Do we have the worst alumni/boosters of the major conference universities?

[MadtownGopher]

During the course of this coaching search it has become abundantly clear that we don't have as much to sell potential coaches on as other major conference universities. This is in large part due to our embarrassingly old and decrepit basketball facilities which Maturi was unable to upgrade at all whatsoever, despite his promises to Tubby 6 years ago. While Maturi was obviously as incompetent as Athletic Directors come (this can't be emphasized enough), it still stuns me that at no point over the last 6-10 years, all while getting torn to part by local and national media for not having even adequate facilities, NONE of our rich alumni/boosters felt compelled to donate any money in hopes of at least lifting our facilities to an average standard. This is pretty jaw-dropping when you consider we are a Big Ten University located in a metropolis with a slew of fortune 500 companies. It's almost embarrassing how cheap and dispassionate our boosters and alumni are.

So I pose the question, is there a major conference university with worst boosters and alumni than the University of Minnesota? I can't think of any.

 

[mtu_huskies]

I wouldn't go that far. Don't forget we just built a new football stadium that required plenty of fundraising. Not many schools have to build a brand new football stadium and they can spend money elsewhere. Unfortunately we had to right a wrong and get back on campus.

 

[imthewalrus]

During the course of this coaching search it has become abundantly clear that we don't have as much to sell potential coaches on as other major conference universities. This is in large part due to our embarrassingly old and decrepit basketball facilities which Maturi was unable to upgrade at all whatsoever, despite his promises to Tubby 6 years ago. While Maturi was obviously as incompetent as Athletic Directors come (this can't be emphasized enough), it still stuns me that at no point over the last 6-10 years, all while getting torn to part by local and national media for not having even adequate facilities, NONE of our rich alumni/boosters felt compelled to donate any money in hopes of at least lifting our facilities to an average standard. This is pretty jaw-dropping when you consider we are a Big Ten University located in a metropolis with a slew of fortune 500 companies. It's almost embarrassing how cheap and dispassionate our boosters and alumni are.

So I pose the question, is there a major conference university with worst boosters and alumni than the University of Minnesota? I can't think of any.

Boy, you might have hit the nail on the head MadtowGopher. So, check out how the Jesuits do it in Milwaukee and then come on over and YOU, MadtownGopher have a chance to start throwing money around all over the place at the U and not only show those chintzy stiff boosters up but YOU can show us all how to REALLY be a booster! And I'll bet that you would just blindly let the ad and the prexy waste that money any way they wanted... Nice post.

; 0 )

 

[MadtownGopher]

I wouldn't go that far. Don't forget we just built a new football stadium that required plenty of fundraising. Not many schools have to build a brand new football stadium and they can spend money elsewhere. Unfortunately we had to right a wrong and get back on campus.

Well one could say that our alumni and boosters were too cheap to maintain an on campus stadium which led to us kicking the can down the road and moving to the Metro Dome. A basketball practice facility would cost a fraction of what TCF cost. There are many, many alumni that could cover the cost all by themselves if they really wanted to. And we can't even get a group of them together to chip in to get the thing started. I think that says a lot about the lack of passion by our alumni and boosters. They simply could care less.

 

[imthewalrus]

I wouldn't go that far. Don't forget we just built a new football stadium that required plenty of fundraising. Not many schools have to build a brand new football stadium and they can spend money elsewhere. Unfortunately we had to right a wrong and get back on campus.

That is exactly why rather than hire a guy who fancies himself to be a basketball guy, prexy k SHOULD HAVE hired a FOOTBALL MAN to insure that new stadium's positive impact is maximized.

; 0 )

 

[MadtownGopher]

Boy, you might have hit the nail on the head MadtowGopher. So, check out how the Jesuits do it in Milwaukee and then come on over and YOU, MadtownGopher have a chance to start throwing money around all over the place at the U and not only show those chintzy stiff boosters up but YOU can show us all how to REALLY be a booster! And I'll bet that you would just blindly let the ad and the prexy waste that money any way they wanted... Nice post.

; 0 )

My career is less than a year in, but trust me I will be contributing as soon as I possibly can. Nothing would make me happier than making significant contributions to both Minnesota and Marquette, all while living in Madison.

 

[station19]

But we have Parski.

 

[Dr.Don]

But we have Parski.

And don't forget, we also have THE SCOUT!

 

[MadtownGopher]

And don't forget, we also have THE SCOUT!

