UConn Staff Crushing It

[Woof 101]

The source is Athletic Director Dave himself. He says so right at the beginning of this video. He talked to Randy Edsall in his first month on the job. Also a lot of good info in this video as to why he hired Randy Edsall.

Great vid, thank you for the post. I tried twice to be a fly on the wall at that one but security had it documented press only. What this does confirm is basically what I said that DB was off to a shaky start. If he was talking to Randy that early in the game, why did he wait so long to pull the trigger on Diaco? He had already made the mistake of signing off on something his predecessor agreed to, knowing he was leaving. He should have told all trusting Susan, I would like time to look this over before signing.
This cost the school millions they do not have and the delay of Wacky Bob's firing cost the new head coach a lot of valuable recruiting time. Again thank you for validating what Husky 1964 said.

 

[The Viking]

Don doesn't want to be a head coach anymore, and he's making more than Edsall is at Michigan.

Brown should have been hired instead of P in 2011, but that ship sailed . . .

Per a CT sportswriter - can't remember which one at the moment - Brown absolutely was interested in the UConn job but was never offered.

 

[freescooter]

Warde was a football guy and a rock star. In his brief tenure he probably did more damage to the program than Any AD we ever had. He was hired because he was Mr APR. If I'm Michigan I'd give every coach there whatever he or she wants rather than entrust Warde with responsibility for hiring a replacement.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Warde was a football guy and a rock star. In his brief tenure he probably did more damage to the program than Any AD we ever had. He was hired because he was Mr APR. If I'm Michigan I'd give every coach there whatever he or she wants rather than entrust Warde with responsibility for hiring a replacement.

I had no issue with WM when he was the AD here. I think he got blamed for some ridiculous stuff (most notably by you).

That said, his most important decision here was the hiring of our football coach. So while I think it's ridiculous to say that he did more damage than any AD we ever had, when Jeffrey Hathaway once held that job, I have to be fair and view his tenure here overall as a failure. History won't be kind to Manuel's time here.

 

[RSTuthill]

Warde was a football guy and a rock star. In his brief tenure he probably did more damage to the program than Any AD we ever had. He was hired because he was Mr APR. If I'm Michigan I'd give every coach there whatever he or she wants rather than entrust Warde with responsibility for hiring a replacement.

Well, we don't know what went on behind the scenes when Disco was hired. So I am a little reluctant to indict him for what turned out to be a major mistake. But he did play a positive role in getting UConn elevated to Hockey East, which really had to be done, and may pay dividends in the future. Let's face it, UConn is never gonna get an invite to a P5 because of it's FB program. But as long as FB is competitive and doesn't weigh too heavily, it's other sports might get them one down the road. WBB, MBB, field hockey, ice hockey, soccer, track, all first class programs. I have a friend who was part of the B12 thing for UConn. That friend reported MAJOR interest in WBB and how UConn has handled Title 9. I thought of that when the women went out to Nebraska and got a standing O in the last minute of the game when they were leading by 40.

 

[uconnell]

Warde was a football guy and a rock star. In his brief tenure he probably did more damage to the program than Any AD we ever had. He was hired because he was Mr APR. If I'm Michigan I'd give every coach there whatever he or she wants rather than entrust Warde with responsibility for hiring a replacement.

Naw Hathaway had him beat in the damage department.

 

[TheDrifter75]

Well, we don't know what went on behind the scenes when Disco was hired. So I am a little reluctant to indict him for what turned out to be a major mistake. But he did play a positive role in getting UConn elevated to Hockey East, which really had to be done, and may pay dividends in the future. Let's face it, UConn is never gonna get an invite to a P5 because of it's FB program. But as long as FB is competitive and doesn't weigh too heavily, it's other sports might get them one down the road. WBB, MBB, field hockey, ice hockey, soccer, track, all first class programs. I have a friend who was part of the B12 thing for UConn. That friend reported MAJOR interest in WBB and how UConn has handled Title 9. I thought of that when the women went out to Nebraska and got a standing O in the last minute of the game when they were leading by 40.

The standing O is a tradition givin to every opponent, not just when you kick the out of them.

 

[RSTuthill]

The standing O is a tradition givin to every opponent, not just when you kick the out of them.

When it is over and the team heads to the dressing room, not for the final minute of the game.

 

[freescooter]

Naw Hathaway had him beat in the damage department.

Nah what Warde did in his brief tenure was equal to what Hathaway did in a much longer time frame. Warde did more damage in 5 years than Hathaway did in 10

 

[uconnell]

Nah what Warde did in his brief tenure was equal to what Hathaway did in a much longer time frame. Warde did more damage in 5 years than Hathaway did in 10

Let's face it, neither did not do their job all that well.

