Blake James

[Ibis Wingz]

It all makes perfect sense. We have an unathletic department full of ticket selling shysters and they are supporting a guy who should be selling 1975 Oldsmobuicks on Calle Ocho.

 

[sdaly]

If we get a new President, who recognizes importance of football to the u . still think new guy will make call on Al and Blake
how about bringing Howard back in some capacity.... he could be an AD the caliber of Sam & help turn it around......

 

[Pentagon Cane]

So Miami has an opening. Layton was Sales and Marketing at Colorado State. He was hired as Communications and Marketing at Miami. Prior to that he worked for the Bucs for 13 years. He's a Florida guy. How does that not make him qualified for what this position is?

I find it interesting that you do anything possible to defend James. Let me know all these great things about him. Are you guys friends or something? He is a Florida guy, where in Florida? It is a pretty diverse state (not that being from Florida means anything in general).

He is qualified because he had a similar position. Being in our AD is quite different from Colorado State. I look forward to seeing him take that CSU magic and applying it in Coral Gables.

We already had a great guy at the position. We take a younger energetic guy and replace him with Layton. We take a guy that was doing "creative things" with social media and bring in this guy. I could be wrong but our athletic department needs a guy like Freet. This guy has a bright future and took a job (similar position) at Arkansas. As someone who met and interacted with Freet, it's kind of interesting that we let him pass so easily.

Because you're reaching on this one. This guy is what 3 to 4 years older than Chris? He went to St. Leo and he worked for the Bucs. Seems like a Florida guy to me. You know nothing about this guy.

Look Miami should have canned Golden at the end of the season. No AD is making that decision in a vacuum, period. Quite honestly the University is focusing on hiring a new President. I know that sucks for those of us who love the football program and the athletic program in general, but that's what is going on.

I just refuse to ***** and complain about every ill at Hecht.

 

[Consigliere]

Because you're reaching on this one. This guy is what 3 to 4 years older than Chris? He went to St. Leo and he worked for the Bucs. Seems like a Florida guy to me. You know nothing about this guy.

Look Miami should have canned Golden at the end of the season. No AD is making that decision in a vacuum, period. Quite honestly the University is focusing on hiring a new President. I know that sucks for those of us who love the football program and the athletic program in general, but that's what is going on.

I just refuse to **** and complain about every ill at Hecht.

A few things:

1. There is no vacuum. The decision needed to happen already. Regardless of the new president, we needed him gone. Not at the end of the season but after GT. A big issue with DS is she loved to micromanage the athletic department and she was terrible at it. We have no idea if the unknown new president will have the same policy. This is not the point of this thread. Let's stay on topic.

2. I'm not reaching, I don't trust James and I think we lost a good guy already. I said already (feel free to disagree), I liked Freet a lot. I met him and interacted with him. We lost a good one with him. This new guy is an unknown and that is all you can say about him. I don't care that he once lived in Florida, that means NOTHING unless he is familiar with the area. Is he? Seems like a North Florida guy (Tampa Area).

3. You never complain, I never see it. In fact you fight me in almost every thread that we both post. A big thing we argue about is Blake James. So two questions: (1) Do you know him? and (2) What makes him a guy you can trust?

 

[ball915]

Blake is in a great spot with his job as he is exactly what Donna wants. Raise money, be a yes man and increase visibility with positive image with winning being behind all of it. While his ways might work with Donna they might not with the new president. The magnitude of this hire is astronomical for the future of UM athletics

 

[Pentagon Cane]

Because you're reaching on this one. This guy is what 3 to 4 years older than Chris? He went to St. Leo and he worked for the Bucs. Seems like a Florida guy to me. You know nothing about this guy.

Look Miami should have canned Golden at the end of the season. No AD is making that decision in a vacuum, period. Quite honestly the University is focusing on hiring a new President. I know that sucks for those of us who love the football program and the athletic program in general, but that's what is going on.

I just refuse to **** and complain about every ill at Hecht.

