Frazier close to getting
5 more years

The University of Hawaii is expected
to approve a new contract this week
for the athletic director

The bottom line isn't always the bottom line ... and that's a good thing for University of Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier.

The UH Board of Regents is set to approve a new five-year contract for Frazier this week, according to people close to the situation. This is happening despite the department falling into a deficit of nearly $5 million since Frazier was handed a $16 million budget, an even ledger and a $210,000 annual base salary when he arrived at Manoa in 2002.

If Frazier knows about his new deal, he wasn't saying yesterday, declining to comment on technically unfinished business.

He did comment (through spokeswoman Lois Manin, as he often does) on his three years at UH.

"We have met all of the markers that we were supposed to meet as prescribed by the administration. We have tried to run a competitive and clean program. ... When we first started one of our goals was to become an integral part of the community and I feel we have also accomplished that," he said.

Financially, the department's bleeding is down to a trickle. UH is losing less money than last year (when it lost less than the year before) and Frazier has said the deficit for 2004-05 could be close to nil.

Frazier has said the department was going to lose money his first year because of what amounts to a Titanic-headed-for-the-iceberg effect -- an imminent negative result that could not be reversed.

Also, the man has a plan, and the Board of Regents believes in it. The BOR approved Frazier's five-year road map to financial self-sufficiency, which got a big head start with the news this month that KFVE/KHNL will pay an unprecedented $1.75 million per year for TV rights to UH sports.

The TV deal may have assured that Frazier will be around to shepherd his five-year plan and UH won't be in the market for another AD to see it through.

Some of the accumulated deficit comes from revenue not meeting projections, and much is made about a $1 million loan from upper campus not being repaid yet from some corners -- notably, though, Dole and University not among them.

The bottom line in this case is Frazier was mandated to upgrade the programs and increase the budget. It is now at $18 million.

Deficit spending is risky, but the TV contract is an early indicator that Frazier's gamble might pay off.

Especially since the man who hired him, former UH president Evan Dobelle, was fired, Frazier's continued employment at UH was not considered a slam dunk by many.

Two key coaches, June Jones and Riley Wallace, say it never should have been a question in anyone's mind. Perhaps it is not coincidental that Frazier has paved the way to new contracts for both. A less-cynical eye might see the football and basketball coaches as leaders in the department who are concerned with its success as a whole.

Jones said personality and follow-through are two of Frazier's pluses.

"He's done a great job. He's handled all the political things. He's schmoozed the right people, said the right things and done things the right way. He's done what he said he would do. It's been very positive," Jones said. "All I know is we're on the road to getting it done for the first time in my seven years here. There's hope, vision. All positives for the school."

Frazier also gets rave reviews from Wallace.

"I think he's been excellent. He's worked hard to try to balance the budget, which has obviously been a challenge, and he made good hires here, because I think (associate ADs) Tom Sadler and John McNamara are good support staff for him," Wallace said. "Herman doesn't try to micromanage and take over everything. Everybody knows he's the boss here. There's no question as to who's making the calls -- it's Herman. He's the bottom line on everything, but he lets his people get out and work and I think they're good at doing it."

There's a chance Sadler might not be doing it much longer. He is among six finalists for Montana athletic director and interviewed there last week. If he gets the job it's a great move for the career assistant, but he said he would miss working with his longtime friend (he and Frazier were together nearly 20 years at Arizona State.)

Because it is the only game in town at its level or above, seemingly minor events associated to UH sports can get the entire state riled up.

A brawl between Hawaii and Houston players after the 2003 Hawaii Bowl that resulted in no major injuries became a testing point of the athletic director's resolve. Frazier, a vociferous advocate of his student-athletes and his coaches, faced a disciplinary issue involving the team of his highest-profile coach, Jones -- and it was the second time the team fought postgame in two years.

The public made it clear it wanted more accountability than after the Cincinnati fight in 2002 (which was basically none). It got what it wanted when Frazier disciplined six players with suspension and other punishment.

Some longtime fans feel Frazier (as well as Jones) is not attuned enough to school and team traditions. The nickname and mascot issue of Rainbows vs. Warriors won't go away. It doesn't help that some of these same fans are being displaced from their football seats by high-roller premium season-ticket purchasers. (A common lament: "We were loyal during the lean years.")

Unfortunately, the changes the old guard can't abide might just be part of the cost of doing business.

Frazier also weathered accusations of being an athletic director in absentia. He spent much of his first two years on the job away from the islands; much of it was UH business, but a lot of it was Olympics business -- the two-time track and field medalist served as a vice president of the U.S. Olympic Committee and chef de mission for the Athens Games.

His contention -- as well as that of UH president David McClain -- is his Olympics connections are a plus for the school. Frazier is no longer a member of the USOC board, but still active in supporting the Olympics. And Frazier is generous with his free time locally; in addition to speaking to groups and serving on boards, he recently mediated a dispute among factions of USA Boxing's state chapter.

Frazier will have to continue to hone in on issues that affect the athletic director's bankbook. They include securing more home football games against attractive opponents, like the one against Navy in 2007 or 2008, and road games against ones with deep pockets, like Florida. He's also working on a proposal to get rent relief from Aloha Stadium -- another sensitive issue for UH fans.

Frazier and WAC commissioner Karl Benson have not agreed on every issue. An example would be UH's reluctance to play ball every time with moving football games off of Saturday for national TV -- a move that generally benefits the conference financially more than the host school.

"Herman Frazier is an experienced athletic director now with a strong background. He's proven capable," Benson said. "He's a strong advocate for his school and the WAC. I can depend on Herman to look at the big picture. He understands the long-term vs. the short-term."

And, fortunately for Herman Frazier, so does the UH Board of Regents.

Frazier's first term

The Hawaii athletic department has experienced ups and downs in Herman Frazier's first three years as athletic director

Aug. 1, 2002
Herman Frazier's first day as UH's 17th athletic director.

May 5, 2003
Sports Illustrated ranks Frazier No. 59 on its list of most influential minorities in sports.

June 20, 2003
Football coach June Jones gets $800,000-per-year, five-year contract making him Hawaii's highest-paid state employee. Half of salary comes from undisclosed private donations.

Aug. 31, 2003
Quarterback Tim Chang suspended from game for playing in the 2002 Hawaii Bowl while academically ineligible. UH fined $5,000 by the Western Athletic Conference for not certifying player for bowl game.

Sep. 5, 2003
NCAA strips UH's 2002 men's volleyball championship and fines UH $10,000 for use of ineligible player (before Frazier's arrival). UH's appeal eventually denied.

Jan. 15, 2004
Announces six UH football players disciplined for roles in on-field brawl after Dec. 25 Hawaii Bowl.

July 15, 2004
Five-year plan for department's financial stability approved by Board of Regents.

July 19, 2004
Announces hiring of Jim Bolla as women's basketball coach.

Aug., 2004
Serves as chef de mission to U.S. Olympic team at Athens Games.

June 3, 2005
Announces new TV contract to bring athletic department at least $1.75 million cash and close to $3 million total per year.