"They’re sick of losing. They want to win. They want to go to bowls."

[Jerry27]

Hey Diaco has to put a positive spin on it when talking to the media and I think he's trying to in his used car salesman way. The media needs to be a little less lazy and start asking the right questions. Diaco is gonna regurgitate the same answers if they keep asking the same questions.

Precisely, the guys asking the questions have to stop dwelling on the past, ask a different question for crying out loud or we're going to keep getting the same response.

 

[BlueMAB]

I don't think anyone thinks he just started saying it. Some are questioning why he doesn't look forward instead of blaming the previous regime at what seems like every article.

I think everyone here remains excited about the new regime.

Maybe he's being asked the wrong questions? If the reporters aren't going to include the question in the articles, we're left to guess what he's asked.

I think it's a safe bet that most reporters are asking him to explain the situation he took over, and what we're reading is the same answer to the same question. You can prefer he choose not to answer that question, but if it's a different reporter asking the same question, HCBD strikes me as the type of man who would give as honest an answer as he can out of respect. He doesn't seem like the guy to say "I've answered that repeatedly, I'm not going to talk about it."

He is full of positive energy. He doesn't seem like the guy who wants to dwell on the negative past, because he's afraid to take accountability for a 0-0 record as head coach.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm about done hearing about it. Enough.

That being said, the proof will be in the pudding. I now expect to see a bigger, stronger, better conditioned team. I expect more cohesion, more pride, more of a winning attitude. Because given the way he has talked about this, it is now on him to prove that he isn't a BS artist. If I see it....see the tangible results, then we will know that he wasn't just being a politician. My expectations are higher frankly. I think the old players, in the condition they were in, could win 5 games just with better coaching and strategy. So if they have much improved S&C as well....well my expectations just went up. This is an easier problem to fix.

 

[weyuo]

I just want the opportunity to buy a bowl game ticket with UConn's name on it THIS YEAR! In the future I'd really like to buy one that's being played in......The Bahamas!! What a Christmas present that would be. Or... Hawaii. I could do that too. AAC has to get hooked up with whoever hosts one of the Hawaiian bowls. Screw Yankee Stadium. I freeze my off enough during the winter. Come on Diaco!! You better be out there recruiting the next Lawrence Taylor, Bob Lilly, Jim Brown or Tom Brady.

 

[pj]

My take on it is that it's more the S&C guys...and the atmosphere lead by the head coach. Let''s not forget that Weist inherited that same atmosphere and was able to move it forward at the end of the season with 3 wins.

I take it more as trying to motivate the players to work harder on the S&C. Their previous work ethic was unacceptable. Maybe the coaching contributed, but I find it hard to believe the previous S&C staff could not get a motivated player to become stronger and fitter. And we know some UConn players were able to show well at the NFL combine. If some seniors looked the same as they had as freshman, it is largely the player's fault, and the head coach for failing to provide a motivating environment. Diaco is letting the players know that they need to step up their efforts, without calling them out specifically.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I don't know what it was like under P with regards to the players and their attitudes with regards to S&C, but I went around the facility with Sio before his junior year (right when P started). Sio talked with a lot of pride about the competition between the players with regards to S&C. The players were ranked by performance, and Sio talked about being at the top of the list when he walked in the door and how hard he worked to stay there. My guess is that while Sio and his class were still around there was some leadership from the players, and maybe the work ethic graduated with them.

I've remarked on this elsewhere as well too. will do again. There was a lineup of players at the kickoff dinner signing autographs a few seasons ago - Pasqualoni's first season. Sio Moore, Dwayne Gratz, Ryan Griffin, Nick Williams, Trickshot Johnny. You often forget just how young these guys are, until you meet them and see them up close without their gear on, but that's a sidetrack - it was the end of July and they were in shape.

last season, in june/july - whenever it was - a projected starting quarterback - QUARTERBACK - came to camp something like 30lbs overweight with flab, and promptly blew out an acchilles doing simple runs.

Those of you out there that can correct me, please do, if you think I'm wrong - but the QB - IMNSHO is the position that should be the first into the facilities and working out, and the last to leave - every day. There is an unwritten kind of chain of leadership that flows from there through a roster of 105 players.

Coaches set the tone, but coaches aren't there to hold the players hands, and tell them how good they are, and give them trophys every minute of every day. Players need to be leaders in the group, and assemble everyone as a team.