A few things:

1. There is no vacuum. The decision needed to happen already. Regardless of the new president, we needed him gone. Not at the end of the season but after GT. A big issue with DS is she loved to micromanage the athletic department and she was terrible at it. We have no idea if the unknown new president will have the same policy. This is not the point of this thread. Let's stay on topic.

2. I'm not reaching, I don't trust James and I think we lost a good guy already. I said already (feel free to disagree), I liked Freet a lot. I met him and interacted with him. We lost a good one with him. This new guy is an unknown and that is all you can say about him. I don't care that he once lived in Florida, that means NOTHING unless he is familiar with the area. Is he? Seems like a North Florida guy (Tampa Area).

3. You never complain, I never see it. In fact you fight me in almost every thread that we both post. A big thing we argue about is Blake James. So two questions: (1) Do you know him? and (2) What makes him a guy you can trust?

Fair enough.

With the resources Chris was given, I thought he did a really good job. There are a lot of similarities between Tampa and Miami, as large crowded metro areas with a diverse population. I believe that matters. The guy is an unknown so we'll see.

I do not know Blake personally. Met him years ago in his earlier stint. Just not down there enough anymore because my kids eat up my weekends. The guys that know him very well think he is a good guy and competent. It's not an easy athletic department to run because we have a lot of limitations and challenges. I think his heart is in the right place and I think he is committed to the university. Department needs continuity after the last two guys.

 

[MIATL]

Because you're reaching on this one. This guy is what 3 to 4 years older than Chris? He went to St. Leo and he worked for the Bucs. Seems like a Florida guy to me. You know nothing about this guy.

Look Miami should have canned Golden at the end of the season. No AD is making that decision in a vacuum, period. Quite honestly the University is focusing on hiring a new President. I know that sucks for those of us who love the football program and the athletic program in general, but that's what is going on.

I just refuse to **** and complain about every ill at Hecht.

A few things:

1. There is no vacuum. The decision needed to happen already. Regardless of the new president, we needed him gone. Not at the end of the season but after GT. A big issue with DS is she loved to micromanage the athletic department and she was terrible at it. We have no idea if the unknown new president will have the same policy. This is not the point of this thread. Let's stay on topic.

2. I'm not reaching, I don't trust James and I think we lost a good guy already. I said already (feel free to disagree), I liked Freet a lot. I met him and interacted with him. We lost a good one with him. This new guy is an unknown and that is all you can say about him. I don't care that he once lived in Florida, that means NOTHING unless he is familiar with the area. Is he? Seems like a North Florida guy (Tampa Area).

3. You never complain, I never see it. In fact you fight me in almost every thread that we both post. A big thing we argue about is Blake James. So two questions: (1) Do you know him? and (2) What makes him a guy you can trust?

Fair enough.

With the resources Chris was given, I thought he did a really good job. There are a lot of similarities between Tampa and Miami, as large crowded metro areas with a diverse population. I believe that matters. The guy is an unknown so we'll see.

I do not know Blake personally. Met him years ago in his earlier stint. Just not down there enough anymore because my kids eat up my weekends. The guys that know him very well think he is a good guy and competent. It's not an easy athletic department to run because we have a lot of limitations and challenges. I think his heart is in the right place and I think he is committed to the university. Department needs continuity after the last two guys.

What challenges and limitations the athletics department have?

1. The school is in a Power 5 conference for football, meaning there is more money for sports programs than existed before.
2. The football program has 5 national titles, all won within the past 35 years.
3. The basketball team has a new arena to play in, and has been ranked 2 of the past 3 seasons ... Winning the ACC in 2012-2013.
4. The track program is led by an Olympic level coach
5. The school is located in one of the most beautiful and diverse locations in the United States.

So seriously ... What limitations and challenges are there?

Any that exist would have to be self-imposed, IMO ...

 

[Consigliere]

Fair enough.

With the resources Chris was given, I thought he did a really good job. There are a lot of similarities between Tampa and Miami, as large crowded metro areas with a diverse population. I believe that matters. The guy is an unknown so we'll see.

