The normally chirpy voice of Jim Bartko is more croaky than usual these days.
Fresno State’s affable athletic director, entering his second year as the person responsible for overseeing the Bulldogs’ 19 sports programs (soon to be 21) and $33 million department budget, has sinus surgery scheduled this week to relieve his allergies.
Another victim of the Valley’s poor air quality?
Nope. Just bad genetics.
“Second time,” Bartko replies when I text him following our initial interview. “Eugene (Oregon) was worse.”
Going in for surgery will be one of the few times Bartko has slowed down since taking the Bulldogs’ reins last January.