The 2nd Pillar (IPF groundbreaking and funding)

[chakka3421]

I had thought that this was already leaked but maybe not in its entirety - I haven't been around due to a new job but am off today. From what I gathered yesterday from my sources, the new Indoor Practice Facility (IPF) groundbreaking will occur in May/June time frame just before summer camps are held just for recruiting purposes. As usual for this climate, the outside will be done first before the snow flies with the inside being completed throughout the winter with a completion date sometime in early 2014.

Sources say the IPF will be the 2nd pillar (think Melo center as other pillar) as described by TGD regarding Manley. Manley was a stop gap measure but its a shared facility - again used against us in recruiting but the Manley upgrades were better than nothing. I am not sure on the layout of the IPF or how it is to be connected to Manley (underground walkway - HVAC issues - green tech - too technical for me to digest), but the medical facility upgrade is supposed to be included bringing all facilities in line with other Universities "in the ACC" so facilities cant be used against us anymore for recruiting purposes. Hooray!

Sources also stated that a lot of behind the scenes things happened when HCDM left - and the reasons he gave for leaving. Funny, but he really was the catalyst in getting what he wanted all along. We need to thank HCDM not only for bringing back the program from the brink of death but now for the new IPF. We also need to thank Melo and the Melo center - recruiting for basketball increased dramatically (think about all the McDonalds All Americans that we get now) and that was used as an argument that "facilities really does matter - just look at what the Melo center has done for basketball recruiting". JB may have been a catalyst too but we will never really know.

For those of you who dont realize how important a "NON-SHARED" IPF really is, just like the Melo center the football players will now be able to "practice" on their own without coaches and without interference in scheduling with the Olympic sports programs. It is really that important to have a dedicated facility for football only!

Funding - I may get killed here by admins but it looks like that the Athletic Dept will be able to borrow from the University and pay it back over an extended time period with the increased $$$ from the ACC. As is common knowledge stated here, normally the SU BOT will not take risks like this but cooler heads prevailed and the rewards of competitive football facilities/recruiting were weighed against the risk of delaying facilities upgrades further. The thought was if SU waited any longer, the risk is basically falling behind further in recruiting and being non-competitive from the start upon entering the ACC. The thought process is that we dont want to end up being a "doormat" for the teams like in the ACC (like I think Rutgers will be the doormat in the B1G). We already have a fan base problem and we dont need to add to it.

Exciting times lies ahead for us - cant wait for official word when construction bids are awarded and that should be soon otherwise it wont be a secret much longer (hopefully my sources are correct in this matter but they havent been wrong up to this point in time). Now we just need to win baby!

 

[Faegan]

This should be the post of 1000 likes.

 

[Tom Frey]

Seems like if they were planning on a May/June groundbreaking there would have been some kind of presser by know. I would have announced it a month before NLI day.

 

[tboxCUSE92]

I really hope it is called the Jim Brown IPF and there is a John Mackey film room, etc.. Great news and its about time!

 

[billsin01]

For those of you who dont realize how important a "NON-SHARED" IPF really is, just like the Melo center the football players will now be able to "practice" on their own without coaches and without interference in scheduling with the Olympic sports programs. It is really that important to have a dedicated facility for football only!

Awesome post, great information. I appreciate it. The only nit I'd pick with it is that a non-shared facility is not actually important in any way, shape, or form. The notion that sports teams can't share practice facilities is insane.

But in today's world of outrageous facilities spending, if you want to play with the big boys then, yes, it's a necessity. I just felt compelled to mention that, realistically, it is absurd that we will have two non-shared practice facilities that cost tens of millions of dollars.

 

[TexanMark]

BTW...I'm working with SU on getting a special link for Syracusefan.com folks to donate to the IPF...more on this later.

 

[OrangePA]

This issue goes all the way back to the mid-1990s.

It's a crime that nobody at the University - or nobody with power - saw what was slowly happening to our proud football program back then.

Hard to believe that it's taken 18 years for this finally happen. For you Whitman folks, the "opportunity cost" must be substantial.

 

[chakka3421]

Awesome post, great information. I appreciate it. The only nit I'd pick with it is that a non-shared facility is not actually important in any way, shape, or form. The notion that sports teams can't share practice facilities is insane.

But in today's world of outrageous facilities spending, if you want to play with the big boys then, yes, it's a necessity. I just felt compelled to mention that, realistically, it is absurd that we will have two non-shared practice facilities that cost tens of millions of dollars.

It is insane but think of it this way - what 2 sports really pays the bills for all the other sports?

I have to say that Manley is a really nice facility and has and should continue to help recruiting for the Olympic sports.

 

[TexanMark]

It is insane but think of it this way - what 2 sports really pays the bills for all the other sports?

I have to say that Manley is a really nice facility and has and should continue to help recruiting for the Olympic sports.

Manley needs to be turned into the one of best indoor track facilities in the country along with serving as indoor practice for softball and lacrosse. Not sure if it is possible but might an indoor softball field work?

 

[Rocco]

Awesome post Chakka. I've heard similar things over the last 2 days. This IPF is going to be incredible from what I'm hearing.

I really hope that they spend the money on the "small things" that will be used to furnish the facility. Do not cut corners anywhere. This should be a top 3 IPF in the ACC when all is said and done.

 

[phil77]

I am going to unlike this post just so I can like it again.

