Warde Manuel

[BlueMAB]

I wasn't sure what board to post this...

I've defended WM for some time. He stepped into a difficult situation here with a bad FB coach he didn't hire, a legend retiring leaving him at a time where he was basically cornered into a decision he had to make, and a conference realignment situation he has very little control over.

That said, he hasn't scheduled any teams OOC for football. He's said he's not doing the promoting for the university to other conferences. He isn't extending Ollie until after the season. Geno isn't going anywhere. He kept PP and lost GDL. We aren't negotiating with Michigan about moving the game.

So.... WTF is he actually doing?

If you can give a reply without a fat joke or "monitoring" joke, you'll get a like from me.

 

[Dann]

hes a rockstar


#WHITEFLAGNATION

 

[ctchamps]

I wasn't sure what board to post this...

I've defended WM for some time. He stepped into a difficult situation here with a bad FB coach he didn't hire, a legend retiring leaving him at a time where he was basically cornered into a decision he had to make, and a conference realignment situation he has very little control over.

That said, he hasn't scheduled any teams OOC for football. He's said he's not doing the promoting for the university to other conferences. He isn't extending Ollie until after the season. Geno isn't going anywhere. He kept PP and lost GDL. We aren't negotiating with Michigan about moving the game.

So.... WTF is he actually doing?

If you can give a reply without a fat joke or "monitoring" joke, you'll get a like from me.

Do you have a link to the WM's position on KO's contract. Most of us are expecting the offer after this week or just after BE season starts.

 

[BlueMAB]

Do you have a link to the WM's position on KO's contract. Most of us are expecting the offer after this week or just after BE season starts.

I don't. And maybe he does extend him shortly, I could be wrong about that. In the past he said he would get a 1 year audition, so I took him at his word for that.

I'll assume he's in the process of negotiating a new contract. That doesn't take the 70+ hours a week you'd expect from someone in his position.

 

[IMind]

That said, he hasn't scheduled any teams OOC for football. He's said he's not doing the promoting for the university to other conferences. He isn't extending Ollie until after the season. Geno isn't going anywhere. He kept PP and lost GDL. We aren't negotiating with Michigan about moving the game.

You mean he lost DB not GDL... if he lost GDL I think we'd all be much bigger WM fans now.

 

[ctchamps]

I don't. And maybe he does extend him shortly, I could be wrong about that. In the past he said he would get a 1 year audition, so I took him at his word for that.

I'll assume he's in the process of negotiating a new contract. That doesn't take the 70+ hours a week you'd expect from someone in his position.

My position was give KO a three year initially with easy buy back terms. It would have accomplished the same thing as the 7 month and not hamstrung KO on recruiting this season. Lots of people agreed including some successful bb coaches in other program and many sports commentators including Jay Bilas whose objectivity and clearness of thought I admire.

But there was an equally strong chorus of people who were concerned about KO's lack of experience. There also is a small, but very vocal contingent of people who feel JC strong armed the university into a bad position by announcing his retirement just before the season began with the effect of eliminating the possibility of a national search. This was to be expected with the recent events surrounding Joe Paterno still strongly on peoples minds. Also expected this because there are people who don't understand a personality like JC and were offended by his behavior. They hated the cover of the man and didn't search deep into his book.

I'm aware of these differing perspectives. WM has to be aware of them as well. While any fan can argue their positions none of our *sses are on the line. If we're wrong all we do is eat crow. If WM is wrong his future is severely impacted. I have no problem with him waiting on KO because I had confidence in KO from the get go. He is Husky blue so he is very much like JC in being loyal to UConn. And everything I read about him told me his lack of experience was inconsequential. I expect him to prove it to fans. Its a shame the team he inherited is missing integral pieces. It makes it easy for the detractors to remain inflexible.

 

[CL82]

So.... WTF is he actually doing?

If you can give a reply without a fat joke or "monitoring" joke, you'll get a like from me.

Monitoring the donut situation?


Sorry WingU, I tried.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I wasn't sure what board to post this...

I've defended WM for some time. He stepped into a difficult situation here with a bad FB coach he didn't hire, a legend retiring leaving him at a time where he was basically cornered into a decision he had to make, and a conference realignment situation he has very little control over.

That said, he hasn't scheduled any teams OOC for football. He's said he's not doing the promoting for the university to other conferences. He isn't extending Ollie until after the season. Geno isn't going anywhere. He kept PP and lost GDL. We aren't negotiating with Michigan about moving the game.

