University of Houston Athletics
Ask the AD
Today I turned on to see a new and exciting format for the Cougar Internet page. It is so exciting to see and read about all the changes and stories in your department. This is so great for my wife and I to read all the news about every sport. What a great way to keep up with our alumni. PS: Sure would be great to see SMU in our Conference USA. What's the chance? Would that not be fun? (Harvey & Linda Grasty)
I'm really pleased you are enjoying the new web page format. I commend the staff in our Sport Information Department for doing a fine job putting together the layout. We'll continue to add information on a regular basis. Regarding your second point, the Athletic Director's will be meeting in mid-August to formally discuss conference expansion. SMU has always been a well-rounded terrific institution from my perspective. There is a lot of compatibility between SMU and other universities in Conference USA both athletically and academically. I expect the Mustangs might be discussed to some extent when we get together. I hope we'll have the conference expansion plan formalized by early fall. Currently we have an opportunity to nationally televise the Conference Championship game if we can get a 12th team squared away.
I asked a few weeks back about the University getting a real Cougar as a mascot. Has there been any progress? (Rusty Thompson)
There's been a group investigating the possibly of bringing back a real mascot. Some of our alumni are taking a more aggressive and active role in researching the possibility. The effort has been coordinated through the Alumni Organization and there's no greater fan of that which you suggest than me. Memphis has a tiger, LSU has a tiger, Navy has a goat, and Texas has a longhorn, etc. It'd be terrific to find a way to appropriately accommodate a Cougar on our campus and for our games. Stay tuned and we'll see how the efforts works out.
I'd like to know when the men's basketball team is going to release it's schedule and how is the rehab on Chandi Jones knee going? (Brandon Cunningham)
The Men's Basketball schedule will be out very shortly and most likely within the next 3 to 4 weeks. We've finalized our non-conference schedule and submitted that to the Conference USA office. An interesting date is in December when we host North Carolina State in Hofheinz Pavilion...a rematch of a real historic encounter that we all remember very vividly. Regarding Chandi - she's doing extremely well. She's a terrific athlete, a hard worker and Joe Curl tells me she'll be ready to go at full speed for this upcoming season.
In your June 25th response to questions I was very pleased the way you made it known that the return to the campus was for the long haul and the school is committed to keeping Robertson as the Cougars home. I must admit I was one that did not like the move from the Dome at first but have changed my mind since the move. We have a great place and look like we could have a bigger one down the line if we as fans show we want and need one. The game between UH and UT this year is being played in the home of the University of Houston, not at the school in Austin. Since when is the guest entitled to say where you are to have your party. Looks like you invited 10,000 fans of their fans and feel if they don't like it then they can stay at home. The nerve of some people!! (Rusty Thompson)
I am pleased the Texas game worked out on our campus. It's where it needs to be for a raft of reasons that I've expressed in my response to this question in the June 25th question and answer segment of Ask the A.D. I really believe everyone will have a wonderful time and now that the game is at 8:00 p.m. it makes for a daylong event on the beautiful University of Houston campus. A fabulous opportunity to showcase the progress we've made on so many fronts at U of H.
Thanks for playing the Houston/UT game at Robertson. Texas is arrogant to think that we should give them another home game at a boring dome with no tailgating. I started buying tickets because you moved us back on campus. Robertson gives UH exposure. It's 100% more fun at Robertson. I only went to a handful of dome games. I now buy season tickets every year. Once families and recruits see how nice Robertson and our campus is, they will want to sign with us. Tell the idiots who post questions in regards to moving the game that (1) this is "our" home game (what idiots, thinking they have a right to tell us where to play (2) we gave them 10,000 tickets which is way more than we get over there (3) they are afraid we might beat them. UH used to beat them even when we were out numbered in the dome. (Brian Perschall)
I'm glad you enjoy the setting on campus. It's where college football needs to be played. Let me clarify one point - the Texas administration has always been up front, understanding and professional. Some of the rumblings you pick up "on the street" are not a reflection of the dialogue I've had with the Longhorn athletic administration. I've know their leadership for many years and respect the way that they've handled our position and the rationale as to why it is important to play on campus. The next step is to deliver a great event and have the evening conclude with a Cougar victory. Come to the game, enjoy the environment and a feeling for how much fun college football can be on our campus.
