Illini Basketball 2017-2018

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#201      

TriCityBurbs

T
TriCityBurbs
Illini Parent14 said:
Also, aren't you drinking too much Orange Kool-Aid to be saying that you would take Mark Smith over Nojel Eastern? Really???
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Why is he drinking kool-aid? Eastern is a terrific player, has great quickness and size to play point guard. But Mark is only an inch shorter, and won Mr.Basketball while averaging a near triple-double which got him heavily recruited by Tom Izzo, Calipari and Coach K...I think you can't go wrong with either player! Glad we finally snagged one.
 
#202      

WesterveltVictoryCigar

WesterveltVictoryCigar
WesterveltVictoryCigar
Illini Parent14 said:
Thanks, OldGreg, for your response. I am wondering about your timeline--i.e. wasn't Nojel Eastern's interest in Illinois fading LONG before we connected on Frazier and Williams? My main concern is that it seemed we were not really in the Nojel Eastern sweepstakes at all. How could that be if we were working on Nojel since his freshman year at Evanston.
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We should fire those coaches for screwing things up.
 
#204      

combes

C
combes
Illini Parent14 said:
Thanks, OldGreg, for your response. I am wondering about your timeline--i.e. wasn't Nojel Eastern's interest in Illinois fading LONG before we connected on Frazier and Williams? My main concern is that it seemed we were not really in the Nojel Eastern sweepstakes at all. How could that be if we were working on Nojel since his freshman year at Evanston.
Also, aren't you drinking too much Orange Kool-Aid to be saying that you would take Mark Smith over Nojel Eastern? Really???
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You might be the only person besides his family that would think Eastern is better than Smith.
 
#205      

Joel Goodson

Joel Goodson
respect my decision™
Joel Goodson
Illini Parent14 said:
Thanks, OldGreg, for your response. I am wondering about your timeline--i.e. wasn't Nojel Eastern's interest in Illinois fading LONG before we connected on Frazier and Williams? My main concern is that it seemed we were not really in the Nojel Eastern sweepstakes at all. How could that be if we were working on Nojel since his freshman year at Evanston.
Also, aren't you drinking too much Orange Kool-Aid to be saying that you would take Mark Smith over Nojel Eastern? Really???
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I'll take Smith all day, every day over Eastern. No kool-aid.
 
#206      

OldGreg

O
OldGreg
Illini Parent14 said:
Thanks, OldGreg, for your response. I am wondering about your timeline--i.e. wasn't Nojel Eastern's interest in Illinois fading LONG before we connected on Frazier and Williams? My main concern is that it seemed we were not really in the Nojel Eastern sweepstakes at all. How could that be if we were working on Nojel since his freshman year at Evanston.
Also, aren't you drinking too much Orange Kool-Aid to be saying that you would take Mark Smith over Nojel Eastern? Really???
Click to expand...

Regardless of how long you've been recruiting a kid, circumstances can change. If you come here often, recruiting is fluid is a phrase used probably too often. And as you can see by everyone's respsonse, Mark Smith is the answer. Better shooter, more athletic, was plain better last year. Ask Purdue fans who'd they rather have, you'll get the same response unless they're drinkin some form of black and gold kool aid
 
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#207      

Illini Parent14

I
Illini Parent14
OldGreg said:
Regardless of how long you've been recruiting a kid, circumstances can change. If you come here often, recruiting is fluid is a phrase used probably too often. And as you can see by everyone's respsonse, Mark Smith is the answer. Better shooter, more athletic, was plain better last year. Ask Purdue fans who'd they rather have, you'll get the same response unless they're drinkin some form of black and gold kool aid
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I am very pleased that most on this forum pick Mark Smith over Nojel Eastern. I was worried that there might be some home-team bias out there.
I am still concerned that we seemed to be not in-the-running for a player like Nojel at a school like Evanston High School. Everybody likes to obsess about Illini coaches' connections to the Chicago Public School System and the Peoria area, but I believe that, after watching 50 years of Chicagoland high school basketball, University of Illinois basketball coaches need to establish and keep strong connections to the following Chicagoland suburban high schools--Evanston, Proviso East, St. Joseph of Westchester, Thornton, Thornwood, Thornridge, Stevenson, Joliet Central, and Joliet West. These are are schools that have access to a large amount of basketball talent. We shouldn't let ANYBODY sign quality players from these schools without a fight. Coaches should nurture those relationships even when those schools have a down year.
 
