chris bono
- Thread starter Warriordan
- Start date
It is not about the salary it is about the commitment to upgrade the facilities and a commitment to assistants.
It appears that the administration and the new AD are clueless as to what is needed for a D1 wrestling program to compete at a respectable level. This whole process has become a clown show.
I willingly want to believe they are clueless at this point because the only other explanation is that they don't give a damn what happens next.
Sad to say, but I think we may have the perfect storm.... a lethal combination of both.
I remember Barnes announcing something last year that included 'upgrades to the wrestling competition venue' at the Fitzgerald Field House about the time of the script release.
Yeah Flo reporting It. As I've said, wrestling is a tightnit fraternity. Cats out of the bag. First Santoro, Flynn, and now Bono.. point to a lack of commitment and less than adequate persuasive skills. Gavin, probably will take the job,and I wish him well, but what a disappointing turn of events. We could have had a top notch coach with HC experience. Even with Gavin, if you don't get the support needed, your not going to win championships or compete on the big stage
Who wants to step into a job that is not being taken serious enough? Very disappointing
She offered to double his salary, I'd say that'd a step in the right direction. Moreover, Bono is apparently in a pretty good situation. We don't even know they haven't committed to facilities upgrades. Supposedly that''s in the works. I've been complaining about the way this has been handled too but I at least try to let what are somewhat verifiable facts guide my rants to some degree.
I dont understand the logic behind these posts. Lets judge this on the offer [and rejection] alone. Leave out the fact we are promoting an assistant coach. I wont pretend to be an expert... but if we made a huge offer.... a potential top 10 offer.... how does that show anything besides commitment? Lyke performed well as an AD at EMU. She started a campaign for gigantic facility renovations there. She knows for a fact that it isnt just hiring a good coach and giving them a shitty place to work.
I think this viewpoint is way off. If she offered twice his $$$, that shows shes taking it very seriously. If she was offering a top 10 salary, thats taking it pretty seriously. Do you actually think that she would "waste" the salary $$ and not do the necessary work to upgrade the facilities? That'd be like buying a v8 engine, slapping it in the body of a Pontiac Aztek, and putting it on bald tires.
Now I think she can be criticized [and rightly so] for seemingly settling after she missed. But there might be more to it.
Santorum Flynn and Bono all proven HC and program success at high levels. Salary of HC is one thing. Money for facilities and assistant upgrades another. Duzz would not be here just based on his salary. Assistants are a big deal in the sport. I'll support Gavin, wish him well. This was a fall back hire. Lyke has not started her Pitt career with much sizzle. Maybe wrestling just isn't a top 10 goal. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement
No matter who they hired, hiring a wrestling coach isn't going to be a "sizzle" first hire.
And I mean, come on man, it wasn't just throwing money at the problem. Doubling a coaches salary to the point where it would be among the tops in the nation isn't something to scoff at like you are.
That seems fair. He was definitely a fall back. Hopefully he gets a good staff
Gavin is absolutely a fall back. I agree. For whatever reason, she missed on the top targets but it doesnt seem like salary for the head coach was an issue which will lead me to my next discussion point...
Assistants are a big deal in any sport and I never said otherwise. I am saying Lyke has shown in her history that she is well aware of this fact and would not make a huge investment in the head coach only to cheap out on the facilities and the assistants.
Admittedly, we are both making assumptions here but mine is atleast backed up with some facts / history behind it.
If she doesn't understand that a commitment to assistants and a facilities upgrade is necessary to lure a good coach, then she is incapable of being the AD period.
If she can't convince the Chancellor of that, then she isn't up to the job. Period.
But, I don't think it is either of those things. I think it is one or both of the following:
(1) With the way she has handled this, she has made herself toxic to the community of wrestling coaches.
(2) She is trying to prove she is a hero and can get a HC without offering the monetary commitments the school was willing to spend.
In any event, she has screwed this up big time. We are going to end up getting a HC who I don't think any wrestling fan on this board would have listed among his top ten choices when this coaching search started. The bottom line is that we are not going to become the wrestling power that we should be. We are wasting a geographic advantage that we don't have in any other sport.