 

[GoSU96]

"Sources also stated that a lot of behind the scenes things happened when HCDM left - and the reasons he gave for leaving. Funny, but he really was the catalyst in getting what he wanted all along. We need to thank HCDM not only for bringing back the program from the brink of death but now for the new IPF. "

"Funding - I may get killed here by admins but it looks like that the Athletic Dept will be able to borrow from the University and pay it back over an extended time period with the increased $$$ from the ACC. As is common knowledge stated here, normally the SU BOT will not take risks like this but cooler heads prevailed and the rewards of competitive football facilities/recruiting were weighed against the risk of delaying facilities upgrades further."

When I said Marrone leaving was a wake up call it was dismissed by many.

So much for that.

 

[GoSU96]

I really hope it is called the Jim Brown IPF and there is a John Mackey film room, etc.. Great news and its about time!

Not unless Brown writes a big check.

 

[tboxCUSE92]

Not unless Brown writes a big check.

He has no $... Don't think Ernie paid for his Statue..

 

[GoSU96]

He has no $... Don't think Ernie paid for his Statue..

Completely different.

Plus Davis was a Heisman winning, national championship winning icon.

Brown has some baggage(to say the least).

 

[phil77]

We should sell the naming rights LOL

 

[tboxCUSE92]

Completely different.

Plus Davis was a Heisman winning, national championship winning icon.

Brown has some baggage(to say the least).

I respectfully disagree. Jim Brown was one of the top ten football players of all time. Period! He paved the wave for not only Ernie Davis, but for all African American football players.. Baggage? Yes, he didn't like racism and carries resentment to this day most likely. Syracuse produced tremendous talent 50 years ago. They deserve to be cherished and given credit for building the program. My dad was friends with Mackey from his days at CUSE. These guys are special!

 

[OttoMets]

Manley needs to be turned into the one of best indoor track facilities in the country along with serving as indoor practice for softball and lacrosse. Not sure if it is possible but might an indoor softball field work?

Not sure about the dimensions for softball (or the appeal of playing indoors), but here's a second for your motion to convert Manley back to a track facility.

Chris Fox and his assistants have conducted themselves admirably through this affair, fielding a very successful program (with an individual national champion last season) despite not having an indoor track.

In hindsight, it's unfortunate that SU solicited donors and flushed away $2 or $3 million to gut a terrific multipurpose facility (new 200-meter indoor track with jumping pits and 55-meter straightaway; hardwood basketball court; ~6,000 operable bleacher seats) and convert it into an empty shell, only to spend about eight times that amount to effectively replace it. Whatever "urgency" the football program felt in 2010 would have best been directed toward building the IPF at that time; would be interesting to know if the three-year Manley experiment contributed to one win or got us one recruit.

 

[GoSU96]

I respectfully disagree. Jim Brown was one of the top ten football players of all time. Period! He paved the wave for not only Ernie Davis, but for all African American football players.. Baggage? Yes, he didn't like racism and carries resentment to this day most likely. Syracuse produced tremendous talent 50 years ago. They deserve to be cherished and given credit for building the program. My dad was friends with Mackey from his days at CUSE. These guys are special!

The gender studies crowd might have a problem with it.

 

[Orangejet]

As a former Orange player, this is awesome news. Think the SU PR people should immediately jump on this to show the ACC and future recruits that we mean business and are not only a hoops school.

 

[billsin01]

The gender studies crowd might have a problem with it.

To be honest, everyone should have a problem with Jim Brown to a certain extent. I'm not saying it's a clear cut case of good guy or bad guy and I"m not trying to diminish his importance as a football player, civil rights advocate or his work with gangs/inner city kids, etc. But the guy has some pretty nasty domestic stuff in his past and that's no joke.

 

[RMH44]

I respectfully disagree. Jim Brown was one of the top ten football players of all time. Period! He paved the wave for not only Ernie Davis, but for all African American football players.. Baggage? Yes, he didn't like racism and carries resentment to this day most likely. Syracuse produced tremendous talent 50 years ago. They deserve to be cherished and given credit for building the program. My dad was friends with Mackey from his days at CUSE. These guys are special!

Jim Brown was my idol when I was growing up. That said...I don't think you have any idea what "baggage" Go is referring to.

Hint: It has nothing to do with racism.

There is one glaring inaccuracy in your post...Jim Brown was, HANDS DOWN, the greatest FB player that has yet to play this great game.

 

[RMH44]

As a former Orange player, this is awesome news. Think the SU PR people should immediately jump on this to show the ACC and future recruits that we mean business and are not only a hoops school.

With a name like Orangejet...I'm thinking former WR?

 

[Orangejet]

Defense...

I like the idea of naming parts of the IPF for our former stars and think Ernie Davis should be front and center.

 

[orangecuse]

Awesome post, great information. I appreciate it. The only nit I'd pick with it is that a non-shared facility is not actually important in any way, shape, or form. The notion that sports teams can't share practice facilities is insane.

But in today's world of outrageous facilities spending, if you want to play with the big boys then, yes, it's a necessity. I just felt compelled to mention that, realistically, it is absurd that we will have two non-shared practice facilities that cost tens of millions of dollars.

The notion of not sharing or excess is a component of our society & culture today, and is everywhere, not just in the facilities arms race in college athletics. It wasn't too long ago that one computer in the household shared by all was adequate. Now, every family member needs their own laptop, tablet, etc. How many TV's does the average household now have? Not to mention flat panels of excess size, etc. Here in the Charlotte area relative to home sales, if you do not have three separate baths on the 2nd story of a typical four bedroom dwelling, it's a significant drawback and difficult to overcome, etc., etc. And, it goes on and on...