Frazier likes
what he sees on
UH scoreboardsWhen not crunching numbers, the
AD appreciates his program's successNotable moments in UH sports
Herman Frazier is at the top of the organizational chart of the University of Hawaii athletic department. But if wins and losses are the ultimate measure in sports, the UH athletic director is in some senses merely a very highly-paid support-staff member.
Yes, his butt is the one on the line. But the biggest part of Frazier's job amounts to dealing with peripheral issues (granted, big peripheral issues), the ones that lock up his appointment book with as many as 15 meetings a day -- around 10 is his average. Things like coaches contracts, facilities, budget deficits and conference affiliation fill his daily agenda.
Wins and losses?
Who has time to think about those when you're counting revenue and expenses every day?
But if you do tote up the playing-field bottom line, you find that Warrior, Wahine and Rainbow teams won 220 times while losing 119 in games and matches in which they played against one opponent in 2002-03. That's 65 percent. Only two UH teams -- water polo (12-14) and women's tennis (11-13) -- lost more than they won.
Two sports are ongoing, track and field and sailing. There's a chance for a national championship in sailing (Hawaii took one in 2001).
"I think we've had a good year," Frazier says. "I'm not going to take credit for it. A lot of it was in place when I got here. But hopefully I make it easier for them.
"I feel good about our sports. What we're doing with football; both our men's and women's basketball went to postseason," he said. "Volleyball was right there, our softball went to the NCAAs."
While some teams had disappointing ends to their seasons -- football and both volleyball teams come quickly to mind, as well as men's basketball's late-season slump -- Hawaii provided consistent winners. Granted, UH plays in the Western Athletic Conference in most sports, a league that owns the dreaded mid-major tag ... that means Hawaii's opponents aren't always the elite.
One of the biggest issues for Frazier is trying to sustain a winning and attractive product in a trying economy and an ever-shifting landscape -- while working toward escaping that mid-major stigma. His $16 million budget might seem big, but it's a pittance when compared to the programs UH fans want their teams to play on a regular basis.
"Michigan State has a $54 million budget, and they're projecting a deficit this year," says Frazier, when asked about a possible UH deficit when the counting is done next month. "54 million! So what you have to do, wherever you are, is figure out where the expenses are and where your revenue is being generated."
Frazier reaches below his desk, and lifts up two large ledger books.
"I'm trying to figure out how to generate that additional revenue for next year already. No matter what our final numbers are this year, we're going to be much better next year."
He has recently had budgets approved for next year for football and women's volleyball -- two revenue generators.
"Couple that with what we know will be much better fundraising efforts, and we already know our revenues are going to be up for next year."
Frazier, who started at UH last Aug. 1, says he should not be judged on a deficit for 2002-2003.
"The budget process is done in May and June. Schedules are already made. We couldn't change our football schedule on Aug. 1," says Frazier. "So the best we could do was go from there and do what we could do to get the numbers to mesh."
He's been through this before; Alabama-Birmingham was in deficit when he left the AD post there, but it was worse when he started there.
Frazier says he foresees a budget increase to "at least $17-million plus, at a minimum" for 2003-04.
While much of the increase is expected to come from donations, it's no secret UH needs to improve attendance.
Reports two weeks ago that renewals for football season tickets are down significantly are erroneous, Frazier says. The renewals are still being counted.
"People were persistent in trying to get a number, and a number came out that is flat wrong," Frazier says. "We're not going to be 7,000 down. No way. Some people got alarmed, but we know what's going on with it, and I feel comfortable about where that number's going to be."
As for conference affiliation, Frazier says he can't talk about what was discussed during a conference call of WAC athletic directors last week.
"But I'm monitoring everything that's going on, closely," he says. "The one conference that holds the key for us is Conference USA. (Miami going to the ACC) is a done deal in my estimation. If that happens, I think we'll see movement in Conference USA, and that's what really affects the WAC. If Louisville and Cincinnati go to the Big East, that creates big holes in Conference USA. Where does Army go at that point. What about (Texas Christian), where do they go?"
And where does Herman Frazier go next year, when the Olympics are in Athens?
Yes, the 1976 gold medalist (4x400 relay) leads the U.S. delegation as Chef de Mission (Olympic-ese for general manager). But the USOC vice president says he has no plans to leave UH, not even on a sabbatical, and he will handle his Olympic duties mostly on his vacation time.
