UNO Maverick Athletics

Metro area and region sports discussion

Moderators: Coyote, nebugeater, Brad, Omaha Cowboy, BRoss

Post Reply
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

UNO Maverick Athletics

Post by Brad »

Matt P. On the "Big Show" on "Bigsports 590" AM is gretting ready to talk to the UNO Athletic Director about all the $$$ Problems with UNO Sports and Moving to division 1AA which they are not doing.

I will find the stories later.
Last edited by Brad on Wed Jun 28, 2006 9:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
Scuzz
New to the Neighborhood
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:07 am

Post by Scuzz »

In case you all are wondering why this is a big topic, the University of North Dakota will begin its Division I exploratory year in 2007-08. The reclassification period to full status D1 program is five years. During the exploratory year, UND will continue to compete at the Division II level while playing some D1. As all of you probably know North Dakota is now Division I in hockey and Division II in all other sports.

This will be NoDak's second D1 university (and to think they were all D2 five years ago). It's an expensive move, but the facilities at both NDSU and UND are way too nice for D2.

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandfork ... forks_news
User avatar
nebugeater
City Council
Posts: 108844
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 6:07 pm
Location: Gretna NE

Post by nebugeater »

Carefull with the UNO talk.

This is a Creghton town. :wink:
DTO Luv
City Council
Posts: 9678
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2004 4:22 pm

Post by DTO Luv »

Why not go OU. Omaha University. :)
DTO
User avatar
Uffda
County Board
Posts: 4497
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2005 9:52 pm
Location: Land o Lakes, FL

Post by Uffda »

This will be NoDak's second D1 university
Yes and North Dakota State along with South Dakota State are still trying to find conferences that will let them join.
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

UNO Needs to make the Jump to D1AA

The Problem:

1. UNO is part of the North Centeral Conference which is at the minimum amount of teams to have a conference. If another team leaves the North Centeral Conference UNO Will no longer have a Conference.

2. The UNO Athletic Department is in Serious Financial Trouble.

3. Omaha is the 46th Largest City and Does not have a D1 or D1AA Football team

The Solution, Move to D1AA:

1. UNO could play one or two D1 teams like a NU, Iowa, ISU, or a Kansas each season and Make a Huge Payday that could support the athletic Program all year.

2. They could draw bigger names like a northern Iowa for home games and sell more tickets.

3. They could draw Bigger tallent that would not want to sit for a year or two at a place like Nebraska.

Omaha is in need of a D1 or D1AA program.

The Politics:

1. UNO's Chancler said moving up is not even an option and will not even be discussed.

2. UNL dosn't want any competition

3. The rest of Nebraska hates Omaha and will not let UNO Reach its potentiol.

We need Omaha Leaders, Political and Business to start promoting this Idea. Schools need Athletic programs to help lure students in. It helps build a nightlife for the campus.

The other Option Drop to D3, which would kill UNO
Hellenistic Kshatriya
Home Owners Association
Posts: 121
Joined: Fri Jun 02, 2006 3:29 pm

Post by Hellenistic Kshatriya »

UNO Football could be nice at D-1AA... We've got some nice players in the state who might be iwlling to come.
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

Hellenistic Kshatriya wrote:...We've got some nice players in the state who might be willing to come.
I forgot about that, there are a lot of upset off High school coaches that are upset the NU got rid of their walk on program.
Scuzz
New to the Neighborhood
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:07 am

Post by Scuzz »

What you are forgetting is that for UNO to make the jump to 1-AA, they'd need to invest some serious money into facitilites - Caniglia Field just won't cut it for a D-1 program.

