Bruce Weber on the Hot Seat - Possible Coaching Replacements

thenoodler · Feb 17, 2012, 08:46 AM

Nothing gets the blood pumping quite like a coaching search...

Will be interested to see the nuggets and tidbits start to roll in from the more informed posters on the site.

We've got to go big with this hire and I think Thomas knows this. Our basketball program is on a completely different plane from the football program. Perception is reality, and, for that reason, I believe name recognition and charisma are two very important qualities to be considered during this coaching search. Smart and Williams are 1a and 1b by these standards IMO.

If you strike out there, I believe the next most important quality is the ability to build a winner. Someone with an unquestioned track record and who always has the arrow pointing up. By this standard, Gregg Marshall is an obvious choice.

Obviously, a lot of this will depend on the other jobs that open up at the end of the season. I'm not really sure what other high-major coaches are on the hot seat other than those that have already been discussed here, but I will be interested to do some research on this.

If the South Carolina job opens up, does Marshall get homesick?

Would Williams really leave Marquette when they've got so much going for them?

Will Smart have bigger, better ($$$) suitors?

Buckle up, folks. This will be a fun one.

cjcastan · Feb 17, 2012, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IntenselyOrange

Regarding sanctions at UConn, I think they matter less than they should. Ohio State had no trouble getting Urban despite sanctions

Big difference in football in bball.

OSU's football sanctions are for one year like UConn's but that means that only affects the seniors in 2012.

Football players, even the top 5-star rated guys have to spend minimum 3 years in the program. Those sanctions are a blip in the road and nothing compared to what USC got.

Also in football the development process is absolutely vital to making it to the next level. So a coach who send kids to the pros like a Kiffen or Meyer can still get those kids.

In basketball it happens all the time that the top HS players can play and hang with with the pros in pick upgames, all star camps etc. Tim Legler in a recent podcast talked about playing in a summer pro-am league in Philly, during the NBA off season, and playing against a sophmore/junior age Kobe Bryant and knowing even then that he was seeing someone in another category.

Football being a higher contact sport, HS or underclassmen can't hang with the grown men in the NFL and need more time and coaching.

Top Bball prospects stick around 1-2 years. The tourney is important to raising their stock but more important to building their marketability. If a kid has a choice of top bball programs I would think going to a program that will be in tourney plays big role.

4LaCosaNostra · Feb 17, 2012, 08:50 AM

Indiana was a joke for what 3 years... lets see them in the tourney before crowning Crean.. he has a great recruiting class coming in but we have seen how that sometimes works out first hand.

AHSIllini32 · Feb 17, 2012, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4LaCosaNostra

Indiana was a joke for what 3 years... lets see them in the tourney before crowning Crean.. he has a great recruiting class coming in but we have seen how that sometimes works out first hand.

No one's "crowning" him as anything...but to say IU taking their time to make a hire hurt them is ridiculous considering IU has been in the top 25 for most of the season, beat #1, and has a lot of talent coming in.

I hate IU as much as any Illinois fan but to say something like that is just flat wrong.

Now excuse me while I go wash off the stink from giving IU any credit for anything they do.

mytwocents · Feb 17, 2012, 08:53 AM

Stephen Bardo is my first choice if Bruce is gone.
1. He has a very smooth personality! I could listen to him talk basketball all day.
2. He is respected in the state of Illinois and nationally.
3. He was a former Illini player.
4. He would be the first black Illini basketball coach. I hate to put this down as a reason to hire him because he would be my choice regardless of race. If I was an elite basketball talent of any race I would want to play for Stephen.

Obelix · Feb 17, 2012, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AHSIllini32

No one is going to talk to you (that's worth a damn anyways) while their team is in the middle of trying to either make the tourny (Smart/Stevens) or make a tourny run.

If he has already made the decision on firing Weber then I'm sure Thomas is doing what he needs to do to see who is/isn't interested so when the time comes he can act as quickly as he can

The point has been made on this thread multiple times. Nobody is advocating talking to Smart, Stevens, or anybody else now or while their team is playing in the tourney. Nobody.

But if their teams get eliminated early in post season (likely) and Illinois makes a deep run into the NIT (meaningless) then you lose a lot of valuable time. Do not expect that other schools or even their own employers will not be negotiating with them during that time.

If Illinois is going to make a change, doing it at the end of regular season including BTT comes at no cost. Doing it after post season has potential costs. Very simple. Especially when there are strict requirements about announcement of position, requesting permissions, and also additional trustee requirements that the process includes adequate candidates representing ethnic minorities, etc.

Groundhogday · Feb 17, 2012, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mytwocents

Stephen Bardo is my first choice if Bruce is gone.
1. He has a very smooth personality! I could listen to him talk basketball all day.
2. He is respected in the state of Illinois and nationally.
3. He was a former Illini player.
4. He would be the first black Illini basketball coach. I hate to put this down as a reason to hire him because he would be my choice regardless of race. If I was an elite basketball talent of any race I would want to play for Stephen.

