One of the least-informed posts ever ...

[IthacaMatt]

Maybe the issue is that there isn't a football equivalent to Carmelo Anthony that is going to step up and donate 3 to 5 million necessary to move the project from the planning phase to execution? Outside of McNabb, have other football players stepped up and donated back to the football program with some of the money they made during their football careers?

The university financial resources should go to academics first and as much as we as football fans want money spent on the program, when tuition is over $37K per year, maybe the majority of the BOT would rather fund building initiatives that impact the students. We can argue about what has been built from an academic perspective but when you invest in a new academic buildings and dorms that has a much larger impact to the overall university than a practice facility for 100 players + staff.

For the argument about spending money to make money on football, lets remember that when McNabb was here his sophomore - senior years the program was a top 15 program with a good slate of home games and yet the home schedule wasn't sold-out. So if you couldn't sell out home games 15 years ago with less external competition, why is it this thought that you can sellout and make more money now? This isn't a fanbase that will support the athletics teams with large attendance regardless of the opponent no matter how good the team is.

I'm a little troubled that 2 of our moderators are "liking" a comment that says the fans won't support the football team. Even if it wasn't a sell out during the McNabb years, the +10,000 per game difference in attendance compared to today would be very welcomed at this point and is not insignificant money to the athletic department budget. I think we will see at least a 5,000/game bump in attendance with the improved schedules we will have coming up - provided we don't let Marrone walk and throw the football program back into total chaos.

 

[oldpinepoint]

Yep, there are thousands of alumni worth a exponentially more than Joe. The one I previously mentioned, Arthur Rock, is a billionaire. I'm sure SU is in touch with him

I was thinking of Daniel D'Aniello founder of the Carlye Group.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Does harrisonjbounel know anything about SU? You might want to do your homework before saying who and what our alumni are. Saying SU has no business savvy alumni is an incredibly ignorant statement and I take offense to that especially since I graduated from Whitman. I'm not sure what's worse...the ignorance of some people regarding the university on this board, or people on the basketball board complaining because we only won by 30. Problem is this board resonates in the community and a lot of the statements people make on here people believe as facts.

 

[CIL]

This is not about BOT vs SU football, or Marrone/Gross vs the BOT. There certainly is some misinformation out there. However, the frustration that Marrone feels is very real. Here are some facts:

Marrone's compensation for 2012 was 60th out of 66 BCS schools. A few programs (Rutgers and Arkansas for instance) were below Marrone due to coaching circumstances but are surely going to be better going forward. Our assistants are very much in line with that as well.

While we have made some nice improvements to the dome, the locker rooms there are completely dated and are worse than some high schools. There still is no dedicated indoor facility despite the fact this has been pushed for the last 4 years. The updates to the football wing at Manley were needed, but were definitely done on the cheaper side of things. It would be nice to have the under water treadmills, etc for football as well. I would probably put our facilities in the bottom quartile of all BCS schools if not bottom 10.

If Syracuse University wants to upgrade the quality of their football product, money is going to have to be spent. Period. Certainly no chasm exists between football and the BOT. I think most understand this. However, I can certainly understand Marrone's frustrations. We need a more focused and spirited fundraising effort. We need increased salaries and wages for all of the staff. This cannot be denied. I don't have the answers, but I believe the University needs to address some of these questions.

 

[Lrschill24]

So CTO, please enlighten us uninformed...

It appears the Football program is light on donors. However, the move to the ACC was done with football (and the general health of the athletic department) in mind. Why can't the Athletic Department use the new influx of money from the ACC to build facilities? No one has been able to answer this question.

Is it simply that the BOT must see the money come from donors...and no other source?

A couple of thoughts. One the ACC money has not come into the university yet. It is a promise but until we are in the ACC next year and start to participate in the revenue sharing, it is not in the athletic department to spend. With an endowment that was hit hard when the stock market crashed a few years ago and current interest rates that are basically zero, the BOT isn't going to commit to spending on a practice building for football if the donations aren't there.

Second, how much of that money needs to be spent to offset in the increase in travel costs for all the athletics programs with travel costs increased for trips to ACC opponents versus Big East. That increase in conference revenue via the ACC is great but it isn't a simple process of going from the BE to ACC means that there is a net X more dollars free and clear to spend. There are new / increased costs in going to the ACC that have to be accounted for and the athletic department does have scholarships to fund outside of the three big teams.

Third if the decision is to spend money to improve facilities, do you build a new practice facility or do you invest in continued improvements to the Carrier Dome? Part of the athletic departments multi year budget planning might be to use the ACC expected increase in revenue to plan for improvements to the Dome with the expectation that private donors fund the new practice facilities.

Lastly if the BOT is going to spend on facilities on campus the priority is going to be to academics first. Last I checked there is an academic component to the school where spending on a new building can have a much larger impact than a practice facility.

 

[rrlbees]

Hey I give in to CTO44 especially if she thinks I am so uninformed. My source was second hand - you are obviously not...I bow to your inside knowledge.

