Rick Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I haven't taken the time to look whether this is already posted somewhere else but Mike Mcfeely had an interesting interview with Terry Wanless today. http://www.kfgo.com/...ike-mcfeely.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 One point where McFeely is wrong is that Wanless wasn't that successful as AD of UND because he was run out of town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cratter Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 He basically said "whatever." Hopes UND resolves the nickname issue, but the conference doesn't really have a stance on the nickname. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachdags Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 One point where McFeely is wrong is that Wanless wasn't that successful as AD of UND because he was run out of town. Terry may have been the best AD in the last 25 years. He brought financial responsibility to the Athletic department and started the Fighting Sioux Club as we know it today,,,,, before Terry we had our finances, concessions, tickets sales ect.... ran out of cigar box sort of speak, he changed all that for the better He took the wrap for firing Gino, which upset alot of people, but that got us to Dean Blais (was not his choice, Cliffords) that worked out well.... I'm guessing we won more National titles with him as AD (doesn't mean alot, but) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cratter Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 He gives a lil jab to the "the sky is falling crowd" about the nickname. Says even if UND keeps the nickname, over the long run, they won't have a problem filling schedules, and things will "work themselves out." 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeauxSioux Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Wanless did a nice job fiscally, but sometimes that doesn't make a lot of friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 (edited) He took the wrap for firing Gino, which upset alot of people, but that got us to Dean Blais (was not his choice, Cliffords) that worked out well.... So he was run out of town? Right? I remember there were a lot of people that were upset with him after Gino was fired, some of this stuff seems to be a distant memory as well. We have had so many AD's one seems to lose count of them all. Edited February 14, 2012 by Goon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cratter Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 He has talked to the Sac St president about this issue...and says.....it pretty unlikely they would get every president to agree to kick UND out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachdags Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 So he was run out of town? Right? I remember there were a lot of people that were upset with him after Gino was fired, some of this stuff seems to be a distant memory as well. We have had so many AD's one seems to lose count of them all. truth as I know it.... Ralph wanted Baker gone before he would invest in the new REA, was told this by Ralph himself on his plane coming back from Milwaukee after National Championship....In so many words there was no love between Ralph and the Administration at UND, this was fueled by handling of Gino and surprise LOGO! Toby Baker, yes Toby was the brain trust behind retiring the Sioux Head the 1st time and bringing in the geometric head style... Anyway, I believe that Kendall Baker thought he could save his position if he got rid of Terry... All I know is Ralph told me if UND would clean house sort of speak, he would donate more than any other benefactor had ever given to a University.... Less than 1 year later Pres gone, AD gone....REA plans announced.....go figure 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 (edited) truth as I know it.... Ralph wanted Baker gone before he would invest in the new REA, was told this by Ralph himself on his plane coming back from Milwaukee after National Championship....In so many words there was no love between Ralph and the Administration at UND, this was fueled by handling of Gino and surprise LOGO! Toby Baker, yes Toby was the brain trust behind retiring the Sioux Head the 1st time and bringing in the geometric head style... Anyway, I believe that Kendall Baker thought he could save his position if he got rid of Terry... All I know is Ralph told me if UND would clean house sort of speak, he would donate more than any other benefactor had ever given to a University.... Less than 1 year later Pres gone, AD gone....REA plans announced.....go figure Thank you coach, you filled in a few parts that I had forgot. Edited February 14, 2012 by Goon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iramurphy Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 He gives a lil jab to the "the sky is falling crowd" about the nickname. Says even if UND keeps the nickname, over the long run, they won't have a problem filling schedules, and things will "work themselves out." That is as long as UND is in the Big Sky or a conference. He said we would have a lot of trouble without a conference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bincitysioux Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 One point where McFeely is wrong is that Wanless wasn't that successful as AD of UND because he was run out of town. IMO, Wanless was one of the best A.D.'s that UND has had. Just because he fired Gino doesn't mean he was "run out of town". He left a northern DII school for a DI school located in sunny California.......................... I agree that he sounded pretty optimistic that it would be a long shot that UND would be expelled from the Big Sky and that is worth something to me. He said that they've never had any discussion about UND's nickname or logo at the Athletic Direrector level. He also said that he is no "ace in the hole" if it came down to him convincing his President not to vote for UND getting ejected from the conference if it ever came down to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachdags Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 IMO, Wanless was one of the best A.D.'s that UND has had. Just because he fired Gino doesn't mean he was "run out of town". He left a northern DII school for a DI school located in sunny California.......................... like 3 years later.....lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fetch Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I'd love to hear what many of these past players in all this think today I wish Ralph was alive I hope he can RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bincitysioux Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I'd love to hear what many of these past players in all this think today I wish Ralph was alive I hope he can RIP Sadly, if not for Ralph's extremely genereous gift, we would not be having this debate at all............................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bincitysioux Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 like 3 years later.....lol Coach................... I know you are a helluva alot closer to the program than I am, but my point is that if Wanless was such an inept A.D., he would not have moved up in the food chain...................