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Message: [QUOTE="Pudge, post: 4168645, member: 364"] Benedict is the best Athletic Director at UCONN since our revolutionary - Lew Perkins. Perkins role was shake things up and make us think in a whole different framework than this state ever had. Benedict has the modern Athletic Department role in a excellent mode: particularly this New England Public that has major challenges. Chiefly how we manage being a bigtime school with blueblood programs in hoop and try for excellence in sports (defined as National Championship quality or best capable nationally) with best practices. 70% of his time and headache is Football. But we are firmly targeting tops in northeast baseball, mens and womens ice hockey, field hockey. Men's and women's soccer needs to be in this category, and we should win and compete in the tournament yearly. Conference? Benedict shrewdly handled the transition out of our poorly positioned AAC to Big East and others. Well done. First, Benedict was not involved in Calhoun straight line to Ollie. A sad adventure for this school. And I am one to praise Ollie for his excellent coaching in the 2014 tournament: but he was just inept at running a fully competitive CBB Program of a top 20 stature. And my feeling ... he sufffered from total disintermediation post divorce. He melted. Football? I don't think Edsall 2.0 was a good call. However. We did it because of our money posture - which sucked at that moment. Ollie was a heavy hit; and is. The exit fees entrance fees etc. Benedict was pushed to make a HC choice that fit a much tougher dollar structure; and we got a Edsall we didn't expect. Today? We have better money prospects; we have proven that the independent schedule and television can be workable; and Edsall (IMHO) left us with some developing talent. Then Gbandi. Admittedly, I desperately want this to work. I went to Reid games (probably 5 in last 4 years). But my passion over time from Morrone to today is lacking. My view is Gbandi did a good job at Northeastern. We could grab a more positive HC profile - I think we were willing to pay good money. I don't think Ray Reid had any big say in this job. Though the big booster behind the stadium probably did. Baseline? I want energy. Someone who cares. That's a Gbandi. I have talked to Margaret and the assistant - O'Brien - and I think we will see good things. I would love (and go to far more games) if Gbandi carves a niche in our regional world like Penders. A solid Program where we make the NCAA tourney most all our years and we are yearly expected to do great. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach