. . . And Bob Burton weighs in! | Page 2 | The Boneyard

. . . And Bob Burton weighs in!

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I agree with everything Burton said and we need him closely associated with our program. I know Burton is a very wealthy many but does anyone know how wealthy? Are we talking hundreds of millions of dollars?
 
JaYnYcE said:
Not 'we.' You and others. I was a big supporter of Burton. He helped Greenwich get lights and was always a supporter of the schools his sons played at. I've always been a fan of Burton.
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You are taking my words too literally. What I mean is that many fans felt Burton was out of line in taking his plight to the press. By publicly threatening to stop supporting UConn and by publicly undermining the new coach, he pissed people off. Now it is more obvious that he has every right and reason to be upset. I personally don't recall actually caring too much about what he said 3 year ago.
 
superjohn said:
I agree with everything Burton said and we need him closely associated with our program. I know Burton is a very wealthy many but does anyone know how wealthy? Are we talking hundreds of millions of dollars?
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Probably 100-200 million based on the value of Cenveo and his hedge fund.
 
Hoophound said:
You are taking my words to literally. What I mean is that many fans felt Burton was out of line in taking his plight to the press. By publicly threatening to stop supporting UConn and by publicly undermining the new coach, he pissed people off. Now it is more obvious that he has every right and reason to be upset. I personally don't recall actually caring too much about what he said 3 year ago.
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I believe it was Hathaway that released Burtons letter to the press.
 
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John Greene said:
At the risk of getting the dreaded "Debbie Downer" tag. Burton sounds like the type of out of control booster that has gotten programs in trouble over the years. He seems to be undercutting WM as he speaks. He wants to hire someone to promote us to other schools and build relations with them so we can get into a better conference? Isn't that a prime function of the AD? I can just hear the phone call now. "Hello, is Mr. (fill in B1G school AD) in the office today? I'm the flack hired by Mr. Burton to get UConn into your conference and would like to speak with him or maybe take him to lunch so we can discuss it." B1G secretary--- " Is this call a Prank?"
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I thought UConn had hired someone to work on CR stuff already? Not in the athletic department but in the president's office.

Anyway, the thing with money is it's not just about the money. Burton may have been a pompous but he was proven correct. Hathaway apparently didn't have the skills or inclination to deal with pompous dbags, which is kinda part of the AD job. You don't need to hand the reigns over (reins?) but you should be able to make the guy feel like he's being respected, which is the main thing those ego guys want. He's made an investment of money but also some of his personal stake in something he wanted to be a part of and when Hathaway wouldn't give him the time of day he was ready to find another school to donate to. Hopefully WM has those skills.
 
I was continuing my research, but am unable to find anything on the hedge fund side.
 
I mean, love em or hate em, Burton has done a lot for our program and I know he's helped out FHCRE with private funding for differnt things he wanted to do inside the Football Complex during his time here, so now that he'll be back in the picture, I wonder what that'll mean to the program $ wise? Sounds like a good thing, and having a big time, big money supporter like Burton is what all big programs have and what we need to have. Think T. Boone Pickens and Oklahoma State?
 
minidarren said:
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.
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No, if he didn't have money to hire a permanent CRPR guy, he'd be an asshat. With that money, he's a forward thinking genius.
 
John Greene said:
At the risk of getting the dreaded "Debbie Downer" tag. Burton sounds like the type of out of control booster that has gotten programs in trouble over the years. He seems to be undercutting WM as he speaks. He wants to hire someone to promote us to other schools and build relations with them so we can get into a better conference? Isn't that a prime function of the AD? I can just hear the phone call now. "Hello, is Mr. (fill in B1G school AD) in the office today? I'm the flack hired by Mr. Burton to get UConn into your conference and would like to speak with him or maybe take him to lunch so we can discuss it." B1G secretary--- " Is this call a Prank?"
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He is exactly what UConn needs. Has anyone else come forward. WM clearly is in over his head and needs all the help he can get or he will be next to go.
 
It's what 3 years later and I still find it unfathomable that Hathaway hired a coach that so alienated the biggest money donator the program has to the point where he doesn't even watch the games anymore let alone go to them.

How is that even possible? Burton has 7 million reasons why you should make every effort to make sure he is the most satisfied with whoever is hired.
 
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SonsOfNutmeg said:
I mean, love em or hate em, Burton has done a lot for our program and I know he's helped out FHCRE with private funding for differnt things he wanted to do inside the Football Complex during his time here, so now that he'll be back in the picture, I wonder what that'll mean to the program $ wise? Sounds like a good thing, and having a big time, big money supporter like Burton is what all big programs have and what we need to have. Think T. Boone Pickens and Oklahoma State?
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Keeping them informed and well stroked is one thing giving them input into the running of the AD is another. The jury is still out on the Pickens/OKey State relationship. As far as I know he knows where to draw the line between support and "undue interference" although I have heard rumors about pending NCAA action, there is nothing definite. I do know from close observation that boosters have gotten Bama hit with sanctions twice in the last 25 years. Also Auburn was close to having its accreditation put on a watch list over the actions of two boosters. Take their money, keep them well informed and invite them to lots of "private events" just keep them under control.
 
Just reading the thread now and the people who say Burton is the arrogant one? Well I don't know what to tell you. That's just not a very smart thing to think at this point.