While he has been visible in the community and at UH sports events, most local media members will hardly notice Frazier is gone for a big chunk of next summer. Unlike his predecessor, Hugh Yoshida, Frazier doesn't deal with reporters on a nearly daily basis -- they, like the rest, have to try to squeeze in a half-hour here and there, when he is in town.
He is accessible at times of crisis, such as when swimmer Michael Sheldt died in March -- especially for the athletes and coaches.
"I'm still on the clock all the time," he says. "I get every ounce out of my time during the day. The staff will tell you I'm not a hard person to get a hold of. It goes back to when I ran (track at Arizona State). I found I always did better academically in the spring than the fall, even though I wasn't competing in the fall. I knew I had to travel on the weekends, so I just got my work done right away."
True. There's nothing in his tidy workspace upon which a reporter can test his upside-down-reading skills. No memo on football coach June Jones' new contract. No phone message from Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson.
"People will tell you nothing gets stuck on my desk," Herman Frazier says.
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Notable moments in
UH sports, 2002-03Aug. 1: Herman Frazier starts as athletic director, replacing retiring Hugh Yoshida.
Aug. 30: The women's volleyball team sweeps Ohio State in its season-opener. Coach Dave Shoji is honored by USA volleyball as one of the sport's all-time great coaches prior to the match.
Aug. 31: The football team opens the season with a 61-36 victory over Eastern Illinois at Aloha Stadium.
Sep. 6: The football team leads at halftime, but rival Brigham Young comes back to beat UH 35-32 at Provo.
Oct. 25: Tim Chang connects with Britton Komine for a 13-yard touchdown pass with 2:25 left as UH beats Fresno State 31-21 for the school's first football win at Fresno since 1973.
Nov. 5: Freshman soccer player Natasha Kai is named the WAC's Player of the Year. Three days later, the Wahine lose 3-0 to Rice in the conference tournament and finish 10-8-2.
Nov. 18: The football team is ranked 25th in the coaches' poll after winning at Rice 33-28 for UH's fifth-consecutive victory. It is the first ranking in 10 years.
Nov. 23: Chang comes back from injury to lead a 20-19 victory over Cincinnati at Aloha Stadium; a postgame brawl involves dozens of players from both teams and some fans.
Nov. 30: Alabama holds off the football team 21-16 in front of a sold-out crowd of 50,000 at Aloha Stadium.
Dec. 19: Stanford sweeps the women's volleyball team in a national semifinal match in New Orleans. Hawaii finishes 34-2, with both losses to the Cardinal.
Dec. 25: Tulane tops a listless UH football team 36-28 in the ConAgra Foods Hawaii Bowl before about 25,000 fans at Aloha Stadium. Hawaii ended its longest football season 10-4.
Dec. 30: Michael Kuebler scores 29 points to lead men's basketball past Butler 81-78 in overtime in the championship game of the Rainbow Classic. UH overcame a 21-point deficit.
March 4: Freshman swimmer Mike Sheldt dies after suffering a heart seizure while working out prior to practice.
March 19: Men's basketball romps past UNLV 85-68 in a first-round NIT game at Las Vegas. The Rainbows fall 84-70 at Minnesota five days later and finish the season 19-12.
March 20: Host Arizona State beats the women's basketball team 57-44 in a first-round game of the WNIT. The Wahine finish 16-14.
April 24: Men's volleyball loses at BYU, ending the defending national champions' season. The Warriors finished 24-6.
April 26: Linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa is picked in the second round of the NFL Draft, and offensive linemen Vince Manuwai and Wayne Hunter are selected in the third round.
April 27: The water polo team beats UC-Santa Barbara and finishes its season 12-14.
May 6: Volleyball Player of the Year Costas Theocharidis and softball standout Kate Judd are named the Bonham Award winners, taking the most prestigious award for UH athletes.
May 17: The softball team loses 2-1 to Southwest Texas State and is ousted from the NCAA regionals. The WAC champion Wahine finish 40-20. First baseman Stacey Porter is named All-American.
May 23: Volleyball All-American Tony Ching is hospitalized in critical condition after a mo-ped accident with brain, lung and leg injuries. Ching recovers quickly and begins rehab a week later.
May 24: The baseball team achieves a goal by winning its 30th game of the season, topping host San Jose State 7-6. The Rainbows complete their schedule the next day with an 8-5 loss to the Spartans and finish 30-26 in coach Mike Trapasso's second season.
Dave Reardon, Star-Bulletin