Rock Star Warde Manuel

[amory]

The most positive opinion you could possibly hold about the Rock Star at this point would be that he hasn't done any harm.

"There wasn't anything he could've done to make a better case to the ACC! It's really not his fault!"
"He's right to keep evaluating KO's performance! At this point the best thing he can do is just watch and wait!"
I was going to make a hypothetical argument about why PP should still be the coach of the football team but, I'm not sure anyone can even hypothetically make that argument at this point.

If the nicest thing my boss could say about me since February was that I haven't actually done any harm, even if I haven't really done anything beneficial either...I'd be out on my ass. And I'm not the one about to eclipse the $400k mark for the year while the building's burning down behind me.

 

[freescooter]

Manuel is going to get hung with this and he's as good as gone, mostly because you can't fire the president so soon after hiring her, But make no mistake, she took a huge hit on this and will face significant pushback from lots of constituencies over her policies from here on out. Ollie will likely be extended becasue Manuel needs to take some action to try and re-establish himself with the UConn fanbase. I doubt it works, and I think he knows it won't too, but he has to try and probably realizes he won't have to live with the consequences if Ollie turns out to be a turnip.

 

[Waquoit]

Manuel is going to get hung with this and he's as good as gone, mostly because you can't fire the president so soon after hiring her, But make no mistake, she took a huge hit on this and will face significant pushback from lots of constituencies over her policies from here on out. Ollie will likely be extended becasue Manuel needs to take some action to try and re-establish himself with the UConn fanbase. I doubt it works, and I think he knows it won't too, but he has to try and probably realizes he won't have to live with the consequences if Ollie turns out to be a turnip.

I agree with what you say about these guys, especially Suzie Q. I never got the initial hype, it seemed unfounded to me. But I slowly began to sip the Kool-Aid and I was warming up to her. But now, what I first saw as her weeding out the deadwood in UConn administration now seems like simple empire bulding. Making space for new crew of overpaid cronies. And the rockstar? I was in his corner. Now all can think is that he just a Hack from the MAC.

 

[Brochacho]

I gotta ask...where is the donut teasing coming from. Was he caught on camera swallowing a glazed crueller or something? Or is this just a fat reference people think is funny?

 

[ruskin]

Jesus Christ. sick of the whining here about Manuel and now Ollie's contract and the effect on recruiting. Ollie - who I have much confidence in - has a very simple answer to any recruit who might question whether or not he's going to be here in the future "I played in the NBA 13 YEARS on 10-day contracts. No big deal."

Back to Warde. Like Burton said, He's cleaning up the mess left by his predecessor. Am I disappointed? You bet. Bad form to be in the Virgin Islands? Not quite sold on that. The last time UConn got skewered for being too public about wanting in. So this time we say nothing, Jurich and company go all-out and we lose out again. Yes it sucks for now. What I'm becoming more pissed at is the silence from the governor. Now mind you, he might be waiting for the question. But if it's not coming - and he would be a great column for Jacobs or DiMauro or one of the Horde guys - he NEEDS TO SAY SOMETHING sooner rather than later.

 

[ruskin]

And BTW the jackasses with the fat jokes ought to see the guy up close some time (and check out his athletic resume). He's not Lew Perkins on two bad knees. he could take care of himself if the need arose. Might as well call Vince Wilfork fat . . . there's Lew fat and Vince fat. I wouldn't call the Vince fat guys fat to their face.

 

[huskiesnyc]

I said this before and got criticized, but I knew we were in for trouble when Warde went to the Virgin Islands instead of making an effort to sell. Oh it's higher than his level? Tell that to Louisville AD Tom Jurich. What did he do that same day you ask? He canceled his trip to the Bahamas, and lobbied his ass off with the media, school presidents, and athletic directors. Louisville sold perception that their athletic department is stronger than ours- not reality. This is the first time a school with a stronger market, far superior academics, and a comparable athletic department lost out in realignment. We got outmaneuvered, out hustled, and they wanted it more plan and simple. By a school ranked #160 academically nonetheless. I wish our administration had an ounce of the passion us fans on the BY have. Feel free to disagree with me, but I feel there needs to be accountability from our current administration, instead of blaming everything on Jeff Hathaway. He's long gone and WM and Susan we're the clear frontrunners and got schooled.

