Is it Time For Warde To Go?

[chapwilvaug72]

seoUl: Korea: look likes yo bi dee snakee oils down their; yo sure north korea not influence yo

You obviously have never been profit centered or interfaced with Fortune 50 business plans and objectives. You; perhaps like to sit on your hands to wait for aspergers syndorme to produce results in yo abode or commode.

 

[RedStickHusky]

seoUl: Korea: look likes yo bi dee snakee oils down their; yo sure north korea not influence yo

You obviously have never been profit centered or interfaced with Fortune 50 business plans and objectives. You; perhaps like to sit on your hands to wait for aspergers syndorme to produce results in yo abode or commode.

ok jarjar

 

[spsct]

Next year we'll be better just about everywhere; maybe a slight drop off at WR and, of course, a huge unknown at QB. I have no doubt that figuring out how to get better QB play is job one this off season.

Well we can't be worse at QB next year, right? RIGHT?

 

[Adios]

A committee of BY members would have definitely done a better job. In fact, we would probably already be in the B1G by now if that were the case.

We wouldn't have. But we'd do a great job marketing! We're already doing a great job marketing UConn!

 

[Stinger92860]

In a doomsday scenario we have one scholarship QB going into spring. Davis can't get here fast enough.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Well we can't be worse at QB next year, right? RIGHT?

Well, we've only got one who's taken any snaps...

 

[freescooter]

YES! Past time actually.

 

[pnow15]

I'm about to say something extremely controversial that I know full well I am going to be lambasted over by several Yarders, but here goes anyways...

If we want out of the AAC and into a Power conference, then football needs to improve ASAP. To improve ASAP, we need to throw more money at it (not less). With the limited revenue stream we have in the next few years, we need to figure out a way to cut funding for some other programs and pour into football. In my opinion, we are throwing way too much money at WBB. Yes, it's nice that they consistently win. But let's be honest, in the CR world, WBB is a novelty item that is neither necessary to have or be good at. As we continue to throw more money at WBB than football, this season is a perfect example of what we can all expect.

Kevin Ollie makes $3M/yr. Geno makes around $2M/yr. Diaco makes $1.5M/yr. This is exactly why I said last season, during our coach search, that we need to be willing to go into the $2-$3M/yr range on our next football coach. SMU just agreed to pay Chad Morris $2M/yr. Now, I understand that a coaches salary is no guarantee on results. But you can bet your bottom dollar that SMU is going to throw more money at football than women's basketball next season and in every single season afterward. And watch, SMU will probably win more games than UCONN next season.

I know that most WBB don't understand that football drives the CR bus. Most WBB fans are fans because we win every game by 50+ points and, for the most part, women's basketball isn't associated with the slime that comes from other school's men's hoops and football programs around the country. But to get out of the AAC, we must be willing to cut a little funding on WBB to pour more into football OR we must be willing to cap WBB funding where it is right now for the next several years while significantly upping the football budget.

So go ahead, take your shots at me. I'm tough, I can take it. I'm not saying that we should drop women's basketball nor am I rooting for our women to lose. I know that the state just all went ga-ga over the dual championships last spring. But we've now done that twice and we're no closer to a P5 invite than we were since the first time we won both the MBB and WBB championships . The only sport that matters to get us out of the AAC is football. Until we're willing to pour much more money into football that women's basketball, we are going to be a bottom-feeder school in a crappy conference arguing whether or not to go Independent or drop the sport altogether. I'm not ready to pull the plug on football for at least 10 years and neither should anyone else. In fact, I'd want just the opposite. We need to invest MORE money into football...even if it comes at a cost of other programs.

We just invested $1.5B into expanding research facilities in large part to enhance our AAU profile. That's GREAT. But we could be the Emory University of the northeast and be no closer to a B1G invite unless UCONN football can beat CFB dregs like Army, SMU, USF, Tulane, etc and get to bowl games. Jim Delany won't be able to justify adding UCONN to the football docket to his millions of B1G fans who are already concerned about the strength of the football conference, especially after yesterday's absolute embarrassment.

Well, there was Picket's charge as a bad idea. Where to start?
Destroy the best women's sports program in history of this country to do exactly what?
Get Texas kid's to give up playing for the Longhorns and come to Storrs CT.
It is highly doubtful that Ct. will ever be able to recruit at high enough level to compete with the best programs on a yearly basis. There are not good athlete's in this state to do this.
And we will always finish 2nd to the Florida schools in Florida and 2nd to Texas schools in Texas, etc etc.,
The best we can hope for is to have a program similar to the one ran by Edsel who ran into this wall.
It is the stellar basketball programs that will get us our invite. Adding UConn adds 13 bb titles to the league resume and some league will take on the weaker football for the great basketball, Afterall only one football team out the league has a shot at the title. UConn bb gives you two legit shots every year.

