On This Date Six Years Ago

[MattMang23]

Never forgive. Never forget.

 

[businesslawyer]

Eh. Hiring P was a mistake, but it was the hiring of a competent northeastern head coach that might have worked out to be a non-disaster if he could have separated himself from GDl. It pales in comparison to the mistake made 3 years later.

 

[MattMang23]

Eh. Hiring P was a mistake, but it was the hiring of a competent northeastern head coach that might have worked out to be a non-disaster if he could have separated himself from GDl. It pales in comparison to the mistake made 3 years later.

But this started the spiral. This is the debate of the decade.

 

[businesslawyer]

But this started the spiral. This is the debate of the decade.

There is no spiral from coaching administration to coaching administration. The right hire, given time, can restore a program to where it was.

 

[DoctorWho85]

It was a bad hire sure, but Diaco turned out to be worse. I think if PP ditched GDL and spent more time involved with the players (disipline, schooling, conditioning, etc...) he would have at least gotten to a bowl game his first 2 seasons. Also, he knew how to us a tight end, like at all so for that he'll be better than Diaco any day of the week

 

[MattMang23]

There is no spiral from coaching administration to coaching administration. The right hire, given time, can restore a program to where it was.

True. And for the record I believe Diaco was worse. But I still have disdain for the man who originally ruined the program.

 

[ctchamps]

Eh. Hiring P was a mistake, but it was the hiring of a competent northeastern head coach that might have worked out to be a non-disaster if he could have separated himself from GDl. It pales in comparison to the mistake made 3 years later.

The guy on the right has my ire. I strongly believe he pushed RE away from the program. That's where the spiral begins.

 

[Adios]

True. And for the record I believe Diaco was worse. But I still have disdain for the man who originally ruined the program.

We're not ruined. But if you want, you can join me at Wesleyan games!

 

[MattMang23]

We're not ruined. But if you want, you can join me at Wesleyan games!

We have been pretty ruined the last six years...

I am optimistic of a turnaround, of course. We will be like a phoenix rising from the ashes of what PP and BD set fire to!

I appreciate the offer, Butch, but I'm usually busy vacuuming or getting a haircut while Wesleyan is playing.

 

[businesslawyer]

We're not ruined. But if you want, you can join me at Wesleyan games!

I don't understand this position. If you wanted to watch a team lose, you would have been happier watching UConn the last six years. If you like winners, you'd use Trinity as the alternative.

Let's go Cocks!!!

 

[Adios]

I don't understand this position. If you wanted to watch a team lose, you would have been happier watching UConn the last six years. If you like winners, you'd use Trinity as the alternative.

Let's go Cocks!!!

Boooooooooooooooooooo!

 

[Jerry1714]

The decision to hire PP was one of the worse decisions in UConn athletics history. It was laughable at the time, and even more so afterwards. You want to argue who was a worse coach fine, it was PP, but it is debatable I guess, but the decision on hiring PP and BD are not in the same universe.

 

[CL82]

Eh. Hiring P was a mistake, but it was the hiring of a competent northeastern head coach that might have worked out to be a non-disaster if he could have separated himself from GDl. It pales in comparison to the mistake made 3 years later.

Disagree, there was plenty of buzz that Pasqualoni was a program killer. Diaco on the other hand was Broyles award winning DC. A bright up and comer who could talk the talk in an interview. We took a shot on an unproven but promising DC as our head coach. It didn't work out but in all likelihood if either of us are sitting on that hiring committee, we'd make the same call.

I'm glad Crazy Bob is gone but I don't fault Manual or Herbst on the hire.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Eh. Hiring P was a mistake, but it was the hiring of a competent northeastern head coach that might have worked out to be a non-disaster if he could have separated himself from GDl. It pales in comparison to the mistake made 3 years later.

Hiring Red Pants made much more sense than hiring Coach Pee. Who hires a man in his 60s who hadn't been a head coach in over a decade...and he spent most of them time out of College Football. Not to mention he was run out of town at his previous head coaching gig. Red Pants made all the sense in the world....on paper. Who knew he would be so devastatingly clueless? But Coach Pee.....still one of the most baffling decisions I have ever seen in sports.

 

[Adios]

PP was a bad hire because of GDL. Had he been able to go GDL-less, who knows.

Is there any way we can learn the questions and answers in Bob Diaco's interview?

 

[ctchamps]

I don't understand this position. If you wanted to watch a team lose, you would have been happier watching UConn the last six years. If you like winners, you'd use Trinity as the alternative.

