Jump to content

Athletic Director Status ---- Tom Wistrcill


Dr Z

Recommended Posts

As for who was actually most responsible for the Coach Bowden hire, it was first seriously discussed on ZipsNation way back in 2009 before the iCoach disaster. I think that planted the seed that ultimately resulted in the call to Coach Bowden. Since that has as much relevance as some of the other theories, I'm giving ZipsNation credit.

I would urge anybody that is curious, to ask coach Bowden "how did you end up here?" He is happy to share his story. The rest in my opinion is politics.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would urge anybody that is curious, to ask coach Bowden "how did you end up here?" He is happy to share his story. The rest in my opinion is politics.

He answered that question himself at the breakfast where he and his brothers and father spoke.

In fact, that person was in the room that morning, and he acknowledged him and pointed him out to everyone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DUDE, you are making my point!! Outside of iCoach what else has he done so poorly - you keep repeating the same thing. I GET THE iCoach already!!! Sh*t happens. Hell, Notre Dame hired Gerry Faust who was a HS football coach. It was a bad mistake….drop it. If we lost 20% of our fan base, my calculations would say we lost 2K people ;-) I don't have solid proof of TW's contributions and I am not sure if I am privy to that information. I do know our athletics have been as good as they have ever been in the last 10 years as a whole. We have good coaches already…..what do you want him to do…..fire them so he can put his stamp on them? Things are looking up. You, and Joe Akron, need to forget iCoach and support the fantastic staff we have. To boycott TB and KD and JE is rather childish.

I am just saying there is more to this than ONE holocaustal hire. I am sure Dr. Scarborough, being the thoughtful leader he is, will weigh everything and make a decision. I can assure you it will not be only on the iCoach hire. You know, I think we all respected Proenza and his decision making... right? He was also a thoughtful leader. He made some amazing things happen during his tenure to this campus. Have you thought about why he didn't fire TW…

Dude, you didn't fully read my post. Not renewing someone's contract is not the same as firing them. So, I would imagine that Dr. Scaraborough, being the thoughtful leader that he is, is reviewing TW's performance record at UA. I imagine he's looking for reasons to keep Tom as opposed to reasons to let him go. Lack of substantive performance warrants going in another direction. And, I'll add, especially when you're looking at a position with a $200k+ salary. I've asked you for 1 reason why UA should retain TW; I'm sure Dr. Scarborough is looking for more than that. The iCoach DEBACLE is probably moot as far as TW's contract renewal even though it still pisses me off.

What has TW done that warrants retaining his services? That is the question.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did respond. The fact that the overall state of our athletics is as good as it has ever been.

So you say. If Dr. Scarborough agrees UA Athletics are on the right course, then TW will remain. Personally, I think we should expect more. Difference of opinions.

I admit that I cannot forget the iCoach debacle. Add to that the apparent lack of a decent marketing strategy and the frustration that Caleb Porter felt when he left (even though that didn't drive him away), and I'm steadfast in my opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a matter of public record that the first public lobbying for Coach Bowden began on ZipsNation at 4:50 p.m. Nov. 28, 2009:

InTheZone, on 28 Nov 2009 - 4:50 PM, said:

Go get him Luis. Not only is he a "wow" hire, he's tremendously succesful as a head coach, a high energy guy, a great recruiter, is a former assistant coach at Akron, and is a great motivator. Also, and most importantly to me, he has a history of quick turnarounds for programs. Want to get the Akron community excited about Zips football again?? Go get him, and pay him. BOWDEN'S RECORD AS A HEAD COACH: 120-53-2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a matter of public record that the first public lobbying for Coach Bowden began on ZipsNation at 4:50 p.m. Nov. 28, 2009:

With the excitement surrounding the new stadium at that time, I wonder where our football attendance figures would be had UA hired TB in the first place rather than digging the iCrater. Zipsnation will never know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some of the opinions and predictions in that 2009 thread are priceless.

