Burman

[YankPoke]

I am curious why you guys hate Burman so much on this board. He has been the one to make much needed renovations of the War and pretty soon the AA, which I may add will make it one of the top facilities in the region. He hired Branch that made wrestling a power, volleyball has become a constant 20 win program. Basketball he had an absolute terrible hire with Schroyer, but in most peoples opinions here he made up for it with the hire of Shyatt, which will only get better in recruiting with the new arena. He made a bad decision hiring Glenn in football, but at the time he looked like a good guy to hire since he had a power at Montana. The DC hire was the best one at the time since he was the unquestioned best OC in the nation. I know there has been a lot of complaint about Burman on here and his lack of innovation, but how much of that is due to the small budget that he has to work with? Football would probably be in much better shape if we had more money to hire good coordinators. If we didn't have Shyatt with such great connections and people that just want to work with a fantastic coach his staff would be no where near as good with our lack of money. I think that Burman does a decent job under limited circumstances with the lack of an athletic budget. He has done a good job improving facilities, and has gotten some good coaches in here and has most programs winning games. I am just curious as to if you guys think it is really Burman or more of a lack of a budget that he has to work with as well as the tough job to get coaches who want to coach and live in Laramie, WY?

 

[DocHolliday]

I am curious why you guys hate Burman so much on this board. He has been the one to make much needed renovations of the War and pretty soon the AA, which I may add will make it one of the top facilities in the region. He hired Branch that made wrestling a power, volleyball has become a constant 20 win program. Basketball he had an absolute terrible hire with Schroyer, but in most peoples opinions here he made up for it with the hire of Shyatt, which will only get better in recruiting with the new arena. He made a bad decision hiring Glenn in football, but at the time he looked like a good guy to hire since he had a power at Montana. The DC hire was the best one at the time since he was the unquestioned best OC in the nation. I know there has been a lot of complaint about Burman on here and his lack of innovation, but how much of that is due to the small budget that he has to work with? Football would probably be in much better shape if we had more money to hire good coordinators. If we didn't have Shyatt with such great connections and people that just want to work with a fantastic coach his staff would be no where near as good with our lack of money. I think that Burman does a decent job under limited circumstances with the lack of an athletic budget. He has done a good job improving facilities, and has gotten some good coaches in here and has most programs winning games. I am just curious as to if you guys think it is really Burman or more of a lack of a budget that he has to work with as well as the tough job to get coaches who want to coach and live in Laramie, WY?

+1 and + 2, 3, 4, 5, for the next few after me...

 

[Gunshow03]

I am curious why you guys hate Burman so much on this board. He has been the one to make much needed renovations of the War and pretty soon the AA, which I may add will make it one of the top facilities in the region. He hired Branch that made wrestling a power, volleyball has become a constant 20 win program. Basketball he had an absolute terrible hire with Schroyer, but in most peoples opinions here he made up for it with the hire of Shyatt, which will only get better in recruiting with the new arena. He made a bad decision hiring Glenn in football, but at the time he looked like a good guy to hire since he had a power at Montana. The DC hire was the best one at the time since he was the unquestioned best OC in the nation. I know there has been a lot of complaint about Burman on here and his lack of innovation, but how much of that is due to the small budget that he has to work with? Football would probably be in much better shape if we had more money to hire good coordinators. If we didn't have Shyatt with such great connections and people that just want to work with a fantastic coach his staff would be no where near as good with our lack of money. I think that Burman does a decent job under limited circumstances with the lack of an athletic budget. He has done a good job improving facilities, and has gotten some good coaches in here and has most programs winning games. I am just curious as to if you guys think it is really Burman or more of a lack of a budget that he has to work with as well as the tough job to get coaches who want to coach and live in Laramie, WY?

+1 and + 2, 3, 4, 5, for the next few after me...

+6 for me then!