All of that was consistent under Edsall, under Skippy, under Jackson, I'm sure before that too. Pasqualoni came in and by all appearances essentially ignored all of that, with a professional mindset that the players need to get it done. Period. No other interest. Left the players alone for themselves to develop apparently, and paid no interest to the strength and conditioning staff, and actually alienated them for whatever reason it seems. It all broke down - badly.

I've said this before, this will be the last time, I promise. I was once a very big supporter of Paul Pasqualoni. The guy did accomplish great things, and I was blinded to what was happening, by several factors, not the least of which was the appearance of progress at the end of 2012, after a clear tranisition year in 2011, and then my own blind respect for past accomplishments. I won't let that ever happen again. The sigsn that things had all fallen apart, were more than evident. Especially after Ambrose brought his 1-AA squad to Rentschler and steamrolled us physically.

If all the players come back like a Sio, Ryan, Nick, Dwayne and even Trickshot - with that kind of dedication to their craft again - instead of a Scott McCummings, we will have a good seasons. If we get one, just one single Scott McCummings, then the program hasn't been cleaned up completely yet.

And that people - is up to the players to clean up now - not the coaches.

 

[ZooCougar]

LOL. Diaco is the kind of guy who can take 30 minutes answering one question. That's how he controls the narrative.

I love the guy, and I believe my expectations are reasonable, but I can't wait for camp to open and to not here about what he inherited from the PGDL days. We got it Bob. Really we do. I don't need Bob to contrast the way he runs the place, I can do that on my own. It was nice to hear a few months ago but at some point he is going to have to segue away from all that.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

I like it. He's making a clear statement that there is a culture change in the program and everyone around it including the media and the fans should be on notice.

So true. And when making a culture change it's important to state what you are changing from and to, and why. Otherwise you're just offering bromides.

 

[Srqhusky]

So true. And when making a culture change it's important to state what you are changing from and to, and why. Otherwise you're just offering bromides.

Dead on here. He has said also he is not throwing the previous regime under the bus and had a lot of respect for them. He could care less about what they did. He sees what he needs to fix and is cgangi g the culture. Even when the kids went on spring reak he was telli g them not to revert and to keep eating right and lifting.

 

[sdhusky]

LOL. Diaco is the kind of guy who can take 30 minutes answering one question. That's how he controls the narrative.

I love the guy, and I believe my expectations are reasonable, but I can't wait for camp to open and to not here about what he inherited from the PGDL days. We got it Bob. Really we do. I don't need Bob to contrast the way he runs the place, I can do that on my own. It was nice to hear a few months ago but at some point he is going to have to segue away from all that.

He'll have more to talk about once games start.

He has a set speech for the off season circuit and that's why we are hearing it over and over again.

 

[FAIRTIDES]

I've remarked on this elsewhere as well too. will do again. There was a lineup of players at the kickoff dinner signing autographs a few seasons ago - Pasqualoni's first season. Sio Moore, Dwayne Gratz, Ryan Griffin, Nick Williams, Trickshot Johnny. You often forget just how young these guys are, until you meet them and see them up close without their gear on, but that's a sidetrack - it was the end of July and they were in shape.

last season, in june/july - whenever it was - a projected starting quarterback - QUARTERBACK - came to camp something like 30lbs overweight with flab, and promptly blew out an acchilles doing simple runs.

Those of you out there that can correct me, please do, if you think I'm wrong - but the QB - IMNSHO is the position that should be the first into the facilities and working out, and the last to leave - every day. There is an unwritten kind of chain of leadership that flows from there through a roster of 105 players.

Coaches set the tone, but coaches aren't there to hold the players hands, and tell them how good they are, and give them trophys every minute of every day. Players need to be leaders in the group, and assemble everyone as a team.

All of that was consistent under Edsall, under Skippy, under Jackson, I'm sure before that too. Pasqualoni came in and by all appearances essentially ignored all of that, with a professional mindset that the players need to get it done. Period. No other interest. Left the players alone for themselves to develop apparently, and paid no interest to the strength and conditioning staff, and actually alienated them for whatever reason it seems. It all broke down - badly.

I've said this before, this will be the last time, I promise. I was once a very big supporter of Paul Pasqualoni. The guy did accomplish great things, and I was blinded to what was happening, by several factors, not the least of which was the appearance of progress at the end of 2012, after a clear tranisition year in 2011, and then my own blind respect for past accomplishments. I won't let that ever happen again. The sigsn that things had all fallen apart, were more than evident. Especially after Ambrose brought his 1-AA squad to Rentschler and steamrolled us physically.

