Weitsman comments

[721Comstock]

I think what he’s saying is SU wants Adam’s money but they want him to give it quietly.

Also - that’s completely beyond his ability.

When you’re an attention whore,
even the good & charitable things you do that are supposedly “secret” -
somehow always find a way to become public.

Funny, that.

 

[OttosShoes]

I think what he’s saying is SU wants Adam’s money but they want him to give it quietly.

FWIW, the university has the Legends Society for donors, which offers different tiers of recognition for different sized donations. They ask the donations to be paid over 5-yrs as that is helpful for them to plan. As you pledge more, they offer more benefits, which are decreasingly 'quiet' (but maybe not Bugatti/Mille loud).

Legends Society Stewardship Chart (PDF) - Syracuse University ‘Cuse Athletics Fund

At the top, the $1M+ "Prominent Naming Opportunity" is endemically pretty loud IMHO.

 

[CNYGuy]

The general public perception that Adam is the savior created this whole mess. To Weitsmans credit, he never said he was and has acknowledged the people, including the Lallys, who have done major things (but I’m not sure he didn’t mind the publicity when people were talking about him being the biggest donor).

“My guy talks about it, but he doesn't give anyone any money. Nothing. Not one guy. Our guys make like $20,000.” - a quote from Boeheim in his last season when Weistman was involved.

When you have a guy not in the big donor conversation dominating the headlines and getting the credit (still 4 years later), and refusing to go through the collectives (which protects the school), it makes people mad… especially since our NIL is lightyears better now thanks to those people who are stepping up.

That said, this ongoing feud and continuing to talk about it isn’t good for anyone.

 

[orangeinohio]

This entire discussion is basically useless. I wonder how the University’s sentiment would change if AW wanted to donate $25,000,001.

He doesn’t want to.
He wants people to argue about how he could donate a huge sum of money.

 

[TexanMark]

I'm so friggin sick of Etan's quest.

 

[orangetrain]

Many around syracuse and especially Skaneateles know the entire story. It makes a pretty funny 20/20 episode and doesn’t bode well for Weistman. The donors for SU, and he isn’t included because he didn’t donate a negligible amount, are top notch and deserve respect. I think this entire thread needs to stop.
Let’s focus on the donors that are making it happen. The group is really helping Fran, his staff and us.
Let this debate go to the bball board, where they need something to talk about.

 

[IthacaMatt]

agree however the Lally’s are sticking up for the school they love due to lack of response. ET and ED aren’t helping here. I feel like they are trying to blame the lack of NIL for hoops on not having AW as a donor.

I think the Lallys calling out Eric and Etan for no donations is legit. Etan was a pro for 10 years or so, right? Now, Eric is just building up his life, but you don't want to be judging other people's contributions when they have big dollars in the game, and their names on buildings.

 

[cuseattle]

Many around syracuse and especially Skaneateles know the entire story. It makes a pretty funny 20/20 episode and doesn’t bode well for Weistman. The donors for SU, and he isn’t included because he didn’t donate a negligible amount, are top notch and deserve respect. I think this entire thread needs to stop.
Let’s focus on the donors that are making it happen. The group is really helping Fran, his staff and us.
Let this debate go to the bball board, where they need something to talk about.

Please, no. There have been so many over there and countless threads hijacked. I don't think some of the diehards on this topic have even found it over here yet.
Also, if you can keep it open long enough, Adam will make a guest post and maybe give you his digits.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I don’t agree that he hasn’t done anything for the basketball program. Seems like someone is jealous of his attention and is using her pull to remove his seat from the table. Theres so much we don’t even know . This book is many chapters deep!

My understanding is that he gave some money to kids a few years ago that wouldn't buy a third center or a 4 star high school recruit today. He made a difference in those kids lives, but budgets have exploded now.

He spends a lot of time on social media talking about he mentors them. Maybe he does, but maybe these kids have lives, too, and they don't hang out with the rich party guy. He's not World Wide Wes, or we wouldn't have been such a poor team these past several years.

 

[orangefog]

Many around syracuse and especially Skaneateles know the entire story. It makes a pretty funny 20/20 episode and doesn’t bode well for Weistman. The donors for SU, and he isn’t included because he didn’t donate a negligible amount, are top notch and deserve respect. I think this entire thread needs to stop.
Let’s focus on the donors that are making it happen. The group is really helping Fran, his staff and us.
Let this debate go to the bball board, where they need something to talk about.

I can't wait to hear the "entire story". I know his side. I think he can be an asset to Syracuse University's NIL. But, he likes to do things his way. He wants them to tell them THE high end kid on both the basketball and football side and let him go and get the kid. The rest can be covered by the collectives. There is nothing wrong with that, as long as they are all on the same page. I can't blame a guy for wanting to spend his money the way HE wants to spend his money, especially considering he is just a fan and not an alum.

 

[TexanMark]

I think the Lallys calling out Eric and Etan for no donations is legit. Etan was a pro for 10 years or so, right? Now, Eric is just building up his life, but you don't want to be judging other people's contributions when they have big dollars in the game, and their names on buildings.

Etan definitely could donate some $$$...I'm not suggesting any amount but if he invested well he should be able to donate something.

 

[orangefog]

Texarcana, I want to pick up a truckload of Coors and head eastbound!!!

 

[SUfanNC]

I'm so friggin sick of Etan's quest.

I don’t like the idea of money being used as a reason to not be able to get answers to a question. It’s part of his gig anyway now. I think it started as just a hypothetical and turned into this.

