Isn't it almost always the case that some big name or names is rumored to take a vacant Illini job, but then it doesn't happen? My memory could be incorrect here, though.....
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Good to hear. Could you perhaps be wrong about Fitz as well?
I like Fitz a lot. I've met him several times. He does a great job with the team. His record in conference is better than his 2 predecessors. I've heard from some several people that he's recruited that he's an amazing representative for the university... Even if they didn't choose NU. He runs the program with moral standards that's completely lacking in college football. He's a good human being. Can't disagree with his views on social media either.I just don't like Fitz. Never met him. But I dislike the way he interacts with media. I wish he could be like Chris Collins, professional every time I see an interview with him. Collins is willing to make changes when things aren't working. Fitz is stubborn, snarky and complacent. And he spends way too much time bitching about social media and what dopes like me are saying!
And I have never been negative about NU. I just don't drink the kool-ade that says they will win every game.
I thought Lovie was a great coach. I thought Angelo was a terrible GM. I don't think there was a single year where Lovie had a serviceable OLine and most QBs he had were pretty bad too. Lots of other holes on the team due to draft busts, lack of identifying talent... So to me, I think it's amazing that Lovie actually made a Super Bowl using Angelo's talent.Let's not kid ourselves - he's not mike ditka, he didn't accomplish what he needed to with the Bears. Most bears fans were happy to see him leave. It will be interesting to see how this impacts local recruiting, will kids and their parents be impressed by lovie or want nothing to do with him? Personally I always liked lovie and would want my kid to play for him, but I suspect I am in the minority.
I corrected the typo in your post.Sometimes our own "fans" are our worst enemies.
I just don't like Fitz. Never met him. But I dislike the way he interacts with media. I wish he could be like Chris Collins, professional every time I see an interview with him. Collins is willing to make changes when things aren't working. Fitz is stubborn, snarky and complacent. And he spends way too much time bitching about social media and what dopes like me are saying!
And I have never been negative about NU. I just don't drink the kool-ade that says they will win every game.
If Whitman brings in Lovie Smith, then he will instantly make UI newsworthy and peripherally relevant. I will wait until it actually happens but if he can pull this off, then the Illini may not be as funny in the future as they have been the past few years
In my opinion Lovie is a good defensive coach, a good developer of talent but a poor in game coach and a coach that shown a stubborn unwillingness to adapt to change. If he lands at Illinois, success won't be a foregone conclusion in my opinion. It will be largely dependent on the type of staff he surrounds himself with and his willingness to adapt his schemes to match the strengths of his players and the changing trends in football. The transition from professional football to college football with the limitations on practice time and the need to recruit players will be difficult and I am not sure a guy his age will be able to make the transition successfully. He would not have been my choice.
Do you actually like anyone?
Yes. If I'm looking for a "face of the University", I prefer Chris Collins and his approach. I'm in the minority on PF, and am not trying to convince anyone I'm "right". I'll just drop it now because this has gone on far too long.
Will we be in line for any of their recruits ?
You cant make this sh1t up. Wow
A good hire might help them but, honestly, who would go?
Can you say P.J. Fleck, Brock Spack, Rod Carey.
I think Coach Lovie is one of them. But he is very genuine. What you see is what you get, all the way from Big Sandy, TX. He will talk about effort, getting better, going 1-0 each week, winning each quarter of the season, and rarely discuss individual players to the media. Of one thing I am sure--his players will give full effort, unlike some Beckman teams.
Combs. thought you had left the country or the world for that matter. Whitman's resume says that he was an AD at a Div.3 school and that's it. Those 'money guys" are going to get really tired throwing bad money on top of bad money and just as soon as NFL top job opens up, Lovie is gone. Most good assistants are tied up at their current programs, so Lovie's assistants will be guys off the un-employment line, maybe Ditka. Heard that he wants to get his son's a job, so that might be the reason he's taking a job at a university that's in total turmoil. Well, they have at least announced that the basketball coach is staying, guess until they come up with a another million dollar donor.Can get a waiver on that since spring practice is about to start and Lovie is a minority hire.
Whitman is a smart guy. Check his resume. He had his ducks lined up before he fired Cubit. Cubit is a good guy and a pretty good coach, but Illinois needed a splash and got it.
As for money, Shahid Khan and some other big donors are behind this. He's worth about 6 billion.
Watch for some interesting names on the staff.
You clearly do not understand the dynamics of the relationship between the UI DIA and some of the money guys (who, to this point, have not put up "big money"). You also do not understand Whitman's background and the importance of having an "Illini" in this leadership position. The two are tied together.Combs. thought you had left the country or the world for that matter. Whitman's resume says that he was an AD at a Div.3 school and that's it. Those 'money guys" are going to get really tired throwing bad money on top of bad money and just as soon as NFL top job opens up, Lovie is gone. Most good assistants are tied up at their current programs, so Lovie's assistants will be guys off the un-employment line, maybe Ditka. Heard that he wants to get his son's a job, so that might be the reason he's taking a job at a university that's in total turmoil. Well, they have at least announced that the basketball coach is staying, guess until they come up with a another million dollar donor.
Combs. thought you had left the country or the world for that matter. Whitman's resume says that he was an AD at a Div.3 school and that's it.
