krushalot2005
- Chicago, IL
Josh Whitman is my AD. I’ve always thought Illinois was a sleeping giant from an athletics perspective and truly think /hope Josh is the leader that will make Illinois a juggernaut.
AD Josh Whitman open letter on the Big Ten regular season title
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JFGsCoffeeMug
BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
Absolutely, go back and watch some of BU's press conferences around the time we were originally scheduled to play Michigan. BU repeatedly stated that, as a member of the B1G, we had a (moral) responsibility to fulfill our duties to other conference members by playing the games when we are told to play them. No excuses. BU doesn't express that sentiment at that precise time unless someone (Michigan) was violating the social contract. BU called it a character issue for a reason.
The B1G told Michigan to play certain games and to put some effort into making up the ones that were postponed (just like everyone else). Michigan declined (even publicly stating they shouldn't need to try and make up their games because they are special, unlike lowly Maryland and Nebraska) and called it "return to play" planning. They demanded special treatment and the B1G backed down. They spent no time considering how their own self-centered actions would negatively impact the other members of the conference. They came out of their break, dropping two road games from their schedule, and only ever playing a single game on a one-day-turnaround the entire season. They made their own schedule easier at the expense of making other team's schedules more difficult.
At the end of the day, I expect Michigan's strategy to backfire. Whether or not he intended to, Howard has implicitly communicated to his team that they aren't tough enough. That they weren't capable of doing what the other 13 teams did in playing a full schedule. He communicated to his team that they need special treatment to succeed. And with the way they performed near the end of the regular season, every person in that locker room now gets to wrestle with the question of whether they are "truly" champions. They can point to the banner all they want; the doubt still finds a way to creep in. If they had played by the same rules as everyone else, would they have measured up? Or would they have fallen short? The banner can't help you when you are down 2 in the final 30 seconds of a single-elimination game. They might not have the answers yet, but all of the questions will be answered soon enough.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
It'$ really quite $imple. $cUM float$ on the top when it i$ $upported by weak minded, corrupt leader$hip.
Kevin W is a di$grace. $cUM i$ a di$grace. I real program led by true Champions would immediately recognize that they are NOT the clear, $ingular Champions and OFFER to $hare the title. It prove$ what the B1G and Kevin Warren are about. It prove$ what $cUM i$ all about.
It'$ not about the kid$. It'$ not about integrity. It'$ not about equality.
Thi$ de$erve$ a lot of attention, and I hope Josh's letter goe$ viral. I have no real hope that E$PN give$ it any play. Becau$e $cUM.
Kevin W is a di$grace. $cUM i$ a di$grace. I real program led by true Champions would immediately recognize that they are NOT the clear, $ingular Champions and OFFER to $hare the title. It prove$ what the B1G and Kevin Warren are about. It prove$ what $cUM i$ all about.
It'$ not about the kid$. It'$ not about integrity. It'$ not about equality.
Thi$ de$erve$ a lot of attention, and I hope Josh's letter goe$ viral. I have no real hope that E$PN give$ it any play. Becau$e $cUM.
If this is what Whitman is saying publicly, I have to believe that some of the behind the scenes conversations have been... not pleasant.
Ummmm much of that last paragraph is a pretty big stretch. If they lose in the BTT I’d say the reason is they weren’t as good as the team they lost to that day, not Howard implicitly communicating they aren’t tough enough.Absolutely, go back and watch some of BU's press conferences around the time we were originally scheduled to play Michigan. BU repeatedly stated that, as a member of the B1G, we had a (moral) responsibility to fulfill our duties to other conference members by playing the games when we are told to play them. No excuses. BU doesn't express that sentiment at that precise time unless someone (Michigan) was violating the social contract. BU called it a character issue for a reason.
The B1G told Michigan to play certain games and to put some effort into making up the ones that were postponed (just like everyone else). Michigan declined (even publicly stating they shouldn't need to try and make up their games because they are special, unlike lowly Maryland and Nebraska) and called it "return to play" planning. They demanded special treatment and the B1G backed down. They spent no time considering how their own self-centered actions would negatively impact the other members of the conference. They came out of their break, dropping two road games from their schedule, and only ever playing a single game on a one-day-turnaround the entire season. They made their own schedule easier at the expense of making other team's schedules more difficult.
