Illinibat wrote:
ATTENTION:  NOBODY DISAGREE WITH felix7 FROM NOW ON!  HE WOULD APPRECIATE NO MORE DISAGREEMENT!   ONLY POSTS SUPPORTING THE TEAM,  TIM BECKMAN AND MIKE THOMAS WILL BE ALLOWED BY felix7 GOING FORWARD!

felix7 wrote: that would be appreciated by those like me, who just want to follow their favorite team. 

illiniranger wrote: 

3.  this point is redickulus.  if we all resigned because somebody above us told us what to do we would all be out of a job.  MT, like any AD, answers to people.  if he resigned because he wouldn't answer to those people, he would be unemployable, because no other University would want a guy that fundamentally can't follow orders.  you think he wants to put himself and his family into that position?  Also, please save any rebuttals on this point.  I served in combat and did multiple deployments.  I was told many times by my commanders to do things I didn't agree with.  I made as strenuous an objection as was appropriate, but when the decision was made, i executed within his framework to the best of my ability.  My men couldn't resign - i wasn't about to either.

4.  this point isn't even remotely accurate.  first, the context of the comment is that MT has been successful in the past.  when you are looking at hiring and firing someone you are essentially look at two things.  what have they done in the past and what is their potential in the future?  looking at his past, MT has done a pretty solid job of hiring coaches.  looking at his potential, he took Cincy to a better place, so why not Illinois?  ultimately, i don't know MT well enough to determine his potential, but I would be interested to see what the financial house looks like before passing judgement.  Also, your point about fball driving the engine... well, Duke seems to be doing pretty well for themselves without much of a football program.  Same for KU, IU, UNC, Syracuse, Louisville (until recently.  Their bball team was good enough to get YUM to fork over money for one of the best facilities in the country), Pitt, and so forth.  These athletic depts aren't in crisis because their fball teams are mediocre at best.

Illinibat wrote:

illiniranger wrote: the people that speak negatively about MT firing TB after one year need to remember that we are already paying BW and RZ to not coach at UofI.  it is possible that even if he wanted to fire TB last year that he was told he cannot due to funding issues.

i don't think MT is in denial about TB, but i do think there were a lot of $$$ reasons not to fire him after one year.  i think if TB slaps up another stinker he is gone.

i think the criticism of MT is over the top.  his track record is good.  he's 4/5 on hires (Kelly, Jones, Cronin, Groce).  his hands are likely tied because of $$$.  he had a hell of a time even hiring TB because two members of the BoT wanted a black candidate. 

ultimately, we are all speculating about something we have little to no information about other than 3rd hand accounts.

1.  MT is responsible for operating within a budget his own office sets for itself.  If he screwed up and limited his options by hiring and firing too many coaches at the same time, then he most certainly deserves criticism for that.

2.   There is no $$$ decision that rationalizes keeping a failing coach at this level.  None.  Zero.   The damage done by one more year of dumpster fire Tim is going to be FAR greater than the cost of admitting the mistake, firing him TODAY and starting over --- as opposed to one year from now ... Every day that goes by compounds this problem on multiple levels.  MT made the wrong decision after the season and is continuing to make the wrong decision each day this debacle is allowed to continue ...

3.  If, as you say, 'someone' is telling him what to do, he should resign in protest.  What BCS athletic director lacks autonomy in the hiring and firing of the football coach?   At any program where football is expected to generate revenue, that decision is the single most important function of the entire job.

4.  MT doesn't get a "pass" because his hiring of coaches in other sports.  That's like 95% irrelevant.  The football program is what counts and its nearly ALL that counts.  Even at a basketball school like Illinois, the entire system is designed so that football funds everything.  The entire sports program is a failure when the football program is a failure.

I'm not sure what you're pointing at as his answer?

Illinibat wrote:

619illinibooyah wrote: You think Beckman held onto the coaches to keep the current recruiting class and then maybe sent out the signals that if you stay your job might not be safe?

LOL.  Are you serious?   

These coaches are all bailing out of a sinking ship .

Every single one of them has upgraded to a more stable situation.

They all know the situation here is beyond repair.

What I don't understand is why half this board fails to realize this?

