Team UConn

[CL82]

You've been reading my stuff all these years and as you sit there right now you actually think that the reason that I change handles frequently is because of the perception of me? Lol

I'll bite. Why do you change handles/personas so often?

 

[whaler11]

Yeah the person who hires the athletic director and signs the contracts that gave the last two jokers 17 million worth of buy outs on paper has no influence over athletics.

 

[intlzncster]

[sarcasm alert] Herbst and WM should have sprung for the coke hookers and bribes needed to outbid Jurich to ensure we got the ACC bid.

Not far off. No sarc. I think Jurich's willingness to beg, borrow, and steal to get into the ACC is a big part of what got them in. I don't think our team was ready to play in the mud.

 

[noeynox]

I’m not fully 30 years removed from graduating, plus my relevant degree came after from a different school. So it doesn’t affect me either.

Herbst has had no material impact on athletics. The negative events affecting UConn were all beyond her control. She couldn’t do anything about them. JC retiring, realignment, neither were things she could affect. We did build a new facility for football and basketball on her watch, and hockey upgraded to Hockey East. So among the things she could affect, she’s been positive. I think the Diaco hire was essentialy unlucky. The Ollie hire unwise. That happens. But both were Warde’s issues, not hers.

Which facility for football?

 

[Rocktheworld]

I’m among those who thinks she gets bashed too much and has done a reasonably good job all things considered, but I think she is wayyy overrated on this score. I just don’t see it.

Overrated? Shouldn’t even be rated.

Gotta feel kinda bad for dudes getting tingly over her

 

[Muddler]

I care only because I want UConn to be well thought of. I don’t want it to be a place about which people say... “0h, you went to UConn” with the implied “I’m sorry”. I want to be proud of it. I wouldn’t be proud of going to Memphis or Louisville no matter what their sports teams do.

But all of that misses the point. The President’s job is to care about academics, and research and money and marketing and everything else. Athletics is, a portion of the marketing. Nothing more. It keeps alumni engaged and can be attractive to some prospective students. It also helps get your name out. But the President doesn’t and shouldn’t focus much of her attention on it.

Really? You think the 20-30 million that Pitt earns being in the ACC doesn't matter? You think UConn could use that cash now? How much is now being spent to keep the athletic department afloat, that could be spent on academics?

 

[Muddler]

I’m not fully 30 years removed from graduating, plus my relevant degree came after from a different school. So it doesn’t affect me either.

Herbst has had no material impact on athletics. The negative events affecting UConn were all beyond her control. She couldn’t do anything about them. JC retiring, realignment, neither were things she could affect. We did build a new facility for football and basketball on her watch, and hockey upgraded to Hockey East. So among the things she could affect, she’s been positive. I think the Diaco hire was essentialy unlucky. The Ollie hire unwise. That happens. But both were Warde’s issues, not hers.

Ignorance is bliss

 

[ConnHuskBask]

To be clear, the majority of the blame for our current predicament goes on Hathaway and the leadership during the 2000s.

We had a basketball program that was arguably the best in the country, a burgeoning FBS program under Edsall and of course Geno and the women.

The best all around all around athletic department in the Big East. The Rent was selling out, Gampel and Civic center rocked and we're smack dab in the middle of NYC and Boston, while owning CT.

We squandered it all.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Ignorance is bliss

There is nothing more ignorant than believing that UConn could have somehow changed those outcomes if only the President “did something”. It’s nonsense.

We could have changed the outcome by starting D1 football 20-30 years sooner. 50 years would be even better. That’s about it.

 

[8893]

To be clear, the majority of the blame for our current predicament goes on Hathaway and the leadership during the 2000s.

We had a basketball program that was arguably the best in the country, a burgeoning FBS program under Edsall and of course Geno and the women.

The best all around all around athletic department in the Big East. The Rent was selling out, Gampel and Civic center rocked and we're smack dab in the middle of NYC and Boston, while owning CT.

We squandered it all.

Which is why firing Hathaway was Herbst’s first priority, and it was the right one. Wish she had done better with the first hire to replace him, but the next one seems much better so far.

 

[ecasadoSBU]

#HotTake I graduated over a decade ago and dont really care about academic rankings. The only connection I have to the school is athletics.

I thought only people from the South were willing to compromise academics for athletic success... I guess not.

You should feel embarrassed to even say such a thing.

UConn is first and foremost an academic institution and it's most valuable asset is the quality of education it provides to it's students. It's not about academic rankings per se, its about the quality (faculty, students, physical plant, etc). Athletics is just a form of entertainment and should never be prioritized ahead of academics.

Susan has been great for the University of Connecticut, that's why she is still there and will probably remain as the prez for a while longer.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Which is why firing Hathaway was Herbst’s first priority, and it was the right one. Wish she had done better with the first hire to replace him, but the next one seems much better so far.