Steve Bardo has never been a basketball coach at any level in any capacity. He has a great career as a broadcaster. Forget about Steve Bardo.

carmelillini · Feb 17, 2012, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

Steve Bardo has never been a basketball coach at any level in any capacity. He has a great career as a broadcaster. Forget about Steve Bardo.

+++

cjcastan · Feb 17, 2012, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

Steve Bardo has never been a basketball coach at any level in any capacity. He has a great career as a broadcaster. Forget about Steve Bardo.

Bardo has said that he's had offers at the HS, NCAA, Pro levels to coach. He's turned them all down. He's not interested in coaching.

illynifan34 · Feb 17, 2012, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjcastan

Bardo has said that he's had offers at the HS, NCAA, Pro levels to coach. He's turned them all down. He's not interested in coaching.

So to add to this list about Bardo above, he's super smart too!

CrazedUIFan · Feb 17, 2012, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by illynifan34

So to add to this list about Bardo above, he's super smart too!

mytwocents · Feb 17, 2012, 09:54 AM

I can’t forget about Stephen Bardo because I think he could be a great coach. According to many experts Bruce is a great x/o coach, so what went wrong? Bruce wasn’t a strong personality when the camera or the microphone was in his face. Bill Self was excellent with the media and he inspired confidence in his program using the media.
Stephen played Big Ten point guard and a few games in the NBA. Did Bruce play basketball at that level? Why was Bruce permitted to coach if he never played at that level? Bruce was given a chance and he had a good run but sadly for him it looks like the end at Illinois.

Groundhogday · Feb 17, 2012, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mytwocents

I can’t forget about Stephen Bardo because I think he could be a great coach. According to many experts Bruce is a great x/o coach, so what went wrong? Bruce wasn’t a strong personality when the camera or the microphone was in his face. Bill Self was excellent with the media and he inspired confidence in his program using the media.
Stephen played Big Ten point guard and a few games in the NBA. Did Bruce play basketball at that level? Why was Bruce permitted to coach if he never played at that level? Bruce was given a chance and he had a good run but sadly for him it looks like the end at Illinois.

Okay, but you might as well pine for Phil Jackson. There is just as much of a chance he will be our next basketball coach.

orangekrush117 · Feb 17, 2012, 10:05 AM

http://espn.go.com/chicago/ncb/story...ch-bruce-weber

Quote:

Former Illinois star Deron Williams said he would be "very disappointed" if coach Bruce Weber were fired, and he believes blame for the team's problems lies with the players.

“
I would still support the program, but it would be hard.
”
-- Deron Williams
"He's in a tough situation," Williams said by phone Thursday after scoring 29 points in a losing effort for the New Jersey Nets. "I'd be very disappointed [if Weber were fired]. That's my coach, and it would be hard for me.

"I would still support the program, but it would be hard."

illynifan34 · Feb 17, 2012, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mytwocents

I can’t forget about Stephen Bardo because I think he could be a great coach. According to many experts Bruce is a great x/o coach, so what went wrong? Bruce wasn’t a strong personality when the camera or the microphone was in his face. Bill Self was excellent with the media and he inspired confidence in his program using the media.
Stephen played Big Ten point guard and a few games in the NBA. Did Bruce play basketball at that level? Why was Bruce permitted to coach if he never played at that level? Bruce was given a chance and he had a good run but sadly for him it looks like the end at Illinois.

I appreciate your love for Bardo, but it is a fact that he won't be coaching, HE SAID HE DOESN'T WANT TO.

As for Weber, no he never played at the level Bardo did. Many coaches didn't, it is not a prerequisite to coach that you play at the highest level.

I love Deron, but he needs to realize that no coach, player, or fan is bigger than the program, not him, not Weber, nor any of us.

ILLINIShox24 · Feb 17, 2012, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orangekrush117

http://espn.go.com/chicago/ncb/story...ch-bruce-weber

Of course Deron has strong feelings about Bruce. Unfortunately, we haven't had much success since he left 7 years ago. It's time for a change. I believe Smart will be our next coach and Deron will continue supporting the program.

BrooksTaylorFan · Feb 17, 2012, 10:19 AM

St Louis sports radio is brutal down here. They were talking about candidates for the Illini job and there top 2 were bringing Lon Krueger back or Steve Alford. Yikes.

sugmeister · Feb 17, 2012, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrooksTaylorFan

St Louis sports radio is brutal down here. They were talking about candidates for the Illini job and there top 2 were bringing Lon Krueger back or Steve Alford. Yikes.

alford... yikes. of course they want us to fail over there. I remember strongly advocating that mizzou keep snyder around for a couple more yrs to some mizzou fans after one memorable braggin rights game.

TCTORNADO · Feb 17, 2012, 10:37 AM

Specualtion gets serious when the Flighttracker guys appear. Even with that, MT is very stealth as evidenced by fact that didn't the "Zook Replacement" thread go 50 pages deep and TB's name had not appeared.
Speculation of timing could be interesting too!!

