mattcoldagelli
- The Transfer Portal with Do Not Contact Tag
Rebuilding from a point-shaving scandal is impressive!
Lovie Smith Named Illinois Football Coach
- Status
Rebuilding from a point-shaving scandal is impressive!
LEGACY
Catching up on all of the posts. Went from never feeling so low on Illini Football in the past several years to beyond excited with move to Lovie. One possible scenario that I have not seen mentioned.
This has the potential to be a LEGACY play for Lovie. He is 58 years old. Been successful at the NFL level not only in wins, but maybe something that means more to him, building young men, giving them second chances, running respectable and clean organizations. Being in football and doing it his way. I suspect, that the last thing on this guys mind is building and flipping the Illini program so he can what, jump back into the NFL at the age of 61 after he has already been down that road for 20 years.
We have all watched this guy for over a decade. It seems ALL of his players love him with a passion. This could be the guy that pours all of his knowledge, experience and contacts into really building something special here. Something that should have been here all along and has eluded us. Hope for something much better feels so possible.
Catching up on all of the posts. Went from never feeling so low on Illini Football in the past several years to beyond excited with move to Lovie. One possible scenario that I have not seen mentioned.
This has the potential to be a LEGACY play for Lovie. He is 58 years old. Been successful at the NFL level not only in wins, but maybe something that means more to him, building young men, giving them second chances, running respectable and clean organizations. Being in football and doing it his way. I suspect, that the last thing on this guys mind is building and flipping the Illini program so he can what, jump back into the NFL at the age of 61 after he has already been down that road for 20 years.
We have all watched this guy for over a decade. It seems ALL of his players love him with a passion. This could be the guy that pours all of his knowledge, experience and contacts into really building something special here. Something that should have been here all along and has eluded us. Hope for something much better feels so possible.
Does anyone have the interview from Whitman and Kaplan today? I cant find it but wanted to listen to how Whitman responded to Kaps acusations of bad buisness.
Jkat00
- Champaign, IL
It's the only video missing on the sportstalk live website. Maybe he was good friends with Cubit? Whitman told Kap that he thinks he's wrong. I'm a Kaplan fan but he has been a huge
since Saturday.
It's the only video missing on the sportstalk live website. Maybe he was good friends with Cubit? Whitman told Kap that he thinks he's wrong. I'm a Kaplan fan but he has been a huge
Kaplan just doesn't like Lovie Smith.
To this day I get the sense Thomas got a bit discombobulated when his first through fifth (or whatever the number was) options all fell through and lost sense of where to go next. I remember he seemed unnecessarily stubborn that the hire had to be a current head coach which was part of his undoing as there were no good options on his table that particular year. He wasn't going to chance it on an unproven commodity like Monken or McElwain. Out of sorts and unsure where turn, he relied WAY too much on some established coaches endorsements of Beckman and ignored all the red flags that must have been there during the interview stage.
In short, he blew it. Which is why he's not here anymore. OK, it's a little more complicated than that, but that hire seems weaker than ever now that we've seen proof that it can be done right. Whatever positive legacy Thomas had remaining has taken a thrashing this past 72 hours as a supposed novice has completely outclassed him by every conceivable measurement.
In short, he blew it. Which is why he's not here anymore. OK, it's a little more complicated than that, but that hire seems weaker than ever now that we've seen proof that it can be done right. Whatever positive legacy Thomas had remaining has taken a thrashing this past 72 hours as a supposed novice has completely outclassed him by every conceivable measurement.
It's the only video missing on the sportstalk live website. Maybe he was good friends with Cubit? Whitman told Kap that he thinks he's wrong. I'm a Kaplan fan but he has been a huge
I generally like Kap too but he has been grasping at straws for things to complain about on this one. He changed his narrative from the players not being told to this about having Lovie lined up before the fact. Kap's a smart guy too, he knows that negotiations fall apart and stuff can come up. Thats why you make sure you have your guy first. If I remember correctly as well, he was all about hiring Maddon over Renteria because as he said, If you make your program better you have to do it.
Just wanted to hear how Whitman came back at him.
icengineer
- Southern Illinois
Don't remember exactly which interview it was, but JW did state that during his visit to Lovie in Tampa, Lovie told him, "I want this to be my last job." So I believe that what you've stated above is exactly how both LS and JW are viewing this hire.
TheSecretWeapon
- ILLINI NATION!
the CSN chicago website has Kaplan's interview with Whitman and also a clip of the 4 hosts debating the "class" of the firing/hiring process
http://www.csnchicago.com/video_con...id=2D24AA4B-13E0-E98B-A287-53D4CC9578EB&t=216
http://www.csnchicago.com/video_con...way?guid=E01AE2B8-1FB7-2589-2CA6-53D4CC952778
Thank you
My recollection is that there weren't any other names. But the process was taking a long time. Sumlin was basically bidding Illinois against Az St, while other guys were being hired. Then, when it looked like Illinois was going to pull out the hire, A&M fired Sherman and swooped in to take Sumlin.
Beckman seemed like a safe hire after all that. On paper. As mentioned up thread, one has to wonder how he got past the interview stage.
Kaplan was fine on the former but an inconsistent buffoon on the latter. Liked JW matter-of-factly telling him he was wrong. And then there's Greenstein telling us Whitman should have had a full team meeting called down the hall from where he fired Cubit, then gone straight there to inform the team. Like Cubit wouldn't know about that assembly happening in advance and what it meant. Idiot.
blackdog
- Champaign
That's the part that I got most excited about really. Nick Saban was a little younger but still pretty close to the same age as Lovie when he took the Bama job. Chance to build a program that he will be associated with forever.
In previous searches was the University willing to offer potential football coaches the type of financial package that has been given to Smith. The situation is probably a little more complex, than the new AD being some type of magician.
Has there been such a AD?
No there hasn't. Only way boosters we're going to spend big if they trusted the leadership of the AD. They didn't trust Thomas so we got to reap the benefits of a subpar AD.
EfremWinters84
- S. Carolina
As I've said before, I think Beckman's one redeeming quality is that he has a little bit of the Dick Butkus or Pete Rose thing going for him. He talks a simple (nuts and bolts) game.
I'm just not sure it makes for a good coach/manager/teacher.
It's the only video missing on the sportstalk live website. Maybe he was good friends with Cubit? Whitman told Kap that he thinks he's wrong. I'm a Kaplan fan but he has been a huge
Kaplan didn't have a problem when the Cubs essentially did the same thing when they got Maddon.
Yea it's hardly different. Kap is usually good but he does have some Skip Bayless in him. With this he riles people up and gets more hits for his shows.
Lovie on Mike & Mike at 8:05 central
EfremWinters84
- S. Carolina
I can't seem to recall....
How did Beckman's appearance turn out on Mike and Mike following his hiring? Just kidding, of course. This PR is fantastic!!!!
And I guess it helps put to rest some of the questions about his recruiting prowess. The value of Lovie's name and reputation alone > his ability to tweet.
He's on 670 right now. Download radio.com and listen from your phone.
South Farms
- near Ogden & Rt 83
true dat
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