 

[PokeOLoco]

I just think his lack of vision and reactionary ways bother people. I would like a guy maybe not quite as exuberant as CSU's AD, but at least he thinks and dreams big instead of a "well, we're Wyoming so" mentality that Burman has with always plenty of excuses. We all know there are challenges to being Wyoming but we don't want to hear about them, we know what they are. We want to hear how we're going to overcome them or how we are overcoming them. A lot of people have challenges, but don't make excuses. Burman makes a living with those excuses. He has been responsible for some nice renovations, also give Glenn credit for that. Why are we shooting for top facility in the region when we should be shooting for top facility in the nation? Oh, yeah cause we're just Wyoming... and we should just be thankful for what we have...

 

[YankPoke]

I just think his lack of vision and reactionary ways bother people. I would like a guy maybe not quite as exuberant as CSU's AD, but at least he thinks and dreams big instead of a "well, we're Wyoming so" mentality that Burman has with always plenty of excuses. We all know there are challenges to being Wyoming but we don't want to hear about them, we know what they are. We want to hear how we're going to overcome or how we are overcoming them. A lot of people have challenges, but don't make excuses.

Fair points there

 

[ELKMT]

He should have been fired after the Schroyer hire. What he did to cowboy basketball is inexecusable. Lets not forget that he fired the only Wyoming coach who has won a mw title and replaced him with the worst coach in program history. He also hired two football coaches that are only likely to have four .500 plus seasons in 11 years.

 

[fromolwyoming]

He should have been fired after the Schroyer hire. What he did to cowboy basketball is inexecusable. Lets not forget that he fired the only Wyoming coach who has won a mw title and replaced him with the worst coach in program history. He also hired two football coaches that are only likely to have four .500 plus seasons in 11 years.

He fired a guy that was riding the previous coach's recruits for the most part. After that, it was a slow and painful slide into becoming a bad program. And guess who we have now? The guy that recruited alot of those players for those title teams, Shyatt.

 

[HiCountryCowboy]

ZERO Mountain West championships in ANY sport. I seriously can't recall an instance where it was close. 40% (win) percentages get you kicked out of school and fired from jobs (unless we gave it the ol' college try w/regards to WY athletics).

 

[ELKMT]

Marc Bailey was a McClain recruit so I'm not sure all the impact was shyatt. My point stays the same he hired Schroyer and gave him a contract extension.

 

[BeaverPoke]

I'm so sick of the "McClain only won MWC title because of Shyatts recruits".

Bailey, was not a Shyatt recruit, he was a product of Wyoming fans wanting 1 in-state kid, and after a kid from Chicago backed out and went to DePaul, McClain offered him.

 

[Pokes Forever]

I'm so sick of the "McClain only won MWC title because of Shyatts recruits".

Bailey, was not a Shyatt recruit, he was a product of Wyoming fans wanting 1 in-state kid, and after a kid from Chicago backed out and went to DePaul, McClain offered him.

I believe he was a recruit if his father who was also a Cowboy basket ball player....he wanted to follow his father so not much recruiting went into that one.

 

[BeaverPoke]

I'm so sick of the "McClain only won MWC title because of Shyatts recruits".

Bailey, was not a Shyatt recruit, he was a product of Wyoming fans wanting 1 in-state kid, and after a kid from Chicago backed out and went to DePaul, McClain offered him.

I believe he was a recruit if his father who was also a Cowboy basket ball player....he wanted to follow his father so not much recruiting went into that one.

Uhh, not according to what Marcus told me.

He only had one offer, from the School of Mines, every where else said he wasn't good enough. Wyo had their last scholly given to a kid from Chicago. The kid backed out, then people really wanted McClain to sign a local Wyo kid. So he offered him.
Bailey was a last resort, a pressured into scholly offer.
McClain didn't offer him because he was good. McClain offered him because he was pressured into it. Lucky for McClain, because Bailey is one of the greatest Pokes ever.

 

[Pokes Forever]

We can finally agree on something.....Bailey is one of the greatest BBall players to ever wear the Brown and Gold!

 

[DocHolliday]

For the record, I do not 'hate' Tom Burman at all, no more so than I hate Dave Christensen - or anyone else.

On the contrary I happen to think both of those guys are very nice men, however, my personal feelings have to be separated from my feelings of how I feel they're performing in their respective positions.

