
Former Ball State coach Mike Neu joins Illinois' staff as senior offensive assistant
CHAMPAIGN — Former Ball State coach Mike Neu has joined Illinois' staff as a senior offensive assistant.
Illinois coach Bret Bielema announced the hire Thursday.
Neu went 40-63 at Ball State from 2016-24. He was fired in November, when Ball State had a 3-7 record with two games remaining in its season.
His 2020 Ball State team won a Mid-American Conference title and beat San Jose State in the Arizona Bowl, the first bowl victory in school history. That team finished 23rd in The Associated Press Top 25.
Neu previously worked as a quarterbacks coach for Tulane (2012-13) and the New Orleans Saints (2014-15).
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Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Chicago White Sox Transaction Is A Dispute-In-Waiting
SUN VALLEY, ID - JULY 07: Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the NBA's Chicago Bulls and the MLB's Chicago ... More White Sox, attends the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 7, 2015 in Sun Valley, Idaho. Many of the world's wealthiest and most powerful business people from media, finance, and technology attend the annual week-long conference which is in its 33rd year. (Photo by) Today's deal is tomorrow's dispute. Consider that in the context of news that longtime Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf has agreed to a multi-year transaction with Justin Ishbia and family. It paves the way for Ishbia to eventually - potentially - take control of the 125-year old American League baseball franchise. The complex structure will see Ishbia contribute capital in 2025 and 2026. From 2029 through 2033, Reinsdorf will have the option to sell control to Ishbia. And in 2034, Ishbia will have the option to purchase control from Reinsdorf. Terms and valuation were not disclosed, though recent minority transactions valued the team at $1.8 billion. PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 16: (L-R) Phoenix Suns owners, Justin and Mat Ishbia look on during the ... More first half of the NBA game against the LA Clippers at Footprint Center on February 16, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. After becoming a minority owner in 2021, Ishbia further increased his minority interest in February 2025 at the aforementioned $1.8 billion valuation. That move, widely misunderstood in the media, is fundamentally different than this transaction. Then, Ishbia acquired existing shares from other minority owners in search of liquidity. Now, Ishbia's funds will be used to "pay down existing debt and support ongoing team operations". Based on experience, that suggests Ishbia's 2025 and 2026 contributons will be deposited into team coffers in exchange for newly issued shares. The reference to debt begs a question: why do the White Sox have debt that requires a cash infusion to service? Team payroll has shrunk dramatically in recent years, from $193m on Opening Day 2022 to $74 million on Opening Day 2025, per Cot's. Of course, lost revenue from the shortened 2020 season and the team's on-field issues may have had a cascading effect on cash flow. But in sports, debt is often used to fund acquisitions or major capital expenditures. But Reinsdorf has owned the team since 1981, and the White Sox current stadium, Rate field, was built in 1991 and is owned by the State of Illinois. Renovations and administration are paid for by the State. The team's spring training facility, Camelback Ranch–Glendale, is owned by the City of Glendale, Arizona, and their facility in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic, had a second building and more classrooms added back in 2017. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 21: A general view during the third inning between the Chicago White Sox ... More and the Seattle Mariners at Guaranteed Rate Field on August 21, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by) Reinsdorf has long sought a new stadium. And while there has been little progress despite years of effort, he and connected entities reportedly spent almost $45 million buying vacant lots near the United Center. There's also been turnover in the team's media rights; this season, televised White Sox games moved to the nascent Chicago Sports Network, owned in part by Reinsdorf, which has struggled to gain traction amidst a broader collapse of regional sports networks in the United States. It's been reported that an impetus in the deal is succession planning. But Reinsdorf is 89; given the long runway and the team's statement, let's call this transaction what