Warde talks UConn at Michigan presser

[The Viking]

Starting at the 1:45 mark

 

[Fishy]

Freed from the icy bonds of propriety towards the American Conference, Warde speaks the truth.

 

[Dooley]

Freed from the icy bonds of propriety towards the American Conference, Warde speaks the truth.

Thought the same thing when I watched it. No more tired "we are a proud member of the AAC" rhetoric that everyone at UConn has to say. The truth. UConn is a P5 school by every metric possible and it was very classy of Warde to start his press conference by saying that.

 

[Adios]

He did get some rings while being here.

 

[Sea Goat]

This helps big time. If he had left for an ex-Big East pretender (pick the school - Syracuse, BC or, god forbid, Louisville), it would have hurt.
But it was Michigan that hired him because he was successful here and they admired what he did. Obviously, Michigan looks at UConn as a success and a good example.

I think he'll keep reminding his B1G brethren that UConn deserves to be in a p-5 conference.

"Why not the B1G?"

 

[Afroabe224]

Understand the politics with the AAC but you gotta love hearing Warde tell it like it is!

 

[Sea Goat]

By the bye, every one of Warde's comments at the presser had to be vetted by Michigan's SID or President's office. Obviously, the higher ups at Michigan approved of him starkly asserting that UConn belongs in a P-5 conference. It never would have been mentioned by him without at least tacit approval to do so from his new bosses. When Michigan believes we belong, I don't think it will be long before we get the nod. Let's hope B1G!

 

[Nostical]

By the bye, every one of Warde's comments at the presser had to be vetted by Michigan's SID or President's office.

Trust me, praising his employers at UConn and saying they belonged in a P-5 conference was not a comment that had to be blessed by UM before it was delivered.

 

[Seaa Blue]

Interesting thought nonetheless. Knowing that his boss would be present, Warde very well may have asked Schlissel if he would mind the plug for UConn.

 

[Athlete94]

Working at the Car Wash yeah....

 

[sportsart]

Working at the Car Wash yeah....

Have you ever heard of Fishy's famous throat punch? HAVE YOU?

 

[coachcap]

Warde's praise & commentary on UCONN could be a peek behind the scenes. As UCONN's A.D., he was privy to the negotiations behind the curtain in CR. My perspective is that he's giving hope to "UCONN Nation" that CR redemption is imminent.

 

[UCHuskies08]

The reason I find it interesting is he didn't have to mention the P5 thing at all, he could have just said he had a wonderful time here, there are wonderful people, the teams were very successful, we won 6 national championships, and leave it there, but instead he felt the need to add that. It may be an innocuous comment but interesting none the less.

 

[Jerry27]

He just reiterated the P5 statement at the women's BBC game.

 

[Matrim55]

He just reiterated the P5 statement at the women's BBC game.

Here's the article for that:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...11e5-b933-31c93021392a_story.html?tid=twisira

No direct quotes, but a telling paraphrase:

Warde Manuel says he will be an advocate for the University of Connecticut’s fight to get into a Power Five conference in his new job as athletic director at Michigan.

Manuel will take over at Michigan in March. He spoke to the UConn media at halftime of the school’s women’s basketball game against Memphis on Saturday.

He says UConn has the academic and athletic success to rival any Power Five school and will be successful whether it becomes a member of one of those leagues or stays in the American Athletic Conference.

 

[Dooley]

Warde: "Certainly I will talk very highly of UConn... I believe in this place" regarding being an ally for UConn in B10.

 

[Sportsman5]

Wards wants to help the uconn community. However, he also has to be aware that his legacy at UConn is largely based on the outcome of realignment.

 

[Adios]

That was for UMD alumni and fans to read. Dominos are lining up.

 

[coachcap]

The reason I find it interesting is he didn't have to mention the P5 thing at all, he could have just said he had a wonderful time here, there are wonderful people, the teams were very successful, we won 6 national championships, and leave it there, but instead he felt the need to add that. It may be an innocuous comment but interesting none the less.

With Warde no public comment is innocuous, it's measured & calculated. Part of his makeup & the job description.

 

[Hoophound]

He's been all class about this. It shows his love for UConn that he hasn't made that usual all business type of departure. All you have to do is watch him as Boat charged up the court with the ball in the last 5 seconds of the 2014 title game to see he was emotionally invested. You don't see that from ADs often.

 

[jostar1]

Jeff Jacobs:


It also had to make UConn faithful happy that, on Friday in Michigan, Manuel said, "[UConn] already, because of its success, deserves to be in a Power Five conference, and I hope to see that soon."
Asked about that Saturday, Manuel said, "I don't know how close we are. It's not like I had any magic statement. It's just what I believe. I believe our success already puts us at that level, the top tier of universities in this country."

Exactly how hard will be push for UConn to get into the Power Five?

"I've got a job to do for Michigan, right?" He said. "At the appropriate points in conversation about it, certainly I will talk highly, very highly of UConn. I try not to mince words. … I don't say things I don't believe. I believe in this place.

"The success we've athletically had [six national titles during his tenure] speaks for itself. The prestige of the university academically speaks for itself. The fans we have, media households in close proximity to us, our dominance in the New York market when we go down there to play — there's so many positives."

He took great pains not to insult the American Athletic Conference, which he insisted is a "great" conference.

"I don't want anybody to take my words and say because we're not in the Power Five we're still second-class citizens," Manuel said. "I have never approached this job that way. I don't talk much about [the Power Five]. Some people criticize me for not talking a lot about it. I just don't think you talk about it and all of a sudden an application appears."

Manuel had the punch line that if you don't let UConn in, the Huskies will beat you anyhow. Yet his real point is that a school has to continue having success and an application could one day appear.

http://www.courant.com/sports/college/hc-jacobs-column-0131-20160130-column.html

 

[DOZE860]

Also ironic, but surprised none has mentioned...Gene Defilippo was the chair of the search committee.. slight conflict of interested..?

 

[HuskyHawk]

He's been all class about this. It shows his love for UConn that he hasn't made that usual all business type of departure. All you have to do is watch him as Boat charged up the court with the ball in the last 5 seconds of the 2014 title game to see he was emotionally invested. You don't see that from ADs often.

He's a ball player. He gets it. I think it's one of the things Michigan sees in him. He knows the kind of support that student athletes need.

 

[Nostical]

Surprised no one has mentioned that Gene DeFilippo was the chair of Michigan's search committee

What would be surprising is Flipper chairing OUR search committee.

 

[Dooley]

Also ironic, but surprised none has mentioned...Gene Defilippo was the chair of the search committee.. slight conflict of interested..?

http://the-boneyard.com/threads/michigan-begins-search-for-permanent-ad.84084/#post-1495197