Live Stream of Diaco Press Conference

[jostar1]

In today's article, Jeff Jacobs wrote:
"We'll see if we can work the room on some matters today, but I'm dying to put together a timeline of all the interviews, the offers, the rejections, the terms, the negotiating ploys, the ultimate success."

Jacobs did ask the question to try to find out when Diaco started thinking about the UCONN job but he didn't get much of an answer from Diaco, just a generic "I've always known about UCONN." I hope that Jacobs pursues the story. I have a feeling Diaco really was Warde's first choice.

 

[coachcap]

I almost choked on my coffee when, after talking about what kind of offense he wants to run (ending with throwing the ball downfield), Warde's voice is heard in the background "And that's when I fell in Love!"

 

[sportsart]

In today's article, Jeff Jacobs wrote:
"We'll see if we can work the room on some matters today, but I'm dying to put together a timeline of all the interviews, the offers, the rejections, the terms, the negotiating ploys, the ultimate success."

Jacobs did ask the question to try to find out when Diaco started thinking about the UCONN job but he didn't get much of an answer from Diaco, just a generic "I've always known about UCONN." I hope that Jacobs pursues the story. I have a feeling Diaco really was Warde's first choice.

Warde made it very clear Diaco was his first choice and the money is there for assistant coaches. For him to address it like he did I have no doubt Diaco was his first choice.

He said Diaco was his first interview of the day. how can you not be thinking about this guy while Narduzzi plods through his interview. I can't see Narduzzi putting on the sales pitch Diaco certainly did.

That's all it took for Warde to know who really wanted the job. You can't fake real enthusiasm.

 

[jostar1]

 

[amory]

Such as...?

"No school in the country has better facilities than we have here. They may be different, but they're not better"
"How long have I thought about being the head football coach at UConn? My entire career."
The AAC stuff

I also didn't particularly like that he said it wasn't hard at all to leave Notre Dame. Some of his players seemed pretty upset about it yesterday when the news broke and he didn't really mention them, but then talked about how much he loves the kids who play for him.

Nothing terrible. I really like him, I'm excited for him to be our guy. Like I said, just some stuff I noticed.

 

[Dove]

Holy f###. I have to leave work now. I work on the 3rd floor. I'M JUMPING OFF THE ROOF. I BELIEVE I CAN FLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I get to the car to listen on 1080 WTIC and I hear Gov Corruption. Swing and a miss!

 

[Jax Husky]

Matt Stypulkoski ‏@M_Stypulkoski 1m
Just got a copy of Diaco's contract. First fun tidbit: if #UConn wins the national title, he gets a $400k bonus.

Patrick Eaton-Robb ‏@peatonrobb 1m
Diaco will make $1.5 in first year, $1.7 in last year of 5-year deal at #UConn.

John Silver ‏@JohnFSilver 35s
$400,000 base + $1.1 mil = $1.5 year 1.

John Silver ‏@JohnFSilver 17s
Goes up $50,000 every year to a high of $1.7 million in 2018.

Let's hope he's renegotiating for $2.5 million in 3 years

 

[jostar1]

I also didn't particularly like that he said it wasn't hard at all to leave Notre Dame. Some of his players seemed pretty upset about it yesterday when the news broke and he didn't really mention them, but then talked about how much he loves the kids who play for him.

It was an answer to a tough question. Talking about the recruits, he basically said that it was still a good match between the recruit and the school, and tried to leave himself out of the picture. It's just the reality of the business.

Happened to see this on the Ball State board:

"Tommy Tubberville got up from dinner with a Texas Tech recruit to accept the Cincinnati job and never returned."

Don't know if it's true.

 

[joey3$trike$]

"No school in the country has better facilities than we have here. They may be different, but they're not better"
"How long have I thought about being the head football coach at UConn? My entire career."
The AAC stuff

I also didn't particularly like that he said it wasn't hard at all to leave Notre Dame. Some of his players seemed pretty upset about it yesterday when the news broke and he didn't really mention them, but then talked about how much he loves the kids who play for him.

Nothing terrible. I really like him, I'm excited for him to be our guy. Like I said, just some stuff I noticed.

The guy is a salesman after all, I for one am happy he has Uconn across his chest, I'll buy whatever his shoveling out.

 

[Jerry27]

Hopefully you don't look too desheveled? I got lost in your eyes and would kill for your hair.

Holy Sh t! I laughed so loud!!

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

He is in the right place at the right time.

I can see how some schools may think he is too young for the HC job. It doesn't help that he looks like he is 30.

But....that youth...and enthusiasm is EXACTLY what UConn needs right now.

 

[bigAbruns]

It was an answer to a tough question. Talking about the recruits, he basically said that it was still a good match between the recruit and the school, and tried to leave himself out of the picture. It's just the reality of the business.

Happened to see this on the Ball State board:

"Tommy Tubberville got up from dinner with a Texas Tech recruit to accept the Cincinnati job and never returned."

Don't know if it's true.

I remember hearing about that. I heard it was a few recruits.

 

[stephen Henry]

I also didn't particularly like that he said it wasn't hard at all to leave Notre Dame. Some of his players seemed pretty upset about it yesterday when the news broke and he didn't really mention them, but then talked about how much he loves the kids who play for him.