I understand that the softball stadium has been completed. Can you have someone post for us far away alumni a few pictures of this facility after landscaping is done? We appreciate the great job you are doing. Thank you. (Ben Youssef)
We're really excited about the softball stadium. They're just about finished it and have started the landscaping process. I'll be very pleased to post pictures, which should be within the next four weeks. I honestly believe it's one of the nicest stadiums in the country. It gives our Women's Softball program a tremendous boost as they focus on our goal, as is the case with men's baseball, a national championship. I'll post those pictures shortly.
I have two questions for you.
(1) Has the athletic department made any effort to include the students, faculty, and staff of other branch campuses (Clear Lake, Downtown, etc.) of UH in season ticket sales, etc.?
(2) Have you thought about replacing the fence along Scott Street between Holman and Elgin with a wooden fence that could be painted with advertisements for upcoming games, sponsors, etc.? Scott Street is heavily traveled. It could become a series of billboards for the athletic dept. for the neighborhood and would look better than a wall of grass. For example the outfield wall of a baseball stadium. (Charles)
Our marketing department makes extensive efforts to extend to faculty and staff on branch campuses, benefits in purchasing tickets that those on the main campus enjoy. We'd like all the students from our branch campuses, who may purchase a ticket at a greatly reduced price, to be part of Cougar football and the University of Houston at large. A call to the ticket office will clearly spell out the options and the opportunities to be a part of the team.
Regarding your second point, we've been working to try and upgrade the landscaping and the environment that surrounds the campus. Although we do quite a bit with advertising and commercialism inside our venues, we don't feel it's appropriate to overly impose that on the community. This is a college campus and should be an enjoyable dignified environment. Somewhere between what we need to do to generate revenue and what we should do to protect the image and aesthetics of the landscaping is the answer. I do however like your proactive thinking especially as it pertains to ways to generate revenues for the department.
Thanks for standing your (and my) ground on the Texas game. It is the correct thing to do. The problem is some people do not have the big picture as you do. Folks need to know that getting people to the campus is half the battle. I am constantly pleased to hear folks from other Texas schools say how beautiful our campus is once they visit. (Glenn Goebel)
Many will enjoy the beauty of this campus when they visit through the course of the fall for home football games. Obviously we lost that opportunity when using the Astrodome. Having personally visited many campuses throughout the country, in comparison, we do have a beautiful campus at U of H. I think people are going to be surprised when they see what a great environment has been created over the last few years by the University administration. It'll be a neat wakeup call for many guests.
My parents and brother are both Cougar Alumni, however I am a Texas A&M former student. As a graduate of the Corps of Cadets I have many great memories of coming to Houston for what used to be a great family and Houston wide rivalry. Unlike our counterparts in Austin, I am very excited about the many great improvements and changes already underway and planned for the U of H campus and especially the athletic programs. I would be very interested in finding out when and if the Aggies might be coming to Robertson Stadium. I personally believe the request to have the UH/UT game relocated was both extremely selfish on their part and nearsighted for Texas football altogether. I would love to come and participate in the newly invigorated football game day on the Cougar campus and hope to have the opportunity to do so in the near future. Your fellow Cougars should be proud of the fact that you choose to "stick to your guns"! (David)
It would be great to play Texas A&M. I've tried on occasion but they continue to show no interest in playing. I'll keep working on their administration and hopefully at some point they might be able to find a way to fit in a couple of dates.
