The Illinois AD Search

chief2007 · Nov 17, 2015

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...illinois-thomas-spt-1110-20151109-column.html

Two prime candidates for the AD job, I'm told, are Colorado AD Rick George and Craig Tiley, CEO of Tennis Australia. Tiley coached men's tennis at Illinois, guiding the Illini to the 2003 NCAA championship, and George is a highly regarded former executive with the PGA Tour and Texas Rangers who started 27 games at cornerback for Gary Moeller and Mike White.

The school will court Northwestern AD Jim Phillips, but the Illinois alumnus already has turned down AD jobs at Stanford and Penn State. He would consider leaving Northwestern only for a top post at Notre Dame, the NCAA, the Big Ten or a pro sports franchise in Chicago.

Northern Illinois AD Sean Frazier also should garner consideration. The former deputy AD at Wisconsin was a finalist for the Rutgers job that went to Julie Hermann. He is an Alabama alumnus.

IlliniJim20 · Nov 17, 2015

chief2007 said:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...illinois-thomas-spt-1110-20151109-column.html

Two prime candidates for the AD job, I'm told, are Colorado AD Rick George and Craig Tiley, CEO of Tennis Australia. Tiley coached men's tennis at Illinois, guiding the Illini to the 2003 NCAA championship, and George is a highly regarded former executive with the PGA Tour and Texas Rangers who started 27 games at cornerback for Gary Moeller and Mike White.

The school will court Northwestern AD Jim Phillips, but the Illinois alumnus already has turned down AD jobs at Stanford and Penn State. He would consider leaving Northwestern only for a top post at Notre Dame, the NCAA, the Big Ten or a pro sports franchise in Chicago.

Northern Illinois AD Sean Frazier also should garner consideration. The former deputy AD at Wisconsin was a finalist for the Rutgers job that went to Julie Hermann. He is an Alabama alumnus.

Cannot open link. Did Teddy write that info?

If yes, I would LMFAO if Phillips took the job. I agree he is unlikely, but the pompous nature of teddy g would make it all the sweeter :thumb:

Second and Chalmers · Nov 17, 2015

IlliniJim20 said:
Cannot open link. Did Teddy write that info?

If yes, I would LMFAO if Phillips took the job. I agree he is unlikely, but the pompous nature of teddy g would make it all the sweeter :thumb:

It's so laughable that Teddy is allowed to report on Illinois and Northwestern.

He and Tim Beckman were two peas in a pod really, the only two people on earth who treat Illinois/Northwestern like it's the freaking Iron Bowl.

EfremWinters84 · Nov 17, 2015

TyinLex said:
"I'm still learning about athletic searches, so I don't know what the time frame and process will be."

"It'll be my decision," she said, "in consultation with the search committee. Of course, I'll be working closely with the president, too. He's who I report to. Ultimately, it will be a campus decision."

Very troubling comments

My thoughts exactly. When I read this, it had me begging for Thomas to be un-fired.

Second and Chalmers · Nov 17, 2015

EfremWinters84 said:
My thoughts exactly. When I read this, it had me begging for Thomas to be un-fired.

I know Barb Wilson is everyone's perfect avatar for the ivory tower out-of-touch dysfunction that people are addicted to believing is the cause of Illinois' lack of revenue sport success rather than the truth of crappy coaches, crappy AD's, and a whole bunch of rotten luck, but it could not be any clearer that Wilson is not leading the charge here.

bigruss22 · Nov 17, 2015

Second and Chalmers said:
I know Barb Wilson is everyone's perfect avatar for the ivory tower out-of-touch dysfunction that people are addicted to believing is the cause of Illinois' lack of revenue sport success rather than the truth of crappy coaches, crappy AD's, and a whole bunch of rotten luck, but it could not be any clearer that Wilson is not leading the charge here.

It was rough reading "it's my decision...or my boss' actually...wait no it's a campus decision!" She just doesn't have it together at this point, which is half expected since she's an interim person as well, but man it doesn't inspire confidence. Hopefully they put together the right search committee with people who have the right influence and resources (hint hint).

IlliNYC · Nov 17, 2015

I'm probably in the minority here, but I don't think the key to success is the Chicago market or recruiting. I think Chicago is fools gold--focus on winning and improving the campus experience is what I've come to believe in the key.

Of course we need to recruit there and sell there--maybe even keep the occasional game up there. But prioritizing it is IMHO as silly as Northwestern's "Chicago's Big Ten Team" campaign and I'm not sure it doesn't do more harm than good.

AutoPoster 3000 · Nov 17, 2015

I have to think that anyone who openly campaigns for a job of this type has no chance of getting it. Lubin might as well have said, "Pay me the bare minimum salary and put me on the shortest leash possible -- I'm desperate!" There's a courtship process involved in these things. The school wants to come off like they pulled a coup and won the hard-to-get battle, and the appointee wants to puff his chest about accepting the offer that he couldn't refuse.

Hoppy2105 · Nov 17, 2015

AutoPoster 3000 said:
I have to think that anyone who openly campaigns for a job of this type has no chance of getting it. Lubin might as well have said, "Pay me the bare minimum salary and put me on the shortest leash possible -- I'm desperate!" There's a courtship process involved in these things. The school wants to come off like they pulled a coup and won the hard-to-get battle, and the appointee wants to puff his chest about accepting the offer that he couldn't refuse.

Maybe...or maybe the right guy for the job is just really passionate about Illinois and wants to be the one that brings success to their home school. I'm not saying that is the case now, just that it could be and doesn't have to be all the contractual posturing.