Yes. I remember being set against hiring TB. After experiencing the 2nd worse hire in D1 history, and meeting TB, I admit I was wrong at the time. I'm still skeptical given last season's disappointment, but I'm hopeful he'll get it done this season or next. He'll not be able to point back at others' mistakes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was also skeptical about Coach Bowden in 2009. I said at the time that there appeared to be a major disconnect between his coaching resume and his inability to land a job at the level of school that would typically be looking for a coach with that type of resume. I saw that as a big caution flag, and hoped UA did, too. But I concluded that if a careful study should prove that the risk was not as great as it seemed, that would be great. In fact I later did some more in depth research on Coach Bowden's background and found a lot of evidence to support that he would, indeed, be a good risk -- the same conclusion that UA reached.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So you say. If Dr. Scarborough agrees UA Athletics are on the right course, then TW will remain. Personally, I think we should expect more.

A-greed.

Everybody wants to play big boy Division freaking I sports with the big boys, but are satisfied with what we have now. When we compare facilities with other DI schools IN OUR CONFERENCE ours look like a playground/gym. But if someone suggests we should play to our level, they start a lynch mob.

Do you want to be DI or not? If you do, we need a D1 AD who will bring our shit (at least) up to MAC standards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@a-zip I've got 1 for you:

How the f hard is it to update your own freakin website, GoZips.com, to inform Zips Soccer fans of the Spring Soccer schedules.

1. The Zips Mens Soccer team was supposed to play the Riverhounds and Wright State in Akron. On March 9th, the Riverhounds website informed that the game had been moved to Pittsburgh. GoZips.com did not provide that information until March 12th. It would be nice for Zips fans to have as much time as possible to adjust plans if possible.

2. It seems GoZips.com can't post the Women's Spring Schedule at all.

3. Apparently, the Mens Spring game in Columbus this Friday is closed to the public per @ZipsMSoc twitter. Nothing has shown up yet on GoZips.com.

I realize Spring games are just exhibition, but there are a lot of Zips soccer fans who like to go and support our teams and see how they look just like Zips Football fans enjoy the Spring Practices and game. How rinky-dink can you get that you can't keep your fans informed timely on your own website. Why the H&ll does the Ath Dept have Sports Information Directors? The AD should be on top of this. UA is already paying for this marketing. USE IT!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@a-zip I've got 1 for you:

How the f hard is it to update your own freakin website, GoZips.com, to inform Zips Soccer fans of the Spring Soccer schedules.

1. The Zips Mens Soccer team was supposed to play the Riverhounds and Wright State in Akron. On March 9th, the Riverhounds website informed that the game had been moved to Pittsburgh. GoZips.com did not provide that information until March 12th. It would be nice for Zips fans to have as much time as possible to adjust plans if possible.

2. It seems GoZips.com can't post the Women's Spring Schedule at all.

3. Apparently, the Mens Spring game in Columbus this Friday is closed to the public per @ZipsMSoc twitter. Nothing has shown up yet on GoZips.com.

I realize Spring games are just exhibition, but there are a lot of Zips soccer fans who like to go and support our teams and see how they look just like Zips Football fans enjoy the Spring Practices and game. How rinky-dink can you get that you can't keep your fans informed timely on your own website. Why the H&ll does the Ath Dept have Sports Information Directors? The AD should be on top of this. UA is already paying for this marketing. USE IT!!!

PS, Malcolm Walters is STILL not on the basketball roster. (Or Mark Noble & Ricardo Hill).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@a-zip I've got 1 for you:

How the f hard is it to update your own freakin website, GoZips.com, to inform Zips Soccer fans of the Spring Soccer schedules.

1. The Zips Mens Soccer team was supposed to play the Riverhounds and Wright State in Akron. On March 9th, the Riverhounds website informed that the game had been moved to Pittsburgh. GoZips.com did not provide that information until March 12th. It would be nice for Zips fans to have as much time as possible to adjust plans if possible.

2. It seems GoZips.com can't post the Women's Spring Schedule at all.

3. Apparently, the Mens Spring game in Columbus this Friday is closed to the public per @ZipsMSoc twitter. Nothing has shown up yet on GoZips.com.

I realize Spring games are just exhibition, but there are a lot of Zips soccer fans who like to go and support our teams and see how they look just like Zips Football fans enjoy the Spring Practices and game. How rinky-dink can you get that you can't keep your fans informed timely on your own website. Why the H&ll does the Ath Dept have Sports Information Directors? The AD should be on top of this. UA is already paying for this marketing. USE IT!!!

