(07-01-2014 10:23 AM)cinbinsportsfan Wrote:  It's hard to say what's going on behind closed doors but from what we've seen of Ono:

- He spearheaded the contract extension that gave Mick a massive raise, further anchoring him to UC basketball and establishing stability with that sport for many years to come.
- He continuously turns down raises so the money can be allocated to other areas of the school.
- He's on the road constantly promoting the University and collaborating with schools from across the country.
- He and Bohn have created blueprints to renovate Fifth Third Arena and bring that venue into the 21st century along with Nippert.

Put all of those together and you have a president who is positioning the University of Cincinnati in the best way possible should the realignment doors open again, which is all we can ask of him at this point.

double Bingo

(07-01-2014 11:41 AM)Crewdogz Wrote:  Man if only FIU or Temple would have worked the phones and called in all their markers one of them would be in the ACC now!!!

No, the real reason UL got in over UC or UConn is UL started their push in the Athletic Department in 1985 and had upgrades already in place across the board. UC still has work to do in facilities and olympic sports... I believe UConn was odd school out due to their bitter split with BC some years prior.

Wow. OK then - UC should just give up. Or maybe hope for an invite in 2040 when they have 25 years to improve. Comparing us to FIU - nice.

Look... I'm not saying UC should "give up," but I (and this is my opinion) do think the ship has sailed. If you want to look at another critical difference between UL and UC, it's how the wider city views each program. For better or worse, the city of Louisville sees their university as an indispensable asset. The city of Cincinnati, however, views UC with indifference on a good day. Can you imagine the City and/or County reacting well to UC wanting to build a new 55k stadium, like PapaJohn's? I won't even touch the YUM! deal, but given the state of college football, the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County would still rather watch UC wither than lift a finger to help.

That's not any one person's fault, but I've got to think that a conference weighing UC or UL, looking at which one is the better bet comes down on UL every time.

On a related topic he is a new SI article about the more memorable stories from realignment:

http://www.si.com/college-football/2014/...le-stories

(07-02-2014 05:05 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  On a related topic he is a new SI article about the more memorable stories from realignment:

http://www.si.com/college-football/2014/...le-stories

"Don't hamstring yourself with your own rules..."

Yup, that about sums up the ACC ethics.

I had to laugh the other day. The West Virginia sports guys were talking about the Texas Tech player who punched a TT women's BB player in the face so hard he fractured her jaw and skull, and was immeadately dismissed. Their final conclusion? He'll end up playing for Louisville or Florida State, and it'll be spun as a story of "mistakes" and "redemption." I think throw sPitt into that equation and you've basically got it.

(07-01-2014 06:07 PM)Ragpicker Wrote:  

(07-01-2014 11:41 AM)Crewdogz Wrote:  Man if only FIU or Temple would have worked the phones and called in all their markers one of them would be in the ACC now!!!

No, the real reason UL got in over UC or UConn is UL started their push in the Athletic Department in 1985 and had upgrades already in place across the board. UC still has work to do in facilities and olympic sports... I believe UConn was odd school out due to their bitter split with BC some years prior.

Wow. OK then - UC should just give up. Or maybe hope for an invite in 2040 when they have 25 years to improve. Comparing us to FIU - nice.

LOL!!!!

No we are not FIU but you give us this article and say here is how you do it... Jurich stays home and calls in his markers, bam! they're in the P5... says right in the article UC made a hard push. The program came up short because UL started in earnest in 1985. UC started with Bob Goin and then hired an incompetent MT that ran the program like the MAC.

There are lots of things UC could do and some of them they are... but this article is disingenuous "How U of L changed its conference fate in 11 days".

I'll continue to enjoy the Bearcats, I think Bohn and Ono are much better suited to get us back to the P5 and are making moves to get the program back to prominence. If UC doesnt make it, the fault will be with previous administrations. The P5 by design is exclusionary and it will be very hard to crack that nut... non P5 schools would do better to work with Congress and bring political and $$$ pressure on the NCAA.

Continue to support the program and put pressure on Bohn and Ono when you get the chance to voice your opinion (which I know you do), but as a friend who has supported the Bearcats and have seen you on the road at games I am concerned by an almost depressive attitude in almost every post about the program.

There are a few of us here (You being one) that sat in an empty Nippert stadium on wooden bench seats and watched this program. Keep the faith, put on the pressure but enjoy a team that continues to be P5 quality (TT as a coach and recruiting classes that continue to be amongst the best the program has ever seen).

Crew, I agree that the article could have focused A LOT more on what UL did for the prior 2-3 decades.