HeartofaChampion · Feb 17, 2012, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrooksTaylorFan

St Louis sports radio is brutal down here. They were talking about candidates for the Illini job and there top 2 were bringing Lon Krueger back or Steve Alford. Yikes.

Succinct answers are no and no.

BrooksTaylorFan · Feb 17, 2012, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugmeister

alford... yikes. of course they want us to fail over there. I remember strongly advocating that mizzou keep snyder around for a couple more yrs to some mizzou fans after one memorable braggin rights game.

They were actually being honest. Said that Illinois would be better with a known established coach vs. an unproven assistant. Liked the thought of Alford coming back to the B1G and sticking it to both Indiana and Iowa.

Dan · Feb 17, 2012, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCTORNADO

Specualtion gets serious when the Flighttracker guys appear. Even with that, MT is very stealth as evidenced by fact that didn't the "Zook Replacement" thread go 50 pages deep and TB's name had not appeared.

Tim Beckman's name was one that appeared immediately in the football coaching search thread.

BrooksTaylorFan · Feb 17, 2012, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeartofaChampion

Succinct answers are no and no.

I couldn't agree more. I was more shocked that they were serious. Said Alford wasn't sold on New Mexico and would love ot have a chance to go to the B1G again. I'd rather have Weber back if those are my only 2 choices. :laugh:

HeartofaChampion · Feb 17, 2012, 10:40 AM

Just got a text claiming Smart won't even consider coming here for less than $2.5 million per year for 5 years. That's a hefty price tag.

illynifan34 · Feb 17, 2012, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeartofaChampion

Just got a text claiming Smart won't even consider coming here for less than $2.5 million per year for 5 years. That's a hefty price tag.

We would officially be a basketball school with that price tag.

Is this from your usual source?

Feb 17, 2012, 08:46 AM	#801
thenoodler Posts: 281	Nothing gets the blood pumping quite like a coaching search... Will be interested to see the nuggets and tidbits start to roll in from the more informed posters on the site. We've got to go big with this hire and I think Thomas knows this. Our basketball program is on a completely different plane from the football program. Perception is reality, and, for that reason, I believe name recognition and charisma are two very important qualities to be considered during this coaching search. Smart and Williams are 1a and 1b by these standards IMO. If you strike out there, I believe the next most important quality is the ability to build a winner. Someone with an unquestioned track record and who always has the arrow pointing up. By this standard, Gregg Marshall is an obvious choice. Obviously, a lot of this will depend on the other jobs that open up at the end of the season. I'm not really sure what other high-major coaches are on the hot seat other than those that have already been discussed here, but I will be interested to do some research on this. If the South Carolina job opens up, does Marshall get homesick? Would Williams really leave Marquette when they've got so much going for them? Will Smart have bigger, better ($$$) suitors? Buckle up, folks. This will be a fun one.

Feb 17, 2012, 08:50 AM	#803
4LaCosaNostra Location: schaumburg Posts: 3,442	Indiana was a joke for what 3 years... lets see them in the tourney before crowning Crean.. he has a great recruiting class coming in but we have seen how that sometimes works out first hand.

Feb 17, 2012, 08:53 AM	#805
mytwocents Posts: 113	Stephen Bardo is my first choice if Bruce is gone. 1. He has a very smooth personality! I could listen to him talk basketball all day. 2. He is respected in the state of Illinois and nationally. 3. He was a former Illini player. 4. He would be the first black Illini basketball coach. I hate to put this down as a reason to hire him because he would be my choice regardless of race. If I was an elite basketball talent of any race I would want to play for Stephen.

Feb 17, 2012, 09:54 AM	#812
mytwocents Posts: 113	I can’t forget about Stephen Bardo because I think he could be a great coach. According to many experts Bruce is a great x/o coach, so what went wrong? Bruce wasn’t a strong personality when the camera or the microphone was in his face. Bill Self was excellent with the media and he inspired confidence in his program using the media. Stephen played Big Ten point guard and a few games in the NBA. Did Bruce play basketball at that level? Why was Bruce permitted to coach if he never played at that level? Bruce was given a chance and he had a good run but sadly for him it looks like the end at Illinois.

Feb 17, 2012, 10:19 AM	#817
BrooksTaylorFan Location: Illinois Posts: 4,759	St Louis sports radio is brutal down here. They were talking about candidates for the Illini job and there top 2 were bringing Lon Krueger back or Steve Alford. Yikes.

Feb 17, 2012, 10:37 AM	#819
TCTORNADO Posts: 1,779	Specualtion gets serious when the Flighttracker guys appear. Even with that, MT is very stealth as evidenced by fact that didn't the "Zook Replacement" thread go 50 pages deep and TB's name had not appeared. Speculation of timing could be interesting too!!

Feb 17, 2012, 10:40 AM	#824
HeartofaChampion Posts: 10,336	Just got a text claiming Smart won't even consider coming here for less than $2.5 million per year for 5 years. That's a hefty price tag.