What would Pollard be remembered for?

**jaretac** · 03-22-2009, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by bmuff

I really doubt that. They are definitely waiting on the lead donor, but IMO that has more to do with the economy than wins and losses. IMO the donation was helped by bringing in Rhoads and losing Chizik. The coaches are showing recruits plans of the S. Endzone. Plus, the engineers have already put in much planning on fitting that work in with the current work. I honestly believe that the donation will be made this summer/fall and work will start after this coming season is over.

I agree with you to an extent. I don't believe it will take winning the north, though it might take winning the north to fill the south end zone with people. I don't think it will be 5 years, nor do I think it will happen this year.

We really don't know how much money the athletic department has for south end zone. It could be they have nearly enough saved that they might be able to proceed this year.

I projected last fall that it would be opened fall 2012. I based this date on some of the financial numbers released last fall and some assumptions. It would take landing a whale for the athletic department to proceed. I think I figured we needed $40 million which is about what our athletic budget is. I don't think it will happen this year unless the football team does extraordinarily well.

If this young football team does extraordinarily well this season, for one it will improve donations, but the athletic department will also think harder about taking an otherwise risky loan, so they can cash in on the extra seats in 2010. It's a forgone conclusion that if this team does well, it will be even better in 2010.

**ShopTalk** · 03-22-2009, 03:53 PM

I find it interesting that everyone wants to bash Pollard when the athletic stats suggest he's doing something right in getting more competitive results in all sports EXCEPT for the big 2 - Men's BB and FB. And definitely a big improvement in funding & facilities.

If you take the overall cumulative record for FB and BB, it's about the same overall -- and that's with unprecedented turnover in Mens' FB (3 coaches in 4 years) and turnover in BB coach also.

It all comes down to recruiting and player RETENTION in FB and BB and in FB retention has been bad. And to see W-L results based on retention and better recruiting takes years and patience.

I for one think this is probably the best support the university has ever given to FB in particular with the increase in salaries for assistants and that ISU FB probably has the best set of assistants it ever has had -- and it will still likely take years to see that turn into wins. Hope not, but that's probably why FB prognosticators and bookies make so much money -- it's pretty easy to call ahead of time.

ISU is still way behind in the money/facilties race of other Big 12 Universities, but at least is making an effort to say they want to belong.

**Tornado man** · 03-22-2009, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by ShopTalk

I find it interesting that everyone wants to bash Pollard when the athletic stats suggest he's doing something right in getting more competitive results in all sports EXCEPT for the big 2 - Men's BB and FB.

Uh, you must have missed what's going on in gymnastics. Pollard let KJ Kindler go to OU when he could have kept her (she had the Big XII's best program at ISU) and now we're last in the conference...

**ShopTalk** · 03-22-2009, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by Tornado man

Uh, you must have missed what's going on in gymnastics. Pollard let KJ Kindler go to OU when he could have kept her (she had the Big XII's best program at ISU) and now we're last in the conference...

Like I said, I find it interesting everyone wants to bash Pollard......

**IcSyU** · 03-22-2009, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by Tornado man

Uh, you must have missed what's going on in gymnastics. Pollard let KJ Kindler go to OU when he could have kept her (she had the Big XII's best program at ISU) and now we're last in the conference...

Hmmm...maybe because she wanted facilities improvements that we didn't have the budget for and she said screw us?

**Tornado man** · 03-22-2009, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by ShopTalk

Like I said, I find it interesting everyone wants to bash Pollard......

Just correcting your statement. I think a lot us of are naturally skeptical about Pollard's ability to hire successful coaches.
Not counting wrestling (where Cael's hiring was simply a promotion), our two most successful programs - women's volleyball and women's basketball - both had their coaches in place prior to Jamie's arrival.
Still waiting for one of Jamie's hires to pan out...

**cy1225** · 03-23-2009, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by jaretac

I talked to someone today who could not go a full sentence without bashing Pollard in some way. It got me thinking, whether he is fired this year like some hope, or he stays for a decade like others hope, what accomplishment does everyone think Pollard will be remembered for?

At the beginning of next fall, it will be 4 years under Pollard. I thought it would be interesting to see what has happened in Pollard's 4 years compared to the 4 years before Pollard. "Post" Pollard years are 2005-2009, "Pre" Pollard years are 2001-2005.

Post- We spent 40 million in facilities improvements.
Pre- We spent 20 million in facilities improvements.

Post- We increased the athletic budget by over 20 million
Pre- We have increased the athletic budget by over 10 million

Post- We are 16-32 in football and have been to one bowl
Pre- We were 23-26 in football and went to three bowls

Post- We are 60-65 in MBB and have not been to the NCAA
Pre- We were 66-57 in MBB and went to the NCAA once

Post- We won 4 Big12 titles (wrestling and gymnastics)
Pre- We won one share of the Big12 North title in football

Post- We finished NCAA tournaments in the top eight, 5 times (wrestling, gymnastics, and volleyball, WBB not finished yet)
Pre- We finished NCAA tournaments in the top eight, 2 times (wrestling)

Post- We have had 3 football coaches, 2 MBB coaches, 2 wrestling coaches, 1 WBB coach
Pre- We had 1 football coach, 2 MBB coaches, 1 wrestling coach, 1 WBB coach

Your budget number are WRONG otherwise ISU budget would have to be $50 million which it is not. Also you failed to list the NCAA appearance in women basketball (2005) and the NIT Final 4's for Pre Pollard.

