Recapping today: After the unexpected announcement of a 2 year contract for Bill Cubit, we witnessed the predictable loss of the 5-6 Illini football program heads into our state’s major metropolitan area, in front of a half capacity (ticket sales) actually 1/4th full Soldier Field. We gave up a home game for this.
As a side note, I respect Bill Cubit, and the professional job he has done taking over a program that fired its coach 1 week before the season started. This team did not quit on him, and if anything, that in itself is a victory. In fact, I’m not even upset with Cubit, the individual. The issue for me is that we are constantly putting ourselves in a position to fail. If you missed it, here is what our interim AD had to say about removing the interim label from our interim head football coach.
"It's not ideal but for now, I don't think it'll put a dagger in the heart of the program."
In terms of Basketball, it’s disappointing all around. We’re 7 games into the season, with 4 loses, including Chattanooga and North Florida. Next week we will be re-opening Assembly Hall against Notre Dame. I can think of few programs and fan bases in the country (Kansas, Iowa, Indiana) that I’d loathe ruining what should be a celebratory night more than Notre Dame. Can’t wait to hear about whatever ligament Mike Thorne did damage to in his knee.
In all honesty, the only hope I have left is that there are enough big money donors who have huge pull in the process and can pull off a miracle hire of an Athletic Director. But in all honesty, do you have faith in the leadership below?
Leadership
Chancellor
Interim Barbara Wilson
Specializations / Research Interest(s): Social and Psychological Effects of the Media; Developmental Differences in Children's Responses to the Media; Children's Emotional and Cognitive Processing of Media Messages; Youth and Media Policy
Education: B.A. 1979 University of Wisconsin Madison; M.A. 1982 University of Wisconsin Madison; Ph.D. 1985 University of Wisconsin Madison
Bio
Before joining the University of Illinois in 2000, she was on the faculty at the University of California, Santa Barbara for 12 years. Her areas of expertise include the social and psychological effects of the media, particularly on youth. She is co-author ofChildren, Adolescents, and the Mediaand three book volumes of theNational Television Violence Study. She also co-edited theHandbook of Children, Media, and Development, and has published dozens of scholarly articles and chapters on media effects and their implications for media policy. Recent projects focus on preschoolers’ attachment to media characters, the amount and quality of educational television programming for children, and children’s attraction to media violence.
On athletics…
From a late September N-G article…
What's been the hardest part of this new job for you?
I think just learning about aspects of the chancellor's portfolio that I wasn't fully aware of or understanding of — so learning about athletics, learning about advancement from the campus level. Those are aspects that I never really had to deal with even when I was in the provost's office for five years.
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2015-09-27/everything-table-qa-barbara-wilson.html
President Thomas Killeen
https://www.uillinois.edu/20thPresident
Killeen has a solid background in terms of research administration. There is very little in his background that points to any involvement with major athletics.
Interim AD Paul Kowalczyk
"It's not ideal but for now, I don't think it'll put a dagger in the heart of the program."
Probably not a dagger in the heart of the program but probably a dagger in your future job prospects. Talk about being unprepared for a camera being stuck in your face.
Buyouts and Expenses
Bruce Weber buyout - $3.9 million
Ron Zook buyout - $2.6 million
Jollete Law buyout - $620,000.
Tim Beckman buyout - $745,000 (Not paid but will likely sue, does anyone really doubt we’ll owe him additional compensation?)
Mike Thomas buyout - $2.5 million
Steven Salaita settlement (anti-Israel Proffesor) - $875,000
Michael Hogan yearly salary (Former President and UIS Online Instructor, 2 courses) - $306,269
Phyllis Wise (sabbatical) - $365,000
Phyllis Wise (salary) - $299,000
Lawsuit and Investigation Legal Fees (we know of) - $1.2 million
Bill Cubit - ?
John Groce - Massive (http://www.dailyillini.com/article/2014/10/breaking-down-john-groces-contract)
^ Take all of this nonsense, and hire a head football and basketball coach at $3 million a year, and a competent AD at $1 million a year, and I actually believe we’re saving money in the long run.
