Comprehensive List of all of Maturi's F Ups/Shortcomings

[Ole]

I never said he was deserving of an extension. I just don't get the vicious nature of his detractors, as if he is the reason we lose games. Do I think someone else can do better? I don't think I'm qualified to even guess, but on a rational level, I just don't see a reason to harpoon Maturi for the under-performance of our revenue sports when he's doing many things the right way.
Take a look at the competitive placement of his program during his tenure:

Directors Cup Standings
09-10: 18th Nationally 3rd Big Ten
08-09: 14th Nationally 3rd Big Ten
07-08: 28th Nationally 5th Big Ten
06-07: 20th Nationally 4th Big Ten
05-06: 16th Nationally 3rd Big Ten
04-05: 22nd Nationally 5th Big Ten
03-04: 20th Nationally 4th Big Ten
02-03: 11th Nationally 4th Big Ten

The only athletic departments performing above Minnesota during Maturi's tenure have been Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State. Wisconsin occasionally finished ahead of us, but as a department, the department performed in the top 4 in the Big Ten on a consistent basis. He is doing more than just balancing the budget; his program is performing in the top 4 consistently when all sports are taken into consideration. He's balanced a budget without the powerhouse football program that Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan have achieved.

I'm sorry. If I'm looking for someone to be mad at about under-performance of the revenue sports at the University of Minnesota, I'm just wanting to be mad, because clearly, his athletic program as a whole performs well. Not the best, but well.

I'm like all of you. I want to be the best. I want Gopher championships and titles and all those warm fuzzies that come with my alma mater's success. But I don't feel the need to bash a guy who has done a lot with a little (meaning the lack of success in football and the subsequent harm it has caused Maturi's department in both cash and perception). Is it his fault he hired Brewster? Yup, sure is! But was he the first to get it wrong at Minnesota? NOPE! And did he wait too long to correct it? Not if common sense prevails. He needed to give Brewster 4 years to see if he was worth his salt, and the modest extension he gave him at least gave the potential recruits a semblance of reassurance that Brewster would remain the coach.

Gosh, I'm going too long here. I've got many more thoughts (rational ones) concerning why Maturi doesn't deserve such harsh criticism. Does he deserve an extension? Not if Prexy Kahler has got a ringer up his sleeve that can make us Ohio State, Michigan or Penn State (or Nebraska) in terms of competitive football and a dominant all around program. But is Maturi a liability? I haven't seen evidence that HE is the problem.

Go Gophers!

First, I want to excuse any insulting tones I had towards you, you seem rational and I can appreciate that. I cannot be as rational when discussing Maturi. Kudos.
Alot of what you say makes sense, except the directors cup stuff.
Nobody cares about the director's cup, you really think the AD's at iowa or wisconsin would give up their success in football, basketball, or hockey for the directors cup finishes we've had here?
It's about Rose Bowls/BCS bowls in football, Final Fours in basketball, and WCHA/NCAA titles in hockey when you are part of the Big Ten. Period. Go Gophers.

 

[mplsbadger]

To clarify my earlier remarks, I think high DC finishes are great but I'd rank priorities as:
1 Compliance / ethics ( no probation, no thugs, etc. )
2 Financially sound and growing
3 Football success
4 BB, WBB, Hockey success
5 Student athlete success i.e. graduation
6 Directors cup

 

[Hats Off To Thee!]

If there was an IQ test for you people to measure what you know about running an athletic department, you would score idiot level. Why can't some of you research your "facts" before exposing your idiot IQ.

+1

 

[GopherHomer]

To clarify my earlier remarks, I think high DC finishes are great but I'd rank priorities as:
1 Compliance / ethics ( no probation, no thugs, etc. )
2 Financially sound and growing
3 Football success
4 BB, WBB, Hockey success
5 Student athlete success i.e. graduation
6 Directors cup

I'm shocked at the amount of respect that WBB gets on this board. Sorry for signaling you out Badger...you were just the most recent post.

 

[Redbird]

Frankly I am surprised at the venom directed toward JM in this forum. I'm not particularly fond of the guy, but he has accomplished a lot in his tenure starting with the stadium, hiring of Tubby and Kill, overall stability (including financially) of the athletic department including stabilizing the relationship between the mens and womens programs (remember what that was like when JM got here). Obviously the hiring of Brewster was a mistake, and there have been others but I don't blame JM when Lucia 's program takes a dive after winning a national championship, and I don't blame JM when Borton comes back to earth after starting out like she was going have a team that was perennial contender playing with a majority of Minnesota kids.