However, one thing I do know is that DM is really frustrated that he cannot get funding for the practice facility - whether that is from fans and/or BoT or both I simply do not care. You have both confirmed that BoT will not fund the facility due to the old adage - we don't do things that way. I would hope that we can agree that after 4 years - we still do not have a practice facility for Whatever Reason. AGREED?

Second, if UL & UC can go get, pay and keep HC by paying them $2.5 million or above and lock them in for a contract extension, why do we not get that same confirmation from TGD. It was highly documented in the past how much he made and how long his contract was for. Why the cloak and dagger "coupled" with HCDM now interviewing for NFL HC jobs? Answer me this one.

These were really the 2 points I was making - sorry to be so uninformed for your liking. Again please delete my original thread if not to your liking - you have my permission even though you don't need it.

If you don't care where the money comes from, why this intial paragraph in your intial post?

"Here is what I know (2nd hand good inside source). Plans for a practice facility was proposed 1st year HCDM was hired - this has been on the table for 4 years now. TGD is also a football first AD. The resistance to upgrade football facilities comes from the Board of Trustees many of whom are basketball homies and still can't believe football drives the bus. The football upgrades needed exceed $20 million. HCDM is extremely frustrated with the university administration."

 

[IthacaMatt]

A couple of thoughts. One the ACC money has not come into the university yet. It is a promise but until we are in the ACC next year and start to participate in the revenue sharing, it is not in the athletic department to spend. With an endowment that was hit hard when the stock market crashed a few years ago and current interest rates that are basically zero, the BOT isn't going to commit to spending on a practice building for football if the donations aren't there.

Second, how much of that money needs to be spent to offset in the increase in travel costs for all the athletics programs with travel costs increased for trips to ACC opponents versus Big East. That increase in conference revenue via the ACC is great but it isn't a simple process of going from the BE to ACC means that there is a net X more dollars free and clear to spend. There are new / increased costs in going to the ACC that have to be accounted for and the athletic department does have scholarships to fund outside of the three big teams.

Third if the decision is to spend money to improve facilities, do you build a new practice facility or do you invest in continued improvements to the Carrier Dome? Part of the athletic departments multi year budget planning might be to use the ACC expected increase in revenue to plan for improvements to the Dome with the expectation that private donors fund the new practice facilities.

Lastly if the BOT is going to spend on facilities on campus the priority is going to be to academics first. Last I checked there is an academic component to the school where spending on a new building can have a much larger impact than a practice facility.

No offense, but this is a bit of a BS post. First, there is no additional commitment to fund other scholarships that we didn't have before we joined the ACC. We didn't have to add sports to be admitted. So that has no bearing at all.

Second, the University is already deep into capital improvements for the academic side of the house. Just look around campus and you see construction going on all over the place.

Third, the reason SU sports got into a big hole in the last days of Jake Crouthamel was because the University was sucking all the profit out of the athletic department. I hate to think we're going back to those days, where profits from sports operations go into the general academic fund. I thought the purpose of having the athletic department be a separate accounting unit with P/L of its own was to allow it to fund improvements for the benefit of the student athletes.

And finally, while I'm on a rant, I can't believe that there is a fundraising drive for band uniforms. Are you kidding me? Is this high school? Kids pay $50,000 a year to go to Syracuse and the university can't buy new band uniforms after, what, 10+ years? That's just pathetic.

 

[HtownOrange]

This cuts to the heart of my previous post (though I differ with you re his "integrity" - recall his plagiarism troubles and what that tells you about him). Outside of the Newhouse School of Liberal Newsreaders, Joe Biden is the most famous alumnus. That says a lot.

Forgot about that, so much for his integrity. Thanks for the reminder. I was limiting the integrity to the use of political donors funds. Many politicians convert the funds, via salaries, to their personal use. A former OH senator used a loan to his campaigns, never paid it back, retired and kept the dough, more than $5MM richer than before the loan to his campaign. The courts allowed him to keep the cash.

 

[SouthCampusHero]

There is only one solution to this problem.

Im going to make up some dirt on alumnus Prince Al-Waleed bin Talaal (net worth estimated to be over $20 BILLION) and report it to Deadspin...UNLESS, of course, he's willing to fork over a cool hundo...as in a cool hundo million.

Anyone have his phone number?

 

[Whitey23]

There is only one solution to this problem.

Im going to make up some dirt on alumnus Prince Al-Waleed bin Talaal (net worth estimated to be over $20 BILLION) and report it to Deadspin...UNLESS, of course, he's willing to fork over a cool hundo...as in a cool hundo million.

Anyone have his phone number?

+966 1 211 1111

 

[wfschrec]

+966 1 211 1111

Don't you mean +966 1 867 5309?

 

[Cheriehoop]

This cuts to the heart of my previous post (though I differ with you re his "integrity" - recall his plagiarism troubles and what that tells you about him). Outside of the Newhouse School of Liberal Newsreaders, Joe Biden is the most famous alumnus. That says a lot.

