Good News: Search Firm Hired, So NO ROLE for Lord Guenther

Great news is that a search firm was hired to "assist" the committee in choosing the successor to Lord Guenther. Remember, the spin from Guenther apologists was that Lord Guenther would have a say in who would succeed him. FAIL!!!

People who think St. Guenther was "loyal" to Illinois are fools. If he truly cared, he would have had a succession plan in place. Instead, it was all about Ron. Why else would the media spin be that he "turned down" a 2 year contract extension?

The Shame of the DIA: Taking Student Fees to Balance Budget

Lord Guenther always gets high praise from the East Central Illinois Media Elite for balancing the DIA budget. What those turds won't tell you is that St. Guenther does so on the backs of the students and moreover, their wallets.

This fascinating article talks about how much money athletic departments take from student fees each year. Pay attention to the Big 10. Our beloved alma mater is far and away the biggest plunderer of student fees! $2,961,577.00 which is nearly 4% of all revenue!

What is sad is that most of the other athletic departments in the Big 10 do not even touch student fees! Why is that? Is it because they have better athletic programs?

The DIA is stealing from UI students! In this day of serious economic woe, this money should be kept by the students to pay rising tuition fees, not the DIA budget and the $600,000 annual salary of Ron Guenther, the $1,500,000 ridiculous salary of Bruce Mid-Major....etc.

Is Experience as an Athletic Director Really Necessary?

Face it, the DIA is a business. The CEO of any business must be a leader. He or she must know how to get the most out of a dollar. The CEO must be able to sell (i.e. marketing) the product. The CEO must be able to find talented people as subordinates, and give them the necessary tools to succeed. If they fail, the CEO must take immediate steps to find someone who will succeed.

The committee said it wants someone with senior athletic administrator experience. However, Michigan hired the guy who was CEO of Domino's Pizza as its new athletic director. If there is one thing the DIA needs, it is new ideas.

As an aside, Coach Guenther wants Tommy Michael to succeed him. No thanks.

Search Committe Named: FAIL

Why the heck would you name two associate ADs to the committee? Aren't they part of the current problem at the DIA?

Steve Greene-yeah Chicago marketing has really done well under his watch! LOL!!!!

Sue Novitsky-women's swimming has been awful under her watch.

Larry DeBrock-dean of the business college, has studied sports and its impact on economy

Cleo D'Arcy-plant professor who served on athletic board

Bob Falato-alumnus, served on athletic board

Jim Heffernan-wrestling coach

Vince Ille-Associate AD

Susan Young-Associate AD

Matt Wheeler-faculty rep to DIA, Animal Sciences prof

Chris Span-Assoc. Prof of Education

SAVE US PRESIDENT HOGAN!

Some Recommendations for the Committee

If there is one thing we've learned over our many years since leaving the University of Illinois, it is this: If you want a good idea to die, send it to a commitee for review! This applies to the workplace and politics. Anyhow...

The committee that will recommend a new athletic director to President Hogan is made up of several UI professors and alumni (no one asked us! LOL!!!!) The head of the committe is Larry DeBrock, the Dean of the Business college and a long-time Econonics professor. We never took his class, although some of our friends did and they didn't like their grades for ECON 102!!! He is a big sports fan and has done research on the correlation between athletics and money, so there is a glimmer of hope.

Here are some questions that the committee should ask prospective candidates:

1) The university and state is in a fiscal meltdown. How do you propose to raise money in the current dismal economic climate?

2) Will you schedule at least seven home football games a year to ensure a decent revenue stream and to give the football program a chance to make bowl games?

3) Will you cancel the game scheduled at Western Michigan for 2016?

4) Do you think it is acceptable for the Illinois men's basketball program to miss the NCAA tournanment two out of four seasons?

5) Would you move the women's basketball team's games to Huff?

6) Will you please not answer any questions from Loren Tate?

7) What is your vision for marketing the Fighting Illini brand? How do you propose to advertise in Chicago, the state's biggest market?

8) Will you put the Fighting Illini on a strong-signalled radio station in Chicago?

Dear New AD: PLEASE CLEAN HOUSE IN MARKETING

WTF is this lame advertisement? A better idea: a picture of Mikel Leshoure scoring again on Northwesten, put the final score in the background with the title: Fighting Illini football=The Big 10 team for all of Illinois!

Arrogant To The End: Good Riddance!

Unsurprisngly, Lord Guenther proves his arrogance to the Illini Nation with this quote: "The fan base doesn't see all of it...it's hard to win basketball games and football games at the leve that the fan base wants day in and day out."

Translation: I made some crappy hires, but it's the fault of the coaches. It's not my fault for giving away home games!

And why the hell is Herb Gould sticking his nose in Lord Guenther's rear end? Hey Herb! Are you looking for a job with the East Cental Illinois Media Elite Zealots?

GUENTHER OUT AS OF JULY 1, 2011!!!! VICTORY OVER RON GUENTHER DAY!!

Yes my friends, today is truly a Happy Monday! Lord Guenther, he of 88-132-2, 6 bowl games in 19 years, a major NCAA violation, calling Warren Carter an "idiot" while seated on press row, eliminating the men's swimming program, and getting paid $600,000 per year is GAWN!!!!

Honestly, it's a feeling of shock and happiness! What does the future hold? We don't know, but hopefully the next AD has a clue about marketing, winning, etc.

We will offer suggestions in the coming days, but for now, excuse us while we puff puff pass and drink some microbrews in celebration!!

P.S. Can someone send a whambulance to Hudson, Ohio?

What if Lord Guenther Had Retired in 1997?

This article from 1997 is hilarious! Ron Guenther talks about the short shelf life for ADs...yet he is still on the job, 19 years in total! He predicted Ron Turner would win!!

How much better would the DIA be today if Guenther had retired in 1997? One can dream...

Ron Guenther No Longer Riding in the Illini Caravan

Per Mark Tupper, Ron Guenther cancelled his remaining scheduled appearances on the Fighting Illini caravan, allegedly because too many people were asking him about his future.

Perhaps he got tired of being asked about the significance of 88-132-2?

THE END IS NEAR!! Even Loren Tate Admits It!

There is a glimmer of hope in the South Farms! When Loren Tate, aka Guenther's big apologist, says the end is near, it's near!!!! However, several questions remain:

1) Will Ronnie even be around after June 30th, or will President Hogan do the right thing and merely let St. Guenther's contract expire?

2) If Hogan decides to keep Ron around for a few months until a new Chancellor is in place, will Ron do any coaching searches, or just keep naming interim coaches?

3) Will Ron, in his last days in office, schedule any more football games at MAC schools?

Is Assembly Hall Renovation a Pipe Dream?

Loren Tate asks what few in the 217 will dare ask: Is renovation of Assembly Hall actually begin in 2013? Unlike the Memorial Stadium renovation, the DIA is going to hire a construction manager, who in turn will hire an architect, who will then need to design a plan, and then....try to raise money in this economy!

UI Student Calls Out Lousy Marketing by DIA

We've been saying for years that the DIA sucks at marketing. The DIA refuses to market Fighting Illini sports anywhere outside of Champaign County. The DIA ignores Chicago, the state's biggest city and one of the biggest cities in America, allowing Northwestern to call itself "Chicago's Big 10 Team." Meantime, UI sports is on a radio station in Chicago whose signal fades out once you are outside the city limits.

Anyhow, a UI student calls out the DIA in the Daily Illini and we applaud this young man for calling out the DIA in a public forum! Some of his good points:

1) Lack of advertising about the spring football game
2) Failing to fill Huff Hall for Midnight Madness, even at a smaller location than Assembly Hall.
3) No giveaways for tickets.