There seems to be a number of contributers here that are obsessed with JM and in particular the hiring and extension of Brewster. Get over it, its done, time to move on JM has hired a real ball coach with a winning track record. Lets get behind the program and enable success as best we can.

For what its worth, when the new President comes aboard this summer he will undoubtedly want to bring in his own guy to run the program. Coincidently JM's contract is up next year so lets be patient and focus our energies towards moving the program and in particular football to a level many of us have never seen here and spare the rest of us the constant whining about JM.

 

[Maximus]

Who really cares about this? Ohio State finsihes high because they sponsor a million sports. The Gophers beat out Wisconsin because they sponsor more sports and are better in wrestling and volleyball. To me this is a crummy consolation prize and should be a secondary focus like it is at Ohio State.

Minnesota has one more sport than Wisconsin.

Minnesota is also better than Wisconsin in mens hockey. 2 national titles, 3 Frozen Fours, 2 W ha titles and 3 playoff titles in the last 10 years.

 

[mplsbadger]

Minnesota has one more sport than Wisconsin.

Minnesota is also better than Wisconsin in mens hockey. 2 national titles, 3 Frozen Fours, 2 W ha titles and 3 playoff titles in the last 10 years.

I'll concede the point although both UW men and women have won NC's in that time. I don't come here as a shill for Wisconsin.

I still think that DC standings should be down the list of priorities.

 

[Rouser4eVA]

To clarify my earlier remarks, I think high DC finishes are great but I'd rank priorities as:
1 Compliance / ethics ( no probation, no thugs, etc. )
2 Financially sound and growing
3 Football success
4 BB, WBB, Hockey success
5 Student athlete success i.e. graduation
6 Directors cup

I agree with this 100%. Compliance has to be the cornerstone of a program to be considered successful. Barry Bonds would have been considered a successful baseball player, but he won't be remembered for that as much as the asterisk next to his name...The same applies to Pete Carroll, Lane Kiffin, Clem Haskins. Compliance is important. I appreciate Maturi's commitment to running a clean program, and I think he's done that particularly well. Maybe that's why I feel compelled to defend him, because he does things the way I would want to do it: ethically.

Go Gophers!

 

[Pewterschmidt]

If the 'U' finished 1st in the Director's Cup standings every single flippin' year, I wouldn't give a cr@p if the MBB, Hockey, and FB teams were struggling.

The Director's Cup means absolutely nothing to me.

My standards for the only programs at the 'U' that I care about (those that actually make money and aren't a drag on the athletic department)

1. Gopher Football should be in a January 1st bowl game(or better) at least once every 3 or 4 years. It's not too much to ask to finish in the top 4 or 5 in the conference every 3rd year. Between the Capital One, Outback, Gator, and usually 2 BCS bids in the conference, attaining a top 4 or 5 finish every couple of years isn't too much to expect. The non-Jan 1st bowl years should never include a 1-11 team or a team that loses to South Dakota, NDSU, or barely beats SDSU in a 3 year span. I can live with medicore teams 2 out of every 3 years (somewhere between 5-7 and 7-5) but there needs to be a good team in there somewhere that doesn't just play in Music City Bowls or Insight Bowls every year.

2. Gopher Men's Basketball should make the tournament almost every single year, which means top 6 or 7 in the conference usually. I'd live with missing the tourney once every 4 or 5 years but no more. Once every 5 years or so, the Gophers should have a special team, meaning one where it's a major disappointment if they don't advance at LEAST to the Sweet 16. There's enough HS talent in Minnesota to make our Gopher basketball program more competitive on an annual basis than Football so I have high expectations for the BB team.

3. Gopher Hockey should be the main powerhouse in all of College Hockey, almost on an annual basis. No state produces more D-1 hockey players than Minnesota and we're the premier institution in this state. I expect Frozen Fours every other year and National Championships every 5 or 6 years. I expect to ALWAYS make the NCAA tourney with no exception.

***I don't care if the non-revenue sports go winless. Really don't. Sure it's kind of cool to see the baseball team win the BT but they'll get killed on the NCAA tourney anyways and they lose a ton of money for the school.

Since Maturi has failed miserably to even come close to meeting any of my expectations for the programs that matter during his tenure, he needs to go immediately.

