New Athletic Director

[Polito]

Love every single thing in this article. I am pumped. I know full well Rab is prob speaking out of both sides, but he did lead this hire, and it's a super one.

About time we see some pressure and urgency to actually win what matters. Every aspect and person within this dept should be under review as the long-term strategic plans are established, as well as future conf affiliation. CAA or some place else, wherever it is, let's just get this dept and all the programs to the next level of RESULTS.

This is how an organization is properly led and elevated. I'm not interested in 'competing'. That is such an ambiguous statement with no real hard goal or date to achieve such, and allows for never-ending unmeasurable / misleading 'progress'.

As I've ALWAYS said: The academic element aside, athletics here is about one thing only, and that is the NCAAT for all sports, and the only thing that matters is what is best for HU - period.

Look at every single component of this dept, keep what works, change what doesn't, do it swiftly and decisively, and let's build some real champions. As Rab noted, 17 freakin years for mens hoops, it's enough already - way past time. Let's GROW !!

[triplec2195]

Well is there LIP SERVICE going down here or is there real sincerity coming out of his mouth. Is he part of the problem or solution? To have success in any sports program you need resources and community support that now falls in Cole's lap and the pressure is on him to find a way to make this happen right out of the gate. He has the track record and the skills to elevate the programs to the next level. To use the word competitive is a catch all phrase that doesn't have any real definitive meaning. They need to start talking championships and NCAAT play that means something. Hopefully this will be the beginning of a resurrection for a lot of our sports programs. We have a lot to be positive about moving forward!

[Pride97]

Well - I for one am going into this optimistically for this reason...

Cole was in a good situation at Iona and chose to leave it to come to Hofstra. I imagine he asked all the right questions to make this decision and wouldn't make the move unless he was told he would be able to improve things. I am hoping he wanted the challenge and knows what he wants to do (Theo Epstein to the Cubs comes to mind - on smaller scale of course).

All positive words - now just need to take action. A big thank you to Jeff for his time here. I am excited for the future!

[Flying Dutchmen]

“We need to be into the NCAAs, men’s and women’s,’’ Rabinowitz said. “It’s been 17 years. When you see what a basketball area the New York metropolitan area is and the kind of excitement that it develops among alums, we’ve got to be back to that.’’

Is that a mandate?

I cannot be happier getting Rick Cole as our new AD. I just love that he's from the area, he knows the program well, and he's done an excellent job at his last two stops, under considerably tighter financial situations.

HP1, that article is very interesting, Rabinowitz didn't give a ringing endorsement to the CAA. I don't really think we're a particularly good fit for the other conferences in the metro area, but he left the door wide open to join the MAAC.

[Jojogunne]

I'm no fan of the CAA, but joining the MAAC would be a step backwards.

[garyg]

Agree with jojo

[stuball888]

Guys I know you are excited about rick coming aboard. He said all the right things as did Rabinowitz. I still don’t trust Rabinowitz. But sorry I think he is lying thru his teeth. He wants to change conferences. Wasn’t he the one who put in the 1 million dollar exit fee. Do you see him or the BOT paying the CAA one million to go to the MAAC. Get real guys

[joeg1]

Don't stereotype Rabinowitz as some tightwad with money. He's has spent a fortune investing in the university- both in terms of capital improvements and new/improved programs, like the med school and engineering. He has also raised a fortune- the endowment is approaching 600 million.

Clearly, athletics are not his top priority, nor should they be. But when all is said and done, he will go down in history probably as the most important/effective President this University has ever had. Stop looking through the narrow lens of athletics. In hindsight, dropping football was the right call. And if given the opportunity to go to the A10, Hofstra would pay the CAA exit fee in a heartbeat.

[HU76]

You cannot believe ANYTHING Rabinowitz says. I was at a meeting in his office years back when Hayes was hired and he made it sound like football was his favorite sport. Look how that turned out. He hates athletics. Period. He made it sound like we’re moving up to the Big East. He would move the entire athletic program to DIII tomorrow if the BOT let him.

[HU76]

Don't stereotype Rabinowitz as some tightwad with money. He's has spent a fortune investing in the university- both in terms of capital improvements and new/improved programs, like the med school and engineering. He has also raised a fortune- the endowment is approaching 600 million.

