Warde Manuel

[stephen Henry]

If the HC news is correct then this is definitely a 'big' hire for UConn and Warde Manuel deserves a lot of credit. After the disaster of Hathaway, things are moving in the right direction at the UConn Athletic Department. With new HC Kevin Ollie, the new UConn basketball Champions Center, Hockey East as well as a new Hockey coach, things are looking up. I only wish he could have started here 3 years earlier. President Susan Herbst deserves a lot of credit also since she hired Mr. Manuel.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Well he's bought himself time and good will. No doubt about it. The next decade of UConn sports has Warde's stamp all over it.

 

[sdhusky]

If the HC news is correct then this is definitely a 'big' hire for UConn and Warde Manuel deserves a lot of credit. After the disaster of Hathaway, things are moving in the right direction at the UConn Athletic Department. With new HC Kevin Ollie, the new UConn basketball Champions Center, Hockey East as well as a new Hockey coach, things are looking up. I only wish he could have started here 3 years earlier. President Susan Herbst deserves a lot of credit also since she hired Mr. Manuel.

13 donut salute from this husky fan!!!

 

[#1 PA Husky Fan]

Proving himself to be a "rock star". Many doubters, but he's making a lot of solid moves. Next target, getting us into a P5 conference. Way to go!

 

[J187Money]

Freescooter should be suspended for the opener.

 

[Alum86]

Cautiously optimistic from a non-Rock Star fan.
Like the big league hire though.

 

[Sean]

Imagine if we could have had Diaco in here last year!!!

 

[Dooley]

This was a major league hire by Warde. Ollie (although sort of forced on him) and now Diaco are two OUTSTANDING hires of young, energetic coaches to lead UCONN into the future!

 

[sportsart]

This was a major league hire by Warde. Ollie (although sort of forced on him) and now Diaco are two OUTSTANDING hires of young, energetic coaches to lead UCONN into the future!

I don't know if some people realize it, but when JC stuck it to Warde and made him hire KO (great choice) Warde absolutely did the one year deal to let people know who's in charge.

He didn't care that the legend wanted Ollie, and frankly I'll bet Warde wanted KO all along. But it was Warde's way of saying he's the new sheriff in town and he calls the shots.

People can wait for him to fail but they might be waiting for a while.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I don't know if some people realize it, but when JC stuck it to Warde and made him hire KO (great choice) Warde absolutely did the one year deal to let people know who's in charge.

He didn't care that the legend wanted Ollie, and frankly I'll bet Warde wanted KO all along. But it was Warde's way of saying he's the new sheriff in town and he calls the shots.

People can wait for him to fail but they might be waiting for a while.

I've believed this from the day it was announced that Ollie was on a short term (I believe six month) contract.

I also want to add the Cavanaugh hire to the list.

 

[jdb50]

Last night Kevin Nathan said Pres. Herbst wanted the new choice to come from a top 25 program. The President and Warde set a high bar. Good for them and us!

 

[Dooley]

I've believed this from the day it was announced that Ollie was on a short term (I believe six month) contract.

I also want to add the Cavanaugh hire to the list.

Good call on Cavanaugh. Hockey is overlooked (I just did it!) but could be a nice feather in wooing a B1G cap!

 

[Skiblets]

A toast...to Warde

 

[Afroabe224]

Obviously we have a long way to go until we know if this is a great/good/decent/bad hire but I love the way WM approached this hire. He is in touch with what UConn needs. Something that could NEVER be said about Hathaway. He has us going in the right direction (Ollie hire, Cavanaugh hire, new logo, football hire) and if he eventually gets us to a better conference I'll help sculpt the statue!!

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Freescooter should be suspended for the opener.

I don't know if some people realize it, but when JC stuck it to Warde and made him hire KO (great choice) Warde absolutely did the one year deal to let people know who's in charge.

He didn't care that the legend wanted Ollie, and frankly I'll bet Warde wanted KO all along. But it was Warde's way of saying he's the new sheriff in town and he calls the shots.

People can wait for him to fail but they might be waiting for a while.

I couldn't agree more. As a new AD walking into a department with two iconic coaches, he couldn't afford to look like a puppet.

He also gave KO the ability to say "I wasn't simply handed the job. I had to earn it.". I thought it was a masterful job.

 

[2Infinity]

Obviously we have a long way to go until we know if this is a great/good/decent/bad hire but I love the way WM approached this hire. He is in touch with what UConn needs. Something that could NEVER be said about Hathaway. He has us going in the right direction (Ollie hire, Cavanaugh hire, new logo, football hire) and if he eventually gets us to a better conference I'll help sculpt the statue!!

...and to a lesser extent, but still important, he held Michigan to their word...that they would play us at Rentschler Field and not at Foxboro or MetLife!

 

[Deleted member 3149]

Krispy Kreme for all!

 

[upstater]

UConn lost out on Brandon Austin because of what Warde did to Ollie.

I want to give Warde credit for that outcome, but really it was just dumb luck.

 

[superjohn]

Many of us weren't exactly happy with Warde's start here but he's doing a very good job. This was a great hire and Warde knows what he's doing.

 

[Huskyforlife]

If warde gets us into a p5 conference, then we can officially say he's done a great job. I'd like to see how diaco coaches before saying anything prematurely

 

[FfldCntyFan]

If warde gets us into a p5 conference, then we can officially say he's done a great job. I'd like to see how diaco coaches before saying anything prematurely

Warde has done very well to date (in my eyes even before this hire) and there have been numerous times when I felt I was one of perhaps two or three people on this board defending him.

That said, if we do land in a P5 conference this hire will have played a role but the bulk of that credit will belong to Susan Herbst.

 

[stephen Henry]

Despite a solid performance by both AD Manuel and President Herbst we may never get into a P5 conference (though I think we will), but they will certainly put us into the best possible position to get there. We all know about the awful hire of PP/GDL by Hathaway (happily they are all gone) but the men's basketball program was at serious risk with iconic coach Calhoun's retirement, and now we no longer are. Mr. Manuel has received a lot of critism on this board, and his actions seem too slow for some, but I think his methodical, reasoned approach along with his strategic vision is getting UConn back to where it needs to be. In the last 3 years UConn could have easily slipped into national irrelevance (except for the spectacular womens' basketball program) had someone of Hathaway's ability been AD.

 

[JaYnYcE]

I'd like to see how diaco coaches before saying anything prematurely

The most level headed statement on this board since yesterday.

 

[J187Money]

If warde gets us into a p5 conference, then we can officially say he's done a great job. I'd like to see how diaco coaches before saying anything prematurely

Right. And maybe he doesn't turn out great. What we are talking about is the process at this point. It is hard to fault WM for how this was handled, and we can be optimistic again. And we so desperately needed this.

We are not judging the coaching at this point. We are judging the hiring of a coach. And I have to give WM high marks.

 

[junglehusky]

Think it's time to post this clip again... this time it's a preview of WM's presser: