FIU > Us. Frank Peña Shows UM Cowards How It's Done

[WhatTheHell]

Why can't we have anyone associated with Miami speak out like this?

Instead we have cowards and dopes like Stew Miller, Dlck Fain and the tomato jerkoff running around.

What about people in a position like Pena at UM? Does anyone at UM care about athletics anymore, or has North Corael Gables brought fear into their hearts and succeeded in silencing them?



Look at this ******* gangster Frank Pena making power moves for FIU.

FIU Alumni Association Prez: Athletics needs "a major leadership change."
FIU Alumni Association President Frank Pena read into the minutes of the Jan. 26 Alumni Association Board meeting a statement that recommends "a major change happens in the leadership of the Department of Athletics. The sooner these changes would happen, the better."
http://www.CollegeAD.com published the statement first this morning.
When I reached Pena Monday morning, I asked him if he wrote the statement as Frank Pena, FIU graduate, or Frank Pena, head of a 20,000 member alumni association.


"As both," he replied. "I did it as an alumnus, but I also did it to represent views of countless alumni. Whether it's at church, at the dentist's office, you run into FIU alums wherever you go. One of the first things they bring up should not be the poor state of Athletics. They should bring up some of the victories we have in Athletics or they should bring up some of the great things we're doing.


"That's why I'm saying what's been happening with Athletics over the last several years has been a distraction. It shouldn't be the conversation we have. People know I bleed the Blue and the Gold and they always want to have an FIU conversation. I'm finding more times, the conversation is 'What is going on in Athletics?'"
Pena emphasized the statistics-filled statement wasn't inspired by personal issues with FIU executive director of sports and entertainment Pete Garcia but was about Athletics' "leadership and the results."


"I've been involved with FIU as a student since 1994. I've stayed involved as an alumnus. The love I have toe the institution is immense," Pena said. "I think FIU is the engine of the South Florida community and Dade County. We're doing so many good things. I feel Athletics, instead of being a partner in the University, has become a distraction. And something needs to be done.
"As alumni, it's our responsibility to support our university. Sometimes, by bringing up something that might be construed as a negative, it is supporting the university. And it is taking a stand. I felt that, as alumni, we need to take a stand when something's not working right. By the metrics we laid out -- academics, fundraising, wins & losses and fan support -- we're not doing our job."

YA know some of you gutless ****** regurgitating the "be positive or you're not a real fan, you're just hurting the program!" line could learn a thing or two here.

Maybe it'll inspire the 100 different shill accounts on here posting from inside the Hecht to make like Blake James' wife, grow a *******, and start pushing for change.



His full statement, which is a destruction of Pete Garcia and all their current head coaches, can be read in the spoiler here:

Spoiler

Duane, Alina, Members of the Office of Alumni Affairs staff, fellow board members and
guests:


I would like to submit the following statement for this meetings minutes:


My friends, we are part of the FIU family and like any other family, FIU is not
perfect. While we have many great accomplishments over our 50-year history - many of
which had not been accomplished by institutions twice or even three times our age - as
family, we need to hold each other accountable and support one another other to be
better.


Countless alumni and South Florida residents time and time again share with me their
concerns with the direction of the FIU Department of Athletics. As President it is my
responsibility to listen to our alumni and express their concerns. I have privately
shared those concerns with many of you and others in our FIU family – including the
Director of Athletics. Sadly, nothing has improved. This is not meant to personally
an attack on anyone’s character. Circumstances in our Athletics Department
have worsened. It has been said that perception is reality, but when reality is worse
than perception, as I believe the case to be, that is a lot worse.
In my view and in that of a vast majority of athletic supporting alumni, our athletic
department is performing terribly. Last week an email was forwarded to me. A board
member of the Broward Chapter resigned in large part because of the direction of the
athletic department.


The success of the athletic department should fairly be measured by the academic
performance of our student-athletes, wins and loses, fundraising and fan support. We
have failed in each of these areas. I will elaborate.


Since 2012, FIU athletics has only won two conference championships. One in Women's
Soccer in 2012, and the other in Women's Golf in 2013. Although we are proud of these
accomplishments, both are not revenue-generating sports. Our Football program has a
combined record of 8 wins and 28 losses over the last three years which includes two
losses to Bethune-Cookman, an FCS school. Since the 2006-2007 our Men's Basketball
team has only had one winning season. As for Baseball, since 2006 we have won one
conference and participated in just two regionals which ended with being eliminated
twice in just two games each time.


The academic performance of our students-athletes has received plenty of negative
media attention. Our 2013 football team had several players that were determined to be
academic ineligible. That undoubtedly contributed to our dismal 1-11 season that year.
Last season, our Men's Basketball team was not allowed to participate in postseason
play as a result of receiving a sanction from the NCAA. In both Men's Basketball and
football, our academic progress rate is among the worst in Conference USA. Last year,
FIU had just 19 Conference USA Academic Medalist – again fewest in the conference.


As for fundraising, Athletics ranks near the bottom among all divisions in the
university. In 2012-2013, Athletics was at 40 percent of its fundraising goal which
was last for all university units. One year later, Athletics was at 48 percent of its
goal and was still in the bottom quarter of all departments. Keep in mind that the
goal was lowered $250,000 from the previous year. This Fiscal Year Athletics is at
just 21 percent of its goal, again near the bottom of all departments. The goal this
year is 1.5 million – 1 million less than the previous year. The Fiscal Year ends June
30.


Our attendance has once again been embarrassing. This past football season, FIU
ranked 127 out of 129 FBS with an average attendance of 11,966. The previous season
our program was 120th with an average attendance of 15,453. To add some context, these
attendance figures reflect the total number of seats sold, not the actual number of
fans and supporters who attended the game.

Anyone who regularly attends football games
can confirm that the actual attendance is much, much lower. In fact, it can be safely
said that local high schools draw higher attendance in their weekly games. The annual
Christopher Columbus-Belen Jesuit game routinely sells out the stadium.

 

[OzarCaneSaw]

Clearly, he's not a real fan. He needs to go find another team to cheer for. I'm sure there's room on the OSU bandwagon.