J. Jacobs: The worst thing that happened to UConn was hiring Paul Pasqualoni to replace Randy Edsall

[uconndogs]

My sense is that P was a disaster in ways that most of us are probably unaware. Ward canned him after four games of the '13 season and told him to take his idiot cousin with him. That's pretty extraordinary and suggests to me there was a level of disfunction that probably went well beyond simply wins and losses. I knew a parent of one of the players and what I heard there was concerning as well.

We have to hope the Diaco is righting this ship and doing it the right way. That he took over an absolute mess is pretty much a given imo.

 

[Stainmaster]

My sense is that P was a disaster in ways that most of us are probably unaware. Ward canned him after four games of the '13 season and told him to take his idiot cousin with him. That's pretty extraordinary and suggests to me there was a level of disfunction that probably went well beyond simply wins and losses. I knew a parent of one of the players and what I heard there was concerning as well.

We have to hope the Diaco is righting this ship and doing it the right way. That he took over an absolute mess is pretty much a given imo.

I believe a poster here (@Drew?) was around one of P's teams in ways that none of us were and had some things to say about that a while back. My apologies if I have the wrong guy.

 

[Drew]

I believe a poster here (@Drew?) was around one of P's teams in ways that none of us were and had some things to say about that a while back. My apologies if I have the wrong guy.

Yup. I outlined most of my experience from the 2011 team here: Claflin surprise

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I have it on very good authority that it wasn't merely walk-ons that P & GDL treated badly.

 

[UConnNick]

I have it on very good authority that it wasn't merely walk-ons that P & GDL treated badly.

What I have trouble figuring out is how he gets all these NFL asst coaching gigs if he's such a universal dirtbag. Is it just because he has cronies in the coaching ranks throughout the league? Do these other coaches owe him something? Are pro players more willing to put up with being treated like crap?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

What I have trouble figuring out is how he gets all these NFL asst coaching gigs if he's such a universal dirtbag. Is it just because he has cronies in the coaching ranks throughout the league? Do these other coaches owe him something? Are pro players more willing to put up with being treated like crap?

I don't get why this happens but it seems that once someone gets an NFL coaching job they spend their time between jobs in a huge recycling bin and there is always someone willing to give them another chance.

 

[uconnbill]

You guys are a little bit off base regarding Hathaway/McHugh. McHugh had tired of Hathaway's act long before Edsall left, with the Morande Ford ticket scandal a VERY big issue for him. He actually made it clear when the NCAA penalties were coming down the pick for men's basketball that if there was a Lack of Institutional Control penalty handed down to the Athletic Department he was gone. He survived that, but when he went before the BOT for his bonus around 12 months before Edsall left he was slamming his hand down in a tantrum when McHugh was extremely vocal about him not getting it. So he knew he was on thin ice with McHugh and decided to hire Pasqualoni when he got the letter from the CT HS Coaches and mcHugh vouched for him. He figured it would buy him back into McHugh's good graces. When Herbst came in he was front and center schmoozing her...except he made one HUGE error. He failed to realize Rachel Rubin was already her trusted confidant. It was Rubin..who worked in the AD with Hathaway under Perkins and had seen his act as Athletic Director in her present position that helped the school more than anyone. She convinced Herbst to accelerate the thorough examination of the entire AD and do a performance study on Hathaway. When the report was turned in, every coach that had been there for any amount of time told it like it was...the stories read like a plagiarized term paper. Biggest issues were lack of communication with donors, lack of work for CR (doing next to nothing and then lying about it), and flat out lying to coaches. When he was called on it he brazenly touted his roll over contract and said UConn owed him HUGE $$, then she showed him the report and told him he could retire or would be fired for cause and get nothing as stated in the terms of his contract. That's when he took the job with the Big East for $1 so that UConn had to pay him. His lying ways continue...he was basically hired by Hofstra to get them into the A-10...as you can see that hasn't exactly worked out so well.

I know Larry McHugh was tired of Hathaway and wanted him gone before losing Randy Edsall. He has said he didn't think Edsall would have left if Hathaway had gone first. I am not sure how true that was, but I do wish Hathaway was gone first.

My question always is if Randy would have stayed would have UConn been the pick of the ACC instead of Louisville? I guess we'll never know, just no. Just a thought.

 

[DoctorWho85]

I know Larry McHugh was tired of Hathaway and wanted him gone before losing Randy Edsall. He has said he didn't think Edsall would have left if Hathaway had gone first. I am not sure how true that was, but I do wish Hathaway was gone first.

