Got a tour of the Texas football complex today. Lots of cool stuff in there. Locker room was sick. Crazy thing is, they’re about to demolish it all build up a new one. I’d be happy if ours is as good as their current one, and they’re about to upgrade.
Who gives a damn with how it looks from an architectural standpoint? Is it awesome inside? Will 17 and 18 year olds think it will be awesome inside and will it help recruiting/performance?
I usually roll my eyes at "it's for the teens" stuff being peddled by old farts like us, but I do agree that architectural aesthetics tends to be something that goes right over the head of young people. The Northwestern facility is much more pitched to take the breath away of the demographic of sports journalists, not football recruits.
I'm gonna have to see ours in person to really judge, and I hope it doesn't detract too much from the majesty of MS' east exterior, but ultimately, a utilitarian facility that has all the right stuff inside will be good enough. To the point about the stupid arms race, we were one of the few where our existing facilities were getting to be genuinely inadequate for the size and complexity of operations of a modern major college football team.
I would argue that the West’s exterior is much more important to maintain with being on 1st Street and now having Grange Grove in front.
I usually roll my eyes at "it's for the teens" stuff being peddled by old farts like us, but I do agree that architectural aesthetics tends to be something that goes right over the head of young people. The Northwestern facility is much more pitched to take the breath away of the demographic of sports journalists, not football recruits.
I'm gonna have to see ours in person to really judge, and I hope it doesn't detract too much from the majesty of MS' east exterior, but ultimately, a utilitarian facility that has all the right stuff inside will be good enough. To the point about the stupid arms race, we were one of the few where our existing facilities were getting to be genuinely inadequate for the size and complexity of operations of a modern major college football team.
I agree, and I think Grange Grove was probably Mike Thomas' biggest and only accomplishment as AD and has made that area something good and with the times of college football with the design of the RG renovation (I wish the "Illini" spelled out in the windows were brand-appropriate, but alas).
But then the other side still evokes the stadium as it was in the 1920's, when it was something truly grand and ambitious and unique and really highlights the columns and their meaning and I hope we don't lose that too much.
U of I is 85% funded by private funds. Ikenberry set this into motion in the 1980s so we wouldn’t be subject to the whims of politicians.
As to ours, the site is right and the facility brings us roughly up to par (from woefully outdated and inadequate). I'm more than alright with the FPC. As others have pointed out, the architecture doesn't much matter to the target audience.
Yes it could be, but considering they are struggling to secure all the funding needed it seems unlikely they will try to build the Taj Mahal.Sadly, the minute the Smith Center opens it will be slightly-better-than-middle-of-the-BIG-pack in terms of football training facilities, and will downgrade from there in the ensuing years. Would have been better, IMHO, if they had aimed for clear best-in-class rather than just Keeping up with the Joneses. I hope that Whitman aims higher with the proposed hockey/volleyball/wrestling arena, goes big, and builds something that sets Illinois apart from most other programs. With the potential for an entire entertainment district in Downtown Champaign, it could be amazing.
Yes it could be, but considering they are struggling to secure all the funding needed it seems unlikely they will try to build the Taj Mahal.
My thoughts were in reference to the Hockey arena comment. I’m sure the ones that come will like it just fine. I think it remains to be seen if it gives us a leg up on anyone else from a recruiting standpoint. So far, not so much.I have viewed the top 20 football performance centers. Clemson is rated as the best in the country in the reviews and the Illini Smith compared very favorable to the Clemson Performance center and is quite similiar, even down to the golf course on the roof.
The Illini Smith is far beyond any in the B1g. Northwestern's pc does not count because it is for all sports and not a football only performance center. I personally think Oregon has the sharpest but the Illini Center is still at the top in the conference and the nation. Recruits will love it.
I have viewed the top 20 football performance centers. Clemson is rated as the best in the country in the reviews and the Illini Smith compared very favorable to the Clemson Performance center and is quite similiar, even down to the golf course on the roof.
The Illini Smith is far beyond any in the B1g. Northwestern's pc does not count because it is for all sports and not a football only performance center. I personally think Oregon has the sharpest but the Illini Center is still at the top in the conference and the nation. Recruits will love it.
Viewed online from various articles including a long video on Oregon and Clemson and Oklahoma. Oregon has some bling that stands out.Interesting. Did you visit all or just view online? I hope it is true!
Viewed online from various articles including a long video on Oregon and Clemson and Oklahoma. Oregon has some bling that stands out.
Some personnel moving into the building today. Others to follow over the next few weeks.It will be interesting to see the new rankings of performance centers. Sounds like it is safe to say we should be top 20.
https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...room-is-so-good-it-will-put-players-to-sleep/
Are we going to match up with this?
https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...room-is-so-good-it-will-put-players-to-sleep/
Are we going to match up with this?