I have observed the developments within the UH athletic department for the last 35 years. I have been a Coog fan since 1962. You and the administration are rebuilding the athletics department the right way. Your decisions have been deliberate and practical. From an investment budgeting perspective, the groundwork is being laid for lucrative returns in the not-so-distant future. I'm speaking of much more than just monetary returns. There is a tremendous opportunity for UH to become (from a marketing perspective) "THE University" in the heads and hearts of the average Houstonian. I'm not sure if you realize it or not, but you aren't very far away from that happening. The immediate area around UH is a GOLDMINE. If UH recruits 60% of the best athletes and students within the loop alone, the returns to both UH and the surrounding communities can be phenomenal. If one is reductionistic enough (in their thinking) and you looked at the UH strategic planning process from the perspective of relationships alone, there are key stakeholders/shareholders/customers within the communities surrounding UH who can become an invaluable force in funneling future generations of human capital, intellectual capital, and political capital into the University of Houston System. The University of Houston and the UH Athletic Department is sitting on a gold mine. Just focus on your stakeholders/shareholders/customers, and the process of "mining the gold" will become MUCH more effective and efficient. (Vonzo Tolbert)
Our way of focusing on our shareholders is to try and improve the existing facilities and field better athletic teams. As we start to turn the corner, specifically with more competitive football and basketball, I believe that more Cougars will buy into the program. There's a wealth of opportunity in the city of Houston for successful programs. We've been working hard over the last few years to put together a really solid foundation of all the pieces that constitute a successful product. The spirit of this University can come alive with a successful athletic program. We're the emotional fiber of the university. I have great confidence in Dana Dimel, Ray McCallum and our other coaches that they're on the verge of a break through. I'm excited with what I see and learn after talking to our coaching leadership and they're doing a masterful job at setting the stage for a giant step forward. I agree with you that U of H is a " gold mine" and we're on the edge. Keep the faith.
The Chronicle had an article in today's paper (6/27) about some NCAA changes such as:
(1) 50% of football and baseball players need to graduate in order for the team to have a post season,
(2) no more jersey logos,
(3) players need to meet the same standards as regular students at each institution,
(4) cutting back from the 85 scholarship limit again, and
(5) encouraging the NFL and NBA to create farm leagues.
I see many positives for more parity, which will help UH. Which of the above will most likely be implemented and by what time frame? Also, how will UH and the BCS teams be affected? Is this a plus for us? Which of the 6 Division 1 conferences introduced this? (Brian Perschall)
Athletic administrators and presidents have discussed that which you've outlined for many years. I believe the Knight Commission had hoped to make a bigger impact with their report made public recently. They were reaching for something of substance and have come up short. Nevertheless each of the items they address, and you outlined, are bits and pieces that if implemented could push the process a little closer to emphasizing the importance of academics and de-emphasizing commercialism that is overwhelming college sports. The bottom line is I don't see any of their recommendations making a significant impact on our program in the short term. There are so many complex variables that are factored into that which is suggested. It'll be quite a while before any legitimate action is taken or impact made.
First of all, I want to say that I think you are doing a great job. I can't wait to see what the next few years hold. I just completed my freshman year here at UH and I am extremely excited about the future of UH athletics. I'm not sure what you are planning on doing to renovate Hofheinz, as I don't see any major problems with it right now, but I wanted to tell you that when it gets renovated I hope we keep the low ceiling. It is something unique to Hofheinz that really increases the crowd noise and gives us more of a home court advantage. I was at the LSU game when it was only about half full and I could not believe how loud it was. Also, concerning UH merchandise. I would like to have a UH antenna ball to display on my car. I went to SFASU a couple of summers ago and they sell SFA antenna balls in their bookstore. Not only would it bring in much needed revenue, but it would also be a great way to spread the UH spirit around town. I can't wait 'till September. (Nathan)
Renovations of Hofheinz will ultimately include replacing the seats, working on the lighting, addressing concessions, and modifying the locker rooms for our programs. I agree with you that the low ceiling is terrific in terms of home court advantage. The LSU game was fantastic and you're right, the noise level was unbelievable.
I'll pass on to my marketing department your suggestion of an antenna ball. I think it's a great idea and we'll try to pull something together. I also can't wait until September. I think we're going to have a lot of fun this fall.
Is it true that we might be able to bring LSU and Oklahoma to Robertson in the decade? What are some top home games throughout this decade in Robertson? (Brian Perschall)
Right now I'm working with LSU and Oklahoma to bring them to Houston. Obviously our home field is Robertson Stadium so therefore my intention is to play the games on our campus. Other teams that we'll compete against in the short term include as noted: LSU, Oklahoma, but also Mississippi State, Miami and Notre Dame. We do continue our series with Rice through 2014 and play some away games of note, which includes Michigan and Tennessee.
What division is U of H as far as sports go? (Melissa Campbell)
U of H is classified as Division IA. There are 110 Division IA programs in the nation all of which field major college football programs. Others without football are simply labeled Division I and sponsor basketball as their primary sport. In the NCAA, we have Division II and Division III which are institutions classified by level of resources and commitment made to their intercollegiate athletics program.
