College Basketball 2011-2012

[Magnetic Curses]

god i hope you're right

[KingCubsFan]

I'll support Groce, I'm just very disappointed at how the search played out. I don't fault Smart or Stevens for wanting to stay in their respective locales, however this was an opportunity for Mike Thomas to redefine the Illinois program for the next 15-20 years. He even said that he needed to make a home run hire and he failed to get it done. We've been turned down by everyone, we look like crap and we're the best job available. It's absolutely pathetic.

I don't know why anyone thought Stevens was coming. He wasn't going to, he won't leave Butler unless its for IU. Smart hurt, the other guys who said no I am not sweating.

 

What pisses me off the most is that we're going to hire a guy based off two tournament wins. That's not to say he won't be a good coach, but I'd like to see more consideration of names like Marshall and Mack.

 

True, but that seems how most mid-major coaches become hot names. Like I said earlier, if VCU misses the tourney last year, we may not care at all about Shaka. I kept reminding myself that he may not be the best hire since we are basing everything off of getting to the final four, but I was still really hoping he would say yes. I think I mainly was excited about his personality and how the team seemed to play unafraid--as opposed to how Illinois always seemed to play not to lose the past few years.

 

What if Groce stays at Ohio and they return the whole team and become a fringe Top-25 team next year (not sure if that is possible, but if they get off to a good start voters might be inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt for their success this year) or win a game or two in the tourney? Then he will be a really hot candidate that schools hope he says yes to.

I can't imagine a team from the MAC staying in the top 25. The whole conference is horrendous.

[Magnetic Curses]

i'm just disappointed. i have to remind myself that i didn't want stevens here anyway. it shouldn't mean anything to me, really. but a name coach would have energized recruiting efforts and the fan base, it would have given the coach a head start.

 

but who knows? frank [expletive] haith was successful at missouri this year, not that that will continue.

[Magnetic Curses]

for the record, i still blame weber for having nor charisma or dignity which has caused the latest calamity to befall the illinois program.

 

mike thomas was behind the 8-ball the whole time. he never had a chance.

[snoodmonger]

just to fan the flames a bit...

 

A poster on another board I visit said Bruce Pearl was on the radio discussing college hoops. Here's that poster's summary of Bruce discussing the UI job:

 

Really interesting discussion of the Illinois job. Said they should have never fired Webber without a plan in place of who they were goung to hire. Said the coaching community loves Webber and that may be why a lot of them turn down the job. Said Illinois may have an inflated sense of how attractive the job is. Called it the 6th best job in the Big 10 behind MSU, IU, Wisc, Michigan, and Ohio St. Said any coach that goes there will have to "deal with" Chicago high school coaches, which isn't easy. Most don't want the hassle.

[Magnetic Curses]

he even sounds like bruce weber, what the [expletive]

[illiniguy]

just to fan the flames a bit...

 

A poster on another board I visit said Bruce Pearl was on the radio discussing college hoops. Here's that poster's summary of Bruce discussing the UI job:

 

Really interesting discussion of the Illinois job. Said they should have never fired Webber without a plan in place of who they were goung to hire. Said the coaching community loves Webber and that may be why a lot of them turn down the job. Said Illinois may have an inflated sense of how attractive the job is. Called it the 6th best job in the Big 10 behind MSU, IU, Wisc, Michigan, and Ohio St. Said any coach that goes there will have to "deal with" Chicago high school coaches, which isn't easy. Most don't want the hassle.

I don't care what that lying, pos says. I think the thing hurting us was Izzo's response to Weber getting fired. Izzo has a lot of clout within the coaching fraternity.

[Magnetic Curses]

just to fan the flames a bit...

 

A poster on another board I visit said Bruce Pearl was on the radio discussing college hoops. Here's that poster's summary of Bruce discussing the UI job:

 

Really interesting discussion of the Illinois job. Said they should have never fired Webber without a plan in place of who they were goung to hire. Said the coaching community loves Webber and that may be why a lot of them turn down the job. Said Illinois may have an inflated sense of how attractive the job is. Called it the 6th best job in the Big 10 behind MSU, IU, Wisc, Michigan, and Ohio St. Said any coach that goes there will have to "deal with" Chicago high school coaches, which isn't easy. Most don't want the hassle.