If all the players come back like a Sio, Ryan, Nick, Dwayne and even Trickshot - with that kind of dedication to their craft again - instead of a Scott McCummings, we will have a good seasons. If we get one, just one single Scott McCummings, then the program hasn't been cleaned up completely yet.

And that people - is up to the players to clean up now - not the coaches.

Having spent only three years in the Army, years ago, there is little I remember. Carl's comments stirred one very clear memory, however. Early, during our first week week at Benning, a very impressive Field Grade Officer started a fairly (for Benning) informal talk with, "There are no bad soldiers, just bad Officers." He went on to say that given latitude, an infantryman would not dig deep enough, insure interlocking fields of fire or do the work necessary to provide solid overhead cover unless it was clear that all three were command priorities. Moreover, he told us that, otherwise intelligent, soldiers would try to sneak a smoke or turn on a transistor (dated, I know) radio. All absolute no-no's for the field, at night. All huge command issues in the RVN.

My point? Guys were willing to cut corners even when it could get them killed. While we, as fans, consider the stakes to be high for the players, the players were, obviously getting signals that certain issues (S & C/Nutrition ) were not as important as in the past. Guys with reasonable shots at NFL opportunities ended up benching/squatting less than my 3-year old granddaughter. That indicates giving up, and giving up is a leadership problem.

 

[ZooCougar]

He'll have more to talk about once games start.

He has a set speech for the off season circuit and that's why we are hearing it over and over again.

Yeah, that just tells me that he is disciplined about his message. Most fans aren't like us, drinking this stuff in the second it gets released.

 

[ZooCougar]

Having spent only three years in the Army, years ago, there is little I remember. Carl's comments stirred one very clear memory, however. Early, during our first week week at Benning, a very impressive Field Grade Officer started a fairly (for Benning) informal talk with, "There are no bad soldiers, just bad Officers." He went on to say that given latitude, an infantryman would not dig deep enough, insure interlocking fields of fire or do the work necessary to provide solid overhead cover unless it was clear that all three were command priorities. Moreover, he told us that, otherwise intelligent, soldiers would try to sneak a smoke or turn on a transistor (dated, I know) radio. All absolute no-no's for the field, at night. All huge command issues in the RVN.

My point? Guys were willing to cut corners even when it could get them killed. While we, as fans, consider the stakes to be high for the players, the players were, obviously getting signals that certain issues (S & C/Nutrition ) were not as important as in the past. Guys with reasonable shots at NFL opportunities ended up benching/squatting less than my 3-year old granddaughter. That indicates giving up, and giving up is a leadership problem.

Yup. Priorities of work have to be established.

 

[gioff23]

It would be nice to look forward rather than back, but these are the dog days when the board has nothing to focus on more than futbol, so another 20/20 hindsight chat is not unexepected. My view is that when things go wrong, it is no one person's fault. I am thrilled by the new regime and the promise of hope and enthusiasm they bring to the table. I truly believe we will be back on the path we were headed in short order.

I have no idea why the kids and the prior staff did not click, but they clearly did not. My point is that I don't care how much I dislike my coach, my manager, my boss, my commanding officer - if I don't do my job to the best of my ability, I am at fault. Sure I can blame others, but at the end of the day each of us has to get up in the morning, look in the mirror and ask him/herself are they doing right by themselves, their families, their friends, their colleagues, their teammates. A kid with dreams of playing on a pro football line who cant bench 225 14x on his pro day can blame the coach that was fired 6 months before that day 24/7, but at some point he has to look in the mirror.

I just hope the kids who are coming in now to engage in conditioning and being a part of the revitaized UConn program can focus on the future and leave the past where it belongs.

 

[Chief00]

Quite frankly, whatever blame Coach P and Deleone receive they deserve. Kevin Nathan made a career out of defending these guys so if a little truth comes through now - so be it.

 

[Husky25]

When things go right, it is generally not because of only one person either.

 

[Irishfan]

Geez...I guess you get a Mickey Mouse program when you hire a Mickey Mouse coach.

“But the team that we found, it has a losing culture, in terms of how they eat, sleep, train. Physically, you couldn’t see a lot of difference between a freshman and a senior. How is that possible? It shouldn’t happen.You’re training for four or five years, eating for four or five years and going to meetings at a university with a major college football team, and you look the same as you looked when you were 17? That’s unacceptable. We’re working to change that. We need to create a winning mentality, a winning culture.”

I think this was a shot at the players as much as the previous coaches. It's the players who lift the weights, and do the workouts. By blaming the previous coaches he stayed away from blaming the players. I bet the players got the message.