 

[TRest]

I said this before and got criticized, but I knew we were in for trouble when Warde went to the Virgin Islands instead of making an effort to sell. Oh it's higher than his level? Tell that to Louisville AD Tom Jurich. What did he do that same day you ask? He canceled his trip to the Bahamas, and lobbied his ass off with the media, school presidents, and athletic directors. Louisville sold perception that their athletic department is stronger than ours- not reality. This is the first time a school with a stronger market, far superior academics, and a comparable athletic department lost out in realignment. We got outmaneuvered, out hustled, and they wanted it more plan and simple. By a school ranked #160 academically nonetheless. I wish our administration had an ounce of the passion us fans on the BY have. Feel free to disagree with me, but I feel there needs to be accountability from our current administration, instead of blaming everything on Jeff Hathaway. He's long gone and WM and Susan we're the clear frontrunners and got schooled.

Herbst practically had a meltdown when Pitt and Cuse got invited. So she knew this was critical. There is a difference between keeping a low profile in public and working their ass of behind the scenes; or going on a pre-paid holiday as one of the perks of the job. Herbst should have been making personal appearances in president's offices all over the ACC last week, just as she did when she drove up to BC to kiss the pinky ring last year.

 

[Brochacho]

Let me know when Warde does one of the following:
- Stops handicapping the basketball program
- Holds PP to the same standards as Ollie
- Schedules an OOC game for football
- Schedules a relevant OOC game for basketball
- Oversees a move to a better conference
- At least try to pretend that getting to the ACC/B1G is important for UConn. Being in the Virgin Islands dicking around in what could have been the most important time in UConn's athletic history says a lot.

 

[UConn990411]

- Holds PP to the same standards as Ollie

I want Pasqualoni gone no matter what UConn does Saturday, and I'm all aboard the Ollie bandwagon, but this doesn't make any sense. PP actually has a track record that extends over decades, not weeks. His resume at UConn is pretty underwhelming, but there is at least some reason (not much, but an iota) to think he could have some success here.

Ollie, on the other hand, had six games under his belt and two years recruiting for one of the greatest coaches of all time. To say their situations are apples to oranges would be understating it quite a bit.

I don't want to act like I'm defending Warde (or Susan) - he's done nothing to gain my confidence yet - but people on here are really duck*ing stupid whenever he comes up. None of us have a clue what Warde did or did not do with regard to the ACC situation. He may have helped, he may have hurt UConn's chances, or he made have made no difference - we have no idea. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

And considering I picture the average Boneyard poster being a slob who sits behind his keyboard refreshing Twitter every 20 seconds, you at least have to appreciate the irony of all the fat guy jokes. (I, myself, am in perfect shape.)

 

[ctchamps]

Jesus Christ. sick of the whining here about Manuel and now Ollie's contract and the effect on recruiting. Ollie - who I have much confidence in - has a very simple answer to any recruit who might question whether or not he's going to be here in the future "I played in the NBA 13 YEARS on 10-day contracts. No big deal."

Back to Warde. Like Burton said, He's cleaning up the mess left by his predecessor. Am I disappointed? You bet. Bad form to be in the Virgin Islands? Not quite sold on that. The last time UConn got skewered for being too public about wanting in. So this time we say nothing, Jurich and company go all-out and we lose out again. Yes it sucks for now. What I'm becoming more pissed at is the silence from the governor. Now mind you, he might be waiting for the question. But if it's not coming - and he would be a great column for Jacobs or DiMauro or one of the Horde guys - he NEEDS TO SAY SOMETHING sooner rather than later.

