Legislative Appropriations

[LawPoke]

If you want to get a glimpse of what UW and UW athletics is in for with the new era of Legislative leadership in Cheyenne, go have a look at the UW budget discussion and, in particular, Burman's request for the funding to pay the NIL settlement. It is eye opening. Cliff's Notes version: UW isn't getting that money out of JAC and will STRUGGLE to retain EXISTING budget allocations on a going-forward basis. This is now chess and UW is still playing slapjack. The Freedom Caucus is already triangulating counties against schools - UW is just another point along that transect of leverage, and a fairly unpopular and easily targeted one at that.

In my view, it was yet another strategic error by UW. They shouldn't have taken the ask to the Legislature. They should have self-funded from existing budgets and backfilled or sought creative financing from the Foundation. Sometimes the best approach is to not ask. The reality is that UW is too addicted to state funds. To be fair, athletics has done better than most UW departments at raising external funds (mostly with match), but then again, they should be better as they have the most charismatic and outward elements of the university to peddle to donors (or should have). I would just be somewhat embarrassed to have to run to the Legislature to fund the NIL settlement when, in reality, it is a fairly small figure that can be covered in the short-run and backfilled with funds from BYU lite and the Goats when those hit the mahogany.

UW is in choppy waters with a tsunami on the horizon.

 

[ragtimejoe1]

They should have at most asked for endowment account. 100 mill in account for 25 years. State keeps the money + 2 or 3%. UW athletics keeps 5%+ of annual returns.

State doesn't spend, per se, taxpayer money but still funds athletics.

 

[LawPoke]

They should have at most asked for endowment account. 100 mill in account for 25 years. State keeps the money + 2 or 3%. UW athletics keeps 5%+ of annual returns.

State doesn't spend, per se, taxpayer money but still funds athletics.

Something - anything - other than a direct appropriation. Keep your powder dry.

 

[rocket city poke]

If you want to get a glimpse of what UW and UW athletics is in for with the new era of Legislative leadership in Cheyenne, go have a look at the UW budget discussion and, in particular, Burman's request for the funding to pay the NIL settlement. It is eye opening. Cliff's Notes version: UW isn't getting that money out of JAC and will STRUGGLE to retain EXISTING budget allocations on a going-forward basis. This is now chess and UW is still playing slapjack. The Freedom Caucus is already triangulating counties against schools - UW is just another point along that transect of leverage, and a fairly unpopular and easily targeted one at that.

In my view, it was yet another strategic error by UW. They shouldn't have taken the ask to the Legislature. They should have self-funded from existing budgets and backfilled or sought creative financing from the Foundation. Sometimes the best approach is to not ask. The reality is that UW is too addicted to state funds. To be fair, athletics has done better than most UW departments at raising external funds (mostly with match), but then again, they should be better as they have the most charismatic and outward elements of the university to peddle to donors (or should have). I would just be somewhat embarrassed to have to run to the Legislature to fund the NIL settlement when, in reality, it is a fairly small figure that can be covered in the short-run and backfilled with funds from BYU lite and the Goats when those hit the mahogany.

UW is in choppy waters with a tsunami on the horizo

If you objectively look at what is going on here, it's tough to see how the legislature would continue funding this. UW got "dropped" by the upper tier of the league (including our most attached rival CSU) just a few months ago. The rest of the MWC scrambled to stay afloat and agreed to give Air Force and UNLV most of the funds that the conference is going to receive from the departing schools. UW athletics is facing an uphill climb even against those two schools from a revenue standpoint. Our football program went 3-9 and appears to be hamstrung with a totally inflexible contract for the coach. The overall department has like 1 regular season conference championship over the past 20 years. This is just not a program or department that is on the rise.

The "emergency" is bigger than just a quick $1.8 million for this lawsuit settlement.

 

[ragtimejoe1]

If you objectively look at what is going on here, it's tough to see how the legislature would continue funding this. UW got "dropped" by the upper tier of the league (including our most attached rival CSU) just a few months ago. The rest of the MWC scrambled to stay afloat and agreed to give Air Force and UNLV most of the funds that the conference is going to receive from the departing schools. UW athletics is facing an uphill climb even against those two schools from a revenue standpoint. Our football program went 3-9 and appears to be hamstrung with a totally inflexible contract for the coach. The overall department has like 1 regular season conference championship over the past 20 years. This is just not a program or department that is on the rise.

