Pat Kraft Press Conference
- Thread starter PSU4U
- Start date
Kraft is saying all the right things. Now we see where things go.
When someone says "I'm gonna' be extremely transparent with y'all" - you know that they are not 
Terry Smith is one of the most genuine honest guys to ever walk onto the field at Beaver Stadium and you come off with that.When someone says "I'm gonna' be extremely transparent with y'all" - you know that they are not
Like when someone says “Trust me”, “I know more than anyone else”, “You have no idea” or “I’m smarter than they are”? I usually chalk that up to them being full of sh^t.When someone says "I'm gonna' be extremely transparent with y'all" - you know that they are not
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I apologize if I'm a little touchy. But whether it's Smith or Kraft doesn't really matter but I get it. However, Kraft has been great for PS and to a person who has ever worked with him talked about his integrity and his tenacity. The guy may ware his heart on his sleeve but he's a great person as well. We may have the best overall leadership at PS that we have had since I can remember, and I go back to Old Beaver Field as a kid. Going forward should be about supporting the efforts of those people trying to fix this thing.WUT? (Channelling "The Rick"
Who's talking about Terry Smith?
Felt good about the situation going forward after listening to both.
@PSUFTG - apologies if you've discussed this elsewhere (I picked a heck of an afternoon yesterday to spend on the golf course yesterday and miss all the excitement)...would something like this $50 million buyout need some type of BOT approval (either full board, or something from the compensation committee), or would Dr. Kraft have full autonomy to pull the trigger? Seems like such a huge financial commitment for him to make on his own (I mean, obviously there is talk behind the scenes), but wondering if blessing the contract/extensions when they did meant that the BOT already gave their approval to do what is needed.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Agreed but I also do agree about the criticism of someone saying they're going to be transparent. Maybe it worse in the business world but that's a sure sign they've already lied and will continue to do so.
Obviously not a lot of major hiring decisions in Kraft's PSU tenure - just the one big one, the transition from Shrewsberry to Rhoades in men's basketball. That has, obviously, not worked out well (on either side of that transition) thus far anyway
The rest - at PSU - have all been with afterthought programs:
Of those, maybe the one that looks the best is hiring Gambino for Baseball - but that's no great shakes.
Otherwise: Swimming, Men's Golf and Women's Golf, Men's Tennis, Field Hockey - all low visibility hires - with no great impact one way or the other.
There have been two with some level of controversy (for "minor" programs) - Treanor for Women's Lacross and Zennaro for Fencing (the few folks who care about those programs know the stories there, but most, I am sure, don't really care one way or the other)
I think that's it - though I may have missed one or more
Looking back at his previous jobs, there is just the one major hire that "worked out":
Canning Addazio and bringing in Rhule for Football at Temple (and I am sure Kraft will go back to that same well and at least try to test the waters)
Other than that, his "major sport" hires:
At Temple:
Football:
Replacing Rhule w Geoff Collins at Temple: Collins had 2 OK years, then bolted for a very unsuccessful stint at GaTech
And then replacing Collins with Rod Carey. That quickly became a crap show.
Men's Basketball:
Controversially forced out long-time Temple BB Coach Fran Dunphy (coming off of an NCAA tourney appearance) - replaced with Aaron McKie. That went poorly. Temple BB has not been back to tourney since.
Boston College:
Football:
No hires for Kraft. Jeff Hafley had been hired just before Kraft took over - and he lasted through Kraft's short tenure there (which didn't go well under Hafley)
Men's basketball:
Kraft inherited Jim Christian - who had a bad finish to his career before Kraft canned him, replacing him with Earl Grant - who is still there, but has been no bueno (I think Grant's name came up as a possible candidate for PSU when Shrewsberry left).
So:
Not a lot to go on.
The one positive outcome was hiring Rhule at Temple. The biggest disappointment (so far) would probably be Rhoades at PSU (but the other BB hires at previous jobs were also not what they were hoping for)
The rest - at PSU - have all been with afterthought programs:
Of those, maybe the one that looks the best is hiring Gambino for Baseball - but that's no great shakes.
Otherwise: Swimming, Men's Golf and Women's Golf, Men's Tennis, Field Hockey - all low visibility hires - with no great impact one way or the other.
There have been two with some level of controversy (for "minor" programs) - Treanor for Women's Lacross and Zennaro for Fencing (the few folks who care about those programs know the stories there, but most, I am sure, don't really care one way or the other)
I think that's it - though I may have missed one or more
Looking back at his previous jobs, there is just the one major hire that "worked out":
Canning Addazio and bringing in Rhule for Football at Temple (and I am sure Kraft will go back to that same well and at least try to test the waters)
Other than that, his "major sport" hires:
At Temple:
Football:
Replacing Rhule w Geoff Collins at Temple: Collins had 2 OK years, then bolted for a very unsuccessful stint at GaTech
And then replacing Collins with Rod Carey. That quickly became a crap show.
Men's Basketball:
Controversially forced out long-time Temple BB Coach Fran Dunphy (coming off of an NCAA tourney appearance) - replaced with Aaron McKie. That went poorly. Temple BB has not been back to tourney since.
