12 Reasons Why UConn Will Regret the New Big East

[CL82]

I was a student at UConn during the late 70's into the 80's. I clearly recall this piece of graffiti that was scattered around campus during that period. "Where's Toner?". It had to be one of the more popular written messages on walls and such around campus.

I was there during the same period and never saw that, but I believe you @dbmill, if you did.

 

[dbmill]

I was there during the same period and never saw that, but I believe you @dbmill, if you did.

I just asked my wife who was at UConn during that time. She remembers the "Where's Toner?" graffiti as well.

 

[CL82]

I just asked my wife who was at UConn during that time. She remembers the "Where's Toner?" graffiti as well.

Where? Again, I believe you, but I have no recollection of it. Not that it matters.

 

[dbmill]

Where? Again, I believe you, but I have no recollection of it. Not that it matters.

Math Science Building area was one area I saw it, as I often passed by there. There were other locations as well, but I don't remember those exact areas.

 

[gampelcrazies]

I was always told Dee Rowe was the one that helped get Calhoun to UConn. Is this not true? Before my time.

 

[Steelerone]

Ladies and gentlemen can we please go down to the nearest bus station and by a ticket to reality. To begin with, football has never been the number one sport in Ct. And anyone who feels we will eventually be in a power five conference should stop drinking the koolaid. So can we finally appreciate having a great university with several other competitive sports such as baseball and soccer to go along with a rising men's basketball team and a perennially great women's team. Perhaps the Big East isn't the conference it used to be but guess what - it's what the overwhelming majority of Uconn fans have been wanting for a long time.

 

[billybud]

Toner was a pretty good football coach, in his five short years as football coach his teams won the Yankee Conference Championship twice. The 2nd time they won it, Toner also doubled as Athletic Director.

he won one championship outright...shared the other championship.

In the outright win as conference champions...he had a .500 record (4-4-2)

In the tied 1st place, he went 4-6.

An unusual conference to say the least, when a 4-6 record is champion.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Ladies and gentlemen can we please go down to the nearest bus station and by a ticket to reality. To begin with, football has never been the number one sport in Ct.

Yale through the start of WWII would respectfully disagree with that statement with their mutiple national championships and +60,000 crowds at the Yale Bowl. I'm way too young to remember such times directly; but, my grandfather who grew-up in the Valley shared is stories with me.

 

[Waquoit]

No, in response to your unsubstantiated assertion that he was a bad athletic director, I re-posted his most noteworthy accomplishments.

This is worse than bad faith. This is Trumpian level denial. I've completely substantiated my assertions. I even have independent confirmation of dissatisfaction from fellow posters who were there at the time, that you immediately discounted.

All the substantiated assertions you need to come to the unescapable conclusion that he was a bad AD were contained in that report that covered his performance. That report that you refuse to acknowledge because that would be an admission that I was correct.

We joined the big-time when we joined the Big East. But we still had a small time AD still running a Yankee Conference operation. His last five years were a disaster but not only wouldn't he leave, he stopped showing up to the office (it's in the report). That's why they had to do to him what was subsequently done to Hathaway. And to repeat, once he left, UConn athletics caught up to the rest of the Big East.

 

[CL82]

This is worse than bad faith. This is Trumpian level denial. I've completely substantiated my assertions. I even have independent confirmation of dissatisfaction from fellow posters who were there at the time, that you immediately discounted.

All the substantiated assertions you need to come to the unescapable conclusion that he was a bad AD were contained in that report that covered his performance. That report that you refuse to acknowledge because that would be an admission that I was correct.

We joined the big-time when we joined the Big East. But we still had a small time AD still running a Yankee Conference operation. His last five years were a disaster but not only wouldn't he leave, he stopped showing up to the office (it's in the report). That's why they had to do to him what was subsequently done to Hathaway. And to repeat, once he left, UConn athletics caught up to the rest of the Big East.

Lol one of us is certainly in denial. Here's a tip: saying "uh he was bad, I remember" isn't substantiating your baseless assertion. It is repeating them. Do you understand the difference?

