Thats what I'm wondering. If the conference and refs are out to get us, why is that?
Are we aligned against the conference members on NIL or paying players or something?
Can you believe this? No AC in NU’s hotel in Indy
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Thats what I'm wondering. If the conference and refs are out to get us, why is that?
Are we aligned against the conference members on NIL or paying players or something?
Obviously, the conference isn’t out to get NU (or at least, not intentionally). The complaints about the hotel were a clever segue into what he really wanted to address: the refs and Martinelli’s snub. These issues aren't necessarily evidence of the conference targeting NU, but they do point to a broader lack of respect for the program. For example, having the conference's leading scorer on the second-team All-Big Ten, coupled with the repeated, game-changing calls against NU, shows a pattern. Collins has clearly had enough but doesn't want to risk fines or face retaliatory officiating. So, he used the legitimate hotel complaint as a way to shine a light on these frustrations without crossing the line. People are talking about the hotel and listening to the presser. They’ll hear the comments about the officiating and pay attention to it. This also serves as a strong rallying cry for the locker room: Cats against the world.
My impression of the press conference is Collins mentioned it almost as an afterthought/joke and the press kept asking follow-up questions because it feels like a story. He didn't do himself any favors by over-dramatizing it (I think he said something like "these players are playing for their lives!"), but I think if there weren't so many questions about it in the presser it would already be forgotten by most and would just be a minor thing NU overcame to win yesterday.
Don’t read too much into it. Basically he’s saying we have obstacles others do not and don’t get the right amount of respect. And, he’s defending/ firing up his team to go out and beat the sconnies.
There definitely is an underlying level of frustration. I’m sure he’s exhausted the formal channels for discussing the egregious incompetence of the referees that affected the outcome of more than one game this year, to no avail apparently. Now he’s just venting about those dorks that run the conference. Go for it Coach!
Lou, the information you were given about the heating system being forced to run is perhaps misleading. Speaking as someone who probably managed maybe 100(?) construction projects for new hotels and maybe 300(?) for renovations including HVAC systems. The other unlikely info here is that hotel rooms have ducted air from a central system. That might occur only in a small, boutique property. The air handling portion (minimal) of the systems in typical hotels are internal to each room. Again in the typical hotel, maybe they have ductwork in the hallways for supply and exhaust.
My guess is they were either in a building where the cooling "side" of the system was broken or the building has a 2-pipe central system without windows in the rooms. That is indicative of a pretty old hotel property. Plus as someone noted they may have been on the west side and in town on an abnormally warm day. As someone said a two pipe system only allows for either heating or cooling at any given time because they manually switch from supplying boiler water to supplying chiller water at some time in Spring and Fall. As you can imagine, a modern hotel can't be booking guests into a property where they face the potential of a few shoulder weeks where the room temperatures are unmanageable. Now if the hotel is a historic renovation where they didn't update the HVAC systems anything is possible.
My guess is they were either in a building where the cooling "side" of the system was broken or the building has a 2-pipe central system without windows in the rooms. That is indicative of a pretty old hotel property. Plus as someone noted they may have been on the west side and in town on an abnormally warm day. As someone said a two pipe system only allows for either heating or cooling at any given time because they manually switch from supplying boiler water to supplying chiller water at some time in Spring and Fall. As you can imagine, a modern hotel can't be booking guests into a property where they face the potential of a few shoulder weeks where the room temperatures are unmanageable. Now if the hotel is a historic renovation where they didn't update the HVAC systems anything is possible.
I can see the hotel room as a rallying cry for the players - or some of the players.
I don't know about the rest of it.
"We are being treated so unfairly" when there's no obvious reason to explain that... it may play to the "base" but others may roll their eyes.
In the interview it was funny to see the players kind of laugh it off while Collins kept wanting to Bbitch about it. Coach got to look out for his boys.
Thats one thing I like about Northwestern athletes in interviews. Our guys are usually pretty smart, they say interesting things and they smirk when funny sh*t is happening with the coaches.
It’s your job as a coach to try to get advantages if you can. Even if that’s just leveling the playing field. Planting bitching in refs mind can, IMO, influence 50/50 calls. So why not try it?
Squeakier gets the oil, amirite?
Squeakier gets the oil, amirite?
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Exactly. "Working the refs" has become such a common phrase that's it's even used in the business and political worlds. I don't know if we have metrics on how well it works, but it seems to make some difference.
The only metric out there is Pomeroy's Luck statistic.
That purports to tell us how different the teams winning percentage is from what it should be, based on the team's efficiency.
If there is a ref bias against a coach or team, it could show up there.
But it is difficult to assess whether "Luck" is indicative of "choking" or "refs" or exactly what.
Fully agree. Press conferences are a strategic game for experienced coaches. It's best not to read too deeply or literally into what Collins or other coaches say. Take, for example, his comment earlier this year: “Tonight again, he gets two free throws and he's driving the ball, and again…I’ve got to figure that out because we’ve got to find ways to get to the line and get some easy baskets,” referring to Barnhizer. It's clear he's playing the game to influence the players, the media and refs, in whatever way he can, no matter how subtle or subliminal. It’s fun to just enjoy the humor. His players get it.
I find it interesting how many people here are suggesting Collins muzzle it. I'm never one to insist others are wrong, but have to consider a few things.
1). There's no doubt that Collins/Jackson/NU have worked every official and discreet back channel they can, as we have progressed through one terribly called game to the next. Feel free to suggest otherwise if you can back it up.
2.) There's zero evidence that official or back-channeling has been heeded, or worked. Again, glad to hear any informed observations to the contrary.
3.) In that context, a good definition of insanity is to do the same thing and expect a different result.
