Misplaced Optimism

[Rainbow Dash]

It actually does. I get what you are saying. In reading thru your posts, you are saying a lot of what I did with Miles, Riley, Philipp, Erstad, Etc. If they fail, fine. But let them fail how they want to. Don’t force Riley to fire a long time coordinator because administration wants him to. Don’t force Erstad to only recruit certain players. Don’t tell Mark Phillip how he can work the kids in the weight room. Don’t tell Miles who he can or cant have help his team (in whatever capacity), and don’t only extend him a year because if he does do well in 2018-19 the program is set back more than that year due to how you handled it.

I always grew frustrated with the fans that immediately said Riley sucked, Erstad loses too many local kids, when they have no clue what behind the scenes was going on to handcuff these guys.

What is happening with Miles is absolutely Bo 2014. Miles is handling it much better, but he’s human and is letting some things slip. I don’t fault him for that. I think 7 years is a good enough barometer, and I certainly am not claiming Miles or Riley would get it done if they had their way. I just won’t roast the guys knowing what they are dealing with.

Good post. Miles has not received legitimate support for a few years now. It’s not a good culture and it has really impacted Miles, his staff, and the team. I also agree that while he hasn’t received support, he has received enough time here. Those two things aren’t mutually exclusive.

 

[Jack Riggins]

So let me show some numbers, because no doubt some of you are business folks and understand ROI, as well as "resources are limited/finite". I will suggest as my going in hypothesis that NONE of the below have changed their actually work load or responsibilities over this time-frame, although their titles may have changed or adjusted on an organizational chart. No doubt, some are responsible for more than just support to coaches/athletes but some are not. Some "Support" is their paid job. Keep in mind, UNL and the whole system is running a deficit, there has been lots of salary freezes or small increases for professors in this same time. I would also suggest looking at Sam's article as a reminder of where ALL Husker Athletics stands, and has been over the last few years.

https://www.omaha.com/huskers/plus/...cle_39234085-fc9b-547a-80fa-7ffed58670c7.html

So by all ACCOUNTS I am aware of LEBLANC seems to a bang-up job in his role, 47.7% pay increase over 5 years I doubt it.
LOGSDON by all accounts I am aware of does not to a bang up job, but has garnered the most influence and power within the AD over the SE/BM years and gotten 80.0% raise. Wow.
VAUGHN is doing compliance, so we know that job hasn't changed or the responsibilities associated with it. 56.2%. Amazing.
ZIMMER by all accounts I am aware of does a bang up job, and did get thrown Golf and Tennis firing/hiring in the last minute, which is strange for the career "Life Skills" coordinator. But hell, maybe that is worth a 58.6% raise.
BOEHM, well his resume of leading our MBB program is pretty well established for what (20 years?) but his pay just races up as well. Will he go away with Miles? Should he? Probably if we are serious about having a good MBB program and hold people accountable for its lack of performance.
BURTON by all accounts I am aware of got screwed around by SE and his cronies, and got put back in a place that makes sense. As far as I know, he prolly deserves that 21.3% for putting up with that jack-ass SE.

Now before I go on the the paid/titled/trained/performance support in-house people in a whole separate category, I will just say. The President of the University System has gone from:

So in 4 years about 3% per year, which is pretty standard for any Federal or State employee. Very reasonable, and I know cause I was one for 20 years.

I don't know what we paid SE or what we are still paying him and BM for that matter. But it is reasonable to think with these increases in salaries far above the Head man of the University system, we can expect results. CORRECT? For you business guys, tell me you are getting your bang for buck out of that breakdown? Please tell me and show me, why that is justified?

Or just say...JACK you are on to something here and ain't good and smells like crap....

So let me show you the in-house performance diagram as it pertains to "Team Building/Leadership/Mental Skills Development and Mental Health".

PAT LOGSDON
HEAD of PERFORMANCE, started as FB Secretary under TO, made her way up the chain of command, has never lead anything and has ZERO performance background. 80.0% increase in pay tho.