My question always is if Randy would have stayed would have UConn been the pick of the ACC instead of Louisville? I guess we'll never know, just no. Just a thought.

I don't think we would have been selected before Louisville because of BC "being" New England's team. I think if he had one more successful season after the Fiesta Bowl, he's be at Penn State right now at his real dream job.

 

[UConnNick]

I don't think we would have been selected before Louisville because of BC "being" New England's team. I think if he had one more successful season after the Fiesta Bowl, he's be at Penn State right now at his real dream job.

I agree. 2011 was going to be a rebuilding season either way. Maybe Edsall would have squeezed a couple more wins out of that season, making us marginally bowl eligible, but one more season on the plus side wasn't going to do anything to keep BS College, Florida State and Clemson from leading the charge against us. In the case of the latter two, it wouldn't surprise me if they privately threatened to bolt the ACC if they didn't take Louisville over UCONN. So, everybody on Tobacco Road held their noses and admitted a glorified junior college to their ranks, thereby forever tarnishing the ACC's supposed 'standards' for academic excellence. With what we now know was going on at UNC during that time, it's laughable that anybody ever believed in their self-professed desire to keep conference academic standards high.

 

[DoctorWho85]

I agree. 2011 was going to be a rebuilding season either way. Maybe Edsall would have squeezed a couple more wins out of that season, making us marginally bowl eligible, but one more season on the plus side wasn't going to do anything to keep BS College, Florida State and Clemson from leading the charge against us. In the case of the latter two, it wouldn't surprise me if they privately threatened to bolt the ACC if they didn't take Louisville over UCONN. So, everybody on Tobacco Road held their noses and admitted a glorified junior college to their ranks, thereby forever tarnishing the ACC's supposed 'standards' for academic excellence. With what we now know was going on at UNC during that time, it's laughable that anybody ever believed in their self-professed desire to keep conference academic standards high.

What boggles my mind is that there still hasn't been any sort of punishment handed down. UConn and SMU both had relatively minor infractions compared to the academic fraud UNC conducted, but both UConn and SMU were punished relatively quickly. We're what something like 5 years after finding out the extent of the fraud UNC committed? Unbelievable.

 

[UConnNick]

What boggles my mind is that there still hasn't been any sort of punishment handed down. UConn and SMU both had relatively minor infractions compared to the academic fraud UNC conducted, but both UConn and SMU were punished relatively quickly. We're what something like 5 years after finding out the extent of the fraud UNC committed? Unbelievable.

Right on, and it looks like they're going to let them skate on the premise that it's up to each individual school to police itself when it comes to academic fraud. That means all 1,000+ NCAA signatories have carte blanche to do whatever the heck they want with their own internal academic programs, and nobody can tell them otherwise. It will send a clear message that bogus courses, fraudulent online courses from bible colleges, and all other internal academic shenanigans will be swept under the rug while the NCAA looks the other way, holding its nose. If that's the case, why do we have an NCAA in the first place? It serves less than no function at all, and we've taught at least two, maybe three entire generations of collegiate athletes that it's perfectly OK to cheat your way through life, because that's what the adults supposedly in charge all these years have done.

I feel like retching every time I see an image of Mark Emmert's pudgy face.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Right on, and it looks like they're going to let them skate on the premise that it's up to each individual school to police itself when it comes to academic fraud. That means all 1,000+ NCAA signatories have carte blanche to do whatever the heck they want with their own internal academic programs, and nobody can tell them otherwise. It will send a clear message that bogus courses, fraudulent online courses from bible colleges, and all other internal academic shenanigans will be swept under the rug while the NCAA looks the other way, holding its nose. If that's the case, why do we have an NCAA in the first place? It serves less than no function at all, and we've taught at least two, maybe three entire generations of collegiate athletes that it's perfectly OK to cheat your way through life, because that's what the adults supposedly in charge all these years have done.

I feel like retching every time I see an image of Mark Emmert's pudgy face.

I don't understand how SMU paying players is considered a worse offense than UNC creating fake classes for star players to "attend" to stay eligible. To me, that seems to be the exact same thing, the only difference is in what was received by the players. The only logical punishment for this would be the death penalty for both basketball and football for no shorter than what SMU received in the 80's. But seeing how the NCAA handled the Penn State fiasco, I expect a bowl/post season ban and scholarship reduction that will be reduced after a couple of years of "good behavior".

