Dave Benedict

[J187Money]

The Hartford Courant is quoting UConn Foundation Head, Josh Newton, as saying the Foundation is not financially supporting the hiring of Hurley contrary to various accounts. I wonder if this is all right pocket/left pocket stuff? The donors give more for athletic scholarships and then the school not having that expense pays the coach?
Given the current litigation environment perhaps the Foundation did not want to fund his replacement until the KO situation is resolve? I don’t know the answer, but I think there must be an interesting back story here?

The foundation can’t fund it. It isn’t a slush fund.

 

[J187Money]

He did a great job under the circumstances.

That said, it's worth noting that he put himself in this situation in the first place.

Good for him extricating himself (and us) from it.

And if he had stood in the way of the extension and Ollie left at the time all if you would have called him small time and begged for his head. Only was bad because Ollie didn’t work out.

 

[intlzncster]

And if he had stood in the way of the extension and Ollie left at the time all if you would have called him small time and begged for his head. Only was bad because Ollie didn’t work out.

That's the life of an AD though, you are only as good as your fund raising, hires, etc.

In and of itself, an extension made sense. No problem with the annual salary. But he might have wanted to not handcuff himself with that buyout. It's more than many BBall coaches get.

DB is the one who negotiated and signed the extension, unlike what some are claiming on here. Warde didn't have anything to do with it.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Not a shmuck

 

[huskymedic]

 

[TRest]

I was going to make a Dan Orlovsky joke but decided to pass.

 

[auggie22]

We should all make a donation to the AD on 4/5... good way to thank them for pulling this together.

 

[gtcam]

I know there are a ton of people doing cartwheels over this hire and believe me when I say that I want UConn basketball to return to the top of the pile.
But all this patting AD David Benedict on the back stuff has me amused.
First, he beat out URI and Pitt. Not Nova, not UCLA, not Michigan, not Florida, not any big name basketball schools. If any other really legit program(s) was/were in play the story would/could be different.
Second, it's his job, and this is what he is paid to do, to make tough decisions and make positive things happen, The Diaco, RE2, KO and Hurley decisions were all no-brainers.
Once the monies came close to $3 Mil per, the decision for DH was made. Pitt really was never in play - it was UConn vs URI
His decisions so far have been right but RE2 and DH came gift wrapped to a certain extent. The alums/former players/donors had his ear on RE2 and the price tag was impossible to refuse. I strongly feel that JC had a ton to do with DH coming to UConn.
I pray DH turns out to be the real deal because this program need a huge shot in the arm and the arenas need to be full and loud and UConn needs to be spoken at in the same terms we heard before 2016.
Time to get to work DH - let's do it - let's get some players you can develop and produce - the players UConn always had during those glory days. I'm hungry for success.

 

[8893]

I know there are a ton of people doing cartwheels over this hire and believe me when I say that I want UConn basketball to return to the top of the pile.
But all this patting AD David Benedict on the back stuff has me amused.
First, he beat out URI and Pitt. Not Nova, not UCLA, not Michigan, not Florida, not any big name basketball schools. If any other really legit program(s) was/were in play the story would/could be different.
Second, it's his job, and this is what he is paid to do, to make tough decisions and make positive things happen, The Diaco, RE2, KO and Hurley decisions were all no-brainers.
Once the monies came close to $3 Mil per, the decision for DH was made. Pitt really was never in play - it was UConn vs URI
His decisions so far have been right but RE2 and DH came gift wrapped to a certain extent. The alums/former players/donors had his ear on RE2 and the price tag was impossible to refuse. I strongly feel that JC had a ton to do with DH coming to UConn.
I pray DH turns out to be the real deal because this program need a huge shot in the arm and the arenas need to be full and loud and UConn needs to be spoken at in the same terms we heard before 2016.
Time to get to work DH - let's do it - let's get some players you can develop and produce - the players UConn always had during those glory days. I'm hungry for success.

Couldn't disagree more with this take.

We have observed the very real and ruinous consequences of Athletic Directors who simply didn't do their jobs. I wish it was, but it is not a no-brainer to find competency in the recent history of the administration of our Athletic Department. If we are going to pillory them--as we should--for failing to perform, we should also recognize them for doing a good job imo.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Waquoit]

Couldn't disagree more with this take.

The guy hasn't come to grips with the damage that has been done.

 

[djct1999]

I know there are a ton of people doing cartwheels over this hire and believe me when I say that I want UConn basketball to return to the top of the pile.
But all this patting AD David Benedict on the back stuff has me amused.
First, he beat out URI and Pitt. Not Nova, not UCLA, not Michigan, not Florida, not any big name basketball schools. If any other really legit program(s) was/were in play the story would/could be different.
Second, it's his job, and this is what he is paid to do, to make tough decisions and make positive things happen, The Diaco, RE2, KO and Hurley decisions were all no-brainers.
Once the monies came close to $3 Mil per, the decision for DH was made. Pitt really was never in play - it was UConn vs URI
His decisions so far have been right but RE2 and DH came gift wrapped to a certain extent. The alums/former players/donors had his ear on RE2 and the price tag was impossible to refuse. I strongly feel that JC had a ton to do with DH coming to UConn.
I pray DH turns out to be the real deal because this program need a huge shot in the arm and the arenas need to be full and loud and UConn needs to be spoken at in the same terms we heard before 2016.
Time to get to work DH - let's do it - let's get some players you can develop and produce - the players UConn always had during those glory days. I'm hungry for success.