Honestly, Warde was simply an ok hire. But the instincts were correct. She went and got a well reguarded guy with a football background. We can say he wasn’t great here, but Michigan hired him. So he obviously wasn’t a catastrophe. Ollie was forced on him by Calhoun, and Diaco was an unlucky hire. He looked the part until we saw him up close. I refuse to believe that Warde could have altered the ACC Louisville decision.

 

[Muddler]

There is nothing more ignorant than believing that UConn could have somehow changed those outcomes if only the President “did something”. It’s nonsense.

We could have changed the outcome by starting D1 football 20-30 years sooner. 50 years would be even better. That’s about it.

We were better than Pitt in football and basketball. In 2015, Georgia Tech received the lowest payout in the ACC at 22.6 million. Uconn has to subsidize Athletics---quite a big number. How many "research" dollars are now spent paying for flights to Tulsa? But hey, get fired up for Tulane coming to Hartford next year.

 

[fatlucy]

If you really care if the school is ranked 35th or 20th in some dopey system that is easily gamed you’ve got way too much of your self-esteem tied up in what the faculty to student ratio is long after you’ve graduated.

The academic reputation of the school is critical. First of all it’s a huge economic driver for the state an second my kids may be graduating from UCONN in the 6-7 years so ranking and academic excellence mean a hell of a lot.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I thought only people from the South were willing to compromise academics for athletic success... I guess not.

You should feel embarrassed to even say such a thing.

UConn is first and foremost an academic institution and it's most valuable asset is the quality of education it provides to it's students. It's not about academic rankings per se, its about the quality (faculty, students, physical plant, etc). Athletics is just a form of entertainment and should never be prioritized ahead of academics.

Susan has been great for the University of Connecticut, that's why she is still there and will probably remain as the prez for a while longer.

Brace yourself: I would trade 30 spots in the next US News Ranking for a men's final 4 next year and a trip to Skeeters Pulled Pork St. Petersburg Bowl.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I thought only people from the South were willing to compromise academics for athletic success... I guess not.

You should feel embarrassed to even say such a thing.

UConn is first and foremost an academic institution and it's most valuable asset is the quality of education it provides to it's students. It's not about academic rankings per se, its about the quality (faculty, students, physical plant, etc). Athletics is just a form of entertainment and should never be prioritized ahead of academics.

Susan has been great for the University of Connecticut, that's why she is still there and will probably remain as the prez for a while longer.

Just shut up Stony Brook boy.

 

[Muddler]

The academic reputation of the school is critical. First of all it’s a huge economic driver for the state an second my kids may be graduating from UCONN in the 6-7 years so ranking and academic excellence mean a hell of a lot.

Agreed, but it now subsidizes a struggling athletic department instead of paying for research, faculty, etc. It didn't have to be this way.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

You take messages on this board and yourself way too seriously.

Did you really change handles multiple times? That’s an indicator that you take your messages on this board way too seriously.

 

[kemba]

UConn is first and foremost an academic institution and it's most valuable asset is the quality of education it provides to it's students. It's not about academic rankings per se, its about the quality (faculty, students, physical plant, etc).

And it was a quality school before Herbst came in. The success of the basketball teams was a big reason it reached that level.

I'm fine with Herbst, not criticizing her. But if we're giving her all this credit for improving academics than you are talking rankings. The biggest real imrovements in the quality of education happened before her.

 

[MadDogRevival]

Did you really change handles multiple times? That’s an indicator that you take your messages on this board way too seriously.

No. It's an indicator that I allow this board to suck too much time out of my life. I change the password so I can't log on, then I take a break. Longest break was about 6 months, IIRC. Harder habit to break than nicotine, and that was very tough.

 

[MadDogRevival]

And it was a quality school before Herbst came in. The success of the basketball teams was a big reason it reached that level.

I'd love to see some sort of data supporting this assertion. Don't believe it to be true, but would like it to be true. Can you support?

 

[intlzncster]

Honestly, Warde was simply an ok hire. But the instincts were correct. She went and got a well reguarded guy with a football background. We can say he wasn’t great here, but Michigan hired him. So he obviously wasn’t a catastrophe. Ollie was forced on him by Calhoun, and Diaco was an unlucky hire. He looked the part until we saw him up close. I refuse to believe that Warde could have altered the ACC Louisville decision.

Credit the ol' Parker search firm.

 

[whaler11]

The academic reputation of the school is critical. First of all it’s a huge economic driver for the state an second my kids may be graduating from UCONN in the 6-7 years so ranking and academic excellence mean a hell of a lot.

The economic impact of the university is impacted by being ranked 20th instead of 35th.........?

If you wanted the school to maximize it’s academic prowess you’d want the school
to stop running an athletic department that has a 40 million dollar deficit...

