My Letter To Warde

[Chin Diesel]

Just sent this to the AD's email
(I'm under no illusion that he will read this directly, have a summary sent to him or have any response from him)

Mr. Warde Manuel-
I write this email to you as one of thousands of die hard UConn football fans. Don’t bother looking me up. I’m not a donor, nor am I an alumni. In my entire family my mother is the only person to hold a degree from UConn. I was born and raised in Connecticut and I have been a fan and supporter of the program since the 1970’s.
I gave away my ticket to the Tulane game tonight. I live about a 3 hour drive from New Orleans. I travel frequently for my job and was going to use hotel points to spend the weekend there. My total expenses for the weekend would have been $250 or less and based off of what I had seen all year, this program isn’t worth it. The staff and players performance tonight justified my reluctance.
Hiring Bob Diaco and signing off on his staff was a mistake. A big mistake. Six games in to the season and it is obvious to any football fan that there isn’t any attempt by this coaching staff to try to win, develop players or build the football program.
UConn is a first class public university and the flagship university for the state of Connecticut. As such, everyone representing the university has an obligation to present the school in its highest possible regards.
It is okay to go through a process only to find out the decision was poor. Great organizations can recover from a bad decision. Look at how Netflix recovered. They made an aggressive decision but quickly realized the results were poor and corrected them. You can do the same.
This team as coached by the current staff is incapable of scoring 10 points on a regular basis. You are a smart person and you are a football person. This team is literally incapable of beating an opponent who can score 10 points. Any team who can score twice in a game can go in to clock running mode without any fear of UConn making up the difference.
There’s plenty of careers I don’t understand. I’m not an investment banker, I’m not a lawyer and I’m not in to politics. What I do know is organizational behavior, developing organizations and evaluating organizations. I was fortunate enough that during my time serving in the military I was attached to or was able to observe several of the highest functioning organizations within the military. I participated, watched, developed and trained teams that didn’t have any room for false assessments, hubris or introspection. Indeed, the qualities all of these teams possessed was the ability to assess all decisions honestly and without regard for personal welfare.
From a purely selfish point of view, you have dead ended yourself with this hiring decision unless results change dramatically. You are well aware that football can generate substantially more income than any other sport in an athletic department and can generate more press and visibility than all other athletic teams combined.
The ball is in your court. Please do not respond that you are monitoring the situation. What we fans want is results from athletes that are students first, representatives of the state an forever ambassadors of UConn athletics.
Sincerely,
Regular, Frustrated Native Nutmegger

 

[whaler11]

Yamahama. Even if Diaco is the wrong guy what's he supposed to do?

 

[cryjeremiah]

Oh shoot, sportasrt is gonna be pissed!!!!!!

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I remember when Notre Dame gave Charlie Weis a new contract before the ink was fully dry on his initial one. I also remember (from many years earlier) being at the Civic Center in early 1988 listen to a couple of (then) 50 year old men (God I thought they were old at that time) gripe about how we made a mistake in not hiring Tommy Penders.

I can assure you that I as as aggravated and frustrated as everyone on this board with the results to date of the football team, especially our offensive line, which may be the worst I have ever seen in my life and our penchant for turning the ball over. I do however realize that it is far too early to judge this hire.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I remember when Notre Dame gave Charlie Weis a new contract before the ink was fully dry on his initial one. I also remember (from many years earlier) being at the Civic Center in early 1988 listen to a couple of (then) 50 year old men (God I thought they were old at that time) gripe about how we made a mistake in not hiring Tommy Penders.

I can assure you that I as as aggravated and frustrated as everyone on this board with the results to date of the football team, especially our offensive line, which may be the worst I have ever seen in my life and our penchant for turning the ball over. I do however realize that it is far too early to judge this hire.

I was probably at the HCC about the same time as you and watched a Northeastern team come in and take the Connecticut Mutual Classic title. I can still remember hoping that someday UConn could be as good as Northeastern and Reggie Lewis.

Unfortunatley, Bob Diaco doesn't instill any confidence. Even in JC's early years there was an identity. It was mostly JC imposing his will, but it was something. Turning around a bball program and football program is different but right now the football staff has failed to instill any identity and the play of the players reflects that.

 

[huskyblooz]

While I'm as frustrated as anyone and think the coaching staff has done a horrible job offensively, I disagree wholeheartedly in this line of yours:
"there isn’t any attempt by this coaching staff to try to win, develop players or build the football program".

Sometimes you have to take two steps back to go forward. Diaco is trying to build a program the way he wants it. You can tell by the type of player he is recruiting that has verballed. He has a vision. Unfortunately in today's world, immediate results are all most people want. I agree that the team has become unwatchable.

