Herbst and Manuel on Live Radio - 9 am 12/19

[WestHartHusk]

If that was their message they we are completed . Does Coca-Cola advertise: "hey, we're really having a tough year, but if you love American business come by our soda. It's not as good as it used to be, it's in a smaller bottle, but you owe it to us to buy it." Of course not, they create/maintain/improve their product and envelope the product in multi-media marketing through compelling and cohesive story lines (the Santa Coke, Polar Bears, etc). Athletics are no different and they need to work to get the casual fan in the stadium. I mean, we don't even know what we are (UConn, UCONN, The University of Connecticut?) or which of our like 9 symbols, fonts we want to use. And one of the few things WM can control, our OOC schedule, is void. How the hell does he expect to sell a 3-year ticket packages/luxury boxes when we don't know our conference and don't know our schedule? I know the circumstances are tough for them, but damn it, dictate the story and stop being a victim.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Yeah he might ask you nuanced questions that you could answer without nuance and confuse the crap out of him.

If someone ever gave these people a straight answer, I think the interviewed might have an aneurism.

I'm laughing at this because how many times does Loop invoke the nuanced crap? No wonder this guy is his hero.

Loop, relax. It's a joke. Well kind of. Not really though.

 

[ZooCougar]

I'm laughing at this because how many times does Loop invoke the nuanced crap? No wonder this guy is his hero.

Loop, relax. It's a joke. Well kind of. Not really though.

Loop is too sophisticated. His stuff is pre-nuanced, and probably obscure. If he were a Zombie, he would probably want to eat a part of your brain that you never heard of.

 

[TRest]

I have been scratching my head trying to figure out why this would be on NPR vs WTIC (the flagship station for the school) or any local TV/radio channel. Here is what I have come up with (conspiracy warning):

You only go on NPR because it's audience is likely to be your most vocal critic if there is upcoming investment in athletics (I love NPR btw). So you go there to make sure they understand the risks and challenges plaguing UConn regarding realignment because unlike your base they probably just don't know. If you see this in light of the last minute 'holder' on managing the football field and the presumed mascot change (what's up with that anyway, anyone know?) the USS Connecticut can draw a reasonable conclusion that:

- the school/state are planning to invest funds into the expansion of Rentschler and/or an upgrade of the HCC (since that is part of the bid) and as a result want to bring its control in-house;
- this will coincide with a re-branding of the university vis-a-vis the mascot;
- and hopefully, ultimately, this culminates with an invite (because I don't think you need to sell the idea if you have the invite...B1G money speaks for itself).

WTIC couldn't devote more than 5 minutes at a time to the topic between traffic, weather, denial of global warming and promoting "Pastor" Will's church of the profit.

 

[Pudge]

We are screwed folks I know its fun to pretend and ride the uss conn but the reality of the situation is truly awful. Pray for instability and further realignment because these two will not be getting us into a conference without it

BL ... is this your Poster Boy?

 

[Pudge]

The MWC is no worse than our proposed league. Our league no longer has an chance at a lucrative TV deal, none. Our league includes difficult travel situations for the schools, and has no chance of generating any real mindshare because it has no identity. It is doomed to fail.

But it as clear as ever that that's where we are headed, whether the western schools join or not. The perception of UConn will drop even further, even in basketball. WM and SH seemed accutely aware of the problem, and helpless to do anything about it.

OR ... is this your Poster Boy BL?

 

[Pudge]

Sometimes ... it seems the Economics befuddle some.

The A-10 could not merge the Catholic 7 into their league ... because _____?
The MWC cannot be better than whatever Aresco puts together because _____ ?
You can grab virtually any NON-Cartel University (except BYU) because ____ ?

We have an Asset. We have a Market that has significant Demand to pay for new content. We have a monopolistic ESPN that has deceitfully acted in their own self-interest to build this Cartel. But, there are quite a lot of opportunities that leak through. Dire? No ... this is an extraordinarily poor position to be in.

Analogy? You have a 100,000 sf Medical Office Building (which cost $25m to build 10 years ago) & you just lost your 65,000 sf Major Tenant (the local hospital). You would be absolutely f----; except ... there are a lot of new Doctor Groups that might break away from the hospital & other health/non-health tenants. You are not at Zero.

 

[zls44]

WTIC couldn't devote more than 5 minutes at a time to the topic between traffic, weather, denial of global warming and promoting "Pastor" Will's church of the profit.

And now, SportsTalk, a fifteen minute sports program in between 40 minutes of ads and five minutes of news and weather.

 

[huskymedic]

I have been scratching my head trying to figure out why this would be on NPR vs WTIC (the flagship station for the school) or any local TV/radio channel. Here is what I have come up with (conspiracy warning):

You only go on NPR because it's audience is likely to be your most vocal critic if there is upcoming investment in athletics (I love NPR btw). So you go there to make sure they understand the risks and challenges plaguing UConn regarding realignment because unlike your base they probably just don't know. If you see this in light of the last minute 'holder' on managing the football field and the presumed mascot change (what's up with that anyway, anyone know?) the USS Connecticut can draw a reasonable conclusion that:

- the school/state are planning to invest funds into the expansion of Rentschler and/or an upgrade of the HCC (since that is part of the bid) and as a result want to bring its control in-house;
- this will coincide with a re-branding of the university vis-a-vis the mascot;
- and hopefully, ultimately, this culminates with an invite (because I don't think you need to sell the idea if you have the invite...B1G money speaks for itself).

Agreed... I think it part of a broader outreach strategy. WM went on WICC last week to reach into Fairfield County. Spreading the wealth I guess and not limiting it to WTIC.

 

[specialisthusky]

BL ... is this your Poster Boy?