Rick George did say this was his dream job way back when. I'm sure if we wanted him as badly then as we do now, we would have picked him up and paid him a great and competitive contract.

mrmill · Nov 17, 2015

IlliNYC said:
I'm probably in the minority here, but I don't think the key to success is the Chicago market or recruiting. I think Chicago is fools gold--focus on winning and improving the campus experience is what I've come to believe in the key.

Of course we need to recruit there and sell there--maybe even keep the occasional game up there. But prioritizing it is IMHO as silly as Northwestern's "Chicago's Big Ten Team" campaign and I'm not sure it doesn't do more harm than good.

I would venture to say it will take a multi-pronged approach to make us a successful program. Tapping the Chicago market (recruits, alums, etc) is definitely one of the prongs.

Hamer · Nov 17, 2015

Jim Phillips is not a candidate for this job. I highly doubt anyone from Illinois would even contact him. This is the Chicago press setting it up so they can claim he turned us down.

LurkLongandProsper · Nov 17, 2015

I hope we are well along in the development of our offer for Rick George.

Ulysses Everett McGill · Nov 17, 2015

BZuppke said:
Big alums and Kileen need to take charge. You can't leave it to the interims.

Not sure Killeen could sound any more disinterested (in the AD search), other than the stirring ""interim" is only an adjective" pep talk given to Wilson.

LurkLongandProsper · Nov 17, 2015

Ulysses Everett McGill said:
Not sure Killeen could sound any more disinterested, other than the stirring ""interim" is only an adjective" spiel given to Wilson.

Yeah, and that's why I have zero confidence that any of the next 8 months will go well with regards to either revenue sport.

Ulysses Everett McGill · Nov 17, 2015

If Phillips, George and Tiley can't be persuaded, where do we sit? Anyone have thoughts on whether Kim Johnson becomes viable? I never heard of her but the resume' (described in the article) looks somewhat intriguing.

LurkLongandProsper · Nov 17, 2015

Ulysses Everett McGill said:
If Phillips, George and Tiley can't be persuaded, where do we sit? Anyone have thoughts on whether Kim Johnson becomes viable? I never heard of her but the resume' (described in the article) looks somewhat intriguing.

This is my fear, because I don't think Phillips will happen, and after those 3, it seems like uncharted waters. If lunatic loyalty posters haven't named them, will Wilson be able to find them?

Second and Chalmers · Nov 17, 2015

I'm going to lose a year of my life to getting upset at people refusing to understand that Barb Wilson is just a middleman (middlewoman?) in this process. :tsk:

LurkLongandProsper · Nov 17, 2015

Second and Chalmers said:
I'm going to lose a year of my life to getting upset at people refusing to understand that Barb Wilson is just a middleman (middlewoman?) in this process. :tsk:

Who is really calling the shots that should inspire more confidence, though? Is Kahn actually going to forgive us without actually giving him the honorary degree he should've gotten? I don't see how Killeen would inspire more confidence, and do we really think our BOT is going to do a good job? Unless it's Colangelo/Kahn, I don't know why I'd feel confident about the shot callers

Flight 33 · Nov 17, 2015

Ulysses Everett McGill said:
If Phillips, George and Tiley can't be persuaded, where do we sit? Anyone have thoughts on whether Kim Johnson becomes viable? I never heard of her but the resume' (described in the article) looks somewhat intriguing.

If it were me, and those three declined, I would want to at least interview Josh Whitman and Tom Michael. I probably would want to check on some AD's and Associate ADs with no ties to Illinois who maybe want to move up to the Big 10.

Franklin Delano Bluth · Nov 17, 2015

IlliNYC said:
I'm probably in the minority here, but I don't think the key to success is the Chicago market or recruiting. I think Chicago is fools gold--focus on winning and improving the campus experience is what I've come to believe in the key.

I think Chicago is the key, but I think the term "key" is a little misleading. I don't think that means focusing all of our efforts in an attempt to dominate that market, because that will never happen. However we need to become a player in Chicago for sure. Things like this Champions Classic (or whatever its called) where Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, etc come in here and play a marquee game every year are killing us.

We'll never beat those schools out for every Chicago recruit, but we can't be getting pushed back to page 8 while those schools are slapped on the cover of every newspaper when they come to town.

Second and Chalmers · Nov 17, 2015

LurkLongandProsper said:
Who is really calling the shots that should inspire more confidence, though? Is Kahn actually going to forgive us without actually giving him the honorary degree he should've gotten? I don't see how Killeen would inspire more confidence, and do we really think our BOT is going to do a good job? Unless it's Colangelo/Kahn, I don't know why I'd feel confident about the shot callers

I do think the donors are occupying prominent roles in this, but regardless, I don't know why everyone thinks that Vince Lombardi-meets-Winston Churchill is in charge of hiring the AD at all those "real" schools they lust so much about.

Tweedy pin-headed academics are ultimately at the top of the food chain at every University in the country. The question isn't who wields the authority, it's who wields the power. If business as we have known it were going to prevail at Illinois going forward, Mike Thomas would still be employed.

IlliniJim20 · Nov 17, 2015

Hamer said:
Jim Phillips is not a candidate for this job. I highly doubt anyone from Illinois would even contact him. This is the Chicago press setting it up so they can claim he turned us down.

I agree, but you have to at least ask through private channels. I think Phillips is classy enough to not disclose the ask to anyone, if he is asked and does in fact say no.

brosox · Nov 17, 2015

I actually like the idea of going after a guy like lubin if we can't get George. The main job of the AD is to raise money and I like the idea of a good businessman who bleeds orange and blue trying to go after big time donors. I think Thomas turned people off in part because he was an outsider. We can't make that mistake again.

BZuppke · Nov 17, 2015

Being able to identify the right coach and retain him is awfully important too.

blmillini · Nov 17, 2015

This whole process sounds like a "can't miss"!

The Illinois AD Search

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