Lovie Smith is officially the new Illinois Fighting Illini Head Football Coach. (Here is a collection of some of the better Tweets that went up once the University made the announcement) However, there was a lot more out there than just Illini fans celebrating. Fans of Rival Big Ten schools wasted no time poo-poohing this move, and with that showcased their anxiety.
What a great complement to Lovie Smith and the Illini, these fans of other league teams are already worried.
Lovie Smith is the third biggest brand name among Big Ten football coaches. Only Jim Harbaugh at Michigan and Urban Meyer at Ohio State are bigger. Harbaugh’s slightly above Meyer. Not by much, but it’s clear Harbaugh’s a bigger brand. Lovie’s third and that will be HUGE for recruiting. HUGE!
Mark Dantonio is fourth, and fifth is probably a tie between Kirk Ferentz at Iowa and Pat Fitzgerald at Northwestern. Then there’s a really big drop off. I wouldn’t really classify anyone else in the league as “a brand.” And yes, yes, I HATE that word “brand.” It’s just soulless corporatespeak for “reputation.” Just like that moronic “in the space” is vanilla corporatespeak for “in the industry” or “in the business.”
Lovie Smith signed a six year, $21 million deal, and he said today that he hopes Illinois is his last job. Now on to the Lovie Smith, for lack of a better word, backlash, from other teams’ fans. It was glorious. Amazing how thin-skinned Ohio State Buckeyes fans are; especially given what a tremendously successful, world-class program they have.
https://twitter.com/ShawnLMartin/status/706886502723264512
#B1G Coaches Being Good At Coaching PRs:
1. Urban
2. Dantonio
3. GM is also a brand name that can't beat its rivals https://t.co/Iory4kayR0— Meg Thee Stallijon (@JRS_One_) March 7, 2016
???????????? https://t.co/HZgBvO0eXC
— Ryan Daydrinking ? (@OSUDefender) March 7, 2016
— Evan (@OSUEvan) March 7, 2016
Charlie Weis would slot in at #3 on this list. https://t.co/4uwy39eBrk
— Bryan Mac (@Bry_Mac) March 7, 2016
#DISREPEKT https://t.co/eikW58NtQB
— The Only Colors (@TheOnlyColors) March 7, 2016
Congrats to Illinois on hiring a high profile coach & generating a lot of buzz for the program. A winning strategy. pic.twitter.com/OKTWPAFv73
— Todd Brommelkamp (@ToddBrommelkamp) March 7, 2016
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
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