#208      

Joel Goodson

Joel Goodson
respect my decision™
Joel Goodson
Illini Parent14 said:
I am very pleased that most on this forum pick Mark Smith over Nojel Eastern. I was worried that there might be some home-team bias out there.
I am still concerned that we seemed to be not in-the-running for a player like Nojel at a school like Evanston High School. Everybody likes to obsess about Illini coaches' connections to the Chicago Public School System and the Peoria area, but I believe that, after watching 50 years of Chicagoland high school basketball, University of Illinois basketball coaches need to establish and keep strong connections to the following Chicagoland suburban high schools--Evanston, Proviso East, St. Joseph of Westchester, Thornton, Thornwood, Thornridge, Stevenson, Joliet Central, and Joliet West. These are are schools that have access to a large amount of basketball talent. We shouldn't let ANYBODY sign quality players from these schools without a fight. Coaches should nurture those relationships even when those schools have a down year.
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Generally, I strongly agree that we should forge strong relationships with all the top HS programs in the state. That said, there are myriad other variables the affect a recruitment and they vary from one to recruitment to another and their weight varies with each recruitment. Other factors, such as roster makeup, can be huge.

WRT to Eastern, Groce already had Pickett, Williams and Frazier in the fold. At that time, Eastern became a real longshot both ways. Given that one of his parents is eccentric, didn't help. Glad the kid found a good home. Not sad at all that it isn't with us.
 
#209      

TriCityBurbs

T
TriCityBurbs
Seeing so many nonconference schedules being released, I always forget but when is ours typically out? Need something new to talk about
 
#210      

ptgrd23

ptgrd23
ptgrd23
I think there is strong historical link between Purdue and Evanston HS

Everett Stephens
Kendall Stephens
 
#214      

Joel Goodson

Joel Goodson
respect my decision™
Joel Goodson
Hooping34 said:
So are we too assume that the other freshman & the other Illni players are not doing anything...

I was in an open gym & that's not true
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Why sooooo sensitive? A glowing report of a new Illini player is not a slight on anyone/everyone else. We should be welcoming VG news, not taking it as a slight.
 
#215      

Ibball62

I
Ibball62
I wish they would release more information on how summer workouts are going. Ecspecially the freshman workouts. Does anyone know or know someone who post about the progress??? (New to the forum life!! I have more hope with the coaching change and the freshman)
 
#216      

Magoo222

M
St Louis, MO
Magoo222
Anybody hear how Damonte is looking ? Hoping he's coming back strong. I think if he's good and running with Lucas, Frazier, Smith, and Alstork......we're gonna be a handful for most of our opponents.
 
#218      

kuhl84

K
Orlando, FL
kuhl84
TCTORNADO said:
Mine came from one of the managers--initials DD. Fraternity brother of my son.
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Just asking because I haven't seen any info from normal sources. I always expect stuff fluff pieces this time of year from those covering Illini BB, and haven't seen much.

I expected a bit more since workouts are no longer closed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#219      

Paigncake

P
Paigncake
Illini Parent14 said:
Thanks, OldGreg, for your response. I am wondering about your timeline--i.e. wasn't Nojel Eastern's interest in Illinois fading LONG before we connected on Frazier and Williams? My main concern is that it seemed we were not really in the Nojel Eastern sweepstakes at all. How could that be if we were working on Nojel since his freshman year at Evanston.
Also, aren't you drinking too much Orange Kool-Aid to be saying that you would take Mark Smith over Nojel Eastern? Really???
Click to expand...

Uh.. Considering Mark Smith had a better offer list, better rivals ranking, projects much better at the next level with his size and skill set, and managed to all of this basically in one season of focusing on basketball and winning mr. illinois over guys like Tilmon and Goodwin... no I don't think anybody is drinking the orange kool-aid. I would take Mark Smith all day every day and it's not remotely close.

Sometimes people try a little too hard to play devils advocate..
 
#223      

Kathy

K
Kathy
Are any of you planning on attending the Illini/Wake game? I'll be there since I live in Raleigh.
 
#225      

ILLINI76

ILLINI76
Springfiled, IL.
ILLINI76
http://www.bloggingthebracket.com/2...vents-mte-neutral-site-showcases-thanksgiving

Round-Robin Events
Illinois MTE
Nov. 10-22: Campus sites (BigLondon_ via Twitter)

Nov. 10: Southern Jaguars (SWAC) at Illinois Fighting Illini (Big Ten)

Nov. 13: Southern at Marshall Thundering Herd (C-USA)

Nov. 19: Southern at N.C. Central Eagles (MEAC)

Nov. 22: UT Martin Skyhawks (OVC) at Southern


look's like we have another game.
 
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