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Bob Danenhauer resigned as Athletic Director at UNO. He is going to work for the Public Schools. His reign ends as Athletic Director on November 1. Maybe new AD will feel differently about moving to DI or MIAA. He did turn around sports at UNO bringing in hockey and turning around Mens Football and Basketball. Story www.omaha.com
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Re: Danenhauer Resigns
Mavericks-
Maybe UNO's stance on the issues will change, but I doubt it. Issues as big as conference or NCAA affiliation are decided more by the president or chancellor, than the AD. Maybe if your chancellor was on the fence on one of these issues there will be a change, depending on what the AD can convince them of.
A second more unlikely possiblity is that your AD and the president fundamentally disagreed on these issues, and so the AD left, or was forced out. In this case there would be changes coming. All of you UNO fans would know more about this than I do though. -
Re: Danenhauer Resigns
Tom Shatel, columnist Omah World Herald has a take on UNO'S situation. Things are not so rosy at UNO as Maverick NO 1 and his brother Big Jake state. Its interesting how a hockey program is not going all that great after 5 years in a big metropolis like Omaha. It would appear SDSU made no mistakes, by not going down the hockey path, and maybe the equestrian team is not so dumb after.
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=...;u_sid=1180068
Published Friday
August 20, 2004
Tom Shatel: Pressing concerns for next Mav A.D.
BY TOM SHATEL
WORLD-HERALD COLUMNIST
Bob Danenhauer always looked as if he was having too much fun to be working. Blame it on the smile, the handshake and the accompanying slap on the back. They were deceiving.
Behind the image of a good old boy who seemed to know everyone in Omaha was a man who knew a thing or two about being an athletic director.
After seven years, it's hard to recognize Maverick sports. UNO went from a mom and pop store to an able competitor, from Joe Louis Arena in Detroit to right here at home, in the ever-growing Omaha sports market.
Maybe Danenhauer knows a thing or two about when to get out, too.
He leaves behind a Division II kingdom. But he also leaves potential headaches on his desk, which sat beneath a huge picture of John Wayne. UNO might need "The Duke" for this job.
It's a crucial hire. UNO hockey is at an important crossroads. So is UNO's future in the depleted North Central Conference. Chancellor Nancy Belck and Danenhauer created a monster that feeds on revenue.
Belck must find someone who can deal with these issues:
• 1. Hockey. The trendy play toy has become a business at UNO. Mav hockey brings in $3 million, or half, of UNO's total athletic revenue (football is second at $400,000). While UNO's attendance would be considered huge at most colleges, the Mavs have lost their buzz as they moved to the Qwest Center Omaha and slid down the CCHA standings.
Which means it's a big year for Coach Mike Kemp.
"We need to get the puck in the net," Danenhauer said. "Mike knows that. Mike knows there's a lot of expectations to turn it around this year."
• 2. The NCC. UNO needs its next athletic leader to be on the cutting edge of Division II sports movement. The NCC is down to seven teams, and who knows how long North Dakota will hang around? Even with UND, the weakened league could threaten UNO's football attendance and the playoff ratings in other sports.
"There's a lot in flux right now," Danenhauer said. "There are so many Division II schools now dropping sports and going Division III.
"I wouldn't be surprised to see a merger. There's been talk about the Northern Sun, but that's not as attractive as getting with Northwest Missouri, Pittsburg State or Central Missouri (in the MIAA). There's been talk about a merger, like the Big 12, with north and south divisions. That would be sweet for us."
• 3. Look into going Division I, with football going Division I-AA. UNO Football Coach Pat Behrns is a proponent of I-AA football.
"If we could go I-AA in football and keep everyone else in Division II, I would be for it," Danenhauer said. "But while I think our football program could play in I-AA, I don't think our other coaches, in wrestling, golf or basketball, would want to play in Division I-A."
• 4. Promote hockey over the other Division II sports. Danenhauer, perhaps as an old-school Division II guy, chose not to do that. But it's time for UNO to separate the two and give its Division I breadwinner its full due.
"Do you take hockey and throw a lot of money at it?" Danenhauer said. "That's the balance you have to have. How would that affect the other sports? We've always marketed hockey, but we choose to do the same for other sports, too.
"The problem is with hockey you are trying to compete with Ohio State and Michigan, and with the others you are trying to beat North Dakota. I think our other coaches understand hockey is different. It's not an easy mix."
It will be a hard job for someone. A better job, too. That's the legacy, the final slap on the back, that Danenhauer leaves.
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