Seems like there is a different twist on the Shane Davis exit.

Can anyone guestimate Shane's salary at LUC and his deal at Northwestern? I'm just trying to put into perspective how much we are talking about. I think there were other factors involved, but I'd love to know the dollar discrepancy.

After years of neglect.......LU has made noise about resurrecting the Athletic Program. They did this with few really experienced people. They have slowly started to sort through this....providing some more money for coaches,,,,,improving basketball facilities (not others) It is the equivalent of a man who walks by a drought stricken lawn with nothing but dirt and proceeds to see if throwing some grass seed on the dirt will grow a lawn. After watching for while a few blades of grass poke their head up ...a small patch grows. A CBI championship, All-Americans in Track and National Championships in Mens Volleyball (an outlier but still a green patch of grass) entrance into a somewhat more prestigious conference. Now some of the green patches are looking brown........empty basketball stadium,,,,,,long jumpers practicing on the beach......volleyball with no facility of their own. non-competitive salaries at several levels.....what seems to be an ineffective Sports Information Department..........some people who know little about successful Athletic programs with too much power..........losing a prominent coach
AND NOW the first signs that a green patch may be wilting? What is going on the caretaker asks? Oh if we really want a full green lawn we need to add fertilizer and water???? Oh My? I think LU is presently at this point.If indeed they want a successful athletic program they have to now really commit. They should be able to start to see what it really takes and make a decision. They have some good dirt ( a great redone campus, great academics, a great city) but will they get great leadership at the top ( and I do not know if this is the AD or the always mentioned mysterious Dr. Kelly) a push to alums, better exposure. complete facilities (volleyball,track,indoor for softball and soccer for the winter,complete training program.Alabama football pays $600,000 to their trainer , I know apples and oranges but just saying) competitive salaries for coaches and assistants.
If the lawn is going to be green it needs the whole equation. My thoughts ? Do it right or dont do it, Go DIII
As an Alum and past athlete I get lots of requests for cash .....and I give a little but frankly with out a specific plan I am hesitant to give more. Have a plan to finish this thing off correctly. When NU needed a new practice facility to continue to compete in football they conducted a drive for that purpose with drawings and details etc. I wold love to see a PLAN with what and how much is needed and go after it. If it seems that is something that cannot be attained then get a new plan at a level that we can be successful. It is one thing to dream big. it is another thing ACT big.
AS always this comes down to leadership. It seems Father G was a great leader and in athletics he led then handed it off.....but to who? Who has the power ? and do they have what it takes to grow a yard....with maybe some hot peppers and tomatoes so we can make some F....ing Salsa GO RAMBLERS ( Also I am very upset about the dismissal of the Golf Coach apparently)

Great blog, Nate !! I could NOT have written it better if I tried for a lifetime !! Granted mine is Not a long time anymore.
Is there someone on this board of ours , who REALLY knows what is going on ?? DO THEY know anybody who does ?? One thing is for sure--Successful Athletics pay lots of invoices University- wise . To some on the non-athletic side Athletics--the paying kind--are necessary--To the rest of those on the non-athletic side, they will always bury their pointed heads into the sand and dream that some fat cat will bail one and all out. We had a huge dose of that kind of Leadership prior to Fr G. Pity !!
Granted that when I went to school things were less expensive BUT the Hall was packed ALL THE TIME and the Stadium hosted thousands--which meant $$$$ and kept our name out there which also meant $$$$.
We have an AD--a capable one so I am told. BUT does he have help or are those "helpers" really planned hindrances ?? I am suspicious that it might be the latter.
We should look at the successful programs and emulate them--Schools like us--EG Marq, X GTN Gonzaga et al--They succeed BIG TIME year after year to some degree or another. CRIMINY !! Reach out, they will help or if not, they do not deserve to be JESUIT.
I, like Nate am ticked off--and not just because of our miserable losses this year--I have lived and witnessed our great successes even those before 1963.

One thing is for SURE --HOOPS and the rest need a TOTAL commitment from Loyola--not the baby steps we have taken.

I do believe the MEDIA has forgot about us due a lot to the fact that LOYOLA Leadership has as well.

Are you talking about a practice facility for men's volleyball or a playing facility, or both that is separate from basketball? Where do they practice now, Halas? I imagine that when basketball practices, volleyball would move over to Halas. I'd say that playing facility wise, Gentile is a great improvement from Alumni.

IT is my understanding that both basketball teams and both volleyball teams practice and play at the Gentile. While yes anything is an improvement over Alumni (although lots of great memories). I guess this is where I am at currently is if LU is going to make a commitment to athletics then DO IT RIGHT. All in or forget DI. All the outdoor sports need indoor practice facilities. We are enamored that we built the Gentile which is a nice basketball facility and I enjoy being there but it seems to me that we have worked hard to get some good coaches but that is just part of the equation,The pieces that support the coaches and players need to be first class as well. I know they talk about finding an area close to campus that will house track and the other sports. The purchase of Hamiltons was supposed to be a part of that but I do not think they have the whole block yet. I think expectations have been so low for so long that there is no immediate pressure to get this done. There have been informal search groups and conversations etc. We have done a great job of returning LU to a top level school. the campus redo is outstanding lets finish this up with a matching athletic department. I really do think we have some outstanding coaches and athletes. I mean seriously our academic progress report 3rd in the nation!!! better than Northwestern. Now lets give them all the support they need. Part of this will be increasing alumni involvement.....so always start by finding out what you can do........ Write the AD .express what you think... go to the alumni events etc.

Go Ramblers