 

[howeda7]

To clarify my earlier remarks, I think high DC finishes are great but I'd rank priorities as:
1 Compliance / ethics ( no probation, no thugs, etc. )
2 Financially sound and growing
3 Football success
4 BB, WBB, Hockey success
5 Student athlete success i.e. graduation
6 Directors cup

The first two are fine, but that is the most basic goal of every athletic department. You don't get a gold star for acheiving them. They shouldn't need to be on a list of priorities.

Also, men's basketball success is not lumped in on the same level as hockey and women's basketball. Not even close. It is basically just as important as football, though it doesn't make as much money. After football and basketball there's a drop-off to hockey and an even bigger drop-off to women's basketball or any of the other sports.

 

[the huskie gopher]

lol to the 2nd one on the list

 

[atsgopher]

I find it rather funny that this thread begins with a poster bashing the AD for not considering “Sunk costs” in his decision making process (see points 1 and 3).

I may add the that holding the AD responsible based solely on outcomes that he has little control over, like won/loss records in major sports, will only serve to contribute to the mediocrity of those very same programs. Instead, focusing on the process used at the time the decisions were made is a far more effective standard of accountability.

I wasn’t really for defending or even extending Maturi as I figured he had served his time… but there hasn’t been a well thought up argument against him in this thread. The rational ones seem to originate only from his supporters. I think the thoughts posted thus far have swung my opinion in favor of an extension.

 

[JohnnyGopher]

3. Gopher Hockey should be the main powerhouse in all of College Hockey, almost on an annual basis. No state produces more D-1 hockey players than Minnesota and we're the premier institution in this state. I expect Frozen Fours every other year and National Championships every 5 or 6 years. I expect to ALWAYS make the NCAA tourney with no exception.

***I don't care if the non-revenue sports go winless. Really don't. Sure it's kind of cool to see the baseball team win the BT but they'll get killed on the NCAA tourney anyways and they lose a ton of money for the school.


I agree with your first two takes on football and basketball but strongly disagree on these two. first off on baseball, they have done very well the past four years alone in the NCAA tournament, winning 5 NCAA games including knocking off #1 San Diego two years ago and advancing to the regional final only to lose to eventual national champ LSU four years ago, and last year also advancing to regional final losing to a top 4 Fullerton team who we beat earlier. I get that alot of you don't care about anything beyond football but if your going to rip something, at least have your info correct.

On hockey,"Gopher Hockey should be the main powerhouse in all of College Hockey" is just an incredibly naive statement and not close to being realistic. It shouldn't have fallen off like it has the last 2+ seasons(although they are back in good shape for tourney bid) and I agree that we should usually be one of the top 8 programs, but that Pat Ruesse yankees of college hockey garbage is just nonsense.

 

[sec105]

Sure it's kind of cool to see the baseball team win the BT but they'll get killed on the NCAA tourney anyways and they lose a ton of money for the school.

I think the baseball team does do well in the NCAA tourneys considering the huge handicap they have with the weather and facilities issues. However I do think they do cost the U a ton of money. Money that could be put to much better use by the U of M athletic department.

Joel does a fine job supporting the non revenue sports and I am convinced he is sincere but the fact remains that Football, Men's Basketball and Men's Hockey pay the bills and he has failed to produce anything close to consistent success in those three programs.

 

[MinnySunDevil]

A note on extending Brewster:

Coaches that are perceived as "lame ducks" with no job security are at a significant disadvantage in recruiting and the acquiring/retention of quality assistant coaches.

If you decide you're not going keep the coach, you almost have to extend his contract basically for image purposes. Then look more at the buyout. I don't know what Brewster's was, but I'd guess it wasn't that high.

 

[Mustang Mountain Man]

Minnesota is a power school in sports in general. We rank so high among all sports that Mr. Maturi should have a statue of his own in front of TCF. Mock me all you want. But, we have several sports ranked in the top ten right now and all but 3 or 4 in the top 25. Yes, the 3 or 4 are all big revenue sports. We all get that. But, we will have to wait a while as the football team transforms itself, and I am sure it will. Mens basketball will right itself. Hockey is already on the upswing. I'm thinking bronze would be a good medium.

 

[mplsbadger]

On hockey,"Gopher Hockey should be the main powerhouse in all of College Hockey" is just an incredibly naive statement and not close to being realistic. It shouldn't have fallen off like it has the last 2+ seasons(although they are back in good shape for tourney bid) and I agree that we should usually be one of the top 8 programs, but that Pat Ruesse yankees of college hockey garbage is just nonsense.

Minnesota is the winningest program all time. They are the 'Michigan' of college hockey. Top eight is not good enough. Any season that doesn't end in a frozen four berth in the 50-60 team division 1 should be considered a disappointment.