At the end of the day, I expect Michigan's strategy to backfire. Whether or not he intended to, Howard has implicitly communicated to his team that they aren't tough enough. That they weren't capable of doing what the other 13 teams did in playing a full schedule. He communicated to his team that they need special treatment to succeed. And with the way they performed near the end of the regular season, every person in that locker room now gets to wrestle with the question of whether they are "truly" champions. They can point to the banner all they want; the doubt still finds a way to creep in. If they had played by the same rules as everyone else, would they have measured up? Or would they have fallen short? The banner can't help you when you are down 2 in the final 30 seconds of a single-elimination game. They might not have the answers yet, but all of the questions will be answered soon enough.
BillyBob1
- Champaign
That must be his direct email!
Howard also pulled his starters with 5 minutes to go while they were getting run on their home court. Champions don't do that.
I think @JFGsCoffeeMug makes a great point about what type of character lessons that squad is getting from the top down. And I love the leadership our guys are getting from JW and BU.
You fight until the fight is done.
I think @JFGsCoffeeMug makes a great point about what type of character lessons that squad is getting from the top down. And I love the leadership our guys are getting from JW and BU.
You fight until the fight is done.
Whether this leads to any action by the league office, there's a clear internal benefit here. The coaches and players (of all sports) have to love that they're working for an AD who takes bold action and is behind them 100%, and will do everything in his power for them. We as fans are fired up by the letter, so you have to imagine the players are just a little juiced by it too going into the tourney.
JFGsCoffeeMug
BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
We'll see about that. It's not just about whether or not they win the BTT. It's about how they will respond when the going gets tough. We know how our team will respond in those situations. BU has been consistent and the team has benefitted as a result of adopting that mindset.
Was thinking that same thing. And got to think any coach from Underwood to Bielema to their assistants to all the other sports -- having an AD like this go to bat for you and have your back is a huge plus for attracting and keeping quality coaches.
Josh's letter is very well written and makes multiple cases on why Illinois should be named co-conference basketball champions. I agree with him... Illinois got screwed.
The one area I would like to know more is Josh's comment as follows: "In November, the conference agreed that winning percentage would be used to determine the regular-season champion in basketball." Does that mean that each AD had agreed to the "winning percentage" criteria? If so, that paints a little bit of a different picture and I can see why there was no change. If we agreed to the rules in November, then that was where a mistake was made.
Maybe we did not agree to the percentage winning percentage, but it was a consensus on the part of the majority of the AD's. If so, shame on the AD's. Someone should have run a few scenarios to see if one team playing fewer games (e.g. say 7 games) and having a higher winning percentage was fair to be awarded the title. They could have said that winning percentage would be generally used, but that there would be a review of the issue near the end of the year.
I heard announcers at multiple times on BIG Ten game broadcasts in early February state that winning percentage would be used to determine the winner. I even posted that and was told by someone here that the BIG Ten had not decided that? I still am not sure how winning percentage was the sole method used, but Josh's comments about winning percentage got me to thinking.
In any event, I do believe that there should have been co-champions and we won the head to head match-up against Michigan.
Just my thoughts.
The one area I would like to know more is Josh's comment as follows: "In November, the conference agreed that winning percentage would be used to determine the regular-season champion in basketball." Does that mean that each AD had agreed to the "winning percentage" criteria? If so, that paints a little bit of a different picture and I can see why there was no change. If we agreed to the rules in November, then that was where a mistake was made.
Maybe we did not agree to the percentage winning percentage, but it was a consensus on the part of the majority of the AD's. If so, shame on the AD's. Someone should have run a few scenarios to see if one team playing fewer games (e.g. say 7 games) and having a higher winning percentage was fair to be awarded the title. They could have said that winning percentage would be generally used, but that there would be a review of the issue near the end of the year.
I heard announcers at multiple times on BIG Ten game broadcasts in early February state that winning percentage would be used to determine the winner. I even posted that and was told by someone here that the BIG Ten had not decided that? I still am not sure how winning percentage was the sole method used, but Josh's comments about winning percentage got me to thinking.
In any event, I do believe that there should have been co-champions and we won the head to head match-up against Michigan.
Just my thoughts.