The "emergency" is bigger than just a quick $1.8 million for this lawsuit settlement.

Add in that we already require students to contribute to athletics and ask the question: what does athletics do for you?

You pose a good question/analysis. What has athletics done to improve the University and the state?

 

[LanderPoke]

If you objectively look at what is going on here, it's tough to see how the legislature would continue funding this. UW got "dropped" by the upper tier of the league (including our most attached rival CSU) just a few months ago. The rest of the MWC scrambled to stay afloat and agreed to give Air Force and UNLV most of the funds that the conference is going to receive from the departing schools. UW athletics is facing an uphill climb even against those two schools from a revenue standpoint. Our football program went 3-9 and appears to be hamstrung with a totally inflexible contract for the coach. The overall department has like 1 regular season conference championship over the past 20 years. This is just not a program or department that is on the rise.

The "emergency" is bigger than just a quick $1.8 million for this lawsuit settlement.

Burman sucks sooooooooo bad

 

[LawPoke]

If you objectively look at what is going on here, it's tough to see how the legislature would continue funding this. UW got "dropped" by the upper tier of the league (including our most attached rival CSU) just a few months ago. The rest of the MWC scrambled to stay afloat and agreed to give Air Force and UNLV most of the funds that the conference is going to receive from the departing schools. UW athletics is facing an uphill climb even against those two schools from a revenue standpoint. Our football program went 3-9 and appears to be hamstrung with a totally inflexible contract for the coach. The overall department has like 1 regular season conference championship over the past 20 years. This is just not a program or department that is on the rise.

The "emergency" is bigger than just a quick $1.8 million for this lawsuit settlement.

Absolutely agree. It’s why they should have never asked for the funds. It screams “poverty program” with no sustainability.

 

[307bball]

Absolutely agree. It’s why they should have never asked for the funds. It screams “poverty program” with no sustainability.

At a certain point, you have to take a cold hard look at this and it's hard to see anything besides a "poverty program" as you described.

I mean what is UW athletics? Historically, it was kind of a rugged program with some really cool stories and moments. If you are a long time fan of UW athletics, it's very disappointing to realize just how far the rest of college athletics has risen in relation to Wyoming's trajectory. Growing up through the '80s and early '90s, Wyoming MBB and football, while not nationally dominant, were definitely respected nationally. That is just gone.

I have a hard time characterizing the "decline" of UW athletics. The focus on the individual failings of this coach or that AD *cough* *cough* Burman *cough* *cough* all seem to miss something to me. Not that they could have done better...just that the increasing focus on money in college athletics seems like it was never going to be a positive and as long as Wyoming was trying to play equitably with programs BYU, Utah, and now BSU, that was a game that we were never going to win. That effort has ultimately impoverished the program, money was spent/invested in ways that didn't help much, and now they may struggle even in relation to the "new" lower conference we find ourselves in.

 

[LawPoke]

At a certain point, you have to take a cold hard look at this and it's hard to see anything besides a "poverty program" as you described.

I mean what is UW athletics? Historically, it was kind of a rugged program with some really cool stories and moments. If you are a long time fan of UW athletics, it's very disappointing to realize just how far the rest of college athletics has risen in relation to Wyoming's trajectory. Growing up through the '80s and early '90s, Wyoming MBB and football, while not nationally dominant, were definitely respected nationally. That is just gone.

I have a hard time characterizing the "decline" of UW athletics. The focus on the individual failings of this coach or that AD *cough* *cough* Burman *cough* *cough* all seem to miss something to me. Not that they could have done better...just that the increasing focus on money in college athletics seems like it was never going to be a positive and as long as Wyoming was trying to play equitably with programs BYU, Utah, and now BSU, that was a game that we were never going to win. That effort has ultimately impoverished the program, money was spent/invested in ways that didn't help much, and now they may struggle even in relation to the "new" lower conference we find ourselves in.

