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

[ruskin]

What the hell do you expect him to say?

SOMETHING to the 23K season ticket holders that he knows what happened Thursday was horrendous. He frigging owes people at least that. Silence is saying "I know people are pissed but we don't care because Michigan is coming and they'll bring fans". Silence is saying "you dumb-butts who are paying for this program have to put with three more months and six more home games of this". Sick of this second-hand "I saw him walking down down to the field and boy did he look mad". He's gotta say something. Getting close to the point where Herbst should, too.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I continue to disagree, and will till I'm blue in the face. Words only have power when action backs them up. THere is nothing to back up anyone's wrod about anything right now when it comes to the football program. Kevin Ollie has managed to match words and action to date, but I don't think there was a doubt about that. Geno is Geno. THe rest of the athletic department does their things.

THere are no words right now for the football program, and anything anybody says is meaningless. It's action time or be gone.

 

[BlueDogs]

SOMETHING to the 23K season ticket holders that he knows what happened Thursday was horrendous. He frigging owes people at least that. Silence is saying "I know people are pissed but we don't care because Michigan is coming and they'll bring fans". Silence is saying "you dumb-butts who are paying for this program have to put with three more months and six more home games of this". Sick of this second-hand "I saw him walking down down to the field and boy did he look mad". He's gotta say something. Getting close to the point where Herbst should, too.

You've all said it and to sum up - zero leadership at every level. The silence and lack of action is deafening. Leaders would have acted one way or another. Defend P and believe in his system (fine - leadership, but completely wrong) or fire the guy and make a statement (which is long past due in my opinion). Leadership recognizes a change must be made fast to take advantage of 2 weeks of prep. Leadership on the other side says no changes, we are riding this horse- and the kids understand they must rally. Nothing but being mad leaves uncertainty and creates instability. This behavior is symptomatic of this feckless group operates. Hedging is not leadership. It's weakness of conviction. NON-WINNERS -ALL OF THEM. They blew it at the end of last season and are missing the second chance to do what should be done.

 

[junglehusky]

We know the move will be made at the end of the season, or at least not until UConn is mathematically eliminated from bowl contention. Everyone stamping their feet like toddlers from now till December howling for immediate action knows this. There is nobody on staff who can salvage the season, not Hughes, not Weist, not Foley... so don't hold your breath for that move to be made. And some things are so blindingly obvious there us absolutely no need and no purpose the the AD making a statement of the obvious solely for the purpose to echo the feelings of insecure fans who crave validation. (plus the instant he says those things, others will instantly criticize the statement for some other stupid reason). But we're still going to have months of temper tantrums saying I want it NOW NOW NOW... Man it is going to be a long season.

Just remember, Christmas comes in December.

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[ruskin]

We know the move will be made at the end of the season, or at least not until UConn is mathematically eliminated from bowl contention. Everyone stamping their feet like toddlers from now till December howling for immediate action knows this. There is nobody on staff who can salvage the season, not Hughes, not Weist, not Foley... so don't hold your breath for that move to be made.

Sorry Jungle, I think we're generally on the same page but a little unfair to characterize people angry about Thursday as angry toddlers throwing a temper tantrum. Warde threw the ever-decreasing season-ticket "base" a bone with a new OC who may or may not really be in charge of the offense. That blew up in three hours Thursday. I also disagree that a coaching change now can't "salvage" the season. Stranger things have happened. We know this team is not responding to whatever P and GDL are selling. Time to give someone else a shot and give people something to hang their hat on when they walk into the Rent.

 

[jdb50]

Hey pipe down you whiners! It's Labor Day Weekend! They all just got big raises in Storrs and they are sleeping soundly. What we really need is on Tuesday the guy that owns the Huskie Fanbulance to drive up to Gulley hall and wheel a patient dressed up as a UConn player into the lobby while preforming CPR. Invite the Horde to get her spokewomans response.

 

[Waquoit]

At the VERY LEAST, Warde needs to override Pasqualoni and fire DeLeone.

Huh? What good would that do, beside looking lame and gutless.

 

[Dooley]

Huh? What good would that do, beside looking lame and gutless.