Dr. TODD STULL
Started just like me as a Volunteer/Consultant and now is "in-house" even-though he has been removed from every support role he has attempted by the Coach, for not being effective but somehow leads our PERFORMANCE under PAT, because she isn't qualified and he is. So yes, of course if the AD says you are and you are paid you can be there in title, but effectiveness is what counts in creating winning cultural and Teams.

Dr. BRETT HASKELL.
Took over for me and some others with VB in 2015, and by all accounts does a good job. She focuses primarily on VB and VB only. However, she is starting to branch out to FB, as everyone wants on that train. Who wouldn't.

NEW GUY 1
50,000 + I am sure more, but will low-ball for the argument
NEW GUY 2
50,000 + I am sure more, but will low-ball for the argument

OK, so these FOUR cause PAT doesn't' do anything in this arena expect "oversee" it are primarily MH people. And I am the first to say that is a needed and awesome resource to have MH proffessionals for UNL student/athletes. Of note, it is not available for coaches...just kids. They also attempt to do Performance Team Building/Leadership etc....They are BM "in-house people" led by Pat Logsdon for this high performance machine we call Husker Athletics.

Now, you have to understand they have to see patients "Scheduled/Walk-in" like any clinic out in town and that eats up a majority of the day, So extra time devoted to TEAM/GROUP performance is secondary to their primary job of MH. Anyone who is involved in sports knows you don't force performance methods or ideas down a coaches or groups throat, you are invited in and you provide value and then you are invited back. If your value helps lead to victories or outputs the coaches like, you get to keep coming back. If you are there, because an AD tells the coach you need to be there or you force yourself into the circle of the Team you are probably just hurting the Team.

So our invested cost is 485K (low ball) on "in-house performance help", and the leader PAT has gotten 80% raise over the last 5 years all the while Husker Athletic performance across the board has decreased. (See Sam's Article) I absolutely for one think this is a GREAT investment/right people in charge and completely makes sense to me. No seriously it does. But yet, we want to ONLY point at coaches and kids, we think Moss crap don't stink and all is well at ONE MEMORIAL.

UNL athletic support is so damn good, that is rewarded both financially and with increased power, and doesn't need any help from the outside. People, Please.

It is really simple, if a coach ask for my help and or someones help in any area.....it means he isn't getting it from the in-house. Stop believing the hype, start asking the right questions and supporting the right avenues to championships.

I have focused on the $$ and performance people, but you and I know there are more cracks in this machine up there.

 

[Jack Riggins]

Good post. Miles has not received legitimate support for a few years now. It’s not a good culture and it has really impacted Miles, his staff, and the team. I also agree that while he hasn’t received support, he has received enough time here. Those two things aren’t mutually exclusive.

Agree on all fronts.

 

[FullbackTrap]

All new coaches will get the kitchen sink, until they don't.

Of all the lines in this conversation thread, this may be the most succinct and true. It is also perhaps the simplest yet complex of statements, because there are myriad factors that create such a shifting dynamic. Tim Miles' experience here has realized both aspects, and I believe we can say much of both have been fair.

We fans tend to boil things down to the simplest of equations - wins vs losses, the presence (or lack of) drama, trajectory - and there is nothing wrong with that because these things are what most of the sport sees. Opinions whether Miles should be shown the door may vary more than we give credit to, because when things move from challenged to bad to worse, the majority of the vocal and written commentary follows the direction of the trajectory.

What we need to hope for is that any potential next hire is provided the time and support needed to move this program in a direction it hasn't consistently been. The real challenge is finding that right person who can get it there, which has clearly been a challenge.

 

[Jack Riggins]

What we need to hope for is that any potential next hire is provided the time and support needed to move this program in a direction it hasn't consistently been. The real challenge is finding that right person who can get it there, which has clearly been a challenge.

Very well said, and I would add finding the right support people that can help in that quest not just for MBB, but all. Some of those support folks (not all), don't have a great track record that is clear to see and it would be silly to think they will "magically" get good just because a new coach/staff is hired. Chicken and the Egg....

