Sykes has lost the trust of even FAMU's most avid supporters

Embattled FAMU AD Tiffani Sykes

In the world of sports, there comes a pivotal moment when even the most ardent supporters lose faith, small wins turn to losses, and the slides keep mounting and suddenly, the facade vanishes. Soon, those who held onto hope, even when it made more sense to believe in the Loch Ness Monster, turn their backs.

For FAMU Rattler fans, that moment has arrived with Athletics Director Tiffani Dawn Sykes. The recent month long roller coaster ride of a coaching search has left fans disillusioned and questioning Sykes' ability to lead the athletics department.

From the outset, skepticism surrounded Sykes' appointment, given that she wasn't among the top finalists for the job. However, it was the events of the past month that brought the critics to the forefront, eroding the trust of the Rattler fanbase.

Lines to enter at the FAMU vs UWF football game.

The troubles began with the botched Orange Blossom Classic negotiations,followed by a series of misrepresentations of the facts.The situation worsened at the home football opener against UWF, where long lines led to many missing the start of the game. Fans took to social media to express their frustration, with one declaring, "The lines were longer than the ones at a Beyonce concert. The AD gets an F today. Truly sad."

This was followed by the news of a projected $817,000 athletic budget deficit under Sykes' watch, despite her inheriting a department with a nearly $300,000 surplus. On top of that, she overspent her operating budget by $146,752 (108 %) 

The pinnacle of discontent, however, came during the month-long search for a football coach. Sykes' perceived incompetence, ineptitude, arrogance, and frequent lies were on full display, undermining the trust of the Rattler fanbase. The Executive Board of the FAMU National Alumni Association delivered a resounding blow with a 19-1 "no confidence vote" in Sykes' leadership..

 

“While Alumni, Boosters and fans don’t technically share in how an AD conducts business, any AD that thinks they can manage their department without developing and maintaining a good relationship with those entities is delusional,” wrote on fan on Facebook. “AD Sykes, rightfully, came to the Alumni with a request for immediate funds to try and keep Coach (Willie) Simmons. The Alumni responded with much more than she asked. 
 
Once Simmons left, she then felt she could conduct her search without transparency and accountability. Given her past record of missteps and outright deception, these groups rightfully, did not trust her,” the writer continued.

 
Under Syke's leadership, FAMU Athletics is functioning like a movie that no longer makes sense. You understand it’s impossible, and you try to squint and convince yourself it’s feasible — and then all of a sudden Kevin Hart (or somebody) dives through the nose of an exploding airplane and you realize it’s better to give up the idea that any of it is realistic.