The Illinois AD Search

[Dan]

Regarding the athletic director search, Wilson said she hopes to announce a search committee by the end of the week. She said she hasn’t decided whether to use an outside search consultant. The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics has a pre-existing contract with Parker Executive Search, but Wilson said no decisions have been made.

“We’re making good progress,” she said.

The search committee will be small — with fewer than 10 members — “but it will be representative over all the important stakeholders,” she said.

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2015-11-30/ui-chancellor-we-needed-some-stability.html

 

[joe4304]

AD candidate Larry Lubin will be in town Wednesday to introduce Coach Henson at the pre-game reception.

 

[HerbertFish]

.

So the process hasn't even started. Wow. Just thought when you can't think things could get worse.

Remmeber when Rick George said he was never contacted by anyone at Illinois and we just thought he was politely turning us down? No I'm pretty sure the man was telling the truth.

 

[Second and Chalmers]

You know, people's "oh, there goes Illinois again" attitude about this is making me really upset today. I hate Ron Guenther with every fiber of my being, but to compare this to anything he did, or any other event in our history, is to slur and insult the hardworking, honest, good-faith efforts of everyone that has built this ugly, rickety, but to this point seaworthy vessel that is Illinois Athletics.

There is no analog in the history of modern major-conference athletics for what has happened here over the past month. None. This is the single biggest exhibition of incompetence in the history of commercial athletic endeavor. This has never been and will never be exceeded or even approached in any of our lifetimes.

I don't know what else to say. The English language does not contain descriptors severe enough for this.

No one should even consider giving our school a passing thought, let alone one red cent of their hard earned income in the aftermath of this, not for sports, not for academics, not for merchandise, not for anything. The University doesn't deserve to exist if it can't do better than this.

 

[WesterveltVictoryCigar]

You know, people's "oh, there goes Illinois again" attitude about this is making me really upset today. I hate Ron Guenther with every fiber of my being, but to compare this to anything he did, or any other event in our history, is to slur and insult the hardworking, honest, good-faith efforts of everyone that has built this ugly, rickety, but to this point seaworthy vessel that is Illinois Athletics.

Save some hate for those that left him in charge for 2 decades.

 

[Soxfreak64]

You know, people's "oh, there goes Illinois again" attitude about this is making me really upset today. I hate Ron Guenther with every fiber of my being, but to compare this to anything he did, or any other event in our history, is to slur and insult the hardworking, honest, good-faith efforts of everyone that has built this ugly, rickety, but to this point seaworthy vessel that is Illinois Athletics.

There is no analog in the history of modern major-conference athletics for what has happened here over the past month. None. This is the single biggest exhibition of incompetence in the history of commercial athletic endeavor. This has never been and will never be exceeded or even approached in any of our lifetimes.

I don't know what else to say. The English language does not contain descriptors severe enough for this.

No one should even consider giving our school a passing thought, let alone one red cent of their hard earned income in the aftermath of this, not for sports, not for academics, not for merchandise, not for anything. The University doesn't deserve to exist if it can't do better than this.

I disagree on the academic part, but the clear apathy towards the #1 revenue sport is painful and pathetic. I have no idea how a school struggling mightily with money isn't interested in putting a completely isolated fund towards a use that will help them on the academic side.

There is a clear correlation between academic success and applications/donations, both institutionally and nationwide. How on earth has the administration missed that link? Put your athletic success to good use. Make your fans happy, bring in the donations, increase the visibility of your university, and reap the benefits both financially and academically. SO. DUMB.

 

[illinisc]

What an ugly situation. There's just no way the administration hasn't at least had informal conversations with a few AD candidates is there? Could it really be possible that Barbara Wilson has essentially done nothing related to the AD search for 3 weeks? Could it really be possible that this administration has ignored resources like Khan, Colangelo and Robert Johnson to help with this search? What in the world is going on?

 

[ILLmatic04]

You know, people's "oh, there goes Illinois again" attitude about this is making me really upset today. I hate Ron Guenther with every fiber of my being, but to compare this to anything he did, or any other event in our history, is to slur and insult the hardworking, honest, good-faith efforts of everyone that has built this ugly, rickety, but to this point seaworthy vessel that is Illinois Athletics.

There is no analog in the history of modern major-conference athletics for what has happened here over the past month. None. This is the single biggest exhibition of incompetence in the history of commercial athletic endeavor. This has never been and will never be exceeded or even approached in any of our lifetimes.

I don't know what else to say. The English language does not contain descriptors severe enough for this.

No one should even consider giving our school a passing thought, let alone one red cent of their hard earned income in the aftermath of this, not for sports, not for academics, not for merchandise, not for anything. The University doesn't deserve to exist if it can't do better than this.

How much would it cost to buy a full-page ad in the NG or Daily Illini and just have it be this?

 

[Second and Chalmers]

I disagree on the academic part

If they can damage the athletic department so severely and so completely through not apathy, but total blithering incompetence, I fear for the health and safety of the kids currently on that campus, I really do. These people are incapable of leadership of any enterprise of any kind.

