Valentine accepts A.D. job with university

Bobby Valentine was named athletic director at Sacred Heart University, the latest stop in a career that has included managing baseball teams in the U.S. and Japan, running restaurants and overseeing his hometown’s police force.

Valentine, who was fired after one season by the Boston Red Sox in October after leading the team to its worst record since 1965, was introduced by officials at the Fairfield, Connecticut-based university.

He succeeds Don Cook, who is retiring as head of the school’s National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I department with 31 varsity teams. Valentine never has worked in college sports administration.

“We recognize that Bobby is an out-of-the-box selection, but we believe his entrepreneurial spirit, extensive sports background and love of athletics make him an ideal choice,” Sacred Heart President John J. Petillo said in a statement. “He is a native son with strong name recognition, and his selection demonstrates Sacred Heart’s commitment to its athletic program and to innovation and excellence throughout the university.”

Valentine is a native of Stamford, Connecticut, which is about 20 miles from Fairfield. The 62-year-old has a sports bar in Stamford, where he was born, and was the town’s public safety director before taking the Red Sox job.

The Red Sox posted a 69-93 record under Valentine, who managed the New York Mets from 1996 to 2002 and the Texas Rangers from 1985 to 1992. The Mets won the National League title in 2000 before losing the World Series to the New York Yankees.

Valentine also managed in Japan and has been a television analyst for ESPN.