 

[Sofa King]

Jack, thanks for adding all that you did to this thread. Very helpful inside info.
And look! Now you're a celebrity!!
https://www.omaha.com/huskers/plus/...cle_c3265348-df70-5c84-96a6-2327ad36467b.html

 

[RedinIowa]

Well I guess I have a different perspective, because MBB is both what we have seen (Best start in NU History, HIGH POTENTIAL) and struggling tremendously for awhile. Neither is hype or optimism or disaster. It is what it is. The insight I have is that "I AM the guy" they brought in to develop that player leadership and enhance the culture to be able to mitigate or avoid these type of backslides. The Fact is: Tim asked SE two years ago after a recommendations from John Cook and TO, to use my volunteer services on the topic at hand and SE wouldn't allow. Moos allowed for 3 months AUG-NOV and we/they were doing well on building chemistry and leadership. Moos pulled my support, which Tim disagreed with but had to follow and Moos gave me the "IT IS MY POLICY, we DON"T USE OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS". Which we all know is silly, and something the AD doesn't even currently do, but for some reason they didn't let TIM. So it is hard for me to judge this team, or Tim knowing he has been smart enough to know his Teams weakness and ask for help to solve them. Tim has been smart enough to want to grow his own coaching prowess, which many coaches do. (See John Cook Book "Dream Like a Champion") and that he has had to wait two years for it. When he got it, it was working and it was helping by all accounts and it was pulled. So fact is, this Team is both very good and has HIGH POTENTIAL and it is struggling tremendously, with issues it was working on when their AD pulled the support they had in place to avoid it. Add the FACT, that the in-house people haven't reached out ONCE to ask "What can we do to help", once the outside help was pushed away and that makes one wonder what is the agenda going on inside the AD with supporting or not supporting Teams. So I am not sure what Tim is suppose to do, if he can't find outside people paid or volunteer that his experience tells him his team needs and the in-house people won't go over to help or are incapable of helping. So, we all can have our opinion but Tim has had very little support in the area of LEADERSHIP development of Players and CULTURAL enhancement of the MBB Team. And when you say "Well doesn't he get paid for that?".....I will say, "John Cook uses outside people, SF does "The Program", Clemson, Alabama, Ohio St FB do, Kentucky and Villanova BB do as well....Just to name a few. The difference is they are all PAID, here in Nebraska we have tried and true people that help NU for FREE, if they let us. Lets hope they can win some coming in or yeah, I think we will be getting a new staff. It is what it is. Sad.

Nice article in the World Herald Thank you for your service.

 

[LarstheRed]

Jack, thanks for adding all that you did to this thread. Very helpful inside info.
And look! Now you're a celebrity!!
https://www.omaha.com/huskers/plus/...cle_c3265348-df70-5c84-96a6-2327ad36467b.html

Sorry, and no disrespect to Jack, but this was a hit piece, and completely ignores the enormous failures of the MBB staff. Riggins' speaking wasn't going to improve the depth, player development, spacing, setting screens, rebounding, shooting, defense, recruiting, relationship with local coaches, the list goes on and on. And again, no offense to Riggins, as I know he believes in his own ability, but his being more than happy to load this reporter up with all this very one-sided crap does nothing to improve our athletic department. If the coaches want something they aren't getting, there are better ways to go about getting it than whining in the press. If you want it, earn it. If you honestly believe that Jack's motivational speaking was the difference in winning and losing this year, then you don't really know what good basketball is supposed to look like. Tell me which of the last 7 years you saw something you thought was crisp, well executed, fundamentally sound basketball. If you don't have a structure, a foundation, you will not have a solid program. We've had 7 years of scrambling, and this year was absolutely the most stable on the surface, yet all of the challenges of the prior years were mirrored in this one.

We are tripping over pebbles, ignoring the mountain.

