concluded, Jim Nantz, the previous Masters champion, the new Masters champion goes to Butler Cabin. They have a few moments of conversation, and then just almost punctual. Jim Nantz turns to the chairman and says, ‘Mr. Chairman, it's that time.’ So now is that time, and I'm — I have mixed emotions, like you would expect, but I'm really excited about the future. So today, it's more appropriate, like Madam Chairman, Mr. President, it's that time.

“But I also want to do what's right for everyone involved. That's just the way I am, helping facilitate a smooth transition over this upcoming academic year. I wanted to give the university plenty of runway to facilitate a search as I enter my final year as AD. I'm really grateful they've asked that I'd stay on in a role for a couple of years, not only to help with the transition, but there's some really special and key projects for our future here at Oklahoma that I'm going to be very proud to help the whole staff and the university at large see to fruition.

“So I technically won't officially retire until July 28 — yeah, July 28 — and that will mark 30 years of me serving the University of Oklahoma. Although amongst all the emotions that you have for making a decision like this, above all, it's a profound sense of eternal gratitude and pride in everything that we have done all together, everybody. It's never about one person, it's about the collective efforts. And I remember we stood on those same steps at Evans Hall and introduced the brightest and greatest new coach in college football (who would) become one of the greats of all time in college football history, Bob Stoops, and he said those exact words, and they have always remained true.

“From the academic achievements to the numerous championships, the development of all kinds of new resources for student athletes, to massive growth of fan engagement, it proves that when Sooners look for the magic in everything we do, great things and success will follow. Anything we've done is due to working with and for great people. I have so many people to thank and recognize. Don't worry, I'm not going to start thanking them all right here. I have the next weeks and months to do that, and you can rest assured, I certainly will.

“But for the purposes of today, I want to start by thanking the most important people in my life, and that's my family. Everyone knows it's absolutely impossible to be successful in the roles like people like me have without the support of one's family and especially one spouse. OK y'all, let's just get this out there. It's many examples like this where you just can't avoid your life and personal milestones intersecting with work and business, and it's just what we do. You just have to know, if you're in this world, it's going to be intertwined. So I've apologized profusely to my wife, but today is our 30th wedding anniversary, so of course … so of course, we had to make an announcement like this. No, it just worked out as a total coincidence. It's also, coincidentally, my son Jonathan and our daughter in law Jenna's second anniversary. They didn't plan that either. That was a serendipitous moment. They said, ‘July 8 is that somebody's birthday?’ No, you need to know your mom and dad's anniversary. It's just again, how life paints a picture is incredible.

“Perhaps, though that's fitting, because my decision to move on from the full-time role in the next year is truly about the next step in our lives’ journey. I want to spend more time with them. Undoubtedly, this job, like coaches and staff and anybody around the country that do this, like we all do, presidents, it takes you away from a lot of what your family does.

“We've been lucky. We've captured every moment we could. But my wife, Kristen, ooh-whee, she is the unsung hero of these past 27 years, we moved away from her home in Missouri to come here. She has been the one who has lifted up our family, and there are all kinds of stories that I could tell about that. But she also recognized that athletics is more of a calling. It's a vocation, it's not a job, really. You are called to do this. You are called to help people. And we choose this path, and we've had a lot of fun doing it. She was amazing at finding the ways to adjust. Can't tell you how many dinners we had up in the stands, watching events. The kids were running the stairs. Had no idea what was going on, but we were there. Wanted to be there for all of our athletes over the years, and that's not even counting when they were involved in their own activities, sports or whatever, growing up, we just had a lot of blessings, because she was the one charting the course, and I'd be remiss if I just didn't ask her to stand up right now, and I can thank the love of my life, Kristen.

“Of course, I'm equally proud of my two sons and now my daughter in law, Joe Jr., and Jonathan. Joe was just a year-and-a-half old when we came here, he didn't really — just kind of figuring out things. So both of them, and Jonathan, born here, Sooner born, Sooner bred, as they say. They've only known being a Sooner, and they've lived it to its fullest and will always be proud to be a Sooner.

“It's also not easy for kids to grow up in the environment we're in. Father's the athletic director. And people being who they are, stopping them. It didn't matter what age they were. It could be fourth grade, sixth grade, high school. It didn't matter their peers talking to them about what's going on. You know, you'd be amazed at what some of the kids would say. Where did they hear it? Probably from their parents, you know, but they'd say it to them, and they were always passing on suggestions for coaching hires, even the teachers were doing that. So I know, I know it was challenging, and we talked about it, you can prepare for it, and our coaches do the same thing with their kids, but I'm just really proud of the way they handled all of those moments with class and dignity. It's not easy. It was so gratifying when both of them chose to come to be the Sooners, again, by attending the University of Oklahoma.

“And so, between the four or five of us, we have five and soon to be six degrees from the University of Oklahoma, including one that I earned master's degree while I was here. That was a fun experience we could talk about another time. So I love you all. I just again. You have no true understanding what a family goes through, unless, like coaches, you live it. So can I just ask my family to stand up? I want to publicly thank you for all your patience, all your sacrifice and for living what's best in serving our university too, even though you weren't working, but you represent the best of the best of what a Sooner is all about. Thank you Please, guys for standing up. My family.

“Okay, thank you guys. I love you. So everyone knows the story of OU recruiting me away from Missouri, I was in my fifth year as athletics director there. We really had things rolling. I was happy. But David Boren and Chuck Neinas were really persistent. They kept calling. I told them no, actually twice. But the third time was the charm, and boy, am I blessed it happened. I will be eternally grateful to them, the General Counsel at the time, Joe Harroz, the Board, everybody that was involved in bringing me to Oklahoma.

