dgcrow
- Kelso, WA
Yep. They believe that the process matters more than the results.
The Illinois AD Search
- Status
Yep. They believe that the process matters more than the results.
ILL in IA
- Iowa City
I am admittedly out of the loop on the AD search and who has been around in the past. So I will ask about a name, and take it easy on me if its way off. But is Colangelo involved much any more? I know he just took a job with the 76ers. At 76, AD would not be a longtime job, I understand that, but what has his involvement been in the past.
Rumor has it Colangelo was vociferously arguing AGAINST firing Mike Thomas.
In terms of a potential AD candidacy, Colangelo is far too old, rich, and comfortable to put up with the crap of fundraising and everything else. He's staying at home in Arizona to do this thing with the Sixers.
But he's a longtime supporter of Illinois Athletics, he's donated a ton of money, and his voice will always be one that's heard, though apparently not always listened to. Another close personal friend of Ron Guenther's, as long as we're on the subject.
And we ignored Jerry Colangelo, one of the brightest and most respected men in sports. Not to mention one of our most valued alums. This story just gets worse by the day.
He should have stayed. That is what made the mess a disaster.
It's too bad that he was let go. Especially since the actions of the people who fired him show they don't really care about the "distractions" excuse they gave. There must have been something else or they are just dumb.
If he was still here, he could have checked so many boxes for his own criteria to hire a head coach if he had looked at Babers.
1. Head coach at multiple levels including the MAC.
2. Success at all those levels.
3. (Most likely) High recommendations from the coaching tree he came from.
4. Succesful coaching tree he came from.
5. And just to throw one in there for the board and anyone who cares, Babers is black.
We would have check all the boxes. Oh what could have been...
The whole thing makes for quite a Rashomon. Do you trust Jerry Colangelo or do you trust Shad Khan? Do you trust Phyllis Wise or do you trust Barb Wilson? There's not really a true north to get your bearings.
What's obvious is that Thomas should have been gone within a week of Beckman or not until there was a new Chancellor.
But even then that doesn't forgive naming a replacement even given the timing. And even then that doesn't forgive them making a real decision on Cubit.
Just a mess.
There was more than looking going on in the weeks before Thomas was fired. Babers-to-Illinois was bordering on "open secret" territory. He was MT's guy, and Babers was saying yes to the first girl he found at the dance.
yes, yes, yes. For all the initials these folks have behind their names, they seem to not be able to think two or three steps ahead.
But, they didn't, and here we are. Who needs backup plans when you can burn everything to the ground and set up our future hires for failure?
TownieMatt
CU Expat
- Chicago
I think people forget how much of this process is required by the state. As a public school, the university has to cut through so much red tape before making any hire, DIA included. In that way, the DIA is an odd entity. It's technically state run and has to follow procedures instituted by the state, but receives no money directly from the state. This is what leads to misleading headlines about the football coach being "The Highest Paid Employee in the State!". I don't claim to know how much of this search is being delayed by these state procedures and how much is just incompetence, but I'm sure it's playing a role.
The state requirements are that the job be publicly posted for at least a week, that the contract be approved by a majority of the Governor-appointed Board of Trustees. That's it.
It is not state law that a search committee be formed, or that any delay beyond that one week occur. Nor is that mandated by any University bylaw. In the case of the University's guidelines about searches, all of that can be exempted due to "unique talents and skills required for the position" OR "urgent departmental needs that cannot be addressed through the normal search process".
All things considered, in a perfect world with no time pressure, setting up a search committee for the AD and getting different stakeholders involved is probably a very good idea, especially given the upheaval in University leadership.
A perfect world was not what we stepped into when Mike Thomas was fired.
Of course, it's important to note, if Rick George would have said yes to Shad Khan's proposal, there would have been none of these formalities and he would have taken the job within 10 days of Thomas' firing.
We are here because we had no backup plan when George said no.
For some reason I thought it had to be posted for 2 weeks and that was before interviews could be conducted. I'm sure I am wrong but I thought that was the case.
That law has recently changed. It used to be two weeks.
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
And I am relatively sure that the 2 weeks was prior to hire, not prior to interview.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
I want to believe. Faith, hopefully not the blind variety.
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
OK, so this is actually a brilliant plan to stall a year, until Les Miles gets let go after next season and hire him to lead our Illini.
I think everyone knows and believes that. The problem is no one will let him, for whatever reason. If he's willing to pay now he would have paid 2 weeks ago.
BZuppke
- Plainfield
You mean no one will let him - suggesting he would not only pay for the coach but pick him?
I meant they won't even bring him to the discussion, since there was none. Letting him solely pick the next coach would be a disaster, which is still infinitely better then the process we did take
Khan was given free rein to use his money and influence land his buddy Rick George, personally. That's what he asked for and that's what he got. He failed, and worse that that, he refused to concede that he failed and held up the whole process to the point that a decision had to be made without him.
Khan's money and voice is welcome, and he has not turned his back on his alma mater despite the rumors some love to peddle, but this guy is not the savior.
- Status