Inside Syracuse’s rough off-season: How portal misses and a lack of NIL money led to a lost year

[Scooch]

I still don’t follow you. Except for maybe one person, he gave a lot more to nil than anyone here. That was a good chunk of change yet people act like he should have given more. Why? Who are we to dictate how much someone should donate? And prior to nil, I have no idea where his donations were going. Could have been facilities could have been to the general AD fund. But it was athletics.

"Here" meaning SU donors writ large or people literally on this site? If its the latter, that doesn't move me at all.

I don't care to dictate how people spend their money. I've merely read several comments from people on this site, some who claim to be friends with Weitsman, that (a) the bulk of his money was spent on renovating a Dome suite, and (b) he didn't give any money to SU athletics facilities. I don't know what he gave to a general fund or how that money was used.

I stand by my belief that Weitsman's profile is massively disproportionately higher compared to his donation level. People act as if we lost the biggest whale we've ever had. Everything I've read on this very site suggests that's not true at all.

 

[baggerbob]

It was at the time it was given.

Don't bother continuing to answer him, he isn't worth the bother.

 

[Fly Rodder]

I still don’t follow you. Except for maybe one person, he gave a lot more to nil than anyone here. That was a good chunk of change yet people act like he should have given more

The issue is that there was obviously friction between AW and SU. Whether or not that friction is justified is besides the point. But I’m sure the amount of money donated can certainly allow for different levels of uh say flexibility. If donor wants more special privileges & treatment, then it probably needs to be a lot more.

That level of booster is rarified air. I don’t pretend to know all the ins and outs, but I’m sure the more you play ball with SU, the better the access.

 

[UnknownOrange]

23 pages and it’s been 50 hours since OP

We’re still passionate damnit!

 

[Red2003]

23 pages and it’s been 50 hours since OP

We’re still passionate damnit!

Good call. We're angry at everyone part of this program in CNY, admins, Autry, roster, old coaches and new coaches and billionaires and AD's and everyone for the worst season we had to sit through in 50 years.

We also have to all remember we're angry at so much more outside of CNY.

We jumped from an Amateur College sports league only a few years ago to a Pro professional league. More recently 2 SuperLeagues, a few that are barely universities any more and their main goal is to win NCAA Natties and are just Feeder leagues to the NFL and NBA. Not to mention we are stuck in an ACC league Headquartered in NC where no one wants to be, not even the schools that are actually in North Carolina.

 

[Scooch]

It sounds like Weitsman has done a ton of wonderful things in the CNY community. I think that's fantastic. I totally understand why people who have been the beneficiaries of his work on that front defend the guy. I'm sure I would to.

When it comes to SU, it seems like the school asked him to do a couple of pretty innocuous things: funnel his NIL money through a collective, and don't put recruits on private planes with celebrities (LOL). By all accounts, he wouldn't acquiesce to that. That's his choice.

Every other super wealthy SU donor manages to abide by those simple requests.

 

[ar inj]

When you have to be convinced of the merits of meeting with donors during the season, you are basically refusing. Fran would bend over backwards to do that whenever for money. Red has never had to do it before and didn’t know what it took. He better adapt.

And Red has not yet learned that reality. I specifically chose the word “refuse” in my earlier post for a reason.

 

[Scooch]

And Red has not yet learned that reality. I specifically chose the word “refuse” in my earlier post for a reason.

Is it the "during the season" part that's in question here? Because he's certainly meeting with folks in the offseason. At least recently.

 

[kcsu]

I still don’t follow you. Except for maybe one person, he gave a lot more to nil than anyone here. That was a good chunk of change yet people act like he should have given more. Why? Who are we to dictate how much someone should donate? And prior to nil, I have no idea where his donations were going. Could have been facilities could have been to the general AD fund. But it was athletics.

Thank you for posting this. I dont know anything about what Adam has done for SU. I do however have knowledge of what he has done to help some of the people where I live and i appreciate it very much.
Everyone is entitled to their own way as long as it is legitimate and doesn't harm anyone else.
Personally I have always been quiet about any charitable work I do.
But that is just me. It doesn't matter. What matters is that you step up. Period. And Adam stepped up.

 

[Cusefan95]

It's clear that the administration almost looks down its nose at the money the basketball and football programs bring them.

They have always left the athletic department in relative poverty - making them pay rent to the university for the use of the Dome? I mean, what is that??

We don't have treadmills - 2 stinking treadmills - for our basketball team that brings in the most money for the school?

It's up to the fans to provide the money that the University itself, or its most success alumni fail to provide. That doesn't seem like they're even trying.

I don’t think the University “looks down its nose” at the money football and basketball bring in. They just have historically taken it for granted that it’ll always be there. It happened with football in the late 80s/early 90s, as other schools were investing heavily in new facilities while the administration assumed Syracuse would always be an 8-4, 9-3 type program in the northeast with occasionally really good years sprinkled in. By the time they figured out that wasn’t the case, Syracuse was so far behind they’ve never really caught up. Same thing with basketball, JB was not nearly as expensive as his talent warranted on the open market…so now basketball is where football was in about 2004.

I get that as a private university they need to allocate resources differently than a public university would. And maybe the allocations were as good as they could afford to be for athletics. But it certainly feels like the university exposes themselves to much bigger risks than they realize by underfunding athletics, then are shocked when things implode on them.

