Trickle down

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

Let's all agree that UA's success on the field will be tied to the financial success of the university much more than it ever has before. The university just erected a beautiful stadium that seats 30K with overflow. Let's all agree that it's beautiful and is in the perfect location. More importantly, UA has invested a large sum of money here and therefore in the football program itself. While I don't know the numbers offhand, UA is committed to making large payments on debt incurred in the construction of the Info. In years past, Proenza could easily live with craptacular football played in an even worse stadium because there was no real financial penalty to be paid by the university for the product. He also could live with the lack of prestige because hey, that was the way UA football had always been. It was that kinda fun thing happening miles and miles away, in the mud of the crappy Rubber Bowl, a few weeks a year. Ignorance was bliss. Now, Proenza's personal legacy, his own personal prestige, not to mention the financial health of the university to which he has saddled his career, are all deeply intertwined with this football program. How do you suppose he felt yesterday as he watched the fans practically running out of the stadium in the 3rd quarter? Remember, he attended the soccer game the night before. How's THAT for a contrast in performance and enthusiasm? From his own personal box, surrounded by friends and business partners, he surveyed the stench and stink that has been deeply ground into this football program. The losing, the apathy, the team quitting in the 4th quarter. While personally upsetting, he HAD to be deeply concerned about the financial implications of this game too. How does UA meet its financial obligations to the stadium debt without planting bodies in the seats? How much does UA lose on concessions, parking, team merchandise with each crappy on-the-field performance? How many prospective top-shelf players decide that maybe Akron won't be the best fit for them after watching yesterday's game?NEW GAME, NEW PARADIGM, NEW RULES. Yesterday set this program back, a LOT in my opinion. You just don't have many opportunities like UA had yesterday, to build for the present AND the future. Last night, maybe this morning, I truly believe that Proenza was pushing HARD for better, MUCH better from Wistrcill. You know, the MARKETING AD whose job it will be to fill those seats that nobody in NE Ohio was interested in by the 3rd quarter yesterday. Wistrcill came here with absolutely NO ties to JD or the other "offensive gurus" behind this impotent UA offense. I believe that UA's approach to football has completely changed with the construction of the Info, and that Proenza is going to be pushing HARD for success on the field as part of his growth plans for UA, and I expect that Wistrcill is likely kicking JD's ass this morning.I'm reminded here of the little video clip that Wistrcill put out this week with JD and Caleb promoting this weekend's games. Caleb and JD seemed uncomfortable doing the video, but at least Caleb took his team out onto the field and PERFORMED. JD's team sucked, hard, and were boring to boot. Wistrcill can't afford for this program to fail, and right now, it's failing, absolutely. NEW GAME, NEW PARADIGM, NEW RULES. The notion that hey, this is crappy MAC football and that JD will be allowed to stumble through another mediocre season is laughable to me. Nobody builds THAT stadium for middling football. UA could easily have built a small 20K-capacity glorified HS stadium, which would have proven more than sufficient for any team that sees itself as a long term MAC program. UA practically staked its continued growth on this project. IF JD hasn't realized that the game has completely changed and that he MUST win or be gone, soon, well then we're all about to witness a mid-season firing. With serious money now at stake, with the continued growth of the university at stake, with the UA President's own credibility and prestige now at stake for the first time in UA football history, we can expect bombshells sooner rather than later, based on yesterday's performance. JD, how is your home's curb appeal?

[GP1]

How do you suppose he felt yesterday as he watched the fans practically running out of the stadium in the 3rd quarter?

My guess is he had thought, "Damn, I wish I was one of those people right now".

[Lee Adams]

brookhart made his own bed...as i said already..the new sheriff in town...er...AD owes NOTHING to brookhart..they didn't sink $60 mill into this to allow this staff to go 4-8/5-7...the university owes it to the people who put up the $$$$$ and who buy the season tickets to not be Can't state west...things ARE going to happen in the next several weeks...

[tim123]

It's not JD's fault...Ask CJ...