We are perhaps the most impotent power conference DIA in the entire country.
As a side note, I respect Bill Cubit, and the professional job he has done taking over a program that fired its coach 1 week before the season started. This team did not quit on him, and if anything, that in itself is a victory. In fact, I’m not even upset with Cubit, the individual. The issue for me is that we are constantly putting ourselves in a position to fail. If you missed it, here is what our interim AD had to say about removing the interim label from our interim head football coach.
"It's not ideal but for now, I don't think it'll put a dagger in the heart of the program."
In terms of Basketball, it’s disappointing all around. We’re 7 games into the season, with 4 loses, including Chattanooga and North Florida. Next week we will be re-opening Assembly Hall against Notre Dame. I can think of few programs and fan bases in the country (Kansas, Iowa, Indiana) that I’d loathe ruining what should be a celebratory night more than Notre Dame. Can’t wait to hear about whatever ligament Mike Thorne did damage to in his knee.
In all honesty, the only hope I have left is that there are enough big money donors who have huge pull in the process and can pull off a miracle hire of an Athletic Director. But in all honesty, do you have faith in the leadership below?
Leadership
Chancellor
Interim Barbara Wilson
Specializations / Research Interest(s): Social and Psychological Effects of the Media; Developmental Differences in Children's Responses to the Media; Children's Emotional and Cognitive Processing of Media Messages; Youth and Media Policy
Education: B.A. 1979 University of Wisconsin Madison; M.A. 1982 University of Wisconsin Madison; Ph.D. 1985 University of Wisconsin Madison
Bio
Before joining the University of Illinois in 2000, she was on the faculty at the University of California, Santa Barbara for 12 years. Her areas of expertise include the social and psychological effects of the media, particularly on youth. She is co-author ofChildren, Adolescents, and the Mediaand three book volumes of theNational Television Violence Study. She also co-edited theHandbook of Children, Media, and Development, and has published dozens of scholarly articles and chapters on media effects and their implications for media policy. Recent projects focus on preschoolers’ attachment to media characters, the amount and quality of educational television programming for children, and children’s attraction to media violence.
On athletics…
From a late September N-G article…
What's been the hardest part of this new job for you?
I think just learning about aspects of the chancellor's portfolio that I wasn't fully aware of or understanding of — so learning about athletics, learning about advancement from the campus level. Those are aspects that I never really had to deal with even when I was in the provost's office for five years.
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2015-09-27/everything-table-qa-barbara-wilson.html
President Thomas Killeen
https://www.uillinois.edu/20thPresident
Killeen has a solid background in terms of research administration. There is very little in his background that points to any involvement with major athletics.
Interim AD Paul Kowalczyk
"It's not ideal but for now, I don't think it'll put a dagger in the heart of the program."
Probably not a dagger in the heart of the program but probably a dagger in your future job prospects. Talk about being unprepared for a camera being stuck in your face.
Buyouts and Expenses
Bruce Weber buyout - $3.9 million
Ron Zook buyout - $2.6 million
Jollete Law buyout - $620,000.
Tim Beckman buyout - $745,000 (Not paid but will likely sue, does anyone really doubt we’ll owe him additional compensation?)
Mike Thomas buyout - $2.5 million
Steven Salaita settlement (anti-Israel Proffesor) - $875,000
Michael Hogan yearly salary (Former President and UIS Online Instructor, 2 courses) - $306,269
Phyllis Wise (sabbatical) - $365,000
Phyllis Wise (salary) - $299,000
Lawsuit and Investigation Legal Fees (we know of) - $1.2 million
Bill Cubit - ?
John Groce - Massive (http://www.dailyillini.com/article/2014/10/breaking-down-john-groces-contract)
^ Take all of this nonsense, and hire a head football and basketball coach at $3 million a year, and a competent AD at $1 million a year, and I actually believe we’re saving money in the long run.
We are perhaps the most impotent power conference DIA in the entire country.