4.) Further, how do you expect him to hold the locker room - or recruit - if he doesn't show he's going to fight for his team? College basketball players do not want a rabbit for a coach.
5.) In the above context, escalation seems like the only realistic/logical remaining option.
Collins has certainly escalated - and now the national press is picking it up. Definitely an egg-on-face moment if the league puts teams in crap hotels. At least now the problem is on the radar, and weasel-y PR conscious types in the league office (eg all of them) are going to have to do something.
The B1G is nothing but a media brand, and now they have a media problem that rightfully results from their actions. Don't forget, Northwestern alums are disproportionately represented in the media - so it makes a ton of sense that we pick this fight on turf (e.g. in the media) where we are strong.
I would not be surprised at all if the league wants us out. I don't necessarily believe that. More likely this is the result of lack of attention or laziness. Shiny new teams like USC get better hotels, because they are the new toy - even if we're a better team. People focus on squeaky wheels and we never squeak, so we're drawing the short end of the stick.
Either way, I'm glad we are finally demonstrating that there is a cost to continual negligence at our expense.
And for those who don't like what CCC has done, I'm genuinely curious to understand what actions you would suggest in order to actually improve the situation.
P.S. Not completely related - but I also suspect that our vacuum in the AD role under Gragg has something to do with our current lack of influence.
1). There's no doubt that Collins/Jackson/NU have worked every official and discreet back channel they can, as we have progressed through one terribly called game to the next. Feel free to suggest otherwise if you can back it up.
2.) There's zero evidence that official or back-channeling has been heeded, or worked. Again, glad to hear any informed observations to the contrary.
3.) In that context, a good definition of insanity is to do the same thing and expect a different result.
4.) Further, how do you expect him to hold the locker room - or recruit - if he doesn't show he's going to fight for his team? College basketball players do not want a rabbit for a coach.
5.) In the above context, escalation seems like the only realistic/logical remaining option.
Collins has certainly escalated - and now the national press is picking it up. Definitely an egg-on-face moment if the league puts teams in crap hotels. At least now the problem is on the radar, and weasel-y PR conscious types in the league office (eg all of them) are going to have to do something.
The B1G is nothing but a media brand, and now they have a media problem that rightfully results from their actions. Don't forget, Northwestern alums are disproportionately represented in the media - so it makes a ton of sense that we pick this fight on turf (e.g. in the media) where we are strong.
I would not be surprised at all if the league wants us out. I don't necessarily believe that. More likely this is the result of lack of attention or laziness. Shiny new teams like USC get better hotels, because they are the new toy - even if we're a better team. People focus on squeaky wheels and we never squeak, so we're drawing the short end of the stick.
Either way, I'm glad we are finally demonstrating that there is a cost to continual negligence at our expense.
And for those who don't like what CCC has done, I'm genuinely curious to understand what actions you would suggest in order to actually improve the situation.
P.S. Not completely related - but I also suspect that our vacuum in the AD role under Gragg has something to do with our current lack of influence.
I love it! The BIG has treated us like crap this year and we damn well should let everyone know about it. As CCC said in the press conference, the hotel heating/cooling system had been broken for 10 days! They knew what guests we're getting themselves into. So, either the hotel kept it covered up, which should lead to a lawsuit. Or, they warned the booking party (the BIG reps) and the BIG said we'll keep the reservation anyway. Clearly, NU wasn't aware of this until they got there. So, that absolutely sucks and we should complain to everyone and anyone.
Second, I think coach ran with this so much because he is clearly trying to create more bulletin board material for his players. He's telling them that they've been mistreated and disrespected all year. They've faced so much adversity. And yet, here they are.... still fighting. He loves this shit! I mean, come on... the players came out in warmup jerseys that said "DOUBT US" in big, bold letters. The hotel situation, while not great, gave him another card to play in this motivation. It's brilliant!
Second, I think coach ran with this so much because he is clearly trying to create more bulletin board material for his players. He's telling them that they've been mistreated and disrespected all year. They've faced so much adversity. And yet, here they are.... still fighting. He loves this shit! I mean, come on... the players came out in warmup jerseys that said "DOUBT US" in big, bold letters. The hotel situation, while not great, gave him another card to play in this motivation. It's brilliant!
Made it to ESPN
'Rooms were 1,000 degrees': Northwestern HC Chris Collins rips Big Ten for high hotel temperatures
According to Collins, temperatures in the Wildcats' hotel rooms didn't drop below 85 degrees.
www.espn.com
Speaking of which, I would love it if they made those shirts available for sale to the general public. I would definitely buy one.
Because we are an easy target. Smallest school, least pushback overall. A history that is not great. We are a thorn in their side and an easy target.
It is a message to his players that he will go to war with and for them and it reinforces the "Us against the World" narrative that he may be using for motivation and to focus them. To some extent it is to the BIG but even more it is for his troops
The media is our home turf - I'm so glad we are finally fighting in an arena that suits us. I was also wondering what hotel it was. Probably smart of Collins to keep the focus on the league, rather than on the Sheraton. That said, this incident seems like a very "Sheraton" type of situation to me.
Their Basketball lives. For some of the Srs, it may be the last that they play at this level and when they lose it will be done
There are likely windows in the room but generally these days they are not operational and cannot be opened
Usually like your posts but this is a pretty bad take. Stand up for your program.
You can stand up for your program without sounding like a conspiracy theorist. I laid out how it can be handled in a way to express how it’s unacceptable and still turn it into a positive about your team.
It’s fine. I love Collins. There’s no one I’d rather have leading this program. I just don’t like how he handled that.
I wonder how hot it is in Fran McCaffrey’s hotel room. He hit Francon 10 tonight.
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