That said, football is still much more important.

 

[sonnygarcia]

I find it rather funny that this thread begins with a poster bashing the AD for not considering “Sunk costs” in his decision making process (see points 1 and 3)..

You think it's funny that in Jan 2006 Maturi gave Mason an extension through 2010; then fired him 11 months later leaving the U on the hook for roughly $4 million????

You consider these "sunk costs".

 

[beavergopher]

Minnesota is the winningest program all time. They are the 'Michigan' of college hockey. Top eight is not good enough. Any season that doesn't end in a frozen four berth in the 50-60 team division 1 should be considered a disappointment.

That said, football is still much more important.

Well said.

 

[Maximus]

Minnesota is the winningest program all time. They are the 'Michigan' of college hockey. Top eight is not good enough. Any season that doesn't end in a frozen four berth in the 50-60 team division 1 should be considered a disappointment.

Michigan football has made 3 BCS bowl games in the last 13 years.

Minnesota hockey has made 3 Frozen Fours during the same time span.

 

[Go4]

Michigan football has made 3 BCS bowl games in the last 13 years.

Minnesota hockey has made 3 Frozen Fours during the same time span.

yes and michigan changed ad's a little over a year ago. i wish we had as well.

 

[Silvio]

Minnesota is the winningest program all time. They are the 'Michigan' of college hockey. Top eight is not good enough. Any season that doesn't end in a frozen four berth in the 50-60 team division 1 should be considered a disappointment.

That said, football is still much more important.

What does that make Michigan Hockey then? MN hocky has a great tradition, but their are some things more important than regular season wins. If you use the yankee reference (world champions/National Titles) MN is a top eight program, not even the top 3 in the current WCHA. No team in college hockey has the type of season year in and year out that you are demanding from the program, plus the landscape is changing thanks to the USHL and the National Development Program.

 

[Silvio]

Maturi's biggest issues have been the handling of Mason & Monson with the extend then fire. It gave the appearance that he is very wishy washy even if that isn't the case.

 

[Maximus]

Maturi's biggest issues have been the handling of Mason & Monson with the extend then fire. It gave the appearance that he is very wishy washy even if that isn't the case.

He didn't extend Monson. Monson's deal ran through 2007-08.

 

[Go4Broke]

Maturi's biggest issues have been the handling of Mason & Monson with the extend then fire. It gave the appearance that he is very wishy washy even if that isn't the case.

He didn't extend Mason. Bruininks did.

He didn't fire Mason. Bruininks did.

 

[Silvio]

He didn't extend Mason. Bruininks did.

He didn't fire Mason. Bruininks did.

But the perception is that he did, and that he is very wishy washy on those type of decisions. This will lead almost everything he does to be second quessed (not that it wouldn't anyway). I think he has done a lot of good things as AD, but he has managed to build minimal good will (even with the Tubby hire) with the public. How has that happened?

 

[1983]

Says the Kool Aid drinker himself. All is well in Dinkytown according to Jay, let's extend him for another 5......

I have no problem with that. Go another five years. People like you need to realize that you need to look outside Dinkytown to solve many of the issues.

 

[ShushPush]

Why are so many grinding axes and not speaking directly to the reasons they want Joel M. pink slipped.

 

[howeda7]

Maturi's biggest issues have been the handling of Mason & Monson with the extend then fire. It gave the appearance that he is very wishy washy even if that isn't the case.

He didn't extend Monson. But the March 2006 debacle of letting it be reported as fact that he was gone, then having a press conference where you basically say 'Well we would fire him, but it's not all about wins and losses' is the most pathetic display I've ever seen. It was worse than the Mason firing, which was also horrible due to the timing/recent extension. Whatever influence Bruinicks had over these things doesn't change the fact that they were ultimately done by Joel and made him look like a dithering fool.

With regards to Monson, everything I've ever read indicates that he got permission from Bruinicks to fire him, then dithered and changed his mind after it had already leaked out. The fact that he backed into Tubby Smith doesn't change the fact that he butchered an entire basketball season with his inability to make a decision. He didn't do them any favors last year either, between Mbakwe and the UMPD's 'investigation' but at least those situations were understandable, even if still handled very poorly.

 

[beavergopher]

Maturi should get major props for getting TCF built. Should have been fired after the WTF hire of Brewster went south. At a school that takes football seriously, no way an AD gets to hire another coach after blowing it so badly and killing the momentum of the new stadium.
See Nebraska and Steve Peterson.