Weitsman comments

[MamesJungro]

What a mess. People really need to understand how fundraising actually works. The Lallys probably didn’t just put up millions of their own money—I’m sure they also used their networks and early funding to help launch the cap campaign and bring in the kind of $$ to help us compete with facilities. Donors like that are irreplaceable, and from a relationship standpoint, they’re top priority.

Fundraising is about access and influence. It’s hard to imagine AW has anywhere near that kind of reach. People with real power don’t usually need to pay appearance fees to get people to sit with them at games.

I don’t know what happened behind closed doors, but it’s pretty clear he’s not welcome, he’s upset, and now he’s doing things that risk poisoning the well with former players and fans.

 

[Newhouser]

If the donations thing is true...then I can see the resentment from the Lally's and other big donors who probably thought AW was getting special treatment just because he brought some celebs to games without any real contribution. It's not like those celebs were making donations either...

It's a solid question to ask Devo and other alum. Why aren't you around and contributing?

They gotta hash this out privately. Now.

I think this is the mic drop - Lally's can prove they donated X. Adam counters with late night DM messages he saved. They are basically calling him a non-entity on the donation scale and he doesn't seem upset about it. If I was giving cash and getting called out as phony - I'd fire back with proof.

I only care about who's giving money and who isn't. Exhibit 4,342 why I give Etan and Devo no juice or care. They are non-entities in the big picture of keeping SU athletics afloat - as we all are in a way.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

If he was loyal he wouldn’t be feuding publicly.

Even if the Emperor has no clothes?

 

[Newhouser]

Just going to drop this Etan Thomas data point right here.

Etan Thomas career earnings: $45M. Doesn't include book deals or investments. Now he is under no obligation to donate to the program and I do not know if he has donated to the program though it was implied he hasn't. So again my questions are:
1. Has Etan donated at all to hoops or athletics?
2. If not then why in the hell is he starting this bs public fight? Cuz a dude who made $45M and doesn't donate gets no seat at that table. Used to love watching Etan play at Syracuse and while at Washington. Master shot blocker. Not digging this though if the answer to question 1 is a "no" response.

Etan likes the attention and positioning himself as some higher voice.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

agree. You can tell this by just analyzing the history of the Wikipedia edits on his page and how his google results are presented along with the source code on his personal website. Just look at the meta description. He very clearly cares about his image. He spends a lot on SEO, image services and buying instagram followers. The list goes on. It’s very easy to spot if you do this kind of work. he’s welcome to do it but it’s very easy to see. And it influences how I think about what he says.

That seems like a lot of work

 

[whobut03]

I've dealt with Adam on a personal/business level. I'll keep my comments to myself.

What gets lost in ALL of this is, if Adam truly cared about the University and not clout, he was MORE than welcome to give to Orange United or any NIL collective. He chose not to. That should tell you all you need to know about his motives.

What does Fran Brown say? Oh yeah, NO ONE IS BIGGER THAN THE "S".

Move on, put this to bed. The university and Adam will NEVER happen. And you know what, we'll be just fine.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Etan likes the attention and positioning himself as some higher voice.

When he left SU and went to the NBA, he became more about activism, and I always felt he harbored some deeper ill will towards SU, or JB, etc. As I stated in another post, he seemed to distance himself from the program almost immediately. He’s still one of my favorite players to ever don the Orange jersey. Just not sure about his true agenda with SU.

 

[jr4750]

What a mess. People really need to understand how fundraising actually works. The Lallys probably didn’t just put up millions of their own money—I’m sure they also used their networks and early funding to help launch the cap campaign and bring in the kind of $$ to help us compete with facilities. Donors like that are irreplaceable, and from a relationship standpoint, they’re top priority.

Fundraising is about access and influence. It’s hard to imagine AW has anywhere near that kind of reach. People with real power don’t usually need to pay appearance fees to get people to sit with them at games.

I don’t know what happened behind closed doors, but it’s pretty clear he’s not welcome, he’s upset, and now he’s doing things that risk poisoning the well with former players and fans.

This exactly. Adam has given to athletes, which is awesome. He has not nor will ever give to SU directly. His prerogative for sure. That said, the Lally’s should be given the red carpet and have earned our respect by deeply supporting our beloved SU athletics.

 

[orangeinohio]

He's welcome to donate money to a fund. It would get the publicity it deserved.
Sounds like he really likes getting attention.

 

[MSOrange]

When he left SU and went to the NBA, he became more about activism, and I always felt he harbored some deeper ill will towards SU, or JB, etc. As I stated in another post, he seemed to distance himself from the program almost immediately. He’s still one of my favorite players to ever don the Orange jersey. Just not sure about his true agenda with SU.

I thought the same, but he came back to SU in 2018 to speak at an event and JB introduced him. I would link the article, but that would probably really send the thread off the rails with some of the subjects that Etan discussed.

 

[Comstock44]

Adam Weitsman’s latest sales: From college campus to luxury Miami penthouse

Could a donation be in the works?

 

[Cusefan0307]

I thought the same, but he came back to SU in 2018 to speak at an event and JB introduced him. I would link the article, but that would probably really send the thread off the rails with some of the subjects that Etan discussed.