THE SCOUT! doesn't come across as a college graduate, so I wouldn't be so sure.

 

[bga1]

During the course of this coaching search it has become abundantly clear that we don't have as much to sell potential coaches on as other major conference universities. This is in large part due to our embarrassingly old and decrepit basketball facilities which Maturi was unable to upgrade at all whatsoever, despite his promises to Tubby 6 years ago. While Maturi was obviously as incompetent as Athletic Directors come (this can't be emphasized enough), it still stuns me that at no point over the last 6-10 years, all while getting torn to part by local and national media for not having even adequate facilities, NONE of our rich alumni/boosters felt compelled to donate any money in hopes of at least lifting our facilities to an average standard. This is pretty jaw-dropping when you consider we are a Big Ten University located in a metropolis with a slew of fortune 500 companies. It's almost embarrassing how cheap and dispassionate our boosters and alumni are.

So I pose the question, is there a major conference university with worst boosters and alumni than the University of Minnesota? I can't think of any.

Is it possible that we have had some U Presidents and ADs who have chosen to make enough mind numbing decisions to disgust alumni and boosters into apathy. Ever think of that? Meanwhile, there was a golden opportunity to get the boosters pumped up just in the past several days. They spoke their preference and were ignored.

Look this university has a HUGE list of alumni to work with and have had forever. So are the alumni bad or has the University just lost their interest. The PR at the U has been worse than awful for as long as I can remember and for most of that time there has been no vision to be great at any major sport.

No, I'd say it's embarrassing how poorly the U has cultivated it's boosters on the sports side.

 

[station19]

THE SCOUT! doesn't come across as a college graduate, so I wouldn't be so sure.

Ouch!

 

[MadtownGopher]

Is it possible that we have had some U Presidents and ADs who have chosen to make enough mind numbing decisions to disgust alumni and boosters into apathy. Ever think of that? Meanwhile, there was a golden opportunity to get the boosters pumped up just in the past several days. They spoke their preference and were ignored.

Look this university has a HUGE list of alumni to work with and have had forever. So are the alumni bad or has the University just lost their interest. The PR at the U has been worse than awful for as long as I can remember and for most of that time there has been no vision to be great at any major sport.

No, I'd say it's embarrassing how poorly the U has cultivated it's boosters on the sports side.

Seems like an excuse for a cheap booster to not donate. Refusing to support your school is about the worst thing you can possibly do. Especially since there is a new president and AD at the helm. Now is the time to help out.

 

[goldengophers]

Is it possible that we have had some U Presidents and ADs who have chosen to make enough mind numbing decisions to disgust alumni and boosters into apathy. Ever think of that? Meanwhile, there was a golden opportunity to get the boosters pumped up just in the past several days. They spoke their preference and were ignored.

Look this university has a HUGE list of alumni to work with and have had forever. So are the alumni bad or has the University just lost their interest. The PR at the U has been worse than awful for as long as I can remember and for most of that time there has been no vision to be great at any major sport.

No, I'd say it's embarrassing how poorly the U has cultivated it's boosters on the sports side.

In some ways it feels like the world's largest four year community college. It's really unfortunate that in probably the most important period in modern high D1 college sports we had an AD who acted like he was managing a DIII program.

 

[bga1]

Seems like an excuse for a cheap booster to not donate. Refusing to support your school is about the worst thing you can possibly do. Especially since there is a new president and AD at the helm. Now is the time to help out.

You may want to rethink and then restate that one.

You go to a school, you pay tuition and you get an education. The school wins your loyalty through the experience you have there and through their effort to maintain alumni loyalty thereafter. Alumni owe the school zippo. It's a relationship and if it is not maintained by the school- it's not going to last. It's the school that is doing the asking-not the alumni.

Gosh I hope you don't run a business, sounds like your customer relations philosophy might be backwards.

 

[The Goofy Gopher]

Ultimately on-field success will drive donations...our basketball and football programs have both been somewhere between sub-par and mediocre the last several years, and thus rich alums probably aren't as willing to cut huge checks to the program.

As a recent graduate from the U of M with tens of thousands of dollars in loans to repay, I'm pretty unlikely to donate to the Athletics program on top of the hundreds of dollars monthly that goes towards repaying my education. However, had the Gophers made an improbable run to the EE this year, or had the Gophers football team won 10 games last year, I may have been talked into giving a few hundred bucks, as the joy and pride the team would have provided me would be worth that. Trapped in our mediocrity, however, I can think of more important things to spend my money on. I'm sure a similar thought process occurs with many big-time donors, too.