KewaneeCE1 wrote: At the end of the season I remember someone on this board saying five coaches would be replaced.  By my count this is the fifth.  It seems like someone had some very good information.

buglebob wrote:

KewaneeCE1 wrote: At the end of the season I remember someone on this board saying five coaches would be replaced.  By my count this is the fifth.  It seems like someone had some very good information.

Maybe - but I'd bet on more to leave.  I also see the replacements as quickly and quietly hired patches on a balloon that could burst under the pressure any time.

Does any one see these replacements as super hires ?

Big Bob in Brandon

buglebob wrote:

KewaneeCE1 wrote: At the end of the season I remember someone on this board saying five coaches would be replaced.  By my count this is the fifth.  It seems like someone had some very good information.

Maybe - but I'd bet on more to leave.  I also see the replacements as quickly and quietly hired patches on a balloon that could burst under the pressure any time.

Does any one see these replacements as super hires ?

Big Bob in Brandon

PaytonHighstep wrote:

buglebob wrote:

KewaneeCE1 wrote: At the end of the season I remember someone on this board saying five coaches would be replaced.  By my count this is the fifth.  It seems like someone had some very good information.

Maybe - but I'd bet on more to leave.  I also see the replacements as quickly and quietly hired patches on a balloon that could burst under the pressure any time.

Does any one see these replacements as super hires ?

Big Bob in Brandon

I believe Cubit is an immediate upgrade over what we had previously.  I believe his playcalling ability will help immediately and allow the offense to sustain a drive.  This will help the defense as well (stay fresh and see less plays over the course of the game). 

The other hires, I can't comment on because I really don't know anything about them.

illiniranger wrote: i agree, i think Cubit is an immediate upgrade.  i dont think it helps our won/loss record a whole lot, but instead of losing 42-7 we'll lose 31-21

PaytonHighstep wrote:
I believe Cubit is an immediate upgrade over what we had previously.  I believe his playcalling ability will help immediately and allow the offense to sustain a drive.  This will help the defense as well (stay fresh and see less plays over the course of the game). 

The other hires, I can't comment on because I really don't know anything about them.

buglebob wrote:

KewaneeCE1 wrote: At the end of the season I remember someone on this board saying five coaches would be replaced.  By my count this is the fifth.  It seems like someone had some very good information.

Maybe - but I'd bet on more to leave.  I also see the replacements as quickly and quietly hired patches on a balloon that could burst under the pressure any time.

Does any one see these replacements as super hires ?

Big Bob in Brandon

UIEightyThree wrote: hoping to win 4/5 games is realistic. expecting to win 4/5 is not. I do think we will be in a better position this coming year than last.

felix7 wrote: Actually, I surprised that all of our so called, "out of their league" assistants, were able to find employment coaching, given what has been said about them on this board.

felix7 wrote: Actually, I surprised that all of our so called, "out of their league" assistants, were able to find employment coaching, given what has been said about them on this board.

buglebob wrote:

KewaneeCE1 wrote: At the end of the season I remember someone on this board saying five coaches would be replaced.  By my count this is the fifth.  It seems like someone had some very good information.

Maybe - but I'd bet on more to leave.  I also see the replacements as quickly and quietly hired patches on a balloon that could burst under the pressure any time.

Does any one see these replacements as super hires ?

Big Bob in Brandon

Illinibat wrote: If any assistant gets a better offer, they will leave.
Its as simple as that.

Clinkscale left as soon as he got an offer from someone. 

That's the entire timing explanation.

Golesh, Ward, Banks, Salem, all of them would leave immediately if they had the chance to go to pretty much any other BCS team.

PaytonHighstep wrote:

illiniranger wrote: i agree, i think Cubit is an immediate upgrade.  i dont think it helps our won/loss record a whole lot, but instead of losing 42-7 we'll lose 31-21

PaytonHighstep wrote:
I believe Cubit is an immediate upgrade over what we had previously.  I believe his playcalling ability will help immediately and allow the offense to sustain a drive.  This will help the defense as well (stay fresh and see less plays over the course of the game). 

The other hires, I can't comment on because I really don't know anything about them.

See, I think it would have helped last year in the games against Purdue, Minny, and Indiana.  If those games have more sustained drives with even FG's attached to some of them, we win those games.  Does that change the feeling around here though if we win 4/5 instead of 2?

I can really see the Cubit hire alone benefiting this team.