When it comes to recruiting in state vs. illness, we have kicked their butts for about a decade.
Why? What does Illinois bring to the table to differentiate itself from any other big ten school? not location, not tradition, not game day experience, not academics - maybe theres something I'm not thinking of, but why would a kid want to go to Illinois over most of the rest of the big ten?
Good to hear. Could you perhaps be wrong about Fitz as well?
I get that the new AD has carte blanche to fire Cubit no matter how recently his contract was inked. I also get that it was a weak contract and not one that engendered long term stability for recruiting, boosters etc.
But not telling the players? I can't believe that there wa such a critical timeline that the AD could not spare a few HOURS to tell the players and then make the announcement. Huge , huge gaffe.
Total rumor (so grain of salt and all), but I heard that he met with Cubit first and he was PISSED and texted multiple staff members before Whitman could meet with the players.
Wanny was also a Pitt alum. Lovie zero Illinois ties.The hiring of Lovie reminds me a lot of another former Bears coach Dave Wannstedt to the Pitt Panthers. Both had average records as NFL coaches and had been out of the college game for awhile. The biggest and hardest difference for Lovie is that Pitt had a better roster to start with and more local talent to recruit. Regardless, Lovie brings respect and interest to Illinois two things they were sorely missing before.
Wow!!! "We're the 4th possible 3rd best big ten school" sounds like a great recruiting pitch.After NU (clear first), UM (clear second) and POSSIBLY Wisconsin (we usually tie them in most rankings, averages out), we're the next best school in the Big Ten (not that I could afford to go there!). I know you guys look at everything from your throne, but Illinois is a very, very good school, especially for a public school. And as far as location, I don't know if you've been to Champaign recently, but what was an absolute dump in 2002 has become a super cool, nice Campustown and vibrant, growing downtown. Additionally, while you guys can definitely recruit on your location, UI will forever remain the flagship of a state that includes Chicago; this is probably a point of pride for you guys, but as a Chicagoan I can say that people simply don't cheer for NU unless they went there... They cheer for no one, Illinois or Notre Dame if they're Catholic or live on the south side (this of course excludes specific alumni). We, as has been mentioned, have quite wealthy boosters who are hungry for success, and we are finally taking the steps to get there.
I'm not expecting you guys to have an affection for Illinois. But we have too many resources to be as pathetic as we are.
How do you notify the kids before the press if the news has hit the internet before you even close the door on the meeting? There is no perfect way to do this, especially in the social media driven world we now live in. I'm certain the AD had a timeline, but didn't plan on Cubit or Cubit Jr going public before he had a chance to get with the players.I think Lovie will definitely give you guys a short term boost. I would be leery if I was a recruit that he will bolt back to the NFL, so he will have to dispel that quickly. We will see about Whitman, but it was the best you were going to do and it makes sense. Thomas and Becky were bozo's, so major upgrade.
Not notifying the players before the press was a rookie mistake. Of course, Cubit was pissed, was the reaction a surprise to Whitman. Having the great pleasure of letting people go throughout my career, you always have a very planned out timeline to insure the notification of impacted staff ( players in this case) get the news immediately after the notification and BEFORE they hear it on the street. Whitman blew the notification and there no legitimate excuses to justify that.
How do you notify the kids before the press if the news has hit the internet before you even close the door on the meeting? There is no perfect way to do this, especially in the social media driven world we now live in. I'm certain the AD had a timeline, but didn't plan on Cubit or Cubit Jr going public before he had a chance to get with the players.
I thought that, but it's pretty tough to get the players together before you have the conversation with Cubit in an appropriate fashion.U
You have the players already gathered while you are speaking with Cubit and you walk into the meeting with the players the moment you walk out of the meeting with Cubit. That's how it should have been handled.
Wow!!! "We're the 4th possible 3rd best big ten school" sounds like a great recruiting pitch.
Putting aside the fact that you clearly seem like a total a*shole I'd never want to meet in person.
To me, the bottom line is that if I am a recruit that was recruited by Beckman or Cubit and I find out that I am going to be playing for Lovie Smith, then I think I have won the lottery. Any negative vibes about how I was informed would go away very quickly.How do you notify the kids before the press if the news has hit the internet before you even close the door on the meeting? There is no perfect way to do this, especially in the social media driven world we now live in. I'm certain the AD had a timeline, but didn't plan on Cubit or Cubit Jr going public before he had a chance to get with the players.
I thought that, but it's pretty tough to get the players together before you have the conversation with Cubit in an appropriate fashion.
Option A. You either lie about it and say it's a meet the AD meeting and then drop the bomb on the team.
Option B: you give a huge tip that Cubit will be fired with the undescript, "we need to talk about something" and hope it doesn't get reported that Cubit will be fired.
Option C: you blindside the team as they're coming in for practice or a pre-existing something.
None of these sound good. You tell Cubit and the minute he walks out the door, you send an email the team that the firing occured. You apologize for informing them over email but needed to do so before They heard about it over the Internet, and you tell them a time and a place to meet so you can discuss in person.
The AD calls a football team meeting but takes the coach aside to speak with him individually 5 minutes before the meeting starts. You dismiss the coach and then walk into the meeting with the players to let them know the news. Not complicated.