to get to the bottom of this  . . . 

 

 

UConn did give Kevin Ollie the promotion from assistant to HC and that proved well for their shooty hoops program. I'm not sure how much that was Warde Manuel's decision, but he was behind the hire of Turner Gill and that turned out to be a good decision for the University of Buffalo. He has been on a firing spree sinced he arrived at UConn though, so I'm not really sure how that looks. He did manage to nearly double the revenue while at Buffalo though, and I'm sure that's something the Board of Directors at UofM like. Either way, Warde Manuel or not, anybody is better than Dave Brandon. He needs to go ASAP and we can't really begin a new head coach search until he leaves.

I've met Manuel a few times (I know you only meet someone once, but I'm not going to sit here and act like I know the man)...here's what I know. Here's also my opinion.

First and foremost, he's a great man. I met him on my climb up the athletics administration ladder, from the assistant director level all the way up to the associate AD level. He's never treated me any differently from my barely above entry level spot until now...and that's as a genuine, personable, funny, just nice guy who gets it. 

I met Warde when our team played his team (Buffalo) and he arrived at the stadium, but wanted to go visit his donors who were renting a space away from the stadium for a pregame tailgate. I met him when he arrived at the stadium, got him and his wife to their suite and then took him over to the tailgate in a golf cart. He spoke to me like I was the AD of my school...asked about projects we were working on, talked about my background and what I wanted to do, he was awesome. 

I made my way up the ranks and would run into him at conferences like NACDA (NACDA.com for those who don't know what it is)...he'd always remember the face as a mutual colleague would reintroduce us. Again, very friendly...at the annual NACDA conference, you do a little of the learning, sharing, networking, professional development during the day, at night, everyone meets up for cocktail hour and it's a huge social with only athletic administrators from around the country. So since the initial golf cart day, I've caught Warde at the cocktail hour during various years at the conference. Hanging out and catching up with old friends. Each time he's invited me to join the group and just chat...he and I always end up talking about Michigan and how the team is doing. 

My point is, he's an administrator who's worked hard to get where he is...but he can still relate and communicate with people who aren't at his professional level. I haven't heard one person who doesn't like Manuel.

NOW...there's a big difference between being liked and being good at your job. Brady Hoke was liked until Saturday when his dumb ass almost got Shane Morris killed (obvious exaggeration).

Manuel is GREAT at his job. He's every bit the fundraiser that Brandon is, but on a personable level instead of a corporate level. Here are my immediate thoughts:

• He may be too likeable...everything from the 80s and 90s doesn't have to be Michigan forever. I worry that he may struggle by trying to please too many people.
• He does have somewhat of a network...I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if 1/3 of the athletics staff is replaced or you see a bunch of random positions created that supersede existing positions.
• Students will love him - no question. I know former students at UB and UConn who rave about him. I mean RAVE. The only other 2 AD's that I've heard such great things about are Tom Jurich from Louisville and Jeremy Foley from Florida. (Jurich is a God at Louisville)
• I'm not sure he can revenue generate or come up with the revenue generating events like Brandon, when Brandon had a crazy ass plan come together, boy did that thing come together! UTL, Big Chill, etc. - you can't deny those things even if they were sponsor driven.
• I'm not sure there will be the same commitment to get everyone the latest and greatest and best. Again, Brandon was great in that regard...Football to Field Hockey, that man is going to make money so he can spend money. He doesn't make money the right way and he'll make it at the expense of people who matter, but boy does he make and spend as good as any other AD in the country.
• Manuel will be MUCH better in terms of the providing the games fans want to see...he's much more like MSU's AD Hollis than he is Brandon. Don't be surprised if you see Michigan in some of those games on the battleships and stuff like that. Non-conference schedule will always be great under Manuel and that @MSU/@OSU shit would've never have happened. He thinks about his customer.
• Manuel and Gene Smith are friends...certainly doesn't matter, but take it for what it's worth
• Again, I worry that there may not be enough focus on revenue generation which, in Michigan, in that economy, is tough. I don't think you have to be Brandon, but I think you do have to have a priority to get money and then get more when you're at Michigan. If Brandon was overkill...I think Manuel will have to be a liiitle more like Brandon to get to "just right." That said, Manuel increased UB's budget big time. But that all had to do with getting their football program where he got it.
• Prepare to see improvements to better the student-athlete experience...not necessarily facility improvements, but a focus to provide a great experience for the students.
• Don't think UNIFORMZ are going away. They won't get out of control, but if the students want them, they'll get them.
• Don't think that "everything will go back to normal" either...if you want conservative, Bates is a better option. Manuel will push forward more than Bates, but in a different way than Brandon.
• My biggest worry is that Manuel will make everyone happy, but we still won't be any good...or we won't keep generate revenue. Basically, my biggest worry is that Manuel will be Brady Hoke. The only difference is Hoke wasn't ever that good...Manuel is VERY good, but unlike Hoke, he doesn't get to do everything his way. So if you have enough resistance, then progress can be stymied, thus turning him into Hoke. Not to get political, but basically, what every Obama supporter says about why Obama hasn't made as much progress as they originally hoped. I worry that Manuel will want to do things to push things forward, that he’ll know how to do it, but there will be so much sentiment to go back to how we were…it’ll frustrate and slow him down. He’s not here to be Bill Martin 2.0 (who I think was just as bad as Brandon as an AD, just for different reasons).

In the end, I wanted to share more of the bad than the good. Because I think he's very good, but you all can read about all the good on your own. Just go to his bio. You never hear about the bad stuff, concerns or worries.

Between the two, Manuel is my choice. Bates I don't know as much about, and I think he may get the job because from what I hear this President isn't overly Athletics driven and I think Bates fits that role better. At Miami (OH) and BC, there are other agendas and Bates can maneuver those waters. Manuel is going to focus on Athletics WAAAAY more. Which for me, makes him the clear cut winner.

I also just think he's a wonderful guy (unlike Brandon, who I know for a fact is a dick), he deserves the opportunity and he's going to do very well with it. But Hollis, Gene Smith and Kevin Anderson (Maryland) are a few "like comparisons." 

If you're going to hire an AD with ties to Michigan, he's #1. I hope he continues to focus on providing the BEST everything like Bradon did, but I certainly welcome his willingness to be personable.

Oh by the way, he's currently the AD of the Men's AND Women's Basketball National Champions. Nice.