It would instantly improve our OL. Our OL is the worst in college football. Plus, since we all know PP went to bat for GDL in the offseason, if firing GDL means PP leaves too, then consider that icing on the cake. And I was talking about at the very least. I would like to see both gone under the premise of football is important at UCONN and is held to the same standard of excellence as our other national championship caliber programs.

 

[freescooter]

Helloooo

This thread is just littered with inaccuracies and pretentious posturing. From the Usual Suspects.

Warde Manual has been an upgrade and has made some crucial steps in his short tenure. Firing PP in December (which is what I wanted) was the bold move ... but not one that would have put us in good stead going forward. We are now the first Program in the job market. This next hire is everything. Has to be charismatic gifted and program building. While some may already be doubting Manual's capacity to pull this off; I see enough to think this could be an interesting selection to leap forward. An NFL youth; a rising guy; a guy who fits. Which makes the Whipple or Pasqualoni choice pure blasphemy.

If you don't see the quality of Herbst, I can't help you. But, she deserves NO credit for Storrs Center. The Developer won the RFP in 2003 & just struggled with that town & the capital markets. Herbst, I believe, has galvanized the legislature & the powers she needs to lead this University forward. That is the ONLY way we are getting onto the next level. Not by sweet words lobbying. The timing of PP was awful. See what Charlie Strong does at a UL. But the next round is coming - we're not leaking oil yet.

Kevin Ollie is the best move forward (free scooter). I think he'll be the best transition of a CBB program from a Legend ever. 15 years - I believe. From there, we need to grab this Football program back & move. I believe we are in great danger if we don't make this next move great. For all your bluster, we need Manual to be great here. At least, I'm hopeful that he's got it in him. The rest seems to be typical Connection.

Well, if anyone would know pretentious posturing, I guess you would. Or should I SAY you WOULD. As far as Manuel's tenure, I think he's been a disaster and will continue to be. We'll see what happens with Ollie. My guess is that he'll be fine. But he is one lucky bastid. He will regularly run up good to great records, if only because he'll be coaching in a trash pit league. The real proof will come in the post season. College basketball at a high level is all about the tournament. Everything else is meaningless.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I agree with Whaler 100% that Warde bought the Pasqualoni problem when he didn't fire him last year. The buyout is peanuts. A $3MM buyout can play a factor in firing a head coach, but if $500k buyout really played any role in the decision to keep Pasqualoni, then we shouldn't be playing FBS football. Pasqualoni actually has one of the most school friendly contracts that I have ever read about. It is actually a lot cheaper to fire him than to keep him, since he has a big salary and a small buyout.

The entire UConn athletic program is in limbo right now because of CR, and Warde Manuel is about as bad as an AD as we can have right now. What has he done well? Announced that he wants to build a basketball practice facility that he hasn't raised the money to build? Does that qualify as an accomplishment?

Finally, look at the way Manuel treated Ollie vs. the way he treated Pasqualoni. Ollie pulled a huge upset in his first game, and then proceeded to have a great year despite being 3 schollies short and having injury problems and nothing to play for. We may never know, but I strongly suspect that Manuel didn't move until Ollie's agent had been approached by multiple schools. Pasqualoni found someone to pay him $1.8MM or so all in to be retired on the job, and keep his buddy employed. If I was Ollie, I would be pretty pissed at the double standard.

Tolerating incompetence sends a message to everyone in the organization.

 

[huskymedic]

What has he done well? Announced that he wants to build a basketball practice facility that he hasn't raised the money to build? Does that qualify as an accomplishment?

Huh?

 

[Rumrunner]

Nelson, buyout's a bit higher-$750k But that is chicken feed when you look at the opportunity cost-

Details of Pasqualoni's buyout:

the event that the University terminates the contract for any other reason than just cause as defined by the contract, the coach shall be entitled to continue to receive the following payment in full satisfaction of the university's obligation to the coach:

January 14, 2011-December 31, 2011: $1,250,000 January 1, 2012-December 31, 2012: $1,000,000 January 1, 2013-December 31, 2013: $750,000 January 1, 2014-December 31, 2014: $600,000 January 1, 2015-December 31, 2015: $400,000