We should thank DH2 for ...

[BoilerBonz]

getting MB1 fired and getting Daniels and our BOT to move up the priority of the new football facility.

Think about it.

If DH2 hadn't come in and produced the 3 worst seasons in PU football history (arguably), MB1 would still be our AD, and our Prez and BOT would be whistling along, perfectly content to leave the football facility on the far back burner, and they probably would have already approved another $10M to build an upper deck on the women's softball stadium, in the name of gender equity.

So, something good has come of this -- come to think of it, for those who can remember back that far, Leon Burtnett deserves credit for building the Mollenkoph.

 

[New Pal Boiler]

getting MB1 fired and getting Daniels and our BOT to move up the priority of the new football facility.

Think about it.

If DH2 hadn't come in and produced the 3 worst seasons in PU football history (arguably), MB1 would still be our AD, and our Prez and BOT would be whistling along, perfectly content to leave the football facility on the far back burner, and they probably would have already approved another $10M to build an upper deck on the women's softball stadium, in the name of gender equity.

So, something good has come of this -- come to think of it, for those who can remember back that far, Leon Burtnett deserves credit for building the Mollenkoph.

And I don't follow these sports (who does?) but don't we suck at baseball and softball even with the new facilities?

 

[Boilerkid18]

And I don't follow these sports (who does?) but don't we suck at baseball and softball even with the new facilities?

Both sports will be back on the rise, new coaches with the new facilities should only help bring us back to respectability in the B1G.

 

[New Pal Boiler]

Both sports will be back on the rise, new coaches with the new facilities should only help bring us back to respectability in the B1G.

I'll take that as a yes?

 

[JohnnyDoeBoiler]

And I don't follow these sports (who does?) but don't we suck at baseball and softball even with the new facilities?

Baseball was, and I'm going off the top of my head here, almost historically bad last season. Softball schedules an incredibly weak non-conference to boost the looks of their overall record but really struggle in a strong conference (Michigan, Northwestern, and OSU are always very good programs).

 

[JohnnyDoeBoiler]

Baseball was, and I'm going off the top of my head here, almost historically bad last season. Softball schedules an incredibly weak non-conference to boost the looks of their overall record but really struggle in a strong conference (Michigan, Northwestern, and OSU are always very good programs).

Just looked it up and last season (10-44) was the worst win total since 1975.

 

[Purduethruandthru]

getting MB1 fired and getting Daniels and our BOT to move up the priority of the new football facility.

Think about it.

If DH2 hadn't come in and produced the 3 worst seasons in PU football history (arguably), MB1 would still be our AD, and our Prez and BOT would be whistling along, perfectly content to leave the football facility on the far back burner, and they probably would have already approved another $10M to build an upper deck on the women's softball stadium, in the name of gender equity.

So, something good has come of this -- come to think of it, for those who can remember back that far, Leon Burtnett deserves credit for building the Mollenkoph.

My memory was that Akers agreed to come as long as we built an indoor training facility.

 

[BoilerBonz]

My memory was that Akers agreed to come as long as we built an indoor training facility.

Yes, that is correct. And Burtnett's response to the news was that he'd lobbied for an indoor facility for years but couldn't get it approved as a fundraising priority.

Burtnett went on to say, PU football would have never got the indoor facility until the lack of it caused the current coach to fail -- from poor recruiting -- and an incoming coach demanded it as a condition for signing on.

This is the history of PU revenue sports (post-Hovde/Mackey) -- completely reactive and bringing up the tail of the BiG -- don't do or build anything until the lack of it is already apparent in poor recruiting and loses. Then when PU does do/build it, the marginal benefit is minimal since the rest of the BiG already has it, or better.

And it's still going on today, sadly.

 

[Purduethruandthru]

Yes, that is correct. And Burtnett's response to the news was that he'd lobbied for an indoor facility for years but couldn't get it approved as a fundraising priority.

Burtnett went on to say, PU football would have never got the indoor facility until the lack of it caused the current coach to fail -- from poor recruiting -- and an incoming coach demanded it as a condition for signing on.

This is the history of PU revenue sports (post-Hovde/Mackey) -- completely reactive and bringing up the tail of the BiG -- don't do or build anything until the lack of it is already apparent is poor recruiting and loses. Then when PU does do/build it, the marginal benefit is minimal since the rest of the BiG already has it, or better.

And it's still going on today, sadly.

Thanks for filling in the gaps on how this came about.