 

[bilsker]

Sorry, and no disrespect to Jack, but this was a hit piece, and completely ignores the enormous failures fo the MBB staff. Riggins' speaking wasn't going to improve the depth, player development, spacing, setting screens, rebounding, shooting, defense, recruiting, relationship with local coaches, the list goes on and on. And again, no offense to Riggins, as I know he believes in his own ability, but his being more than happy to load this reporter up with all this very onesided crap does nothing to improve our athletic department. If the coaches want something they aren't getting, there are better ways to go about getting it than whining in the press. If you want it, earn it. If you honestly believe that Jack's motivational speaking was the difference in winning and losing this year, then you don't really know what good basketball is supposed to look like. Tell me which of the last 7 years you saw something you thought was crisp, well executed, fundamentally sound basketball. If you don't have a structure, a foundation, you will not have a solid program. We've had 7 years of scrambling, and this year was absolutely the most stable on the surface, yet all of the challenges of the prior years were mirrored in this one.

We are tripping over pebbles, ignoring the mountain.

Yep.

I'll go a step further. Mr. Riggins sounds like an extremely butt hurt self promoter. Appreciate his service like anyone else here but that doesn't grant him immunity from criticism when he draws attention to himself in this way. Miles sucks. Period. He didn't deserve the extra help as there WAS extra help there for the taking...but Miles, PER HIS OWN WORDS, sat on his ass and waited for it to come to him. Tough s---. The long term prognosis for the basketball program is actually BETTER for this season's epic failure. A long term contract for Miles would have meant another 3-5 years of suckitude and wasted money and time. Good riddance.

 

[Jack Riggins]

Jack, thanks for adding all that you did to this thread. Very helpful inside info.
And look! Now you're a celebrity!!
https://www.omaha.com/huskers/plus/...cle_c3265348-df70-5c84-96a6-2327ad36467b.html

Sofa King, I appreciate that. I have nothing to hide or gain...I just want to be able to help people when asked and have been fortunate to be able to do that post-service in some cool places. But I do it at many levels in and out of sport, and I won't sit buy and not be REAL or honest when asked by people. In this case, a reporter that initially wrote about me at BIG media days. I hope NU figures out how best to SUPPORT ALL sports.

 

[Jack Riggins]

Nice article in the World Herald Thank you for your service.

Thank you, and I think every Veteran would say "we loved it, it was a special time in our lives, and we want to move on an do equally awesome things in our post service lives". I am now Extremely thankful to the men and women who are on the watch right now protecting us all.

 

[Jack Riggins]

Sorry, and no disrespect to Jack, but this was a hit piece, and completely ignores the enormous failures of the MBB staff. Riggins' speaking wasn't going to improve the depth, player development, spacing, setting screens, rebounding, shooting, defense, recruiting, relationship with local coaches, the list goes on and on. And again, no offense to Riggins, as I know he believes in his own ability, but his being more than happy to load this reporter up with all this very one-sided crap does nothing to improve our athletic department. If the coaches want something they aren't getting, there are better ways to go about getting it than whining in the press. If you want it, earn it. If you honestly believe that Jack's motivational speaking was the difference in winning and losing this year, then you don't really know what good basketball is supposed to look like. Tell me which of the last 7 years you saw something you thought was crisp, well executed, fundamentally sound basketball. If you don't have a structure, a foundation, you will not have a solid program. We've had 7 years of scrambling, and this year was absolutely the most stable on the surface, yet all of the challenges of the prior years were mirrored in this one.

We are tripping over pebbles, ignoring the mountain.

It isn't motivational speaking...It is teaching/mentoring and developing better coaches and Teammates. It is coaching and teaching discipline that works in life and in sports. It works, I am not the ONLY one doing it and my way is not the ONLY way. The article is about POLICY at NU and being able to use resources that coaches feel they need and want. Nothing more. NU is attempting to use a model that 1) hasn't worked at NU before 2)is exactly the opposite of their competitors and 3)isn't close to best practice by ELITE organizations in any sector. Take me, Cook, Miles, whoever out of it. It is about POLICY and support structures.

