Sun Times Hack Job
- Thread starter NJCat83588
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I agree that the guy was surprisingly critical of the class, even though I think the class was fairly good considering the losing seasons.
But the guy rightly pounded on the university for the 'bait and switch' with the athletic facilities. Only in pictures does it exist. End of discussion.
But the guy rightly pounded on the university for the 'bait and switch' with the athletic facilities. Only in pictures does it exist. End of discussion.
We'll see about the facilities.
Coverage of the class was ridiculous. Some of the guys on BTN last night thought Nagel, last guy to commit, might be one of the freshmen who plays next year. Georgia and Miami, Fla., had more decommits than we did, so I guess they are last resorts now. Not to mention the Dowells left Kentucky after leaving us.
Coverage of the class was ridiculous. Some of the guys on BTN last night thought Nagel, last guy to commit, might be one of the freshmen who plays next year. Georgia and Miami, Fla., had more decommits than we did, so I guess they are last resorts now. Not to mention the Dowells left Kentucky after leaving us.
"Put up or Shut up" time is coming for the facilities. Last we heard, groundbreaking would be "Spring 2015". Which is about 3 months away given the temperature at sunrise this morning..................
Agree with most posters about the facilities. It's not easy to get one of these things built, but if it's not in the cards soon the university and coaches should just shut up about it for now.
Meh, the writer is an illini turd, so take that for what it is worth. Meanwhile in the Tribune two writers skewer Becky, my favorite line from Steve Rosenbloom this morning:
""Normally, Illinois football doesn't matter enough to criticize in Chicago. Normally, Beckman and his program are thought of as annoying in Chicago if they are thought of at all".
""Normally, Illinois football doesn't matter enough to criticize in Chicago. Normally, Beckman and his program are thought of as annoying in Chicago if they are thought of at all".
I agree. Given the fawning coverage the Harrisburg media company gives to Penn State, Chicago media's coverage of both NU and the Illini is pathetic. While NU and Illinois fight over who is Chicago's team, the Chicago media appear to give that honor to Notre Dame.
Don't be Beckman-esque
It's not their job to be nice to us. Win some more bowl games. Get a few more 4-stars like JJ and Thorson to stay home. Then we will get the kind of press we want. This is the big city. We're not going to get the fawning coverage of Harrisburg, Lincoln or Iowa City.
It's not their job to be nice to us. Win some more bowl games. Get a few more 4-stars like JJ and Thorson to stay home. Then we will get the kind of press we want. This is the big city. We're not going to get the fawning coverage of Harrisburg, Lincoln or Iowa City.
Blasting the lack of progress and worse yet the silence on the facilities is fair. However, the ranking of recruiting classes is obviously severely flawed in that it has always been quantity over quality. The classes of Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Ruthers Indiana and Maryland are on paper basically the same when you consider average star recruits. Admittingly, this is hardly the titans of he B1G, but their staff there gets paid as well.
The author of this to no ones surprise is a U of I graduate. He is likely still annoyed be the Chicago's Big Ten team moniker. Get back to winning at this goes away.
The author of this to no ones surprise is a U of I graduate. He is likely still annoyed be the Chicago's Big Ten team moniker. Get back to winning at this goes away.
Re: Don't be Beckman-esque
It doesn't necessarily need to be fawning coverage. It's just that there isn't very much of it. The Sun-Times is horrible; at least Greenstein throws us a bone now and then in the Trib.
The crack about decommits was blatantly unfair because it's commonplace nowadays. Georgia and Miami both had several more decommits than NU this year. Plus Perry, the guy who went to Michigan, was replaced with Nagel, whom most recruiting services consider basically his equal. NU certainly didn't seem to be a last resort for Nagel, who jumped at the chance to join the team.
I worked for newspapers for 35 years and know bad coverage when I see it. Chicago media's coverage of the state's college teams sucks big-time. Given that most newspapers are slashing their reporting budgets, it's probably not going to change.
It doesn't necessarily need to be fawning coverage. It's just that there isn't very much of it. The Sun-Times is horrible; at least Greenstein throws us a bone now and then in the Trib.
The crack about decommits was blatantly unfair because it's commonplace nowadays. Georgia and Miami both had several more decommits than NU this year. Plus Perry, the guy who went to Michigan, was replaced with Nagel, whom most recruiting services consider basically his equal. NU certainly didn't seem to be a last resort for Nagel, who jumped at the chance to join the team.
I worked for newspapers for 35 years and know bad coverage when I see it. Chicago media's coverage of the state's college teams sucks big-time. Given that most newspapers are slashing their reporting budgets, it's probably not going to change.
Re: Don't be Beckman-esque
Greenstein and the Trib cover the Cats quite well. Big backpage story on the Lacrosse team today. Two pieces on football recruiting both yesterday and today. As for the Sun-Times, doe anyone read that paper any more? This article is an example of why. Superficial crap. That said, Chicago is big boy journalism. Not a cheering section. And in this pro sports city, so the more you win as a college, the more you get covered. Even then, it can be tough. Loyola got off to a nice start in basketball this year before their big star got hurt, but got virtually no coverage by any Chicago media.