With the exception of defending BYU's Hill, our defense has been exceptional all year. I hope Warde would give Diaco an ultimatum and get rid of most of his offensive staff.
I'm a first-time season ticket holder who has no reason to renew next year, unless they drop prices considerably.

 

[Chin Diesel]

While I'm as frustrated as anyone and think the coaching staff has done a horrible job offensively, I disagree wholeheartedly in this line of yours:
"there isn’t any attempt by this coaching staff to try to win, develop players or build the football program".

Sometimes you have to take two steps back to go forward. Diaco is trying to build a program the way he wants it. You can tell by the type of player he is recruiting that has verballed. He has a vision. Unfortunately in today's world, immediate results are all most people want. I agree that the team has become unwatchable.

With the exception of defending BYU's Hill, our defense has been exceptional all year. I hope Warde would give Diaco an ultimatum and get rid of most of his offensive staff.
I'm a first-time season ticket holder who has no reason to renew next year, unless they drop prices considerably.

I agree but I have enough experience watching kids in this age group develop to not be blinded that progress and process aren't mutually exclusive.

He's had 10 months to turn around this organization. By any empirical metric this team has regressed significantly since the end of last season. And the eye ball test re-affirms the numbers.

 

[noeynox]

Way too early. Warde will read it and likely respond. He gets all of this year and next to show he can turn this thing around before I jump off of his bandwagon. I'm not happy with what I've seen. Losing Cochran was a huge loss, but it shouldn't have stunted us this bad.

 

[Fishy]

I think he'll look at it and think, holy f---, this is hard to read after all the bourbon I just drank to forget about the s--- show I just saw at Tulane.

No, wait...that's me.

I don't know what he'll think.

 

[BlueDogs]

First thing to do is get rid of an OC that can only put up 3 against Toolame after 2 weeks of practice. Then tell BD to shut his yap and start producing or start looking for openings. Third, I'd go on my hands and knees and ask Weist to comeback as OC. If I was AD, I wouldn't screw around for a second. It's one thing to have limited talent and quite another to fail to even be productive 6 games in.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I don't think the main problem with the program is the overmatched coaching staff. I think the main problem is the guy that hired the overmatched coaching staff.

 

[Husky25]

Did Diaco turn the ball over 4 times?

 

[uconnbill]

Just sent this to the AD's email
(I'm under no illusion that he will read this directly, have a summary sent to him or have any response from him)

Mr. Warde Manuel-
I write this email to you as one of thousands of die hard UConn football fans. Don’t bother looking me up. I’m not a donor, nor am I an alumni. In my entire family my mother is the only person to hold a degree from UConn. I was born and raised in Connecticut and I have been a fan and supporter of the program since the 1970’s.
I gave away my ticket to the Tulane game tonight. I live about a 3 hour drive from New Orleans. I travel frequently for my job and was going to use hotel points to spend the weekend there. My total expenses for the weekend would have been $250 or less and based off of what I had seen all year, this program isn’t worth it. The staff and players performance tonight justified my reluctance.
Hiring Bob Diaco and signing off on his staff was a mistake. A big mistake. Six games in to the season and it is obvious to any football fan that there isn’t any attempt by this coaching staff to try to win, develop players or build the football program.
UConn is a first class public university and the flagship university for the state of Connecticut. As such, everyone representing the university has an obligation to present the school in its highest possible regards.
It is okay to go through a process only to find out the decision was poor. Great organizations can recover from a bad decision. Look at how Netflix recovered. They made an aggressive decision but quickly realized the results were poor and corrected them. You can do the same.
This team as coached by the current staff is incapable of scoring 10 points on a regular basis. You are a smart person and you are a football person. This team is literally incapable of beating an opponent who can score 10 points. Any team who can score twice in a game can go in to clock running mode without any fear of UConn making up the difference.
There’s plenty of careers I don’t understand. I’m not an investment banker, I’m not a lawyer and I’m not in to politics. What I do know is organizational behavior, developing organizations and evaluating organizations. I was fortunate enough that during my time serving in the military I was attached to or was able to observe several of the highest functioning organizations within the military. I participated, watched, developed and trained teams that didn’t have any room for false assessments, hubris or introspection. Indeed, the qualities all of these teams possessed was the ability to assess all decisions honestly and without regard for personal welfare.
From a purely selfish point of view, you have dead ended yourself with this hiring decision unless results change dramatically. You are well aware that football can generate substantially more income than any other sport in an athletic department and can generate more press and visibility than all other athletic teams combined.
The ball is in your court. Please do not respond that you are monitoring the situation. What we fans want is results from athletes that are students first, representatives of the state an forever ambassadors of UConn athletics.
Sincerely,
Regular, Frustrated Native Nutmegger

Did you say that when Paul Paqualoni? My guess is no and yet you have decided to write this about Bob Diaco after six games as a head coach. I am frustrated as well, but give the man a chance along with his coaching staff. Something you did for a coach that was out of his element for ten years.