 

[UConnNick]

I don't understand how SMU paying players is considered a worse offense than UNC creating fake classes for star players to "attend" to stay eligible. To me, that seems to be the exact same thing, the only difference is in what was received by the players. The only logical punishment for this would be the death penalty for both basketball and football for no shorter than what SMU received in the 80's. But seeing how the NCAA handled the Penn State fiasco, I expect a bowl/post season ban and scholarship reduction that will be reduced after a couple of years of "good behavior".

I agree regarding the so-called death penalty for systemic, egregious and long lasting violations of the UNC and Syracuse variety, however what happened to the SMU football program in the wake of the punishment has made the NCAA loathe to ever use the death penalty again. They will do anything to stop short of the nuclear option.

What we are dealing with here is favoritism, cronyism and hypocrisy which has gone way off the charts. Certain schools and athletic programs within those schools are sacred cows not to be touched by the stain of NCAA sanctions, or if they absolutely have to because of the court of public opinion, they'll levy greatly watered down punishment for transgressions by these schools and programs. Heck, during the 1999 season, Duke used a clearly ineligible player (Cory Maggette) for the entire season. Five years later the NCAA decides not to punish them at all...nothing, not so much as a probationary warning. You took five years to investigate and they get off scot free?

The fix is clearly in with certain schools. We're about to find out just how much it's in at North Carolina.

 

[huskypantz]

What I have trouble figuring out is how he gets all these NFL asst coaching gigs if he's such a universal dirtbag. Is it just because he has cronies in the coaching ranks throughout the league? Do these other coaches owe him something? Are pro players more willing to put up with being treated like crap?

It's the coaching fraternity. They hook each other up. What does an assistant o-line coach really do in the NFL? Collect a solid paycheck and cross months off the calendar until retirement.

 

[DoctorWho85]

I agree regarding the so-called death penalty for systemic, egregious and long lasting violations of the UNC and Syracuse variety, however what happened to the SMU football program in the wake of the punishment has made the NCAA loathe to ever use the death penalty again. They will do anything to stop short of the nuclear option.

What we are dealing with here is favoritism, cronyism and hypocrisy which has gone way off the charts. Certain schools and athletic programs within those schools are sacred cows not to be touched by the stain of NCAA sanctions, or if they absolutely have to because of the court of public opinion, they'll levy greatly watered down punishment for transgressions by these schools and programs. Heck, during the 1999 season, Duke used a clearly ineligible player (Cory Maggette) for the entire season. Five years later the NCAA decides not to punish them at all...nothing, not so much as a probationary warning. You took five years to investigate and they get off scot free?

The fix is clearly in with certain schools. We're about to find out just how much it's in at North Carolina.

Exactly. I feel as if they're looked at as an elite club (OU board of regents has proven that with their statement on Cincinnati) and we're looked at as the ones that made all the money off of prohibition and alcohol in the 20's. We're welcomed to the table, but everyone talks behind our backs.

 

[31GuardTrap]

I agree. 2011 was going to be a rebuilding season either way. Maybe Edsall would have squeezed a couple more wins out of that season, making us marginally bowl eligible, but one more season on the plus side wasn't going to do anything to keep BS College, Florida State and Clemson from leading the charge against us. In the case of the latter two, it wouldn't surprise me if they privately threatened to bolt the ACC if they didn't take Louisville over UCONN. So, everybody on Tobacco Road held their noses and admitted a glorified junior college to their ranks, thereby forever tarnishing the ACC's supposed 'standards' for academic excellence. With what we now know was going on at UNC during that time, it's laughable that anybody ever believed in their self-professed desire to keep conference academic standards high.

They were 5-7 with losses to Western Michigan, Vandy & Iowa State. With Edsall here, a few of the players that left (Todman maybe, Frey for sure) are still here and UConn wins those 3 games and goes at least 8-4.

 

[DoctorWho85]

They were 5-7 with losses to Western Michigan, Vandy & Iowa State. With Edsall here, a few of the players that left (Todman maybe, Frey for sure) are still here and UConn wins those 3 games and goes at least 8-4.

My thoughts exactly. No way UConn loses to Vandy, Iowa State and Western Michigan under Edsall. He would have at least selected the right QB to game manage.

 

[UConnNick]

Exactly. I feel as if they're looked at as an elite club (OU board of regents has proven that with their statement on Cincinnati) and we're looked at as the ones that made all the money off of prohibition and alcohol in the 20's. We're welcomed to the table, but everyone talks behind our backs.

