Why a New President is Important to Football Success

[John Greene]

Herbst has gotten a lot of good press during her time at UConn no doubt about that. Just my opinion, but I never saw her as a great leader. As far as academics, she was the beneficiary of being in the right place at the right time since UConn's assent was well under way when she arrived. So I don't give her too much credit.

On the negative side however if you look at what were the three most important personnel actions during her term she was no "rock star". I am talking about Warde, the transition from a HOF men's BB coach, and Newton at the foundation.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Herbst was completely out of touch when it came to big time division 1 athletics. Are you guys crazy?

Look she's the President of an academic institution, so sure sports may not be her bag, but have you heard he speak about sports? Always cringeworthty.

 

[Milo65]

That was bound to happen. Can't blame her for that. It was way out of hand.

Hardly! It was way out of hand with rock concerts and Carriage House and beer and beer... but then my University turned into a refuge for eggheads and foreign exchange students. But I digress, I’m old.

 

[JMick]

Herbst was completely out of touch when it came to big time division 1 athletics. Are you guys crazy?

Look she's the President of an academic institution, so sure sports may not be her bag, but have you heard he speak about sports? Always cringeworthty.

Susan sucks and no one should think any differently

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Have any of the Boneyard folks let the search committee know we want to be in P5, sooner is better. I wonder if that is even on a top 10 list for the recruitment firm. If a candidate doesn't agree with that goal -- toss them out.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

I don't know everything she did but I do know she killed spring weekend. She is the devil.

She cancelled Spring Weekend? Wasn't it the time students were setting things on fire? Or was that another time?

 

[Jaybird65]

Spring Weekend was elminated the year after the student was killed by pretty much a sucker punch by an inebriated individual on North Eagleville Road near F Lot.

 

[RSTuthill]

She wasn't pushed out. She had a great rapport with Malloy, thought the Republican would win and didn't get the same warm and fuzzies. She knew she couldn't spend like she did the first few years. After 7 years or so, she decided it was time to move on.

I know that when she hired Warde, she thought she had the 'rock star" that would handle athletics. She was forced to learn about them and their importance early as Warde wasn't what she had bought. Susan loves what athletics does for the university. Warde hired Diaco- she went along with it. Diaco was all show - the women's events, the hair, the slick wording. It isn't the President's job to manage the football coach. Personally, she did not know about football programs(in her defense, most Presidents don't need to know). Whomever comes in next doesn't need to know the inner workings of a football program, but do need to make sure they give the AD and football coach the leeway to make it successful.

Good post. Very interesting. But no one at that level leaves without having something lined up first ... and she didn't. Her departure has all the earmarks of a graceful high class firing. And I suspect it wasn't over competence at what she was doing but more over philosophy and policy. And perhaps what departments to cut.

 

[JMick]

Good post. Very interesting. But no one at that level leaves without having something lined up first ... and she didn't. Her departure has all the earmarks of a graceful high class firing. And I suspect it wasn't over competence at what she was doing but more over philosophy and policy. And perhaps what departments to cut.

FWIW I heard she just doesn't want to do it anymore

 

[Chin Diesel]

Good post. Very interesting. But no one at that level leaves without having something lined up first ... and she didn't. Her departure has all the earmarks of a graceful high class firing. And I suspect it wasn't over competence at what she was doing but more over philosophy and policy. And perhaps what departments to cut.

Your posts reeks of having real information that you are coyly passing off as speculation.

Well done.

 

[Nostical]

When's the last time you made a correct prediction on this board? 1998?

Why are you so hung up on predictions? I’d be worried if you changed the course of your life based on anyone’s opinion on this board.
My point is that those who revel in Herbst’s departure may sing a different tune if we pick the wrong person with an indifferent attitude toward athletics. Herbst may end up looking positively SEC by comparison. I’d say the odds are 50-50 on that.

 

[Stainmaster]

Why are you so hung up on predictions? I’d be worried if you changed the course of your life based on anyone’s opinion on this board.
My point is that those who revel in Herbst’s departure may sing a different tune if we pick the wrong person with an indifferent attitude toward athletics. Herbst may end up looking positively SEC by comparison. I’d say the odds are 50-50 on that.

Why are you so hung up on being wrong, and then not understanding why people don’t take you seriously afterwards?

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Why are you so hung up on predictions? I’d be worried if you changed the course of your life based on anyone’s opinion on this board.
My point is that those who revel in Herbst’s departure may sing a different tune if we pick the wrong person with an indifferent attitude toward athletics. Herbst may end up looking positively SEC by comparison. I’d say the odds are 50-50 on that.

