Embattled UConn Athletic Director Warde Manuel should be earning the ire of President Herbst

[Rumrunner]

This goes beyond Pasqualoni and his friendship above all else DeLeone and his $270,000 make-work position.

It would have been bold to fire Paqualoni last year. Such a decision came with risks and a hefty price tag. In hindsight, how's Manuel's decision to demote by promotion DeLeone working out? Can Herbst with a straight face say that this was the correct decision?

I am sick and tired of hearing Manuel is angry as anybody. As if anger imparts validation to his inaction. We as a fanbase have a right to be angry, not him. We control nothing. We cede this control to leaders. He alone controls UConn's actions. I want an AD who is a visionary, not some doddering believe my eyes give the team a speech rah rah bullshut. I don't want an angry AD. I want a leader.

UConn has been thoroughly screwed in CR. UConn could ill-afford to have a football program remain infected with apathy and endless misery.

And make no mistake, this is all about dollars and cents. UConn athletics is hemorrhaging money, and it will only get worse with the midmajor schedule and increased travel costs for all sports. McKinsey's study is birdcage lining right now. Raise ticket prices?

There is no direction coming from the athletic department. It has metamorphosized into an institutional Monty Python sketch.

Manuel screwed up. If he fancies himself some big football guy, I've got one word for him- scoreboard.

And don't give me that the voices of fans are irrelevant minutiae. You can ridicule us, patronize us. "Let the big boys do their job", "they're experts", "pipe down in the peanut gallery". A snapshot of the rent in the 4th quarter gives peril to that thinking.

Herbst is a visionary. She is also controlling, manipulative and above all else, political. And those attributes enabled her to singlehandedly transform UConn's mission to the state, to the infinite betterment to UConn.

You wouldn't stand for these outcomes from a department head, so what makes athletics different? Has Manuel lived up to the promises he made in his interview? Clean house. Fortune favors the bold, and god knows UConn needs all the fortune it can muster right now.

 

[huskyblooz]

Warde is her rock star

 

[Doggie Style]

Holy .... What happened to Rumrunner???

 

[metsfan2323]

Warde's excuse for not firing P:

It's about continuity, if I fired P last year there would be recruiting classes from 3 different coaches on the same team and that could lead to difficulty. (Like a loss to Towson)

The real reason Warde didn't fire P:

Once I make a coaching change I am on the clock. If the coach I pick fails I will be out the door with him, by delaying the change I buy myself an extra years worth of job security. I didn't pick P so I am not accountable for him, less pressure on me.

 

[Davidm]

I wish we could foward this and several other recent posts from this part of the board to Susan directly. Losing to townson on a MUST WIN year is beyond disappointment it is just incompetence.

Paul P needs to be fired immediately and the longer Manuel waits the stronger the case becomes to have him go out the door with PP just because Manuel was pondering the decision for way to long.

The longer Manuel waits, the worse Uconn's football team gets and the worse Uconn's conference re-alignment outlook gets. PP needs to go now, and if Manuel waits until the end of the season I wouldn't be surprised to see a movement for them to be removed together.

 

[Doggie Style]

Warde's excuse for not firing P:

It's about continuity, if I fired P last year there would be recruiting classes from 3 different coaches on the same team and that could lead to difficulty. (Like a loss to Towson)

The real reason Warde didn't fire P:

Once I make a coaching change I am on the clock. If the coach I pick fails I will be out the door with him, by delaying the change I buy myself an extra years worth of job security. I didn't pick P so I am not accountable for him, less pressure on me.

I think your spot on. I think Warde knows this and understands that the next hire will need to be a dynamic and aggressive move that will make a statement. The problem is whether or not that guy is available or more importantly, will he coach Uconn?

 

[Dooley]

I wish we could foward this and several other recent posts from this part of the board to Susan directly. Losing to townson on a MUST WIN year is beyond disappointment it is just incompetence.

Paul P needs to be fired immediately and the longer Manuel waits the stronger the case becomes to have him go out the door with PP just because Manuel was pondering the decision for way to long.

The longer Manuel waits, the worse Uconn's football team gets and the worse Uconn's conference re-alignment outlook gets. PP needs to go now, and if Manuel waits until the end of the season I wouldn't be surprised to see a movement for them to be removed together.

