UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

[scoreboard]

Because the university that many of us attended and/or support - perpetually hurting for money as others have pointed out - was handed a windfall that could have been used in so many areas and they squandered $1.5M of it on a videoboard for the football stadium.

And you really don't understand why we would say something about that? Seriously?

Like I said, people love spending other people's money or telling them how to spend it. If the $1.0M (that is what they are saying it cost, you bounced it up to $1.5M) is so needed by UNH and can't survive without it then they should just shut the doors. And, to answer your question, no I don't understand. They honored the man by stating that it was his gift that bought the scoreboard.
I would like to meet the first person that will go to a UNH football/hockey game and not look at the big screens.

 

[E.J. Smith]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Like I said, people love spending other people's money or telling them how to spend it. If the $1.0M (that is what they are saying it cost, you bounced it up to $1.5M) is so needed by UNH and can't survive without it then they should just shut the doors. And, to answer your question, no I don't understand. They honored the man by stating that it was his gift that bought the scoreboard.
I would like to meet the first person that will go to a UNH football/hockey game and not look at the big screens.

UNH is not "other people". UNH is not a person, you understand that, right? Whatever money the school has and how they spend it is absolutely open to debate by both the people of NH and particularly the alumni. As for it only being a million dollars, well freaking excuse me, I didn't realize that fell into the pocket change category. By all means drop the next mill on vacation home in Aruba for the football coach, there's more where that came from, right?

 

[Snively65]

OK, for those still paying attention ... a show of hands for those who whined for years/decades about the absence of the now-fabled Borisenok Jumbotron at The Whitt until this past season (Facility Year 21)?

Lots of you, right?
.

Guilty as charged on the Borisenok Jumbotron. But, hoping that the football video scoreboard brings that team better luck than the Jumbotron brought the hockey team. Hey, scoreboard by virtue of his screen name must endorse all expenditures on scoreboards, right?

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

UNH is not "other people". UNH is not a person, you understand that, right? Whatever money the school has and how they spend it is absolutely open to debate by both the people of NH and particularly the alumni. As for it only being a million dollars, well freaking excuse me, I didn't realize that fell into the pocket change category. By all means drop the next mill on vacation home in Aruba for the football coach, there's more where that came from, right?

OK - is the money UNH chooses to spend (and on what) up for debate - especially by UNH alums? Yes, 100%.

Is the football stadium video board something that will likely serve UNH alums who might be football fans? Yup.

Unless you're in Coach MacDonnell's inner circle, I doubt the Aruba vacation home provides a broad benefit to UNH alums. Or, at least not 'til Football turns into a D-1 powerhouse, and UNH can use it to entertain the illegal boosters we'll need to make that adventure work.

 

[E.J. Smith]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

OK, for those still paying attention ... a show of hands for those who whined for years/decades about the absence of the now-fabled Borisenok Jumbotron at The Whitt until this past season (Facility Year 21)?

Lots of you, right?

So let me get this straight ... UNH is building a stadium after 80 (!) years of the abysmal NHIAA D-3 facility they've had. They spring for a $1+MM video board while they're at it. What's the big deal? Was the expectation to wait 20+ years 'til Chip Kelly, Corey Graham, Bill Bowes, or Ricky Santos' dad gifts it to them?



Yes, the guy left them a huge gift. It's very clear that he specifically only wanted $100K to be earmarked for the Dimond Library. For a guy who apparently had a lot of time to plan his estate, that seems to be a pretty clear directive, no? And notwithstanding all of that, UNH still decided to allocate $2.5MM of the gift to non-athletics departments/facilities. Don't get me wrong - I don't buy the BS about how the donor turned into a raging football fanatic in the assisted living facility. The decision-makers at UNH were no doubt worrying about the arrival of the Social Justice Warriors Local 03824 brother/sisterhood to descend, tut-tutting about their misplaced priorities (which of course has now happened).

I've taken my share of swings at UNH for a lot of different issues, but this won't be one of them.

Chuck, you do seem confused. When they're putting up a Jumbotron on one side of Main St you spend the better part of a year deriding and poking fun at it. But when they're putting up a Videoboard on the other side of Main St it's long overdue and something we should just s t f u about and mind our own business. Odd. I have my own theories but feel free to explain the difference if you'd like.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Chuck, you do seem confused. When they're putting up a Jumbotron on one side of Main St you spend the better part of a year deriding and poking fun at it. But when they're putting up a Videoboard on the other side of Main St it's long overdue and something we should just s t f u about and mind our own business. Odd. I have my own theories but feel free to explain the difference if you'd like.