Clearly, athletics are not his top priority, nor should they be. But when all is said and done, he will go down in history probably as the most important/effective President this University has ever had. Stop looking through the narrow lens of athletics. In hindsight, dropping football was the right call. And if given the opportunity to go to the A10, Hofstra would pay the CAA exit fee in a heartbeat.

Jim Shuart literally saved the University in the 70s when they were either going to absorb it into SUNY or just padlock the place shut. He has my vote for best president.

[joeg1]

You cannot believe ANYTHING Rabinowitz says. I was at a meeting in his office years back when Hayes was hired and he made it sound like football was his favorite sport. Look how that turned out. He hates athletics. Period. He made it sound like we’re moving up to the Big East. He would move the entire athletic program to DIII tomorrow if the BOT let him.

I guess that's more important than training doctors...a little perspective, please!

[stuball888]

Joe with all due respect you are right about academics but dead wrong on athletics. Yes to medical school and engineering but from what I have been told be local law firms to the law school has had some setbacks. When it comes to athletics if you came to our meetings you will see he is not well liked by the coaches. Most need second jobs to live on Long Island. And 60 percent of their time is spent in fund raising so they can have a full budget

[HU76]

You cannot believe ANYTHING Rabinowitz says. I was at a meeting in his office years back when Hayes was hired and he made it sound like football was his favorite sport. Look how that turned out. He hates athletics. Period. He made it sound like we’re moving up to the Big East. He would move the entire athletic program to DIII tomorrow if the BOT let him.

I guess that's more important than training doctors...a little perspective, please!

Quality academics and athletics are not mutually exclusive. Rabinowitz has a bonafide bias against athletics. I also have a son who is a doctor so I think I have fairly good perspective.

[HofstraPride1]

“We need to be into the NCAAs, men’s and women’s,’’ Rabinowitz said. “It’s been 17 years. When you see what a basketball area the New York metropolitan area is and the kind of excitement that it develops among alums, we’ve got to be back to that.’’

Is that a mandate?

I cannot be happier getting Rick Cole as our new AD. I just love that he's from the area, he knows the program well, and he's done an excellent job at his last two stops, under considerably tighter financial situations.

HP1, that article is very interesting, Rabinowitz didn't give a ringing endorsement to the CAA. I don't really think we're a particularly good fit for the other conferences in the metro area, but he left the door wide open to join the MAAC.

I would not in favor of leaving CAA for MAAC because of the scholarship limitations on most sports, but I would absolutely leave for A-10 or Patriot League. Unfortunately I don’t see either happening, but am glad Cole and president will at least explore issue and whether a new conference would be beneficial and realistic.


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[Hofstra]

Just happy to hear that Rabinowitz isn't satisfied with anything less than the NCAA's. Finally.

[triplec2195]

There are a lot of good points being made here but talk is cheap and Rabinowitz needs to put his money where his mouth is. Academics are the #1 priority after all this is a university but athletics recruits students and I think it would behoove us to have a very recognizable name when it comes to mid major schools and basketball. It seems to me with a limited number of scholarships needed to run this program you can put a school on the map but fast. I believe UMBC and Loyola of Chicago are doing just that. I don't know about anyone else but my favorite part of the NCAAT in basketball is seeing the Cinderella upsets. It gets old seeing the N Carolina and Dukes, Kentucky's of the world win the championship. Lets build a major brand around a marquee sport like basketball.
I think staying right where we're in the CAA makes the most sense unless we can quickly make a seamless transition to a conference that's at least on par with the CAA. Why would we want to move to a conference that's almost the worst in the country. We would go from 13 to 27? This makes no sense IMO. I'll say it again lets stay the course and tweak the inequities in this conference for Northern schools.

[stuball888]

It comes from the top. I have been critical of Rabinowitz. Not for academics or the overall running of the university. When it comes to athletics though he keeps his AD on a short lease. Let face it both ADs Jack Hayes and Jeff Hathaway quit. If things were so good here they would have stayed And Joe if Rabinowitz is pouring so much money into the facilities how come we have an antiquated scoreboard that barely works while a d2 school like Adelphi and Iona college have a better scoreboard and sound system

[HofstraHockey]

Hmm, they should get someone from Iona here to show them what needs to be done to fix things! That would probably help.

[HofstraPride1]

Hmm, they should get someone from Iona here to show them what needs to be done to fix things! That would probably help.

Don't see that happening and Cluess would not be able to recruit same players he does at Hofstra as Iona.

[HofstraHockey]

That was sarcasm, man. They literally just got their athletic director.