When Sanchez first was hired we all heard about or read on twitter that there was a strong possibility that the Fertitta family might be behind the hire and offering financial support. Mark Anderson went so far at one point on twitter to post a dollar figure of close to 30 million dollars. Just the rumor of booster money actually got people talking a bit. A lot of folks were on the message boards or comment sections or on twitter saying how much the program needed an influx of money to fix facilities and finally compete.
I am in no way saying that there is not any booster money coming in. I don't know if there is or isn't and I am not insinuating anything one way or another. Also I have no idea if the Fertitta's or anybody else for that matter have or intend to donate to the program. I hope for the health of the program there is money about to come. For the sake of this rant I am going to use the Fertitta's as an example ..
If there actually has been promises of booster money or donations for improved facilities why the cloak and dagger? Again I am not saying it isn't happening. My point is why hide it? Why pretend it doesn't exist?
When coach Sanchez was hired there were questions asked about whether or not the Fertitta family were backing the hire or going to donate money. Tina Kuntzer Murphy lost or mind at the question. At the time I understood, they wanted the hire to feel like they did it on Coach Sanchez' merits and what they thought he could do for the program. At the time I understood it. Now a few months down the road, I think it was the wrong move. I am not saying Coach Sanchez should have been holding up a big cardboard check from the Fertitta's for 20 million dollars. But now looking back what would have been so wrong with the university saying "With Coach Sanchez and his vision and the help of some generous boosters we think UNLV football is about to take a huge step in the right direction" What would have been so wrong with that. Who gives a damn if people initially said the job was bought for him. If it resulted in more wins and better attendance down the road who gives a crap. Wouldn't that have drawn more excitement out of people? Wouldn't that get people talking positively that changes could be on the horizon? Instead it was deny, deny deny and kill some of the momentum that those rumors were generating.
There has been a ton of talk about the potential practice facility and a few other upgrades. It appears this is still on the table but again why all the cloak and dagger garbage. It isn't like Oregon hides the fact Phil Knight dumped millions of dollars into their program. It isn't like T. Boone Pickens at Oklahoma State said "Don't put my name on that stadium" Why not let people know there are really good things happening for the program. Who gives a crap where the money came from.
Let's be Vegas about this type of stuff, and make it big. I can guarantee if there was an article in the paper about XX-Million dollars donated to UNLV football program, there would be the typical group bitching about it and asking why waste the money or put it to better use blah blah blah.But, I think there is a far larger contingent of fence sitters that might think "Wow, they actually are trying to get something done" I think it would generate far more excitement than scorn. I think it would put far more butts in the seats than not saying anything at all or a lot of ifs and buts.
Instead we get article after article of maybe this and maybe that about the stadium. Maybe this or maybe that about the practice facility. Which leads to continued who 'gives a crap then' or 'tell me when something is actually going to happen' from the already dis or uninterested community.
If you are trying to ignite a fan base then damn it, light some fireworks and do something exciting to make a big deal out of it Bring out the big cardboard check with a number and lots of zeroes behind it. Maybe people might come out to the games if they new there was some light at the end of the tunnel, or thought lets see what all the fuss is about. Instead its the same old wait and see this and wait and see that.
We had a freaking Basketball extravaganza at night for a team that was considered a disappointment last year. If I was a football player I wouldn't be happy for the basketball team I would be pissed thinking what about us? If UNLV landed two four star recruits for next year in football would they get their own 'hype night'. Probably not.
Attendance numbers are probably right in line with most years even with the UCLA game here. They will probably mirror years when Wisconsin or BYU came to town. So obviously nothing is changing. What UNLV's plan is to generate community interest is not working. We are Vegas, we need bright lights, and excitement, we need to be wowed. I hate that this is true but it becomes more and more obvious every season I sit in a half full stadium. I am tired of small gains. In a city of a million people getting another 300-400 season ticket holders this year is the smallest of victories. I honestly think if people new there were big things on the horizon they might be more prone to jump on the bandwagon sooner rather than later. Instead its more of the same.
If there is money then damn it flaunt it, talk about it and get it out there. Let's be 'Vegas'. You know what made Tark the icon he is in this town. It wasn't that he was just a great recruiter and coach. He was almost the anti hero. He snubbed his nose at the traditional way of recruiting and building teams, he brought in guys with question marks, he brought in a lot of juco players he snubbed his nose at the NCAA. UNLV was edgy we were almost the 'bad guy' The community embraced him for it. We loved him for it and screw anybody that said something bad about Tark. Let's do it in football, if there is actually big booster money about to come in then lets flaunt it, lets stick it in the faces of Reno and SDSU and other teams in the conference. Let's put pictures of our shiny new practice facility all over the internet. Let Vegas see that the University actually gives a crap and that football does in fact matter.
There are people a lot smarter than me making these calls, but it becomes painfully obvious it is going to take a less traditional approach to fix things.
I have turned away from the idea that this program can be turned around in a conventional manner. Improved coaching and recruiting aren't enough when you are as far down as we are. It's time to try something new.