I'm not witty and sarcastic enough to be bl's "poster boy". If you wish to challenge my opinion that's fine as I would love to be wrong. I wasn't intending to offend anyone with posting my opinion that the leadership seems handcuffed and not proactive after listening to that interview. Is further realignment and instability not our best option of getting in a new conf?

 

[Pudge]

hmmm ... didn't Herbst hire a very high paid PR person recently.

 

[huskymedic]

hmmm ... didn't Herbst hire a very high paid PR person recently.

Yup - Didn't "officially" start yet but i hope he's whispering sweet nothings in SH ear paving the way for his arrival.

"Tysen Kendig, the top communications officer at the University of Iowa, has been appointed the University of Connecticut’s new Vice President for Communications, President Susan Herbst announced Thursday."

http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2012/11/university-names-new-vice-president-for-communications/

 

[Vuce]

We are in CT, after all. Fewer and fewer of us at least. Last one out, turn off the lights.

Ken Krayeske is a lib weenie too

 

[ctchamps]

My internet feed went out anyone elses?

The act of the liberal god. Beware!

 

[ctchamps]

We are in CT, after all. Fewer and fewer of us at least. Last one out, turn off the lights.

I'm an independent. Lived in Ct. Moved to SC. Talked about getting whipsawed with extreme thinking. There's a comfortable place down here for you when you turn off the lights.

 

[mavblues]

Goody, I love mad libs!!

I filled in the blanks. How did I do?

Sometimes ... it seems the Economics befuddle some.

The A-10 could not merge the Catholic 7 into their league ... because _poop__?
The MWC cannot be better than whatever Aresco puts together because _farts_ ?
You can grab virtually any NON-Cartel University (except BYU) because _weiner_ ?

 

[HuskyHawk]

OR ... is this your Poster Boy BL?

I'm not negative on UConn. The university has come a long way from my time there in the mid 80's. But I do believe that our task from an athletic standpoint has been made much more difficult. SH and WM cannot acknowledge that in public, but it's the truth. At the very juncture where changes are making it harder to compete outside of the major conferences, we find that we've been pushed outside of the major conferences.

So yes, rallying the fans to the cause will help. But less than it would have a few years ago.

 

[TRest]

And now, SportsTalk, a fifteen minute sports program in between 40 minutes of ads and five minutes of news and weather.

Let's play 12 minutes of Red Sox highlights from the past week, to catch everyone up. After that, a 2 minute window to take your calls.

 

[Doggie Style]

hmmm ... didn't Herbst hire a very high paid PR person recently.

If this is true, the state should ask for its money back.....

 

[Pudge]

If this is true, the state should ask for its money back.....

Brand New Hire

 

[businesslawyer]

If that was their message they we are completed ****ed. Does Coca-Cola advertise: "hey, we're really having a tough year, but if you love American business come by our soda. It's not as good as it used to be, it's in a smaller bottle, but you owe it to us to buy it." Of course not, they create/maintain/improve their product and envelope the product in multi-media marketing through compelling and cohesive story lines (the Santa Coke, Polar Bears, etc). Athletics are no different and they need to work to get the casual fan in the stadium. I mean, we don't even know what we are (UConn, UCONN, The University of Connecticut?) or which of our like 9 symbols, fonts we want to use. And one of the few things WM can control, our OOC schedule, is void. How the hell does he expect to sell a 3-year ticket packages/luxury boxes when we don't know our conference and don't know our schedule? I know the circumstances are tough for them, but damn it, dictate the story and stop being a victim.

No, no, no. Athletics are totally different. I get what you are saying, and as a marketing matter you are right, but Nebraska can sell out their stadium even if they go a season without a forward pass and even if they go a few seasons not being any good. The fact that we can't puts us at a disadvantage that can only be solved by supporters making bigger donations and buying more tickets.\

It's fine to want more marketing and a better product -- who doesn't -- but if our success as a fanbase is limited to when the school is performing, then we are not in fact a candidate for the Big Ten or any other conference not really about basketball.

 

[businesslawyer]

BL ... is this your Poster Boy?

I am not panicked because more realignment will come, and most likely will come soon. And the asswipes who, because we unexpectedly got turned down last time, now believe no one will ever invite us are being silly.

But I don't think we can thrive long term in our current arrangment, because I expect the power conferences to start determining how they can take a bigger slice of the hoops pie as soon as they are done dealing with the football pie. Is that 3 years? Five years? Ten years? Don't know. But it will happen.

 

[specialisthusky]

I am not panicked because more realignment will come, and most likely will come soon. And the asswipes who, because we unexpectedly got turned down last time, now believe no one will ever invite us are being silly.

But I don't think we can thrive long term in our current arrangment, because I expect the power conferences to start determining how they can take a bigger slice of the hoops pie as soon as they are done dealing with the football pie. Is that 3 years? Five years? Ten years? Don't know. But it will happen.

sheesh one statement on how i don't think SH and WM will not get us an invite without further instability and I'm lumped into the asswipes who don't think we will ever be invited category.

 

[jbdphi]

No, no, no. Athletics are totally different. I get what you are saying, and as a marketing matter you are right, but Nebraska can sell out their stadium even if they go a season without a forward pass and even if they go a few seasons not being any good. The fact that we can't puts us at a disadvantage that can only be solved by supporters making bigger donations and buying more tickets.\

It's fine to want more marketing and a better product -- who doesn't -- but if our success as a fanbase is limited to when the school is performing, then we are not in fact a candidate for the Big Ten or any other conference not really about basketball.

So the only real answers are to either win more consistently (doesn't seem likely right now but who knows) or to convince CT residents and UConn alumni to accept and fanatically support a product that isn't very good? You have to think that the former is by far the easier path to pursue and that isn't looking too promising right now in football.

 

[huskymedic]

If this is true, the state should ask for its money back.....

Info is in 7 post above... Mid January start.