Intel: Trajectory of program + the financial conversation that looms

too defensive of Gene

Derek Young said:

https://www.on3.com/teams/kansas-state-wildcats/news/intel-discussion-on-kansas-state-head-coach-jerome-tang/

So what now DY what’s the chatter?

Accurately defensive of Gene ;)

Bootza said:

Accurately defensive of Gene ;)

whatever. he’s done plenty wrong besides the tang contract

The irony of fans saying listen to us now despite the reason for this being an issue is from listening to us before. Perhaps he should have been smarter than that before, because after all it is his job he is paid to do, and so now the answer is to not listen to us now. ADGT aside, I just don't see how HCJT fields anything other than a 16th place team next year. What good players would trust him with their career after the past three seasons? I'm not sure we can pay enough anymore, now he has to do it with even less talent.

Truly a terrible time for ksu basketball. Klein needs to win 9-10 games this year

Derek Young said:

https://www.on3.com/teams/kansas-state-wildcats/news/intel-discussion-on-kansas-state-head-coach-jerome-tang/

The contract makes the conversation “a bit more complicated” is the understatement of the year.

So my question is. What happens next? Do we just ride it out at the cost of saving 3 mil?

Cat4Life!! said:

Truly a terrible time for ksu basketball. Klein needs to win 9-10 games this year

And then also take over Bball coaching as well.

I give Gene a lot of leeway because he's done everything the fans, and donors, wanted for 3-4 yrs now. I get it hasn't worked out with Tang, but he was a hot candidate and even more so when we extended him. DY is right, he was under immense pressure to get that done. If he doesn't and Tang leaves for Arkansas then Gene's probably already long gone by now. Totally understand why others are hammering him, though.

TwoJay said:

The irony of fans saying listen to us now despite the reason for this being an issue is from listening to us before. Perhaps he should have been smarter than that before, because after all it is his job he is paid to do, and so now the answer is to not listen to us now. ADGT aside, I just don't see how HCJT fields anything other than a 16th place team next year. What good players would trust him with their career after the past three seasons? I'm not sure we can pay enough anymore, now he has to do it with even less talent.

And Tang is a dead man walking. We just don't know how much of a zombie he is. I can't imagine that being very attractive to anyone looking at coming to Manhattan.

DHCM said:

I give Gene a lot of leeway because he's done everything the fans, and donors, wanted for 3-4 yrs now. I get it hasn't worked out with Tang, but he was a hot candidate and even more so when we extended him. DY is right, he was under immense pressure to get that done. If he doesn't and Tang leaves for Arkansas then Gene's probably already long gone by now. Totally understand why others are hammering him, though.

It would be easier to swallow the Tang contract if he wasn't acting like a dip shit in regards to revenue share and leaving millions in revenue on the table with alcohol sales and naming rights.

Gene Taylor canned Bill, stuck his neck out for Klieman who delivered a Big 12 title, and then went and got Klein once he retired. He hired Pete Hughes, who despite my gripes about his coaching, has 33% of our regionals appearances in program history and was robbed of one in 2023. And of course matched our deepest postseason run in program history. He hired Mansfield who seems to have the program trending upwards from where Susie left it. He hired a women's soccer coach who immediately saw results in year one this fall. He clearly made some great hires in the T&F department that may give us a real shot at our first team National Title in school history. Difficult to say what his impact on WBB is because Mittie was already here, but he's kept him around and he delivered the first second weekend trip since the early 2000s. He has facilitated the building of the Shamrock Zone, Tointon upgrades, new indoor football practice facility, the repurposing of the old indoor facility for T&F, the brand new VB arena, etc... Gene Taylor would be revered as one of the best ADs we've ever had if his gamble on Tang worked out. That is the cloud hanging over his head. He's not perfect by any means; I still detest the decision to move the ISU game to Ireland for example. But outside of Tang, I think he's done a great job. I do. But unfortunately, of course, the debacle with Tang is a MASSIVE deal and plays a huge part in his legacy.

Kstateman14 said:

But outside of Tang, I think he's done a great job. I do.

Simply where I'm at.

I’m glad you brought up that Gene essentially had to make the Tang extension at the time. If he hadn’t, and Tang went to Arkansas, the same people complaining about the contract now, would have been tearing Gene apart for not keeping him.

jub1982 said:

I’m glad you brought up that Gene essentially had to make the Tang extension at the time. If he hadn’t, and Tang went to Arkansas, the same people complaining about the contract now, would have been tearing Gene apart for not keeping him.