Even UND, which has state-of-the-art (completed within the past ten years) hockey, basketball and football arenas was told by their task force that they'd need to complete a minimum of $35 M in facility improvements to make this move. I can only imagine that UNO would need at least that big of an overhaul.

http://siouxsports.com/forums/index.php?showforum=6

Sure, the NCC will probably now have to fizzle away, but UNO can probably join a Mizz/KS D2 conference if need be. UNO is too good of a program at the D2 level that they'd be taken by a conference.
User avatar
Uffda
County Board
Posts: 4497
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2005 9:52 pm
Location: Land o Lakes, FL

Post by Uffda »

Two articles in the paper today


Beef Club to suspend UNO support
The Maverick Beef Club, a primary supporter of the UNO football team, is advising its members to suspend support for the program in light of budget cuts made by the athletic department and the direction of the program.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2195530


UNO athletic program leaking oil, Claussen says


UNO also took pride in having a woman in place in a high-level position in athletics.

"The message it's sending is very disheartening," Mankenberg said. "We were the model in Division II for the senior women's administrator and associate athletic director combination."

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2195521
MTO
City Council
Posts: 7806
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:49 am
Location: Dundee

Post by MTO »

I still have a gut feeling there is an invisible force behind all this... maybe coming from lincoln. :wink: :wink:
15-17, 26, 32
User avatar
Omaha Cowboy
The Don
Posts: 1013156
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 5:31 am
Location: West Omaha

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

The fact that the UNO AD had to cut 4 jobs, including the Associate AD and 2 assistant basketball coaches (1 mens and 1 womens), to trim $440,000 to get to a 'budget' frankly SMELLS of something wrong..

UNO athletics 'leaking oil' may be a sad, but true, understatement..

Lets hope not..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace
Go Cowboys!
User avatar
Uffda
County Board
Posts: 4497
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2005 9:52 pm
Location: Land o Lakes, FL

Post by Uffda »

actually they cut 5 positions

... cutting five positions from athletics: an assistant athletic director; an assistant coach in both men's and women's basketball; a sports information director for hockey; and a secretary. All to save $444,000.
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

[quote="Scuzz"]What you are forgetting is that for UNO to make the jump to 1-AA, they'd need to invest some serious money into facitilites - Caniglia Field just won't cut it for a D-1 program.

Even UND, which has state-of-the-art (completed within the past ten years) hockey, basketball and football arenas was told by their task force that they'd need to complete a minimum of $35 M in facility improvements to make this move. I can only imagine that UNO would need at least that big of an overhaul.

.....[quote]


1 step at a time first off D1AA not D1

Second they would need a big donation or two to get off the ground.

Third... LOOK TO THE LONG RUN!! D1AA will make more money in the long run. You can play 1 or 2 D1 schools a year and make some serious cash.
Last edited by Brad on Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Omaha Cowboy
The Don
Posts: 1013156
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 5:31 am
Location: West Omaha

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

I forgot about the secretary..

But the Associate AD cut was huge..The AAD's main job function is fundraising..I have a relative who is an AAD at a Big 12 conference school who, in 2003, could have accepted the UNO AAD job as it was offered to him. He entertained the possibilty only because it would bring him back to Omaha, closer to family. After careful consideration, he declined..

WISE choice..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace
Go Cowboys!
User avatar
Greg S
City Council
Posts: 7398
Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2004 10:46 am

Post by Greg S »

This isn't Lincoln's doings. This one is solely on UNO. I can't believe they did not involve their boosters before going through with these cuts. I don't think the Chancelor is doing UNO athletics any favors and it remains to be seen if AD Herbster can change the situation. It will be sad to see UNO revert to the athletic desperation they were in not too long ago. They have great coaches, I hope all of this press forces them to change their current path.

They need to start by promoting hockey better. They've priced out many hockey season ticket holders.

Maybe when NU plays Miami at Qwest they can give some of the proceeds to UNO! :)

Greg
Hooloovoo
New to the Neighborhood
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 11:50 pm

Post by Hooloovoo »

Brad wrote:
Scuzz wrote:What you are forgetting is that for UNO to make the jump to 1-AA, they'd need to invest some serious money into facitilites - Caniglia Field just won't cut it for a D-1 program.

