LOOKING IN ON: LAS VEGAS GLADIATORS

Saturday, Sept. 2, 2006 | 7:30 a.m.

Introducing Sam Jankovich as his teams new general manager, Las Vegas Gladiators owner Jim Ferraro called him the cornerstone of the organization.

Jankovich, on the other hand, said the true key hire was made two months before when Ferraro tabbed Danton Barto as the third head coach since the team moved to Las Vegas prior to the 2003 season.

The most important thing we do in (sports) is who we hire, Jankovich said. If you hire a mistake, you live with it for a long time. A lot of programs, whether its pro or collegiate, when theyve made wrong appointments on head coaches, theyve never recovered from it.

Jankovich, 72, knows what hes talking about. As the athletic director at the University of Miami from 1983 to 1991, Jankovich was involved in the hiring of two coaches who carried on the Hurricanes winning tradition.

Shortly after Jankovich took over, the program was called on to replace head coach Howard Schnellenberger, who had just guided the Hurricanes to their first national championship. Jimmy Johnson succeeded Schnellenberger and won the national championship in 1987, and when Johnson left a year later, Dennis Erickson was hired and brought two more national titles to Miami in his six seasons.

If we would have made a wrong appointment when Howard left ... I dont know if that program would have ever recovered, Jankovich said. And then when Jimmy left, we hired Dennis.

Jankovich, who also served as chief executive of the New England Patriots from 1991 to 1993, said the same principles that worked at the college and professional levels can work with the Gladiators. First and foremost, he said, the team has to win.

Theres no question about it; you have to win, but theres no magic wand, he said. Thats why youre in this business to win and without winning, you dont have much.

We cant make the promise that were going to win immediately, but we can make the promise that were going to be competitive. We can make the promise that were going to be exciting, and were going to be professional and were going to get better each day.

Jankovich said his focus will be primarily on marketing the Gladiators, which he said should be able to draw more than the 10,100 fans the team announced it averaged per home game this past season.

Saints cut Fife

Jason Fife, who started 11 games as quarterback for the Gladiators this past season, was cut by the New Orleans Saints this week.

Fife was placed on the Gladiators Other League Exempt list after signing in June with the Saints; Las Vegas retains his AFL rights.

Two other members of the 2006 Gladiators, running back Marlion Jackson and offensive lineman Tupe Peko, remain with the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers, respectively.

Brian Hilderbrand can be reached at 259-4089 or at bh@lasvegassun.com.