 

[pnow15]

I love when people who have absolutely no idea what went on with UConn during the last AC expansion talk like they just know. Like they know for a fact that Warde and Susan did nothing.

Oh, they have no evidence. But they know.

In the real world there is no A for effort. It's about results.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

Never said cut women's basketball. Just said to begin pouring more money into football than it.

Dooley, I pretty much agree with everything you have said in the Boneyard, but I'll take a minor exception with this. I think we need to know if the WBB is actually operating on the plus side or at least revenue neutral. Another thing to consider is the number of folks in this state who love the WBB team. I have to think that having the greatest WBB team in college is a great source of pride and leads to a number of donations every time they win. I understand there's a bigger CR picture to look at, but I don't think enough appreciable funds could be removed from the WBB budget to materially affect the overall football program and you run the risk of materially harming the women's program. The football program would need a large influx of cash to pay not only the head coach but his key assistants.

To answer the op, no it's not time for Warde to go. I hated the season as much as the next guy, but you can't adequately rate HCBD until he's had a chance to get the players up to snuff. Does he drive me crazy and make me scratch my head? Of course he does. But so did Terry Francona for the Sox when he first took over, but over time he seemed to learn his position and my initial issues with how he managed went away. Before we make next year a make or break season, keep an eye on the QB situation. I'd love Boyle to be the man, but I haven't seen anything to make me think that will happen. That means I'm putting all my eggs into the transfer's basket, a guy I have no clue about. No QB = no chance for success.

 

[ktuck911]

Where the heck did half the folks on this thread come from? Show your kahunas and actually come from behind this hiding place and write a personal letter to the school with your name on it with whatever demands you may have on Warde Manuel's status... If you're not gonna do that, just be a fan and join the real posters with some real thoughts and opinions... Did u post during the times when we were talking about kids we were/are recruiting? or during the coaching search? or during the AD search? or about any issues talked about game in and game out? Sorry but I can't deal with the fairweather fan crap, not this time... Pull your balls out and let'em hang for real if you're gonna call for somebody's head, but don't come here talking like you been here with the rest of us diehards...

 

[Dooley]

Dooley, I pretty much agree with everything you have said in the Boneyard, but I'll take a minor exception with this. I think we need to know if the WBB is actually operating on the plus side or at least revenue neutral. Another thing to consider is the number of folks in this state who love the WBB team. I have to think that having the greatest WBB team in college is a great source of pride and leads to a number of donations every time they win. I understand there's a bigger CR picture to look at, but I don't think enough appreciable funds could be removed from the WBB budget to materially affect the overall football program and you run the risk of materially harming the women's program. The football program would need a large influx of cash to pay not only the head coach but his key assistants.

Fair point, in bold. Another reply said the same thing.

I guess what I was trying to get at is that football rules the CR roost, does it not? The B12 is finally kicking around the idea of expanding now because they were just shut out of the football playoff. Nothing else. Unless Baylor WBB has significant expansion pull inside the B12, we need to show that we care about football and will fund it in the same manner as every other school inside the B12 does. None of them throw more money at WBB than football. I'm not saying we need to cut the WBB program. I'm just saying we need to seriously re-think where we are allocating our athletic department dollars if we want to catch an escape pod out of the AAC.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Where the heck did half the folks on this thread come from? Show your kahunas and actually come from behind this hiding place and write a personal letter to the school with your name on it with whatever demands you may have on Warde Manuel's status... If you're not gonna do that, just be a fan and join the real posters with some real thoughts and opinions... Did u post during the times when we were talking about kids we were/are recruiting? or during the coaching search? or during the AD search? or about any issues talked about game in and game out? Sorry but I can't deal with the fairweather fan crap, not this time... Pull your balls out and let'em hang for real if you're gonna call for somebody's head, but don't come here talking like you been here with the rest of us diehards...

Oh please, we can speculate about whether an unpaid 18-year old sucks and should be benched, but we can't talk about an executive making $500,000 whose decisions have threatened to unravel 30 years of unprecedented athletic growth?

Not that it even matters, but I will address your post:

1) the school reads this board, so this is as good as sending them a letter;
2) if posting here is the biggest determiner of fan-hood then Chipvilwaug is a better fan than the Werth's, Shenkman's, Burton and Rizza;
3) the results of this 'organization,' as they related to the most important thing he has done, have been atrocious, and sometimes people that make a lot of money need to be held accountable;

and most importantly

4) there is nothing fair-weather about a fan who still takes the time to read, let alone post, on a UConn football board.

 

[CL82]

2) if posting here is the biggest determiner of fan-hood then Chipvilwaug is a better fan than the Werth's, Shenkman's, Burton and Rizza;

Are you sure that Burton isn't Chipvilwaug?

 

[WestHartHusk]

Are you sure that Burton isn't Chipvilwaug?

Good point!

 

[CTBasketball]

I think Diaco should get at least 1 more year...