TO, Cook, Saban, Dabo Swinney, Jay Wright, Calipari, all use outside experts who they trust and are proven and I think their expertise and winning and methodologies speak volumes on the subject.

 

[Jack Riggins]

Yep.

I'll go a step further. Mr. Riggins sounds like an extremely butt hurt self promoter. Appreciate his service like anyone else here but that doesn't grant him immunity from criticism when he draws attention to himself in this way. Miles sucks. Period. He didn't deserve the extra help as there WAS extra help there for the taking...but Miles, PER HIS OWN WORDS, sat on his ass and waited for it to come to him. Tough s---. The long term prognosis for the basketball program is actually BETTER for this season's epic failure. A long term contract for Miles would have meant another 3-5 years of suckitude and wasted money and time. Good riddance.

bilsker: I know no one disrespects my service or I hope not but it is a free country. I appreciate you clarifying that. And I certainly don't expect immunity from anything nor represented myself that way. You don't come on a message board with your REAL NAME, tell everyone who you are and what you did and currently do and not expect criticism let alone answer a reporters questions about something you are familiar with at NU and not expect to take some HEAT rounds. I can take it trust me, and I am a big believer in our rights in this country to have an opinion and express it. Just don't lock and load and go shooting people...That is wrong.

I don't believe I am self-promoter but that is OK for you to think that. I responded to and added background to conversations on multiple messages boards about the current MBB situation that I am familiar with and even started some threads, as I am free to do. Some will enjoy it, most won't care, and some will hate it.

I also am not going to say "all is well, there is nothing to see here" if asked by a local reporter of why I don't work with MBB anymore. I told the truth and it appears the kid did his research and got multiple views from all sides. I didn't write the article, he did. It is very informative and I would think a fan base as crazy as ours would enjoy that insight. Really is about POLICY and support not Miles or anyone else.

But, maybe people don't like if it doesn't fit the narrative of what they think Husker Nation is. I don't know.

Cheers

 

[huskermike]

It isn't motivational speaking...It is teaching/mentoring and developing better coaches and Teammates. It is coaching and teaching discipline that works in life and in sports. It works, I am not the ONLY one doing it and my way is not the ONLY way. The article is about POLICY at NU and being able to use resources that coaches feel they need and want. Nothing more. Take me, Cook, Miles, whoever out of it. It is about POLICY and support structures.

I'm all for anything that helps the AD, the coaches and the team.

NU is attempting to use a model that 1) hasn't worked at NU before 2)is exactly the opposite of their competitors and 3)isn't close to best practice by ELITE organizations in any sector.

All one can do is hope this gets straightened out.

 

[LarstheRed]

It isn't motivational speaking...It is teaching/mentoring and developing better coaches and Teammates. It is coaching and teaching discipline that works in life and in sports. It works, I am not the ONLY one doing it and my way is not the ONLY way. The article is about POLICY at NU and being able to use resources that coaches feel they need and want. Nothing more. NU is attempting to use a model that 1) hasn't worked at NU before 2)is exactly the opposite of their competitors and 3)isn't close to best practice by ELITE organizations in any sector. Take me, Cook, Miles, whoever out of it. It is about POLICY and support structures.

TO, Cook, Saban, Dabo Swinney, Jay Wright, Calipari, all use outside experts who they trust and are proven and I think their expertise and winning and methodologies speak volumes on the subject.

Pretty arrogant to suggest that UN is using a policy NO ONE else is following. It’s also pretty interesting you include the names of extremely successful coaches who have been building programs that are the peak of stability. Models and the envy of 99% of those still chasing that dream. When was the last time any of us recall one of these coaches scrambling, running their programs by the seat of their pants, floundering from season to season? Was it that outside help that made them great, or was it the inside structure?

If Bob Diaco had said bringing in Jack Riggins was going to be the difference between winning and losing, how many of us would be outraged if Moos had said ‘no’? Sometimes you see how a person works, and you just decide that rehab isn’t going to work on this one. I think Moos hit that point.