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cratter Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Coach................... I know you are a helluva alot closer to the program than I am, but my point is that if Wanless was such an inept A.D., he would not have moved up in the food chain...................... Sometimes politics are most important than how good a job you do at your job...sadly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachdags Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Coach................... I know you are a helluva alot closer to the program than I am, but my point is that if Wanless was such an inept A.D., he would not have moved up in the food chain...................... Sometimes politics are most important than how good a job you do at your job...sadly. Agree with both.....Terry did a nice job at UND and it gets better as we continue to look back, and try to move forward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bison Dan Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Well now we know what the going price of a college president and AD are. Terry was a good administrator but I don't think he was prepared for the hockey crowd after he got rid of Gino. He was asked to leave, make no mistake - if not why would he go? I have a feeling he was "very well" compensated for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Just because he fired Gino doesn't mean he was "run out of town". He left a northern DII school for a DI school located in sunny California.......................... You might want to go back and read CoachDag's post... I would say run out is probably accurate. coachdags, on 13 February 2012 - 08:57 PM, said: truth as I know it.... Ralph wanted Baker gone before he would invest in the new REA, was told this by Ralph himself on his plane coming back from Milwaukee after National Championship....In so many words there was no love between Ralph and the Administration at UND, this was fueled by handling of Gino and surprise LOGO! Toby Baker, yes Toby was the brain trust behind retiring the Sioux Head the 1st time and bringing in the geometric head style... Anyway, I believe that Kendall Baker thought he could save his position if he got rid of Terry... All I know is Ralph told me if UND would clean house sort of speak, he would donate more than any other benefactor had ever given to a University.... Less than 1 year later Pres gone, AD gone....REA plans announced.....go figure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iramurphy Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Wanless cleaned up a financial mess. There are a lot of people who think he did a very good job. He certainly is more articulate than Faison. UND athletics had good success under Terry. The hockey team had a couple of tough years around the time Gino left. There is another story that he could have remained hockey coach but the mess in the athletic dept. needed to be cleaned up and people were starting to grumble about hockey. I would be cautious about assuming Wanless was run out of town or that Ralph got everyone fired. Ralph disliked Kuppy and he couldn't get him fired. I am not saying Wanless was or wasn't fired, and I'm not saying Ralph was or wasn't able to move Baker or Wanless out but we are turning rumor and coincidence into facts. Not sure I have seen or heard solid evidence but I certainly see the coincidence. I don't believe Gino was a Wanless fan but it is a good reminder, no matter how popular you are as a coach, even in hockey, you answer to the AD and the president. If Ralph was that powerful how was it he couldn't save Gino??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Wanless cleaned up a financial mess. There are a lot of people who think he did a very good job. He certainly is more articulate than Faison. UND athletics had good success under Terry. The hockey team had a couple of tough years around the time Gino left. There is another story that he could have remained hockey coach but the mess in the athletic dept. needed to be cleaned up and people were starting to grumble about hockey. I would be cautious about assuming Wanless was run out of town or that Ralph got everyone fired. Ralph disliked Kuppy and he couldn't get him fired. I am not saying Wanless was or wasn't fired, and I'm not saying Ralph was or wasn't able to move Baker or Wanless out but we are turning rumor and coincidence into facts. Not sure I have seen or heard solid evidence but I certainly see the coincidence. I don't believe Gino was a Wanless fan but it is a good reminder, no matter how popular you are as a coach, even in hockey, you answer to the AD and the president. If Ralph was that powerful how was it he couldn't save Gino??? I was reviewing a collection of articles at this site. Found this... He also threatened to hold up a major gift until former UND Athletic Director Terry Wanless left the school, then later threatened to stop construction of the new arena if UND President Charles Kupchella changed the nickname or the new logo Engelstad had helped create. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 (edited) I guess we can split hairs all we want but after refreshing my memory from a great trip down memory lane by Coach Dags post... I think we can say. "It is what it is." IF I remember right Wanless was also know for running a clean ship and doing everything by the book as well. From Kevin Fee.... http://www.mail-archive.com/nativenews@mlists.net/msg05088.html UND loves controversy, doesn't it? In the past two years: UND President Kendall Baker gets fired for, among other things, heat he receives for changing the Fighting Sioux logo from the Blackhawk Indian head to the Fighting Sioux geometric Indian head. UND Athletic Director Terry Wanless gets fired for, among other things, heat he receives for being part of Baker's move to get rid of the Blackhawk Indian-head logo. UND President Charles Kupchella gets hired and, a few months later, unveils a new Fighting Sioux logo that bears a striking resemblance to the former Blackhawk Indian-head logo. UND Athletic Director Roger Thomas gets hired and, a few months later, suggests that Kupchella use the new logo to complement the geometric representation. I'm not a Native American, so I don't know how it would feel to have UND teams named the Fighting Sioux. Edited February 14, 2012 by Goon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I get that it's the way of the world sometimes, but I need to take a shower to get all the "ick" off me after reading how all that went down. I had forgotten all that. Maybe purposefully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iramurphy Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 A couple of things that need to be clarified. First of all, Ralph did not get Baker fired. The SBoHE made the decision and it wasn't related to the name and logo nor to Ralph's gift. Ralph's gift never required UND to keep the name and logo. After he was told it was ok and then later Kuppy balked, he got pissed and threatened to walk away from the unfinished arena. The SBoHE had their meeting scheduled before Ralph sent his famous letter and they already planned to direct UND to keep the name and logo. That may have had something to do with pressure from UND supporters and Alumni and a reported threat from Dean Blais to quit if UND dumped the name. Wanless wasn't fired by the SBoHE. However he ended his employment, it was UND's doing, not the SBoHE. I do not know if Ralph had anything to do with Wanless leaving UND. I am not stating Ralph didn't make statements others said he made, I am saying the decisions by the SBoHE weren't due to pressure from Ralph. Anyone who serves on a public board like this would know it is poor form to bend to threats from wealthy benfactors. To state the SBoHE made a decision about a UND president based on dislike by a benefactor I do not believe is accurate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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