“I’ve been so fortunate to work here, work for a great university and state leadership, many of which I've known personally throughout this time. I want to thank all the members of the Board of Regents, those that were in place then, and all those that I've served with and served themselves, and I'm so proud that four of them and thankful for you all, that you're here today. I appreciate you. Madam Chair, the Vice Chair, Bob, Rick, Mackenie Wilfong, another one of my fellow executive officers, which, by the way, I want to thank them as well. There are a lot of those that you don't just do anything by yourself. Here, I told you at the beginning, this is a moment of expressing gratitude. I thank you all, because it's been a partnership through all this time.

“I mentioned, you know, the General Counsel at the time when I arrived my good friend Joe Harroz. So, save for about two years, we have worked together, and he is in the sixth year of just executing bold vision, amazing leadership, uniting this university with people throughout the state, this region, this country. We have a specific path. I know we're going to get to the goals that we've set for ourselves. He's relentless in pushing everybody, which definitely great leaders do. And I couldn't be more thankful to have served with you, my friend, Joe. Thank you so, so much.

“To the faculty, to the university community, everybody intersects, believe me, they do. So thank you for the great relationships that we have and enjoy throughout the years.

“I want to express my sincere appreciation to the amazing donors for the transformative power that they have in investing in our university, along with the greatest fan base in the world, Sooner Nation. Look, we live in times where we can express our passion, no matter what people say. It's never going to be perfect. All positive, but believe me, continue to express it, because that's what drives us and our program forward, by people staying engaged and actively engaged. So thank you.

“I thank the members of the media, whether it's local, regional, national. I had many media related jobs earlier in my career. I've had opportunity to be behind the camera and do certain things that many of those that are here today and around have done. I’ve always had great respect for you. I've always tried to be accessible and approachable and tried to help you with right information. Because I know what you're trying to do and what we're trying to do, and it's best when we can find ways, as awkward as it might be at times, to be on the same page. So thank you for what you do in covering the University of Oklahoma and everything that goes with it.

“And finally, I've been positively influenced and blessed to be around incredible leaders. Be it here, be it throughout our conference, around the country, the national committees on which I've been able to serve, so many different ways. Had a lot of mentors, worked with a lot of great leaders, conference commissioners, my fellow AD colleagues. The wisdom that you can gain from them, the counsel, the willingness that they always have to share ideas, it really helps make everybody better, and we need more of that in our world, and I hope that can continue to help support the best of the best with the future of college athletics needs.

“When I first accepted this role, I knew it would be challenging and demanding, course, but that's also what inspired me to seize the opportunity. Any new leader should, and I did, brought a bold vision and strong set of core values with me. But I knew I had to seek first to understand the situation so I could refine the plan and engage others in the process. I hoped to have a transformative effect on OU. What I couldn't fully understand and appreciate at the time is how much this job and this place would actually transform me. As OU athletics evolved, won, struggled and won again, I felt myself not only learning, growing and wanting more — and I owe much of that to the amazing student-athletes, the coaches (and) staff that we work with day and night. Their hard work made me work harder. Their determination made me more determined to help them be successful. Their commitment made me more committed to be there for them every step of the way.

“I’ve often said that the measure of a program isn't just the banners that hang on the walls or the trophies in the case. It’s in the journey with the lives that we touch. That's where the special sauce exists. Included in that is the values that we stand for. Over nearly three decades, I have seen firsthand what amazing things can happen when a group of people believes in something bigger than any one person. That's been our mantra and should always be the mantra of the University of Oklahoma.

“Together, we've weathered adversity, which, at times, has paid — paved, I should say, the way to celebrate historic achievements and unforgettable victories. We've watched generations of student-athletes grow into leaders on the field, on the court, wherever, and then into their careers and in their communities. We've proven that excellence and character are never mutually exclusive. That is something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

“So, to our coaches past and present, you have set a standard for what it takes and means to lead with purpose. To our staff, past and present, your commitment has been the backbone of everything we do. And most importantly, to our number one priority, our primary purpose for why we exist: our student athletes, all of them past and present. You are our why. The reason this entire program exists, and you have made every early morning, every late night, anything in between, all worth it.

“And I also want to thank the people who support them behind the scenes, their families for believing in the University of Oklahoma and trusting us with your son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, brother, sister, whatever. You believed in this mission, and you helped us carry it forward.

“So as I move into the new year, I’m more committed than ever to finishing strong and ensuring a smooth transition, the future of this program is really bright because of the people in this room and beyond, the people who show up every day with integrity, passion and that unshakable belief that sports can really unite us and then change lives. That's what we do. That's the power in what we do.

“So this is certainly not a farewell or goodbye, but as I said at the beginning, I'm going to spend all my time thanking people, because without them, I'm not standing before you. When the time comes for me to move out of this current role, I can assure you that our family will continue to be proud Oklahomans. This is our home. This is our community. You will see us everywhere. You will see us in the stands. You will see us cheering for the program, the athletes. And anything this university does going forward. We want to celebrate those milestones with the university as well.

“And like I've been doing as an athletic director, you know, the role you have with athletes and coaches and staff never stops. So I'll continue to take all those calls and requests to write a letter of reference or make a call to a future employer. It's all good. We'll continue to do that. So even though we're not done yet, I do want to thank you for giving me this true honor of leading this program. I thank you for your trust, your dedication, your friendship. We've accomplished so much, and I'm excited about what this year has in store for us, and I look forward to sharing the journey with you. Boomer Sooner.”