Try posting some facts, such as:

During his tenure as UConn's athletic director Toner:

1. Joined the Big East
2. Hired Geno Auriemma
3. Hired Jim Calhoun
4. Oversaw the funding and construction of Gampel
5. Had two teams become national champions during his tenure
6. Served as president of the NCAA
7. He is on the wall as a Husky of Honor
8. The National Football Foundation's award for excellence as an athletic director and "outstanding dedication to college athletics is called the John Toner Award. He was it first recipient.

If that's too hard, trying finding a link, even one, that says Toner was a bad AD. You couldn't the last time you had your little anti-Toner snit.

In the meantime let's look at what Auriemma and Calhoun thought about him:

Geno:
"I owe a debt of gratitude to John that can never be repaid," Auriemma said. "We become friends. I looked up to him and admired him and he'll always have a special place in my heart and in my family's heart. Everyone in the University of Connecticut, in the state of Connecticut and every single person in amateur sports owes him a debt of gratitude." "The growth of women's sports in this country can be directly related to the work that John Toner did to help push forward the Title IX bill," Auriemma said.

Jim:
"John Toner's decision to leave his New England neighbors and move Connecticut into the Big East conference changed UConn athletics forever," Calhoun said. "Personally, John gave me a great start as head basketball coach at Connecticut and through the years he was always available to me for wise counsel and friendship."

Are we done yet?

 

[Waquoit]

Are you seriously trying to argue the fact that Athletic Department was turning a profit under him is somehow a negative? Lol, it shows how hard you trying to find something in the guys stellar record.

The BB program had just gone big-time and this guy was returning money to the school. A competent AD spends every penny and fights for more. It's not like they couldn't use the money. He didn't fund the soccer team the way it deserved when they were selling 5,000 seats a game and the coach was quite vocal about it yet you use that title as one of his accomplishments. That's just more bad faith.

 

[CL82]

The BB program had just gone big-time and this guy was returning money to the school. A competent AD spends every penny and fights for more. It's not like they couldn't use the money. He didn't fund the soccer team the way it deserved when they were selling 5,000 seats a game and the coach was quite vocal about it yet you use that title as one of his accomplishments. That's just more bad faith.

So which is the thing that upset you more that athletic department turned a profit or that soccer was playing to a full stadium?

Do you even read what you post?

 

[superjohn]

I feel stupider for reading that.

That is arguably the dumbest blog I've ever read.

 

[Waquoit]

So which is the thing that upset you more that athletic department turned a profit or that soccer was playing to a full stadium?

What upsets me is your bad faith. That the soccer team was a raging success was no thanks to Toner yet you insist on taking a Toner victory lap for it. He was a football guy. The Friends of Soccer was established back then to make up for the lack of support from the school. A competent AD would have use that massive success as a springboard to get added support to the program. Toner just went on nickel and diming his best coach.

 

[Waquoit]

If that's too hard, trying finding a link, even one, that says Toner was a bad AD.
Are we done yet?

Not until you acknowledge that there was an investigation commissioned by UConn at the time that produced a report that revealed Toner to be a bad AD. Toner subsequently resigned as a result of this report. In multiple attacks from you, you still have never addressed the report's existence. I'm guessing because if you do it's game, set, match, me.

 

[huskyrob1]

This is worse than bad faith. This is Trumpian level denial. I've completely substantiated my assertions. I even have independent confirmation of dissatisfaction from fellow posters who were there at the time, that you immediately discounted.

All the substantiated assertions you need to come to the unescapable conclusion that he was a bad AD were contained in that report that covered his performance. That report that you refuse to acknowledge because that would be an admission that I was correct.

We joined the big-time when we joined the Big East. But we still had a small time AD still running a Yankee Conference operation. His last five years were a disaster but not only wouldn't he leave, he stopped showing up to the office (it's in the report). That's why they had to do to him what was subsequently done to Hathaway. And to repeat, once he left, UConn athletics caught up to the rest of the Big East.

If he was such a bad AD and manager for 17 years as you (and only you) assert, why on Earth would the school give him the responsibility to build Gampel Pavilion after his resignation as AD, the most important building project in the schools history????

How stupid can you be?

 

[billybud]

Provide a link to said investigative report...and it is finis.