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no doubt about that. Imagine the call between him and Warren .
one wonders if the Chancellor or President even bothered with their day to help . You know they would at scUM or O$U.
haasi
- New York
BOOM!!! GO JFG!!!Absolutely, go back and watch some of BU's press conferences around the time we were originally scheduled to play Michigan. BU repeatedly stated that, as a member of the B1G, we had a (moral) responsibility to fulfill our duties to other conference members by playing the games when we are told to play them. No excuses. BU doesn't express that sentiment at that precise time unless someone (Michigan) was violating the social contract. BU called it a character issue for a reason.
The B1G told Michigan to play certain games and to put some effort into making up the ones that were postponed (just like everyone else). Michigan declined (even publicly stating they shouldn't need to try and make up their games because they are special, unlike lowly Maryland and Nebraska) and called it "return to play" planning. They demanded special treatment and the B1G backed down. They spent no time considering how their own self-centered actions would negatively impact the other members of the conference. They came out of their break, dropping two road games from their schedule, and only ever playing a single game on a one-day-turnaround the entire season. They made their own schedule easier at the expense of making other team's schedules more difficult.
At the end of the day, I expect Michigan's strategy to backfire. Whether or not he intended to, Howard has implicitly communicated to his team that they aren't tough enough. That they weren't capable of doing what the other 13 teams did in playing a full schedule. He communicated to his team that they need special treatment to succeed. And with the way they performed near the end of the regular season, every person in that locker room now gets to wrestle with the question of whether they are "truly" champions. They can point to the banner all they want; the doubt still finds a way to creep in. If they had played by the same rules as everyone else, would they have measured up? Or would they have fallen short? The banner can't help you when you are down 2 in the final 30 seconds of a single-elimination game. They might not have the answers yet, but all of the questions will be answered soon enough.
AirNeezy
Orange Krush '13 -'14
My only experience with JW is meeting him while I was absolutely ****faced drunk while up in the private boxes at Memorial Stadium (friend hooked us up) and I drunkenly shook his hand and said "I have full faith that you can help us get back to where we belong."
Let's just say he's proving plastered me very, very right.
Let's just say he's proving plastered me very, very right.
Letter was addressed to Illini family, and I agree that it has its benefits to this group. Highly doubt league will change anything. In fact, if there was still a chance of that happening, I doubt he would have written the letter. Outside of the Illini family and to a much lesser degree Michigan family (mainly because they’ve gotten their spoils), no one cares about this. But players,staff, fans and I think donors love Josh standing up for the team. Well done Josh.
This letter and our complaint needs to blow up on social media. Viral I tell you!!! You folks that have social media platform please get busy. 
Public outcry is our only hope of changing anything (our last 1 % chance).
Public outcry is our only hope of changing anything (our last 1 % chance).
One AD does it right, the other....
www.espn.com
Marble family hurt by Garza honor; AD apologizes
Iowa athletic director Gary Barta apologized to the family of Hawkeyes basketball great Roy Marble on Tuesday for any hard feelings they have over the retirement of star player Luka Garza's number.
It’s a joke, we were 16-4, they were 14-3, that give us a .5 game lead in the standings and 1st place in any league. If they finished 14-2, we would have been tied. We won and it was taken away from our guys! What a joke the Big10 is. They could have easily justified one team was in first with a .5 lead and the other team had the first place winning percentage. Co-champs was easily the path to go.
Sorry I spit out my drink when I read the part about Iowa and criteria.One AD does it right, the other....
Marble family hurt by Garza honor; AD apologizes
Iowa athletic director Gary Barta apologized to the family of Hawkeyes basketball great Roy Marble on Tuesday for any hard feelings they have over the retirement of star player Luka Garza's number.
I think Josh's letter has done what it was intended to do: Explain to the Illini Family that he has tried his best but has failed to get the BIG 10 to change the decision that Whitman himself agreed to back in November to use the winning percentage. It's a great letter that nobody will remember a month from now. The fact is that Illinois failed to get the type of rule change that OSU benefitted from. I feel bad for the team and the fans and hopefully we get some measure of revenge this Sunday (if Michigan makes it that far).
why doesnt Barta come out and apologize for the slight and announce they will retire Marbles number ?One AD does it right, the other....
Marble family hurt by Garza honor; AD apologizes
Iowa athletic director Gary Barta apologized to the family of Hawkeyes basketball great Roy Marble on Tuesday for any hard feelings they have over the retirement of star player Luka Garza's number.
Chancellor Robert Jones is extremely involved and is a huge champion of Illinois athletics. He and Josh work well together.
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