Even UND, which has state-of-the-art (completed within the past ten years) hockey, basketball and football arenas was told by their task force that they'd need to complete a minimum of $35 M in facility improvements to make this move. I can only imagine that UNO would need at least that big of an overhaul.

.....quote]


1 step at a time first off D1AA not D1

Second they would need a big donation or two to get off the ground.

Third... LOOK TO THE LONG RUN!! D1AA will make more money in the long run. You can play 1 or 2 D1 schools a year and make some serious cash.
If UNO were to move to D1AA, they would have to move all their sports, including basketball, to D1 as well. Do you honestly think that this town could support another D1 basketball program? Right now, UNO basketball has support because it is a D2 winner, if they went to D1, they would be on the level of the Arkansas-Pine Bluffs of the world...going across the country to get paid to lose.

This isn't all about football.
DTO Luv
City Council
Posts: 9678
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2004 4:22 pm

Post by DTO Luv »

Yes a D1 UNO basketball team would start out a loser. But UNO has advantages over CU. It's a bigger school and more affordable.

UNO is the biggest asset to the city. It can do more for Omaha than Warren Buffet or Mutual or the CWS. Are people moving to Austin because of the famous corporate employers? Not entirely. It's becaue of the the UT. Having a major public college for Omaha would keep a talented work force here and bring people and jobs.

What would Lincoln be without UNL? Nothing. There's more to Omaha than one school but can you imagine how drastically different Omaha would be if UNO was the UNL?
DTO
User avatar
Big E
City Council
Posts: 8015
Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2005 11:12 am

Post by Big E »

Hooloovoo wrote:Do you honestly think that this town could support another D1 basketball program?
Depends... Are they a winner? Omaha couldn't support ONE until Creighton started winning. Throw a few 12-18 seasons on Altman's resume and I bet suddenly Omaha will no longer be a basketball town. UNL football would probably only draw 65-70K after about four 5-6s in a row.

This town doesn't love sports. It loves WINNING sports.

-Big E
Stable genius.
Scuzz
New to the Neighborhood
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:07 am

Post by Scuzz »

Big E wrote:
Hooloovoo wrote:Do you honestly think that this town could support another D1 basketball program?
Depends... Are they a winner? Omaha couldn't support ONE until Creighton started winning. Throw a few 12-18 seasons on Altman's resume and I bet suddenly Omaha will no longer be a basketball town. UNL football would probably only draw 65-70K after about four 5-6s in a row.

This town doesn't love sports. It loves WINNING sports.

-Big E
I'd say Easy E is pretty close to dead on with this one. I agree with most of the other sentiments. Look throgh the link i provided earlier for a Fighting Sioux message board about this move. They seem to think UND would be best off with a Lacrosse team, as their revenue sport in Spring. I tend to agree with that spot... When was the last time that even a Big 10 team made their way to a CWS??? I think Ohio State was the last one, and the Gophers were the last Big Ten team to have a run of coming to Omaha.
User avatar
Omaha Cowboy
The Don
Posts: 1013156
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 5:31 am
Location: West Omaha

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

Big E wrote: This town doesn't love sports. It loves WINNING sports.
I think this can, for the most part, be said universally about every town..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace
Go Cowboys!
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

We are not to post the entire story, but this is an opinion pice written by Nancy Belck, UNO Chancellor, not and OWH staff member.
Midlands Voices: UNO athletics again will survive in difficult period of transition
BY NANCY BELCK


The writer is chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

In the early 1970s, few would deny that the University of Nebraska at Omaha's athletic program had fallen on hard times.

UNO's move into the Rocky Mountain Conference had failed to generate increased fan and financial support. The conference was limiting the number of grants-in-aid that its members could award. A resolution was passed on campus to dismantle the athletic program rather than jeopardize funding for academics. The mayor called for eliminating the history department rather than athletics, and UNO's athletic director of 26 years, Virgil Yelkin, resigned.

Within five years, all this had changed. By 1977, UNO had joined a strong North Central Conference (NCC), going to the NCAA Division II football playoffs the following year. Athletic director Don Leahy had hired a solid group of head coaches, and UNO was recruiting an equally strong group of student-athletes.