My point is that we probably have sub-par donors because we've had a sub-par product. Making a big splash in hiring a popular BB coach could have temporarily provided a reason for increased donations, but ultimately on-court performance will dictate NT's fundraising success.

 

[Rouser]

You may want to rethink and then restate that one.

You go to a school, you pay tuition and you get an education. The school wins your loyalty through the experience you have there and through their effort to maintain alumni loyalty thereafter. Alumni owe the school zippo. It's a relationship and if it is not maintained by the school- it's not going to last. It's the school that is doing the asking-not the alumni.

Gosh I hope you don't run a business, sounds like your customer relations philosophy might be backwards.

bga1- I definitely want the program to get to the next level, as you do. I wasn't as upset about Tubby as others but was not blind and as such, was on board with letting him go. I can see your passion for the school and you as a fan, have a vested interested in what happens (like all of us). However, I have noticed that since the Flip news came out, you seem to be just upset and almost to the point where it doesn't matter who we hire, they are behind the 8 ball for you. I would have been happy with Flip, wasn't my first choice but a solid short term hire. That said, you always seemed to have a good pragmatic way about you, but since the Flip news it seems you have lost faith in the administration. Isn't it possible that they might make a good hire. There are many ways to elevate the program. I don't buy into the notion that we should be happy in the middle of the pack. I aslo have seen enough in sports to realize there are many ways to achieve this. Why not just let Teague play this out and see what happens. Sure, it may not work, but there is no reason to think it will be a disaster just because we didn't hire Flip.

Also, I personally think Flip manipulated the situation to make Teague look bad (forced his hand). It is what it is, but if Flip wouldn't have leaked news to his friends in the radio world, this could have just been a non story (in terms of "botching" something).

I get everyones frustration. I am a little nervous as well (everyone would be lying if they said otherwise).. but lets have some patience and let this play out (this is not directed at one person, rather everyone, including myself). Whoever is hired, we won't know if its a good hire for at least a season (I am a believer that we will be able to make a decision after one year, not by the record of the team, but by how hard they compete and who the coaching is getting interest from in terms of recruits).

 

[Greenbayguy]

Ultimately on-field success will drive donations...our basketball and football programs have both been somewhere between sub-par and mediocre the last several years, and thus rich alums probably aren't as willing to cut huge checks to the program.

As a recent graduate from the U of M with tens of thousands of dollars in loans to repay, I'm pretty unlikely to donate to the Athletics program on top of the hundreds of dollars monthly that goes towards repaying my education. However, had the Gophers made an improbable run to the EE this year, or had the Gophers football team won 10 games last year, I may have been talked into giving a few hundred bucks, as the joy and pride the team would have provided me would be worth that. Trapped in our mediocrity, however, I can think of more important things to spend my money on. I'm sure a similar thought process occurs with many big-time donors, too.

My point is that we probably have sub-par donors because we've had a sub-par product. Making a big splash in hiring a popular BB coach could have temporarily provided a reason for increased donations, but ultimately on-court performance will dictate NT's fundraising success.

+1

 

[bga1]

bga1- I definitely want the program to get to the next level, as you do. I wasn't as upset about Tubby as others but was not blind and as such, was on board with letting him go. I can see your passion for the school and you as a fan, have a vested interested in what happens (like all of us). However, I have noticed that since the Flip news came out, you seem to be just upset and almost to the point where it doesn't matter who we hire, they are behind the 8 ball for you. I would have been happy with Flip, wasn't my first choice but a solid short term hire. That said, you always seemed to have a good pragmatic way about you, but since the Flip news it seems you have lost faith in the administration. Isn't it possible that they might make a good hire. There are many ways to elevate the program. I don't buy into the notion that we should be happy in the middle of the pack. I aslo have seen enough in sports to realize there are many ways to achieve this. Why not just let Teague play this out and see what happens. Sure, it may not work, but there is no reason to think it will be a disaster just because we didn't hire Flip.

Also, I personally think Flip manipulated the situation to make Teague look bad (forced his hand). It is what it is, but if Flip wouldn't have leaked news to his friends in the radio world, this could have just been a non story (in terms of "botching" something).

