Louisville

[BobbyPs Ghost]

Who didn't Gee poke in the eye with that rant? Oh yeah, the Mormons - wonder why? Reminds me of that great line from Paul Azinger about Johnny Miller (paraphrasing now) - "He's the biggest genius, I mean Mormon in the booth".

It's not the first time that Gee has removed the speed bump between his brain and mouth - just the latest...

 

[Carl Spackler]

Glad you are back. Kind of.

But seriously this was not fixable once she got here. Agree with your sentiments completely but we have been so far behind everyone else on fundraising for so many years it can't get fixed overnight.

So aside from the bashing please list the HFD iron clad steps that Herbst could have followed that would have won, not just what might have made you feel better.

I expect what will follow is some nonsense like "go getters get what can be got" which is pretty much like " we are winning winners that win" which means in the real world.

I recall some very ambitious goals being stated regarding growing the endowment, and raising contributions. Any updates available anywhere on how that might be going?

One of the difficulties, for the leadership at UCONN, is that in fundraising, they fight an entitlement culture that exists in this state. It's a difficult thing to change, and it takes a great deal of time and effort. In different types of cultures, all it takes is a concerted, motivated and well trained in talking on the phone, call center - to exponentially ramp up donations. It's more difficult in a place like Connecticut. But it's not impossible, it just takes effort. And I agree with your sentiments, the effort simply hasn't been there in the past. Since Herbst has been in charge, I've seen huge changes in that respect from academic efforts at fund raising, athletic efforts, and alumni association.

I hope they've made headway, and it's looking good. FWIW: I don't believe that Jim Calhoun has helped much in this regard with his public image. A better public image from him over the years, and the fund raising abilities, which are certainly there - see boneyard cardiac machine effort......and instead of "not a dime back", perhaps everybody would have been giving dimes to UCONN regularly, instead of waiting for some kind of relief effort,to make themselves feel good about giving, rather than giving back to the university regularly. Entitlement culture. Just saying.

 

[specialisthusky]

I recall some very ambitious goals being stated regarding growing the endowment, and raising contributions. Any updates available anywhere on how that might be going?

One of the difficulties, for the leadership at UCONN, is that in fundraising, they fight an entitlement culture that exists in this state. It's a difficult thing to change, and it takes a great deal of time and effort. In different types of cultures, all it takes is a concerted, motivated and well trained in talking on the phone, call center - to exponentially ramp up donations. It's more difficult in a place like Connecticut. But it's not impossible, it just takes effort. And I agree with your sentiments, the effort simply hasn't been there in the past. Since Herbst has been in charge, I've seen huge changes in that respect from academic efforts at fund raising, athletic efforts, and alumni association.

I hope they've made headway, and it's looking good. FWIW: I don't believe that Jim Calhoun has helped much in this regard with his public image. A better public image from him over the years, and the fund raising abilities, which are certainly there - see boneyard cardiac machine effort......and instead of "not a dime back", perhaps everybody would have been giving dimes to UCONN regularly, instead of waiting for some kind of relief effort,to make themselves feel good about giving, rather than giving back to the university regularly. Entitlement culture. Just saying.

I really do not think Coach Calhoun's "not a dime back" moment had any affect on the University's overall endowment. The fact is the endowment, along with other things such as overal number applicants, UConn 2000, UConn football's FCS upgrade, and the overall rise in the university, can likely be linked back to the begining of the sucess UConn experienced in MBB and WBB.

 

[upstater]

This thread is quickly becoming "crazy."

 

[Carl Spackler]

Geno's Sandy Hook Scholarship project generated over a million in donations. Calhoun's cardiac thing got what $30k alone from the boneyard. People in CT have money, and they are willing to donate to what they think are worthy causes. But there is without a doubt, a government induced entitlement culture in this state. I brought up the "not a dime back" thing, b/c fund raising for UCONN is all PR. Public relations. People - specifically alumni - need to turned onto realizing that giving back, simply in the form of general donations, whether it be to the academic school they earned their degree from, or the athletic department - is a worthy cause.

That historically has not been Jim Calhoun's strong suit. I'd like to see the guy, at this stage of his career at UCONN, take some PR lessons from somebody and turn into the greatest fund raiser in the history of the school.

As for the topic at hand, Louisville, that school, was cut out of the big time college football money sharing in crowd in 1991-1992. Tom Jurich, for his entire time there, has been working to find a way back in, and the Big East provided the route back in, through the basketball programs, and he managed to get them into the ACC and stay in it.

THey raised a ton of money at that school, for athletics, and they built large facilities for ticket sales, and they did what it took to doctor the books to be at the top of every media list.

People, that have gotten somethign meaningful from UCONN - need to give back to the university. It's a culture shift that needs to happen among students and alumni. It's a shame that it's taken as long as it has, for a leadership to arise that is focused on it. Lots of time and energy for people to bitch about our situation, but if you want to do something meaningful, donate back to the school.



Soapbox out.

 

[The Funster]

This thread is quickly becoming "crazy."

Somewhere, in a secret place, I see an aircraft carrier sitting stoically while its radar antenna spins crazily to the beat of a different drummer.​

 

[J187Money]

Geno's Sandy Hook Scholarship project generated over a million in donations. Calhoun's cardiac thing got what $30k alone from the boneyard. People in CT have money, and they are willing to donate to what they think are worthy causes. But there is without a doubt, a government induced entitlement culture in this state. I brought up the "not a dime back" thing, b/c fund raising for UCONN is all PR. Public relations. People - specifically alumni - need to turned onto realizing that giving back, simply in the form of general donations, whether it be to the academic school they earned their degree from, or the athletic department - is a worthy cause.

That historically has not been Jim Calhoun's strong suit. I'd like to see the guy, at this stage of his career at UCONN, take some PR lessons from somebody and turn into the greatest fund raiser in the history of the school.

As for the topic at hand, Louisville, that school, was cut out of the big time college football money sharing in crowd in 1991-1992. Tom Jurich, for his entire time there, has been working to find a way back in, and the Big East provided the route back in, through the basketball programs, and he managed to get them into the ACC and stay in it.

THey raised a ton of money at that school, for athletics, and they built large facilities for ticket sales, and they did what it took to doctor the books to be at the top of every media list.

People, that have gotten somethign meaningful from UCONN - need to give back to the university. It's a culture shift that needs to happen among students and alumni. It's a shame that it's taken as long as it has, for a leadership to arise that is focused on it. Lots of time and energy for people to bitch about our situation, but if you want to do something meaningful, donate back to the school.



Soapbox out.

You are 100% right.