Women's athletics, with a budget of $1,000 in the early 1970s, boasted a budget of $350,000 a decade later, as icon Connie Claussen developed one of the leading Division II women's programs in the country. UNO was winning championships, and the Mavs were on the move.

Fast-forward 30 years, and the UNO program once again finds itself in a period of transition and realignment. The future of a fragile NCC is uncertain.

A budget shortfall requires belt-tightening, and positions are eliminated. Fans and supporters call for a move to Division I, a prospect that is exciting, expensive and fraught with uncertainty. Now, as decades ago, the Maverick program is at a crossroads, with critical decisions to be made regarding its future.

As chancellor, I am charged with the responsibility of ensuring the viability of UNO's complex array of academic, research, athletic and outreach programs. In consultation with the campus and community, these responsibilities require me to make difficult, and even unpopular, decisions.

For example, a few years ago, when state revenue fell short and funding for higher education was tight, UNO reduced or reallocated $11.8 million and 170 positions campuswide. Guided by our strategic planning process, these reductions were made with the philosophy of minimizing harm to the institution while reallocating to higher priorities.

Today, UNO has emerged as a stronger, more focused university, with nationally ranked academic programs and an outstanding faculty and talented students - served by a campus that is the envy of metropolitan institutions nationwide.

In a similar manner, UNO's athletic program also must live within its means by aligning its budget to coincide with the realities of revenue, donor support and increased costs related to the use of Qwest Center Omaha for hockey. As in the past, the recent reductions reflect the university's desire to do as little harm to the program as possible while maintaining our core of men's and women's sports.

I believe that, having made these difficult decisions, the UNO program is on a more realistic and sustainable financial footing. It is important to note that these same financial decisions would have been made irrespective of our conference situation; the athletic budget, like all university accounts, still must balance. On a related point, we must do a better job of marketing our programs, particularly hockey, to increase attendance and revenues.

Regarding UNO's conference affiliation and division selection, let me be very clear: UNO has enjoyed a long and successful partnership with the NCC, with a budget that ranks second in Division II only to North Dakota's. We play institutions with similar athletic programs and talent. We can maintain the required number of men's and women's sports. We win conference and national championships, and our student-athletes excel both in the classroom and on the playing field.

In short, UNO is a good match with Division II for a variety of factors, and I see no compelling reason to change this winning equation. In fact, the majority of UNO coaches have said in the past they want to stay in Division II, a discussion I'll revisit with them again this week.

What is also clear, however, is that the decision regarding our conference affiliation must be re-evaluated as the NCC unravels. Our challenge will be to find a conference that (1) has room for new members or is willing to absorb the remaining NCC schools in our region, (2) allows affordable travel and (3) has members whose universities and athletic programs are similar to UNO's in both mission and financial support. I also will be discussing this matter with the athletic department and our booster organizations in the coming days.

Am I, as some have suggested, dismantling the UNO athletic department? Nothing could be further from the truth. A strong athletic program meshes perfectly with our strategic goals of serving students well and engaging with our metropolitan community.

I believe that, after a period of transition and realignment, the Mavericks' best days are ahead.

Our program has always been one that weathers a challenge, then emerges stronger than ever. The key will be to make intelligent and focused decisions based on viability and vision with input from many perspectives.

Now, more than ever, go Mavs!
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

I call BS

Move to D1AA
User avatar
Omaha Cowboy
The Don
Posts: 1013156
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 5:31 am
Location: West Omaha

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

I agree Brad..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace
Go Cowboys!
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

Travis just brought up an Excellent point on "Big Sports 590"

Kevin McKenna former HEAD coach of UNO left to go be an Assistant at Creighton.

Travis said even though he said he wanted to go back to D1, he probably saw the wrighting on the wall and decided he need to jump ship while he had a good oppertunity.