I think as long as we don't get #REHathaway'd we'll be in a much better place post Susan.

 

[RSTuthill]

Your posts reeks of having real information that you are coyly passing off as speculation.

Well done.

Nope, actually just speculation based on what I have seen during my 50 year career (and still going), mostly in large organizations, and also growing up in a university family.

Your comment reminds me of this UConn Health surgeon I was talking to this summer as he was putting about 25 very fine tiny stitches into my face (too much skiing at Tucks before they invented sun block). We had gotten off on the subject of the surgeon who had replaced my hips and I asked a leading question about why he had left and gone to head up orthopedics at Southern Cal. He said, oh, you sound very much like you know something. Nope, just speculation, but I knew right then I had hit the mark.

There is pretty much nothing new in the world. Even back-handed compliments.

 

[RSTuthill]

Why are you so hung up on predictions? I’d be worried if you changed the course of your life based on anyone’s opinion on this board.
My point is that those who revel in Herbst’s departure may sing a different tune if we pick the wrong person with an indifferent attitude toward athletics. Herbst may end up looking positively SEC by comparison. I’d say the odds are 50-50 on that.

True, could happen. I remember a time when most of us thought that HCRE2.0 was going to be a vast improvement over Dandy Diaco. Now, not so much.

 

[Chief00]

Unfortunately, it was a big miss when Louisville was able to jump us to gain entry into the ACC & history now shows the head coach hires were more than lacking. I've been on-campus for 30 years now; athletically Harry Hartley was the President that most supported athletics; I sort of wish the conference realignment stuff would have happen while he was here. As mentioned above, SH was not pushed out. She had said when she addressed the faculty/staff when she arrived that she thought that when "things lined up", she would make a decision on her tenure here. New BOT Chairperson, new Governor....things lined up. The expectation on campus is that a new President will be in place sometime this summer. With a search firm running the search, it has been really quiet on-campus regarding the search. One of the only things that came out a while ago was that recruiter working for the search firm receives a 6 figure bonus if the candidate they identify is selected & accepts the position; nothing about candidate pool or interest has leaked out.

Agree on Harry Hartley. With his Penn State background he knew the importance of football. Harry was always a friend and supporter of Jim Calhoun and the women’s cheerleading squad LOL!
Harry was a wonderful guy and we were very fortunate he spent time here. He had a good business mind and understood numbers.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Agree on Harry Hartley. With his Penn State background he knew the importance of football. Harry was always a friend and supporter of Jim Calhoun and the women’s cheerleading squad LOL!
Harry was a wonderful guy and we were very fortunate he spent time here. He had a good business mind and understood numbers.

He was a good guy. He often handed-out hot choco to the idiots like me would camped-out over night in the winter in Storrs when the studet section seats were 'unassigned' and everyone wanted to be in front of the camera.

 

[gtcam]

Here’s the reality. We will rue the day when she’s no longer our President.

Is that the alcohol talking????

 

[BlueDogs]

This much I know, there is a strong contingent working behind the scenes to move football down to FCS and move to the Catholic conference with visions of old BE basketball grandeur dancing in their heads. AD Dave has one foot out the door as a football guy and no support. Things are much more dicey than they appear on the surface. If they pick a hatchet man to cut costs and nickel and dime, say goodbye to football. Moving backwards to FCS will be the biggest mistake ever made in UConn’s history... which will be in keeping with the litany of bad mistakes made over the past decade plus.

 

[gtcam]

1. She had a great rapport with Malloy
2. She knew she couldn't spend like she did the first few years
3. thought the Republican would win

A lot can be said about these comments
1. That was a problem more than not - Malloy had so many mixed opinions about the future of UConn plus he's a BC man. The wrong person to be in bed with - especially the past 3 years. She was not interested in interacting with the folks in Hartford who didn't share the same ideas/direction she had for UConn. Like Malloy, she only felt comfortable around like thinkers. Not a good leadership trait.
2. Spending was not handled responsibly by many at UConn - including Herbst
3. If she thought that this would happen in CT she has her head in the sand - something I think is not new to her. The Republicans will never have control of this state, maybe the governor office from time to time - but control - never

I for one am glad she is no longer going to run UConn. I am in agreement that she did not leave on her own accord. Seeing she is not going to be assuming a position of leadership - perhaps it's a bit of self reflection that she was simply not up to the challenge?

