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Interview with new UW president Robert Sternberg
- Thread starter MrTitleist
- Start date
fromolwyoming
Well-known member
Not a bad interview, but pretty vague at times.
But this part stands out to me most.
But this part stands out to me most.
Can't help but wonder what that "strong reputation" is, or do I even need to guess?
YankPoke
Well-known member
Here are a few things, Burman has been a pretty decent AD IMO. He had one horrible hire with Schroyer besides that he found Branch, volleyball coach, DC, Shyatt, Tennis coach, and soccer coach before he left for CU. He has also been here for upgrades to War Memorial and I believe the RAC, could be wrong on that one, and has great plans for the AA. What he could do better with our resources I'm not sure what you want. I want to win conference championships just as much as you all do, but we also have to be realistic in what we are as a University. We have a very limited amount of resources, a limited fan base as far as population, and a tough place to sell recruits on. It is going to take time for us to build championship programs you don't do it overnight at a school like ours. Shyatt has us in the right direction Wrestling is already there, volleyball has been pretty good, Joe has the womens bball right there all the time, and DC is going in the right direction, he has put in a ton of talent and depth, and with him calling plays this year I see us winning 9-10 games with our very weak schedule and the affect that he will have on getting the offense up tempo and knowing how to make adjustments. I don't know what you want out of an AD besides that he has provided facility upgrades, and has hired very good coaches with limited resources in a tough place to be in with athletics with the uniqueness of our situation so if you fire Burman you are not going to magically win championships he has done a pretty good AD with just one mistake being Schroyer.
I usually don't post on the football board as I am more interested in basketball although I still attend individual football games (no longer a season ticket holder due to age and preferring mid day games).
As to Burman only making one mistake; i.e., hiring his buddy Heath, I guess you could call it one mistake that he then compounded by giving him an extension--for me, that is two major mistakes costing the University substantial amounts of revenue. As I have admitted on the basketball board, I liked McClain, didn't think he was a great coach but thought he was a good coach. Frankly thought he got the shaft by Burman--paraphrasing "This isn't a key year for Steve" and then fires him even though it was a winning season based upon poor academic performances by players (my question would be did Burman meet with McClain and point out that there needed to be corrections in this area--my info was that there was talk from the athletic department about this with McClain (not necessarily Burman) and that McClain's request for tutoring help would be discussed. In my way of thinking Heath got his extension because of Ewing who pretty much carried the team in Heath's second year.
As for Burman getting credit for facility upgrades I suppose the guy in the chair at the time gets the credit but the plans were on the table long before Burman. I know at a meeting where Moon gave our group a presentation he pretty much laid out the upgrades that were to be made to the stadium. Most have been pretty well taken care of--however, in response to a very specific question about the concession stands under the west side Moon said that was one area that was certainly going to be upgraded--haven't seen it as yet and think I read sometime back that stadium upgrades were complete!
Yes, Burman has brought in new coaches but I recall his pretty much saying at Heath's hiring that conference titles in a few years were what we were looking at. Haven't seen many conference titles since McClain's two within the recent past. Yes wrestling does very well but it is not the Mtn. West. Frankly (haven't dug out the books) but I have my doubts whether McClain would have had a less than 20 game winning season with the type of OOC teams we have been playing the past few years.
As to Burman only making one mistake; i.e., hiring his buddy Heath, I guess you could call it one mistake that he then compounded by giving him an extension--for me, that is two major mistakes costing the University substantial amounts of revenue. As I have admitted on the basketball board, I liked McClain, didn't think he was a great coach but thought he was a good coach. Frankly thought he got the shaft by Burman--paraphrasing "This isn't a key year for Steve" and then fires him even though it was a winning season based upon poor academic performances by players (my question would be did Burman meet with McClain and point out that there needed to be corrections in this area--my info was that there was talk from the athletic department about this with McClain (not necessarily Burman) and that McClain's request for tutoring help would be discussed. In my way of thinking Heath got his extension because of Ewing who pretty much carried the team in Heath's second year.
As for Burman getting credit for facility upgrades I suppose the guy in the chair at the time gets the credit but the plans were on the table long before Burman. I know at a meeting where Moon gave our group a presentation he pretty much laid out the upgrades that were to be made to the stadium. Most have been pretty well taken care of--however, in response to a very specific question about the concession stands under the west side Moon said that was one area that was certainly going to be upgraded--haven't seen it as yet and think I read sometime back that stadium upgrades were complete!
Yes, Burman has brought in new coaches but I recall his pretty much saying at Heath's hiring that conference titles in a few years were what we were looking at. Haven't seen many conference titles since McClain's two within the recent past. Yes wrestling does very well but it is not the Mtn. West. Frankly (haven't dug out the books) but I have my doubts whether McClain would have had a less than 20 game winning season with the type of OOC teams we have been playing the past few years.
The Virginian
Well-known member
laxwyo said:
^^^^^^^^
THIS
I'm not saying that Burman should be retained, but a replacement could be much worse. God forbid that we get another Lee Moon as AD. In my mind he's very much to blame for the state of Wyoming athletics we find ourself in. Bottom line, be careful what you wish for.
McPeachy
Well-known member
The Virginian said:
I think the major point that is being overlooked...
Burman is no visionary. He isn't a go-getter. He dummies everything down, to a managable level he is comfortable with. He is satisified with a $25 million dollar athletic budget, and competing with teams that have that similar budget.
We can name names, coaches, successes and failures, and there are all of those evident in Burman's tenure. But the complete lack of aspiration from within the UW athletic department to be the best, is quite telling.
J-Rod
Well-known member
See, I can agree with this as well.......Burman has been quite conservative in his time at UW, not very proactive. But with that said, TheVirginian's point remains.....everyone assumes the next AD will be better than Burman....that is not necessarily the case.McPeachy said:
Ugh....I remember when Hawaii fired Herman Frazier. Botched the BCS bowl ticket allotment, ruined future schedules, financially ruined the department, lost June Jones. Everyone assumed we were free! The tyrant is gone!
How's that freedom looking? Not too good.....not too good.
McPeachy
Well-known member
J-Rod said:
Well...the next guy may or may not be any better. Such is true with damn near any HR situation. But with that mentality, or outlook, things are doomed for UW athletics. What do you do...stay satisfied with being consistently shitty-mediocre, or take a chance to break out and be good (not great, just good). Not asking to be world beaters in year one of a new AD...but we need a visionary. We need our version of Jack Graham...you know, the guy (or girl) with balls, vision, connections, skills, desire, goals, and a gut-level spirit for the great state of Wyoming.
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