 

[kemba]

Hathaway was way worse than Warde.

Hathaway alienated Calhoun and Edsall, that latter arguably playing a role in destroying our football program. He failed in fundraising, and he failed in improving our branding despite the fact that we had a pretty good football program when he was here, and both basketball programs were perennial national powers. Warde had a much tougher job selling us taking over a mess of a football program, and a men's basketball team that was no longer a top 25 team year after year.

Also while ultimately results are what count, Diaco was a hire that at least made sense, he was a strong candidate, and a top coordinator from a power school was a very reasonable hire. PP everyone knew was a disaster from the start.

 

[uconnell]

Warde was here for the 2014 basketball Championships, I believe.

 

[junglehusky]

If you judge Manuel on football alone, sure you could chalk it up as a failed tenure. He rolled the dice on Diaco and came up with snakeeyes. FB is a major component of the job, and even the most important at most schools, but if you judge him on what his job responsibilities actually were, it's much better. Fundraising and pushing for new facilities and getting in Hockey East are major successes. Getting a functional athletic department where all the sports have the academic support and managing all the egos. All of those things may not be important to you, but they're important to the university.

 

[Northbound]

Hathaway was way worse than Warde.

Hathaway alienated Calhoun and Edsall, that latter arguably playing a role in destroying our football program. He failed in fundraising, and he failed in improving our branding despite the fact that we had a pretty good football program when he was here, and both basketball programs were perennial national powers. Warde had a much tougher job selling us taking over a mess of a football program, and a men's basketball team that was no longer a top 25 team year after year.

Also while ultimately results are what count, Diaco was a hire that at least made sense, he was a strong candidate, and a top coordinator from a power school was a very reasonable hire. PP everyone knew was a disaster from the start.

You couldn't be more correct. Spot on 100%

 

[jackl]

Hathaway was way worse than Warde.

Hathaway alienated Calhoun and Edsall, that latter arguably playing a role in destroying our football program. He failed in fundraising, and he failed in improving our branding despite the fact that we had a pretty good football program when he was here, and both basketball programs were perennial national powers. Warde had a much tougher job selling us taking over a mess of a football program, and a men's basketball team that was no longer a top 25 team year after year.

Also while ultimately results are what count, Diaco was a hire that at least made sense, he was a strong candidate, and a top coordinator from a power school was a very reasonable hire. PP everyone knew was a disaster from the start.

But you have to admit that he got a lot of face time on the football field making presentations for the returning Soldier Heros down to cub scout award winners. I guess you had to fill up time when the red shirt guy was on the field. He was really good at that and sucked at most everything else. How he made it on to the Men's Basketball selection committee I'll never know. I guess he rode the coat tails of the Hall of Fame coaches who disliked him immensely .

 

[FDNY99]

Hathaway was way worse than Warde.

Hathaway alienated Calhoun and Edsall, that latter arguably playing a role in destroying our football program. He failed in fundraising, and he failed in improving our branding despite the fact that we had a pretty good football program when he was here, and both basketball programs were perennial national powers. Warde had a much tougher job selling us taking over a mess of a football program, and a men's basketball team that was no longer a top 25 team year after year.

Also while ultimately results are what count, Diaco was a hire that at least made sense, he was a strong candidate, and a top coordinator from a power school was a very reasonable hire. PP everyone knew was a disaster from the start.

Hathaway also SUCKED at fund raising, alienated big $$ donors like Burton and Schenkman...decimated the Compliance Department then showed a savings in his operation budget and argued VERY hard for a raise. Allowed the APR issues to become a problem. Did ZERO facility improvements (the ones that happened under his watch were planned and funds were raised by Perkins). hathaway was a complete ZERO as a AD.

 

[FDNY99]

If you judge Manuel on football alone, sure you could chalk it up as a failed tenure. He rolled the dice on Diaco and came up with snakeeyes. FB is a major component of the job, and even the most important at most schools, but if you judge him on what his job responsibilities actually were, it's much better. Fundraising and pushing for new facilities and getting in Hockey East are major successes. Getting a functional athletic department where all the sports have the academic support and managing all the egos. All of those things may not be important to you, but they're important to the university.

He also seems to have hit a home run in hiring Mike Cavanaugh to run the men's hockey program, Mckenzie who has basically rebuilt the women's hockey program from the burnt out dumpster left to him be Heather Lindstat, he hired JJ Clark for women's track & field (he won 2 national championships at Tennessee) and Kris Grunwald who is slowly turning around the Women's volleyball program. Warde may have swung and missed with Diaco but with his other hires he seems to have made solid good long term hires.