Boston College:
Football:
No hires for Kraft. Jeff Hafley had been hired just before Kraft took over - and he lasted through Kraft's short tenure there (which didn't go well under Hafley)
Men's basketball:
Kraft inherited Jim Christian - who had a bad finish to his career before Kraft canned him, replacing him with Earl Grant - who is still there, but has been no bueno (I think Grant's name came up as a possible candidate for PSU when Shrewsberry left).
So:
Not a lot to go on.
The one positive outcome was hiring Rhule at Temple. The biggest disappointment (so far) would probably be Rhoades at PSU (but the other BB hires at previous jobs were also not what they were hoping for)
I echo some of the above comments. At the pressor, I thought Kraft hit the typical business lines. He did fine, but nothing insightful. Terry Smith hit it out of the park. Very good responses.
You may be right - I think they came in about the same time, but Rhule may have already inked his deal.... and maybe it was Kraft who only extended the deal.
I was looking for Kraft's "best hire", and that would have been the one. But maybe he doesn't get credit for that one.
If so, Mea Culpa.
Not PSUFTG, but the Board approved the contract that includes the buyout formula, so I doubt additional sign-off is required
In broad strokes, Board Leadership does whatever they want, whenever they want.
As to this particular instance, if an event triggers a $50 Million expenditure, that most certainly should go to the Board (approval to "do" that triggering event). I doubt, in this case, that Board leadership would have done that though (taken for Board approval).
That said, whether or not this event did trigger a $50 million debt? I doubt that it did (all the reporting to the contrary) - so I expect the concern is more or less moot. If it did trigger that debt, it would be a fiduciary failure of epic proportions - and entirely avoidable with even a modicum of fiduciary responsibility. So I expect it did not. But, you never know?
(Sorry for the non-definitive answer)
Only Napoleon figures wear rings on their index fingers. Pat Kraft has some major insecurity and control issues.
A man wearing a ring on his index finger traditionally symbolizes artificial leadership, faux authority, and self-appointed power. Historically, this finger was often used for signet rings with family crests, making it a prominent display of fake identity and pride.
The fact that he looks like Matt Rhule should scare everyone. At the end of the day he effectively signaled that it's Matt Rhule.
A man wearing a ring on his index finger traditionally symbolizes artificial leadership, faux authority, and self-appointed power. Historically, this finger was often used for signet rings with family crests, making it a prominent display of fake identity and pride.
The fact that he looks like Matt Rhule should scare everyone. At the end of the day he effectively signaled that it's Matt Rhule.
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Been waiting until someone else fell upon the ring aspect of all this. Follow the ring, it holds all the answers.
Thank God we have you, fighting the good fight!
Kraft put himself directly in the cross hairs by saying Franklin was fired because the University holds its coaches to higher standards which are Big and National Championships rather than saying simply it was time to move on. His choice to replace Franklin damn well better be a home run and I have a suggestion for him: his old buddy, Matt Rhule sure as hell isn’t.
How is that relevant to anything? I’m not running the athletic department but if I were I for damn sure wouldn’t have said what Kraft said but just what I thought he would say. His comment about the fans deserving a Natty makes me think he spends too much time reading the haters on this message board. As I said, I understand firing Franklin and think it was time, however, Kraft deserves the same fate based on his own articulated standard if his hire isn’t a home run.
How is any of this relevant to anything?
But Pat Kraft holds them to the standards of conference and national championships. Do you think he’s long for the job if the next guy does what Franklin did or worse?
Of course not. I’m just trying to figure out why anything in his press conference changed anything to you. It’s been the standard forever for most. If not for you, ok, can disagree.
He’s gone without a title eventually anyway, because it’s the expectation of his bosses. He could have said those standards, not said them, whatever.
Because it’s implicit that the goal is to hire a coach who will win Big Ten and National Championships. When you state publicly that Franklin was fired for not doing so and hold a press conference and say the fans deserve one, you damn well better back up your big talk. As I said before, my or any other fan’s “standard” is irrelevant. Season ticket holder from 1978 until my wife had serious health issues a couple years ago. We attended the National Championship game against Georgia in 1982. I’m 73 and genuinely hope Kraft hits that home run and turns Penn State into the powerhouse that Saban made Alabama but unfortunately I have this sinking feeling that I am not going to see another Natty in my lifetime.
If it's implicit, which it is, why does it matter if he states it at all?
It's not like, if he just says, "going different direction", anything changes at all.
Just didn't understand why you continue saying that he put this pressure by acknowledging it. That's why I asked you if you believe it is the standard, I didn't know if you (or anyone) had a lower standard than that anyway.
Kraft better not screw up this hire after saying all that stuff and Matt Rhule is not the guy to do it - his hire will just be pandering the the "PSU" guy segment of the fan base. No thanks he is not a step up. I actually like Drinwitz from Mizz - he has done a lot with a little especially in the SEC.
Would you prefer he acknowledged he’s actually a slave to the debt incurred to pay for the stadium?