So.... WTF is he actually doing?

If you can give a reply without a fat joke or "monitoring" joke, you'll get a like from me.

I think he is probably consumed with unwinding the Big East and making sure we don't get screwed financially. We are, as of now, in the same postion in the "Big Whatever" that North Carolina has in the ACC. It's our league. He needs to work closely with Aresco on the shape the league needs to maximize a TV deal, while at the same time making sure UConn can sell as much of its own content as possible. He's got to come up with an extension offer to Kevin, which will come before the end of the season I believe, and negotiate that privately before announcement. He's got to influence PP on the next DC, and on the changes needed on offensive playcalling. He's got to go glad-hand a lot of donors, and maybe some sponsors. Line up licensing deals. He's got to worry about academic and NCAA rule compliance for every sport we play. He's got to work on the upgrades needed for Hockey East, as well as the new BB practice facility.

 

[uconndogs]

He did step into a difficult situation. He's a big boy (note: not a fat joke, I am being figurative) and he's getting paid a lot of money. It's time for bold action and very well thought out communication. Maybe he's doing that. If I was him I sure as hell would not have been in the Virgin Islands when Louisville ate our lunch. But, hey, maybe he doesn't care at all about perception...........like the one where Louisville is a better get than UCONN for a conference.

 

[BlueMAB]

You mean he lost DB not GDL... if he lost GDL I think we'd all be much bigger WM fans now.

LOL. Yes, absolutely.

 

[OkaForPrez]

According to Herbie in the NPR nobody panic address, he's sitting on many important NCAA committees.

 

[jbdphi]

I wasn't sure what board to post this...

I've defended WM for some time. He stepped into a difficult situation here with a bad FB coach he didn't hire, a legend retiring leaving him at a time where he was basically cornered into a decision he had to make, and a conference realignment situation he has very little control over.

That said, he hasn't scheduled any teams OOC for football. He's said he's not doing the promoting for the university to other conferences. He isn't extending Ollie until after the season. Geno isn't going anywhere. He kept PP and lost GDL. We aren't negotiating with Michigan about moving the game.

So.... WTF is he actually doing?

If you can give a reply without a fat joke or "monitoring" joke, you'll get a like from me.

My biggest concern is the OOC scheduling. Remember a few months ago he told Dez that he was working on this but we haven't heard a single thing since then about it and we have a gaping hole in our football schedules for 2014 and most quality opponents are off the table.

There is no way we are keeping our options for conference realignment - if that is really the explanation or thinking though, I would also question WM's judgment. If you secretly know we are likely headed to the B1G the schedule a quality opponent or two from the B12 or elsewhere. If you don't know where we are headed (more likely scenario in my opinion) then just go ahead and get some games signed up. I don't understand why we have a blank slate in 2014 and it worries me.

 

[UConner]

He did step into a difficult situation. He's a big boy (note: not a fat joke, I am being figurative) and he's getting paid a lot of money. It's time for bold action and very well thought out communication. Maybe he's doing that. If I was him I sure as hell would not have been in the Virgin Islands when Louisville ate our lunch. But, hey, maybe he doesn't care at all about perception...........like the one where Louisville is a better get than UCONN for a conference.

He's in a big boy position but has done nothing to prove he's other than a light weight. And let's not forget Suzie picked him

 

[hthusky74]

My biggest concern is the OOC scheduling. Remember a few months ago he told Dez that he was working on this but we haven't heard a single thing since then about it and we have a gaping hole in our football schedules for 2014 and most quality opponents are off the table.

There is no way we are keeping our options for conference realignment - if that is really the explanation or thinking though, I would also question WM's judgment. If you secretly know we are likely headed to the B1G the schedule a quality opponent or two from the B12 or elsewhere. If you don't know where we are headed (more likely scenario in my opinion) then just go ahead and get some games signed up. I don't understand why we have a blank slate in 2014 and it worries me.

Well we are playing Tennessee here in 2015 and in Knoxville in 2016. However, I think those deals were Hathaway's.

 

[BlueMAB]

Well we are playing Tennessee here in 2015 and in Knoxville in 2016. However, I think those deals were Hathaway's.

Those were announced years ago. Definitely Hathaway's deals and one of the few things he did right. He got them to come here first so a buy out wouldn't be an issue.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

Monitoring the donut situation?


Sorry WingU, I tried.

No "Like" for you !

