I know that's what she's said, but she campaigning for behind closed doors. She wants it, bad. Wouldn't be shocked if she gets it.
Josh Whitman Named 14th Illinois Athletics Director
I know that's what she's said, but she campaigning for behind closed doors. She wants it, bad. Wouldn't be shocked if she gets it.
Please NO!! I can't take any more bad news today...
I'd take her in a minute.
Honestly, I wouldn't be against her getting the job. She doesn't go out of her way to force her politics on the campus like Cantor did, and she does not appear to be using the position to improve her professional and financial standing like Wise.
The University needs a Chancellor who is focused on what is best for the University, instead of focusing on their own agenda.
Tiley didn't have those contacts either, at least not what alumni and fans were hoping for. No one really knows what kind of rolodex Whitman has, although his career is diverse enough that he his contacts could reflect that. This could in turn mean a wider net could be cast for head coaches, assistant coaches, DIA staff etc, compared to others. I know everyone wanted George, myself included, but he hasn't exactly lit the world on fire at Colorado, its just that some very high $ donors really liked him.
Also don't forget the Whitman does have the contacts with former Illinois football players, who in turn have wide, diverse networks.
I don't think he was hired just bc he is a lawyer. It's not like the University doesn't have more experienced lawyers available to them....
South Farms
- near Ogden & Rt 83
The UI does not need Josh to do law work . He hasn't practiced in years .
The law degree is something many business people have , just as a great way to learn business and read & discern documents.
If we need to hire a coach whenever , he will know where to look & who to call for advice
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What is going on with the Wilson support? She has been a train wreck. This is the same person 90% of the people on here where complaining about. Just because she seems to have made a deent choice. That doesn't erease everything else.
What is going on with the Wilson support? She has been a train wreck. This is the same person 90% of the people on here where complaining about. Just because she seems to have made a deent choice. That doesn't erease everything else.
What's everything else? Timings on firings? Cubit being retained? So what? People were just mad because those decisions disagreed with their own opinions. Which are effectively irrelevant. Just wait until we win 9 games next year and Cubit gets an extension. I wonder what those reactions will be.
If we win 9 games next year, Cubit shouldn't get an extension, he should be elected President.
I guess that answers my question. We see things differently. I think both those examples were handled terribly. It still matters to me the whole proccess was handled the wrong way. I like the Whitman hire. I don't like the proccess though. I think it will hurt the football program. Maybe other programs also.
Deleted member 16340
D
Guest
Finally had a chance to watch the announcement, and frankly I don't see the issue with Wilson. She seemed to care for UI, and seemed genuinely glad that JW accepted. JW himself seemed real and very focused. He was well spoken and measured. He seemed to have lots of support. He won't embarrass us and will measure his decisions against what is in the best interests of UI and the student-athletes. I'm not sure we could ask for more. I trust he will do his best, and given his history, that should be pretty good.
Mini +1
If you think that is a very possible outcome, you haven't been paying attention to Illinois football for about the last 40 years.
The last decisions made by previously inept ADs about football coaches does nothing to change the probability that Whitman hires a good one. These are entirely different people making these decisions.
BZuppke
- Plainfield
If you think that is a very possible outcome, you haven't been paying attention to Illinois football for about the last 40 years.
You could say the same for Wisconsin at the time Pat Richter was hired. Look where they are today. And if we don't think it is a very possible outcome then we ought to just quit right now.
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Whitman's like the guy who just made the major league team and needs to prove himself. I'm hoping he performs like Kris Bryant did for the Cubs. However, he could perform like Will Middlebrooks did for the Red Sox.
Agree...I can't imagine a guy with his intelligence, football knowledge, and leadership philosophy making a poor coaching hire. He seems like a guy that will ask difficult questions in an interview room and will "weed out" those that don't fit his qualifications. One thing you can be sure of...the next football coach will be a good leader, care about the kids, and be great in front of the podium. Not sure Beckman would have made it past the phone screen with Whitman.
If she makes a sequence of bad decisions and they end up producing a good result, I won't see her as brilliant at all. She would just be lucky.
BZuppke
- Plainfield
I agree. The decision to extend Cubit for 2 years (essentially extending him as an interim) rather than letting Kowalczyk hire a new football coach would turn out to be a very good move by Wilson if JW has to fire Cubit and hire his own guy. The guy JW picks may be a better coach and perhaps our long sought Alvarez. Thus she'll be judged by the results and her decisions may end up being considered good ones based on the end result, not 'getting lucky'. But the point is that the decisions she has made, whether the end result turns out good or not, were rational and intended to lead to the good result which I've described as very possible.
The whole firing/hiring sequence was a bumbling, stumbling mess. None of us are wise to all the details, but from the outside it just looked like misplay after misplay. We weren't shooting for the moon with our candidate list, and after all that durdling, we ended up with our third choice. For the record, I like the Whitman hire. We weren't able to get a proven winner, but he's a young talent with upside. I just see nothing about this process that would indicate to me that Wilson is a positive difference-maker.
Unfortunately it's not just about making great decisions at this point. The pool of talent available to you degrades over time with bad results. Momentum matters, both bad and good.
Dan
Admin
I quibble with the term "very possible". It's possible, just much less possible than it was before we fell to these depths. After a while things aren't just because of a bumble or two; they begin to be a trend.
And you don't quit trying just because you're at the bottom, of course. I just don't think it's as easy as someone making good decisions. That's important, but there are other constraints. The guy making decisions at Ohio State doesn't need to be NEARLY as good as ours do in their decision making.
