Scouring the message boards, it seems like a lot of Illinois fans have Stockholm Syndrome and think that this was the best possible outcome.
Khan is pulling the strings. Not sure I agree with the Cubit deal, but if what I was told comes true we will all be very happy.
Illinois has done a piss poor job at working with the big time money coming from UofI. Khan, Jimmy John Liautaud. It's gonna take a shit ton of money to make the university relevant again.
Who is in charge of making it happen? Every employee at the University starts their title with "Interim".
I'll believe it when I see it. First chance will be in March after they fire Groce. That hire needs to be a home run
Hey you guys think what you want. Just telling you what I was told by someone who would know what is going on.
I just... I feel so much differently about Groce than I did Weber, but his personnel decisions are shit and it kinda seems like he's a shit in-game coach. I thought the days of yanking freshman after a bad play were over after Weber was fired, but he did exactly that tonight by yanking Jordan for Austin. Feel cursed almost. Basketball injuries like mad, football injuries like mad, kicked Paul off the bball team, Paul James left the fball team, fired Beckman a week before the season and figured it was a gravy year and no matter what we'd hire a new coach only to fire the AD at the worst time and extend our interim HC to a 2 year deal effectively ending recruiting hopes for the foreseeable future. Then the interim AD tells the press it's not an ideal situation and our big man tears a ligament and is out for the year. Oh and we lost to fucking North Florida and Chattanooga in god forsaken Springfield.
No offense to Illinois, but he's turned down better jobs. However, I do think he wants to stay in the midwest, so there's that.
Marshall definitely unlikely, but I could see him leaving this year with Van Vleet leaving. Plus look at how this year is starting for WSU, time to get out is probably right if he wants a step up any time soon. I'd be perfectly happy with Drew.
On a positive note, State Farm Center looked good last night. Finally put the student section in the right place.
Mav is making some good plays and playing good defense, gets taken out for Black. Lewis is playing well, Groce puts Austin in. Hill, who has been playing 36+ minutes all season finally gets to take a rest...while were making a run. Our zone offense is so bad, it was almost comical.
Mizzou's new coach is cleaning house. Rumors that you guys are going after Cornell Ford. He's the DBs coach and recruits STL pretty well. Would be a good hire for UofI imo. You can have Ricker back too. He fucking blows.
If you're a SR OL for Illinois, you've had 5 different OL coaches. Pass on bringing in another one, especially a guy like Ricker. We'll take your DL coach though
Almost had him last year. Probably have to offer him a DC spot to get him though. I really hate to lose him. He's the best DL coach in the country.
Our thread title should be like Owen Wilson's voice mail in Wedding Crashers. "Hey this is John (long sigh).... whatever"
teve Walentik @Steve_Walentik 3m Braggin' Rights crowd of 14,456 is the smallest by roughly 5,000 people since the game moved to Scottrade Center in 1994.
Snyder family is pretty low-down Mom was getting her hair done when Quentin committed to Illinois, Dad told reporters that their word was stronger than oak... big surprise he pulled a scumbag move by decommitting on signing day.
Last year it was dick-nosed Aubrey Dawkins who had a career night. Today it was Mark Donnall, who had like 17 total points coming in to the game. It's truly ridiculous. We don't have a PG who can score more than 4 points a game. We don't have a center at all. But I still think we should look less shitty than this. If Groce were a good coach, I think he'd have us saying "he's doing a better job with this talent than he should" and he's not doing that. We're about as bad as we should be and that's hard to swallow. I'd be shocked if he gets fired this season with all the injuries, but I've lost so much faith in him over the last few months.
I guess awful results are expected when you play a good portion of your non-conference with only 2 players who have ever played together at Illinois.
I was thinking the other day... it has been years since I was able to watch an Illinois football game without worrying about how the outcome effects the coaching situation. I think going into the Missouri game in 2008 was the last time I rooted for Illinois football without worrying that a win means we're stuck with the coach. After that game, my soul was crushed and I never trusted Zook again. Obviously, Beckman was never trusted. Now we have Cubit and I won't be able to wholeheartedly root for Illinois because I know too many wins could mean a Cubit extension and that would be just horrible. How many other fanbases can say that? It's been nearly a decade since a level-headed Illini fan could root for his football team care-free.
Not really, was told it all wouldn't happen until January when it could all be officially approved. So I guess you could say the timeline is still in place? Doubting it happens to be honest but who knows. It's sad how far we've fallen in basketball. Just awful.