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This is message board debate. It's hard to think you are a serious person when you drift into the pejorative ding of "NPR" and "the Beach".
In this thread, there were some crucial points: the "Game" changed. I don't think lots of noise & public PR campaigns were appropriate for UConn in this last ACC go-around. (and I am a bombthrowing Let's-get-Blumenthal/Malloy-involved thinker) But ... it strikes me that, given our past, that we correctly played some cards. Unfortunately, FSU-Clemson-NCState-GeorgiaTech cabal forced the hand to Louisville. I don't think WE are the Football Program to combat that swing. No amount of lobbying (or even a Tom Jurich behind-the-scenes performance) changes where the ACC was headed. Academics? Sure ... Louisville (in my mind) is slightly beyond WVU & not near what I believe UConn is ... or will be. But, that was not a key criteria.
We are a stark contrast to Jurich's construct of the Louisville Football Program (a 15 year build). We have serious problems in PR & Marketing whereby we have a great Brand; but Hathaway let it flutter in the wind. And, I really don't see that Warde Manual has shown the capacity to lead us to a new era. I am more confident in Herbst. She is far beyond the President model that I see across academia (and I am in the SUNY system).
I am really not seeing where you are disagreeing with me.
I think Herbst is on the money in building the school the right way. But she is getting owned in the Athletic part. She really needs someone who is as skilled as her on athletic side of things. Warde doesn't seem to fit that model.
The NPR comment is spot on. It shows their tone deafness. They don't know their audience. It was an awful way to cast their message.
Not only did we not have a PR campaign, but we lacked the ways and means to stick up for ourselves. We came out of it looking worse than we did going into it.
The Beach. That's not even flippant. And you need to get over yourself here. It was also tone deaf.
GM's don't go on vacation the week of the NFL Draft. Generals don't go on leave at the beginning of a campaign and ADs AND PRESIDENTS shouldn't make themselves indisposed when they are trying to secure their school's athletic future.
It may not have made a difference, but everyone will always wonder. While Jurich was setting more favorable conditions, Warde was in the Virgin Islands being ruled by them. Great leaders don't accept inherited conditions when they are unfavorable. They set new ones.