I do not know Blake personally. Met him years ago in his earlier stint. Just not down there enough anymore because my kids eat up my weekends. The guys that know him very well think he is a good guy and competent. It's not an easy athletic department to run because we have a lot of limitations and challenges. I think his heart is in the right place and I think he is committed to the university. Department needs continuity after the last two guys.

Thank you for your response.

I don't know who these guys you speak of that think Blake James is a good guy and competent. If it is DS or the BOT or the admin, I question their thoughts based on their track record. This is why I question Blake James and anything he does; based on the track record.

The athletic department needs an energetic competent and passionate supporter of UM. This person needs to have full autonomy of the department. This person needs to fight (not argue) and back the department against these "challenges" (president, admin, BOT etc.) so we can get what we need.

I don't care about continuity if you continue with a bad employee. Too me this is like saying we need continuity so let's keep Al Golden another year.

When you say challenges, I might agree that the admin/president/BOT blows but this school has a ton to offer that other schools don't. I don't see that part as a challenge.

 

[Canesfan1899]

So, these two will be the scapegoats when season ticket sales tank. Fake James will have bodies to fire.

How desperate for employment must these two be, to accept walking into this imbroglio.

I keep saying it but it doesn't matter.

UM needs a competent passionate and energetic person running that department. That is not Blake James.

The fact that he hasn't fired Golden yet is all I needed to know about Blake James as a leader of men.

 

[Bennubird]

MIATL you mention some of the pluses, which are true, but as I see it the issues are structural and have to do with institutional identity. Institutional priorities are based on who we are or better still who we think we are. It is clear that institutionally the football program is not a high priority. I think there are many reasons for that. Perhaps this is what Pentagon Cane is alluding too when he mentions limitations.

He says James is a "good guy and competent" based on the opinion of people close to him, which, if true, implies then that James is not able to act decisively and may be stuck in a holding pattern because logically Golden would have been on the hot seat to start the season and gone by mid-season. I have no way of knowing for certain what Blake James would be as an AD in another setting, and frankly don't care, but it is clear to me that the BOT has established a set of institutional priorities that do not privilege our beloved football program. So maybe he is a lame duck AD stuck trying to sell tickets. I believe our problems are more deeply entrenched.

By that I mean, sure the BOT would prefer that we have success, but they are not committed financially or even concerned to see us be a dominant title contender in football. There is very little in their constellation of decisions or actions over the past ten years that suggests that they are, and I think Shalala was in step with them, perhaps even leading them.

Because you're reaching on this one. This guy is what 3 to 4 years older than Chris? He went to St. Leo and he worked for the Bucs. Seems like a Florida guy to me. You know nothing about this guy.

Look Miami should have canned Golden at the end of the season. No AD is making that decision in a vacuum, period. Quite honestly the University is focusing on hiring a new President. I know that sucks for those of us who love the football program and the athletic program in general, but that's what is going on.

I just refuse to **** and complain about every ill at Hecht.

A few things:

1. There is no vacuum. The decision needed to happen already. Regardless of the new president, we needed him gone. Not at the end of the season but after GT. A big issue with DS is she loved to micromanage the athletic department and she was terrible at it. We have no idea if the unknown new president will have the same policy. This is not the point of this thread. Let's stay on topic.

2. I'm not reaching, I don't trust James and I think we lost a good guy already. I said already (feel free to disagree), I liked Freet a lot. I met him and interacted with him. We lost a good one with him. This new guy is an unknown and that is all you can say about him. I don't care that he once lived in Florida, that means NOTHING unless he is familiar with the area. Is he? Seems like a North Florida guy (Tampa Area).

3. You never complain, I never see it. In fact you fight me in almost every thread that we both post. A big thing we argue about is Blake James. So two questions: (1) Do you know him? and (2) What makes him a guy you can trust?

Fair enough.

With the resources Chris was given, I thought he did a really good job. There are a lot of similarities between Tampa and Miami, as large crowded metro areas with a diverse population. I believe that matters. The guy is an unknown so we'll see.

