I like this analysis a lot, it's pretty much spot on. Except, I think it might underestimate just how much baggage Tom Michael brings with him that Tiley and Whitman do not. I mean, there is a reason everyone groans whenever his name is mentioned. Other than his short stint at EIU, where he has not yet established much of a track record, Michael's resume reads like a U of I athletic department organizational chart. Fair or not, to a generation of fans he epitomizes old DIA and its low accountability, back-slapping, Judge Smails culture. Tiley and Whitman are a decade removed from their Guenther associations with recent accomplishments to highlight and the personal charisma to win over the room that Michael does not seem to exude. Whether any of this portends future success is indeed a legitimate question, but perception wise, Michael would have a much bigger hole to dig himself out of. When you're talking about a free-falling, scandal-rocked program at a crisis point, that matters. DIA needs to start the job of building back goodwill right now. They need a big personality to sell a big vision of what the program could/should be. They can't be perceived as looking backward to the guy that carried everyone's clipboards for 18+ plus years of Illinois mediocrity. And even if Michael has a plan, the school can't just wait another 4-5 years for ex-fans to happen across the B1G standings and realize "Oh, the football/basketball team is doing OK now. I guess that Tom Michael guy is not such a bozo." Because by then, who will be left to care?