I couldn't have written this better myself. This is the most critical year in the history of UCONN football to get back to a bowl game and to start the year sleepwalking our way to a blowout loss at home to a D-II school is unacceptable. Our attendance will surely decline too and that's another thing we needed to improve drastically upon. None of this is good for the CR world and further cements our feet in this crap AAC conference.

 

[Davidm]

I couldn't have written this better myself. This is the most critical year in the history of UCONN football to get back to a bowl game and to start the year sleepwalking our way to a blowout loss at home to a D-II school is unacceptable. Our attendance will surely decline too and that's another thing we needed to improve drastically upon. None of this is good for the CR world and further cements our feet in this crap AAC conference.

I completely agree, for the couple of supporters we had from either the ACC or BIG it just become 10x harder for them to make the argument that uconn football has potential with a loss like this...

 

[Brochacho]

 

[CTBasketball]

Herbst a visionary? Yeah...and Pasqualoni is Bear Bryant.

 

[BlueDogs]

Warde's excuse for not firing P:

It's about continuity, if I fired P last year there would be recruiting classes from 3 different coaches on the same team and that could lead to difficulty. (Like a loss to Towson)

The real reason Warde didn't fire P:

Once I make a coaching change I am on the clock. If the coach I pick fails I will be out the door with him, by delaying the change I buy myself an extra years worth of job security. I didn't pick P so I am not accountable for him, less pressure on me.

THIS x 1,000! He is a blowhard afraid to lead. How in God's name do you hire a hack AD from Buffalo to lead a BCS level program? Not connected, not experienced, not ready.

 

[Sea Goat]

This goes beyond Pasqualoni and his friendship above all else DeLeone and his $270,000 make-work position.

It would have been bold to fire Paqualoni last year. Such a decision came with risks and a hefty price tag. In hindsight, how's Manuel's decision to demote by promotion DeLeone working out? Can Herbst with a straight face say that this was the correct decision?

I am sick and tired of hearing Manuel is angry as anybody. As if anger imparts validation to his inaction. We as a fanbase have a right to be angry, not him. We control nothing. We cede this control to leaders. He alone controls UConn's actions. I want an AD who is a visionary, not some doddering believe my eyes give the team a speech rah rah bullshut. I don't want an angry AD. I want a leader.

UConn has been thoroughly screwed in CR. UConn could ill-afford to have a football program remain infected with apathy and endless misery.

And make no mistake, this is all about dollars and cents. UConn athletics is hemorrhaging money, and it will only get worse with the midmajor schedule and increased travel costs for all sports. McKinsey's study is birdcage lining right now. Raise ticket prices?

There is no direction coming from the athletic department. It has metamorphosized into an institutional Monty Python sketch.

Manuel screwed up. If he fancies himself some big football guy, I've got one word for him- scoreboard.

And don't give me that the voices of fans are irrelevant minutiae. You can ridicule us, patronize us. "Let the big boys do their job", "they're experts", "pipe down in the peanut gallery". A snapshot of the rent in the 4th quarter gives peril to that thinking.

Herbst is a visionary. She is also controlling, manipulative and above all else, political. And those attributes enabled her to singlehandedly transform UConn's mission to the state, to the infinite betterment to UConn.

You wouldn't stand for these outcomes from a department head, so what makes athletics different? Has Manuel lived up to the promises he made in his interview? Clean house. Fortune favors the bold, and god knows UConn needs all the fortune it can muster right now.

Yes, Rumrunner

The only way out of this mess is a dramatic move. WM is not capable of that. Herbst has to be careful because she owns the decision to hire him in the first place.

We need some dynamic trustees to push for a change - do you know any?

All I know is that inaction will likely continue the downward spiral. The Powers that be probably won't do a thing before Maryland, so we're stuck at least until then.
If we put on another show then, maybe SH and WM will be moved to do something.

 

[Stinger92860]

Herbst a visionary? Yeah...and Pasqualoni is Bear Bryant.

Please explain why she is not? The OP gave some reasons supporting his position, what are yours?