Needs to get his players in there. Its up to Warde to fall the axe when possible. He wasn't responsible for the hiring of PP, we should be thankful he got fired after 2.5 years.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

I'm just saying we need to seriously re-think where we are allocating our athletic department dollars if we want to catch an escape pod out of the AAC.

It's a bit of a catch 22 here for me. I'm not in favor of cutting other budgets because I love how we are soooo good in so many sports, but I agree that to be successful more needs to be thrown at football and I recognize it's importance in the CR game. Too bad we don't have a T Boone Pickens or Phil Knight (Oregon?) to single handedly pick up our program. Where's our sugar daddy? I know that was a thread from the summer time so I won't re-hash it again.

 

[J187Money]

A Texas based conference is not inviting a school from New England. Half of the athletic department staffs couldn't find CT on a map. I'm darn sure the travel officer would book flights into JFK because they probably wouldn't fathom that we have an airport in CT. The absolute best thing that could happen is a rumor of us under consideration to entice a move by someone else. Not that it would be that enticing.

BTW, as someone that has to go to Texas often for work, it absolutely sucks, even flying out of NYC airports it is hard to get directs a lot of the time.

 

[J187Money]

We are spending enough on football (right now). This is a conversation to have when we are not spending enough on football.

 

[Carl Spackler]

We are spending enough on football (right now). This is a conversation to have when we are not spending enough on football.

I disagree with that J$ on principle. There is plenty to be conversing about, regarding spending around football.

We are spending enough on football now, but let's see what happens when this year's bowl revenue gets cut, and this year's media contracts take gets split, and when the season ticket revenue starts being collected for 2015. The money stream from the big east is finite.

Very big gambles made with our athletic department that Warde has allowed to happen around football. He's clearly got stones of the size to go along with his neck, and deserves time to see it through, as he's done fantastic things in many other ways, but football is priority #1, if we are to continue long term nationally on path we should be on.

But everybody should be re-evaluating things right now with regards to this football season, and that includes Warde's performance as AD.

 

[J187Money]

I disagree with that J$ on principle. There is plenty to be conversing about, regarding spending around football.

We are spending enough on football now, but let's see what happens when this year's bowl revenue gets cut, and this year's media contracts take gets split, and when the season ticket revenue starts being collected for 2015. The money stream from the big east is finite.

Very big gambles made with our athletic department that Warde has allowed to happen around football. He's clearly got stones of the size to go along with his neck, and deserves time to see it through, as he's done fantastic things in many other ways, but football is priority #1, if we are to continue long term nationally on path we should be on.

But everybody should be re-evaluating things right now with regards to this football season, and that includes Warde's performance as AD.

Not my point. My point is that the school probably has a plan on how to address the coming revenue issues, and we don't know what it is. So for people to panic and start talking about cutting Geno's salary in half or getting rid of Field Hockey just seems like a foolish conversation to have.

THEY should be having this conversation. WE should have rational discussions about what we might do. But some of this is clear nonsense.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Not my point. My point is that the school probably has a plan on how to address the coming revenue issues, and we don't know what it is. So for people to panic and start talking about cutting Geno's salary in half or getting rid of Field Hockey just seems like a foolish conversation to have.

THEY should be having this conversation. WE should have rational discussions about what we might do. But some of this is clear nonsense.

I misunderstood, and I agree.

 

[UCweCONN]

People here talk about Diaco needing time to bring in "his players". More importantly, he needs to keep the players he has already brought in from transferring or quitting altogether otherwise it'll always be an uphill climb. The task of retaining players is 100 times harder when you lose to Army and a subdivision team and go 2-10. I hadn't realized it until another poster posted the season records how long it's been since we had a .500 season.

 

[chapwilvaug72]

Gentlemen: The revenue issue is the acid test for intercollegiate sports success.

Many casual fans think it is victories, but they just do not know jackson.

UCONN sledteam in foosbal generated 11.1mil in '13 according to Hartford business analysts in economic development corporations. These are serious decision-makers.

They do not utilize buddy system headhunters.
They do not play one subsidiary vs another.
They are not in Paris when the heavy hitters are in the batting circle.

They nurture success with dedicated work with a plan in place with short term, near term and long term goals with supporting objectives and enabling objectives, all of which are measureable in dollar and aesthetic terms.

Organizations like the Orange of Syracuse University and the Eagles of Boston College produced 2013 foosbal revenue in the 30-35mil range in their markets. If consensus is that the sledteam market has similar potential, then guess who needs to hit these numbers for P5 future growth path?

 

[Jerry1714]

I don't think the goal ever was to win championships in year 1.

The goal is still to win championships in years 3,4 & 5.

Warde and Diaco can't be graded yet.

Nice to see some people get it.

It is a complete rebuild, thanks to PP and Hathaway.

The hire cannot be judged for a couple more years.

Anyone who had bowl or other high expectations this year has noone but themselves to blame for that. That was never happening.