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Former Pitt offensive lineman Mark May, now an ESPN college football analyst, said Friday that he is interested in his alma mater's vacant athletic director's position -- but the guy he endorses for the job is Keith Tribble.

While May has not been contacted, Tribble, chief executive officer of the Orange Bowl, confirmed that Pitt has contacted him and "anticipates there will be talks in the next few days," an Orange Bowl spokesperson said yesterday.

Pitt's executive vice chancellor, Jerry Cochran, has guaranteed that several candidates will be interviewed.

Those who have worked with Tribble, 47, say he has long desired to be an athletic director. He was an associate AD at his alma mater -- the University of Florida -- between 1981 and 1989 and subsequently served two years as senior associate athletic director at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

May is one of many who speak glowingly of Tribble. People describe him as a dynamic personality and as a man of vision who is unafraid to take risks.

"People who've had success can see when somebody else is going to be a star," said May, the most recent Pitt player to have his jersey retired. "You just know when somebody has it, and when you're looking at Keith or speaking with him, you know he's got it, whatever that 'it' is. I'd do back flips if he got the job."

Terry Cottle, associate AD at UNLV, worked with Tribble there.

"He fits in with people at all levels," Cottle said. "He can go into a boardroom and fund-raise with the best of them, and he can mingle with the fans on game day. Everybody likes being around him. I remember saying, 'Hey, that's a guy who's going places.' "

The most recent Orange Bowl featured a surprise matchup between Iowa and Southern Cal. Some wondered if the event would prosper with two teams located so far from Miami. Tribble took the risk, and it resulted in the quickest Orange Bowl sellout in his 11-year tenure.

Daryl Lopes, associate AD at USC, describes Tribble as a "mover and shaker." Lopes recalled his first visit to Miami to try to convince Tribble that USC was a viable option and would bring its share of fans.

"He really understood the message we were trying to get out," Lopes said. "For him to take that chance and have that kind of vision was something. I walked away saying, 'Keith really gets it.' "

Lopes figures Tribble's job duties with the Orange Bowl would translate into an AD's position.

"They're doing a lot of same things: corporate sponsorships, marketing, developing, networking, overseeing a budget, working with coaches," Lopes said.

Charles Bloom, the associate commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, has worked with Tribble at the past several Orange Bowls. Bloom said that in working closely with conference leaders and with athletic directors at the nation's most powerful universities, Tribble has some serious clout. But he's also a detail guy.

Bloom cited an example, explaining that one of his duties is to oversee the media set-up at the Orange Bowl. Two years ago, Pro Player Stadium was short on media seating when Oklahoma played Florida State for the national championship. Tribble ratified a plan to seat media in the stands.

"He had to take a financial hit, because he had to kill seats in the stands," Bloom said. "To me, that showed a commitment that he wanted to do the game right. The big thing about the bowl business is you have only one time a year to do it right. That's pressure."

Under Tribble, the Orange Bowl has seen an increase in sponsorship from $300,000 to more than $2 million annually. He has made difficult decisions along the way. Seven years ago, he moved the game to Pro Player Stadium, which is 20 miles from the Orange Bowl stadium. Though unpopular with some, the move proved to be a financial boon.

As chairman of the Football Bowl Association, Tribble oversees a bowls system that reported in 2002-03 a record 1.4 million fans, a television rating increase of 10 percent for the BCS, and $1 billion in annual economic impact. All that helped Tribble, who is African-American, rise to No. 23 on Sports Illustrated's recent list of the "101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports."

May, meanwhile, said that his sparkling background in business (he owned several successful car dealerships) and sports make him a legitimate candidate for the job. He said that if Pitt does not call him, he will call them.

"If you look across country, people are looking for people with ties to their university," said May, 43, who is represented by Pittsburgh-based agent Ralph Cindrich. "I'm somebody who's been successful in business and in sports. I've been around sports. I have experience handling the media part, and I've had a great relationship with alumni. But the bottom line is, I want what's best for the University of Pittsburgh."

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