Kramer, would you care to expand on that? What is your measure of quite well? With all respect.

Actually he is correct. Theus's ONLY qualification to run this program is his heritage. There is no chance a white guy with his pedigree would even get a sniff. If you trotted someone similar out that wasn't black as a candidate you'd be heaped with scorn. This, people take seriously because they know how stupid our administration is.

Corrected for accuracy.

I still think Brad Stevens would be an excellent choice for :illinois:

Anyone.
Snacks would be infinitely better as a hire than this dude. He is essentially devoid of background as a coach.

Two years as HC of a meh school.
1 year as an NBA coach before getting canned.
3 years as an assistant coach for a heinous NBA team.

Six years of a coaching with no track record of success. Terrible hire if he is hired.

yeah and apparently Greg Marshall is worse......

To elaborate a bit more (not saying it makes him a better candidate), he also coaching 2 seasons under Pitino at Louisville and was voted one of the best recruiters in the country by Rivals, another season at a smaller college in California. Before getting into the college game, he coached multiple seasons in the NBA Summer League for 76ers and Nuggets, coached in the ABA, and was also HC of a big Southern California 17U AAU team after he stopped his professional playing career.

So, just to be fair, you can at least double his coaching career to closer to 12 years at least, which compared to Jerrance is over double, plus he had a 13 year NBA career as well.

Just wish this would all happen so all the speculation and what not would be over.

I'd be thrilled with Gregg Marshall. The guy has proven himself to be a topflight coach that can build up a program and keep it built up.

RPI = 13 Amazing

It does not work that way. Any coach we are pursuing will be working in March, unlike Weber.

Brad Stevens or Shaka Smart, please. Leaning toward SS just because of the potential backlash if we hire someone without that much dark pigment in his skin. :tsk: Perhaps Brad Stevens and a tanning bed? :D

All other realistic names I've seen discussed would be a letdown for me. Just hope we don't overpay too much, although I really don't know why I care about that.

Why was this guy told to take it somewhere else, what did he say that was wrong?
Thomas needs to make the decision, The administration and BOT know nothing about basketball, or much else for that matter, let Thomas make the decision

No Illinois teams made the 2012 NCAA tournament.......... Sad

His characterization is simply wrong, and laughable. While there has been some demand for a black coach, it has been from a irrelevant minority (no pun intended), best that I can tell two members of the board only.

This is much ado about nothing from reactionaries. There is no PC-Liberal plot to require a black coach. But some would like to present it that way for their own ideological gain.

Is there any credible evidence than anyone aside from the two aforementioned are lobbying for a black coach?

Thanks for the added detail. I was unaware of the assistant coaching stretch in Louisville. I don't think being an AAU coach is really a credential though. I don't know what an NBA summer league is.

His lifetime coaching record in College: 41-23
Lifetime coaching record in NBA: 44-62

That is dismal. I don't want to see this guy as our coach.

I hope you are right, I want the best coach, I like Smart but get the best coach this is too important to limit the options.

If Theus is hired, can we at least agree that this was an affirmative action hire made simply because of skin color. That nobody with a similar resume would be considered for the job, much less hired, if he was not black. He simply is unqualified to waltz into a high major program based on one good season coaching.

I am right. Aside from the two board members, who is suggesting we have to hire a black coach? The answer is those crying against it. They have made a race issue where none existed.

Weber actually is working in March as Illinois has had 2 games so far in March and will have another 1 at least.

Me neither -- It would seem like an ill-researched, desperate hire to get a recognizable name and appease Chicago. Years more of mediocrity would follow. No thanks, I'll pass.

LOL you must have missed out on the Beckman saga. Talk about speculation.

Has Thomas or any credible source thrown out Theus as a possible replacement? Or is it some silly rumor on the internet?

Seasons before he arrived at NM State:

03-04 = 13-14 (6-9)
04-05 = 6-24 (1-14) ...(Henson's last season)

After he arrived at NM State (and moved up to the WAC):

05-06 = 16-14 (10-6)
06-07 = 25-9 (11-5) ... made NCAAs

They'll be working in March Madness. The Big Dance. The highlight of the college basketball season. Weber won't.

If you are excited by the NIT, good for you. Stick with Weber.

Completely disagree. Howard would not be a better hire. Theus has head coaching experience in college and pros. Experience as an assistant at a major program. While there are positives for Howard, they are certainly not any better than Theus. And Howard might stay as an assistant.

I don't think Theus is the top choice, but you could do a lot worse.