Sunday, March 1, 2009

Ferd gave a summary of some UH's problems under Herman Frazier

About the way HF left UH, Ferd wrote: "Not quite in the ways imagined or promised when Frazier was hired in 2002. Back then, UH President Evan Dobelle touted Frazier as, "a true American hero" and someone "who will do great things for this university, this state. Someone who can lead without limits." "

About the deficit under HF, Ferd wrote: "The school's Board of Regents were told of a $5.4 million accumulated deficit in the athletic department by an independent auditor, almost all of it acquired on Frazier's watch. Prior to his arrival in 2002, the athletic department had run at a surplus for at least six of the previous seven years.

Frazier's inability to run a solvent program, much less put away anything for a rainy day, has come back to haunt UH in these austere times. For the first time in decades UH has acknowledged that cutting a sport is a down-the-road possibility, though current athletic director Jim Donovan said it would only be as a desperation measure.

The loot from the Sugar Bowl, where Frazier made his last appearance as AD, allowed UH to avoid a deficit in his final fiscal year and pare down the accumulated red ink from $5.7 million."

About the Bolla situation, Ferd wrote: "Frazier raised eyebrows in 2004 when he hired Bolla, bringing the one-time Nevada-Las Vegas coach out of an eight-year separation from the college game to succeed Vince Goo. Then, three years into the deal, Frazier granted Bolla a four-year rollover scheduled to run through the 2010-11 season.

Now, for the second time in less than a year, UH is investigating allegations that Bolla mistreated a player. Because the Las Vegas Review Journal reported allegations concerning Bolla at UNLV in 1992 and 1996, you have to wonder what UH knew before Bolla was hired."

About how the 1.5 year delay in hiring Nash hurt recruiting, Ferd wrote: "Meanwhile, the struggling men's basketball program has suffered for the late date Bob Nash was selected to replace Riley Wallace. Despite Wallace's departure being mandated a year and a half before the 2006-07 season, Nash wasn't hired until April 13, 2007, well into the recruiting period and it cost UH on several prospects, players it was in the running for and could have used both last year and this season."

Ferd nicely summarized the problem HF got UH into: "Despite handing Frazier $312,510 in buy-out money, the controversies he left behind show UH is still paying handsomely for his term."

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