Manuel Tears into Football Team

[Marty Jackson]

Somebody please send Manuel a copy of the 60 Minutes piece on college football finances featuring David Brandon ... and then tell him the season he had last year would never, ever happen again. Major college AD's do not give threatening pep talks to football players ... and then brag about it to newspapers.

who said he bragged about it... If this happened a while back, seems like it was kept on the down low...

 

[Marty Jackson]

I'm just besides myself with people having a problem with this. People too locked in to negative perceptions of WM to see that a motivational talk is a good thing. Unbelievable.

I have not been a big fan of warde's... I think he has been over his head regarding realignment.
I don't have a problem of him sending a message to the team.

I don;t think the article was very clear on what 'would never happen again'... but if something needed to be handled at that level and he brings a certain level of credibility having played at that level, why not.

 

[The Funster]

It was an impromtu address to the football team. Should he do it on a consistent basis? Absolutely not. Can he do it on the spur of the moment. Absolutely. Ultimately football is his responsibility. He's got to make everyone understand the impact of their performance.

 

[sportsart]

A college AD has no business going into the locker room to get on the players, that's the coaches job, it's the AD's job to get on the coach behind closed doors. Warde sounds like a guy that doesn't know his place.

If it was a motivational speech, then that's fine, but this sounds like blame and finger pointing.

Maybe when the coaching staff has shown they don't have the ability to get the players attention someone needs to show them how to do it.

Warde has been more active in and around this team than most people know.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

Funny to me is that the only ones who think that are the nudnicks on boards like this who expect him to report every move he makes publicly and in the time frame they deem is necessary. We all would like more info especially the schedule at this point. Some just take it way too far, especially given that they don't know a damn thing about doing his or SH jobs. As for the attendance, the only statement not showing up makes is that you don't support your program it shouldn't matter who your opponent is or if your team is in a down year. That is the perception the nation gets from that reality.

So you are happy with his lack of doing anything with the football program?

He doesn't have to report every move. Just DO SOMETHING other than monitor the situation. It was a positive to speak to the team.

So far all he has done is extend KO Great move but by giving him that crappy 7 month trial he ruined any chance of KO getting any recruits in late fall.

You are the type of fan that WM is looking for. Don't bitch or complain about anything. Just keep thowing your money at a product no matter what direction it is going in. Don't expect to build on success just follow along and don't question anything. I'm not saying they can't or won't have bad years but build towards something.


He better be doing a lot more behind the scenes than is being reported. Right now he looks in way over his head.

Face it this guy has shown us nothing so far. But you are entitled to your opinion and I'm entitled to mine.

 

[sdhusky]

Maybe when the coaching staff has shown they don't have the ability to get the players attention someone needs to show them how to do it.

Warde has been more active in and around this team than most people know.

I think PP has been around more football than Warde. LOL.

 

[junglehusky]

So you are happy with his lack of doing anything with the football program?

He doesn't have to report every move. Just DO SOMETHING other than monitor the situation. It was a positive to speak to the team.

So far all he has done is extend KO Great move but by giving him that crappy 7 month trial he ruined any chance of KO getting any recruits in late fall.

You are the type of fan that WM is looking for. Don't bitch or complain about anything. Just keep thowing your money at a product no matter what direction it is going in. Don't expect to build on success just follow along and don't question anything. I'm not saying they can't or won't have bad years but build towards something.


He better be doing a lot more behind the scenes than is being reported. Right now he looks in way over his head.

Face it this guy has shown us nothing so far. But you are entitled to your opinion and I'm entitled to mine.

I don't mean to single you out, but you are completely mischaracterizing some of the more sane positions the I and a few others on the board have. Just because I don't support firing every single person in the athletic department, through the trustees and Pres. Herbst, all the way up to Governor Malloy does not mean I'm a fan who is happy throwing money at the football program. It also does not mean I wouldn't support firing Pasqualoni last season, I did, but now that WM has made it crystal clear that GDL's offense was unacceptable, we have a new OC and I'm curious as to how that will perform. Also, despite my not wanting to fire WM, SH and Malloy right now, I think it is perfectly reasonable to criticize the coaching staff or anyone else for that matter. And I think it's anyone's personal choice whether they want to continue buying tickets and/or making donations based on the performance of the football program, but I also think that if the season ticket base evaporates and attendance continues to head south, it is really going to hurt UConn as a school whenever the next round of conference realignment happens. And for the record I think WM handled the Ollie situation perfectly, I think he's a major force behind getting UConn in Hockey East, and we now know he made the GDL demotion happen and made it very clear that 5-7 is UNACCEPTABLE for the football. You are free to ignore those facts if it makes you feel better, but I respectfully disagree that he's "shown us nothing so far".

 

[MidTown Husky]

i wish i was in that room. oh my.

You quit on UConn so what difference does it make? I thought you 'threw in the towel'? That was a quick turnaround...