(07-02-2014 08:30 AM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  Crew, I agree that the article could have focused A LOT more on what UL did for the prior 2-3 decades.

X1000. That was flat out the difference between U of L getting the invite and UC not. It was absolutely the prior 2-3 decades that made the difference.

Replacing Goin with Thomas was absolutely a huge setback as well.

(07-02-2014 07:44 AM)Crewdogz Wrote:  LOL!!!!

No we are not FIU but you give us this article and say here is how you do it... Jurich stays home and calls in his markers, bam! they're in the P5... says right in the article UC made a hard push. The program came up short because UL started in earnest in 1985. UC started with Bob Goin and then hired an incompetent MT that ran the program like the MAC.

There are lots of things UC could do and some of them they are... but this article is disingenuous "How U of L changed its conference fate in 11 days".

I'll continue to enjoy the Bearcats, I think Bohn and Ono are much better suited to get us back to the P5 and are making moves to get the program back to prominence. If UC doesnt make it, the fault will be with previous administrations. The P5 by design is exclusionary and it will be very hard to crack that nut... non P5 schools would do better to work with Congress and bring political and $$$ pressure on the NCAA.

Continue to support the program and put pressure on Bohn and Ono when you get the chance to voice your opinion (which I know you do), but as a friend who has supported the Bearcats and have seen you on the road at games I am concerned by an almost depressive attitude in almost every post about the program.

There are a few of us here (You being one) that sat in an empty Nippert stadium on wooden bench seats and watched this program. Keep the faith, put on the pressure but enjoy a team that continues to be P5 quality (TT as a coach and recruiting classes that continue to be amongst the best the program has ever seen).

Great post, and thank you for your concern - but I'm not depressed. Actually quite excited about the upcoming season although starting two weeks behind everyone else will be a challenge. Already booked my hotel in Miami....are you going?

I guess I'm not so much about the facilities, or the TV market, or the Olympic sports, or the academics. All universities have strengths and weaknesses. UC is clearly the top candidate in many of these areas as compared to what remains in the G5. In other areas UConn, UCF, BYU, etc. outpace the Cats.

But what I know works from over 25 years of professional sales, is that when no opportunity appears to exist, the target must be constantly courted and questioned to determine their true needs. The Big12, the ACC, heck even the Big10 has needs. For instance, if the B12 does not want to split the revenue pie, would they be willing to accept UC and UCF at a much smaller share for a period of time until those schools could prove their worth? Who knows? But are we asking those kind of questions? Are we making it the #1 priority by investing time and money towards the solution?

Excluding Bohn (because I have no idea what he is doing) our current and past leadership have not shown to be experienced, or possibly committed, to "selling UC". Sending videos, Christmas cards, and making a few calls simply won't get it done. The strategy appeared to be "let's try to make UC pretty, promote 'the hottest college in America', and hope someone picks us to dance."

UC has lacked a Tom Jurich of Louisville or a Chris Del Conte from TCU since Bob Goin left, and I give props to Ono for hiring Bohn. On the surface, he at least appears to be a guy that can get the job done.

But unlike you, I refuse to blame past administrations. Too much of that happens in life, blaming the other guy. And unfortunately it is SOP in politics.

Ono is ultimately responsible. He has the keys to the University. My posts are not depressed, but they are fearful that you, I and few close friends will be the only ones sitting on those benches in just a few years.

Great thread, btw!

Those of us old enough to remember the last 30 years (sigh!) remember how Louisville has found to be seen as an equal to the U of Kentucky all along. At times it seemed like a losing battle, but fight on they did. IMO, Cincinnati MUST strive in every way possible to be seen as an equal to Ohio State.

Now, the tough part of that equation is going to be football. The game with the Buckeyes this year is a good start, but it needs to be annual and the Bearcats need to be competitive and win sometimes. If the best deal you can get for now is 2-for-1 (or 1 in Columbus and 1 in Paul Brown), my advice is to take it! Fight OSU like your athletic department lives depend on it!

In basketball you guys can stand toe-to-toe with the B1G bad Buckeyes (and you need to do so as often as possible). I think UC also needs to play other regional P5 teams like WVU, Kentucky, Indiana and Purdue as well (I don't think you have to convince the ACC that your teams are good, but standing up to the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC will boost your resume).

New stadium - GREAT! Might be a good idea to build some dormitories, too - on-campus students = full seats at sporting events.

The goal of all of this is simple - you MUST build a stronger fan following in Cincinnati and the Southern Ohio area. PERIOD. Once that new stadium is finished it needs to sell out almost weekly, and you need to bring a nice group to your bowl games, too.