 

we're a better job than wisconsin or michigan. the team isn't exactly in a better place than either of those programs. but the potential for success is much greater.

 

however true the idea that coaches are scared away by chicago hoops, if you forge an alliance with the cpl coaches, the sky is the limit. also, kruger didn't recruit chicago at all and was successful at illinois.

 

the illinois job is the equal of osu and msu, it's a 3-team battle for second, which the other two teams are winning right now and over the last 6-7 years. that can change very quickly and likely would have changed immediately if we were getting one of our top choices.

 

wisconsin doesn't recruit well-enough and thusly limits themselves, their ceiling is low and floor is high. michigan has detroit and ohio to recruit but must share that ground with 2 superior programs. they are also a football school and basketball will always be second.

[SouthSideRyan]

How would Bruce Pearl know what the coaching community thinks when everybody hates him?

 

And lol at Wisconsin being a better job.

Edited March 26, 2012 by SouthSideRyan

[illiniguy]

just to fan the flames a bit...

 

A poster on another board I visit said Bruce Pearl was on the radio discussing college hoops. Here's that poster's summary of Bruce discussing the UI job:

 

Really interesting discussion of the Illinois job. Said they should have never fired Webber without a plan in place of who they were goung to hire. Said the coaching community loves Webber and that may be why a lot of them turn down the job. Said Illinois may have an inflated sense of how attractive the job is. Called it the 6th best job in the Big 10 behind MSU, IU, Wisc, Michigan, and Ohio St. Said any coach that goes there will have to "deal with" Chicago high school coaches, which isn't easy. Most don't want the hassle.

 

we're a better job than wisconsin or michigan. the team isn't exactly in a better place than either of those programs. but the potential for success is much greater.

 

however true the idea that coaches are scared away by chicago hoops, if you forge an alliance with the cpl coaches, the sky is the limit. also, kruger didn't recruit chicago at all and was successful at illinois.

 

the illinois job is the equal of osu and msu, it's a 3-team battle for second, which the other two teams are winning right now and over the last 6-7 years. that can change very quickly and likely would have changed immediately if we were getting one of our top choices.

 

wisconsin doesn't recruit well-enough and thusly limits themselves, their ceiling is low and floor is high. michigan has detroit and ohio to recruit but must share that ground with 2 superior programs. they are also a football school and basketball will always be second.

Kruger really got lucky though with the Manuel three being in his era. We need Peoria to start producing high end talent again.

[Magnetic Curses]

looking on the bright side, however, when weber first started this whole big goof off this year, i was looking into former matta assistants. i didn't see see groce's name, but it looks like he's the best of them.

[Magnetic Curses]

just to fan the flames a bit...

 

A poster on another board I visit said Bruce Pearl was on the radio discussing college hoops. Here's that poster's summary of Bruce discussing the UI job:

 

Really interesting discussion of the Illinois job. Said they should have never fired Webber without a plan in place of who they were goung to hire. Said the coaching community loves Webber and that may be why a lot of them turn down the job. Said Illinois may have an inflated sense of how attractive the job is. Called it the 6th best job in the Big 10 behind MSU, IU, Wisc, Michigan, and Ohio St. Said any coach that goes there will have to "deal with" Chicago high school coaches, which isn't easy. Most don't want the hassle.

 

we're a better job than wisconsin or michigan. the team isn't exactly in a better place than either of those programs. but the potential for success is much greater.

 

however true the idea that coaches are scared away by chicago hoops, if you forge an alliance with the cpl coaches, the sky is the limit. also, kruger didn't recruit chicago at all and was successful at illinois.

 

the illinois job is the equal of osu and msu, it's a 3-team battle for second, which the other two teams are winning right now and over the last 6-7 years. that can change very quickly and likely would have changed immediately if we were getting one of our top choices.

