If Lee is getting a lot more minutes than Jake Davis, then he’s a LOT farther along than most of us thought.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
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Not really where I meant to go, when comparing floor I figure Davis is a wash year 1 to year 2, Lee is new add
If you’re Werner, your first call has to be Latulip, right? Throw him all the NIL $ you got. Lol
Total mischaracterization.
I predict that Werner will hire the intern who frequently filled in for Lon on the Tay & Piper show...but, IANAI
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That makes too much sense. Hopefully, Latulip in interested...he is my favorite analyst.
Is Piper in the transfer portal
I think they have to be making some decent money at this point. I'm sure it was a bit lean in the early years, but they have a strong following.
Joel Goodson
- it's all ball bearings, nowadays
Kitt is really coming on:
fyi...just listening to the Underwood video on the home page & he said Jake has lost some weight & made him more athletic. So maybe a positive sign for our defense (or Maybe this falls into the "Underwood Elite category")
That’s what I thought you meant, I do semi-agree.
My personal spin had been that he was being more tight lipped with info given last off season and how volatile recruiting had been going. Thought his premium pieces were as solid as they had been.
Either way, he was one of the good ones. Sad to see for my own greediness, happy he’s choosing personal life over work.
So "historically bad " "with a lack of athleticism". Tell me what you are basing these statements on? The fact that we have a bunch of Europeans coming in? They have to be unathletic right? Have you seen them play? Europeans have won 5 of last 7 NBA MVPs...just sayin. And the 2 that weren't were from Cameroon and Canada..different landscape now then before
Piper: Bidding farewell to a special place & a cherished career
Derek Piper shares the news of his departure from Illini Inquirer.247sports.com
I have never subscribed to premium but will definitely miss Derek on the radio and doing the podcasts. Sounds like he’s getting a “real” job. Maybe working with his Dad and brother at First Federal? Or maybe joining the long line of former Illini media/athletes to go into banking/insurance? Even Lon Tay gave up a sportscasting career to sell insurance.
A move like this shows just how hard it is to make good money in local media. It’s a big loss for Werner but if football keeps doing well he may not lose that many subs.
Agree to disagree. I just know if I left my company and my boss put out a statement thanking me but also mentioning how he was blindsided, thought he was in the middle of contract negotiations, how *he* doesn't feel burnout at his job yet, and how I've been paid much more than when I first started...I'd look at him a bit side-eyed as I left. Not a big deal either way.
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Yeah, when he said he had discussions about a new contract with Derek you could tell it’s a big loss for his business. Jeremy did say they have 5,000+ subscribers so losing him could be a big blow. But with HS recruiting not being that important anymore, and most recruiting coming down to just who pays the most- he’s probably making a good decision. I think premium sites lifeblood is recruiting News. If that becomes less important, all you are is an opinion writer and not many people are willing to pay to read others opinions.
Derek leaving could put a big damper on Illini Enquirer, and I really doubt the Tay/Piper show even comes back (with a new cohost) in August which will suck bc the J Leman hour was must listen to radio. Lon said they’d be on hiatus but Kyle won’t be available much either so it’s probdbly done. Which sucks for fans of local Illini coverage. I live in Florida and would download their shows quite often. I hope Derek at least does a podcast if he finds time as Mike Carpenter does. He’s too good not too.
For context, here is what he said:
"And in all honesty, the decision did surprise me as Derek and I were in some deep long-term contract discussions before he told me that this ultimately was the way he wanted to go."
I think it's a little disingenuous to change the more neutral word "surprised" to the more charged word "blindsided." Why not use the same word Werner used and let people on here decide for themselves it if it was ok to say?
For context, here is what he said:
"Though I must admit that always wonder if the burnout is on the horizon. I haven't reached that, and maybe I can pull off the Loren Tate of doing this for six decades, but the thoughts always clank around in the back of my brain."
Seems more like he's being understanding, that burnout is always around the corner and realizes it could come for him one day as well.
For context, here is what he said:
"
My first call was to Derek Piper. I couldn't offer him much. But ever since I got a random email from a kid I'd never heard of to come on the Tay and J Show, Derek intrigued me, and I could tell he shared the desire I had to cover Illini athletics and cover it better.
So he took my very modest financial offer — which was a stretch for us as a business based on what I was getting paid — and helped me launch IlliniInquirer.com. And, yes, he got paid much more as we grew."
So again, context is important. To me it reads like, after telling everyone he offered Piper barely any money at all when they got started, he's reassuring people that Piper's pay did go up as the enterprise became more profitable and there is not some kind of money dispute at play in Piper's decision. But even if that's not your interpretation, why not actually say what Werner said, and let others decide?
Yeah making money in local media or journalism at all is incredibly incredibly difficult. And he/Werner/Inquirer have done something that's difficult to do: "breaking through/making it".
On the bright side for Inquirer, they've got a national/worldwide audience of Illini fans and they'll be fine. Werner is great at hosting. They've definitely got something good going with their YouTube and 24/7 members.
Sucks Derek is leaving when Inquirer is continuing on their upswing but kudos to him for giving up a lifelong passion and making the decision putting his family first.
Illini in OC
In. The. Alley.
LaTulipm is awesome. Like a modern day version of Hubie Brown. Total gym rat.
Agreed! Also, how uber athletic are Purdues top two likely preseason All B10 selections? Athleticism certainly helps but it's a team game, length and skill matters too. I think many of these guys are more athletic than given credit for. Mirkovic actually looked pretty solid in the Nike Summit.
I sort of doubt LaTulip is an journalist at heart, my bet is the job is Issac Trotter's if he wants it...but he is 247 national (I think) & up in Minneapolis with a wife at this point, so not sure if he comes back to Champaign. My guess is Joey starts doing a bit more basketball & less womens/golf coverage short term
Werner says in notes pay is up. Not sure LaTulip wants to be a journalist & needs a career change to chase high school recruits.
Haven't been watching show since Piper replaced Werner, but Issac Trotter was the intern back in Werner's day & would be a good hire, but not sure how much sense it would make for him vs staying at his current Big Ten/National level.
100%
Navigating the media, lots of travel, a long demanding season for the revenue sports...I'm sure it's a lot, and probably a bit over the top for a dad with young kids who wants to be part of raising them. Best wishes to him
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