i havent been to a game there or been there since mid 90s. We didnt see much of the city back then except some of the campus, a nice hotel and eatery. but my gosh you would think with the large population in the state they could get very good recruits. N ILL has probably taken a few each year but there are 6 million people in Illinois I think and pretty big time high school sports
Well......Illinois just extended Lovie Smith's contract!
- Thread starter lightning1
- Start date
i havent been to a game there or been there since mid 90s. We didnt see much of the city back then except some of the campus, a nice hotel and eatery. but my gosh you would think with the large population in the state they could get very good recruits. N ILL has probably taken a few each year but there are 6 million people in Illinois I think and pretty big time high school sports
HawkeyeWalker
Well-Known Member
With cable/network revenues, it's almost rendered irrelevant. Even merchandise licensing/revenue is just a drop in the bucket now.
When you can se the up a primo home theater for 2-3 years worth of season tickets and just pick a game or 2 to go to... becomes an easy choice.
Also, geographic populations make a huge difference in attendance. There's about 200,000 people within 2 hours of Iowa City...compare that to about 1 Million within an hour of Lincoln (who still also almost never actually fill the stadium). And they have zero competition from other D-1 programs in state or within 4-5 hours.
You add it all up...you'll see reduction in capacity, bigger seats, prime "box seating", and higher ticket prices.
It's going to become mostly an occasional "event" to go to games, unless you live close, have significant discretionary $, or no longer have work/family responsibilities.
J Leman was making the point during the game on BTN, Lovie was hired to clean up the mess left behind by the guys before him. The administration wants a program that will stay out of trouble, they don't mind a long turnaround or rebuilding process.
Someone with more knowledge could let us know it this is like the over-reaction Colorado made after some sleazy scandals a decade ago, that now seem kind of tame after the last round of scandals at bigger schools. Anyway, Colorado spent like ten years in football Siberia and got left behind in the facilities arms race during that time.
Someone with more knowledge could let us know it this is like the over-reaction Colorado made after some sleazy scandals a decade ago, that now seem kind of tame after the last round of scandals at bigger schools. Anyway, Colorado spent like ten years in football Siberia and got left behind in the facilities arms race during that time.
There is actually 12.8 million people in Illinois but very few have aspirations to attend that institution. Totally lackluster. That's why Iowa, Wisconsin, Purdue, Indiana, ND, Missouri and many others have no trouble competing with them for recruits ... football and basketball.
Last edited:
13 million, wow yes, the Univ of Illinois was or maybe still is very well known for computing and digital tech, super computing, science and tech, they are pretty highly rated overall and in other areas. Maybe the campus is old and worn down and maybe the surrounding city isnt that good, I dont know.
It would seem a very good place to go to school but maybe not really high on sports anymore.
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
Thoroughly disliked their program when I went to school. Their football team like to talk trash and play chippy and the relationship basketball assistant Jimmy Collins had with King and Simeon high schools in the Chicago Public League was questionable to say the least.
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
You mean legally?
HaydenHawk56
Well-Known Member
AreWeThereYet
Well-Known Member
I can sympathize with your point. Illinois has gotten themselves so far in the basement they might as well play it out all the way and see what the end product is. They haven't a lot to lose. The only thing worse that could happen to them would be to banish them to the Eastern division.
koralakers
Well-Known Member
Is Lovies ONLY non-Rutgers BIG win Minnesota (this year)? That being said, I really like Lovie as a person, and they return everyone. I think will win 5-6 games next year. They had lots of injuries. If they stay course with Lovie I think they can actually go bowling in 2 years
The Big LeHAWKski
Well-Known Member
Somebody must be awful impressed with Lovie's beard.
iloveyoularrystation
Well-Known Member
Between him staying, good chance brohm goes to Louisville, and urban retires.....things starting to look better for us.
MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
In all honesty, the team now is very young and maybe they feel he's recruiting better and giving him a chance. Maybe they figured out that at a school like Illinois, similar to Iowa, that they need consistency and less turnover. Maybe they extended the leash for this reason. Only thing I can think of.
ssckelley
Well-Known Member
This is probably the best for Illinois. The team is full of a bunch of underclassmen that Lovie recruited and they did show some improvement this year on the offensive side of the ball so let him see it through. I don't see that job as being a premier landing spot for a coach, perhaps Lovie is really their best option.
okeefe4prez
Well-Known Member
That's the problem. They can hire a MAC guy. Say he gets them to 8-4, 9-3 in a few years. Then he leaves. Lovie isn't horrible, but he needs to get a guy like Phil Parker running the defense to work on fundamentals. Lovie is okay schematically, but I don't think he has quite figured out how much training college kids need versus the guys he worked with in the NFL.
SteveGarvey1
Well-Known Member
Sounds like the Rams keeping Jeff Fisher year after year.
With that KF is now looking for a new agent..... I mean holy crap. I get it. I totally see why IL would do what they are because what's their alternative? Looking for a young 'up and coming' guy is a crap shoot there. Plus who'd want it? They aren't going to get any established coach. I saw Mack Brown is going to UNC. Lovie is their younger version of that. Brown is going to be asked to try and clean up that debacle with better recourses etc. IL is in no mans land they really are... Hopefully we take note of that...
