(04-23-2015 09:02 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote: (04-23-2015 08:59 PM)CrazyPaco Wrote: (04-23-2015 08:52 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote: I also find it pathetic that the last group turned away potential donors and chased away donors.
#NotGoodBusiness
Fact: the last group had more donations and donors than at any time in the history of the school.
Fact: that said, Pitt was still way behind peers in donations.
Fact: the there was no major bump in donations when Steve was fired. Urban legend.
Fact #1: Can you adjust that to inflation rate.... Of course people are going to donate more in volume in 2008 compared to 1988 (money loses value and people have more of it), but the fact of the matter is, Steve disenfranchised too many people, thus they didn't donate.
Fact #2: I agree.... Won't find anyone that disagrees with it.
Fact #3: What's your point with this?
Point one, yes, even adjusted for inflation, donation dollars are bigger (which I don't have off the top of my head). Number of donors also much bigger. Number of endowed athletic scholarships bigger. If I can get to my other computer, I will post the actual numbers.
But I'll make the better argument for you, it isn't inflation, it is athletic donation trends that have risen through the years in academia, and it wouldn't be linear from the 80s for Pitt. But what really killed Pitt was the 90s. It fell off a cliff. People don't often realize how bad it had gotten. I'll tell you had bad it was...In the mid 90s I graduated from Pitt and donated my first $100 to the Golden Panthers. I was ranked in the top 1,000 donors and was able to get 50 yard line press box side seats about 10 rows in front of Marshall Goldberg in Pitt Stadium. Pitt was not far from losing its football program...at least at a major college level....seriously, it was discussed as an option before Nordenberg got in there and stopped it.
Point 2: Steve did not fundraise well enough. He was stiff, and did not easily mingle with the rank and file donors. He did do a good job with some of the bigger donors, as the largest donations in Pitt athletic history occurred during his watch (eg the two largest capital projects). But he failed with the rank and file. However, in 1997, Pitt desperately needed someone to come in clear out the rot and make tough decisions. Some of those worked, some didn't. The Stadium decision was tough but, ultimately, necessary, at least in my opinion, and I was initially against it. But in retrospect, I see its importance because of the decade of conference realignment that followed. The logo and colors were a complete failure. One of Steve's biggest attributes was his connections in athletic circles, which were especially important in the 2010-11 era. He probably shouldn't have been brought back, but he was well respected by colleagues and helped facilitate the most important thing in the last 35 or so years: moving to the ACC, so whatever poor coaching changes he presided over pale in comparison to getting the liferaft that UConn and Cincy did not.. He should have been fired when Todd Graham left. He should have never been extended. That was dumb on Nordenberg. Change in any scope always pisses some people off. But if one cares more about shades of gold than helping Pitt keep pace with the rivals we want it too compete with, than I call BS on that person.
Point 3..the recent myth that there was some big spike of donations following his ouster is only an example of the myth of some large flock of donors being chased away. The word I got was that after he was fired, a few people were writing checks in the 100s...as in three figures. Really, it is laughable that people were going on message boards trumpeting this huge donation spike.
Which speaks to the overall myth. Most of the donors that left weren't that big of donors. And really, there weren't that many that disappeared in total. There really weren't that many to begin with. As I alluded to, people that were more concerned by their ass being kissed or having the right helmet logo aren't really that concerned with the success of Pitt athletics in the first place. People that care about the athletic department aren't myopic enough to quit on it because of a guy that isn't going to be there in the long run anyway, even if they dislike him. No one hates Pederson more than GhostofPitt40, but even he still supports the program financially. PittLaw despises the guy, but he is endowing an athletic scholarship. People come and go, but the institution continues on and one doesn't intentionally through up extra road blocks when Pitt's street is paved with speedbumps in the first place. Steve wasn't well liked, no one is disputing that. But that didn't stop people that actually cared about
Pitt from supporting Pitt because they see the big picture. Those people are listed in the game day football programs, and many
are happy he is gone, and many more, even if they have an opinion, aren't obsessed with who is the athletic director. They want Pitt to have success, and know their support is needed to help Pitt get there.
This is all in the past, and I like the direction the athletic department is going. But the ground was laid by the prior administration: Nordenberg and Peterson, and yes, Jeff Long had a positive impact too. Nordenberg was the most pro-athletic chancellor since Samuel McCormick (that is Pop Warner days), and there is absolutely no argument to be made otherwise that actually involves more than just opinion because dollars and actions bear this out. I don't respect the false narratives that being put out there, and I am weary of the hype for individuals that haven't really proven anything yet. That's not to say I am not very optimistic of the new blood, because the fresh start is invigorating, and I think we may have some stability going forward, and there is finally a little more financial flexibility, so there are many reasons to believe we'll have great success than we have.
Anyway, you may want to delete some of these posts that have gotten unbecoming. They don't add to anything anyway.