**cy1225** · 03-23-2009, 08:14 AM

Originally Posted by jaretac

No Cristy Johnson was hired just before Pollard. I think she may have been hired by the temporary (now associate) AD, Sanderson (forgot her first name). Honestly, Pollard should just get Sanderson to hire everyone, she hired the softball coach too and the softball team has made marked improvement as well. But, I think he finally got a football coach.

Football and MBB are both in worse shape, but otherwise I agree with that.
Notice, I said that there is only one coach he has hired that has made improvement. I didn't say he hasn't hired good coaches, but those coaches have not improved their teams.

Christy Johnson was hired by Bruce as was Cael first as Special Asst to the AD while he trained for the Olympics and then as Coach in waiting for the wrestling program. Pollard took credit for it but it was Bruce who kept him at ISU.

**isucyfan** · 03-23-2009, 08:21 AM

I wonder how Bruce is progressing in running Louisiana Tech's Athletic Dept. into the ground.

**keepngoal** · 03-23-2009, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by isucyfan

I wonder how Bruce is progressing in running Louisiana Tech's Athletic Dept. into the ground.

I know who you could PM to ask him, personally.

-keep.

**bmuff** · 03-23-2009, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by Tornado man

Just correcting your statement. I think a lot us of are naturally skeptical about Pollard's ability to hire successful coaches.
Not counting wrestling (where Cael's hiring was simply a promotion), our two most successful programs - women's volleyball and women's basketball - both had their coaches in place prior to Jamie's arrival.
Still waiting for one of Jamie's hires to pan out...

What I look at is: How were the coaching hires AT THE TIME?

GMac was a pretty good hire. He had other BCS schools (offering more money) after him and he probably would have ended up at iowa if we weren't after him and he waited a year. Was he the perfect hire? No, he had some recruiting question marks. But after dealing with LE and WM, having someone who could rebuild ISU and not be an embarassment to the university was important. GMac had no history of player turnover at UNI, yet he did have a history of doing more with less there.

Chizik, most of us thought was a homerun hire. He was the top assistant coach out there. Good resume, coached at BCS powers, could sell and recruit. Just a great pedigree for a HC. The only issue was how long he'd stay at ISU. We all figured he would bolt after seeing some success. And most of us were fine with that. But it was shocking that AU would really come after him after 5-19. Can't really blame Pollard for that.

Rhoads seems to be a great hire at this point too. He's got the resume, he's got the Iowa connections, he can sell and recruit. And, he actually made the RIGHT calls with his assistant hires.

My feeling is that Pollard made good hires at the time. But besides that, he's done a GREAT job of raising funds, improving facilities and supporting the coaches. Just an example: Before JP, the FB team did not have access to all of the supplements they needed. Now they do. Before JP, no academic center. Now they have one.

I think that JP made good/great hires at the time and has done everything possible to give them the support they need. What else can we ask of an AD?

**CyinCo** · 03-23-2009, 09:26 AM

only 53% are picking "Budget Improvement". How can you NOT pick budget improvement. Doubling a sick athletic programs budget is not an easy task. Not at all. I'm most impressed with ADJPs financial side.

**MontyBurns** · 03-23-2009, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by CyinCo

only 53% are picking "Budget Improvement". How can you NOT pick budget improvement. Doubling a sick athletic programs budget is not an easy task. Not at all. I'm most impressed with ADJPs financial side.

I've posted it before and I'll post it again: Jamie Pollard has not doubled the athletic budget.

ISU's athletic budget in FY2005, when Pollard arrived, was $27.8 million. Here it is from the Board of Regent's financial statement (see page 9):

http://www2.state.ia.us/Regents/Meet...505_ITEM07.pdf

ISU's athletic budget in FY2007 was $33.6 million, and the FY2008 preliminary budget was $36.6 million. Again, straight from the Board of Regent's financial statement (see page 4):

http://www2.state.ia.us/regents/Meet...607_ITEM01.pdf

Jamie has talked about doubling the budget, but like most things he talks about, he doesn't actually do it.

**jaretac** · 03-23-2009, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by cy1225

Your budget number are WRONG otherwise ISU budget would have to be $50 million which it is not. Also you failed to list the NCAA appearance in women basketball (2005) and the NIT Final 4's for Pre Pollard.

I didn't list the WBB because it has remained consistent under Fennelly, pre and post Pollard. I also didn't think it was nessesary to list some pointless NITs.

I'll have to go back and look at the budget. I had sites that listed our budget from 2000 on, and I thought is correct but maybe I made a mistake. I know our current budget is a little less than 45 million.