That is a fair point, because it does seem to be somewhat of a contradiction. However, the poor guy has been up for nearly 3 days with little or no sleep and is probably excited (his enthusiasm seems genuine) so I will give him a pass.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I also didn't particularly like that he said it wasn't hard at all to leave Notre Dame. Some of his players seemed pretty upset about it yesterday when the news broke and he didn't really mention them, but then talked about how much he loves the kids who play for him.

That is a fair point, because it does seem to be somewhat of a contradiction. However, the poor guy has been up for nearly 3 days with little or no sleep and is probably excited (his enthusiasm seems genuine) so I will give him a pass.

I think the point he was trying to get across is that it wasn't hard to leave the DC position for a HC position.

That's what my brain processed when I heard that part of the presser.

 

[huskymedic]

zach_barnett5:08pm via Tweet Button
Bob Diaco speaks Latin, references Garth Brooks and wins his first press conference at UConn shar.es/OgqtD

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I wouldn't read too much into the leaiving ND answer. It's his first press conference after a whirlwind 24 hours with probably very little sleep, and he's trying to answer as truthfully as he can while not setting off any time bombs. How would you all have felt if he said, "You know, it was really hard to leave ND, I loved it there so much, saying goodbye to the players and recruits was really difficult, I had great relationships with everyone, it was a wonderful job to have at such an extraordinary institution..." Then the spin is, well, wait a minute, is your heart still at ND or is it here?

It's a tough question for him to answer because he's damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.

 

[huskymedic]

Didn't he preface the answer to the question by saying ND will always have a special place in his heat (paraphrase). I know I heard that somewhere along the lines there.

 

[MattMang23]

I love this guy. I am so pumped up to have him as our coach.

 

[FluxTZ]

When I close my eyes and listen, he sounds like a young Geno.

Scary accurate. I missed it live and am listening blindly while doing work. SCARY ACCURATE - WOW.

 

[itgoeslike]

Nice Presser. A little nutty at times (in a good way) but I'm onboard. Pass me some more Kool-Aid. . .

 

[sportsart]

As usual ESPN didn't feel we were worthy of sending a crew less than an hour away to cover the event. They had a nice AP write up though.

 

[Dove]

Seeing him live he is definitely Doug from The Hangover.

 

[storrsroars]

Hopefully you don't look too desheveled? I got lost in your eyes and would kill for your hair.

Well, even though they said his wife and family were there, he wasn't wearing a wedding band so you might have a shot at him.

 

[FluxTZ]

As much as I was into the possibility of Narduzzi becoming our next coach, I could not be happier with Diaco as our guy. I feel if it were Narduzzi, he would just look at it as simply a job and a step towards something bigger.

In his presser, Diaco was visibly excited and genuinely wants to be here. Even if he may see us as a stepping stone today, that doesn't mean he'll feel the same way 3 years from now. If 3 years from now he bolts for a higher profile P5 HC position, then clearly the team has been winning, is in good shape, and I'd have complete confidence in Warde picking the right guy once again.

I just don't see Narduzzi giving an introductory press conference like that for us nor do I see him being as excited about the opportunity as Diaco clearly was today.

(Yes, I posted this in another thread but I think it applies here too.)

 

[CTMike]

This guy is so perfect that if he wasn't ours it would annoy the out of me. Haha.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[coachcap]

As usual ESPN didn't feel we were worthy of sending a crew less than an hour away to cover the event. They had a nice AP write up though.

Well, on ESPNU's College Football Live at 5:30, Dari Nokah spoke for 30 seconds on the Diaco hire by UCONN, which Jesse Palmer turned into a 2 minute discussion on how Diaco's leaving affects Notre Dame's bowl preparation.

 

[IMind]

"No school in the country has better facilities than we have here. They may be different, but they're not better"
"How long have I thought about being the head football coach at UConn? My entire career."
The AAC stuff

I also didn't particularly like that he said it wasn't hard at all to leave Notre Dame. Some of his players seemed pretty upset about it yesterday when the news broke and he didn't really mention them, but then talked about how much he loves the kids who play for him.

Nothing terrible. I really like him, I'm excited for him to be our guy. Like I said, just some stuff I noticed.

We actually do have facilities as nice as anywhere in the nation. People say it over and over again... that stuff about coming to the Rent from Virginia felt true too... the AAC stuff? He's got to say it.

 

[BNich]

I also didn't particularly like that he said it wasn't hard at all to leave Notre Dame. Some of his players seemed pretty upset about it yesterday when the news broke and he didn't really mention them, but then talked about how much he loves the kids who play for him.

That is a fair point, because it does seem to be somewhat of a contradiction. However, the poor guy has been up for nearly 3 days with little or no sleep and is probably excited (his enthusiasm seems genuine) so I will give him a pass.

If it wasn't hard to leave ND, after a year at Uconn say he builds relationships with players coaches etc, would you want it to be no big deal for him to leave for another position? NO. To mean that means when he has a job/position he buys into wholeheartedly. It's not just a job to him, but a passion. He loves what he does. He cares for those he coaches, teaches, and works alongside. That is enough for me.

If you had the opportunity to go from subordinate to head honcho, would you take it? That's a no brainer.

 

[2Infinity]

Well, on ESPNU's College Football Live at 5:30, Dari Nokah spoke for 30 seconds on the Diaco hire by UCONN, which Jesse Palmer turned into a 2 minute discussion on how Diaco's leaving affects Notre Dame's bowl preparation.

I didn't see it, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if the talking heads at ESPN spent more time yesterday talking about Narduzzi's "rejection", than they did today about Diaco's hire.