And while Barb Wilson has utterly humiliated herself in this episode and taken some, but not nearly enough, public shaming, I think we need to be mindful of the fact that she is not the only one at fault. Timothy Killeen, all eleven members of the Board of Trustees, and ultimately Bruce Rauner are her bosses. Our athletic department is a unit with $80 million in annual revenue. That's not the top of the heap in terms of size and importance, but it is plenty big enough that lighting it on fire for no reason should have dire, decisive consequences for those responsible. The lack of leadership from above Wilson's head is the far more alarming development here. EVERYTHING that these men and women touch will fail, totally and inevitably.

 

[Second and Chalmers]

How much would it cost to buy a full-page ad in the NG or Daily Illini and just have it be this?

Give or take, about one one-hundred-thousandth of Mike Thomas' buyout.

 

[thatguy92]

What if...

Chancellor Wilson, the one deemed by the President of the University to lead for a year or so, is actually competent and has been working largely on the process of hiring a new AD behind the scenes and isn't just "thinking of forming a search committee" or "considering hiring a search firm" but actually working through this process.

Chancellor Wilson, our interim AD, and others involved in deciding to extend Cubit for two years know EXACTLY what they're doing and have information the general public does not and can not have.

There are factors and red tape in play much beyond the University holding up this process of hiring a new athletic director, since this is the state of Illinois after all.

 

[LurkLongandProsper]

What if...

Chancellor Wilson, the one deemed by the President of the University to lead for a year or so, is actually competent and has been working largely on the process of hiring a new AD behind the scenes and isn't just "thinking of forming a search committee" or "considering hiring a search firm" but actually working through this process.

Chancellor Wilson, our interim AD, and others involved in deciding to extend Cubit for two years know EXACTLY what they're doing and have information the general public does not and can not have.

There are factors and red tape in play much beyond the University holding up this process of hiring a new athletic director, since this is the state of Illinois after all.

There is no competence behind the scenes. Let us not pretend. Rutgers showed us how you handle an AD hire in the midst of a coaching carousel. We showed how not to do it. It's embarrassing, let's not pretend it is anything but embarrassing.

 

[mattcoldagelli]

You know, people's "oh, there goes Illinois again" attitude about this is making me really upset today. I hate Ron Guenther with every fiber of my being, but to compare this to anything he did, or any other event in our history, is to slur and insult the hardworking, honest, good-faith efforts of everyone that has built this ugly, rickety, but to this point seaworthy vessel that is Illinois Athletics.

There is no analog in the history of modern major-conference athletics for what has happened here over the past month. None. This is the single biggest exhibition of incompetence in the history of commercial athletic endeavor. This has never been and will never be exceeded or even approached in any of our lifetimes.

I don't know what else to say. The English language does not contain descriptors severe enough for this.

No one should even consider giving our school a passing thought, let alone one red cent of their hard earned income in the aftermath of this, not for sports, not for academics, not for merchandise, not for anything. The University doesn't deserve to exist if it can't do better than this.

End thread and pin.

 

[Second and Chalmers]

What if...

Chancellor Wilson, the one deemed by the President of the University to lead for a year or so, is actually competent and has been working largely on the process of hiring a new AD behind the scenes and isn't just "thinking of forming a search committee" or "considering hiring a search firm" but actually working through this process.

Chancellor Wilson, our interim AD, and others involved in deciding to extend Cubit for two years know EXACTLY what they're doing and have information the general public does not and can not have.

There are factors and red tape in play much beyond the University holding up this process of hiring a new athletic director, since this is the state of Illinois after all.

Yes, what if indeed.

Ah the old Madigan defense. HERP DERP ILLINOIS POLITICZ: The excuse that keeps on excusing.

 

[Deleted member 10676]

What if...

Chancellor Wilson, the one deemed by the President of the University to lead for a year or so, is actually competent and has been working largely on the process of hiring a new AD behind the scenes and isn't just "thinking of forming a search committee" or "considering hiring a search firm" but actually working through this process.

Chancellor Wilson, our interim AD, and others involved in deciding to extend Cubit for two years know EXACTLY what they're doing and have information the general public does not and can not have.

There are factors and red tape in play much beyond the University holding up this process of hiring a new athletic director, since this is the state of Illinois after all.

"No need to worry, Illini fans," right?

 

[Second and Chalmers]

And by the way, these maniacs that are still pursuing Rick George need professional help. I can only be so mad at them, since loony donors are a problem every school faces and only under this regime have they been empowered to such an extent, but still. Rick's a little bald to be on the cover of your romance novels, don'tcha think guys?

 

[filthytacos]

You know, people's "oh, there goes Illinois again" attitude about this is making me really upset today. I hate Ron Guenther with every fiber of my being, but to compare this to anything he did, or any other event in our history, is to slur and insult the hardworking, honest, good-faith efforts of everyone that has built this ugly, rickety, but to this point seaworthy vessel that is Illinois Athletics.