it is first and foremost: a capital injection. And if the team needed cash, convincing minority owners to provide it at premium valuations can be difficult without the lure of controlling interest. Ishbia agreed, but on the condition that he'd have a path to control, a smart insistence. Without Reinsdorf's consent, the soonest Ishbia can take control is 9 years. That's an eternity, especially in professional sports, where one great season, even one headline, can fundamentally alter franchise values. I still recall a sports banker suggesting in 2020 that the sign-stealing scandal could affect team sales. But there are other demand shocks that can be more permanent. The White Sox are currently in the American League Central division basement. But they have a promising farm system, ranked as high as number 2 by some outlets. What happens if they start winning games? Such a turnaround was a factor in a dispute over another multi-year transaction; Glen Taylor's sale of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx to Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore (I wrote about its brilliance here). Then there's labour negotiations. Major League Baseball's Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in December, 2026, and uncertainty abounds; a lockout could depress team values, while the installation of a salary cap, which existing owners may pursue, would likely have the opposite impact. ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 10: Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred answers questions ... More during an MLB owner's meeting at the Waldorf Astoria on February 10, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. Manfred addressed the ongoing lockout of players, which owners put in place after the league's collective bargaining agreement ended on December 1, 2021. (Photo by) How is Ishbia going to react, in, say, 2032, if 96 year old Reinsdorf signs long-term and/or high-value contracts that will be Ishbia's responsibility to pay? And Reinsdorf's age is (unfortunately) worth highlighting for other reasons. Even the smartest estate planning, the most well crafted wills, can be thrown into chaos, a situation the San Diego Padres and Denver Broncos know all-too-well. What happens if a new owner inherits the White Sox before any of the options vest? And if Reinsdorf can bequeath the team to someone else, can he sell it to someone else? Options are a choice, and as the team's statement said, "there is no assurance that any…future transaction (with Ishbia) will occur". What happens if someone comes along and offers more? Yes, multibillion dollar deals have reams of attorneys, with plenty of experience, to write ironclad, clear agreements to prevent post-transaction disputes. The Timberwolves and Lynx 'Equity Interest Purchase Agreement' stood up to scrutiny, after all, and credit goes to Rodriguez and Lore's attorneys at Wachtell Lipton (Ishbia reportedly chose to use Covington Burling). But there was still a dispute. From experience, it's not atypical, and it usually happens out of the public eye. Resolution through mediation and/or arbitration costs money, it costs time, and it paralyzes the business. That's exacerbated in sports, where decisions on contracts, trades, draft picks, management and more need to happen quickly. There are limited examples of this structure being successful, though perhaps more are coming; David Blitzer has an option to purchase control of the Cleveland Guardians in 2028. MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 30: Co-owners Alex Rodriguez (R) and Marc Lore of the Minnesota ... More Timberwolves interact in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Target Center on December 30, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Lakers 108-106. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) These type of transactions may be good for sellers that want to maintain control. They may be okay for buyers that need time to raise money and/or want access to a scarce asset, especially if it has the best logo in sports. But for everyone else, the answer is murky. Fans wonder if their owner chose the best option, or just the one that kept them in control. Leagues are concerned about governance, especially as deadlines approach, part of the reason MLB insists on a single control person per team. And every stakeholder should be mindful of the impacts from litigation, especially once its publicized. Is future litigation likely here? I don't know. But a lot can change over 9 years, and this type of transaction, especially in professional sports, lights a match.


