Good evening. I’m newer to the site, so apologize in advance if this has already been covered. I read that the stadium should be ready in time for the 2026 season.

-Was this date set before the plans were put on hold due to the Fitz scenario, so actually the date will be pushed out further past 2026? Or is fall 2026 a realistic ‘new’ timetable for the completion of the stadium?

-Do you think it is possible to complete a project of this magnitude by the 2026 season considering winter weather and any other factors that typically delay construction?

March 2024 installment of Positively Gragg dropped!!!

I don't know if I think this is a good idea, but the new 16-team "College Basketball Crown" tournament starting next year is guaranteeing at least two spots to B1G teams. The entire tournament is being held in Las Vegas, but it doesn't start until March 31 so teams will have likely been eliminated from their conference tournaments like 2-3 weeks before. No word on whether teams can opt out like a bunch of teams did with the NIT, but given how late it starts I'd assume a lot of players from the selected teams will already be in the portal.

Clearly this is not the postseason we want, but if we happen to slide back next year it could be the postseason we get.

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OK, so I got the green light from my buddy to share this on here. I will be scarce with details on who he is and why he knows, but we've been talking for months about this concept and things are coming to a head.

The most likeliest outcome is "mostly status quo". The Big Ten will likely add two former Big Ten 'powers' (likely Kansas and Iowa State), and the SEC is of course favored to add Oklahoma & Texas. The ACC can add WVU if they want and is the odds on favorite for Notre Dame to join, but ND may fight it until the bitter end. My buddy and I discussed the probability of this happening and its 60-70%. Higher if you count on only the B1G and SEC changes.

Here's where it gets interesting: OSU has been pivotal in discussions for a 24 team "Super Conference". The previous rumor about them replacing Vanderbilt in the SEC was just to test the waters, but it wasn't far off. This change was accelerated by a few factors: namely NIL legislation, the lack of leadership by certain conference leaders during COVID, and the need to maximize revenues out of the 'name college football programs'.

Here are the 24 teams that my buddy read out to me. I scrambled to write them down on a napkin - and my handwriting isn't that great - but here goes. I can share my thoughts on why this will benefit NU, but we're not included in the "New SEC" (mega-conference).

There will be four six team 'divisions' of the conference. Each team will face two of the three other divisional opponents each season, and each would be allowed two or three non-conference games to schedule however they see fit. There will be a two-round playoff to determine the national champion from this new conference and the Super Conference will own all the TV and internet revenues. Here's what I wrote down:

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. OSU
4. Michigan
5. Penn State
6. Wisconsin
7. Oklahoma
8. Texas
9. Texas A&M
10. University of Florida
11. Florida State University
12. Georgia
13. Auburn
14. Oregon
15. USC
16. Arizona
17. Tennessee
18. South Carolina
19. LSU
20. Notre Dame
21. Washington
22. Virginia Tech
23. Nebraska
24. Io_a OR Michigan State

...the last school names were painful to write. If you're upset about this as a NU fan, well we'll still compete in our own regard. I'm hoping that NU can play Iowa, Wisconsin, and either Michigan school on a regular basis. It's unclear how this super-conference will exist with the rest of the "NCAA" but it will all work out.

There was some discussion of an "All Academic" conference which we would be regularly favored in. If so, maybe it can keep the Big Ten moniker and we'll win it more often. Or maybe we'll just add Kansas & ISU to the B1G. But one thing's for certain: things will be changing.

Three-star ATH Cornell Conely is ranked the 9th player in Illinois in the Class of 2026. Northwestern hosted him for a spring practice on April 2, and I talked to him about his impression of the Wildcats, the work left for him to do for an offer, and more.

8pm Central, ESPN.

Tominaga, Jamison Battle, and the dude from Oakland University are among the other competitors.

Nobody B1G in the dunk contest.

Sounds like things aren’t going all that well in Palo Alto these days. Lots of displeasure with their Athletic Director (Bernard Muir). Basketball is a particularly sore spot as the Cardinal struggle with former Cal star Jerrod Haase at the helm; while former Stanford star, Mark Madsen leads a resurgence at Cal.

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Spring Ball Edition

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Anyone know anything about this program? Are the Sox giving them actual cash??

What do we really know about these two? Does anyone have any inside information on how they’ve performed in practice? I seem to recall a post not too long ago that stated Strauss had a great stroke who rarely missed during practice. 🤷‍♂️

Hopefully CCC at least makes a call. Prepped at prestigious Harvard-Westlake and had offers from Stanford, ND, Vandy, Rice, etc. Wonder why NU did not offer him?

