AM: What are you and your staff responsible for during the Final Four?
Griffin: Our specific assignment focuses on the operations and management of the games while serving as an interface between the facility and the NCAA. We are responsible for everything from the installation of the playing floor and arena signage to making sure bands, cheerleaders, officials, and everybody else who comes through the back gate is cleared for entry in a secure and appropriate manner.

How much are you personally responsible for?
Like a lot of things, the people whose names are at the top of the list often get more credit than is justified. We have staff from Georgia Tech that will have spent hundreds of hours preparing for the event. They will be working on the event for half of their workday for most of the week leading up to the event, then full-time Thursday through Monday’s championship game.

How many people from your staff are involved?
We have about 35 people from Georgia Tech assisting with the event.

Did you have to hire additional people to help out?
No, we just take the people who normally manage a specific aspect at Georgia Tech and in most cases, we asked them to perform similar duties for the event. For example, several of our sports information people are handling media relations component of the event and several of our basketball operations people are involved with the on-court operations. We also recruited some people to perform jobs that are different from what they did on day-to-day basis at Georgia Tech—like serving as the game officials liaison and getting the referees from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the arena and all those kinds of things.

How did you end up as the Co-Chair for this year’s Final Four?
At Georgia Tech I’m responsible for day-to-day operations for football and basketball, so staging athletic events and contests is part of my normal work duties. In the past, I served as a tournament manager for the 1999 Final Four in St. Petersburg. I was also at Tech in 2001 and 2002 as we prepared for the 2002 Final Four. This is my third Final Four, and it was a logical assignment to have fall in my lap.

What skills does your position require?
Delegation. For any person in a position of leadership, the most important thing is to surround yourself with talented, capable people and then point those people in the right direction and let them do their job. We have a lot of people who know what to do and how to do it. They know what’s expected, and I’m confident they will get it done.

When did you really start planning for this year’s Final Four?
We never really stopped since 2002, when we last hosted the Men’s Final Four. Also, in 2003 we had the Women’s Final Four and in 2004 we hosted a regional. For five of the past six years we’ve hosted an NCAA event at the Georgia Dome. It’s almost like an annual tradition for us.

How have these events changed or evolved over the years?
The NCAA Men’s Tournament is much different than it used to be. It’s much broader in scope. I would say the most challenging aspects of the games lie external to the building, including hotels, transportation, corporate hospitality and ancillary events—that’s what has changed and exploded exponentially. But for the most part, those changes aren’t part of Georgia Tech’s specific assignment. We’re involved in it, and we’re aware of it and assist in some of the planning, but it’s handled by a different group of people from our community.

What are the keys to dealing with problems that arise along the way?
Stuff happens and you always have to be prepared to deal with anything that comes up. One year we had a power failure in the arena, another year we had horrible weather, and in 2002 the games were on the heels of 9/11 so there was a high level of security in focus. Last year we had a scoreboard malfunction and within minutes the backup system was in place and operating well. You never know what those kinds of things are going to be, but I think the hallmark of Atlanta has been that the Georgia Dome and the community have responded quickly and adapted to whatever issues have arisen.

What do you attribute that kind of resourcefulness to?
This event requires a great building with a great staff and we have that with the Georgia Dome folks—they’re all professional, experienced people. Success always comes down to having good people.

What are the biggest challenges you and your staff face during the preparation process?
I would say handling the flow of 75,000 people through the building, and at Centennial Olympic Park to the various events we have going on. We have concerts on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so 75,000 to 100,000 people will be involved with the Final Four at some point. Managing the logistics of those ancillary events will be the biggest challenges we face this weekend.

What’s your biggest reward?
One of the things people in this industry need to understand is that the only reason host institutions get involved with events like this is to provide their community with a valuable asset. There’s little or no reward or recognition for the host institution, and that’s fine—that’s the way it should be. Our biggest reward is being in a position to provide a valuable community service to Atlanta. There are very few events that Georgia Tech can bring to Atlanta that would be as valuable for the general community as the Final Four.

What are your game-day duties? What are you watching out for?
I’m constantly trouble-shooting, whether it be making sure the right people have credentials, that people are in the right place at the right time, that there is a proper flow of the teams getting to the floor, and that all the technical equipment is functioning properly. It’s a multi-million dollar television production and part of our job is to make sure that the building and the staff are ready to give the millions of viewers what they’ve grown to expect from the Final Four—great basketball, great pageantry, great drama, and great entertainment.

What are your specific duties in working with the media?
It’s very complex, but the people who do our media services work do a good job getting the media members to the right places at the right times so they get the best interviews and make sure the four participating schools and their athletes are portrayed in the most favorable light. We serve as a conduit to CBS and the schools to help get those positive messages across. This is a great infomercial for UCLA, Georgetown, Florida, and Ohio State.

Do you get to see any of the game action?
I’m in the arena and on the floor, but for the most part I’m not able to watch the games like a fan. I’m trying to anticipate what’s going to occur—such as the next TV timeout—so we can have the people in the right position. For instance, on Monday night, I’m trying to make sure the post-championship staging is set up quickly. That’s what I’m thinking about, not blocked shots and free throws and those kinds of things.

When do you get to exhale?
It’s not as stressful as one might think. It’s not a matter of holding your breath, it’s about enjoying a well-orchestrated event that comes off seamlessly. We’re working with a really professional staff from our school, the Georgia Dome, and the NCAA basketball staff —it’s an honor to be a part of this kind of production.

Did you get much sleep in the days leading up to the event?
Sure. In the position of leadership, sleep is not a problem if you delegate effectively and have confidence in the people you’ve given tasks to. It’s when you’ve personally assumed all the responsibility for every aspect that those kind of anxious moments become prominent. That’s not the case here. We have great people who have had good training and they all know what to do, how to do it, and they’ll all do it well.

What’s your favorite part of the process?
Saturday. There are two games and they’re usually the biggest, best, and most exciting games of the tournament. The TV ratings are huge, and all in all, it’s a fun-filled day. Monday during the day things can get a little anxious and time seems to drag a little. Then sometime around midnight, we’ll crown a champion and play the “One Shining Moment” video—that’s a great moment too.