Let's go Cocks!!!

A bunch of suckers in that picture. Energy suckers that is and not related to cocks of course.

 

[businesslawyer]

Disagree, there was plenty of buzz that Pasqualoni was a program killer. Diaco on the other hand was Broyles award winning DC. A bright up and comer who could talk the talk in an interview. We took a shot on an unproven but promising DC as our head coach. It didn't work out but in all likelihood if either of us are sitting on that hiring committee, we'd make the same call.

I'm glad Crazy Bob is gone but I don't fault Manual or Herbst on the hire.

To be clear, I thought the decision to hire Diaco was perfectly rational when it was made. I'll go further and say based on what we knew at the time it was a good decision. The decision to hire P was not a good one, but I can't say it was irrational either.

But as you judge in hindsight, it didn't work for P here but you can't say he was an incompetent head coach based on his career. How Diaco was as unprepared as he was to be a head coach is just astounding.

 

[Sea Goat]

The guy on the right has my ire. I strongly believe he pushed RE away from the program. That's where the spiral begins.

Really that was the start of a series of events that doomed us. Burton was right! There was no such outrage when BD was hired because, on paper, it made sense. I agree that it turned out to be more detrimental in the long run, but who knew at the time? We just need need get get the damn thing stabilized now and climb out of this hole. The OC hire is a great start IMO.

 

[Colt house75]

To be clear, I thought the decision to hire Diaco was perfectly rational when it was made. I'll go further and say based on what we knew at the time it was a good decision. The decision to hire P was not a good one, but I can't say it was irrational either.

But as you judge in hindsight, it didn't work for P here but you can't say he was an incompetent head coach based on his career. How Diaco was as unprepared as he was to be a head coach is just astounding.

Well said Bizlaw...
It can also be said that people rise to their own level of incompetence.
The undoing of Coach P, IMO, was initial selection of GDL as an Offensive Coordinator. Results prior and after have shown him to be pretty decent as an OL coach or he wouldn't have landed on his feet as he has for 40 years.
The disastrous undoing of FHCBD HAS fillEd the BY but illustrates the point of rising to your level of incompetence for not only himself but his staff undoing in the selection of Cummins and Verducci, both which proved the point of being in a position that they could not handle.
Unfortunately for us, 6 years of failed expectations......
which makes Rhett Lashlee selection an incredible choice in getting someone willing to learn and work to get to the next level as a HC.!!

 

[noeynox]

Diaco was way worst. If you don't know how to get plays in on time, or how to manage a game from the 1 yds line, you're not ready to lead a program.

I'm 100 percent with @businesslawyer , on this one. P was a bad hire of a retread who had lost his fastball. Diaco was a disastrous hire of a minor leaguer not yet ready for the Big leagues, and we are all made dumber from having to watch him bumble his way through 3 years.

 

[businesslawyer]

Diaco was way worst. If you don't know how to get plays in on time, or how to manage a game from the 1 yds line, you're not ready to lead a program.

I'm 100 percent with @businesslawyer , on this one. P was a bad hire of a retread who had lost his fastball. Diaco was a disastrous hire of a minor leaguer not yet ready for the Big leagues, and we are all made dumber from having to watch him bumble his way through 3 years.

Worse, I don't even think I will ever be able to wear my Nantucket red slacks ever again!

 

[Marty Jackson]

I get PP was a mistake. but at the time, I felt like I could understand why they chose him.
He was successful at Syracuse and coached some talented players that had success in the NFL, he had NFL credentials, and he was a CT/Uconn native with connections to the High Schools, which people felt Randy alienated.
And, regardless of what you think of his stint as HC, I believe most that have met him would agree he is a decent guy.

Were there glaring red flags with him? Yes, I know he was let go from Syracuse, but how many coaches end their tenure on their own. most end in some level of termination.

 

[noeynox]

Worse, I don't even think I will ever be able to wear my Nantucket red slacks ever again!

Worser or worsted. Can't believe he left you in such a fashion bind. That SOB.

 

[Excalibur]

PP took 8-4 and turned it into 3-9. Diaco took 3-9 and made it 3-9. Diaco only looks worse because it's fresh in our memories.

 

[mikedog10]

I don't like this topic. I prefer to think of this date 8 years ago... as Facebook reminded today, it is the 8th anniversary of when I posted my International Bowl/Toronto pictures online. It only took my drunk ass 10 days after the game to get them uploaded! I'm still surprised I made it back in one piece...