These are the types of kids we should be all over if we want to stay a top Big Ten program.

All times CENTRAL. All games available nationally unless otherwise indicated.

Saturday, April 6

NCAA Final Four: 1-Purdue vs. 11-NC State
5:09 PM, TBS
PxP: Ian Eagle
Color: Bill Raftery
Color: Grant Hill

Was at a Phillies game, and after getting super intoxicated as I was walking out to exit the game, I run into none other than our boy Blake Smith chatted with him for a moment, and told him how proud I was of the team and him as a person and told him to keep working hard and he would be rewarded and that next year could be a really good year. It’s crazy how life works.

A little birdie said that this Chicago-based company has been hired to construct the Lakefill Football Stadium. Same company that did NASCAR event in downtown Chicago. Perhaps, just perhaps, it will happen...

Fully expecting a WR poster to win this. Gotta assume a bidding war amongst @ubercat @Purple Pile Driver and @Hungry Jack 🤔

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As per nusports.com:

Olges - 2
Saka - 4
Soares - 5
Flakes - 15
Hicks - 22
Oke - 28
Campbell - 44
Regovich - 58
Eligon - 80

I was watching Toulouse play Union Bordeaux-Begles this weekend in the Malmut Atlantique Stadium in Bordeaux.
The stadium is very impressive-a relatively compact rectangular structure with all seats under cover . There are 3 levels-the lower level has about 20 rows of seats,the second level has luxury boxes. The third level has about 15 rows of seats. The playing surface is large enough for standard rugby and soccer pitches that are larger than a football field. The view of the exterior(seen at Halftime) shows a relatively open ground level concourse.
Capacity is 42,215
Cost E 185 million($215 million) in 2016

The stadium would be ideal for concerts as the stage could be situated to allow variable attendance from 5 to 42 K

The stadium can be viewed on Flosports-Bordeaux-Begles v Toulouse. The game is worth watching also

I am still overwhelmed by the cost of the new Ryan Field when I compare it to moderate sized stadiums elsewhere that appear to be have comparable sightlines and amenities(luxury boxes etc)

Three-star DE Aariz Taylor from Kenwood Academy visited Northwestern on March 30. I talked to him about the trip, his thoughts on the coaches and the potential for an offer.

Three-star DE Aariz Taylor from Kenwood Academy visited Northwestern on March 30. I talked to him about the trip, his thoughts on the coaches and the potential for an offer.

Two former targets. NU interest?

No idea about his academics but a sophomore big who was buried on the depth chart at Colorado. Barely played for the Buffs.

Nic Martinelli's brother Dom (former NU walkon who transferred to St. Thomas) is also in the portal .

Northwestern offered Alexandria, La. running back JT Lindsey on March 19, and swiftly earned a place in his unofficial Top 5 and a probable visit down the road. I talked to Lindsey about the offer and his recruitment.

ACC commissioner and former NU athletic director Jim Phillips was seated a few chairs away from me on press row on Sunday night in Brooklyn, so I had a chance to talk to him a couple times and catch up. He was there because Duke was playing JMU.

What a wonderful guy. So personable, so friendly. He not only remembered me, but my family. We talked about our families for the most part. (By the way, his son, who became an internet meme back in 2017 at the NCAA Tournament, is now at Harvard.)



Dr. Phillips is still a Northwestern fan and follows the Wildcats when he can. He still reads WildcatReport and knows it well enough to ask about the new writer I have that's writing so much content. We talked about the hoop team. He's very proud of Chris Colins and thinks he's matured a lot as a coach, which is why they were able to sustain their success this time, unlike in 2017. He wanted to know who was returning next year and what their needs might be. He's a big David Braun fan, and I sung the coach's praises. He wanted to know how he was doing in recruiting. I told him it was a tough summer at NU, for obvious reasons. He seemed as surprised as anyone about the scandal and said that he stands by everything he did at Northwestern and was proud of his tenure -- as he should be.

It was just great to talk to him again. He was as excited to see me as I was to see him. He told me to never hesitate to reach out if he can do anything for me. I told him I miss him, and that Northwestern misses him. He was a perfect fit. I don't think we realized then how good we had it with Dr. Phillips.

Ironically, Dr. Phillips wasn't the only commissioner we talked to in Brooklyn. Big Ten commish Tony Pettiti sat next to @mshelton33 for both games. I don't think Pettiti had an assigned seat for either game, believe it or not. I think he chose to sit next to Matt the second night. The two of them are buddies now. I heard that Tony, Matt and Greg Sankey are playing golf this weekend.