 

[Stinger92860]

It's my opinion that Warde has done some good, like Hockey, a reasonable job with fb schedules under the circumstances and bad, he screwed the ko hire, cr and pp. overall i believe the complete body of work is lacking. We don't get to see what is happening behind closed doors but from my view Warde gets a c- or d+ at best.

 

[CTBasketball]

Please explain why she is not? The OP gave some reasons supporting his position, what are yours?

She has held back the athletic program since she was hired. It's pretty straightforward.

 

[Stinger92860]

She has held back the athletic program since she was hired. It's pretty straightforward.

How so? And what about what she has done on the academic side? I think she is doing wonderful things with research, teaching staff and the campus. If she is able to gain uconn entrance to Aau, which is her goal, history will serve her well. I will give you cr as we are on the wrong side of the equation, but you post without supporting information.

 

[junglehusky]

Yes, Rumrunner

The only way out of this mess is a dramatic move. WM is not capable of that. Herbst has to be careful because she owns the decision to hire him in the first place.

We need some dynamic trustees to push for a change - do you know any?

All I know is that inaction will likely continue the downward spiral. The Powers that be probably won't do a thing before Maryland, so we're stuck at least until then.
If we put on another show then, maybe SH and WM will be moved to do something.

Look, the downward spiral is going to continue for 2013 whether we fire PP now or in December. I have very little confidence Weist or Hughes would be able to turn this thing around if they're handed the reigns. What fans want (immediate action) will not provide immediate results. There was some hype about Weist being high energy or whatever, and because that's a contrast to PP's and GDL's style all of a sudden Weist is frickin' Nick Saban in the fan's eyes. Not so fast my friend. If either Weist or Hughes were HC material, their units wouldn't have looked a shambles (as the Brits say) against Towson coming out of summer camp. Maybe those units improve over the course of 3 games - if we are tied with Michigan in the 4th quarter, that would be a sign those guys can coach. But I don't anticipate that improvement and right now I think the rest of the boneyard doesn't either. I would rather WM clean house at the end of 2013, bring in a solid HC with an all-new staff.

WM made the decision to keep PP for year 3 back in December 2012 and I doubt he will reverse that in-season. Why? When he's bringing in candidates for the UConn head coaching job, they will be judging how much latitude to operate they will get. They want to know the AD will be committed to giving them a chance - when a new HC comes in to install their system, recruit their type of players, sometimes it can succeed in one season, sometimes it takes 2 or 3. (Just to be clear I am NOT saying PP has a chance to be successful in year 3, I think that's very obvious). If WM fires PP after the Towson loss, potential HC candidates will view the UConn job as unstable, where you'll be told you have a season to fix the problems but then get your chain yanked after week 1. That will result in some good candidates being reluctant to take the job or maybe even apply. Now if we're 0-4, 0-5 and PP gets fired mid-season, then maybe that's a different perception and candidates will see that as a reasonable move by the AD.

Back to the downward spiral - how does that get reversed? Again, not in 2013. It gets reversed 2014-2015-2016. Yeah, it really sucks that the Hathaway years screwed UConn's realignment profile, and that Hathaway's hire is still screwing UConn's realignment profile in 2013. Maybe we hire the right guy and it doesn't matter. But I believe the timeline for realignment is more likely to be in the 5-10 year window (for example, AAU is not guaranteed despite posts on the CR board, and from what I can tell it's going to take at least 5 years, not less) than in the 2-3 year window. To rephrase - while there's a chance that realignment will happen in the next 2 years, I just think it's more likely to happen in 5. During those 5 years, UConn will improve it's chances if it looks like an athletic department capable of building over the long term, with a steady, deliberate vision for success. If it looks like a chaotic place where administrators get fired every 2 years with high turnover, it hurts UConn's chances in CR.

Fans want instant gratification, I can understand that. Try to understand we're in it for the long haul. The bar has been set for this year - 7 wins. If PP can't deliver that WM will find someone who can.

 

[junglehusky]

She has held back the athletic program since she was hired. It's pretty straightforward.

How so? And what about what she has done on the academic side? I think she is doing wonderful things with research, teaching staff and the campus. If she is able to gain uconn entrance to Aau, which is her goal, history will serve her well. I will give you cr as we are on the wrong side of the equation, but you post without supporting information.