Also every time someone says the Chancellor's name Travis starts playing the "Dark" music from star wars.
User avatar
Uffda
County Board
Posts: 4497
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2005 9:52 pm
Location: Land o Lakes, FL

Post by Uffda »

So what kind of attendance has UNO football had over the past few years? In Division 1-A, schools need to average 15,000 people in actual or paid attendance per home football game --- in Division 1-AA there are no attendance requirements.

sorry for the long link

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/!ut/p/kc ... teria.html
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

We are asking for D1AA NOT D1A
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

Because it seems there is so many people that are PRO OMAHA, but ANTI UNO, I added a poll.

Please Go Vote,

Thanks
Last edited by Brad on Wed Jun 28, 2006 10:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Omaha Cowboy
The Don
Posts: 1013156
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 5:31 am
Location: West Omaha

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

I voted D-1AA..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace
Go Cowboys!
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

Matt P on the "Big Show" on "Big Sports 590" is going to talk about this topic again today at 3:00pm
User avatar
Omaha Cowboy
The Don
Posts: 1013156
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 5:31 am
Location: West Omaha

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

I didn't get a chance to listen. What did Matt P have to say?..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace
Go Cowboys!
MTO
City Council
Posts: 7806
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:49 am
Location: Dundee

Post by MTO »

Any special guests / call-ins?
15-17, 26, 32
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

First off today at 3:30 he will have the Ad from North Dakota on who is leaving UNO's confrence to go D1AA. Then he will have on Tom Shantell from the OWH later in the show, one of the things they will be discussing is UNO.

As far as yesterday, He also said that UNO's Chancellor is Full of BS. They said that she is on a Extended Summer Vacation at her Summer Home in North Carolina. She is not talking to anone until she gets back and the editorial in the OWH the other day was her way of making it look like she is working on the situation.

I missed it but this morning Travis Justice had on the AD from the school that UNO's Chancellor use to be the Chancellor of. Apparently he said how good the athletic program since she left. So no one really has much good to say about her.

Apparently Howard Hawks and the Beef Club have both publicly said to stop dontaing $$$ to UNO until this is resolved

I will try to hear the 3:30pm interview today and let you know what is said.
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

The AD made it sound EASY to change from D2 to D1AA

They had their first discussion at the end of November 2005 and it was a done deal by the end of May 2006
User avatar
Big E
City Council
Posts: 8015
Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2005 11:12 am

Post by Big E »

Done deal or dead deal?

-Big E
Stable genius.
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

For North Dakota a Done Deal, right now UNO is a dead deal
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Boosters send message to UNO administration

Post by Brad »

Boosters send message to UNO administration

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2198557
A copy of the letter was supplied to The World-Herald by e-mail. It read:

"The booster organizations that support UNO athletics no longer have faith in the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor and Athletic Director at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. We have agreed to stand by our previous commitments made to the UNO athletic department, but we will not make any future commitments to support UNO athletics until the administration's actions to undermine the progression of UNO athletics changes."


That is Incrediable!!
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

David Sokol's comments
"The absolute wrong answer was to start firing people without a plan," said David Sokol, CEO of Mid-America Energy and a major UNO booster. "If the administration wants to start downsizing, if they don't want to have an athletic department of this size . . . I wouldn't agree with doing that, but they still run the university and they have the right to make those decisions. But this kind of bizarre approach, to mindlessly fire people without a plan, not tell anybody and hope it goes away, that doesn't make any sense."
Sokol, who said he has been kept in the loop on the athletic department's budget process for six years, said he wasn't contacted about trying to solve the shortfall.
User avatar
Big E
City Council
Posts: 8015
Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2005 11:12 am

Post by Big E »

Wow. What kind of message does this send to the student-athletes?

Could you imagine if the muckity-mucks writing checks to Lincoln came out and said the same thing?

-Big E
Stable genius.
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

Today, during the 4pm hour on the "Big Show" on Big Sports 590 they are going to replay the UNO AD interview and the North Dakota AD interview back to back, so you can see how it should be done and how it is being done.
Post Reply