Wow, I see your point. FIRE HIM!! DON'T RENEW HIS CONTRACT!! The masses that wanted to see the Riverhounds exhibition must be furious…I don't blame them. My bad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, I see your point. FIRE HIM!! DON'T RENEW HIS CONTRACT!! The masses that wanted to see the Riverhounds exhibition must be furious…I don't blame them. My bad.

+1 if I could.

The men's and women's soccer spring exhbition schedules should totally be on GoZips.com and be updated daily. Inexcusable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

PS, Malcolm Walters is STILL not on the basketball roster. (Or Mark Noble & Ricardo Hill).

Having looked at a fair number of college team rosters, I can tell you that some schools list both scholarship and non-scholarship players and some list only scholarship players. The Zips used to list both and recently switched to listing scholarship players only. I have no idea why some schools elect to do it one way and some the other or why UA decided to switch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, I see your point. FIRE HIM!! DON'T RENEW HIS CONTRACT!! The masses that wanted to see the Riverhounds exhibition must be furious…I don't blame them. My bad.

Too bad you miss the point. I just provided you another example of things that are lacking. UA Ath Dept. MARKETING SUCKS. Just giving you an example of how poor it is ... People who are on the payroll can't even update an existing website.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think many of us are to the point where straws are breaking backs. It's an accumulation of factors couched in a generally sub-par culture surrounding UA athletics administration. There seems to be a real sense that we on ZN.O care exponentially more about UA athletics than those who are paid to care. I know that little things (that in and of themselves should not be big deals) have begun to really annoy me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think many of us are to the point where straws are breaking backs. It's an accumulation of factors couched in a generally sub-par culture surrounding UA athletics administration. There seems to be a real sense that we on ZN.O care exponentially more about UA athletics than those who are paid to care. I know that little things (that in and of themselves should not be big deals) have begun to really annoy me.

Exactly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would have to think being fiscally responsible would have to be one if the top metrics an AD is judged on. UoA does not have an unlimited budget - in fact it is dwarfed by the budgets of the power conferences. It is dwarfed by Cinci, and many 2nd tier athletic programs.

My point is this. It is nice to want EVERYTHING - arenas, stadiums, training facilities, cool uniforms, the best coaches, awesome marketing, websites, entertaining halftimes, etc......in order to justify these EXPENDITURES there needs to be demand/interest. Do we have that? I don't think so. Let's just say the interest was there......the next thing needed is MONEY. Do we have that? Nope, not enough to have all the things ZNo fans want. So what do you do next? You try and get funding through the city, state, corporate sponsorships. It does not appear anyone is interested.

So, what do you do next? You make financially responsible decisions. Making those decisions when you have limited resources means you have to make sacrifices.

So, I ask - with what TW has to work with....is he doing a good job? My response is that our athletic teams are as strong as they have ever been and I think we have the coaches in place to get to the next level.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If anybody here is privy to the restraints being placed on TW, both financially and otherwise, I would love to hear their arguments. Unfounded speculation and biased opinions are of little value to me.

I did not say there were restraints put on him. I am saying that his (UAs) budget is dwarfed by many big schools.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My point is this. It is nice to want EVERYTHING - arenas, stadiums, training facilities, cool uniforms, the best coaches, awesome marketing, websites, entertaining halftimes, etc......in order to justify these EXPENDITURES there needs to be demand/interest. Do we have that? I don't think so. Let's just say the interest was there......the next thing needed is MONEY. Do we have that? Nope, not enough to have all the things ZNo fans want. So what do you do next? You try and get funding through the city, state, corporate sponsorships. It does not appear anyone is interested.

So, what do you do next? You make financially responsible decisions. Making those decisions when you have limited resources means you have to make sacrifices.

Or you simply collect $800 a year from roughly 22,000 students each. Not to hard to be "financially responsible" IMO, that's money that is GUARANTEED to come in, regardless of what you do, so > 80% of your job is already done for you when it comes to budgeting.

Hiring coaches, that you have to fire in two-years due to poor performance and must continue to pay, is something I'd consider financially irresponsible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...