Once again, you are so off base. This hire flipped the narrative. This hire ignited the rebirth of the UConn brand KO destroyed. Hiring Dan Hurley and hearing the things he said today put the whole country on notice. This hire saved UConn basketball whether you want to admit it or not.

 

[Towney007]

I'm still just laughing at the fact that there were about 2 million posters on this board that pooped their pants over Ollie's buy out like that'd have ever been something they'd give a crap about in the long run.

 

[JMick]

I know there are a ton of people doing cartwheels over this hire and believe me when I say that I want UConn basketball to return to the top of the pile.
But all this patting AD David Benedict on the back stuff has me amused.
First, he beat out URI and Pitt. Not Nova, not UCLA, not Michigan, not Florida, not any big name basketball schools. If any other really legit program(s) was/were in play the story would/could be different.
Second, it's his job, and this is what he is paid to do, to make tough decisions and make positive things happen, The Diaco, RE2, KO and Hurley decisions were all no-brainers.
Once the monies came close to $3 Mil per, the decision for DH was made. Pitt really was never in play - it was UConn vs URI
His decisions so far have been right but RE2 and DH came gift wrapped to a certain extent. The alums/former players/donors had his ear on RE2 and the price tag was impossible to refuse. I strongly feel that JC had a ton to do with DH coming to UConn.
I pray DH turns out to be the real deal because this program need a huge shot in the arm and the arenas need to be full and loud and UConn needs to be spoken at in the same terms we heard before 2016.
Time to get to work DH - let's do it - let's get some players you can develop and produce - the players UConn always had during those glory days. I'm hungry for success.

go pound sand.

 

[polycom]

Couldn't disagree more with this take.

We have observed the very real and ruinous consequences of Athletic Directors who simply didn't do their jobs. I wish it was, but it is not a no-brainer to find competency in the recent history of the administration of our Athletic Department. If we are going to pillory them--as we should--for failing to perform, we should also recognize them for doing a good job imo.

Look who made that take obviously it isn’t s good one

 

[Kathy]

That's the life of an AD though, you are only as good as your fund raising, hires, etc.

In and of itself, an extension made sense. No problem with the annual salary. But he might have wanted to not handcuff himself with that buyout. It's more than many BBall coaches get.

DB is the one who negotiated and signed the extension, unlike what some are claiming on here. Warde didn't have anything to do with it.

Obviously didn't learn, have you seen the buyout in Hurley's contract? Even higher.

 

[huskymedic]

Obviously didn't learn, have you seen the buyout in Hurley's contract? Even higher.

He learned - there’s a duty to mitigate and offset clause which wasn’t in previous contracts.

 

[intlzncster]

He learned - there’s a duty to mitigate and offset clause which wasn’t in previous contracts.

Plus a heavy drop in the flat rate in year 4 iirc. For a 1st time hire, those 1st three years of buyout are effectively irrelevant.

 

[Chief00]

I know there are a ton of people doing cartwheels over this hire and believe me when I say that I want UConn basketball to return to the top of the pile.
But all this patting AD David Benedict on the back stuff has me amused.
First, he beat out URI and Pitt. Not Nova, not UCLA, not Michigan, not Florida, not any big name basketball schools. If any other really legit program(s) was/were in play the story would/could be different.
Second, it's his job, and this is what he is paid to do, to make tough decisions and make positive things happen, The Diaco, RE2, KO and Hurley decisions were all no-brainers.
Once the monies came close to $3 Mil per, the decision for DH was made. Pitt really was never in play - it was UConn vs URI
His decisions so far have been right but RE2 and DH came gift wrapped to a certain extent. The alums/former players/donors had his ear on RE2 and the price tag was impossible to refuse. I strongly feel that JC had a ton to do with DH coming to UConn.
I pray DH turns out to be the real deal because this program need a huge shot in the arm and the arenas need to be full and loud and UConn needs to be spoken at in the same terms we heard before 2016.
Time to get to work DH - let's do it - let's get some players you can develop and produce - the players UConn always had during those glory days. I'm hungry for success.

This will work - no doubt about that!

 

[Guapo]

I was going to make a Dan Orlovsky joke but decided to pass.

You mean you were going to make a Dan Orlovsky joke but then decided to run out the back of the end zone?

 

[TRest]

You mean you were going to make a Dan Orlovsky joke but then decided to run out the back of the end zone?

How most will remember him.