So true. Outside of the Sweet 16 run in basketball in 1986-87 and the Holiday Bowl appearance when Barry Sanders and Dykes carved us up like a Thanksgiving turkey, we have largely been mediocre or worse across all athletics programs. Our last point of even a passing regional or national relevance in any sport was 37 years ago. In that time, I have graduated high school, college, law school, got married, had 4 functional careers, raised two children, buried all of my grandparents, and seen 6 different US presidents serve (I've lost count of UW presidents, but it's gotta be around 100 since then...)

 

[doreno5]

So true. Outside of the Sweet 16 run in basketball in 1986-87 and the Holiday Bowl appearance when Barry Sanders and Dykes carved us up like a Thanksgiving turkey, we have largely been mediocre or worse across all athletics programs. Our last point of even a passing regional or national relevance in any sport was 37 years ago. In that time, I have graduated high school, college, law school, got married, had 4 functional careers, raised two children, buried all of my grandparents, and seen 6 different US presidents serve (I've lost count of UW presidents, but it's gotta be around 100 since then...)

In 1996 Wyoming was ranked 22 but did not get a bowl bid .

 

[307bball]

In 1996 Wyoming was ranked 22 but did not get a bowl bid .

I've said that was the real moment where, if you were smart enough, you could have predicted the trajectory of college sports. From that point on....any coach potential coach or administrator could say "why would I go there? even if I succeed and they pay me a lot....I'll get left out"

 

[LawPoke]

In 1996 Wyoming was ranked 22 but did not get a bowl bid .

A decent team by our standards but meh by all others.

 

[ragtimejoe1]

We entered the "arms race" which 1) we couldn't win and 2) it didn't help anyway.

We should have focused on adequate facilities and excellent people. The WYO problem is, though, funding buildings is more palatable than funding people.

Good people will build programs which fund and build good facilities. Good facilities won't necessarily build good people.

 

[307bball]

We entered the "arms race" which 1) we couldn't win and 2) it didn't help anyway.

We should have focused on adequate facilities and excellent people. The WYO problem is, though, funding buildings is more palatable than funding people.

Good people will build programs which fund and build good facilities. Good facilities won't necessarily build good people.

Interesting...could you say more about this? Do you mean we don't pay people enough?

 

[McPeachy]

Interesting...could you say more about this? Do you mean we don't pay people enough?

My dime, we didn't invest to keep Gary Barta when we hired TommyBoy. Or we didn't invest to keep Tiller, when we hired PoolTableGuy. Or we didn't invest to keep Shyatt, when we hired Buckymac. Etc.

 

[ragtimejoe1]

Interesting...could you say more about this? Do you mean we don't pay people enough?

My dime, we didn't invest to keep Gary Barta when we hired TommyBoy. Or we didn't invest to keep Tiller, when we hired PoolTableGuy. Or we didn't invest to keep Shyatt, when we hired Buckymac. Etc.

Exactly. Hindsight is not productive but my opinion is that instead of funding hundreds of millions in facilities, we should have spent a little less there and been top of g5 ranks for salaries in key positions. 1 to 2 million more per year than Utah paid maybe lures Urban here instead of Utah, example only. McPeachy's are also good.

We used our limited war chest in the wrong direction but that's a state/donor issue. They'd only fund buildings.

Obviously you'll whiff once in a while but you'll whiff less if you're a top paying destination with a great AD.

 

[Bear Claw]

Burman can say his legacy was renovating the War or having these new athletic facilities built. Over time it will be more sustainable than saying he built a legacy of winning athletic teams. It is impossible for him to do one, so he does the other. I dream of the day he is relieved of his duties and they hire a competent replacement. It probably won’t happen, but a guy can dream. Can’t he?

 

[307bball]

Exactly. Hindsight is not productive but my opinion is that instead of funding hundreds of millions in facilities, we should have spent a little less there and been top of g5 ranks for salaries in key positions. 1 to 2 million more per year than Utah paid maybe lures Urban here instead of Utah, example only. McPeachy's are also good.

We used our limited war chest in the wrong direction but that's a state/donor issue. They'd only fund buildings.

Obviously you'll whiff once in a while but you'll whiff less if you're a top paying destination with a great AD.

You and are in agreement here... Amazing. Hehe

 

[ragtimejoe1]

You and are in agreement here... Amazing. Hehe

'Tis the season