I do not know Blake personally. Met him years ago in his earlier stint. Just not down there enough anymore because my kids eat up my weekends. The guys that know him very well think he is a good guy and competent. It's not an easy athletic department to run because we have a lot of limitations and challenges. I think his heart is in the right place and I think he is committed to the university. Department needs continuity after the last two guys.

What challenges and limitations the athletics department have?

1. The school is in a Power 5 conference for football, meaning there is more money for sports programs than existed before.
2. The football program has 5 national titles, all won within the past 35 years.
3. The basketball team has a new arena to play in, and has been ranked 2 of the past 3 seasons ... Winning the ACC in 2012-2013.
4. The track program is led by an Olympic level coach
5. The school is located in one of the most beautiful and diverse locations in the United States.

So seriously ... What limitations and challenges are there?

Any that exist would have to be self-imposed, IMO ...

 

[Cane Dynasty]

So Miami has an opening. Layton was Sales and Marketing at Colorado State. He was hired as Communications and Marketing at Miami. Prior to that he worked for the Bucs for 13 years. He's a Florida guy. How does that not make him qualified for what this position is?

I find it interesting that you do anything possible to defend James. Let me know all these great things about him. Are you guys friends or something? He is a Florida guy, where in Florida? It is a pretty diverse state (not that being from Florida means anything in general).

He is qualified because he had a similar position. Being in our AD is quite different from Colorado State. I look forward to seeing him take that CSU magic and applying it in Coral Gables.

We already had a great guy at the position. We take a younger energetic guy and replace him with Layton. We take a guy that was doing "creative things" with social media and bring in this guy. I could be wrong but our athletic department needs a guy like Freet. This guy has a bright future and took a job (similar position) at Arkansas. As someone who met and interacted with Freet, it's kind of interesting that we let him pass so easily.

Because you're reaching on this one. This guy is what 3 to 4 years older than Chris? He went to St. Leo and he worked for the Bucs. Seems like a Florida guy to me. You know nothing about this guy.

Look Miami should have canned Golden at the end of the season. No AD is making that decision in a vacuum, period. Quite honestly the University is focusing on hiring a new President. I know that sucks for those of us who love the football program and the athletic program in general, but that's what is going on.

I just refuse to **** and complain about every ill at Hecht.

What the fvck does that even mean? lulz

 

[Pentagon Cane]

Fair enough.

With the resources Chris was given, I thought he did a really good job. There are a lot of similarities between Tampa and Miami, as large crowded metro areas with a diverse population. I believe that matters. The guy is an unknown so we'll see.

I do not know Blake personally. Met him years ago in his earlier stint. Just not down there enough anymore because my kids eat up my weekends. The guys that know him very well think he is a good guy and competent. It's not an easy athletic department to run because we have a lot of limitations and challenges. I think his heart is in the right place and I think he is committed to the university. Department needs continuity after the last two guys.

Thank you for your response.

I don't know who these guys you speak of that think Blake James is a good guy and competent. If it is DS or the BOT or the admin, I question their thoughts based on their track record. This is why I question Blake James and anything he does; based on the track record.

The athletic department needs an energetic competent and passionate supporter of UM. This person needs to have full autonomy of the department. This person needs to fight (not argue) and back the department against these "challenges" (president, admin, BOT etc.) so we can get what we need.

I don't care about continuity if you continue with a bad employee. Too me this is like saying we need continuity so let's keep Al Golden another year.

When you say challenges, I might agree that the admin/president/BOT blows but this school has a ton to offer that other schools don't. I don't see that part as a challenge.

Friends who are Golden Canes. I don't disagree that most of the Trustees care very little about the athletic department. By challenges, I mean that Miami has a small, undergraduate population with a large portion of the alumni base not even located in South Florida. Miami is absolutely the worst sport town in America. It draws for nothing except frontrunner games. Miami's endowment isn't large and it does not have an alumni base that will donate large sums to the athletic department. It certainly doesn't have a huge friend with the City of Coral Gables. It has advantages for sure. Very good school, very nice campus, city school with a lot to do. In this competitive environment I agree it is going to tak quite a bit of creativity.