I'm not defending the contract Tang got at all. It is insanely bad and there's no shot these last two years could've been any worse with a different hire. But it went down almost by mid-April 2024. The thought of having to try and find a coach by that point in the cycle probably played a big role in Gene and BMDs decision to push hard to retain and gamble on Tang.

onefacet said:

whatever. he’s done plenty wrong besides the tang contract

If baseball misses the tournament this year, volleyball would be the only sport to play in the post season this year. Track is all well and good but, I mean come on. Track doesn't pay the bills.

InTangWeTrust said:

So what now DY what’s the chatter?

Chatter hasn't really changed. I just think, unsurprisingly, it will come down to the financial component. And while I don't think the money is there right now, I don't think it's impossible it gets to a point it does get there based on how bad the last week or two has gotten and not just from an on-court standpoint.

Kstateman14 said:

I'm not defending the contract Tang got at all. It is insanely bad and there's no shot these last two years could've been any worse with a different hire. But it went down almost by mid-April 2024. The thought of having to try and find a coach by that point in the cycle probably played a big role in Gene and BMDs decision to push hard to retain and gamble on Tang.

In hindsight, the contract is a disaster. At that time, the majority of people were still very bought in with Tang. The Elite Eight run was still fresh in everyone’s memories and many people believed Tang’s BS of just needing more money.

onefacet said:

whatever. he’s done plenty wrong besides the tang contract

He has, I mentioned that. He's gotten plenty right, too, and hired the coach not long ago that might bring this school its first national championship. I think the conversation about him is complicated because of what he did initially for facilities and nearly every other hire but Tang while also failing in the last year and a half or so to adapt to the new world, bring in alternative forms of revenue + the men's basketball team struggles.

AgronomyCat said:

So my question is. What happens next? Do we just ride it out at the cost of saving 3 mil?

I don't know that it would JUST be about saving $3 mil but also another full year to come up with the money if that is what they decide to do. If they don't have it now, having another full year to come up with it is another part of the equation.

Kstateman14 said:

Gene Taylor canned Bill, stuck his neck out for Klieman who delivered a Big 12 title, and then went and got Klein once he retired. He hired Pete Hughes, who despite my gripes about his coaching, has 33% of our regionals appearances in program history and was robbed of one in 2023. And of course matched our deepest postseason run in program history. He hired Mansfield who seems to have the program trending upwards from where Susie left it. He hired a women's soccer coach who immediately saw results in year one this fall. He clearly made some great hires in the T&F department that may give us a real shot at our first team National Title in school history. Difficult to say what his impact on WBB is because Mittie was already here, but he's kept him around and he delivered the first second weekend trip since the early 2000s. He has facilitated the building of the Shamrock Zone, Tointon upgrades, new indoor football practice facility, the repurposing of the old indoor facility for T&F, the brand new VB arena, etc... Gene Taylor would be revered as one of the best ADs we've ever had if his gamble on Tang worked out. That is the cloud hanging over his head. He's not perfect by any means; I still detest the decision to move the ISU game to Ireland for example. But outside of Tang, I think he's done a great job. I do. But unfortunately, of course, the debacle with Tang is a MASSIVE deal and plays a huge part in his legacy.

His clouds are Tang performance + not grabbing and getting the other forms of revenue in the past couple years. But agree he's done a lot right too. He was a great AD at one time and I think time is just catching up to him, really.

MikeNelson said:

If baseball misses the tournament this year, volleyball would be the only sport to play in the post season this year. Track is all well and good but, I mean come on. Track doesn't pay the bills.

There's a lot of nuance to go around with this academic year's results. Women's soccer had its best season in school history. Klieman is gone and the prodigal son has been hired. Women's basketball is having a rebuild year and could still backdoor a tournament appearance with a strong finish to the season. Albeit unlikely. Baseball is definitely favored to go to Regionals. And I think we're supposed to have decent golf teams? That's not to say I'm having fun this year. It's been miserable. Here's hoping Tang gets fired and the BatCats compete for a Big 12 title.

MikeNelson said:

If baseball misses the tournament this year, volleyball would be the only sport to play in the post season this year. Track is all well and good but, I mean come on. Track doesn't pay the bills.

Neither do baseball and volleyball so bringing them up also served no point based on that logic