Miller: Iowa Regents Throw Tantrum Over Ferentz
- Thread starter JonDMiller
- Start date
BLKNGOLD48
Well-Known Member
They have no business getting involved, none!!!!
imported_ankle23
Well-Known Member
Plenty of "iowa chemistry" shirts walking around IC....'but i digress'....... 
RocketHawk
Well-Known Member
I hate this kind of crap. Only the DMR would find this article news worthy.
Rawkhawk73
Banned
I'm sorry, but I've about had it up to here with Michael Gartner and his freaking grandstanding over how the University of Iowa Athletic Department conducts it's business. The guy is an outright horse's a$$.
This is a guy who has only run organizations that were either heavily subsidized or lost tons of money. He wouldn't know the first thing about running a highly profitable, successful organization....free and clear of any taxpayer funds.
Here we have an organization (the Iowa Athletic Department) that not only makes over $100 million/year for Johnson County, but makes enough revenue on it's own merits to pay for it's entire existence. Not only that, but because of the tremendous success of the football program, all of the crappy Title IX programs that no one bothers to see are able to be offered. It isn't like if we all of a sudden cut Ferentz's pay down to $100,000 that the Writer's Workshop is all of a sudden going to see a windfall of over $3 million, or the Glee Club get a windfall of over $3 million. All of that stays right in the athletic department.
If he's looking at an egregious use of athletic department funds, why doesn't he start looking at the women's field hockey team that doesn't have a single in-state player on it's roster, meaning that all those full-ride scholarships that are offered are being offered at the out-of-state rate.
As far as I'm concerned, Gartner and his crony Ruth Harkin can both take a flying leap. If there's one thing we've learned in this country, it's that in bad times, whether we're talking a recession, a war, a terrorist attack, etc.....this country turns to sports for a diversion. So in a time of economic hardship, when a great number of Iowans look to Kinnick on Saturday afternoon to give them just a few hours of joy, Michael Gartner and Ruth Harkin want to give us a kick in our collective junk.
In the immortal words of Sgt Murtaugh...."GO SPIT!!"
hwkwyld
Well-Known Member
I'm trying to think of something classy to say in criticizing the stance that the Regents have taken, not only about Kirk's contract, but for UNI as well. I can't so I'll start with "F the Regents"
1. Jon you nailed it right on the head. Iowa Athletics does not take money from the taxpayers, thus the Regents have no say. Take a hike!
2. Regent Ruth Harkin. A politician's spouse in a high profile position? She's obviously pi$$ed she didn't get her name in the paper because of Kirk's deal, at least she can get it in now by opposing it. Classic political move, if you can't take credit, oppose it, doesn't matter what party you're in.
3. They fail to realized that while UNI's athletics do not compare to Iowa/ISU they still have a D1 status. UNI's victory over Kansas last year doesn't happen without it. Everything positive that came out of that victory from exposure, to increased interest in attending UNI is a direct result of D1 sports.
Are sports expensive, yes, but they provide income to the state and the University, while giving students and student athletes something positive to focus on.
I was having a nice afternoon until I read this. F the Regents
1. Jon you nailed it right on the head. Iowa Athletics does not take money from the taxpayers, thus the Regents have no say. Take a hike!
2. Regent Ruth Harkin. A politician's spouse in a high profile position?
She's obviously pi$$ed she didn't get her name in the paper because of Kirk's deal, at least she can get it in now by opposing it. Classic political move, if you can't take credit, oppose it, doesn't matter what party you're in.3. They fail to realized that while UNI's athletics do not compare to Iowa/ISU they still have a D1 status. UNI's victory over Kansas last year doesn't happen without it. Everything positive that came out of that victory from exposure, to increased interest in attending UNI is a direct result of D1 sports.
Are sports expensive, yes, but they provide income to the state and the University, while giving students and student athletes something positive to focus on.
I was having a nice afternoon until I read this. F the Regents
TheBattman
Well-Known Member
Ahhhhh those with their hands in the pot don't like the fact they didn't get to put their say in something they should have no control over. The guy is just trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill but that is a typical politician.
Hawktone
Member
It was when Gartner was the head of the board of regents and he tried to micro-manage everything that happened at the U of I in the late 90's and early 00's that there were a lot of changes.
Prior to that time in 100 years, IOWA had approx 12 to 15 presidents. Gartner was a political appointment to the Board. Then he was named president after Pomerantz left. IOWA went through 5 presidents in about fifteen years, including a extra long process that brought us Sally Mason.
His company, Wellmark BCBS, even had a feud with the UIHC during this time.
I think he just cannot stand to not be in control.
The rumor around IC is he is the reason, Coleman, Bowlsby, Skorton, and others left. They were tired of dealing with him.