 

[Pentagon Cane]

Because you're reaching on this one. This guy is what 3 to 4 years older than Chris? He went to St. Leo and he worked for the Bucs. Seems like a Florida guy to me. You know nothing about this guy.

Look Miami should have canned Golden at the end of the season. No AD is making that decision in a vacuum, period. Quite honestly the University is focusing on hiring a new President. I know that sucks for those of us who love the football program and the athletic program in general, but that's what is going on.

I just refuse to **** and complain about every ill at Hecht.

A few things:

1. There is no vacuum. The decision needed to happen already. Regardless of the new president, we needed him gone. Not at the end of the season but after GT. A big issue with DS is she loved to micromanage the athletic department and she was terrible at it. We have no idea if the unknown new president will have the same policy. This is not the point of this thread. Let's stay on topic.

2. I'm not reaching, I don't trust James and I think we lost a good guy already. I said already (feel free to disagree), I liked Freet a lot. I met him and interacted with him. We lost a good one with him. This new guy is an unknown and that is all you can say about him. I don't care that he once lived in Florida, that means NOTHING unless he is familiar with the area. Is he? Seems like a North Florida guy (Tampa Area).

3. You never complain, I never see it. In fact you fight me in almost every thread that we both post. A big thing we argue about is Blake James. So two questions: (1) Do you know him? and (2) What makes him a guy you can trust?

Fair enough.

With the resources Chris was given, I thought he did a really good job. There are a lot of similarities between Tampa and Miami, as large crowded metro areas with a diverse population. I believe that matters. The guy is an unknown so we'll see.

I do not know Blake personally. Met him years ago in his earlier stint. Just not down there enough anymore because my kids eat up my weekends. The guys that know him very well think he is a good guy and competent. It's not an easy athletic department to run because we have a lot of limitations and challenges. I think his heart is in the right place and I think he is committed to the university. Department needs continuity after the last two guys.

What challenges and limitations the athletics department have?

1. The school is in a Power 5 conference for football, meaning there is more money for sports programs than existed before.
2. The football program has 5 national titles, all won within the past 35 years.
3. The basketball team has a new arena to play in, and has been ranked 2 of the past 3 seasons ... Winning the ACC in 2012-2013.
4. The track program is led by an Olympic level coach
5. The school is located in one of the most beautiful and diverse locations in the United States.

So seriously ... What limitations and challenges are there?

Any that exist would have to be self-imposed, IMO ...

Small undergraduate population.
Small alumni base, most of whom do not live in South Florida.
A BOT that doesn't really support athletics or it certainly isn't a priority.
Changing dynamics within Division 1 sports where large public schools have large alumni populations and large amounts of contributions. So yes, there is money for sports programs but I'm not sure how Miami keeps pace.
Worse sports town in America, that doesn't even draw for front running teams. We didn't draw more than in the mid 40's for teams not named Florida, Florida State or Notre Dame for the most part when we were winning national titles. We rarely sell out the BUC and it's on flipping campus. We're ranked against a ranked opponent, Illinois, and we draw 6,000 for basketball.
Space--there is only so much more expansion we can do around Hecht. So it has to be small but first rate. I think they've got the second part right.

 

[bambam]

Since we can't fire him, let's promote Al to AD. He is con man and probably perfect for that job. Only condition is that Butch becomes HC and Mark goes home.

You say that jokingly, but seriously, I think AG will make a really good AD. Coaching is not his niche.

 

[Consigliere]

Friends who are Golden Canes. I don't disagree that most of the Trustees care very little about the athletic department. By challenges, I mean that Miami has a small, undergraduate population with a large portion of the alumni base not even located in South Florida. Miami is absolutely the worst sport town in America. It draws for nothing except frontrunner games. Miami's endowment isn't large and it does not have an alumni base that will donate large sums to the athletic department. It certainly doesn't have a huge friend with the City of Coral Gables. It has advantages for sure. Very good school, very nice campus, city school with a lot to do. In this competitive environment I agree it is going to tak quite a bit of creativity.