I get everyones frustration. I am a little nervous as well (everyone would be lying if they said otherwise).. but lets have some patience and let this play out (this is not directed at one person, rather everyone, including myself). Whoever is hired, we won't know if its a good hire for at least a season (I am a believer that we will be able to make a decision after one year, not by the record of the team, but by how hard they compete and who the coaching is getting interest from in terms of recruits).

Rouser, that's a very good post. It's very possible that they make a good hire from a basketball perspective and whoever they hire, I'll get behind them as I have every single coach we have ever hired.

The problem is that this is a unique time. We are behind the eight ball on facilities and we have a ton of work to do to earn the trust and enthusiasm of donors. We may hire a better coach than Flip with a better assistant staff than Flip. But it will take a few years to know that. A lot of enthusiasm for the program has already been drained these past 15 years or so since the scandal. Flip may not have been the long term solution but he would have been a fantastic shot in the arm. Believe what you want about Flip, but it sure looks to me like he wanted to help. Here's a guy who has endowed scholarships at the U, put all of his kids through the school, won a championship at the school, coached at the school and won locally in the NBA right here in this town.

Yesterday I was on board with hiring Enfield and I said so. We couldn't get him and I have no complaint about that. I would be fine with Marshall. If we hire a current assistant that has never been a head coach I'll be ticked, but I'll support him. If we hire Grant, ugh, I'll complain for a few days move on, buy my season tickets and go lay by my dish knowing that we could have done better but hoping Grant or whoever will do well.

 

[MadtownGopher]

Ultimately on-field success will drive donations...our basketball and football programs have both been somewhere between sub-par and mediocre the last several years, and thus rich alums probably aren't as willing to cut huge checks to the program.

As a recent graduate from the U of M with tens of thousands of dollars in loans to repay, I'm pretty unlikely to donate to the Athletics program on top of the hundreds of dollars monthly that goes towards repaying my education. However, had the Gophers made an improbable run to the EE this year, or had the Gophers football team won 10 games last year, I may have been talked into giving a few hundred bucks, as the joy and pride the team would have provided me would be worth that. Trapped in our mediocrity, however, I can think of more important things to spend my money on. I'm sure a similar thought process occurs with many big-time donors, too.

My point is that we probably have sub-par donors because we've had a sub-par product. Making a big splash in hiring a popular BB coach could have temporarily provided a reason for increased donations, but ultimately on-court performance will dictate NT's fundraising success.

Tough to hire a big splash coach when you have *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#ty donors, horrible facilities, and poor support in general. Not to mention everyone in your conference has better facilities, better boosters, and at least as much fan support. It's the chicken or the egg dilemma. The bball program will struggle to get out of the B1G basement if there is no booster support and there won't be any booster support if the bball program is stuck in the B1G basement. That's why it will take courageous booster(s) to get on board and help our facilities without a contender already on the court. Unfortunately I don't see enough passion or even interest from our boosters for that to happen. Hopefully Teague can work a miracle, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[bga1]

Tough to hire a big splash coach when you have *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#ty donors, horrible facilities, and poor support in general. Not to mention everyone in your conference has better facilities, better boosters, and at least as much fan support. It's the chicken or the egg dilemma. The bball program will struggle to get out of the B1G basement if there is no booster support and there won't be any booster support if the bball program is stuck in the B1G basement. That's why it will take courageous booster(s) to get on board and help our facilities without a contender already on the court. Unfortunately I don't see enough passion or even interest from our boosters for that to happen. Hopefully Teague can work a miracle, but I'm not holding my breath.

Lars is exactly right Madtown. The perception by me and perhaps a lot of long time Gopher fans is that this University is not that interested in major sports being a success. As Joel always said, he was just as excited to see a rowing team win a title as the basketball team. Cool. But that's not going to get donors or fans in general excited. There is a sense here that if you build something for the men's program then you have to do that same thing for the women's program and for some other minor sport. One of the things Wisconsin has done, for example, is get rid of a lot of the minor sports to concentrate on the revenue sports. We are sitting here discussing how bad the donors are and we have Pam Borton getting extended at $450K a year while getting no results. Her salary sucks up the entire ticket revenue for women's sports.

Flip was as big of a splash of a coach as they could have hired. If you wanted to see booster excitement- that was the move and they ran him off over control issues in all probability. That's the university once again thinking that they are bigger than the customer. Okay, do it your way U of M but don't expect a ton of help afterwards.