This is in no way an indictment of Coach Sanchez and his efforts. I love the guy and what he is bringing to the program, I just don't know if it is enough without some outside help, and if the help is there lets embrace it.
I am in no way saying that there is not any booster money coming in. I don't know if there is or isn't and I am not insinuating anything one way or another. Also I have no idea if the Fertitta's or anybody else for that matter have or intend to donate to the program. I hope for the health of the program there is money about to come. For the sake of this rant I am going to use the Fertitta's as an example ..
If there actually has been promises of booster money or donations for improved facilities why the cloak and dagger? Again I am not saying it isn't happening. My point is why hide it? Why pretend it doesn't exist?
When coach Sanchez was hired there were questions asked about whether or not the Fertitta family were backing the hire or going to donate money. Tina Kuntzer Murphy lost or mind at the question. At the time I understood, they wanted the hire to feel like they did it on Coach Sanchez' merits and what they thought he could do for the program. At the time I understood it. Now a few months down the road, I think it was the wrong move. I am not saying Coach Sanchez should have been holding up a big cardboard check from the Fertitta's for 20 million dollars. But now looking back what would have been so wrong with the university saying "With Coach Sanchez and his vision and the help of some generous boosters we think UNLV football is about to take a huge step in the right direction" What would have been so wrong with that. Who gives a damn if people initially said the job was bought for him. If it resulted in more wins and better attendance down the road who gives a crap. Wouldn't that have drawn more excitement out of people? Wouldn't that get people talking positively that changes could be on the horizon? Instead it was deny, deny deny and kill some of the momentum that those rumors were generating.
There has been a ton of talk about the potential practice facility and a few other upgrades. It appears this is still on the table but again why all the cloak and dagger garbage. It isn't like Oregon hides the fact Phil Knight dumped millions of dollars into their program. It isn't like T. Boone Pickens at Oklahoma State said "Don't put my name on that stadium" Why not let people know there are really good things happening for the program. Who gives a crap where the money came from.
Let's be Vegas about this type of stuff, and make it big. I can guarantee if there was an article in the paper about XX-Million dollars donated to UNLV football program, there would be the typical group bitching about it and asking why waste the money or put it to better use blah blah blah.But, I think there is a far larger contingent of fence sitters that might think "Wow, they actually are trying to get something done" I think it would generate far more excitement than scorn. I think it would put far more butts in the seats than not saying anything at all or a lot of ifs and buts.
Instead we get article after article of maybe this and maybe that about the stadium. Maybe this or maybe that about the practice facility. Which leads to continued who 'gives a crap then' or 'tell me when something is actually going to happen' from the already dis or uninterested community.
If you are trying to ignite a fan base then damn it, light some fireworks and do something exciting to make a big deal out of it Bring out the big cardboard check with a number and lots of zeroes behind it. Maybe people might come out to the games if they new there was some light at the end of the tunnel, or thought lets see what all the fuss is about. Instead its the same old wait and see this and wait and see that.
We had a freaking Basketball extravaganza at night for a team that was considered a disappointment last year. If I was a football player I wouldn't be happy for the basketball team I would be pissed thinking what about us? If UNLV landed two four star recruits for next year in football would they get their own 'hype night'. Probably not.
Attendance numbers are probably right in line with most years even with the UCLA game here. They will probably mirror years when Wisconsin or BYU came to town. So obviously nothing is changing. What UNLV's plan is to generate community interest is not working. We are Vegas, we need bright lights, and excitement, we need to be wowed. I hate that this is true but it becomes more and more obvious every season I sit in a half full stadium. I am tired of small gains. In a city of a million people getting another 300-400 season ticket holders this year is the smallest of victories. I honestly think if people new there were big things on the horizon they might be more prone to jump on the bandwagon sooner rather than later. Instead its more of the same.
If there is money then damn it flaunt it, talk about it and get it out there. Let's be 'Vegas'. You know what made Tark the icon he is in this town. It wasn't that he was just a great recruiter and coach. He was almost the anti hero. He snubbed his nose at the traditional way of recruiting and building teams, he brought in guys with question marks, he brought in a lot of juco players he snubbed his nose at the NCAA. UNLV was edgy we were almost the 'bad guy' The community embraced him for it. We loved him for it and screw anybody that said something bad about Tark. Let's do it in football, if there is actually big booster money about to come in then lets flaunt it, lets stick it in the faces of Reno and SDSU and other teams in the conference. Let's put pictures of our shiny new practice facility all over the internet. Let Vegas see that the University actually gives a crap and that football does in fact matter.
There are people a lot smarter than me making these calls, but it becomes painfully obvious it is going to take a less traditional approach to fix things.
I have turned away from the idea that this program can be turned around in a conventional manner. Improved coaching and recruiting aren't enough when you are as far down as we are. It's time to try something new.
This is in no way an indictment of Coach Sanchez and his efforts. I love the guy and what he is bringing to the program, I just don't know if it is enough without some outside help, and if the help is there lets embrace it.