 

[cusefan88]

The part two article with insights from Evan Miya is equally unflattering.

 

[pwong]

We know Syracuse basketball has a portal problem. Just how bad has it been?

Syracuse hasn't just failed to improve through the transfer portal. A member of one of the country's top conferences, the Orange has actually gotten worse.

www.syracuse.com

 

[DilemaCuse]

It's clear that the administration almost looks down its nose at the money the basketball and football programs bring them.

They have always left the athletic department in relative poverty - making them pay rent to the university for the use of the Dome? I mean, what is that??

We don't have treadmills - 2 stinking treadmills - for our basketball team that brings in the most money for the school?

It's up to the fans to provide the money that the University itself, or its most success alumni fail to provide. That doesn't seem like they're even trying.

Soo dumb. I cant believe this and wonder what Carmelo thinks about the on court performance and then what if he did an inspection of the building with his name on it, what would he say?

Do they not realize how important maintaining Athletics is to draw in non-alum, local and regional fans across the state? And the money that comes with that?

Like nobody is driving up to campus to watch the kid in the science building or in Newhouse perform their academics.

But people will pack the dome to watch Donovan McNabb and Carmelo and the 02-03 team.

 

[Irishsecra1]

Wow, this article is even more unflattering than yesterdays.

 

[SUFan44]

When the time comes to replace Red, that coach is going to want a functioning NIL network. You need both.

So then you're in agreement we need to get rid of him.

I don't disagree that the NIL space is a mess for the athletic department - but that doesn't mean Autry is completely absolved of this mess. He's a HUGE part of the issue. And it feels as though there is a fraction of this board that believe it's an NIL issue more than it is a coaching staff issue. In my humble opinion, and I can point to reasons why, I think it's absolutely the other way around.

 

[SUFan44]

This is not accurate. They are doing more with less but they ain’t making the tourney either unless they’re winning their conference.

FAU was an at-large bid last year.

Nevada was an at-large bid last year.

Boise State was an at-large bid last year.

 

[Scooch]

Don't bother continuing to answer him, he isn't worth the bother.

Shots fired!

 

[NKR1978]

Well wasn't the Fran search a call from Fran to Wildhack? I have no confidence in his ability to conduct a national search or the school's interest in doing one. They will hire a cheap, under the radar guy who will be propped up as the Fran of hoops.

I hope you're wrong.

 

[phil77]

View attachment 249903

We know Syracuse basketball has a portal problem. Just how bad has it been?

Syracuse hasn't just failed to improve through the transfer portal. A member of one of the country's top conferences, the Orange has actually gotten worse.

www.syracuse.com

Pretty rough public article for our kids to read before the season, regardless if it is fair or not. Would have liked to see this posted after the season at least. They still have games to play. This article basically said they all suck and are underperforming and the coaching sucks as well and could be blamed as well.

 

[Red2003]

Soo dumb. I cant believe this and wonder what Carmelo thinks about the on court performance and then what if he did an inspection of the building with his name on it, what would he say?

Do they not realize how important maintaining Athletics is to draw in non-alum, local and regional fans across the state? And the money that comes with that?

Like nobody is driving up to campus to watch the kid in the science building or in Newhouse perform their academics.

But people will pack the dome to watch Donovan McNabb and Carmelo and the 02-03 team.

Sadly it's a #'s game, 42% of kids applying to Syracuse are accepted. They're rejecting close to 60% of applicants.

I don't know how accurate my #'s are but just did a quick search. 2015 the Cost at SU was 42K, 2020 it skyrocketed to 76K and now it's 85K...Yet people are paying and that's with mediocre football and basketball the last 5-10 years.

Yes awesome sports programs increase all the things you said, but mainly only in the 2 big sports.

We all want the University to wake up with our sports programs but we're a Private University making buttloads of money without the sports programs winning.

The biggest reason I would think they want winning sports programs is for Alumni to donate more back to the University but NIL collectives were getting that money at least up until now. Now that it goes through the school tax deductible maybe it will change their investment strategies.

 

[Red2003]

FAU was an at-large bid last year.

Nevada was an at-large bid last year.

Boise State was an at-large bid last year.

Yup very enlightening. Those are definitely the norm last year yet this year they are all sitting 5th in the same midmajor conferences this year.

I thought it was all about coaching so why are they no where near the bubble this year?

 

[richmondcuse03]

Is it the "during the season" part that's in question here? Because he's certainly meeting with folks in the offseason. At least recently.

yup, in season.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Yup very enlightening. Those are definitely the norm last year yet this year they are all sitting 5th in the same midmajor conferences this year.

I thought it was all about coaching so why are they no where near the bubble this year?

You’re exhausting. Even if we were 50th in NIL we should not be ranked in the 130’s in efficiency ratings. There is zero excuse to be this bad. There’s over 50 mid majors ranked higher than us including schools in the IVY.

 

[phil77]

yup, in season.

Yup that part of the job is non-stop 365 24/7 now it seems like.

 

[SUFan44]

Yup very enlightening. Those are definitely the norm last year yet this year they are all sitting 5th in the same midmajor conferences this year.

I thought it was all about coaching so why are they no where near the bubble this year?

You said they weren't making the NCAA Tournament unless they won the conference tournament.

I pointed to 3 examples of why you were not accurate. And you come back and change the narrative.

Nice work. Keep it up.