I’ll take these posts seriously when people who claim to care so much call for a drop to D-III.

 

[whaler11]

You go up the rankings by spending more money.

UConn spent a lotta money.

Therefore UConn went up the rankings.

It’s not a magic president - it’s feeding a monster that can’t stop spending.

They are going to slide right back down over the next 20 years cuz their ain’t no money to spend.

 

[intlzncster]

And it was a quality school before Herbst came in. The success of the basketball teams was a big reason it reached that level.

I'm fine with Herbst, not criticizing her. But if we're giving her all this credit for improving academics than you are talking rankings. The biggest real imrovements in the quality of education happened before her.

Yeah, most of that came on the back of 'UConn 2000' (started in 1995) and '21st Century UConn' investments.

Jim's success had a not insignificant effect on UCONN 2000, which started the ball rolling. And 21st Century UCONN piggy backed.

Now there's 'Next Generation Connecticut' to continue the roll.

 

[intlzncster]

Yes, the economic impact of the university is impacted by being ranked 20th instead of 35th.

If you wanted the school to maximize it’s academic prowess you’d want the school
to stop running an athletic department that has a 40 million dollar deficit...

I’ll take these posts seriously when people who claim to care so much call for a drop to D-III.

The only way it might switch is if they get a P5 invite, on the back of football success. That would bring both product (on the field/fanbase) revenue and conference revenue. And then with a pairing down of some nonessential sports (which won't happen).

Running an AD is really an expensive marketing and political tool.

 

[freescooter]

If the APR mess had not occurred Warde Manuel would never have gotten within 100 miles of the UConn AD job. It was his high marks and an award from the NCAA for “fixing” Buffalo’s APR mess that brought him to UConn. There was even a belief/hope that his hiring would lead the NCAA to rescind the ban. That they didn’t wasbthe first of many failures.

 

[Danzz]

I'd love to see some sort of data supporting this assertion. Don't believe it to be true, but would like it to be true. Can you support?

Do your own research for a change.

 

[pj]

I was excited for Diaco. Broyles award winner, came from Norte Dame with Iowa background. Seemed a good hire. Lots of high energy, which was great after P, who seemed like a living corpse.

I was not excited about Ollie. I was pissed that a school that was where UConn was at the time would hire a guy with zero head coaching experience and only 3 years as an assistant, all behind Calhoun. Somebody like that belonged at a school more like Central. You don’t learn the ropes at UConn. We can’t afford emotional, sentimental hires.

Diaco was goofy from the beginning, it didn't take long to figure out he was a mistaken hire. In football a lack of head coaching experience is very risky, these are much bigger programs to run than basketball (7-fold more players and 2-fold more coaches). So Diaco was high risk from the beginning and it only took a matter of weeks to months to realize that he was a mistake. One year in, it was clear he was a disaster. It was crazy that they let him coach as long as they did.

KO on the other hand, while also inexperienced and a risky hire, had a very high ceiling. 13 year NBA pro who did it not on talent but on character, hard work, and mastering all the fundamentals -- you could see how he could tell a story that would really resonate with recruits. If he could be one of the few high level black coaches, that would also resonate with some recruits. Plus he had JC's endorsement and JC knows a lot about basketball. Then he won a national championship. It could have been so much better than it was. It was a disappointing but we had to give him at least the time he had to see if he could learn on the job.

 

[whaler11]

The only way it might switch is if they get a P5 invite, on the back of football success. That would bring both product (on the field/fanbase) revenue and conference revenue. And then with a pairing down of some nonessential sports (which won't happen).

Running an AD is really an expensive marketing and political tool.

The whole higher ed complex is a giant bubble.

The cost/value ratio is competely out of whack.

Few schools and majors actually prepare people for careers.

With AR and VR technology coming quickly. you don’t have to spend 40k a year to live on some campus to have an arrogant egghead tell you about art history.

Think about half the garbage they make students take. Sit here with 100 kids with a TA who makes $6 an hour to memorize some crap for a test you can safely forget 20 minutes later.

The space, the admins, the bloated salaries, the crashing state subsidies.... you are going to be able to learn more, faster at a fraction of the cost.

I don’t know how fast it’s going to happen, but schools that are investing huge dollars in physical buildings and spending at three times the rate of inflation are headed for a very painful fall off the cliff.

That’s why they already are so dependant on international students. When that doesn’t sate their need to spend going forward good luck finding the next customers to bleed dry.

It’s going to be a spectacular crash in places like Connecticut. Upside down demos combined with a death spiral state budget that is going to force the wealthy to vote with their feet.

If Herbst was doing something for the state and school she’d be solving for how to make it an institution that can sustain not just begging for the maximum amount of money to feed to useless administrators.