 

[CTMike]

Unless Calhouns Court starts tailing WM 24/7 and sees things with his own eyes, he'll go on believing that WM is doing nothing. He hasn't been personally shown anything so he won't believe it. Probably doesn't believe NASA landed on the moon, either.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

I don't mean to single you out, but you are completely mischaracterizing some of the more sane positions the I and a few others on the board have. Just because I don't support firing every single person in the athletic department, through the trustees and Pres. Herbst, all the way up to Governor Malloy does not mean I'm a fan who is happy throwing money at the football program. It also does not mean I wouldn't support firing Pasqualoni last season, I did, but now that WM has made it crystal clear that GDL's offense was unacceptable, we have a new OC and I'm curious as to how that will perform. Also, despite my not wanting to fire WM, SH and Malloy right now, I think it is perfectly reasonable to criticize the coaching staff or anyone else for that matter. And I think it's anyone's personal choice whether they want to continue buying tickets and/or making donations based on the performance of the football program, but I also think that if the season ticket base evaporates and attendance continues to head south, it is really going to hurt UConn as a school whenever the next round of conference realignment happens. And for the record I think WM handled the Ollie situation perfectly, I think he's a major force behind getting UConn in Hockey East, and we now know he made the GDL demotion happen and made it very clear that 5-7 is UNACCEPTABLE for the football. You are free to ignore those facts if it makes you feel better, but I respectfully disagree that he's "shown us nothing so far".

I respect your opinion.

As far as WM goes that trial contract was a killer recruiting wise. WM very easily could have given KO a 3 year deal upfront(with buyouts). That way to recruits it looked like he would be here. Just my opinion. It has now all worked out. But we still lost some valuable pieces because of the contract uncertainty.

I'm not advocating firing every single person. I'm glad GDL was reassigned. But lets face it other programs( see NC State for example) would not allow two 5-7 seasons in a row( and 2 losses to Western Michigan no less).

 

[Calhoun's Court]

Unless Calhouns Court starts tailing WM 24/7 and sees things with his own eyes, he'll go on believing that WM is doing nothing. He hasn't been personally shown anything so he won't believe it. Probably doesn't believe NASA landed on the moon, either.

All conspiracy therories. haven't you ever listened to Coast to Coast ?

 

[sdhusky]

You quit on UConn so what difference does it make? I thought you 'threw in the towel'? That was a quick turnaround...

he just ran out of meds.

He's fine now.

Or did he get more meds and that's why he left....

 

[Dann]

he just ran out of meds.

He's fine now.

Or did he get more meds and that's why he left....

it wasn't meds, i needed more cowbell

 

[sportsart]

I think PP has been around more football than Warde. LOL.

Reading is fundamental. I said more active in and around this team, not football in general. Please carry on. On second thought, please don't.

 

[Uconnalliance]

Warde angry? Hmmm interesting. What's next jumping jacks?

 

[noeynox]

Uconn dogs and noey... Seriously?? Our AD shows his passion for football and success and you spin it in to something bad? I mean your suggestion is actually good noey but his discussion with the team is a separate thing...

"Tone at the Top" is a bit of a silly business phrase, but it's spot on. WM is setting the tone of 100% effort and success.

My position is that an administrator he should leave the performance of the players to the coaches to address. Now if the coaches can't reach the players that is a different problem.

 

[ctchamps]

My position is we all have our own positions and nobody can do it as well as...(insert your own name here).

 

[upstater]

Mike DiMauro actually gets it. More than lots of people on these boards. Amazing.

yeah, that BC clown who disparages UConn every chance he gets is great!!

 

[upstater]

Didn't know Manuel was now the football coach......

I'm honestly wondering if this guy isn't completely in over his head. Very concerned..........

That's what I felt reading that. Look in the mirror Warde.

 

[Kgun7]

who said he bragged about it... If this happened a while back, seems like it was kept on the down low...

"I needed for them (the players) to understand that they have themselves to look at," Manuel said.

We really need the AD saying this? If it was kept on the down low ... couldn't it have stayed there?

 

[noeynox]

My position is we all have our own positions and nobody can do it as well as...(insert your own name here).

Cute response. Like the saying goes opinions are like.... yet we are here posting ours every day.

 

[CTMike]

My position is that an administrator he should leave the performance of the players to the coaches to address. Now if the coaches can't reach the players that is a different problem.

I'd prefer he be hands on and in tune with what's going on, than in his office pushing paper. This was and end of season talk, not a case of micromanagement.

Doesn't mean he feels P can't get the job done or hasn't gotten his message across, either. Though I'm sure after the discussion there was zero ambiguity for coaches and players about expectations for next season. And I'm ok with that.

 

[sdhusky]

I'd prefer he be hands on and in tune with what's going on, than in his office pushing paper. This was and end of season talk, not a case of micromanagement.

Doesn't mean he feels P can't get the job done or hasn't gotten his message across, either. Though I'm sure after the discussion there was zero ambiguity for coaches and players about expectations for next season. And I'm ok with that.

Thats the sense I got.

Just re-enforcing the message of the coaches and creating urgency in the off season.

Well done.

 

[CL82]

"I needed for them (the players) to understand that they have themselves to look at," Manuel said.

We really need the AD saying this? If it was kept on the down low ... couldn't it have stayed there?

This would not have been well received by the guys I knew on the team back in the day.

Chain of command. Pres. -> AD -> Coach -> Players.

That was the talk he needed to have with P. Other than pleasantries, let the coach deal with the players.

 

[huskymedic]

Couldn't have caused that much of an uproar if Mikey sat on it for a month and a half. I believe one of the other writers mentioned it in passing as well.