Like he said it's straightforward. Herbst is the reason the O-line can't block and she told GDL to put Whitmer out at WR on that play last year.

Oh and she held back the BBall practice facility, she held back the hockey upgrade, she held back the womens bball team from winning another championship.

...wait, those things happened? Well, the football team sucks so that's reason enough to fire the University president

 

[Chin Diesel]

Look, the downward spiral is going to continue for 2013 whether we fire PP now or in December. I have very little confidence Weist or Hughes would be able to turn this thing around if they're handed the reigns. What fans want (immediate action) will not provide immediate results. There was some hype about Weist being high energy or whatever, and because that's a contrast to PP's and GDL's style all of a sudden Weist is frickin' Nick Saban in the fan's eyes. Not so fast my friend. If either Weist or Hughes were HC material, their units wouldn't have looked a shambles (as the Brits say) against Towson coming out of summer camp. Maybe those units improve over the course of 3 games - if we are tied with Michigan in the 4th quarter, that would be a sign those guys can coach. But I don't anticipate that improvement and right now I think the rest of the boneyard doesn't either. I would rather WM clean house at the end of 2013, bring in a solid HC with an all-new staff.

WM made the decision to keep PP for year 3 back in December 2012 and I doubt he will reverse that in-season. Why? When he's bringing in candidates for the UConn head coaching job, they will be judging how much latitude to operate they will get. They want to know the AD will be committed to giving them a chance - when a new HC comes in to install their system, recruit their type of players, sometimes it can succeed in one season, sometimes it takes 2 or 3. (Just to be clear I am NOT saying PP has a chance to be successful in year 3, I think that's very obvious). If WM fires PP after the Towson loss, potential HC candidates will view the UConn job as unstable, where you'll be told you have a season to fix the problems but then get your chain yanked after week 1. That will result in some good candidates being reluctant to take the job or maybe even apply. Now if we're 0-4, 0-5 and PP gets fired mid-season, then maybe that's a different perception and candidates will see that as a reasonable move by the AD.

Back to the downward spiral - how does that get reversed? Again, not in 2013. It gets reversed 2014-2015-2016. Yeah, it really sucks that the Hathaway years screwed UConn's realignment profile, and that Hathaway's hire is still screwing UConn's realignment profile in 2013. Maybe we hire the right guy and it doesn't matter. But I believe the timeline for realignment is more likely to be in the 5-10 year window (for example, AAU is not guaranteed despite posts on the CR board, and from what I can tell it's going to take at least 5 years, not less) than in the 2-3 year window. To rephrase - while there's a chance that realignment will happen in the next 2 years, I just think it's more likely to happen in 5. During those 5 years, UConn will improve it's chances if it looks like an athletic department capable of building over the long term, with a steady, deliberate vision for success. If it looks like a chaotic place where administrators get fired every 2 years with high turnover, it hurts UConn's chances in CR.

Fans want instant gratification, I can understand that. Try to understand we're in it for the long haul. The bar has been set for this year - 7 wins. If PP can't deliver that WM will find someone who can.

You're not the first person to bring up this point.

Here's the way I see it. I'm the AD/President/Search Committee and a candidate asks me "Hey, if you hire me and I have losing records my first two seasons and I get blown out the first game of season three by an FCS team and my team is showing the same mental and physical mistakes as the first two seasons, is my job safe through the rest of year three?"

That candidates application/resume gets put in the shredder.

Successful coaches don't even consider how much latitude they should be getting in year three after two straight losing seasons. They expect to win immediately and that expectation is pushed on to the coaches, the players, the staff, the entire organization.

A successful coach hires an agent that can worry about buy outs and other financial considerations if the whole thing goes to hell.

 

[CTBasketball]

How so? And what about what she has done on the academic side? I think she is doing wonderful things with research, teaching staff and the campus. If she is able to gain uconn entrance to Aau, which is her goal, history will serve her well. I will give you cr as we are on the wrong side of the equation, but you post without supporting information.

I agree with the academics part. But that is usually a president's focus, and to praise her for doing something that is expected is a little overkill. That goes with research and the rest.