Simple, actually EJ. I don't need the Jumbotron, and always viewed it as a needless add-on at The Whitt. Many folks like it, and good for them. Me? Meh, whatever, no big deal. Many folks believe(d) it was the *solution* to boost the crappy Hockey recruiting. Some of us thought/think it was the latest crappy Hockey excuse. If anything, recruiting has fallen off even more since the Jumbotron arrived. So that's one more crappy excuse exposed as just that, right?

You seem to be an insightful poster capable of picking up on subtle things like this ... maybe I assumed too much?

I'm not saying/have never said they should rip the Jumbotron down - have I?

Frankly, I don't care that they added the video board at the stadium across the street, any more than I did about the Borisenok's very generous gift.

I've only said the stadium itself was long overdue. Never once said the videoboard was.

See - not confused at all.

You need read only my last post to see I have no issue with honest debate over the issue.

Mr. Morin's wishes were pretty darned clear. If he wanted to give the whole $4MM to resurrect the Baseball or Men's Lacrosse programs, or to exclude Athletics entirely from his gift, he easily could have done so, no?

Were any of the pro-Jumbotron faction complaining that Walt Borisenok should be spending his money on other non-Athletics campus improvements? No?? Didn't think so.

Morin let UNH allocate most of his gift as they saw fit. Most ($2.5MM-$3.0MM) went to non-Athletic stuff. Agreed?

So much of this seems pretty straightforward. Maybe you're the one who's confused here ...

 

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Mr. Morin's wishes were pretty darned clear. If he wanted to give the whole $4MM to resurrect the Baseball or Men's Lacrosse programs, or to exclude Athletics entirely from his gift, he easily could have done so, no?

Were any of the pro-Jumbotron faction complaining that Walt Borisenok should be spending his money on other non-Athletics campus improvements? No?? Didn't think so.

Morin let UNH allocate most of his gift as they saw fit. Most ($2.5MM-$3.0MM) went to non-Athletic stuff. Agreed?

So much of this seems pretty straightforward. Maybe you're the one who's confused here ...

You highlight the very difference. I am thrilled if the Borisenoks want to donate for a specific purpose. I am not sure the money would have been available to the U for other purposes.

Morin, in contrast didn't designate it for his favorite late in life joys. You rightly point out that he didn't expressly exclude it. He did leave them discretion. We'll never know how he felt about the use -- remember, it does not appear that he disclosed the intended dontation to the U before he died. Therefore, we're left to guess about how me might have reacted had the U told him of the options. My guess, is that if they had said "that's wonderful, we'll buy a scoreboard" that Mr. Morin might have had a return visit to his soliciter to put a limitation in the bequest.

 

[Chuck Murray]

While we're at it ... let's discuss lame justifications/excuses

While we're at it ... let's discuss lame justifications/excuses

Lame Justification/Excuse #1: We need a Jumbotron at The Whitt to help our sagging Hockey program and their flagging recruiting efforts. Kids these days, they just love to see themselves on the 'Tron. This way, maybe we can keep up with the likes of Providence, Quinnipiac, UConn and UMass Amherst on the ever-more-competitive recruiting trails.



Lame Justification/Excuse #2: We need a videoboard at Wildcat Stadium to help our successful D-2 Football program keep up with the likes of Elon, Holy Cross, Robert Morris and William & Mary (or is that Mary & William?). We're building the place now, so let's save a few bucks and do it now. After all, Mr. Morin had become quite the football fan in his later years.



Equally lame and bogus excuses, all because ... why? Because the PC Brigade and/or the Local 03824 Social Justice Warriors will get their panties in a bunch if the University spends notable money on peripheral Athletics-related causes.

I'd prefer that those in charge at UNH just man up - oops, er - person up, make the decision, and own it, without the silly excuses/justifications.

"We are backing our Hockey program" ... "We are backing the Football program", end of.

 

[joecct]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Chuck

I thought you were 1-AA (FCS) rather than D2 in football??

The Yankee Conference used to ve pretty good 1AA football. So you're not playing BC - who cares?

 

[NCAA watcher]

Re: While we're at it ... let's discuss lame justifications/excuses

Re: While we're at it ... let's discuss lame justifications/excuses

fter all, Mr. Morin had become quite the football fan in his later years.

Many a resident had to turn off their hearing aids to drown out Morin's "De-Fense" chants on Saturdays.

I will never forgive myself for not being in the home and opening the "Fire Umile" thread for Bob, so he would investigate the benefits of buying out Umile and hiring a real successor.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

You highlight the very difference. I am thrilled if the Borisenoks want to donate for a specific purpose. I am not sure the money would have been available to the U for other purposes.