New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
Blackhawks power rankings, from Frank Nazar to Mitch Marner to (you guessed it) CHSN
Ten years ago might seem like forever, but it wasn't that long ago that the Blackhawks were still playing hockey this time of year, the way the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers are. But these days, June is about hiring coaches and developing prospects and making draft picks. The idea is that if you do enough of those right, eventually you'll be back to playing well into May and June. Easier said than done, of course. Advertisement So, how are the Blackhawks doing this offseason? Let's take a look with the latest edition of our power rankings: The new Blackhawks head coach won the press conference, as they say, but there's plenty of overlap between Hawks fans and Bears fans in this town, so this city knows to take that with a big ol' lump of salt. Still, it's not hard to understand what GM Kyle Davidson saw in Blashill, with his strong mix of experience and development. And while there's nothing unusual about a new coach's friends saying nice things about him, how the likes of Jon Cooper and Bill Zito — two of the most respected and most successful people in the hockey world — raved about Blashill is encouraging. The honeymoon has begun. Hopefully, it lasts longer than it did for Matt Eberflus. Or Matt Nagy. Or John Fox. Or (ye gods) Marc Trestman. Nazar was arguably the Blackhawks' best player late in the season. Carrying that play and that confidence, Nazar proved to be a dominant player for Team USA at the World Championship with six goals and six assists in 10 games. He finished tied for sixth in the tournament in points and tied for fourth in goals. On top of that, he helped the U.S. win the tournament, breaking a 92-year drought. Defenseman Alex Vlasic was also a plus-3 and averaged 16:35 of ice time over his 10 games for Team USA. Fans have been asking for the Blackhawks to create a ring of honor for years. Now they'll finally get their wish. 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The 2,000-capacity arena also has the possibility to bring in top junior events and will house the Chicago Steel. As mentioned, the Blackhawks Hall of Fame will also have a physical space there. The Blackhawks are going to add a player or two this offseason. Time will tell whether those players are notable names. Advertisement Chicago has the cap space to pursue someone like that in free agency, but it might be easier for Davidson to get someone who fits what he's looking for via trade. The Blackhawks would like to find players who are compatible in age and talent with their rebuild plan. That likely means some team's restricted free agent. If a team is looking for draft capital in exchange, Davidson has plenty of that and seems eager to use it. The issue may be if teams also want established players in return. For the second straight year (and the third time since 2019), the real draft intrigue starts with the Blackhawks. But unlike last year, when either Artyom Levshunov or Ivan Demidov were extremely exciting, seemingly can't-miss prospects, there's no sure thing at No. 3. With the Islanders expected to take defenseman Matthew Schaefer and the Sharks expected to take forward Michael Misa, the Blackhawks can go in any number of directions. The early buzz is that forwards Caleb Desnoyers and Anton Frondell top the Blackhawks' board, but tantalizing offensive talents such as James Hagens and Porter Martone are there, too. Excitement among the fan base seems to be way down this year, which might be due to draft fatigue as much as the supposed quality of the prospects available. You can only draft in the top three so many times before it starts to get real old. It's one thing if the Blackhawks don't go after Mitch Marner and pin their hopes for progress on continued improvement from within. It's quite another if they let Ryan Donato walk, as well. 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But Rantanen came off the board early, and now the Blackhawks seem like extreme long shots to land Marner, as the focus has turned to potential trades (JJ Peterka? Marco Rossi? Anyone?) instead of free agency. Advertisement There's no doubt that Marner is an ideal winger for Bedard: he's a Selke-caliber two-way forward with three 97-or-more-point seasons in the last four years. With him on his line, Bedard could immediately become a 40-goal, 90-point player. But at 28 years old, Marner doesn't quite fit Davidson's (long, long, long) timeline. So Blackhawks fans might need to continue to be — and stop us if you've heard this one before — patient. CHSN may not have had Comcast carriage from the start, but what it did offer fans was free broadcasts accessible via an old-school antenna. From Chicago to neighboring states, you could watch CHSN for free. That was unique. As an early CHSN press release touted: 'Through free, over-the-air broadcasts, CHSN ensures every fan has access to their favorite teams.' Some of us learned antennas and over-the-air broadcasts sounded simpler in theory than in practice, but some people had no trouble getting the channel that way, and that's how they watched the Blackhawks. But now that viewing avenue is gone for most people. As part of the Comcast deal, CHSN agreed to sunset all of its Illinois over-the-air channels and a few of its out-of-state ones, too. Unless you're in Indianapolis, Milwaukee or a few other out-of-state locations, you can no longer watch CHSN for free. One step forward, two steps back. Yes, some of you can get Blackhawks broadcasts through your primary provider now. But not you, antenna folk. Not you, YouTube TV subscribers. And no matter what, you're paying up for it. An extra 20 bucks a month for the top tier of Comcast, or an extra 20 bucks a month for the app. Thirty bucks if you're a masochist and want to watch the Bulls and White Sox too. It's a lot to ask to watch a team — three teams, really — that don't seem to be in any hurry to be competitive. In other words, you should spend money on these teams — even though they won't. (Top photo of Frank Nazar, left, playing for Team USA at the World Championship: Michael Campanella / Getty Images)