If she can't convince the Chancellor of that, then she isn't up to the job. Period.
But, I don't think it is either of those things. I think it is one or both of the following:
(1) With the way she has handled this, she has made herself toxic to the community of wrestling coaches.
(2) She is trying to prove she is a hero and can get a HC without offering the monetary commitments the school was willing to spend.
In any event, she has screwed this up big time. We are going to end up getting a HC who I don't think any wrestling fan on this board would have listed among his top ten choices when this coaching search started. The bottom line is that we are not going to become the wrestling power that we should be. We are wasting a geographic advantage that we don't have in any other sport.
I did read the post.
You made a drastic assumption about lack of commitment despite the evidence of a significant Financial investment into the program. I read your post. You claim you need more than Head Coach money, we have no evidence to suggest there isn't more in the works in regards to those areas. If anything the Head Coach money is evidence that there is in fact, a larger financial commitment.
You dont go in offering top 10 money just to offer top 10 money. Which is what you insinuated.
Aren't you a lawyer? Don't you understand you're accusing her of a lot of stuff with zero basis? You're turning your baseless accusations into fact. You have no evidence or past history to support the facilities comment
We can go back and forth. I respect your opinion, but wrestling and wrestling coaches are as competitive as it gets. The fact is Santoro, Flynn, and Bono all interviewed. So they had interest in the Pitt job. If it wasn't HC salary what was it that they saw to turn down the opportunity? I'm was hoping Lyke could get it done, but she didn't either persuade these candidates of a vision or a commitment. Again, wrestlers are highly competive and would pass on a salary bump, and replace it with and environment of winning. Based on the other coaching candidates, beyond those top three, not sure she did her homework. Again, I wish Gavin well, it's not about him, but if she truly felt he was the best, then we wasted three weeks of recruiting. Gavin was a fall back. I'm convinced with the right commitment and passion for the sport of wrestling at Pitt, we could have landed someone with more clout and experience. Gavin will do better than the two previous coaches, but for Pitt to be top ten, he needs support. Obviously the other candidates just didn't see it.
There are enough donors, that isn't the issue that is an excuse.
Then why are we consistently last in the ACC when it comes to monetary donations?
If we arent getting donations for Football and Basketball, there is absolutely no way we are getting money from Wrestling donations.
Because we consistently put out a sub par product? I could go into a ton of reasons, but the simple truth is, wrestling can be funded at a high level with the current donor base who is energized by a commitment and WILL for excellence. Right now its all about Football and we all want that to be great, but when you put bandaids on other sports, you better damn well win more than 8 games and bowls. When other sports strive for greatness its infectious throughout the athletic dept. Wrestling is a no brainer, where we sit in terms of geography. Easiest opportunity to be a consistent top 10 at the D1 level.
There is absolutely no way that they are going to put more focus on Wrestling than Football and Basketball. None. There is a big difference between upgrading the financial commitment - which is it obvious that they are in fact doing that -- and then putting more focus into it than football and/or basketball.
Right now its all about Football, and its always going to be all about Football. As it should be. It would be irresponsible for it not to be.
Do you actually have evidence showing there is this large swath of Wrestling only donors? If not, your claims seems dubious to say the least.
You think we committed to basketball? Football is always going to be the lead dog, as it should. Football and Men's BB should be priority. Not arguing that point. What some of us, who love Pitt athletics are saying is that we would not need to break the bank to put out a powerhouse wrestling program. With the right vision and commitment it could be a perennial top 10. believe me adequately supporting wrestling will not take away from the big dogs, it can only help build our brand. We all want a championship athletic dept.
Bullshit - Pitt would have better facilities and more money for assistants if that were true.
That would be an indictment of several Pitt administration's not just the new one.
He doesn't donate a nickel to Pitt Wrestling, but his outlook is more valuable than the rest who don't donate to Pitt Wrestling.
Unreal.
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Sorry my apologies. Guess I'm a little steamed over the whole process. That said, will do my best to support Coach Gavin. Let's hope it works.