I recently heard that the University of Houston was having a home-and-home series with Florida State University. Is this true or is this just rumors? (Joel)
This is a rumor. I haven't had any discussions with Florida State recently. It would be an interesting match up down the road.
As a UH grad, let me say I am very proud of the job you are doing. Rebuilding the athletic programs at UH is a difficult job, and there is much work to do. After seeing your work at BC, I have full confidence in the direction and future of our athletics. Secondly, on behalf of all UH alums let me thank you for not catering to the pansy UT fans on the stadium issue. Bringing football to campus and renovating Robertson Stadium is long overdue and desired by most of the student body. UT reportedly offered $1 million to move the game. While that is a lot of money to most people, what kind of impact would that money really have on UH athletics? My guess is it would only assist with short-term help on operating costs -not benefit the program like UT supporters feel it would. Keep up the great work. Oh yeah, UT fans - 63-14. (Chris Costa)
You're exactly right. The money at this stage we could generate would be a short-term Band-Aid. We're trying to build a foundation for a solid program. There are intricate steps that must be taken to make this work. One is to establish a legitimate on campus presence with our football program. At some point we had to drive a stake and say we're committed to on campus football. We've made tremendous strides with regard to the renovation of our stadium and facilities, and we need to bring our alumni home to campus.
The USOC is in town this week reviewing Houston's potential bid for the 2012 Olympics. Naturally, this would not be a possibility without the support of UH and Rice facilities. What involvement do you have, as UH AD, with the efforts to bring the Olympics to Houston? And secondly, IF Houston wins the bid for the 2012 Olympics, is there a chance that funds will be allocated to UH for completion of Phase I and Phase II of Robertson Stadium? Is it a far stretch to complete an Olympic Village on campus that could later become athletic housing? (Jay Jenkins)
I've been involved in a support role regarding the Olympic movement. The other day we hosted the Olympic site team who reviewed our facilities and as a result were extremely impressed. It appears at this stage, the Olympic Village could be constructed just adjacent to campus and all of our athletic facilities could be used for both competition and training for the competitors. I believe the plan is to convert the Olympic Village to University housing, to some degree, after the event. It's exciting to think that this major spectacle might happen in our city and you can be sure that the University of Houston will be very much involved in hosting and accommodating our visitors.
Thank you for your stand on keeping the Texas game at Robertson. UT fans can buy season tickets to see all the UH games!
On another note, the upper deck aisle steps at Robertson have a large gap between each step. I have seen a lot of falls and near falls (from especially ladies) trying to climb up and down those steps. If another smaller step could be put between each row, it would correct the problem. A small amount of money to correct a potentially major problem. I'm just bringing it to your attention. (Mark Klecka)
I'll bring this matter to the attention of our physical plant and facilities director. I appreciate your suggestion and we'll look into the possibility of modifying the stairs. I don't know what the cost would be, but we'll begin the process of review immediately. Thanks for your taking the time to bring this to my attention.
Why don't we plant wall ivy on the side of Robertson? This would give a lot of college ambience to the stadium. What is the latest word on expansion and a playoff? (Jim Perdue)
You must be a man of "Ivy league" background. Ivy is big in the northeast on stadiums. I'll talk to our landscapers. Expansion and playoff...see other answers.
I attended a football game at Robertson and noticed that a better job could be done with concession items. More specifically I would like to see vendors sell peanuts and iced drinks (not bottled) by walking around the stadium. Maybe you could initiate volunteers from the Honors College for such a task. One of the best examples of good vending at stadiums was my experience of buying tossed peanuts at Fenway Park. This could be duplicated at Robertson and would provide a good experience and revenue stream. (Dave Wallace)
You're really going to enjoy the new layout in Robertson Stadium with the four concession stands we recently constructed. We've been working this summer with our concessionaire in hopes that they can take the entire operation to another level. Thanks for your suggestions and know that we're on track. I hope you see some improvements this fall in Robertson and winter in Hofheinz Pavilion.
I like the new format for the athletics home page. Is the site up yet for buying UH souvenirs, etc.? (Perdue)
I talked to our merchandizing and apparel staff today and they assure me that the web site to purchase items will be operational within the next couple of weeks. They've been working for quite some time putting the pieces together and are just about there. Keep checking on the web page and one of these days you should be able to log on and purchase all types of Cougar gear.