Nobody has welcomed us to any table as of yet, but I like your analogy. Some of my paternal ancestors made out pretty well rum running from Canada off the NE coast in the 20's.

The remarks by the guy on the OU Board of Regents are very telling. It's a club they don't necessarily want any new members in, because it reduces the overall size of the pie pieces that get doled out to each of the P5 schools. They'd rather find fellow P5 members they can shuffle around like poker chips, because that way the pieces of the pie remain the same size for everybody already in the P5. Welcoming G5 schools into the mix requires giving up small chunks of each piece of the pie the P5 schools are already getting.

 

[uconnell]

Funny Nick, my husband's grandfather was in the same business. My sons get a chuckle out of it.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Nobody has welcomed us to any table as of yet, but I like your analogy. Some of my paternal ancestors made out pretty well rum running from Canada off the NE coast in the 20's.

The remarks by the guy on the OU Board of Regents are very telling. It's a club they don't necessarily want any new members in, because it reduces the overall size of the pie pieces that get doled out to each of the P5 schools. They'd rather find fellow P5 members they can shuffle around like poker chips, because that way the pieces of the pie remain the same size for everybody already in the P5. Welcoming G5 schools into the mix requires giving up small chunks of each piece of the pie the P5 schools are already getting.

I think the problem with us is we have no national championship in football or we don't have like 10 national championships in basketball a long time ago like most schools. As much as they're going to hate it, UConn, Cincinnati and other schools are forcing themselves into the table because the success we're all having is hard to ignore.

 

[UConnNick]

I think the problem with us is we have no national championship in football or we don't have like 10 national championships in basketball a long time ago like most schools. As much as they're going to hate it, UConn, Cincinnati and other schools are forcing themselves into the table because the success we're all having is hard to ignore.

True enough, but if athletic success in the form of national titles really means anything, then Rutgers is still with us in the AAC. Conference realignment is all about the money.

However, you are somewhat correct regarding what happened with the ACC in 2012. The overall perception of UCONN when the ACC was looking to expand hurt us because schools like Florida State and Clemson were worried about the ACC further watering down their already watered down football profile by adding another weak sister to the football conference. Plus, we had Father Lie-hy in Beanfarttown sticking pins in his little Husky voodoo doll the whole time. To that extent, what happened to us is somewhat a function of historical perspective, but the overriding concern for all of the P5 schools is how can we get a bigger piece of the pie that's being passed around.

 

[DoctorWho85]

True enough, but if athletic success in the form of national titles really means anything, then Rutgers is still with us in the AAC. Conference realignment is all about the money.

However, you are somewhat correct regarding what happened with the ACC in 2012. The overall perception of UCONN when the ACC was looking to expand hurt us because schools like Florida State and Clemson were worried about the ACC further watering down their already watered down football profile by adding another weak sister to the football conference. Plus, we had Father Lie-hy in Beanfarttown sticking pins in his little Husky voodoo doll the whole time. To that extent, what happened to us is somewhat a function of historical perspective, but the overriding concern for all of the P5 schools is how can we get a bigger piece of the pie that's being passed around.

Rutgers got an invite for one reason and one reason alone NYC. Yeah this gives the B1G more access to NJ recruits and Rutgers is an AAU member which was just a bonus. The school was added for tv sets to increase revenue from the Big10 Network. What I was referring to was UConn be talked about as an equal. Or "tradition" is generally new and not from 60 years ago, so we don't get a lot of respect because of it.

 

[UConnNick]

Funny Nick, my husband's grandfather was in the same business. My sons get a chuckle out of it.

Maybe we're related, then.

My grandmother's family were sort of partners with the Kennedy clan in the bootlegging trade during Prohibition. One of my cousins was JFK's roommate at Harvard because of the family connection.

 

[UConn66]

Again Jeffy misses the point. The worst thing that happened to Uconn was Jeff Hathaway. All else that followed, good or bad, was destined to be once he became AD.

Dead on. If you remember, JH wouldn't fight for raises for Edsall's assistants. Only thing Jeff was good for was good for was an in-game celeb photo at the Rent. Worse than TV timeouts!!!

 

[Dooley]

Some of my paternal ancestors made out pretty well rum running from Canada off the NE coast in the 20's.

Funny Nick, my husband's grandfather was in the same business. My sons get a chuckle out of it.

Can either one of you run some rum to my house?