Also for the record, I am not advocating a change in the AD's position at this time...I am however more than open to a HC change because of what I perceive to be a football program in decline no matter what the defenders here happen to state.

I believe that Burman should be give the chance to make the call on the next coach...he came back strong when he dismissed Schroyer and brought back Larry Shyatt, and I think he should be given the opportunity to have a similar opportunity to bring aboard the next FB Coach as well, IF he determines a change needs to be made.

MY frustration is only one example...there are a lot of very classy individuals at WYO who have been fans and attached to the program for far longer than I have that I would like to see enjoy a football program that contends for MWC Championships on a consistent basis.

I think of people like Tim Harkins and Kevin McKinney, people like Dave Walsh and Mike Aanonsen...I think of a guy I sat next to yesterday, a man who has had season tickets at The War for 25 years, and many of you here, people who have lived and died with the Brown & Gold for years on end...

It is with all of the above and more that I want to see WYOMING Football be much more than it has been.

If in the football mad state of Texas -- Art Briles -- can manage to infuse Baylor with the loads of excitement and winning that he has, all while battling other major college programs in the state for talent, then I'm sorry, I don't want to hear that at War Memorial Stadium this is the best we can do or expect.

Do I love Wyoming? Absolutely, my downstairs 'man cave' is a virtual shrine to both the POKES and the Denver Broncos.

My son is being raised a POKE.

If the WYOMING FOOTBALL Program ever asked me to do anything for them --I would do so without giving it a second thought.

Never question my allegiance to the program or to the University.

Instead look at my frustrations and concerns as any good parent who might want more for their own children -- who perhaps are not coming close to achieving their full potential.

 

[DocHolliday]

I just wanted to add that in order for WYOMING FOOTBALL to change, to contend on a yearly basis, then a mandate must be employed - a new declaration.

Something along the lines of: 'At WYOMING, we play for Championships'.

Nothing less will do.

A culture change must be enacted for this to happen.

What has happened in the past is in the past -- and it is no longer acceptable.

The self imposed ceiling must be destroyed in order for this to happen.

Excuses must be abolished.

We WILL build this program to be one of the best in our conference year in and year out -- every other alternative to this is never to be considered.

The woe is us mentality HAS to be killed off.

Unless all of the above and more is adopted -- then mediocrity will reign forever in Laramie.

 

[CowboyNV]

I wonder what Cowboy athletics would have looked like had Gary Barta stuck around.....

 

[WyoBrandX]

I don't know - I"ve been back and forth on this over the years, but I find myself leaning towards a new AD lately.

1.) Burman isn't all that dynamic. When BYU, TCU, and Utah left, he said it should be easier to find our way to the top of the MWC. He isn't wrong - that obviously was a statement of truth. It was the wrong way to word it, and a dynamic AD would have said something like "It's a terrible loss but we are setting the bars higher than any of those 3 programs have set. This is how we are going to do it."

2.) He seems to have done a good job of fundraising - although he doesn't deserve credit for all of the sucesses, nor all of the failures. Others seemed to have done quite well (Joe Glenn for example.)

3.) We are a small institution in a small state. We have a storied history of success. The landscapes are changing more and more lately, and they really need to focus on getting raises across the board for the athletics departments.

Right now, it seems like we either get an offense oriented team, with the head coach calling the plays, or defense minded teams where the head coach isn't even paying attention to the calls. In order to suceed, we need to:
a.) Pay our head coaches a competitive salary with the upper third of the MWC
b.) Pay our coordinators and position coaches and the upper levels of the MWC

4.) We need to build brand loyalty in this program - we can't do that right now because we are inconsistent. Get the right people in place across all of Wyoming Athletics, reward them well, and make sure they establish not only tradition, but winning tradition.

I don't think Burman has accomplished much in this realm. I hear him say "We can't go to the legislature, we can't do that, etc." We need someone willing to tackle those tough problems.

 

[DocHolliday]

I don't know - I"ve been back and forth on this over the years, but I find myself leaning towards a new AD lately.

