Megan Franklin, new UNI AD

[PantherAlum09]

Well Moon just hired Doug Gottleib to be the Green Bay MBB coach today while also letting him keep his national radio show, so safe to say I’m glad that moron is nowhere near our campus.

I know money talks and what not, but this just seems like a horrible idea. Him keeping his radio show while he is coaching is just plain dumb. It can only end poorly and it inevitably will.

Gottlieb already had a banger of a quote during his press conference today. “I’m not going to recruit a-holes. I have a one a-hole philosophy. I’m the a-hole. Nobody else.”

[kochrab]

My two cents on Dr. Franklin:

I was at the Panther Caravan tonight in Des Moines. It was a lot of fun to see coaches and others associated with the athletics and alumni departments. We really do have good people working in the department and it just seemed like a genuinely great group of fans hanging out and having a good time.

When Dr. Franklin spoke, you really could hear the passion and enthusiasm for the job until Farley got up and said "hold my beer". She seems genuinely personable and a great relationship builder. I firmly believe a big part of sales and encouraging support starts with solid relationships, and I really think she can do that well. I am hopeful that leads to bigger commitments from people and businesses with the means to do so. We obviously don't know much, yet, but I will take the obvious caring, passion, and enthusiasm from her rather than what I've seen from the previous AD for the past several years.

Let's show our teams how much we support them by filling the stadiums during their respective seasons.

I am hopeful that the passion will continue to build in due time. Comparing Farley to Dr. Franklin isn't fair IMO. But I get your point. Farley has purple blood in his veins and has for forever.

[PantherAlum09]

I am hopeful that the passion will continue to build in due time. Comparing Farley to Dr. Franklin isn't fair IMO. But I get your point. Farley has purple blood in his veins and has for forever.

Oh I wasn't bagging on her at all. I was just praising Farley. That dude just has a blast. He loves this school and I want that dome project to get done and full for him.

[Born-a-Panther]

Please cite specific examples and amounts of donations announced during the six months Bob was interim AD. Thanks!

One of the head coaches told me specifically at caravan in Waterloo Tuesday night that they had an influx in donations and people reaching out to donate to projects when Bowlsby came on board.

[Born-a-Panther]

Oh I wasn't bagging on her at all. I was just praising Farley. That dude just has a blast. He loves this school and I want that dome project to get done and full for him.

Nailed it. He's amazing.

['70 Grad]

Nailed it. He's amazing.

This has to be why we recruit "above" our budget every year. Every time I hear him, it's like he is a little kid with a Ferrari. And I can see why people want to bash a wall with him. (Excuses a lot of in-game management decisions. We wouldn't even be in the situation without him. I know - a dangerous thread highjack.)

[Blue42]

One of the head coaches told me specifically at caravan in Waterloo Tuesday night that they had an influx in donations and people reaching out to donate to projects when Bowlsby came on board.

We should have named Bob the permanent AD and told him to go play golf and take an occasional phone call. Pay him the salary. Then hire a number 2 to run the office.

Would have paid for itself.

[ronfitch]

Ground level retail and 'luxury' condos on the upper floors. $25Mish project.

As someone who grew up in the area and I remember downtown Waterloo as a small child in the late '60s (Sears, JC Penney, Blacks, Kresge stores, multiple theaters, cafes, etc.) as a busy, active place before Crossroads opened and just after the rioting/fires, I am amazed that what has happened there in the past 15 or so years, especially the past five years.

I never thought that I would see the kind of development in downtown Waterloo that I see (we still have family in CF, so get back a few times a year). I have been in downtown Waterloo a lot - my dad worked there from before I was born until '91 and I worked there twice for short periods in the late '80s and again in the early '90s - and it was mostly quiet, neglected and struggling for 40 years. There were many attempts - the convention center, the Silos and Smokestacks thing, attempts at new businesses (anyone else remember live comedy lounge on one of the upper floors of the Blacks building in the early '90s (I think)?) but nothing seemed to stick. But this time it seems to be.

[BCPanther]

As someone who grew up in the area and I remember downtown Waterloo as a small child in the late '60s (Sears, JC Penney, Blacks, Kresge stores, multiple theaters, cafes, etc.) as a busy, active place before Crossroads opened and just after the rioting/fires, I am amazed that what has happened there in the past 15 or so years, especially the past five years.