From an athletic standpoint she hasn't really done anything. Her and WM have supported PP enough to watch the football program crash and burn. To be honest, I don't think she cares a whole lot about the athletic side of the university. The fact that she passively sat by the phone during conference realignment proves my point. If she had been more proactive (along with WM), we might be in a better place right now. Louisville president pretty much went campaigning, and they got rewarded.

 

[junglehusky]

Chin, the point isn't that it would come up during an interview, but it would be looked at by GOOD HC candidates when they are looking at places they would want to coach. Even GOOD coaches would prefer a work environment that is supportive over one that is chaotic and undermining of a HC's leadership.

 

[fortebleedsblue]

I don't understand this throwing Herbts under the bus scapegoat crap. Have you all been reading the news about Uconn? Have you gone to see the new downtown in progress, the state money that was rewarded or the new downtown Hartford Uconn campus? How about her efforts that appear to be taking us to AAU status or our new hire to significantly grow our endowment? Our bball program had a tarnished image and lost Our hall of fame coach and yet there's still buzz. This year is the best student class academically in the history of Uconn. Come on guys football is important, but its not the focal point of Herbts job. The lady is doing a damn fine job and has been aggressive in selling and improving the UConn brand. She has my support 100%.

I understand people are upset but the blame at this point is soley on Manuel and PP's staff. To immediately point the finger at Herbts and disregard the great stuff she is doing is premature. Herbts is NOT the reason why P5 hasn't picked us... But If they do you can bet your house her hard work is a reason why.

 

[junglehusky]

The fact that she passively sat by the phone during conference realignment proves my point. If she had been more proactive (along with WM), we might be in a better place right now. Louisville president pretty much went campaigning, and they got rewarded.

This is just not accurate. If anything, her problem was she misjudged the politics of the ACC. We know Tobacco Road was supportive of UConn, and that faction got muscled out by the group lead by FSU. We also know for a fact, because Jeff Jacobs reported it, that Herbst's office was trying to politick with Shalala / Miami on the phone when UConn learned the Tobacco Road contingent was losing votes. It's a safe bet if they were calling Shalala, they were also calling Georgia Tech, Clemson, Virginia Tech to try to change some votes. Jacobs reported Shalala would not return Herbst's calls. Perhaps the Blumenthal critics can lay that at his feet. (that's a whole 'nother argument...) Yes, Jurich did a better job at politicking. He was also in a better position to lobby for UL because of perception and geography (and Hathaway's years of lost momentum for UConn). But to say Herbst was sitting by the phone is you taking the end result (UConn in the AAC) and rewriting history to fit your story.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

I wish we could foward this and several other recent posts from this part of the board to Susan directly. Losing to townson on a MUST WIN year is beyond disappointment it is just incompetence.

Paul P needs to be fired immediately and the longer Manuel waits the stronger the case becomes to have him go out the door with PP just because Manuel was pondering the decision for way to long.

The longer Manuel waits, the worse Uconn's football team gets and the worse Uconn's conference re-alignment outlook gets. PP needs to go now, and if Manuel waits until the end of the season I wouldn't be surprised to see a movement for them to be removed together.

Warde's new, just a babe. Pasqualoni, at his best, is bath water. And you've just made the best case I've ever seen for throwing the baby out with the bath water.

 

[Stinger92860]

I agree with the academics part. But that is usually a president's focus, and to praise her for doing something that is expected is a little overkill. That goes with research and the rest.

From an athletic standpoint she hasn't really done anything. Her and WM have supported PP enough to watch the football program crash and burn. To be honest, I don't think she cares a whole lot about the athletic side of the university. The fact that she passively sat by the phone during conference realignment proves my point. If she had been more proactive (along with WM), we might be in a better place right now. Louisville president pretty much went campaigning, and they got rewarded.

I will agree with perception of the cr part. However, if academic improvement was so easy, ad you imply, we would already be Aau, as would every other university. I do think she cares about athletics and I don't think she has held us back, however I do think she was 'schooled' by Jurich and others. She wants Aau and b1g for both academics and athletics. Whether she can get it done for athletics remains to be seen.