Not exactly penetrating analysis...
Urbana News-Gazette
Good Morning, Illini Nation: The best jobs in the Big Ten?
Urbana News-Gazette
Good Morning, Illini Nation: The best jobs in the Big Ten?
Illini paper ranks programs
- Thread starter srru86
- Start date
I can't get the link to open but I searched Google and read the column. It's drivel written by a hack who, good for him, is an AP Top 25 voter.
Seems the basis for this column by Scott Richey is Dan McDonald's column about the best jobs in the Big Ten. Richey's analysis, what little he did, is pretty lame. Almost reads like he wrote this column in 15 minutes.
My favorite part is that he believes the ceiling for Illinois and Wisconsin is higher than Maryland's ceiling. He doesn't explain why. My guess is because Maryland has already won a national championship but Illinois and Wisconsin haven't 🙅♂️
He mentions most of Maryland's "tradition and history is ACC history and tradition." Well, thanks Captain Obvious. However, during the time Maryland has been in the B1G (six seasons) they are 73-39 (.651) in B1G regular season games and 6-2 (.750) against Illinois.
Seems the basis for this column by Scott Richey is Dan McDonald's column about the best jobs in the Big Ten. Richey's analysis, what little he did, is pretty lame. Almost reads like he wrote this column in 15 minutes.
My favorite part is that he believes the ceiling for Illinois and Wisconsin is higher than Maryland's ceiling. He doesn't explain why. My guess is because Maryland has already won a national championship but Illinois and Wisconsin haven't 🙅♂️
He mentions most of Maryland's "tradition and history is ACC history and tradition." Well, thanks Captain Obvious. However, during the time Maryland has been in the B1G (six seasons) they are 73-39 (.651) in B1G regular season games and 6-2 (.750) against Illinois.
To say Rutgers is currently a bad job is just silly regardless of what’s happened in the past.
I emailed the writer. He said that his column "was just supposed to be a bit of lighthearted commentary on a list."
That "list" being what Dan McDonald wrote a couple of weeks ago.
I reminded him that while Illinois ranks in the top-20 in all-time wins, most of that success came between WWI and the end of the Kennedy administration.
Illinois has just eight Sweet 16 appearances since 1964 yet he said Illinois has "historical standing among the best in the country."
That "list" being what Dan McDonald wrote a couple of weeks ago.
I reminded him that while Illinois ranks in the top-20 in all-time wins, most of that success came between WWI and the end of the Kennedy administration.
Illinois has just eight Sweet 16 appearances since 1964 yet he said Illinois has "historical standing among the best in the country."
It isn't a bad job. Rutgers built a practice facility, it isn't a basketball only facility but it is really nice looking, has a fertile recruiting territory and the job pays well. But, obviously, there hasn't been much on-court success over the past 20 years and the cost of living in the area might be a factor if I was putting together a list of best jobs.
In your opinion how does our practice facility stack up against others in the country? I like how ours has a cafeteria for all the athletes etc. Also looking at the locker room, it seems nice but obviously not as elaborate as pictures or others I've seen.
It is a good one but it is part of an overall athletic facility. It is not basketball only.
Obviously I haven't been to all of the practice facilities for Division I programs. However, the facilities that I have visited have all been basketball only facilities. I have also taken virtual tours of some basketball facilities. Some are connected to the arena the team plays in and the players use a subterranean tunnel to get from the facility into the arena and some are a couple of blocks away from the team's arena.
Nebraska might have the nicest facilities I've seen. I don't remember when it was built or upgraded but the video I watched is probably close to 9 years old now.
Most of the facilities I've been in have a player's lounge for the guys to relax, watch TV, play video games, shoot pool etc. The lounges have a small kitchen with protein bars in the cabinets, Gatorade or Powerade in the fridge. All of the facilities I've visited have locker rooms, a theatre for video study, a weight room and a recovery room (hot and cold pools).
Thank you Russ. You’ve added precious time to my life by not having to click and read that.
GO RU
LOLOLOLOL
Maybe if we lived in Urbana, read his column regularly and were Illinois fans we'd all get the humor and would be giving him praise. Maybe.
Cost of living only matters for regular people, not people making big coaching salaries.
Every millionaire I've met complains about cost of living. They also crave free stuff just like regular people.
Illinois has a nice facility and a nicer arena as it’s new. The RAC can be modernized and there’s nothing bad about our practice center regardless that it also houses wrestling and gymnastics. Makes no difference. On the football side; Illinois has a gorgeous indoor training center. We have our work cut out to match up with their indoor building. Purdue and NW also have outstanding facilities
There is a big difference craving free stuff as a millionaire and not getting it as opposed to a poorish person craving free stuff cause "damn, that helps'! That makes absolutely no difference as it relates to a coach picking a job. Especially when you're making 2 million plus.
My experience, and also knowledge of demographic data, is pretty clear that most rich people don't avail themselves of the opportunity to move to low cost of living areas of the country. The Mississippi Millionaires' Club is pretty slow. Rather, they utilize their resources to be able to partake in the amenities in the high cost of living parts of the country (thus driving up the costs on those places).
I'll be sure to tell that to the millionaires in Florida who are here partly because of the lower cost of living and zero state income tax.
I never paid much attention to state income tax withholdings until I moved from California to Orlando 24 years ago. My salary in Orlando was 40% lower than in California but my direct deposit was almost the same as it was in California.
I'm far from a millionaire but that is sweet af.
"Partly" Well at least yo admit that there are likely many other reasons for someone to move to Florida, especially if you are older and fleeing cold weather. Anyone moving anywhere due to the low cost of living...at best they are likely in the just barely 1 million-aires club and living on a fixed income. A million bucks doesn't go as far as it used to. So yes, I bet there are a lot of elderly, just barely millionaires, that did partly move to Florida for the low cost of living. Another point, tax rates are generally not included in cost of living. New Hampshire, PA, Washington are examples of lower than average taxes and higher than average cost of living. But back on point, I still think you are barking up the wrong tree if you factor cost of living in to a power 5 hoops coaches' criteria for accepting a job.
I might be giving too much influence to the cost of living. Sometimes coaches just don't want to live some places. Sometimes their wife just don't want to live some places, regardless of what their husband is going to be paid. Happy wife = happy wife.
Agree. When location factors in, I'd say that it's 95% about things like proximity to family, lifestyle that the coach and family want, and cultural fit.
But you gotta know the millionaires feel it when the family shows up with hand out for this and that and the other thing. And many of them get where they are by not spending foolishly. Yeah, its "rich people problems" when their kids need to keep up with the other rich kids' spending.. wear the right clothes, have the right phone, drive the right car... but doesn't make it any less real.