Timeframe: no later than the end of the current TV contract cycle.

Thanks for stopping by Mark. We have 2 more games with OSU. When this contract is complete we will have played
5-6 games at their place and only 1 game in Cincinnati. They won't play us here period. Likewise they won't play us in bball.

I do think our renovated Stadium will be a big deal for many. Prior to this we didn't get many high rollers attending games but all 23 luxury suites are sold, which is great. Besides winning often, imho we need to have more of a traditional tailgating atmosphere on near campus. We have a smaller tent area that is similar to tailgating. Winning often, great game day experience (more tailgating), and a nice stadium will hopefully continue to build our fan base. We have come a long way, so this is good.

First, I think it was the Commonwealth legislature of Kentucky that mandated the UK-UL series. That's what it would take in Ohio to get an equal OSU-UC series established.

Second, the "new stadium" was a signal of how the UL program intended to proceed. They ***could*** have stayed in old Cardinal Stadium but they chose to go new and to go big...though the original capacity of PJS was only 35k. But my point was more to the fact that the City of Louisville didn't throw a bunch of obstacles in the way. Is UC getting a new stadium??? Not in my lifetime; we're going to have to live with Nippert for the good and the ill, which means a cap on capacity, amenities, etc. But even if we wanted a new stadium...let's say on the EPA site...there is NO way the City would allow it much less help. You'd never hear the end about traffic, noise, etc. Or even a joint parternship with PBS like Pitt has with the Steelers... PBS is the private toy of the Brown family and Hamilton County will never put pressure on the Brown family to be friendly or helpful to UC.

I think that these dynamics will continue to hinder UC and I don't know what the redemy is.

(07-02-2014 03:32 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  First, I think it was the Commonwealth legislature of Kentucky that mandated the UK-UL series. That's what it would take in Ohio to get an equal OSU-UC series established.

Second, the "new stadium" was a signal of how the UL program intended to proceed. They ***could*** have stayed in old Cardinal Stadium but they chose to go new and to go big...though the original capacity of PJS was only 35k. But my point was more to the fact that the City of Louisville didn't throw a bunch of obstacles in the way. Is UC getting a new stadium??? Not in my lifetime; we're going to have to live with Nippert for the good and the ill, which means a cap on capacity, amenities, etc. But even if we wanted a new stadium...let's say on the EPA site...there is NO way the City would allow it much less help. You'd never hear the end about traffic, noise, etc. Or even a joint parternship with PBS like Pitt has with the Steelers... PBS is the private toy of the Brown family and Hamilton County will never put pressure on the Brown family to be friendly or helpful to UC.

I think that these dynamics will continue to hinder UC and I don't know what the redemy is.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

(07-02-2014 04:51 PM)chatcat Wrote:  

(07-02-2014 03:32 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  First, I think it was the Commonwealth legislature of Kentucky that mandated the UK-UL series. That's what it would take in Ohio to get an equal OSU-UC series established.

Second, the "new stadium" was a signal of how the UL program intended to proceed. They ***could*** have stayed in old Cardinal Stadium but they chose to go new and to go big...though the original capacity of PJS was only 35k. But my point was more to the fact that the City of Louisville didn't throw a bunch of obstacles in the way. Is UC getting a new stadium??? Not in my lifetime; we're going to have to live with Nippert for the good and the ill, which means a cap on capacity, amenities, etc. But even if we wanted a new stadium...let's say on the EPA site...there is NO way the City would allow it much less help. You'd never hear the end about traffic, noise, etc. Or even a joint parternship with PBS like Pitt has with the Steelers... PBS is the private toy of the Brown family and Hamilton County will never put pressure on the Brown family to be friendly or helpful to UC.

I think that these dynamics will continue to hinder UC and I don't know what the redemy is.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

The issue there is a "chicken-egg" problem.
You can't get the
$$$
without the political will, but you can't get the political will without the
$$$

(07-02-2014 03:32 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  First, I think it was the Commonwealth legislature of Kentucky that mandated the UK-UL series. That's what it would take in Ohio to get an equal OSU-UC series established.

Second, the "new stadium" was a signal of how the UL program intended to proceed. They ***could*** have stayed in old Cardinal Stadium but they chose to go new and to go big...though the original capacity of PJS was only 35k. But my point was more to the fact that the City of Louisville didn't throw a bunch of obstacles in the way. Is UC getting a new stadium??? Not in my lifetime; we're going to have to live with Nippert for the good and the ill, which means a cap on capacity, amenities, etc. But even if we wanted a new stadium...let's say on the EPA site...there is NO way the City would allow it much less help. You'd never hear the end about traffic, noise, etc. Or even a joint parternship with PBS like Pitt has with the Steelers... PBS is the private toy of the Brown family and Hamilton County will never put pressure on the Brown family to be friendly or helpful to UC.