Uggh. Ever hear of Ted Koppel, Dick Clarke, Eileen Collins, Dr Jarvik, Joyce Carol Oates, Dave Bing, Molly Broad, Steve Kroft, Aaron Sorkin, Marvin Lender etc. If Joe Biden (who you obviously dislike) and Newhouse that you call a "School of Liberal Newsreaders" characterizes SU to you personally, could you possibly consider that maybe it's you who is uninformed and biased regarding your opinion - just maybe? If you don't know of any admirable SU graduates, isn't that on you? Sadly, your post may have reflected more about you than you may have wanted to publicly disclose because "that says a lot" too. A question, why are you even here - isn't this an SU fan forum?

 

[rrlbees]

Second, the University is already deep into capital improvements for the academic side of the house. Just look around campus and you see construction going on all over the place.

Capital projects that had fundraising.

 

[Whitey23]

Don't you mean +966 1 867 5309?

For Jenny, maybe, but not the Prince.

 

[Toga]

Capital projects that had fundraising.

Do you or anyone here know whether all capital projects are 100% fundraised or what the school policy is as to what minimum percentage of a significant capital project must come from fundraising? If so, does anyone know if that percentage (if there is one) is applied uniformly?

 

[SouthCampusHero]

+966 1 211 1111

Thanks!

I just need to resolve two issues:

Based on the special that aired on Fox News, I think he is in a really giving mood during Ramadan. I need to use frequent flyer miles to get to Riyadh. You think those dates are blacked-out?

I also think it would be nice if I grew a mustache. Unfortunately, I wasnt blessed with the ability to grow facial hair. It will take me a good 6 months to grow out my peach fuzz. DM might be in the NFL by then...

 

[Timonen]

No offense, but this is a bit of a BS post. First, there is no additional commitment to fund other scholarships that we didn't have before we joined the ACC. We didn't have to add sports to be admitted. So that has no bearing at all.

Second, the University is already deep into capital improvements for the academic side of the house. Just look around campus and you see construction going on all over the place.

Third, the reason SU sports got into a big hole in the last days of Jake Crouthamel was because the University was sucking all the profit out of the athletic department. I hate to think we're going back to those days, where profits from sports operations go into the general academic fund. I thought the purpose of having the athletic department be a separate accounting unit with P/L of its own was to allow it to fund improvements for the benefit of the student athletes.

And finally, while I'm on a rant, I can't believe that there is a fundraising drive for band uniforms. Are you kidding me? Is this high school? Kids pay $50,000 a year to go to Syracuse and the university can't buy new band uniforms after, what, 10+ years? That's just pathetic.

I wore them in year #1 which was 1995...so about 20 years.

 

[kuethstheman]

Questions for CTO (and I realize you probably can't say much but):

Do you know what Coach Marrone is asking for?
Are his requests within the BOT's and/or the university's ability to grant?
How confident are you that his wants will be satisfied?

 

[BostonOrange]

There is only one solution to this problem.

Im going to make up some dirt on alumnus Prince Al-Waleed bin Talaal (net worth estimated to be over $20 BILLION) and report it to Deadspin...UNLESS, of course, he's willing to fork over a cool hundo...as in a cool hundo million.

Anyone have his phone number?

1. There is already a lot of dirt on the prince. 2. He once gave 20 mil to...Georgetown...

 

[All4SU]

SU doesn't graduate business-savvy people who actually produce things that benefit society.

What does SU graduate?

 

[SouthCampusHero]

What does SU graduate?

I mean...this guy isnt "business savy" at all, right? :rolling:

https://carlyle.com/about-carlyle/team/daniel-daniello

 

[Moontan]

Questions for CTO (and I realize you probably can't say much but):

Do you know what Coach Marrone is asking for?
Are his requests within the BOT's and/or the university's ability to grant?
How confident are you that his wants will be satisfied?

Whether she knows or not is irrelevant.
It would be completely inappropriate for her to answer here.
Neither would it be appropriate for her to speculate in a public forum.

Asking such questions and expecting a response is actually unfair.
If you're waiting for actual answers to those questions from her then you'll be waiting for quite a while.

* yes, I know that CTO can speak for herself. This is one of those "questions" where it's likely best she not even acknowledge the post with a response.

 

[Ragman2000]

SU doesn't graduate business-savvy people who actually produce things that benefit society.

Well they have me, I just haven't hit it big yet. Really sorry guys!

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[JoeSU]

And finally, while I'm on a rant, I can't believe that there is a fundraising drive for band uniforms. Are you kidding me? Is this high school? Kids pay $50,000 a year to go to Syracuse and the university can't buy new band uniforms after, what, 10+ years? That's just pathetic.

Let's not forget that until there was public blow-back, out-of-town band members were initially asked to pay their own way to perform in NYC. How cheap can you get?

 

[Millhouse]

CTO, I don't think it's wise to insist that X percent be raised by the football program when time is of the essence. We already have a unique game changing situation with the ACC money coming in. I think it would be possible to finance this in the short term and still hold the football program responsible in the long term.

Giving Marrone what he needs will pay off for everyone.