 

[MadtownGopher]

With the exception of the Flip situation (which we have nothing but rumors and gossip to go on) literally everything you complained of was Maturi's doing. How is Teague supposed to prove he is all about the revenue sports without any support from the Boosters? Should he just cut 5 non-revenue sports, would that get the boosters to donate? He has to make up for a decade+ of Maturi's incompetence and nonexistent fundraising. Our facilities are not going to get better without the help of the boosters and using Maturi as a reason not to donate is as poor of an excuse as democrats continuing to blame Bush for every problem this country faces.

 

[The-Real-Truth]

A very nice post. Last week, when Tubby got fired I was very angry and posted a few bad ones. I am a Tubby fan but also support my state school. I consider myself a Gopher fan for sure. I love this state and want its teams succeed.

It has been a crazy week. Some of us like KyGopher, The Scout, J18, Peski, and …. Did not like the changes that were made. We all gave reasons for it. Things are about to calm down and people including myself begin to think more logically about the whole situation.

It is true that Tubby made many mistakes. Nobody denies that. However, because of the resources that he had, he did well. He was given 2 seasons because of working with the former’s coach’s recruits. Then he was give 3 years because of injuries, suspensions, ….
Last year was the only year that he could have performed but failed. We all understand that. The way that AD handled this situation was something that we did not agree with.

NT is trying to sell this job to top coaches but nobody is buying it because of poor resources. Tubby was trying the same thing with the 16-18-year-olds. How could he compete with the top schools when he had nothing to work with? Lets be realistic, there are high schools that have better facilities than UofM.

The way that I think NT should have handled the situation was to force Tubby to clean his bench and bring good assistants. They did that at Purdue when coach Keady was getting too old for the job. They brought in Painter. He learned a few things and we all have seen what he has done since.

Meanwhile, a practice facility could have been made, Tubby would retire and then University would have a great future. Everybody in the world knows that Tubby can coach except a few so-called-fans on GH. How could NT bring a coach when one of the best coaches in CBB could not win here? There is a reason that national media has been hard on NT for his decision.

Then, look at the alumni and boosters that you mentioned. At the beginning of the year, there were only Tiny, bga1, Jamlo…. By the end of the year, even Dr. Don was influenced by negative publicity. Who would want to work in such an environment? These so-called-fans kept bashing one of the best coaches in the country but had no solution how to fix the problem. I read that bga1 say so what that we have a few mediocre seasons. Seriously???? I think NT did make a mistake and he is paying for it.

My posts have been deleted lately. If these guys keep this one, I want to apologize for some of my bad posts lately and look forward to seeing Gophers succeed.

Go Gophers

 

[imthewalrus]

Seems like an excuse for a cheap booster to not donate. Refusing to support your school is about the worst thing you can possibly do. Especially since there is a new president and AD at the helm. Now is the time to help out.

**********If you don't like twitter length messages please do not read...**********

I can tell you haven't been in the booster or thinking about being in the booster business for very long. I have given at the high end of what my personal situation, my family situation and what my budget for charitable giving can allow. By many standards it would rank pretty damn low. However, it ranked high enough when we got our Football Season Tickets that we had any option to choose from that I could possibly want. So, I have tried to help provide scholarships for the student athletes at the U of M probably at the level many of the common folk who contribute and buy Football or Basketball or Football and Basketball season tickets do. I deserve no credit for this...it was what I wanted to do and what I could do. In the greater scheme of things it has been next to nothing....but....it has been what I could to be supportive of the sports programs I am a fan of.

I am truly in AWE of the huge amounts that some so very generously contribute. We ALL owe them a HUGE debt of gratitude. Quite frankly, MadtownGopher: you really pi$$ me off with your attitude that the Boosters OUGHT to be funding this horrendously run administration. I am careful what I will contribute to the U of M now and was from 2006 going forward when I saw the TERRIBLE mismanagement within the athletic department.



You have a LOT to learn young lawyer. Be appreciative that anybody even CONSIDERS answering the call when the fund-raisers at the U of M call based upon the past 7 or 8 years...no make that the past half century of horrible administrations at the U re: the revenue sports programs.

