Things still ugly at Chicago St.

[89rabbit]

They fired their AD.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...,3624146.story

Firings add to Chicago St. woes

Baseball coach latest indicator of trouble

By Terry Bannon and Jodi Cohen | Chicago Tribune reporters July 8, 2008

In one of her last acts before leaving her post as president of Chicago State University, Elnora Daniel fired athletic director Wayne Baskerville, whom she hired less than two years ago.

Baskerville's dismissal came amid disclosures on baseball blogs that biographical information on the school's Web site overstated the qualifications of baseball coach Husain Mahmoud.

Baskerville was fired May 30 and replaced by interim AD Beverly John. In mid-June, John informed Mahmoud he would not be retained. . . . (read more)


I think we all had heard about why they left the Mid-Con, but it was interesting to see it in print. They also talk about the Great West in the story.

. . . In 2006, CSU left the Mid-Continent Conference (now the Summit League) in a leave-before-you're-kicked-out scenario. The athletic department has been chronically underfunded by NCAA Division I standards. The school has been an independent the last two years.

Baskerville had been trying to find a new conference and met with the Great West Conference, which is trying to become a home for NCAA Division I independents. The CSU board of trustees turned down the invitation but is expected to revisit it once successors to Daniel and Baskerville are in place. . . .




Go State!

[Nidaros]

Re: Things still ugly at Chicago St.

I am probably stirring the pot here, but on other threads there have been a few of my fellow SDSU fans advocating that Chicago St be readmitted to the Summit since they would be a D1 counter and they would give the other members exposure in the Chicago market. I think the article linked here reflects what sort of exposure the other Summit League members would receive in Chicago Market in such sources as the Chicago Tribune. ORU could travel to Chicago and no doubt win a big game in front of 400 people and it might get a pharagraph in the Chicago Tribune. If fiancial irregularites at Chicago State are uncovered and people fired, then it becomes news in Chicago. My point is that Chicago State because of location in lower economical neighboorhood really works against drawing a good crowd for any event. This is despite a brand new facility that came from state funds. If their BB program was equal to DePaul they might still have problems drawing a good crowd, but maybe not. I thinking they would need some top people to turn this around and to fill the seats. The article seems to suggest this is a major problem. I think some of Chicago's good old patonage is at work here and it makes hard for anyone connected with Chicago State to be independant and able to hire competent people.

If we are looking for good exposure in the Chicago Market, then it would be better to compete with DePaul or even Loyola. DePaul plays at a relatively new facility, the Rosemont built in the 1980's near Ohare Air terminal. The neighborhoods near Rosemont tend to be middle class, and with the legendry coaches of Ray Meyer and later his son, they have a pretty decent following and the Rosemont is often filled.


If Chicago State could afford and was able to book home games in the Rosemont, I think they would do that as that would sell tickets that they can not seem to sell on the South Side.