I hope UConn goes back into the Harry Hartley type bag and pulls out a strong business oriented leader who also understands that athletics is a huge engine in many colleges (right or wrong) and is willing to allow UConn to accept more student athletes that would not normally qualify. I also want a new president who will bring in an effective, experienced AD so the db DB can go back to where he wants to be - the SEC

Herbst was/is not the worse president UConn has ever had but far from being overall effective - IMHO.
I can see why some folks like her

 

[whaler11]

And then of course we will have 50 people here that don't have access to the new president but will make stuff up about what he or she thinks.

You don’t need access to someone to someone to know if they sign off on hiring Randy Edsall they are either clueless or uncaring.

Do people believe huge corporations when they say they care about their employees work life balance? How about when Facebook says they care about your privacy?

She says some of the right stuff and does all of the wrong things - if you’d prefer to chalk to up to incompetence because of access that’s fine.

 

[CL82]

Herbst was completely out of touch when it came to big time division 1 athletics. Are you guys crazy?

Look she's the President of an academic institution, so sure sports may not be her bag, but have you heard he speak about sports? Always cringeworthty.

I don't know, I found her "winning winners who win" speech inspiring. Dare I say it was a "winner?"

 

[Hoophound]

She raised the profile of the school. That’s great, but it sure seems like going back to a more fun, passive campus environment with a focus on big time athletics and educating the kids of the State of Connecticut would help. Maybe we have become too exclusive and too boring? Let in a B student from Suffield or Southington. Let him have a few beers and enjoy the state U like in the good old days. More importantly, build the in-state fan base and long term donors for the good of the endowment.

Is it really so great to be so much better than WVU or UL academically? I question that. Maybe we should educate more homegrown kids, win games and have some fun. Life is short.

 

[John Greene]

She raised the profile of the school. That’s great, but it sure seems like going back to a more fun, passive campus environment with a focus on big time athletics and educating the kids of the State of Connecticut would help. Maybe we have become too exclusive and too boring? Let in a B student from Suffield or Southington. Let him have a few beers and enjoy the state U like in the good old days. More importantly, build the in-state fan base and long term donors for the good of the endowment.
and have some fun. Life is short.

The faculty and administration clearly prefer greater exclusivity since it raises their status in academia. But, therein lies the dilemma for UConn. If you are Michigan or North Carolina (Chapel Hill) you don't worry about it because you have MSU and NCSU for that B student. Those options do not exist in CT. The CT State University system is not their equivalent.

 

[JMick]

She raised the profile of the school. That’s great, but it sure seems like going back to a more fun, passive campus environment with a focus on big time athletics and educating the kids of the State of Connecticut would help. Maybe we have become too exclusive and too boring? Let in a B student from Suffield or Southington. Let him have a few beers and enjoy the state U like in the good old days. More importantly, build the in-state fan base and long term donors for the good of the endowment.

Is it really so great to be so much better than WVU or UL academically? I question that. Maybe we should educate more homegrown kids, win games and have some fun. Life is short.

Taking the best students you can get is a good thing. But they're still 18-22 year olds and regardless of how smart you are, kids need things to do and kids do go to college to party. She tipped the scales way too far in one direction. We need to end up in the middle somewhere

 

[Guapo]

She raised the profile of the school. That’s great, but it sure seems like going back to a more fun, passive campus environment with a focus on big time athletics and educating the kids of the State of Connecticut would help. Maybe we have become too exclusive and too boring? Let in a B student from Suffield or Southington. Let him have a few beers and enjoy the state U like in the good old days. More importantly, build the in-state fan base and long term donors for the good of the endowment.

Is it really so great to be so much better than WVU or UL academically? I question that. Maybe we should educate more homegrown kids, win games and have some fun. Life is short.

This is in jest, right?

RIGHT???

 

[huskyinfl]

Lets just hire Yosemite Sam and that SEC invite should come the next day.

 

[scotty0330]

Susan sucks and no one should think any differently

She called Warde a rock star- that was enough for me

 

[Stainmaster]

No UConn president from now till the end of time will have “improving student party atmosphere” on their priority list.

 

[Chin Diesel]

She raised the profile of the school. That’s great, but it sure seems like going back to a more fun, passive campus environment with a focus on big time athletics and educating the kids of the State of Connecticut would help. Maybe we have become too exclusive and too boring? Let in a B student from Suffield or Southington. Let him have a few beers and enjoy the state U like in the good old days. More importantly, build the in-state fan base and long term donors for the good of the endowment.

Is it really so great to be so much better than WVU or UL academically? I question that. Maybe we should educate more homegrown kids, win games and have some fun. Life is short.

First generation of Gentrification is always the most boring.