FanPost

Dear SU Fans....

SU Fans,

I recently had an epiphany about SU Athletics, specifically SU football. One of those light-goes-off, ding-ding-ding moments of previously unseen clarity and understanding, which we've all had at some point. Before I get into the brass tacks, let me pose a question to Orange Nation: What do Jimbo Fisher, Ice Hockey, Jim Boehiem, and Indoor practice facilities have in common? Answer: EVERYTHING.

You see, as much as Mark Emmert & his minions at the NCAA would have you believe the contrary, collegiate athletics is a business, and in business the bottom line is top priority. Syracuse football has been mired in a state of mediocrity since the turn of the century, not finishing better than 8-5 since 2001 and the reason why is quite simple. Take a journey with me if you will..

First let's start with Florida State, one of the best teams in the nation. I was reading some interesting things in the NY Times about the program when I came across this gem, "Days before the national championship game last season, Coach Fisher received a multimillion-dollar raise and contract extension. Most of his $3.5 million pay comes from the Boosters."

$3.5 mil from boosters? Interesting.

Marry those facts with the recent reporting that our beloved Jim Boeheim is considered one of the biggest "bargains" in college basketball when his compensation is viewed alongside the results. I know what you're thinking "But he makes over $2 million a year, how is that a bargain?" Well, when you examine WHO is paying Coach B, the picture becomes clearer. According the Post-Standard's adept reporting "Boeheim's compensation includes $1.2 million provided by IMG Worldwide, which has a marketing contract with the school. Boeheim also receives $295,097 from the university and $205,239 from running Big Orange Basketball camp."

So out of the over $2 million Jim Boeheim takes home, only $200K comes directly from the university. I was curious, how do other schools do it? How many others have similar setups with media partners? And then I came across these nuggets:

"If side deals don't pay the bill, wealthy alumni are happy to step up. When North Carolina State thought it would take at least $2 million to find a top-notch basketball coach, the Wolfpack Club, an alumni group that raised about $25 million in 2004, was ready to cover whatever the university couldn't afford."

The same is true for college basketball. "North Carolina's Roy Williams earns only $260,000 in salary. The rest of his $1.6 million annual compensation is made up of a combination of funds from the school's $350,000 radio and television deal, about $500,000 from Nike, and a five-year, $3.9 million "retention" bonus that's being paid to Mr. Williams by the Rams Club, a booster group."

Say what? NC boosters raised $25 million to find a head coach and the boosters at UNC pay Roy Williams almost $800K annually, more than 3 times what the actual university gives him and double what he makes from media partners? Wow.

And finally, there's this tidbit. I recently saw the news that Arizona State is making plans to introduce a D-1 hockey team to compete in the middle of the friggin desert.. "How" you ask? Well, thanks to some generous boosters who raised $32 million to get things off the ground. Again, interesting news.

Notice a theme here?? Boosters are the life blood of big time collegiate athletics. It is through the donations of loyal and faithful fans that allow successful programs to make the hires, build the facilities and do the things required to attain and sustain success. Speaking of facilities, Dick Thompson over the Board of Trustees at SU said this when interviewed about the indoor football facility. "Thompson told The Daily Orange in March that a new football facility has been under consideration for 5-7 years, and that it came together now due to low interest rates - which Alper echoed - and available funds."

So SU could have had an indoor facility during the awful Robinson years if the money was there...? Would they have gone 2-10 & 3-9 in 2008 & 2009 if they had that facility? We will never know, but the fact that the need was recognized 7 years ago and couldn't be achieved due to lack of funds is telling.

Dr. Gross' remarks in a previous PS article about moving to the ACC also shed some light on SU's fiscal situation in years past:

RE: the move to the ACC "We were playing at a little bit of a minor league budget with big-time programs," Gross said. "Now we have an opportunity to move into the major league budget and get our sports up to speed (with) resources and financially."

Also, "We're balancing, but it's always been a struggle," Gross said. "We do some creative things to keep the donors going that we won't have to depend as being as creative going forward now with the ACC. We have a little bit more solid base as far as the finances go. We feel really good about our budget this year."

Don't know about you, but that last quote really registered with me.. That's the AD of what purports to be a competitive D-1 program saying publicly that his department has to do some creative things financially because it cannot depend on booster contributions... Everything you need to know is right there folks, look no further. If a school can raise $32 million to start a hockey team in the desert, then why can't we as a fan base make the necessary contributions to get SU football back into the top 25 perennially?

That Jim Boeheim has accomplished as much as he has despite not being as handsomely rewarded as he deserves (Coach K makes $9 million, Boehiem $2) is a testament to his character and true devotion to the university. He is an outlier in these times.

Syracuse fans bemoan the program, the staffing decisions, opting to play at Metlife, etc. Some frustration is understandable and even warranted, but the reality is that Syracuse fans have no one to be upset with but them. Some say a new coach/staff is needed? I think the previous examples illustrate where most of that money comes from. Boosters. Everyone agree that the indoor facility is a great addition, and it could have happened almost a decade ago but not for lack of resources. Fans gripe about the Metlife game, but can anyone argue with a $5 million payday when the Dome is 60% full and those who come leave 10 minutes before the game ends?

Say what you will about Dr. Gross, but I am of the impression that he has done a masterful job working with a skeleton budget, even losing money in 2008 to position SU for future success in the ACC. This is not rocket science. This is not a chicken vs. egg scenario. This is collegiate athletics and to the countless Syracuse fans who claim they will not support the program until it returns to its winning ways, you could not be more wrong. Do parents withhold love for their children until they bring home straight A's? I realize blood is thicker than Orange, but the same principle is at play.

If Syracuse "fans" claim to love the Orange as much as they say they do, then the need for financial contributions is obvious. If SU wants to compete with the likes of FSU & Clemson, and hire the right people to get them there, then we as a fan base must fill the coffers to make those desires a reality. I mean, Alabama boosters pay the mortgage on Nick Saban's house, yet Syracuse can't get 50,000 people to sit and watch a football game for a full 60 minutes?

Syracuse fans, do you think you deserve that A-list coach? Do you think we as fans have cultivated the kind of atmosphere where a top level coach sees SU as a desirable locale? Uniforms aside, how do you think a recruit feels when he is in the Dome for a home game and sees the stands empty with 4 minutes left in the 4th in a tight game? What message does that send? It starts with us Syracuse fans. Our cynicism, skepticism and apathy are undermining all of the good things that are happening on campus. If you as a fan want SU to be what we all know it can be, than look no further than the mirror. Shut your mouth, open your checkbook, go to a game, stay for the duration, be engaged and yell loudly. Sounds like a great starting point. If they can have hockey in the desert, SU can have a good football team again. Just understand that it starts with us.

-Bryan Dumas

Newhouse c/o 2007