 

[BlueMAB]

I think he is probably consumed with unwinding the Big East and making sure we don't get screwed financially. We are, as of now, in the same postion in the "Big Whatever" that North Carolina has in the ACC. It's our league. He needs to work closely with Aresco on the shape the league needs to maximize a TV deal, while at the same time making sure UConn can sell as much of its own content as possible. He's got to come up with an extension offer to Kevin, which will come before the end of the season I believe, and negotiate that privately before announcement. He's got to influence PP on the next DC, and on the changes needed on offensive playcalling. He's got to go glad-hand a lot of donors, and maybe some sponsors. Line up licensing deals. He's got to worry about academic and NCAA rule compliance for every sport we play. He's got to work on the upgrades needed for Hockey East, as well as the new BB practice facility.

but if he's not the one (per his statements) selling us to other conferences, then is he the one working with Aresco? Is he the one working on licensing deals? aren't we already pretty locked up for licensing deals anyway? we have SNY, IMG, and whatever else.

I hope he's fundraising, and yes he has to worry about academics, but he's not an academic advisor. he's not doing that work. working on the upgrades for hockey east and the BB faility? That falls under fundraising, and other than a couple major donations, good for him but I suspect those donors would have given regardless, I don't know what he's actually doing.

 

[BlueMAB]

My position was give KO a three year initially with easy buy back terms. It would have accomplished the same thing as the 7 month and not hamstrung KO on recruiting this season. Lots of people agreed including some successful bb coaches in other program and many sports commentators including Jay Bilas whose objectivity and clearness of thought I admire.

But there was an equally strong chorus of people who were concerned about KO's lack of experience. There also is a small, but very vocal contingent of people who feel JC strong armed the university into a bad position by announcing his retirement just before the season began with the effect of eliminating the possibility of a national search. This was to be expected with the recent events surrounding Joe Paterno still strongly on peoples minds. Also expected this because there are people who don't understand a personality like JC and were offended by his behavior. They hated the cover of the man and didn't search deep into his book.

I'm aware of these differing perspectives. WM has to be aware of them as well. While any fan can argue their positions none of our *sses are on the line. If we're wrong all we do is eat crow. If WM is wrong his future is severely impacted. I have no problem with him waiting on KO because I had confidence in KO from the get go. He is Husky blue so he is very much like JC in being loyal to UConn. And everything I read about him told me his lack of experience was inconsequential. I expect him to prove it to fans. Its a shame the team he inherited is missing integral pieces. It makes it easy for the detractors to remain inflexible.

I have no problem with how he handled KO. I hope KO gets an extension, but the man had never coached before and if he was a train wreck, then it was WM's ass on the line, not Jim's. Hindsight is 20/20 and he still hasn't even made it through a full season. Hell he hasn't even started big east play. But I hope KO gets a 3-4 year contract, and I have no problem at all with WM not giving it to him earlier.

 

[CL82]

I'd guess a 3 year contract and a modest raise.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

WM? Report card . . . Has fired PP = A+
Hasn't fired PP = F

So not looking like he's done well thus far.

Extra credit work. . . UConn accepted into a better confence = A+
UConn not accepted into better conf. = F

So how exactly is WM doing?

 

[ruskin]

The time for bold action was on Dec. 1 around 7 p.m. after 30 of the most depressing minutes in Rentschler history. It wasn't the losing by itself. It was the way UConn lost & looked - uninspired before a rapidly-emptying stadium. No one leaving that stadium could possibly be enthused about the immediate future of this program.

Instead, Warde (& by extension, Susan and the board of trustees) chose the "safe", by-the-book path - "gotta give a coach at least three years". If UConn was in a stable conference, I could see the point. But on the heels of the ACC fail - where we yet again saw the importance in football in all of this conference crap - Warde has been meek and mild, making silly blowhard pronouncements that "adjustments will have to be made". Yeah, the same crap sandwich Syracuse fans had to listen to in 2004, with phony demotions and all. Adjustments like what, Warde? Let's see - GDL is still here (at $272K a year!) and now Don Brown is gone.

Meanwhile, while the Horde chooses not to pursue the GDL future issue - one simple question: what adjustments will he making - they have gone all in on lobbying for Kevin Ollie to get a contract extension. To me the larger issue to me is why Warde has Ollie under such a big microscope on him while PP/GDL are being treated with kid gloves. If PP was being held to the one that has been set for Ollie, he would have been gone on Dec. 2.