; 0 (

*****If you like twitter-type messages please do NOT read..*****

 

[MadtownGopher]

**********If you don't like twitter length messages please do not read...**********

I can tell you haven't been in the booster or thinking about being in the booster business for very long. I have given at the high end of what my personal situation, my family situation and what my budget for charitable giving can allow. By many standards it would rank pretty damn low. However, it ranked high enough when we got our Football Season Tickets that we had any option to choose from that I could possibly want. So, I have tried to help provide scholarships for the student athletes at the U of M probably at the level many of the common folk who contribute and buy Football or Basketball or Football and Basketball season tickets do. I deserve no credit for this...it was what I wanted to do and what I could do. In the greater scheme of things it has been next to nothing....but....it has been what I could to be supportive of the sports programs I am a fan of.

I am truly in AWE of the huge amounts that some so very generously contribute. We ALL owe them a HUGE debt of gratitude. Quite frankly, MadtownGopher: you really pi$$ me off with your attitude that the Boosters OUGHT to be funding this horrendously run administration. I am careful what I will contribute to the U of M now and was from 2006 going forward when I saw the TERRIBLE mismanagement within the athletic department.



You have a LOT to learn young lawyer. Be appreciative that anybody even CONSIDERS answering the call when the fund-raisers at the U of M call based upon the past 7 or 8 years...no make that the past half century of horrible administrations at the U re: the revenue sports programs.

; 0 (

*****If you like twitter-type messages please do NOT read..*****

What a sad and pathetic post. And ditch the smiley face signature, it makes you look ridiculous, kind of like a clown. A sad clown when you give it a frowny face and the only thing more pathetic than a clown is a sad clown.

 

[bga1]

A very nice post. Last week, when Tubby got fired I was very angry and posted a few bad ones. I am a Tubby fan but also support my state school. I consider myself a Gopher fan for sure. I love this state and want its teams succeed.

It has been a crazy week. Some of us like KyGopher, The Scout, J18, Peski, and …. Did not like the changes that were made. We all gave reasons for it. Things are about to calm down and people including myself begin to think more logically about the whole situation.

It is true that Tubby made many mistakes. Nobody denies that. However, because of the resources that he had, he did well. He was given 2 seasons because of working with the former’s coach’s recruits. Then he was give 3 years because of injuries, suspensions, ….
Last year was the only year that he could have performed but failed. We all understand that. The way that AD handled this situation was something that we did not agree with.

NT is trying to sell this job to top coaches but nobody is buying it because of poor resources. Tubby was trying the same thing with the 16-18-year-olds. How could he compete with the top schools when he had nothing to work with? Lets be realistic, there are high schools that have better facilities than UofM.

The way that I think NT should have handled the situation was to force Tubby to clean his bench and bring good assistants. They did that at Purdue when coach Keady was getting too old for the job. They brought in Painter. He learned a few things and we all have seen what he has done since.

Meanwhile, a practice facility could have been made, Tubby would retire and then University would have a great future. Everybody in the world knows that Tubby can coach except a few so-called-fans on GH. How could NT bring a coach when one of the best coaches in CBB could not win here? There is a reason that national media has been hard on NT for his decision.

Then, look at the alumni and boosters that you mentioned. At the beginning of the year, there were only Tiny, bga1, Jamlo…. By the end of the year, even Dr. Don was influenced by negative publicity. Who would want to work in such an environment? These so-called-fans kept bashing one of the best coaches in the country but had no solution how to fix the problem. I read that bga1 say so what that we have a few mediocre seasons. Seriously???? I think NT did make a mistake and he is paying for it.

My posts have been deleted lately. If these guys keep this one, I want to apologize for some of my bad posts lately and look forward to seeing Gophers succeed.

Go Gophers

Real Truth- my "so what" thread was sarcasm pointed at the other so what thread. I was not on the fire tubby bandwagon until the end of the year. Like you I thought Tubby needed to have a house cleaning (should have done it himself). My guess is that they suggested it and got told by Tubby where the door was.

 

[Cheesedog]

Boosters owe nothing - they worked hard for their money as well

+1

**********If you don't like twitter length messages please do not read...**********

I can tell you haven't been in the booster or thinking about being in the booster business for very long. I have given at the high end of what my personal situation, my family situation and what my budget for charitable giving can allow. By many standards it would rank pretty damn low. However, it ranked high enough when we got our Football Season Tickets that we had any option to choose from that I could possibly want. So, I have tried to help provide scholarships for the student athletes at the U of M probably at the level many of the common folk who contribute and buy Football or Basketball or Football and Basketball season tickets do. I deserve no credit for this...it was what I wanted to do and what I could do. In the greater scheme of things it has been next to nothing....but....it has been what I could to be supportive of the sports programs I am a fan of.