There is no analog in the history of modern major-conference athletics for what has happened here over the past month. None. This is the single biggest exhibition of incompetence in the history of commercial athletic endeavor. This has never been and will never be exceeded or even approached in any of our lifetimes.

I don't know what else to say. The English language does not contain descriptors severe enough for this.

No one should even consider giving our school a passing thought, let alone one red cent of their hard earned income in the aftermath of this, not for sports, not for academics, not for merchandise, not for anything. The University doesn't deserve to exist if it can't do better than this.

It's alright Chalmers, tell us how you really feel

 

[Second and Chalmers]

I just want to get ThatGuy on the record, if possible, because the rebrand stuff showed that he obviously knows somebody who knows somebody in what was once rather optimistically referred to as our "athletic department".

What you are saying is that we are going to hire and announce a new AD shortly, and that person is going to turn around and immediately buy out the contract we just signed Bill Cubit to? THAT'S the plan?

That's actually a better plan than the one that's currently public, but only in that I will definitely take a huge addition to the public relations nightmare in exchange for a mild lessening of the football nightmare.

 

[LurkLongandProsper]

I just want to get ThatGuy on the record, if possible, because the rebrand stuff showed that he obviously knows somebody who knows somebody in what was once rather optimistically referred to as our "athletic department".

What you are saying is that we are going to hire and announce a new AD shortly, and that person is going to turn around and immediately buy out the contract we just signed Bill Cubit to? THAT'S the plan?

That's actually a better plan than the one that's currently public, but only in that I will definitely take a huge addition to the public relations nightmare in exchange for a mild lessening of the football nightmare.

I dream of a scenario where a new AD rides in on his white horse and buys out Cubit and gets us a real coach immediately, or even better, where the AD is hired before the next BOT meeting, new AD is hired, new AD gets BOT to refuse to approve the new contract, and hire a new coach without a buyout at all. Please.

 

[Deleted member 10676]

I just want to get ThatGuy on the record, if possible, because the rebrand stuff showed that he obviously knows somebody who knows somebody in what was once rather optimistically referred to as our "athletic department".

What you are saying is that we are going to hire and announce a new AD shortly, and that person is going to turn around and immediately buy out the contract we just signed Bill Cubit to? THAT'S the plan?

That's actually a better plan than the one that's currently public, but only in that I will definitely take a huge addition to the public relations nightmare in exchange for a mild lessening of the football nightmare.

All I know is his next to last post told us not to worry because everything was going fine and the Tribune (Shannon Ryan) among others were out of the loop. 36 hours later events proved Shannon was pretty much in the loop and there was reason to worry. So I'm not putting too much stock in being told everything is going just great now.

 

[Soxfreak64]

I just want to get ThatGuy on the record, if possible, because the rebrand stuff showed that he obviously knows somebody who knows somebody in what was once rather optimistically referred to as our "athletic department".

What you are saying is that we are going to hire and announce a new AD shortly, and that person is going to turn around and immediately buy out the contract we just signed Bill Cubit to? THAT'S the plan?

That's actually a better plan than the one that's currently public, but only in that I will definitely take a huge addition to the public relations nightmare in exchange for a mild lessening of the football nightmare.

Agreed here.

 

[danielb927]

No one should even consider giving our school a passing thought, let alone one red cent of their hard earned income in the aftermath of this, not for sports, not for academics, not for merchandise, not for anything. The University doesn't deserve to exist if it can't do better than this.

Jeesh dude. Talk about overreacting. Top 10 engineering program in the world, but hey, might as well shut it down if we can't get our sports in order. :tsk:

 

[Second and Chalmers]

Jeesh dude. Talk about overreacting. Top 10 engineering program in the world, but hey, might as well shut it down if we can't get our sports in order. :tsk:

If you think this cluelessness and apathy won't eventually infect the engineering program, you're kidding yourself. Illinois didn't just sprout out of the ground as a world leader in engineering. It has emerged that way over the course of decades thanks to tireless work and bold and visionary leadership.

Plenty of competitors are coming for that throne.

 

[Second and Chalmers]

All I know is his next to last post told us not to worry because everything was going fine and the Tribune (Shannon Ryan) among others were out of the loop. 36 hours later events proved Shannon was pretty much in the loop and there was reason to worry. So I'm not putting too much stock in being told everything is going just great now.

That's a great point.

And Shannon Ryan deserves a lot of props for scooping everybody on this, by the way.

 

[danielb927]

If you think this cluelessness and apathy won't eventually infect the engineering program, you're kidding yourself. Illinois didn't just sprout out of the ground as a world leader in engineering. It has emerged that way over the course of decades thanks to tireless work and bold and visionary leadership.

Plenty of competitors are coming for that throne.

So wait, now there was tireless work and bold, visionary leadership? Earlier you said our history was a good-faith effort that built something ugly, rickety, and barely serviceable.