Illinois Football Performance Center

#231      

illini80

Forgottonia
Seems really, really important to capitalize on this new facility right away. Nebraska is already looking at a new one and any “lead” we might have, will be short lived. I expect in 5 years we will be no better than middle of the pack. While this thing is fresh, we need to turn the corner on relevance for good.
 
#234      
Seems really, really important to capitalize on this new facility right away. Nebraska is already looking at a new one and any “lead” we might have, will be short lived. I expect in 5 years we will be no better than middle of the pack. While this thing is fresh, we need to turn the corner on relevance for good.

While I agree to some extent, I’d much rather be middle of the pack than at the very bottom, which I am fully convinced we were. As someone who was in the old facilities about every other day on average for four years, it is sad to think about how abysmal the facilities were. There were two dinky player lounges that had a couple sofas and a TV. That’s it. The locker room was about half the size of the new one. The equipment room looked like one in a high school. The coaches offices seemed like they were out of a high school as well. This should help not only with recruits but also attracting good coaching talent in the future.
 
#235      

ChiefGritty

Chicago, IL
I expect in 5 years we will be no better than middle of the pack.

Let's be clear, we're middle of the pack right now.

Though new stuff, at least on the horizon, isn't going to suddenly blow this out of the water.

All of these facilities are pretty much the same.
 
#238      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
A video tour of the new facility:

Really awesome facility! Can we all agree recruits are probably not picking nits when visiting facilities - something "like" this is table stakes. We can now stop our 'facilities envy'. And let's not worry if someone else is going to put in something slightly better. We've arrived - let's enjoy it.

Overall much more impressive than I imagined given the more limited vids shown earlier. And nice touch (2:40) in planning a team march caught on video as part of the entrance. I am sure other teams do this, but the effect at VaTech games is awesome as they show the team walking to the stadium entrance on the video screen! (now if we can manage better entrance music - we'll be set)
 
#239      

ChiefGritty

Chicago, IL
Why can't we appreciate the upgrade for a while, please.

I'm not trying to be negative, the guy I was responding to said that we had to capitalize right now because in five years other schools will have blown by us. That's not true. We're at the industry standard now, and there are no changes on the horizon to the industry standard.

Seriously, check out the Iowa facility in this video. It is remarkably identical, right down to the big area dedicated to NFL players from the program, the collage of program legends in the position meeting rooms, the connectivity to the indoor facility, everything.

 
#240      

Deleted member 654622

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Guest
I'm not trying to be negative, the guy I was responding to said that we had to capitalize right now because in five years other schools will have blown by us. That's not true. We're at the industry standard now, and there are no changes on the horizon to the industry standard.

Seriously, check out the Iowa facility in this video. It is remarkably identical, right down to the big area dedicated to NFL players from the program, the collage of program legends in the position meeting rooms, the connectivity to the indoor facility, everything.

uhh they don't have a bowling alley sooooo
And they have a drinking station where you can come out of the weight room to grab a drink but they have drinks and interns making shakes IN the weight room? I hope recruits pick up on the lack of efficiency!
 
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#241      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
I'm not trying to be negative, the guy I was responding to said that we had to capitalize right now because in five years other schools will have blown by us. That's not true. We're at the industry standard now, and there are no changes on the horizon to the industry standard.

Seriously, check out the Iowa facility in this video. It is remarkably identical, right down to the big area dedicated to NFL players from the program, the collage of program legends in the position meeting rooms, the connectivity to the indoor facility, everything.

Yeah, but its in Iowa! eck. Similar in amenities but I do like that our's seems to have a ton more natural light and openness - Iowa's felt a bit "conference rooms at the Marriott" to me. But hey, it's all nits at this point. GO FPC!
 
#243      

ChiefGritty

Chicago, IL
Yeah, but its in Iowa! eck. Similar in amenities but I do like that our's seems to have a ton more natural light and openness - Iowa's felt a bit "conference rooms at the Marriott" to me. But hey, it's all nits at this point. GO FPC!