1.) Burman isn't all that dynamic. When BYU, TCU, and Utah left, he said it should be easier to find our way to the top of the MWC. He isn't wrong - that obviously was a statement of truth. It was the wrong way to word it, and a dynamic AD would have said something like "It's a terrible loss but we are setting the bars higher than any of those 3 programs have set. This is how we are going to do it."

2.) He seems to have done a good job of fundraising - although he doesn't deserve credit for all of the sucesses, nor all of the failures. Others seemed to have done quite well (Joe Glenn for example.)

3.) We are a small institution in a small state. We have a storied history of success. The landscapes are changing more and more lately, and they really need to focus on getting raises across the board for the athletics departments.

Right now, it seems like we either get an offense oriented team, with the head coach calling the plays, or defense minded teams where the head coach isn't even paying attention to the calls. In order to suceed, we need to:
a.) Pay our head coaches a competitive salary with the upper third of the MWC
b.) Pay our coordinators and position coaches and the upper levels of the MWC

4.) We need to build brand loyalty in this program - we can't do that right now because we are inconsistent. Get the right people in place across all of Wyoming Athletics, reward them well, and make sure they establish not only tradition, but winning tradition.

I don't think Burman has accomplished much in this realm. I hear him say "We can't go to the legislature, we can't do that, etc." We need someone willing to tackle those tough problems.

As I've been noting, the 'we can't' attitude that is so prevalent must be removed immediately if this program is to become anything more than a once in a while bright light.

We can.

We will.

Period.

 

[Wyokie]

I just wanted to add that in order for WYOMING FOOTBALL to change, to contend on a yearly basis, then a mandate must be employed - a new declaration.

Something along the lines of: 'At WYOMING, we play for Championships'.

Nothing less will do.

A culture change must be enacted for this to happen.

What has happened in the past is in the past -- and it is no longer acceptable.

The self imposed ceiling must be destroyed in order for this to happen.

Excuses must be abolished.

We WILL build this program to be one of the best in our conference year in and year out -- every other alternative to this is never to be considered.

The woe is us mentality HAS to be killed off.

Unless all of the above and more is adopted -- then mediocrity will reign forever in Laramie.

+1 Well said....Mediocre attitude within the athletic dept. and the fan base needs to end NOW! Not 25 years from now. Anything less than a conference championship is UNACCEPTABLE!!!!

 

[WyoBrandX]

I don't know - I"ve been back and forth on this over the years, but I find myself leaning towards a new AD lately.

1.) Burman isn't all that dynamic. When BYU, TCU, and Utah left, he said it should be easier to find our way to the top of the MWC. He isn't wrong - that obviously was a statement of truth. It was the wrong way to word it, and a dynamic AD would have said something like "It's a terrible loss but we are setting the bars higher than any of those 3 programs have set. This is how we are going to do it."

2.) He seems to have done a good job of fundraising - although he doesn't deserve credit for all of the sucesses, nor all of the failures. Others seemed to have done quite well (Joe Glenn for example.)

3.) We are a small institution in a small state. We have a storied history of success. The landscapes are changing more and more lately, and they really need to focus on getting raises across the board for the athletics departments.

Right now, it seems like we either get an offense oriented team, with the head coach calling the plays, or defense minded teams where the head coach isn't even paying attention to the calls. In order to suceed, we need to:
a.) Pay our head coaches a competitive salary with the upper third of the MWC
b.) Pay our coordinators and position coaches and the upper levels of the MWC

4.) We need to build brand loyalty in this program - we can't do that right now because we are inconsistent. Get the right people in place across all of Wyoming Athletics, reward them well, and make sure they establish not only tradition, but winning tradition.

I don't think Burman has accomplished much in this realm. I hear him say "We can't go to the legislature, we can't do that, etc." We need someone willing to tackle those tough problems.

As I've been noting, the 'we can't' attitude that is so prevalent must be removed immediately if this program is to become anything more than a once in a while bright light.

We can.

We will.

Period.

I think (note _think_) the best way is probably changing of the old guard to the new guard. We have a new president who seems to be in good with the Wyoming State Government. We probably need a new Athletic Director who is willing to go after the issues. We've been passing the buck for too long. Someone needs to say "The buck stops here."