Morin, in contrast didn't designate it for his favorite late in life joys. You rightly point out that he didn't expressly exclude it. He did leave them discretion. We'll never know how he felt about the use -- remember, it does not appear that he disclosed the intended dontation to the U before he died. Therefore, we're left to guess about how me might have reacted had the U told him of the options. My guess, is that if they had said "that's wonderful, we'll buy a scoreboard" that Mr. Morin might have had a return visit to his soliciter to put a limitation in the bequest.

We'll never know, you're right. But I don't think there's any question Mr. Morin was a learned man, and the thought of having a large chunk of his gift being allocated to something distant from library sciences when he chose only to earmark $100K to Dimond Library would almost certainly have crossed his mind at some point.

BTW I do like the bit about the "imperial presidency". Hadn't noticed that before.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: While we're at it ... let's discuss lame justifications/excuses

Re: While we're at it ... let's discuss lame justifications/excuses

Many a resident had to turn off their hearing aids to drown out Morin's "De-Fense" chants on Saturdays.

I will never forgive myself for not being in the home and opening the "Fire Umile" thread for Bob, so he would investigate the benefits of buying out Umile and hiring a real successor.

Classic.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Chuck

I thought you were 1-AA (FCS) rather than D2 in football??

The Yankee Conference used to ve pretty good 1AA football. So you're not playing BC - who cares?

They are ... but what's the difference? It's still second tier college ball, right? EJ hit that right on the nose.

And if BC were being honest with themselves, they (and UConn) would be back in a new Yankee Conference. How much fun would that be - a football version of Hockey East almost - but that ship has sailed.

 

[DLG]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

BC in a conference with UNH and Maine. Wake up
Maybe one with Syracuse Pitt penn state. UConn
ACC was maybe stupid from compete standpoint but it is a cash cow.

 

[scoreboard]

Hey, scoreboard by virtue of his screen name must endorse all expenditures on scoreboards, right?

Scoreboard is on board. Why not enhance the fan experience with a Jumbotron? Times are a changing people. For a competitive program in college sports it is pretty much expected. Did anyone watch North Dakota State (FCS) upset #13 Iowa (FBS) today? Great game. I'm not even sure it was an upset. That North Dakota State team is amazing.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

BC in a conference with UNH and Maine. Wake up
Maybe one with Syracuse Pitt penn state. UConn
ACC was maybe stupid from compete standpoint but it is a cash cow.

Virginia Tech 49
Boston College 0

Winless in the ACC in 2015. NC wins against UMaine, Northern Illinois and Howard (was that Moe, Curly or Shemp?)

Lost their last five (5) pseudo-*bowl* games

Wake up ... really? Take your own advice, maybe??

But hey, you got that cash cow thing going.

 

[joecct]

Virginia Tech 49
Boston College 0

Winless in the ACC in 2015. NC wins against UMaine, Northern Illinois and Howard (was that Moe, Curly or Shemp?)

Lost their last five (5) pseudo-*bowl* games

Wake up ... really? Take your own advice, maybe??

But hey, you got that cash cow thing going.

You forgot the thriller over UMass.

 

[Snively65]

Scoreboard is on board. Why not enhance the fan experience with a Jumbotron? Times are a changing people. For a competitive program in college sports it is pretty much expected. Did anyone watch North Dakota State (FCS) upset #13 Iowa (FBS) today? Great game. I'm not even sure it was an upset. That North Dakota State team is amazing.

So, if we win all of our home games and lose all of our away games, I guess that the new scoreboard will have paid for itself, even if we do not get to the postseason this year.

 

[wildcatdc]

Scoreboard is on board. Why not enhance the fan experience with a Jumbotron? Times are a changing people. For a competitive program in college sports it is pretty much expected. Did anyone watch North Dakota State (FCS) upset #13 Iowa (FBS) today? Great game. I'm not even sure it was an upset. That North Dakota State team is amazing.

Yep - that was sweet, and brings the FCS close to double digits (again) in wins over FBS teams this year. That includes wins over PAC12, ACC, Big 12, and two wins over Big 10 teams - just this year. If only Nicholls Staye could have taken out Georgia - so close. So much for the chasm of competitive diferential.

 

[wildcatdc]

So, if we win all of our home games and lose all of our away games, I guess that the new scoreboard will have paid for itself, even if we do not get to the postseason this year.

Yeah, that was brutal. We probably aren't going to hold up OUR end of FCS competitiveness this year. Can't seem to get any offense going.