The thing I really like about ours is the way it really ties the facility, the practice fields, the indoor facility, and the stadium all in one compact area that's easily accessible on campus. I think the functionality is gonna be really good, and that can matter just as much as the bells and whistles.

Some of the palaces you see at other places are not all that conveniently located.
 
#244      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
The thing I really like about ours is the way it really ties the facility, the practice fields, the indoor facility, and the stadium all in one compact area that's easily accessible on campus. I think the functionality is gonna be really good, and that can matter just as much as the bells and whistles.

Some of the palaces you see at other places are not all that conveniently located.
And just wait until they get the team march to the stadium up on the stadium screens with Enter... eh, some great rocking song building to chaotic fever... it will be sweet.
 
#245      

ChiefGritty

Chicago, IL
And just wait until they get the team march to the stadium up on the stadium screens with Enter... eh, some great rocking song building to chaotic fever... it will be sweet.

I'm very curious how it's gonna work from a gameday operations perspective. If the team needs to use the corridor between the facility and MS, then that's going to have to be cut off from spectators. And the new build already eliminated the walkway from 4th Street. How the heck is anyone going to get into the East Stands? Are they all going to have to enter from the South? That will be a nightmare.

I'm sure it's been thought about by smarter people than me, but it seems like routes of ingress to the stadium is suddenly a real problem, the other side of the coin to having all the team-focused facilities so close.
 
#246      

Deleted member 654622

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Guest
I'm very curious how it's gonna work from a gameday operations perspective. If the team needs to use the corridor between the facility and MS, then that's going to have to be cut off from spectators. And the new build already eliminated the walkway from 4th Street. How the heck is anyone going to get into the East Stands? Are they all going to have to enter from the South? That will be a nightmare.

I'm sure it's been thought about by smarter people than me, but it seems like routes of ingress to the stadium is suddenly a real problem, the other side of the coin to having all the team-focused facilities so close.
Don't know if this completely answers your questions but here is their route. Go through the thread for full path
 
#247      

illini80

Forgottonia
I'm not trying to be negative, the guy I was responding to said that we had to capitalize right now because in five years other schools will have blown by us. That's not true. We're at the industry standard now, and there are no changes on the horizon to the industry standard.

Seriously, check out the Iowa facility in this video. It is remarkably identical, right down to the big area dedicated to NFL players from the program, the collage of program legends in the position meeting rooms, the connectivity to the indoor facility, everything.

I don’t think I was being negative, nor did I say we would be “blown by”. We are the newest today. That won’t last long. Howard Griffith implied Nebraska would take it another step higher with their new plans.

Not pointing the finger at you specifically, but I’m always amazed how this board attempts to deconstruct every statement to create an argument. 🙂
 
#248      

ChiefGritty

Chicago, IL
We are the newest today. That won’t last long. Howard Griffith implied Nebraska would take it another step higher with their new plans.

I wouldn't worry too much about that. I actually tend to believe having a place that's lived-in and being used and maximized in a thoughtful way (which probably takes at least a year after moving in) probably presents a more impressive vision to recruits than a place with the shrink wrap still on. Depends on the kid of course.

But like I said, we've got from a really pretty embarrassing back of the pack situation (our facilities were bad even for the generation to which they belonged) to in line with an industry standard that with a few tweaks and baubles here or there is going to be the same everywhere for the foreseeable future. It's a locker room, a weight room, some meeting rooms, and a players lounge area. Not rocket science. We're good for the long haul now.
 
#249      

Deleted member 654622

D
Guest
But like I said, we've got from a really pretty embarrassing back of the pack situation (our facilities were bad even for the generation to which they belonged)
Jay Lehman was just on the radio yesterday talking about how Zook would "coach them up" before recruiting visits. Instructed them to not talk about the facilities but focus on the people. Just shows you they were embarrassing even back then
 
#250      
Let's be clear, we're middle of the pack right now.

Though new stuff, at least on the horizon, isn't going to suddenly blow this out of the water.

All of these facilities are pretty much the same.
Your negative crap is on all the threads. Why don't you pick one, and I'll stay away from that one, and enjoy the optimism on the other threads.
Man, I bet your fun to be around.