Quotes from Herman Frazier

http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=31850

Asked if he had the most unique college AD job in the country, HF said:
“No question it is. It is funny you should ask. I had a friend (from his alma mater) Arizona State who also owns property in Honolulu and he just started laughing. He said, ’You are in the paper if you just walk down the street. You are out there as far as exposure no matter what happens.’ It is different. There are probably easier jobs, but for me, I’m a guy who will always take on challenges, so you kind of roll with the punches. I think it is different than any job you will find in the country. It is kind of funny, but it all comes into perspective.’’ (Maui News)


About the budget, HF said:
“The deficit was $2.5 (million) the first year, I believe it was $500,000 the next year, so it started coming down. But you had a cumulative deficit which didn’t go away, so to start chipping away at the overall deficit, you have got to get into the black. Last year was the first time we have ever been in the black – by $7,900 – but the cumulative deficit at that point was about $4 million. Baby steps, yes, but important steps.’’ (MN)


About their situation, HF said:
“We are fortunate to be in that position. There are many other schools out there that are probably losing $4 million annually. And there is no school the size of the University of Hawaii that is in the shape that we are in unless they are getting more of a large subsidy than we are from the institution itself. So I think what is happening to us is that we are placing too much emphasis on trying to reduce the deficit as opposed to trying to run quality programs.’’ (MN)


About not playing a 13th game this year, HF said:
“It was something I worked on every single day. And we called in all kinds of stops and then it became a partnership between the Western Athletic Conference, ESPN and ourselves. This is an interesting thing that I found out just the other day – two schools that can play 13 games are Boise State and Fresno State because they are playing in Hawaii this year. Both of them are only playing 12 games. That is something that I find to be amazing because everybody was putting the emphasis on us about playing 13 and two of the schools we are competing with aren’t playing 13. I think at the end of the day, the 13th game was overplayed.’’ (MN)


About how the lack of a 13th game will not hurt their budget, HF said:
“One of the schools I was looking at playing was at Indiana and if we would have played at Indiana, based on the guarantee they were going to give us, it would have just been a wash. The other thing you can’t lose site of is we were paid $250,000 for the game was are not playing against Michigan State when they pulled out. In all reality they should have played the game.’’ (MN)


Trying to say their schedule is difficult, HF said:
“I think there are two tough games, at San Jose State (9-4) against Dick Tomey (on Oct. 12) and at Nevada (8-5). The weather can be a factor at Nevada, so those two are important. Then being able to come back and play Washington, Boise State and Fresno State at the end of the schedule, it could be a blessing in disguise." (MN)


Claiming that Colt never meant for the controversy over their facilities to happen, and sounding quite condescending at times, HF said:
“That was never his intent for that to happen. I’m not sure a lot of people ever saw that piece of it because the other piece of it got played up so much. A lot of it you had to really read between the lines what was going on there. I mean, obviously there was some vandalism on the part of some people and I don’t get involved with all those portions of our staff. I have 145 people working for us, but you notice I took all the hits and that is just me. I am going to stand by my employees. Do you think the AD at Notre Dame is worried about soap? Do you the AD at Ohio State is even addressing that?

I think if Colt knew that this was going to happen he would have shut his mouth and never said a word about it. He is a great guy and he has been in my office to talk about it and he said, ’I never meant for this to happen. That was never my intent.’ I said to Colt, ’Even though you did that, you have got to be careful. You have got to be a leader because things like that are going to happen in your pursuit of this Heisman or anything else, so let that be a lesson to you.’ That is what college is all about – learning lessons. And this was a lesson for Colt Brennan." (MN)

Note: So, Colt would have shut his mouth? Colt is not a leader? Colt learned a lesson? I guess that is why the soap dispensers were installed the day after Colt spoke--that will teach him a lesson! Do you think the Notre Dame AD would allow his players to not have soap in the showers, a lock on the door, and the ability to park legally when they show up for practice?