1. I like how they mention the "challenges" but fail to mention the GREATEST positive. For example, you think you can just build a recruiting base like South Florida. Our positives greatly outweigh the challenges. Our admin/trustees just suffer from a belief from the chit they try to sell.

2. Priorities: Did your Golden Cane friends mention how we don't spend on the program and cipher off funds for the hospital? It seems the trustees are just liars. We have the money, we just don't spend it where it is meant and should go. Let's not get it confused.

3. The real challenge: The biggest and ONLY real challenge is our admin/trustees. It's not a we're poor thing. It's a focus and spending thing. The other thing is spending more on the program is not a sunk cost. Even you mention that if we win, they will come (front runner games). Perhaps spending money will make us more money. It's not very complicated our admin/trustees are just retards.

It starts with dedication to bringing in the right AD and then the trustees ***ing off after giving the AD what they need to properly run the department. We're not talking about out spending Texas or Bama, but let's not pretend like we're poor. Our challenges are self-inflicted.

 

[Kirijax]

Since we can't fire him, let's promote Al to AD. He is con man and probably perfect for that job. Only condition is that Butch becomes HC and Mark goes home.

You say that jokingly, but seriously, I think AG will make a really good AD. Coaching is not his niche.

Golden would be a disaster as AD. He would never fire the head coaches no matter how bad they are.

 

[NVA CANE]

I just hope and pray the next president fires Blake James and immediately after fires golden. It won't happen cause the school will probably hire another president that is all about fund raising so Blake would be deemed an asset but I would sure love to see James get **** canned.

 

[Pentagon Cane]

Friends who are Golden Canes. I don't disagree that most of the Trustees care very little about the athletic department. By challenges, I mean that Miami has a small, undergraduate population with a large portion of the alumni base not even located in South Florida. Miami is absolutely the worst sport town in America. It draws for nothing except frontrunner games. Miami's endowment isn't large and it does not have an alumni base that will donate large sums to the athletic department. It certainly doesn't have a huge friend with the City of Coral Gables. It has advantages for sure. Very good school, very nice campus, city school with a lot to do. In this competitive environment I agree it is going to tak quite a bit of creativity.

1. I like how they mention the "challenges" but fail to mention the GREATEST positive. For example, you think you can just build a recruiting base like South Florida. Our positives greatly outweigh the challenges. Our admin/trustees just suffer from a belief from the chit they try to sell.

2. Priorities: Did your Golden Cane friends mention how we don't spend on the program and cipher off funds for the hospital? It seems the trustees are just liars. We have the money, we just don't spend it where it is meant and should go. Let's not get it confused.

3. The real challenge: The biggest and ONLY real challenge is our admin/trustees. It's not a we're poor thing. It's a focus and spending thing. The other thing is spending more on the program is not a sunk cost. Even you mention that if we win, they will come (front runner games). Perhaps spending money will make us more money. It's not very complicated our admin/trustees are just retards.

It starts with dedication to bringing in the right AD and then the trustees ***ing off after giving the AD what they need to properly run the department. We're not talking about out spending Texas or Bama, but let's not pretend like we're poor. Our challenges are self-inflicted.

1. No, you can't. But it isn't enough any more to just sell the program because we're Miami. Bryant Denny Stadium seat a 101K. Big time football is escalating. So I don't disagree that the BOT is going to have to make a serious decision regarding the future of the football program.
2. Did they lie? Yep. Did they mismanage? Absolutely. But how much of the direct contributions to the athletic department are ciphened off for the hospital? I get that it comes from the general fund. If the books are correct they ciphened off $2.5 million to balance Hecht last year.
3. I agree, gate matters a lot. You and I do agree that they'll spend on the next guy. They'll have to do so.