 

wisconsin doesn't recruit well-enough and thusly limits themselves, their ceiling is low and floor is high. michigan has detroit and ohio to recruit but must share that ground with 2 superior programs. they are also a football school and basketball will always be second.

Kruger really got lucky though with the Manuel three being in his era. We need Peoria to start producing high end talent again.

 

when the big 3 committed, that was the beginning of the rise of illini basketball. kruger was a key part of that.

[illiniguy]

Agreed, I was there at the beginning of the Frank Williams recruitment. At the Lou Henson basketball camp each team got one game guaranteed on the Illinois floor. I was on Frankies team, we never left the main floor lol.

[hawkeyecub]

Did Randy Bennett or Marshall get much discussion?

 

[expletive], Monson and Alford make some sense if you're talking about Groce.

[illiniguy]

Did Randy Bennett or Marshall get much discussion?

 

[expletive], Monson and Alford make some sense if you're talking about Groce.

I don't think Monson will do the big ten again. He talked about it pretty openly in Sports Illustrated.

[Magnetic Curses]

Did Randy Bennett or Marshall get much discussion?

 

[expletive], Monson and Alford make some sense if you're talking about Groce.

 

those guys are all at 50 or pushing 50. groce is 40, which gives him a huge advantage.

[illiniguy]

Did Randy Bennett or Marshall get much discussion?

 

[expletive], Monson and Alford make some sense if you're talking about Groce.

 

those guys are all at 50 or pushing 50. groce is 40, which gives him a huge advantage.

And Alford is a raging dbag.

[hawkeyecub]

Did Randy Bennett or Marshall get much discussion?

 

[expletive], Monson and Alford make some sense if you're talking about Groce.

 

those guys are all at 50 or pushing 50. groce is 40, which gives him a huge advantage.

And Alford is a raging dbag.

 

Of course he is. But he and Monson were both THE hot young coach in the country a while ago, were mediocre in the Big Ten and then immediately turned around another mid-major and have them winning at bigger levels then before. You could make the case that they both have a better idea of what went wrong and what they need to do in the Big Ten. Alford has found the right degree of shadiness with Craig Neal. Throw Howard into the mix and I think he could have major recruiting success.

 

I understand not wanting a guy like Hamilton at 63 but I don't get ruling out guys from 47-50 based on age.

[Derwood]

Serious (non-trolling) question: what is it about the Illinois program that makes you gus say its equal to MSU or better than Wisconsin? If its based on potential, what specifically makes Illinois better?

[SouthSideRyan]

Remember what I said about it being clear that Derwood knew nothing about college basketball?

 

And lol, Dan Monson.

[UMFan83]

I swear I've seen this movie before. This is about the point where everyone tries to sell themselves on Groce only to be stunned by the news that even Groce turns down the Illini offer.

[PosterToBeNamedLater]

Serious (non-trolling) question: what is it about the Illinois program that makes you gus say its equal to MSU or better than Wisconsin? If its based on potential, what specifically makes Illinois better?

 

To me its that if you just recruited Illinois (but could get almost anyone you want), you would compete for the title every year. I don't know if there is another state like that that doesn't also have other major in-state options. There is no other school in Illinois that competes with them for recruits, yet, we haven't been able to recruit Chicago very well.

 

It would be nice if there was pressure for those kids to go to the state school like there is in Indiana.

[SouthSideRyan]

I swear I've seen this movie before. This is about the point where everyone tries to sell themselves on Groce only to be stunned by the news that even Groce turns down the Illini offer.

 

As somebody who has first-hand experience of having his school embarrassed by John Groce, what do you think of his coaching ability?

[Derwood]

Remember what I said about it being clear that Derwood knew nothing about college basketball?

.

 

So no answer then?

[illiniguy]

Remember what I said about it being clear that Derwood knew nothing about college basketball?

 

And lol, Dan Monson.

He's not good at trolling.