 

[JaySU22]

I don’t get why AW has so many apologists, who are otherwise smart people. It’s clear he’s just in it for himself and the attention. I would love for him to step up and prove me wrong but after so much time has passed he sort of just seems like a bit of a fraud. Would be fascinating to see what he would do $ wise if we gave him free rein. Guessing it would underwhelm.

 

[dan7800]

I remember Weitsman sitting behind me at Cameron not knowing who he was and I thought "How did this poor, homeless looking guy get THESE tickets?" I think that he left at halftime.

 

[Consigliere]

I can absolutely positively tell you some people on that list at the highest level are only there because of the money donated for the box. I know two agencies that fall into that category. They don’t give a dime other than there $ for the box. This proves absolutely nothing,

Do some on this list donate more? Absolutely, but there are others that don’t.

It proves that Upstate Shredding was a major donor to SU Athletics. And I had programs from prior years that listed them in the top three. That’s well before the luxury box and far above the cost of any other box in the Dome.
I did not post that to support Adam or come down on his side in this debate. I don’t. I only posted to refute others who stated he never gave to SU Athletics and to correct the others who took that as a fact.

 

[RedtheGOB]

I just hope we win this year and it shuts people up. Guess who's going to be at all the hoops games this year if we start playing well. Yup both the billionaires and the people sitting in the cheap seats.

With Melo, LaLa, and their friends at every game I doubt people will even remember AW's celebrity cameos.

Guess what happens if we lose tho. More finger pointing and more of this crap.

 

[tipphill]

i wish all of this would be closed for discussion. i would hope that the principals involved could all sit down and hash it out. if ANYONE donates there is no reason why they should NOT be recognized and thanked publicly for it. whether its the lallys weitsman etc..
big picture is the university . i hope they keep that in mind, and i am grateful to them. i would like to have more emphasis research, law school improvement, academics etc. enhancing the athletic programs success is helpful in accomplishing those goals. just my commercial.

 

[orangenauburn]

Many around syracuse and especially Skaneateles know the entire story. It makes a pretty funny 20/20 episode and doesn’t bode well for Weistman. The donors for SU, and he isn’t included because he didn’t donate a negligible amount, are top notch and deserve respect. I think this entire thread needs to stop.
Let’s focus on the donors that are making it happen. The group is really helping Fran, his staff and us.
Let this debate go to the bball board, where they need something to talk about.

Does him selling some of his Skaneateles properties tie into the rumblings he may be looking to pulling away from the area?

 

[capeorange]

Does him selling some of his Skaneateles properties tie into the rumblings he may be looking to pulling away from the area?

I thought he was going to spend some money down in Binghamton to built their program a couple of years ago. I guess they wouldn't let him spend his money there either... Poor AW, he really wants to give some NIL money to someone but they just won't let him.

 

[Scooch]

When you have a guy not in the big donor conversation dominating the headlines and getting the credit (still 4 years later), and refusing to go through the collectives (which protects the school), it makes people mad… especially since our NIL is lightyears better now thanks to those people who are stepping up.

The bolded is a very important point. And I suspect it's why there is more resentment than ever.

There are a lot of people who have stepped up in a major way over the past 16 months to dramatically increase our NIL funds. We have acquired or retained Kyle McCord, Fadil Diggs, Eddie Lampkin, Donnie Freeman, JJ Starling, Nate George, Oronde Gadsen, LeQuint Allen and many other players now specifically because of how much money these folks have provided.

These boosters have walked the walk. And yet a sizable chunk of the fanbase is still in the thrall of Weitsman and his rise-and-grind, bro-dude, Insta influencer, manufactured look-at-me-and-all-my-shiny-toys-and-purchased-"friends" persona.

Because at ANY point this guy could drop a check into one of our NIL collectives.

I don't blame anyone who's putting in the real work, and donating the real money, if they resent the social media star with the giant PR team who drops a post every so often and plays the victim.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Does him selling some of his Skaneateles properties tie into the rumblings he may be looking to pulling away from the area?

He’s not just selling property in Skaneateles.

 

[orangenauburn]

He’s not just selling property in Skaneateles.

I know that

He sold in Miami and in the southern tier as well, because he is re-allocating money to other investments.

That said, the rumors are out there that his restaurants in Skaneateles may soon be up for sale as well

 

[rrlbees]

That’s bs. He had to donate at that level to get the box he got and the floor seats he did. That was an investment into boosting his influencer status.

This post and a few others like it, doesn’t compute with me. A donation is a donation. Used to be only the best seats had a required donation, now all seats (I believe) has a donation requirement. My seats I believe are an extra $350 donation on top of the cost of the seats. What is the difference between that $350 and if I gave them a check for $350? They are both donations. The example from 2018 that Consigiere posted showed him having donated $50,000 or more. Who cares if it’s a donation required for his seats? I also believe as Consigliere said he was donating before he had the courtside seats or box because he/his company would show up in the program showing who the big donors were.

 

[Eric15]

After reading these 9 pages, please tell me if I have the major takeaways correct:

1. The Lallys are the single most important donors to SU athletics and the program is forever indebted to them. (Just ask them, they’ll probably tell you the same)

2. Adam Weitsman — not a bad guy. Did some shady things in the past, but also does lots of positive philanthropic things with his money. Has the social media/friendship habits of a teenage girl. Doesn’t seem to be an ally of SU athletics at the moment.

3. Etan — passionate about social justice and many other issues. Very opinionated. Often on the mark, sometimes not. Naturally annoys people who also get annoyed when someone wishes them Happy Holidays around Christmas.

4. Devo — still my favorite new color commentator regardless of his opinions on NIL/donors.