Prior to that time in 100 years, IOWA had approx 12 to 15 presidents. Gartner was a political appointment to the Board. Then he was named president after Pomerantz left. IOWA went through 5 presidents in about fifteen years, including a extra long process that brought us Sally Mason.
His company, Wellmark BCBS, even had a feud with the UIHC during this time.
I think he just cannot stand to not be in control.
The rumor around IC is he is the reason, Coleman, Bowlsby, Skorton, and others left. They were tired of dealing with him.
I think there are always going to be knee jerk reactions. Is this a move that is good for the football program? You bet. Trying to lock him up for the next decade is a great idea for Iowa. At this point, I think the only person going to steal him away is Jerry Jones(that guy will do what it takes). But don't think the Iowa Athletic Department is full of saints. They can spend the money the way they see fit, on themselves. Other Universities, like Texas, have given some money back to the university. They are all NPOs so they don't keep it, but putting money back in to education can also be good for a school. Was anyone after Ferentz with his current salary? Or did the Hawks overpay on this one?
deanvogs
Well-Known Member
They were proactive rather than reactive. Imagine another BCS bowl game this year, and who might come calling after that? He wants to be here, we want him here, it is a no brainer!
There is such a thing as overpaying, you know this right? Or you can put incentives in a contract, which has been done a lot for coaches in the past. Make him the highest paid coach in the land if he wins a BCS title. Didn't Urban Meyer have that in his. My only point is he is the highest paid coach in the Big Ten now. When is the last time he beat Jim Tressel at OSU? He should have some titles to show for this, but he doesn't.
A good coach, but remember Fry was going to Rose Bowls, so he was winning the conference.
Deeper cuts would have forced UNI to eliminate enough of its 17 athletic programs that it would lose its Division I status, Allen said.
Trimming general fund support by much more than $250,000 would force UNI to seriously consider eliminating all sports because of lost revenue related to the loss of Division I status, Allen told The Des Moines Register last week.
Regent Michael Gartner said he supported the funding reduction because a university the size of UNI should consider athletics like other student activities, such as choir or the student newspaper.
UNI's plan includes raising up to $500,000 annually by playing a second Football Bowl Subdivision program in 2013.
------------register artical---------
The board is,has been completely out of touch for some time. Wasn't it last year due to dropping state revenue, they added 100.00 tuition to students, then in the same breath announced their trip to Disney land?
I'm glad we are not UNI, this could really hurt them across the board. While the plan to make up the extra 500k is to whore out the FB team.
This is the same board that last fall(?) recommended UNI drop it's football program.
Trimming general fund support by much more than $250,000 would force UNI to seriously consider eliminating all sports because of lost revenue related to the loss of Division I status, Allen told The Des Moines Register last week.
Regent Michael Gartner said he supported the funding reduction because a university the size of UNI should consider athletics like other student activities, such as choir or the student newspaper.
UNI's plan includes raising up to $500,000 annually by playing a second Football Bowl Subdivision program in 2013.
------------register artical---------
The board is,has been completely out of touch for some time. Wasn't it last year due to dropping state revenue, they added 100.00 tuition to students, then in the same breath announced their trip to Disney land?
I'm glad we are not UNI, this could really hurt them across the board. While the plan to make up the extra 500k is to whore out the FB team.
This is the same board that last fall(?) recommended UNI drop it's football program.
SmellingRoses
Member
Throw the bums out.....Government just wanting more and more control. Its purely political and a power grab.....Disgusting. Redistribution of wealth at its best, just not to those who sit on butts and do nothing.
homes
Well-Known Member
Just what the football program needs, the BOR looking over it. It sounds like a play by the Board to horn in on some of the money raised by the football program. Why don't they just be honest about it instead of attacking it from this angle - pure demagoguery.
goods10
Well-Known Member
The college football landscape has changed since Coach Fry was here at Iowa. Making it to the Rose Bowl was the ultimate goal then. I am not saying it isn't still a top priority for a Big Ten team but making it to any other BCS game is just as good in terms of money, exposure, clout, recruiting, etc....It's not just about the Rose Bowl anymore. Coach Ferentz has taken us to two of them so far and I don't think he is done. Do you?
BLKNGOLD48
Well-Known Member
Not in this case, KF is NOT overpaid, actually quite the opposite. Look what happen when Michigan ran Lloyd Carr out of town for not beating Tosu, they took a step back 5 years. KF is one of the best in the business and we should be proud to have him, which is why he gets paid what he does. Tell me one better representative to the University of Iowa or for that matter the whole state. What a joke the board of regents is for even suggesting such a stupid thing.
deanvogs
Well-Known Member
I do realize there is such a thing as overpaying. Can you tell me though what would we have to pay if an NFL team came calling after this season? Probably a heck of a lot more. It's like locking up anybody to a contract, there is always a risk they may fall off.
