Does Mike MacIntyre do enough in public engagement?

[Sykobuff]

Bill walton has done more good PR for CU than our head coach recently.

 

[Big Jim]

This is about as dynamic as he gets. He's set for his post coaching career.

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

God forbid one of those local radio or TV pieces gets some national play. You're talking about recruits we are offering or targeting - sure they get the same sales pitch they get from other schools about how great they are, but wouldn't it be nice if they heard nice things about CU outside of our directed recruiting pitch? Wouldn't it also be nice if players, parents, and coaches who weren't already being recruited had a positive opinion of the program? That's the part we're not doing well - showing off the things that we have that are worth being excited about.

I honestly think Joel Klatt and Chris Fowler are the program's best friends (quite possibly the program's only friends on a national level) when it comes to these things. They are national, college football media figures that most of or all recruits across the country know. I'm not saying the plugs they give CU on social media are the only solution, but they are probably the best source of national hype that CU has.

 

[Deleted member 807]

To be clear, I think it is not necessary that MM be a great public speaker or anything of the sort. But I do think he and the AD could be doing a better job of outreach. Maybe it involves more of the assistant coaches. CU Video did do something pretty cool when MacIntyre was initially hired where they interviewed him and several of the assistants. That definitely needs to happen again. For a program that has struggled for so long, it just seems like the outreach is lacking.

For the "just win" crowd, I think that attitude only really works for teams winning 9-10 games on a consistent basis. For rebuilding programs and teams in the mediocre tier, outreach at the college level is a fundamental part of the job IMO.

This thread provides an interesting perspective regarding the question; "Which person do fans think is at the heart and soul of the CUAD?"

HCMcCartney set the standard for the HC to be the symbolic face of the program. Mac I is so much more charismatic than everyone else that people continue to look to him 20 years after he stepped down to be a key note speaker to rally the CU fan base.

In the current administration, either Jim Leavitt or Rick George could arguably be crowned chief cheerleader. Both have a personality that people are naturally drawn to. Darren Chiverini is carving out that role in the social media space.

MacIntyre is not naturally the person who shines as the face of CU football. Maybe that's not so bad.

In the context of Oregon, an arguement could be made that Phil Knight is the face of the Ducks. The charismatic billionaire benefactor model also applies to Boone Pickens at Okie Light.

For Oklahoma, Stoops and OU president David Boren share the spotlight. President Gordon Gee at both tOSU and CU is an other example of a charismatic booster president.

Jack Graham was CSU's charismatic leader as AD until he got the axe from president Frank.

Baylor regent Buddy Jones helped carry the flag in Waco for Art Briles and Kenneth Starr.

I am making the case that there is no absolute need for Mike MacIntyre to follow in the footsteps as Bill McCartney or Joe Paterno and be a media strong HC.

As long as the bigger CU ecosystem actively puts the best motivator and salesman as the face of the program, we can be okay with MacIntyre operating more in the shadows.

It would be nice if President Benson or Phil DiStefano or Regent Ludwig could occasionally throw down a speech that brings CU athletic boosters to their feet. But that's just not who these bureaucrats are.

So long as Medford Moore or Chad Brown or Al Williams or Josh Scott or Jeremy Bloom or Jim Leavett or Tad Boyle or Rick George are unified in making CU seem like the place to be, then I'm happy.

The time to panic is when nobody is holding the torch.

 

[patebuff]

Hawk enjoyed being in the media and talking up the program and most fans ate that s**t up until it became clear he wasn't a winner. His "it ain't intramurals brother" rant is a punchline now, but fans loved it at the time. His problem wasn't that he talked too much, it was that he didn't win enough which made everything he said sound like bulls**t.

Belichek and Saban don't need to sell their programs or fight for attention because they win a lot and get all the publicity they want without needing a coach who is a salesman.

There are a lot of great things going on within the program right now - diehard fans know about it because we seek out the info, but who is selling it to casual fans and recruits? It's part of the coach's job and being sh**ty at part of your job doesn't excuse him from doing his job.

Is it smart to have MM do more of this when he is just not good at it? I know some don't buy it, but it has been said above, that some guys are just coaches. I do think we can expect more and do more to engage the fan base and possibly get new fans. However, you mentioned Saban and Belicheck don't do this because they win. Well, Belicheck/Saban have had bad years where they didn't win and both have been fired before. They didn't change that mentality from then till now one bit.

 

[SINKRATZ]

Is it smart to have MM do more of this when he is just not good at it? I know some don't buy it, but it has been said above, that some guys are just coaches. I do think we can expect more and do more to engage the fan base and possibly get new fans. However, you mentioned Saban and Belicheck don't do this because they win. Well, Belicheck/Saban have had bad years where they didn't win and both have been fired before. They didn't change that mentality from then till now one bit.

That's great for Belichek and Saban, but they win and we don't. When we're winning championships I won't care if our coach is milquetoast either. I don't excuse Mac from doing that part of his job just because he isn't great at it. Do it or delegate to someone who can.

 

[patebuff]

That's great for Belichek and Saban, but they win and we don't. When we're winning championships I won't care if our coach is milquetoast either. I don't excuse Mac from doubt that part of his job just because he isn't great at it. Do it or delegate to someone who can.

Fair enough

 

[Denver_sc]

To be clear, I think it is not necessary that MM be a great public speaker or anything of the sort. But I do think he and the AD could be doing a better job of outreach. Maybe it involves more of the assistant coaches. CU Video did do something pretty cool when MacIntyre was initially hired where they interviewed him and several of the assistants. That definitely needs to happen again. For a program that has struggled for so long, it just seems like the outreach is lacking.

For the "just win" crowd, I think that attitude only really works for teams winning 9-10 games on a consistent basis. For rebuilding programs and teams in the mediocre tier, outreach at the college level is a fundamental part of the job IMO.

My initial reply was a little smarmy, but to be completely frank: the CREATION of public outreach opportunities shouldn't (and i would bet isn't) in MM's job description. That's someone higher up the ADs job, probably some sort of marketing person. PARTICIPATION in outreach is a different subject- that probably should be and probably is in MM's job description.

My perception is that MM has been a willing participant in community outreach, but there hasn't been much asked of him. CUAD in full could be doing a much better job of community outreach in Boulder- and I don't think this shortcoming falls on MM's shoulders.

In fact, CU as a whole could be doing a better job with community outreach. CU has always had at least a little friction with the Boulder community at large. That's probably a bigger discussion for another day, though.

 

[89BUFF89]

Hope CU athletics can get some marketing boost from the CU train to the plane rail to DIA. Not sure what advertising CU gets as part of that deal.

 

[TDbuff]

Hope CU athletics can get some marketing boost from the CU train to the plane rail to DIA. Not sure what advertising CU gets as part of that deal.

Well, we're all one campus now, all 4 campuses are now lumped into one, so we're good. Just say CU now and noone will quite know where you're talking about. Solid branding.

 

[goalline]

I've always like it when the head coach has a 1/2 hour show with some media sports guy on Saturday or Sunday night. I think I recall Embree doing that, but I'm honestly not sure. It bugged me that McElwain had a show, but I didn't see any presence from CU. At least MM always does an interview with Logan on game day.

I think both MM and Boyle should have a spot like that during their sports season.

On the other hand, Bellichick and Fox have made it an art form to give non-answer comments to any question during interviews, that it just may not be worth it like it used to be.