Greenstein and the Trib cover the Cats quite well. Big backpage story on the Lacrosse team today. Two pieces on football recruiting both yesterday and today. As for the Sun-Times, doe anyone read that paper any more? This article is an example of why. Superficial crap. That said, Chicago is big boy journalism. Not a cheering section. And in this pro sports city, so the more you win as a college, the more you get covered. Even then, it can be tough. Loyola got off to a nice start in basketball this year before their big star got hurt, but got virtually no coverage by any Chicago media.
They could give some thought about timing and building fan appeal rather than tearing it down. Signing day should be about hoping for the future and letting the kids feel like they are on the right road. I don't think they are really attracting any eyes with negative press. There are times for criticism at the end of a lousy game or season. Criticism is also more acceptable if you have invested some fan like interest and ownership in the first place. OTOH if you are going to bill yourself as Chicago's B1G team then Chicago is going to expect you to represent.
Re: Don't be Beckman-esque
Writing derogatory stories that have little basis in fact is not big-boy journalism. It's bad journalism. It's more properly the realm of cable news network talking heads. A major college right in your backyard should have a beat writer assigned to it, with coverage irrespective of wins or losses. Greenstein essentially is the B1G college writer for the Trib, with occasional appearances on BTN as well. Both Chicago newspapers (down from four when I was a kid) are said vestiges of what they used to be.
Writing derogatory stories that have little basis in fact is not big-boy journalism. It's bad journalism. It's more properly the realm of cable news network talking heads. A major college right in your backyard should have a beat writer assigned to it, with coverage irrespective of wins or losses. Greenstein essentially is the B1G college writer for the Trib, with occasional appearances on BTN as well. Both Chicago newspapers (down from four when I was a kid) are said vestiges of what they used to be.
Re: Don't be Beckman-esque
The comment about "school of last resort" is just plain stupid, considering that at least 3 of this years commits actually flipped their commitments to NU, including one from Duke who were a ranked programs last season, and another from Ohio where the kid's father is a coach. Just bad, bad journalism.
The comment about "school of last resort" is just plain stupid, considering that at least 3 of this years commits actually flipped their commitments to NU, including one from Duke who were a ranked programs last season, and another from Ohio where the kid's father is a coach. Just bad, bad journalism.
Notre Dame is closer to Chicago's team overall than either U of I or NU. And if you live south of Irving Park, East of Western, and North of Madison, ND and pretty much every Big Ten team other than Maryland and Rutgers are bigger than NU.
Re: Don't be Beckman-esque
In it's present state? I think this is a great question.
Likes: JJ, the mystery and potential of Thorson, I kinda of like much of the 2-deep on the DL and Vitale - but I'm afraid they have regressed in 'the Program.' I really like our cornerbacks.
That's about all that I like about the program. I don't like the staff and its attitude, same with the admin. I don't like the university and its handling of facilities. I don't like the special teams and am less than excited about several positions. I harbor negative thoughts about the S&C program, the training room staff. I don't like that we have gone from developing low rated prospects to stalling higher rated prospects. I don't like the fact that we are not attracting any more highly regarded prospects, and the few that we attract, we lose. I don't like the staff's approach to recruiting - if you look at other programs, we will drop you - I just don't like it.
Before you tell me to take my fandom and get lost, this is my alma mater. I'm like sports. So, I will wallow in spot, rooting and hoping for ultimate success of my teams. And just because we don't agree on how to be fan and I do not like the current state of affairs doesn't mean I need to turn in my fan card and troll the Yahoo boards for knitters.
In all, there is too much to not like about this program right now. Not lovable losers. Not well conditioned, fight to the end teams (lost many games in the second half). Not overachievers. No awesome coach with great back story. No cool new facility. I find it completely understandable that this board, as a microcosm of the fan-base, presents so much negativity. There is just too much not to like and too little to embrace (go to the bball board - you cannot even embrace the suck anymore...)
And I'm judging it based on a revenue producing big-time athletic program, not my kid's little league team. If 'the Program' needs to be treated so sensitively, then it needs to get out of the B1G and D1 and join the lesser leagues and divisions of college football. Then I will agree that critiquing the players, the facilities, the coaches, etc. is a waste of time and unfair to a bunch of kids just trying to play a little ball while they are in school for a degree. And like my kid's little league team, I will just blindly root for them, drunk on purple kool aid.
In it's present state? I think this is a great question.
Likes: JJ, the mystery and potential of Thorson, I kinda of like much of the 2-deep on the DL and Vitale - but I'm afraid they have regressed in 'the Program.' I really like our cornerbacks.
That's about all that I like about the program. I don't like the staff and its attitude, same with the admin. I don't like the university and its handling of facilities. I don't like the special teams and am less than excited about several positions. I harbor negative thoughts about the S&C program, the training room staff. I don't like that we have gone from developing low rated prospects to stalling higher rated prospects. I don't like the fact that we are not attracting any more highly regarded prospects, and the few that we attract, we lose. I don't like the staff's approach to recruiting - if you look at other programs, we will drop you - I just don't like it.