I think that these dynamics will continue to hinder UC and I don't know what the redemy is.

1. Ohio's government doesn't care about UC, so a matchup with Ohio State will never happen.
2. The EPA is a federal building. This has nothing to do with the City and they really can't do anything about it.
3. I'm not sure why you think the City should be in the stadium building business for the University. You do know it is Hamilton County that built and owns the stadiums on Cincinnati's riverfront?
4. I don't believe UC ever wanted a partnership with Paul Brown, nor made an issue of it. I'm not sure why you are revising history and blaming the city for not pushing an idea for a stadium they don't even own and for which UC never asked.
5. The County can put all the pressure they want on Mike Brown, but since it's not in any contract, he's not obligated to do anything, and knowing Mike Brown, he won't - though he did play nice with UC's year in his stadium. Even if UC wanted a partnership with Paul Brown it would never have happened. Besides....do you remember the state of UC football in the 90's when people were voting on the stadium? Did they really want to play downtown? The Big East wasn't even a glimmer in UC's eye, and you were watching Bearcat football at Nippert with 18,000 others.

Ahhh....how people forget history and make things up in their heads....

I didn't say this city should be in the stadium business. My point is the city would be in exactly the opposite role, likely opposing any UC expansion, even if we could make it happen. (Which the city of Louisville did not in UL's case...)

The EPA site is merely a different option than Burnett Woods. But whatever... Pick whatever parcel you want, my point remains.

No, there was never any partnership proposed with the Brown family nor the Bengals. But that brings us back to your first point: why is the City and the County in the "Stadium Business"? And yet they were...for a PRIVATE, for profit enterprise. But again, this shows that the City and Hamilton County see the Bengals as an asset and UC not so much...

I was not proposing anything, but merely raising the issue that UC is in this alone.

(07-02-2014 03:05 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  Great thread, btw!

Those of us old enough to remember the last 30 years (sigh!) remember how Louisville has found to be seen as an equal to the U of Kentucky all along. At times it seemed like a losing battle, but fight on they did. IMO, Cincinnati MUST strive in every way possible to be seen as an equal to Ohio State.

Now, the tough part of that equation is going to be football. The game with the Buckeyes this year is a good start, but it needs to be annual and the Bearcats need to be competitive and win sometimes. If the best deal you can get for now is 2-for-1 (or 1 in Columbus and 1 in Paul Brown), my advice is to take it! Fight OSU like your athletic department lives depend on it!

In basketball you guys can stand toe-to-toe with the B1G bad Buckeyes (and you need to do so as often as possible). I think UC also needs to play other regional P5 teams like WVU, Kentucky, Indiana and Purdue as well (I don't think you have to convince the ACC that your teams are good, but standing up to the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC will boost your resume).

New stadium - GREAT! Might be a good idea to build some dormitories, too - on-campus students = full seats at sporting events.

The goal of all of this is simple - you MUST build a stronger fan following in Cincinnati and the Southern Ohio area. PERIOD. Once that new stadium is finished it needs to sell out almost weekly, and you need to bring a nice group to your bowl games, too.

Timeframe: no later than the end of the current TV contract cycle.

You mean new dorms like this?

(07-02-2014 07:22 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  I didn't say this city should be in the stadium business. My point is the city would be in exactly the opposite role, likely opposing any UC expansion, even if we could make it happen. (Which the city of Louisville did not in UL's case...)

The EPA site is merely a different option than Burnett Woods. But whatever... Pick whatever parcel you want, my point remains.

No, there was never any partnership proposed with the Brown family nor the Bengals. But that brings us back to your first point: why is the City and the County in the "Stadium Business"? And yet they were...for a PRIVATE, for profit enterprise. But again, this shows that the City and Hamilton County see the Bengals as an asset and UC not so much...

I was not proposing anything, but merely raising the issue that UC is in this alone.

1. Louisville got into the stadium business to lure an NBA team. UL got into YUM to block and NBA team. Just like Paul Brown, YUM is a financial disaster.

2. Neither the EPA or Burnett Woods are options. That doesn't mean anyone "opposes" UC.

3. In the 90's when the stadium was built the Bengals were more important than UC football. The Bengals had been to a couple Super Bowls; UC was a mid major. UC football wasn't that important to UC - it was all about the basketball. They gave away football season tickets to basketball season ticket holders.