 

[UConn990411]

Did Diaco turn the ball over 4 times?

No. But it's been an issue all season, and the coaching staff is certainly accountable for the incredible lack of discipline.

 

[uconnbill]

No. But it's been an issue all season, and the coaching staff is certainly accountable for the incredible lack of discipline.

Not sure about that when a running back puts it on the turf twice. That falls on the player to cover up better after the first fumble.

 

[huskymedic]

Did Diaco turn the ball over 4 times?

No. But it's been an issue all season, and the coaching staff is certainly accountable for the incredible lack of discipline.

HCBD ~ "We continue to focus on ball security. It needs to be a priority. It has been a priority and is a priority. Just young guys doing young guy stuff.”

 

[FfldCntyFan]

No. But it's been an issue all season, and the coaching staff is certainly accountable for the incredible lack of discipline.

What do you want them to do, not play anyone?

 

[UConn990411]

What do you want them to do, not play anyone?

I'm not saying it's their fault because, at the end of the day, the players have to do their jobs. And part of their jobs consists of not turning it over every other freakin' possession.

All I'm saying is that the coaches share some of the accountability for how sloppy this team is. From turnovers to awful penalties to dreadful special teams play, this team doesn't have a whole lot of discipline.

 

[Alum86]

I don't think the main problem with the program is the overmatched coaching staff. I think the main problem is the guy that hired the overmatched coaching staff.

In a nutshell, the above.
Fire Manuel .

 

[Chin Diesel]

Did you say that when Paul Paqualoni? My guess is no and yet you have decided to write this about Bob Diaco after six games as a head coach. I am frustrated as well, but give the man a chance along with his coaching staff. Something you did for a coach that was out of his element for ten years.

Actually I did feel this way about PP and wrote a letter to Warde after the Cincy game where the two geezers tried to get Whitmer killed. Those two asshats made the Michigan incident two weeks ago look amateurish.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

I was probably at the HCC about the same time as you and watched a Northeastern team come in and take the Connecticut Mutual Classic title. I can still remember hoping that someday UConn could be as good as Northeastern and Reggie Lewis.

Unfortunatley, Bob Diaco doesn't instill any confidence. Even in JC's early years there was an identity. It was mostly JC imposing his will, but it was something. Turning around a bball program and football program is different but right now the football staff has failed to instill any identity and the play of the players reflects that.

This is BS. Many people wanted Calhoun gone in 2010-2011 and then he goes on to win #3 in 2011.

 

[J187Money]

In a nutshell, the above. Fire Manuel .

Yes. That will magically make the football team better.

The bottom line is this: we can't afford name P5 coaches. Nor would one come if we could. So we will always be taking risks on P5 coordinators or MAAC level head coaches. You can't bat 1.000 on this stuff. P was a bad hire. Diaco? Way to early to tell.

 

[uconnbill]

Actually I did feel this way about PP and wrote a letter to Warde after the Cincy game where the two geezers tried to get Whitmer killed. Those two asshats made the Michigan incident two weeks ago look amateurish.

That was year three not year one. That is the difference.

 

[Chin Diesel]

That was year three not year one. That is the difference.

I thought that was year 2. Regardless I definitely off the other regime by year 2.

This team doesn't have any identity. TJ Weist figured out how toake a functioning offense and had tondo it in-season with a bunch of unconditioned players.

Diaco has had 10 months to build off of last year including two-month long evaluation periods and we get these performances.

 

[Woof 101]

WOW glad you have your disclaimer below your comments. A moment to reread it is in order. You contridict yourself.
At what point does someone stop being a fan and just become cynical? No personal attack here but you bring up the fact $250 would be chump change to attend the game. What would have it cost to get your ego there?

I am 110% positive Warde will respond to you as he has done so in the past for myself and others. It may not be as soon as you like because they have a very busy week. $8 million coming in for new soccer stadium & more for the naming of the new basketball facility. Then again none of this would matter to you.

I would vent more about Hathaway and Larry McHugh than Warde, they created the mess he is trying to clean up. It takes time to reap what you sow and this staff is not working with anything they planted.