. . . And Bob Burton weighs in!

[ruskin]

http://www.ctpost.com/uconn/article...aloni-firing-I-told-4857720.php?cmpid=twitter

 

[Bill Sussman]

Most interesting comment:

"Now that Pasqualoni is out of the picture, Burton said he would donate money to UConn to hire a full-time person to promote the school's athletic programs to marquee conferences.
"That person should be out there selling the university and should be knowing every (athletic director)," Burton said. "UConn has a lot of opportunity here."

 

[hthusky74]

He's a cocky sob, but he certainly is right about almost everything he said.

 

[Jimdish255]

http://www.ctpost.com/uconn/article...aloni-firing-I-told-4857720.php?cmpid=twitter

If he has ideas we'd be smart to listen and learn.

 

[FluxTZ]

Most interesting comment:

This. And he's not wrong.

 

[The Viking]

I want to hump Burton's leg like I'm his personal tourniquet. That comment about funding UConn's salesman to a real conference....it's a shame he had a falling out the past few years when we needed him.

 

[UConnJim]

He was right. It's mind boggling that Hathaway didn't listen to him.

 

[Peacefrog]

He's a cocky sob, but he certainly is right about almost everything he said.

Well certainly not the part where he seems to insinuate that we used to get 4 and 5 star recruits.

 

[huskysupporter]

He was right. It's mind boggling that Hathaway didn't listen to him.

Why should an athletic director take a donors advice on a head coach? I have zero confidence in an AD who would let the donor give the thumbs up or down to a coach.

 

[jostar1]

At least Manuel had the smarts to tell him:

He said he was tipped off about the change by Athletic Director Warde Manuel, who came to UConn from the University of Buffalo in February 2012, a year after Pasqualoni's hiring.

 

[specialisthusky]

Why should an athletic director take a donors advice on a head coach? I have zero confidence in an AD who would let the donor give the thumbs up or down to a coach.

He certainly shouldn't be the end all decision maker, but hiring a coach the top donor fully despises doesn't give me much confidence either. Need to keep donors happy top a certain extent.

 

[jackl]

He was right. It's mind boggling that Hathaway didn't listen to him.

Hathaway was to busy lining up people to hand out plaques to.

 

[Fishy]

I want to hump Burton's leg like I'm his personal tourniquet. That comment about funding UConn's salesman to a real conference....it's a shame he had a falling out the past few years when we needed him.

He has two legs.

This was your idea, so you get your choice of legs.

I'll be on the other one.

(PS - Great job by Neil Vigdor nailing down that interview.)

 

[UConnJim]

Why should an athletic director take a donors advice on a head coach? I have zero confidence in an AD who would let the donor give the thumbs up or down to a coach.

I have been involved in hiring numerous people. Negative comments about a candidate by anyone, including the receptionist are red flags that need to be investigated further. The fact that Burton had first hand experience with PP and was very negative should have been a major red flag.

 

[huskymedic]

... and this:

"UConn should target an up-and-coming coordinator and proven motivator rather than go after a household name, Burton said. I don't think we're looking for that kind of coach," he said. "If there was another Bear Bryant out there, you'd have to get in line and you'd be 98th in line."

 

[Hoophound]

I don't perceive anything he said as cocky. He had much greater knowledge than any of us about two things when he made his seemingly obnoxious statements 3 years ago. He knew how useless Hathaway was and he also knew that PP was way past his prime.

In retrospect, he had every right to be angry. Think about how infuriating it is that we couldn't get a basketball facility built under Hathaway yet Herbst and Co. drummed up the money in no time at all. Burton watched PP lose touch with the Syracuse program. The guy knew all of it, we just didn't want to hear it.

 

[Dooley]

Herbst is a smart cookie. Being on his 7 person corporate committee on Cenveo will keep the big football donor on UCONN's teat. To those who say Herbst doesn't care about football, that's some serious proof of showing otherwise.

 

[Jimdish255]

Why should an athletic director take a donors advice on a head coach? I have zero confidence in an AD who would let the donor give the thumbs up or down to a coach.

If a guy knows more about something than you do you should absolutely dig in your heels and ignore him because you are the AD and he's just some dumb billionaire entreprenuer.

 

[ruskin]

Why should an athletic director take a donors advice on a head coach? I have zero confidence in an AD who would let the donor give the thumbs up or down to a coach.

If UConn had "whales" lining up like Alabama, Texas etc. etc. you might have a point. But Burton is not just "a" donor. Not saying you have to do everything BB says but you need to let him have a wide berth and least appear to be deferential. And if Hathaway had taken BB's advice UConn wouldn't have peed the last two and a half years away.

 

[minidarren]

I think that this is unbelievable news for UCONN. Might even be bigger than the firing itself. The guy comes off as a pompous asshatt, but it is his money and he can damn well do what he likes with it. I think it is great for the university to have him back as a supporter of the cause. The was right about every single thing he said. He can single handedly make the next hire the right one with his wallet.

 

[huskysupporter]

If a guy knows more about something than you do you should absolutely dig in your heels and ignore him because you are the AD and he's just some dumb billionaire entreprenuer.

Wait. What? His son was a football player under Paul Pasquoloni. Am I missing something?

We have discussed this in detail.

What a booster should get regarding a coach search:
- A heads up on candidates being interviewed, as well as notice before most other people when a coach has been selected.
- A conversation with the AD when he requests one. This should involve the AD listening to what the booster has to say.
- Heck, I would even throw him a bone and interview a candidate of his choosing for sheets and giggles.

That's it.

 

[2Infinity]

I don't perceive anything he said as cocky. He had much greater knowledge than any of us about two things when he made his seemingly obnoxious statements 3 years ago. He knew how useless Hathaway was and he also knew that PP was way past his prime.

In retrospect, he had every right to be angry. Think about how infuriating it is that we couldn't get a basketball facility built under Hathaway yet Herbst and Co. drummed up the money in no time at all. Burton watched PP lose touch with the Syracuse program. The guy knew all of it, we just didn't want to hear it.

Your points are right on, except that it wasn't US who didn't want to listen to him, it was Hathaway. I recall Burton being so upset that Hathaway didn't even have the courtesy to listen to what
Burton's thoughts on the subject were. For a donor of his stature, that is really inexcusable!

 

[Jimdish255]

I was critical of Burton at first but sometimes you need to see things in better context and with greater insight of the players involved. This interview and the last 2 1/2 years have provided that context for me. But even then it was obvious he was treated poorly and deserved input and consideration as Hathaway kept avoiding any address of his concerns. His mind was made up either of his own volition or some other outside influence.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

He has two legs.

This was your idea, so you get your choice of legs.

I'll be on the other one.

(PS - Great job by Neil Vigdor nailing down that interview.)

The two of you can show your appreciation however you see fit (I am not one to judge).

If Burton does get us in the B1G, I will personally tie up Hathaway, throw him in my trunk (kind of like what Michael Madsen did with the cop in Reservoir Dogs) and deliver him to Burton's office. I'll even cut off his ear if Burton wants me to.

 

[The Viking]

We need more Burtons. If I ever win powerball, I'm going to pay for the right to name the B1G division that we're in once I start pumping money into the university like a mad man. I'll be spending money like I do after I've had about five Jameson's.
And if there's any money left, I'll bring back the Whale.