New York Times
5 hours ago
- New York Times
Why Rome Odunze, stronger and playing ‘freely' in Year 2, has high hopes for 2025
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Rome Odunze's birthday present included getting back to work at Halas Hall last week. He turned 23 on June 3, the first day of the Chicago Bears' mandatory minicamp. And for as much as Odunze has welcomed a more informed outlook entering his second year in the NFL, he knows he has untapped potential. He's young. Younger than Bears second-round rookie offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo and just three days older than sixth-round rookie running back Kyle Monangai. Advertisement 'I just turned 23,' Odunze said on Thursday. 'I don't have many things to focus on other than getting better.' This offseason, Odunze said, he's focused on putting himself 'in peak condition spiritually, mentally (and) physically.' He's added a few pounds of lean mass and lost some fat. He's dialed in on his upper-body strength, which he said he learned was particularly important to come out on the better side of 50-50 catches. 'There's a lot of nitpicking and grabbing in this league that isn't always shown,' Odunze said. 'I feel like I needed to build upper-body mass to be able to combat some of those things.' Unlike this time last year, when the former University of Washington receiver was joining his new team after months of pre-draft questions and evaluations, Odunze knows what's ahead of him. 'It's a different game than college football. There are different windows, different ways to get open, and there's a different pace that you have to get adapted to,' Odunze said. 'Having a full season under my belt, I feel like I'm aware of those things. 'I can now play the game freely in a way that I know where I need to be when I need to be there.' The ninth pick in the 2024 draft, Odunze's rookie season was a mixed bag. He made 54 catches for 734 yards, both ranking third among Bears receivers behind DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, and three touchdowns. He showed glimpses — like his 47-yard catch in a loss to the Colts in Week 3, which remained the longest reception for the Bears all season — but faded into the background at other times. It wasn't all on the rookie, though, as the Bears finished last in the league in total offense (283.5 yards per game). But the worst part about Year 1? Odunze didn't hesitate to answer: It was losing. The Bears finished 5-12, losing 10 of their last 11 games, as offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and then head coach Matt Eberflus were fired in-season. As Chicago welcomes a new regime led by head coach Ben Johnson, an offensive makeover is in progress. Odunze already noted the explosiveness that the new offense will prioritize. On Thursday, minicamp fun and games were the early signs of trick plays in progress. 'I think Ben (Johnson) and crew have great offensive minds,' Odunze said. 'I feel like they can help put me in positions to succeed, and that's all I can ask for. 'But at the end of the day, I've got to get out there and make plays and get the job done regardless.' Moore, who has led the Bears in receiving in each of the past two seasons, said earlier in minicamp he noticed Odunze's improvement from last year. That progress included a few highlight-worthy plays, such as Thursday, when Odunze snagged a catch through traffic from a scrambling Caleb Williams (at the 25-second mark of the clip below). Every rep counts 💪 — Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) June 6, 2025 With his added comfort, developing that chemistry with Williams is Odunze's next step forward, and a particularly important one if he plans to take on a larger role. Allen is a free agent and not expected back in Chicago, which could open up more targets for Odunze, although the Bears also added two pass catchers early in the draft, taking tight end Colston Loveland at No. 10 and wideout Luther Burden at No. 39. Advertisement It's still too early to write his goals in stone, but Odunze is eyeing 1,000 receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns in the 2025 season. For the team, he didn't shy away from singling out a playoff appearance, which would be the Bears' first since 2020. Chicago has just two playoff appearances and no trips past the wild-card round since reaching the NFC Championship Game in 2010. 'When you're doing the right things and you're having success, and the team is having success, all the statistics and those numbers will come,' Odunze said. For the new 23-year-old, a 'Jordan Year' breakout would be exactly what he and Chicago desire.