I think you'll have a lot of time to get sicker cause there's going to be a whole lot more whining if I know us Boneyarders! Hope you can take a moment to laugh a little about this even with your passionate viewpoint. If not I apologize in advance.

 

[ctchamps]

I want Pasqualoni gone no matter what UConn does Saturday, and I'm all aboard the Ollie bandwagon, but this doesn't make any sense. PP actually has a track record that extends over decades, not weeks. His resume at UConn is pretty underwhelming, but there is at least some reason (not much, but an iota) to think he could have some success here.

Ollie, on the other hand, had six games under his belt and two years recruiting for one of the greatest coaches of all time. To say their situations are apples to oranges would be understating it quite a bit.

I don't want to act like I'm defending Warde (or Susan) - he's done nothing to gain my confidence yet - but people on here are really duck*ing stupid whenever he comes up. None of us have a clue what Warde did or did not do with regard to the ACC situation. He may have helped, he may have hurt UConn's chances, or he made have made no difference - we have no idea. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

And considering I picture the average Boneyard poster being a slob who sits behind his keyboard refreshing Twitter every 20 seconds, you at least have to appreciate the irony of all the fat guy jokes. (I, myself, am in perfect shape.)

I myself and in such great shape that I have to chase away all the young beautiful movie gals who coming knocking on my front door. I am ironclad ball of irony.

 

[Brochacho]

I want Pasqualoni gone no matter what UConn does Saturday, and I'm all aboard the Ollie bandwagon, but this doesn't make any sense. PP actually has a track record that extends over decades, not weeks. His resume at UConn is pretty underwhelming, but there is at least some reason (not much, but an iota) to think he could have some success here.

Ollie, on the other hand, had six games under his belt and two years recruiting for one of the greatest coaches of all time. To say their situations are apples to oranges would be understating it quite a bit.

I don't want to act like I'm defending Warde (or Susan) - he's done nothing to gain my confidence yet - but people on here are really duck*ing stupid whenever he comes up. None of us have a clue what Warde did or did not do with regard to the ACC situation. He may have helped, he may have hurt UConn's chances, or he made have made no difference - we have no idea. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

And considering I picture the average Boneyard poster being a slob who sits behind his keyboard refreshing Twitter every 20 seconds, you at least have to appreciate the irony of all the fat guy jokes. (I, myself, am in perfect shape.)

Last line made me laugh. But it doesn't matter what PP did at 'Cuse. What matters is what he is doing at UConn, running the football program into the ground. Season should be a 3-9 one, but the players have trumped the stupidity of the coaches with their will to win. Ollie did more for UConn with the win vs Michigan State than PP has done for the UConn brand in two years.

And the ACC/Louisville move was made on perception, or it was at least a key part. How is it perceived when you AD is spending his time in the Virgin Islands relaxing while Louisville put a full-court press on the ACC? Answer: not good. Calhoun left, people presumed the program was dead. Giving Ollie a 5-month contract does nothing to help this. Ask a random fan from some other university about the UConn football team. "They have a team? Oh yeah, they were that team that didn't belong in the BCS and got pounded by Oklahoma!" That is what UConn football is right now in the eyes of other fanbases. Warde, you need to fix that and that is why you are paid the big bucks.

 

[ASweet3781]

It's priorities. Football is the sport that drives everything. UConn had a football game at Louisville Saturday. Manuel was at a preseason November women's basketball tournament where UConn won by an average of 50 pts each game. He was not at the football game. Add the little nugget that Jurich cancelled his trip, stayed in Louisville, and got his team in the ACC. It may not be fair to hold Manuel accountable for this failure in imagery, but it's certainly an image I have a hard time shaking right now.

 

[UConn990411]

I don't disagree with your stance on football - PP needs to go regardless of what happens Saturday. The team needs a coach who can bring the program to a higher level, not someone who's already looking for a retirement home.