I never thought that I would see the kind of development in downtown Waterloo that I see (we still have family in CF, so get back a few times a year). I have been in downtown Waterloo a lot - my dad worked there from before I was born until '91 and I worked there twice for short periods in the late '80s and again in the early '90s - and it was mostly quiet, neglected and struggling for 40 years. There were many attempts - the convention center, the Silos and Smokestacks thing, attempts at new businesses (anyone else remember live comedy lounge on one of the upper floors of the Blacks building in the early '90s (I think)?) but nothing seemed to stick. But this time it seems to be.

The convention center renovation has made it a much better looking building inside and out. The E 4th corridor is full on weekend evenings with people at bars and restaurants and the area around SingleSpeed, the arts center and the SportsPlex are very well used and super nice looking from the freeway. Irish Fest, the reimagined My Waterloo Days and other festivals are bringing people in.

Throw in the momentum that the new high school is going to have behind it and it's a real time of renaissance in Waterloo and it's awesome.

[ronfitch]

The convention center renovation has made it a much better looking building inside and out. The E 4th corridor is full on weekend evenings with people at bars and restaurants and the area around SingleSpeed, the arts center and the SportsPlex are very well used and super nice looking from the freeway. Irish Fest, the reimagined My Waterloo Days and other festivals are bringing people in.

Throw in the momentum that the new high school is going to have behind it and it's a real time of renaissance in Waterloo and it's awesome.

Where are they planning to put the new high school? Gonna be strange to no longer have the East-West rivalry.

My dad worked at Wonder from '60-'91 and I worked there for a year or so in the early '90s when I was back at UNI. Across Commercial is the original bakery, a three-story building that I remember as a sketchy place that we would watch police come and go most nights for a variety of reasons. Now that building has been renovated (first floor businesses, second and third floors condos) and the owner occasionally has the empty units set up as AirBnBs. We have stayed there three or four times over the past couple of years when visiting family - the did an incredible job renovating the building.

Seriously, downtown Waterloo has popped in and out of my life frequently over the past 50+ years. I never would have imagined seeing what I see there now. It is great.

[ronfitch]

We should have named Bob the permanent AD and told him to go play golf and take an occasional phone call. Pay him the salary. Then hire a number 2 to run the office.

Would have paid for itself.

AD Emeritus.

[CyCarp]

My two cents on Dr. Franklin:
When Dr. Franklin spoke, you really could hear the passion and enthusiasm for the job until Farley got up and said "hold my beer". She seems genuinely personable and a great relationship builder. I firmly believe a big part of sales and encouraging support starts with solid relationships, and I really think she can do that well. I am hopeful that leads to bigger commitments from people and businesses with the means to do so. We obviously don't know much, yet, but I will take the obvious caring, passion, and enthusiasm from her rather than what I've seen from the previous AD for the past several years.

I like hearing that. It's hard to get support or somebody's donations without having a relationship. A salesperson-type mentality is a great trait for an AD.

[BCPanther]

Where are they planning to put the new high school? Gonna be strange to no longer have the East-West rivalry.

My dad worked at Wonder from '60-'91 and I worked there for a year or so in the early '90s when I was back at UNI. Across Commercial is the original bakery, a three-story building that I remember as a sketchy place that we would watch police come and go most nights for a variety of reasons. Now that building has been renovated (first floor businesses, second and third floors condos) and the owner occasionally has the empty units set up as AirBnBs. We have stayed there three or four times over the past couple of years when visiting family - the did an incredible job renovating the building.

Seriously, downtown Waterloo has popped in and out of my life frequently over the past 50+ years. I never would have imagined seeing what I see there now. It is great.

High School is going where Central is so that it can be fully integrated into the Career Center. $165M project. https://www.waterlooschools.org/renderings-release/

Anyway, back on topic. What Bob did in 5 months changed the direction of the department. There is real momentum and Dr Franklin has a real chance to get shovels in the ground quick and show everybody there is real tangible progress being made. It would be FANTASTIC to have the West side of the Dome torn up and be moving dirt for one or both of the practice facilities next summer.

[Wxcpanther]

High School is going where Central is so that it can be fully integrated into the Career Center. $165M project. https://www.waterlooschools.org/renderings-release/

Anyway, back on topic. What Bob did in 5 months changed the direction of the department. There is real momentum and Dr Franklin has a real chance to get shovels in the ground quick and show everybody there is real tangible progress being made. It would be FANTASTIC to have the West side of the Dome torn up and be moving dirt for one or both of the practice facilities next summer.

Everything I've heard is the more massive Dome renovations like the west side are expected to be put in motion next Summer like you said.

[Born-a-Panther]

Everything I've heard is the more massive Dome renovations like the west side are expected to be put in motion next Summer like you said.

Correct. Next summer things should really start moving.