Arrogant is an athletic director hiring the one guy who would so alienate your biggest money man and booster that he doesn't even WATCH the games anymore. That's stunning to me. You cannot survive without the big money boosters. And to alienate him for what? Paul Pasqualoni? Unbelievable.
 
huskysupporter said:
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.
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070A-608-AB.jpg
 
junglehusky said:
I thought UConn had hired someone to work on CR stuff already? Not in the athletic department but in the president's office.

Anyway, the thing with money is it's not just about the money. Burton may have been a pompous but he was proven correct. Hathaway apparently didn't have the skills or inclination to deal with pompous dbags, which is kinda part of the AD job. You don't need to hand the reigns over (reins?) but you should be able to make the guy feel like he's being respected, which is the main thing those ego guys want. He's made an investment of money but also some of his personal stake in something he wanted to be a part of and when Hathaway wouldn't give him the time of day he was ready to find another school to donate to. Hopefully WM has those skills.
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I recall the same. I assumed Burton basically offered to donate money to fund that person's salary so it doesn't come out of the taxpayer, university, or athletic department budget.
 
ASweet3781 said:
Just reading the thread now and the people who say Burton is the arrogant one? Well I don't know what to tell you. That's just not a very smart thing to think at this point.

Arrogant is an athletic director hiring the one guy who would so alienate your biggest money man and booster that he doesn't even WATCH the games anymore. That's stunning to me. You cannot survive without the big money boosters. And to alienate him for what? Paul Pasqualoni? Unbelievable.
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Amen brother!!
 
Burton was right about PP, but this needing 4 and 5 star guys to stay in business stuff? Those types of guys don't exactly run up to Storrs. I'd love to hear the coach Burton honestly thinks would come here to attract all that 4 and 5 star talent.
 
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minidarren said:
I was continuing my research, but am unable to find anything on the hedge fund side.
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Hedge funds are privately owned partnerships. You won't find anything. (The don't have file the same forms that publicly held companies do)
 
ASweet3781 said:
Just reading the thread now and the people who say Burton is the arrogant one? Well I don't know what to tell you. That's just not a very smart thing to think at this point.

Arrogant is an athletic director hiring the one guy who would so alienate your biggest money man and booster that he doesn't even WATCH the games anymore. That's stunning to me. You cannot survive without the big money boosters. And to alienate him for what? Paul Pasqualoni? Unbelievable.
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Well I recall more than one poster here suggesting that Hathaway was a quite a control freak....that he also liked to micromanage as well. You mix that personality with a powerful booster who wants his opinion to be heard and you don't end up with very much harmony. But as has been suggested here earlier, part of any good AD's job description is to put your ego on hold and make sure that you at least listen to your university's biggest donors. Hathaway almost seemed to want to tick them off instead!
 
It's purely about being political. You need to find a way to make Burton feel like he's part of the process and content that his voice is being heard, even if it really isn't.

Not the easiest thing in the world to do, of course, but that's why an AD gets paid a lot of money. There are egos to stroke inside your building and outside it. If a pissing war ends up in the media and lawsuits are threatened, you're doing it wrong.
 
Haha that was my first text to my friend after I heard about the firing..."You know, Burton was right all along."
 
John Greene said:
At the risk of getting the dreaded "Debbie Downer" tag. Burton sounds like the type of out of control booster that has gotten programs in trouble over the years. He seems to be undercutting WM as he speaks. He wants to hire someone to promote us to other schools and build relations with them so we can get into a better conference? Isn't that a prime function of the AD? I can just hear the phone call now. "Hello, is Mr. (fill in B1G school AD) in the office today? I'm the flack hired by Mr. Burton to get UConn into your conference and would like to speak with him or maybe take him to lunch so we can discuss it." B1G secretary--- " Is this call a Prank?"
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Most big schools have a dozen Burtons. They have to be managed.
 
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I'd like to know: Now that he's back, when will he be donating the $$$ for the 15K RENT expansion? Or, at least enough to make the temp. seats used at the Michigan game permanent?;)
 
How can anyone get excited about a guy wearing an orange tie! ;)
 
Is he arrogant? Yes. Is he right? Yes. Should Warde give him final input on the decision? No. Should Warde have a direct conversation with him on his thoughts for the hire, trade suggestions, the program in general, and keep him abreast of the progress? Yes.
 
If Burton knows more about football than our AD we are in huge trouble. The way to handle big donors is to keep them informed and make your decisions seem like it was their idea.
A zillion years ago I remember cartoonist Al Kapp (Li'l Abner) on the Johnny Carson Show. He said something interesting : " You know Johnny because you and I are famous, people will listen to us on subjects we know nothing about."
 
brasssbonanzaa said:
Is he arrogant? Yes. Is he right? Yes. Should Warde give him final input on the decision? No. Should Warde have a direct conversation with him on his thoughts for the hire, trade suggestions, the program in general, and keep him abreast of the progress? Yes.
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Hathaway was a lame duck in January 2011. He knew it, Philip Austin knew it, the yet to be named perm president knew it and the fans knew it. It was not going to affect his UConn fate and was safe enough to not have a drastic affect on his future. So why get input?

Conversely, this is the highest profile hire of the three so far for Manuel and it will most likely define his entire career going forward. I am confident he will take the prudent course.
 
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