 

[gtcam]

In plain English - HATHAWAY SUCKED and still SUCKS
the guy did his best to kill this athletic department while trying reap personal gain

 

[uconnell]

But you have to admit that he got a lot of face time on the football field making presentations for the returning Soldier Heros down to cub scout award winners. I guess you had to fill up time when the red shirt guy was on the field. He was really good at that and sucked at most everything else. How he made it on to the Men's Basketball selection committee I'll never know. I guess he rode the coat tails of the Hall of Fame coaches who disliked him immensely .

I would watch him scmoozingwith the fans at basketball games. Never made eye contact with him for fear he would come over to talk to me.

 

[UConnDan97]

My view on Warde:

Football: Diaco was a huge swing and a miss. The miss was understandable; he hired a big name Broyles Award winning DC from one of the biggest football programs out there. However, he did miss, and then he doubled down on the stupidity by drafting up and agreeing to a gigantic extension after a 6-7 season, answering a question that nobody was asking. This further hurts our monetary situation worse than it was already hurting. Dave Benedict seems to have saved the day, likely with some behind-the-scenes donor work that needed to happen to offset the ridiculous extension.

Basketball: Had to have Kevin Ollie shoved down his throat by a Hall of Fame legendary coach. Then proceeded to mishandle KO's contract situation, and arguably had to pay him a premium price on the re-negotiated contract. What a mess.

Hockey: Great hire. Cavanaugh is the man, and Warde should get full credit there.

Facilities / Donors: Also, great work there as well.

It's a mixed bag for sure. To compare him to Hathaway is ridiculous because Hathaway was the undisputed worst AD in the history of UConn Athletics. But he also wasn't anywhere near the rock star people claim(ed) him to be. Dave Benedict is off to a great start, and it will be interesting to see what we will ultimately say about him a few years from now. Which brings me back to: the staff really crushed it with recruiting, right???

 

[FDNY99]

How do you know the Hall of Fame coaches disliked him intensely? Has to be Calhoun and Geno which I don't believe. So proof please.

You have to be kidding me...it is a well known fact that besides Calhoun and Edsall, Geno and pretty much every other coach in the athletic department "hated" Jeff Hathaway! Dislike is too soft a term for their feelings on that a s s hat! If you are a Jeff Hathaway supporter please just go away no...you won't last here long!

 

[uconnell]

You have to be kidding me...it is a well known fact that besides Calhoun and Edsall, Geno and pretty much every other coach in the athletic department "hated" Jeff Hathaway! Dislike is too soft a term for their feelings on that a s s hat! If you are a Jeff Hathaway supporter please just go away no...you won't last here long!

Sorry, misunderstood the post. Agree about Hathaway, there is much to be disgusted about that hasn't even been discussed.

 

[2Infinity]

Hathaway was way worse than Warde.

Hathaway alienated Calhoun and Edsall, that latter arguably playing a role in destroying our football program. He failed in fundraising, and he failed in improving our branding despite the fact that we had a pretty good football program when he was here, and both basketball programs were perennial national powers. Warde had a much tougher job selling us taking over a mess of a football program, and a men's basketball team that was no longer a top 25 team year after year.

Also while ultimately results are what count, Diaco was a hire that at least made sense, he was a strong candidate, and a top coordinator from a power school was a very reasonable hire. PP everyone knew was a disaster from the start.

Let's not forget how Hathaway handled the Fiesta Bowl ticket purchase situation. Granted, some of it was the bowl's doing, but IIRC, he chose not to subsidize the students (as so many other programs do) and allow them to get out to AZ at a reasonable price, nor offer inducements to the UConn fan base to attend. So we ended up with minimal student participation at the game, as well as alumni attendance, and it gave us a black eye on the prominent national stage. You could argue that it was one of the major factors in UConn not being perceived as a rising program, but rather as it being a fluke. Hathaway just did not see the big picture.

 

[uconnell]

Let's not forget how Hathaway handled the Fiesta Bowl ticket purchase situation. Granted, some of it was the bowl's doing, but IIRC, he chose not to subsidize the students (as so many other programs do) and allow them to get out to AZ at a reasonable price, nor offer inducements to the UConn fan base to attend. So we ended up with minimal student participation at the game, as well as alumni attendance, and it gave us a black eye on the prominent national stage. You could argue that it was one of the major factors in UConn not being perceived as a rising program, but rather as it being a fluke. Hathaway just did not see the big picture.

Hathaway thought he was the big picture!

 

[FDNY99]

Hathaway sold his contacts in the hoops world to the moron that is president at Hofstra. Part of this idiot's plan was to dump football and join the A-10. Hathaway sold him that he could do that. Football is long gone..and Hofstra is still waiting to join the A-10 in hoops.