But I think people are misconstruing the whole "perception" angle. The national perception is that Louisville's football program is on another level from UConn (factually not true), and that adding Louisville will make the ACC a substantially better football conference (adding practically anyone from the Big East to replace Maryland could have accomplished that). Warde being in the Virgin Islands had no impact on the perception of the football program.

There's a whole lot more that factored in (i.e. potentially losing LV to the Big 12, the North vs. South thing, etc.), but football perception was definitely a big one.

 

[Drumguy]

How do we know Manuel was incommunicado at the basketball tournament? I agree that he should have been back here, if for nothing other than appearances sake, but did he shut himself off from phone, email, Skype, cell phone, ham radio, carrier pigeon, etc contact from the mainland?

You ever travel? I do a lot. When you are away you are not aceessable. Impressions mattered a lot in this case. Out of sight out of mind. Go read some of the articles about why LV was chosen. Jurich was on the phone to every and anyone that would take his calls.

 

[Brochacho]

Past 10 seasons + 2012
Louisville: 86-50, 3-4 Bowl W/L
UConn: 75-59, 3-2 Bowl W/L

Night and day, huh? Louisville is better for 1 win a year than UConn. I don't recall an action by Warde or Susan to curb this thought process, however. And we have had 7 games under PP than could easily be in the W column. 82-52, with maybe another a bowl win and possibly right in it for the BE title this year, and we would look a whole lot different.

 

[Gurleyman]

These days with mobile devices, you are just as accessible anywhere there's a signal. Phone, email, internet, conference calls, whatever. The only thing you can't do is meet face-to-face, or have access to physical records/files/archives in your office.

 

[ruskin]

Let me know when Warde does one of the following:
- Stops handicapping the basketball program
- Holds PP to the same standards as Ollie
- Schedules an OOC game for football
- Schedules a relevant OOC game for basketball
- Oversees a move to a better conference
- At least try to pretend that getting to the ACC/B1G is important for UConn. Being in the Virgin Islands dicking around in what could have been the most important time in UConn's athletic history says a lot.

You might want to call that mushroom cap down at Hofstra. SMH ppl expected this guy to fix all of the above in 12 months.

 

[freescooter]

You might want to call that mushroom cap down at Hofstra. SMH ppl expected this guy to fix all of the above in 12 months.

Nobody expected him to fix everything in 12 months (actually 9). What was expected of both he and Susan Herbst was that they would be out front fighting tooth and nail to get UConn into the ACC. Again, Louisville wasn't even on the board when this began. They pushed every button while Herbst and Manuel "monitored the situation." When word came out that Louisville was making a move, they should have taken them on head to head, discounted everything they said. Becasue they could have and it would have been accurate. But he was on the beach at a womens basketball tourney were we won games by 50 plus points. Jurich cancelled his trip and did everything but fix turkey dinners for the ACC decision makers. Lined up Senator McConnell to make calls, too. Look I blame Herbst far more than Manuel, but he'll take the fall.

 

[ruskin]

Im still giving SH/WM the benefit of the doubt. Not going to kill Warde for not changing his schedule. He could have promised the world to FSU and Clemson and we were still screwed.

But no question the leash is getting a bit shorter.

 

[Waquoit]

Nobody expected him to fix everything in 12 months (actually 9). ... Look I blame Herbst far more than Manuel, but he'll take the fall.

Don't forget there was a guy not named Hathaway that preceded Manual as AD. When he made his first public appearance, he made no mention of the conference realignment situation. I thought that was a red flag at the time.

 

[PolisHusky]

He is busy pasting up Uconn billboards in Berlin and St. Thomas. New strategy. He wants 70-80 million new TVs tuning in to SNY to watch the Three Germans who will help our programs remain viable. That is the plan.

 

[uconNYC]

Just saw Tim Pernetti being interviewed on SNY. On a different level compared to Donuts.

 

[amory]

You might want to call that mushroom cap down at Hofstra. SMH ppl expected this guy to fix all of the above in 12 months.

I'd like him to do one thing that signifies he's worthy of the job. Just one.