And has been back a bunch since as well. This thread is insane with the amount subconscious bias people are doubling down on.

 

[cusefan88]

I'm honestly sick of hearing about him in every other thread. Made its way from basketball side now to here.

Basketball NIL is fine. Could it be better with AW? Of course. But this guy just sounds like a giant baby and he can go pay to be cool on his own time.

 

[RedtheGOB]

I believe dasher story will shed some light on this. He tried really hard to make it happen.

Yea we all are waiting. I only started posting like a year or two ago but learned quickly Dasher is the OG around these parts.

I especially will be looking to see if there is a root cause for why these families hate each other. Secondly if there is any world where this can be resolved or if we're in purgatory forever on this crap.

 

[UnknownOrange]

i'm a professional idiot so don't take anything I say to the bank but my assumption in the Lally/Weitsman beef is AW is always talked about and fans want him back because of his big pockets but he's never really done much donating whereas the Lally's couldn't be more generous and have helped tremendously only to have fans and conversations clamoring for Weitsman to come back

Also if Weitsman wanted to, he could donate to NIL right now, but he loves a show and making things about him. That's fine, but let's not act like he's sending checks to SU and they're tearing them up

 

[Scooch]

That seems like a lot of work

He literally has a team that he pays to do it. He bought his followers.

He's not a popular mainstream figure, yet he has 17 million followers.
Howard Stern has 1.6M. Does anyone think 17 million human beings decided they simply had to follow the life and times of Adam Weitsman?!

His team runs his account straight outta the "rise & grind" playbook of every bro-dude who aspires to be an entrepreneur influencer.

 

[Scooch]

i'm a professional idiot so don't take anything I say to the bank but my assumption in the Lally/Weitsman beef is AW is always talked about and fans want him back because of his big pockets but he's never really done much donating whereas the Lally's couldn't be more generous and have helped tremendously only to have fans and conversations clamoring for Weitsman to come back

Also if Weitsman wanted to, he could donate to NIL right now, but he loves a show and making things about him. That's fine, but let's not act like he's sending checks to SU and they're tearing them up

This is exactly it. We've hashed and rehashed AW here. When it comes to SU sports, he never donated to facilities, and his biggest spending was on tricking out a Dome suite for himself and giving money to a half-dozen non-revenue athletes.

That's good. But his personna is wayyyyy larger than his actual financial contributiuons. And I don't know a single serious donor who doesn't find that frustrating.

 

[CIL]

He literally has a team that he pays to do it. He bought his followers.

He's not a popular mainstream figure, yet he has 17 million followers.
Howard Stern has 1.6M. Does anyone think 17 million human beings decided they simply had to follow the life and times of Adam Weitsman?!

His team runs his account straight outta the "rise & grind" playbook of every bro-dude who aspires to be an entrepreneur influencer.

This ^^^^^^

 

[atlanticuse]

Etan likes the attention and positioning himself as some higher voice.

agree.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

Etan likes the attention and positioning himself as some higher voice.

Etan was never shy about using his status (and intellect) to comment on social causes. His stumping for NIL and whining about the treatment of a billionaire when just down the other side of 81 there are hundreds if not thousands of kids who face significant hardships on a daily basis really highlights how incredibly stupid this whole "system" is.

 

[rrlbees]

I don’t know why people are again now banging on AW. He’s not the one that started this latest drama. He’s not the one that brought his name into the conversation. He didn’t even engage until it got personal. The sole root cause of this now very public back and forth is Etan and ED. Nobody else.

 

[dasher]

How comprehensively were you rebuked in your efforts?

Completely. I would say more but I know there is going to be a news story about it and I don't want to step on them.

 

[Sbucketball]

So... did the Lallys tell KS to kick out Weitsman? And KS was just the bearer of bad news?

We've heard a couple different things: Weitsman did something shady and KS was worried about it becoming public so he wanted separation; the NCAA used Weitsman as an example of what not to do for NIL and it freaked out KS (which now is irrelevant given the direction NIL has gone, which was always obvious); and KS just doesn't like Weitsman. Seems like this might have more to do with preserving bigger fish?

 

[5OutFred]

May be in the minority here, but from a purely fan perspective, the university needs to get this done, and I don't care what it takes. The reality is, we may not need Adam's $ now, but billionaires with a vested interested in SU in CNY don't grow on trees. Funding is directly tied to success in the NIL era, that's a fact.

Melo and others wouldn't be lobbying to mend the relationship if it weren't important.

Personally speaking, I don't care about Adam 'the guy.' if he can monetarily contribute to the success of the program(s), they need him. This is what big boy programs deal with, it's time for all parties to grow up for the betterment of SU athletics. Make it happen.

 

[Consigliere]

This exactly. Adam has given to athletes, which is awesome. He has not nor will ever give to SU directly. His prerogative for sure. That said, the Lally’s should be given the red carpet and have earned our respect by deeply supporting our beloved SU athletics.

Actually if you have any old game programs laying around I believe they listed Orange Club donors ordered by level of support. IIRC, Upstate Shredding and Recycling was regularly at the highest level.
Now, that was admittedly quite a while ago, but it is documented.