Latest Herbst statement

[upstater]

The B1G can really care less about AAU stuff at this point. Herbst was absolutely right to point out Nebraska. She knows the inside scoop, and so does everyone in academia. Michigan and Wisconsin conspired to kick Nebraska out long before Nebraska entered the B1G, and in the words of the former President of Wisky, Nebraska's AAU status was never discussed during their evaluation and invitation into the B1G. Of course it wasn't--why would it be when B1G schools were trying to kick them out?

 

[jostar1]

She did use some buzzwords:

"Demographics matter," Delany said. "I think it matters to be in New Jersey and Maryland and around D.C., Philadelphia and New York. It matters to us for it to be contiguous. It matters for it to be flagship universities."

Herbst:
So, Huskies: Let's all hang tough and please keep some perspective, as hard as it is in a time of great change. Win or lose, conference struggles or not, UConn is a research university. So if you are feeling low, just head to our university home page and glory in the amazing new faculty we are hiring at a rapid pace, our incredible student successes across disciplines, scientific awards and invention by our faculty, and all that matters most at your flagship university.

 

[Nostical]

To think that she doesn't understand the importance of major athletics to a University is insane. Unfortunately her predecessors didn't leave the school in a good enough position to play with the B1G boys and now she has to first make up ground before putting UConn where it belongs.

You have no idea how bad things were when she took over. Endowment a joke. Provost and AD hopeless.We were a school treading water. SH basically said "all those not willing to start swimming , get out of the pool. We have to drain it, recaulk it and re-fill it---and if you get back in-- I better see you swimming with gusto.

 

[noeynox]

Nositcal, how much things like the endowment improved. I can't imagine too much yet, she's only been here two years.

 

[Dann]

i think she raised it like 10% or something in year 1 and has aims for a billion total in the future from like 200mil or something. #B1GENDOWMENT

 

[junglehusky]

What... nobody's going to make a joke out of Nostical's mention of "endowment" and "re-caulk"???

PS... as a member of the #BegHarder crew - this was always partly ironic in response to Nelson saying "Beg Harder isn't going to work". I have always been of the opinion that a B1G invite is down the road, a matter of years not months. And I remain of the opinion that if a couple schools leave the ACC we'll be there in a jiffy. Either way UConn needs to make its case as strong as possible both in public and in private, which last year to some people qualified as #BegHarder.

 

[mikeinmanila]

Focusing on academics and research is a good move by Herbst since it's UConn's distinct advanatage over those schools still not in a top 5 conference. She's building on our strengths while getting our athletic programs in order.

The good news here…we may have finally hit rock bottom (not counting what appears to be a very painful upcoming football season)…

However it’s always darkest before the dawn. Here’s my crystal ball on how things start to turn around for the better starting next month:

• Jan 2013: Ollie gets signed to a long term contract stabalizing the MBB program
• April 2013: UConn women win their 8th national title
• Dec 2013: Pasqualoni gets fired after a 5-7, 5-7 and 4-8 seasons and new coach re-energizies program; season ticket sales increase to 30K
• February 2014: Ollie lands 2-3, 4 to 5 star recruits
• April 2014: UConn men return to the NCAA tournament and UConn women play for their 9th national title
• Sept 2014: UConn gets AAU invite
• Oct 2014: UConn opens new on campus Basketball Development Center. Both men’s and women’s BB teams start the season nationally ranked. Upgrades to all on campus athletic facilities are completed. UConn begins competition in Hockey East.
• November 2014: UConn football is enjoying its best football season in 4 years and is in contention for the league title; much is written about UConn’s "amazing" turnaround.
• December 2014: UConn football appears in it’s first bowl game in 4 years; season ticket sales jump to 35K and fundraising begins to expand the Rent to 55K
• Jan 2015: UConn is invited to join the B1G
  
  UConn has shown it can build very strong programs – and despite the current 3 year setback in football (not as bad as Steve Kragthorpe at Louisville, Greg Robinson at Syracuse or Frank Spaziani at BC - but still pretty bad) – UConn will get things back on track in a B1G way…
  
  Hang in their UConn fans….there are brighter days ahead.

 

[mikeinmanila]

BTW, the endowment is closer to $400M, but needs to get to $1B to be in the range of other large land grant universities (Herbst's goal)

 

[HuskyPete]

Focusing on academics and research is a good move by Herbst since it's UConn's distinct advanatage over those schools still not in a top 5 conference. She's building on our strengths while getting our athletic programs in order.

The good news here…we may have finally hit rock bottom (not counting what appears to be a very painful upcoming football season)…

However it’s always darkest before the dawn. Here’s my crystal ball on how things start to turn around for the better starting next month:

• Jan 2013: Ollie gets signed to a long term contract stabalizing the MBB program
• April 2013: UConn women win their 8th national title
• Dec 2013: Pasqualoni gets fired after a 5-7, 5-7 and 4-8 seasons and new coach re-energizies program; season ticket sales increase to 30K
• February 2014: Ollie lands 2-3, 4 to 5 star recruits
• April 2014: UConn men return to the NCAA tournament and UConn women play for their 9th national title
• Sept 2014: UConn gets AAU invite
• Oct 2014: UConn opens new on campus Basketball Development Center. Both men’s and women’s BB teams start the season nationally ranked. Upgrades to all on campus athletic facilities are completed. UConn begins competition in Hockey East.
• November 2014: UConn football is enjoying its best football season in 4 years and is in contention for the league title; much is written about UConn’s "amazing" turnaround.
• December 2014: UConn football appears in it’s first bowl game in 4 years; season ticket sales jump to 35K and fundraising begins to expand the Rent to 55K
• Jan 2015: UConn is invited to join the B1G
  
  UConn has shown it can build very strong programs – and despite the current 3 year setback in football (not as bad as Steve Kragthorpe at Louisville, Greg Robinson at Syracuse or Frank Spaziani at BC - but still pretty bad) – UConn will get things back on track in a B1G way…
  
  Hang in their UConn fans….there are brighter days ahead.

Great write up Mike, My same thoughts and very realistic.