Big Ten Expansion Creates Urgency, but Kraft Isn't Worried
For Penn State football - and athletics at large - the addition of UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington to the Big Ten poses challenges that are both in and
www.statecollege.com
FC: Big Ten Expansion Creates Urgency, but Kraft Isn’t Worried
- Thread starter StamfordBridgeVikingatLeftOffensiveTackle
- Start date
www.statecollege.com
Pat Kraft is this generation's Alfred E. Neuman
Big Ten Expansion Creates Urgency, but Kraft Isn't Worried
For Penn State football - and athletics at large - the addition of UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington to the Big Ten poses challenges that are both in and
Penn State AD job is very much of the ‘born on third base and thinks he hit a triple’ vibe. Kraft sounds no different. We’ll see if he can get the school/program home.
I suggest the creation of the BWIAAAC (athletic administrator's advisory council).
A memory jolt.......Mad and Playboy were my two adolescent subscriptions.......Pat Kraft is this generation's Alfred E. Neuman
Big Ten Expansion Creates Urgency, but Kraft Isn't Worried
For Penn State football - and athletics at large - the addition of UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington to the Big Ten poses challenges that are both in and
“Kraft’s boldness verbally matches his actions so far a year into his tenure as Penn State’s Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics. Under his watch the department is set to undertake arguably the most robust series of facilities upgrades and renovations that the department has ever seen, coming in at around $70 million in approved budgets. Couple that with Beaver Stadium’s renovations package at over half a billion and you’re left with a department going at things full steam ahead.”
Me too.....for some reason both of them ended up with sticky pages....
Big Ten Expansion Creates Urgency, but Kraft Isn't Worried
For Penn State football - and athletics at large - the addition of UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington to the Big Ten poses challenges that are both in and
Also from the article:
”For all of the bravado Kraft isn’t short on the self awareness that talk is cheap but new buildings aren’t. He has quietly noted in interviews over the past year that Penn State can only do the things it can pay for. It has turned fundraising into even more of an existential requirement of the job, an area where Kraft would likely aspire to do better than his predecessor and mend whatever bridges might be in need of such tender love and care.”
Do better than his predecessor? I don’t get it.
College athletics are not for the faint of heart...be bold or go home. Kraft's aggressive style is refreshing and getting the job done is his style....he may be the catalyst to unite a broken/segmented university alumni.
We’ll see. Speaking for myself as a member of this “broken/segmented” community, actions are going to speak louder than words.
Hard to tell how good of an AD Kraft will be long term, however he is already better than Sandy and the stooge appointed by the BOT after the 2011 mess. Not that those are high bars to surpass.
Yup.....compared to Sister Sandy he is doing more with fewer Assistant ADs
I’m guessing it isn’t entirely up to him, even if he is so motivated.
I am sure there are still some forces hoping the JoePa honors will just be forgotten. Kraft will need some commitments for several (tens of) millions of dollars. "Honor JoePa like this and you will get this." Outside of that scenario I do not see anything changing.
Not that I agree with it, but that is my view of the situation.
Also, I do not think significant dollars would stop if JoePa were honored.
B.S.
The people that have decided not to give to PSU simply aren't going to give to PSU even if Joe is recognized. There's no pot of money waiting to be sent to PSU as soon as Joe is recognized.
Simple: Hold a dedicated Joe Paterno a day home game and review and highlight all his contributions - and include an apology to Paterno family.
Just use posture Michigan , Ohio State, and Michigan State used with real crimes in their athletic department: “ F you everyone!”
Agree. Think some people believe that if Joe was properly recognized and honored tomorrow that $500M will come rolling in.
A simple concept that has somehow completely eluded the other gatekeepers.
Last edited:
You might be surprised. But we’ll never know unless we try.
When 9-2 becomes 7-4 next December, what tangible changes will Kraft make and has he already written a 7-4 plan on paper that he can text to me today to review?
Our all time record against Oregon is 3-1, Washington 3-0, and USC 4-6 for what it's worth.
To put a more recent perspective on it, the Pac 12 bowl record against other conference teams was 3-4 in 2022 and 0-5 in 2021.
I'm not sure why everyone thinks that the Pac 12 is a modern powerhouse with a combined 3-9 record against other conference teams in bowls the past two years. They have a couple of good teams that beat up on little brothers in their conference then get stomped most of the time when they play good teams out of conference.
I don’t think the bowl games count (outside top 4) cause guys opt out. We beat W and O this year? I doubt it
We play USC away and UCLA and Washington at home in 2024. All are very winnable games.
And how is the other approach, believing PSU football only began in 2011 and bitching about lack of funding working out?
But an apology for throwing the alums under the bus might help. That and the high handed way the BOT and the Alumni Assn act (especially with Alumni Council) has turned what 15 years ago would have been a scholarship endowment to Penn State into an endowment for the elephant program at the Indianapolis Zoo. Joe's dead, so it's not about that for me. I simply don't trust the leadership of this university to use my money wisely.
For many, it comes right down to that. An apology, or other gesture, doesn't change that. When was the last time we heard anything on progress made to eliminate PSU's operating deficit?
I kind of agree with your point. My wife and I have continued to donate earmarked funding to the foundation. Example giving scholarship funding to a specific academic program.
Not interested in giving to fund the Penn State budget issues. The BoT and Administration need to increase revenue (including increase tuition where appropriate), decrease financial aid, cut operating costs and finally getting more money from the State. If the State isn't going to give funding then they need to fight against over regulation by the State. Bottom line, they have a business and it cannot fund losses. This requires tough decisions including shrinking unprofitable programs.
Increasing tuition and decreasing financial aid could easily be revenue negative. As for getting more funding from the Commonwealth, that snowball is long melted. Tough decisions? There is a first time for everything, but not with the crew currently in charge.
Recent tough decision faced: Ruffles or regular potato chips for the onion dip? They chose both.