Before you tell me to take my fandom and get lost, this is my alma mater. I'm like sports. So, I will wallow in spot, rooting and hoping for ultimate success of my teams. And just because we don't agree on how to be fan and I do not like the current state of affairs doesn't mean I need to turn in my fan card and troll the Yahoo boards for knitters.
In all, there is too much to not like about this program right now. Not lovable losers. Not well conditioned, fight to the end teams (lost many games in the second half). Not overachievers. No awesome coach with great back story. No cool new facility. I find it completely understandable that this board, as a microcosm of the fan-base, presents so much negativity. There is just too much not to like and too little to embrace (go to the bball board - you cannot even embrace the suck anymore...)
And I'm judging it based on a revenue producing big-time athletic program, not my kid's little league team. If 'the Program' needs to be treated so sensitively, then it needs to get out of the B1G and D1 and join the lesser leagues and divisions of college football. Then I will agree that critiquing the players, the facilities, the coaches, etc. is a waste of time and unfair to a bunch of kids just trying to play a little ball while they are in school for a degree. And like my kid's little league team, I will just blindly root for them, drunk on purple kool aid.
Re: Don't be Beckman-esque
This post was edited on 2/5 6:14 PM by mikewebb68
People who post negatively on message boards about ANY topic almost never reflect the majority opinion on said topic. In fact, they are often in the vast minority. The reason for this is quite simple; people who dislike the coach, think the players are awful, think the GM is a tool, dislike political positions or candidate, dislike a way a corporation is run, etc. etc. generally vent their frustration on message boards. Those who like any of the above, simply do not post in anywhere near the same numbers, because they have nothing to complain about.
This post was edited on 2/5 6:14 PM by mikewebb68
Re: Don't be Beckman-esque
Yep the tailgating experience, potholes and all. Now tell me what I should like after two losing seasons, no bowl games, be out recruited by Beckman and still no promised football facility. Let's be honest, now.
Yep the tailgating experience, potholes and all. Now tell me what I should like after two losing seasons, no bowl games, be out recruited by Beckman and still no promised football facility. Let's be honest, now.
Re: Don't be Beckman-esque
This is all reasonable, xyzbob...but does one really have to tell a team that they suck to express their displeasure in their performance, particularly if they are playing hard. It bothers me when a team plays hard and has to read such harsh negativity.
If they put forth poor effort...yeah, they then suck. In football, McCall sucked eggs during the Michigan game. The team sucked during the Illinois game, too.
This is all reasonable, xyzbob...but does one really have to tell a team that they suck to express their displeasure in their performance, particularly if they are playing hard. It bothers me when a team plays hard and has to read such harsh negativity.
If they put forth poor effort...yeah, they then suck. In football, McCall sucked eggs during the Michigan game. The team sucked during the Illinois game, too.
Re: Don't be Beckman-esque
Actually, our average recruiting star rating was higher than the Illini. They only ranked higher because their class consisted of 24 players, one of the larger classes in the Big Ten. Quantity does not equal quality.
A total hack job by the ST writer.
All in all, think the 'Cats came out alright w/ the decommit scenario.
Nagel seems to pretty much negate the loss of Perry (time will tell who will end up being the better WR, but liking what I hear about Nagel).
The loss of the Dowell bros. hurt particularly when it came to star ratings, but those 2 seemed more concerned w/ going to a hot/winning program than anything else (hence, their subsequent decommit from UK to MSU; here's where having a losing season definitely has hurt recruiting for the immediate class - UK lost a bevy of their best recruits as they went thru an end of season losing streak).
The loss of Allen was puzzling - not so much that he now gets to play much closer to home at BC, but that he waited so long and pretty much at the last moment to make the switch.
Always hurts to lose what seems to be a talented D-line recruit, but can't help wondering if Allen looked at the incoming competition (not saying that he couldn't have beaten some of the others out, but certainly could have been a factor).
All in all, think the 'Cats came out alright w/ the decommit scenario.
Nagel seems to pretty much negate the loss of Perry (time will tell who will end up being the better WR, but liking what I hear about Nagel).
The loss of the Dowell bros. hurt particularly when it came to star ratings, but those 2 seemed more concerned w/ going to a hot/winning program than anything else (hence, their subsequent decommit from UK to MSU; here's where having a losing season definitely has hurt recruiting for the immediate class - UK lost a bevy of their best recruits as they went thru an end of season losing streak).
The loss of Allen was puzzling - not so much that he now gets to play much closer to home at BC, but that he waited so long and pretty much at the last moment to make the switch.
Always hurts to lose what seems to be a talented D-line recruit, but can't help wondering if Allen looked at the incoming competition (not saying that he couldn't have beaten some of the others out, but certainly could have been a factor).
Re: Don't be Beckman-esque
That's newspapers going downhill in general. It's easy to say that the Sun-Times should send a beat writer to every area major college sporting event, but they have barely any money and big Northwestern stories are not going to drive sales. So should they drive themselves out of business to placate hardcore NU fans on message boards?
That's newspapers going downhill in general. It's easy to say that the Sun-Times should send a beat writer to every area major college sporting event, but they have barely any money and big Northwestern stories are not going to drive sales. So should they drive themselves out of business to placate hardcore NU fans on message boards?
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