I am truly in AWE of the huge amounts that some so very generously contribute. We ALL owe them a HUGE debt of gratitude. Quite frankly, MadtownGopher: you really pi$$ me off with your attitude that the Boosters OUGHT to be funding this horrendously run administration. I am careful what I will contribute to the U of M now and was from 2006 going forward when I saw the TERRIBLE mismanagement within the athletic department.



You have a LOT to learn young lawyer. Be appreciative that anybody even CONSIDERS answering the call when the fund-raisers at the U of M call based upon the past 7 or 8 years...no make that the past half century of horrible administrations at the U re: the revenue sports programs.

; 0 (

*****If you like twitter-type messages please do NOT read..*****

 

[westcoastgopher11]

Can't criticize Teague on one hand for putting a single restriction on a potential hire's staff and then say it would've been better for him to make Tubby clean house to keep his job. If anything doing this would make Tubby look like more of a martyr the next year if he got fired.

The biggest thing that the administration has screwed up on is simple, the philosophy that all sports are created equal is a joke.

Football and basketball drive the bus for everyone else. Everyone wants to be good at football, and it's understandable why potentially major donors here don't have the same passion as a lot of other places do. We have flat out sucked for more than a generation in football.

Every hiring opportunity is a unique one, but we aren't going to build a better perception for this team overnight. It's gotta be ingrained and reenforced yearly. The quick fix/big 3 plans just reek of the same kind of front running support the Minnesota market is notorious for.

Yea if Tyus/Vaughan/Travis all came here we'd probably be damn good, but then what?

Build on stone not sand.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Can't criticize Teague on one hand for putting a single restriction on a potential hire's staff and then say it would've been better for him to make Tubby clean house to keep his job. If anything doing this would make Tubby look like more of a martyr the next year if he got fired.

The biggest thing that the administration has screwed up on is simple, the philosophy that all sports are created equal is a joke.

Football and basketball drive the bus for everyone else. Everyone wants to be good at football, and it's understandable why potentially major donors here don't have the same passion as a lot of other places do. We have flat out sucked for more than a generation in football.

Every hiring opportunity is a unique one, but we aren't going to build a better perception for this team overnight. It's gotta be ingrained and reenforced yearly. The quick fix/big 3 plans just reek of the same kind of front running support the Minnesota market is notorious for.

Yea if Tyus/Vaughan/Travis all came here we'd probably be damn good, but then what?

Build on stone not sand.

Absolutely spot on.

Those wanting to base this hire largely on the new coach's ability to land any of the Big 3 are -- there's no other way to say it -- completely off their rockers. This hire needs to be made with the long term in mind, not based on the maybe or maybe-not whims of 3 high school juniors.

If we get any of 'em, that's great, but if Teague's making this decision based on Jones, Vaughn, and Travis, he's equally off his rocker. Thankfully, I don't think he is.

 

[Iceland12]

The first response about looking at TCF said most of it. The responses since about the success of the program said the rest. While we don''t have a T.Bone Pickett or a Nike founder shoveling millions, a lot of people combined sent millions to build that stadium. Wouldn't be surprised despite how they phrased it, that boosters sent money into the General Fund to pay for the Mason and Monson buyouts either. Mason for sure. If Flip was hired purses would probably open up too. Hope they will either way.

How can we whine about donations when the Football Program hasn't won the Big Ten since 1967? Hell, they haven't finished higher than 4th since 1986! The basketball team has done a little better. They won the Big Ten and with cheating they got to the Final Four in 1997. You've got to go back to 1982 to get another title and they finished no higher than 5th in the five years surrounding that.

And we're going to blame Maturi for all of that?

The money the U has gotten from donors for athletics has been pretty miraculous considering what that money has accomplished.

 

[imthewalrus]

Absolutely spot on.

Those wanting to base this hire largely on the new coach's ability to land any of the Big 3 are -- there's no other way to say it -- completely off their rockers. This hire needs to be made with the long term in mind, not based on the maybe or maybe-not whims of 3 high school juniors.

If we get any of 'em, that's great, but if Teague's making this decision based on Jones, Vaughn, and Travis, he's equally off his rocker. Thankfully, I don't think he is.

I can't say that I disagree, but, which one of those three is Izzo going after for your Sparty team? Izzo is going hard after Jones, isn't he?

; 0 )