 

[CL82]

What upsets me is your bad faith. That the soccer team was a raging success was no thanks to Toner yet you insist on taking a Toner victory lap for it. He was a football guy. The Friends of Soccer was established back then to make up for the lack of support from the school. A competent AD would have use that massive success as a springboard to get added support to the program. Toner just went on nickel and diming his best coach.

Lol, I love how your answer to all of Toner's considerable accomplishments is "Well anyone could have done it." It's a silly non-answer.

Not until you acknowledge that there was an investigation commissioned by UConn at the time that produced a report that revealed Toner to be a bad AD. Toner subsequently resigned as a result of this report. In multiple attacks from you, you still have never addressed the report's existence. I'm guessing because if you do it's game, set, match, me.

Sure, provide me a link to it. Just one. Or an article referencing it. Just one.

Your two posts above just made me realize that your odd obsession with this isn't about Toner so much as you being butt hurt that I called you out on it. Again, that just odd. Really odd actually.

 

[billybud]

what I did find...

In its report last May, a group set up by the university president, John T. Casteen 3d, faulted Mr. Toner's administration of the athletics department. Although the report did not call for his replacement, it did say that the department's goals had been ''poorly articulated and evaluated'' and that the department ''had functioned as virtual island of isolation.''

UCONN ENFORCES ATHLETE RULES (Published 1987)

www.nytimes.com

 

[CL82]

what I did find...

In its report last May, a group set up by the university president, John T. Casteen 3d, faulted Mr. Toner's administration of the athletics department. Although the report did not call for his replacement, it did say that the department's goals had been ''poorly articulated and evaluated'' and that the department ''had functioned as virtual island of isolation.''

UCONN ENFORCES ATHLETE RULES (Published 1987)

www.nytimes.com

Thanks BB. I acknowledge the article and the report. This was actually the start of the slippery slope of high athlete admission standards that haunts UConn to this day, especially football.

Toner was at the end of the era where your football coach became your AD. As athletics became big business it makes sense to bring in pros. Still, it doesn't offset the outstanding accomplishments he had during his tenure. By any meaningful standard, it was an amazing run as the awards and accolades show.

 

[Waquoit]

Sure, provide me a link to it. Just one. Or an article referencing it. Just one.

What are you saying here? Are you calling me a liar? Are you saying the report I constantly refer to never existed? Are you saying you forgot about it? What?

That it doesn't pop right up in a quick Google search doesn't mean crap. It would have 10 years ago before everything went behind paywalls. If I took the take the time to go to the library and print out a bunch of Courant articles off of the microfiche that prove my point, that wouldn't make what I've been saying more accurate. You'd come up with a new deflection.

What fascinates me about this entire subject is the willingness of some to just rewrite and ignore history. Then make judgments based off their ignorance! It's the willful ignorance from you that butt hurts the most.

 

[CL82]

It's the willful ignorance from you that butt hurts the most.

Yeah, I think we may be crossing over from odd to creepy.

I think I'm out.

 

[Waquoit]

Yeah, I think we may be crossing over from odd to creepy.

I think I'm out.

Neither odd nor creepy in context, the context you created. Now you're taking your ball and going home after not landing a blow. Why did you attack me to begin with? I didn't reference you.

 

[CL82]

Neither odd nor creepy in context, the context you created. Now you're taking your ball and going home after not landing a blow. Why did you attack me to begin with? I didn't reference you.

Wow, this really seems important to you. Not landing a blow? Just an odd comment.

In any event, since you asked, I responded to your unfounded attack on the guy who is probably the single most important and successful AD we've ever had. He's had multiple awards and honors and Geno and Jim sing the guys praises, but you don't like him because, uh, because the athletic department was in the black and because soccer had 5,000 people showing up the games... I guess. That's a weird take that's worth correcting.

 

[billybud]

My take?

You are both right.

1...John Toner has been recognized as one of the most influential AD's on the East Coast. He went on to have a great career in the NCAA.

2...And yes, it was during his watch as AD when there was criticism about how the athletes and academics were not properly coordinated.

Soooo....can we close this little tete a tete?