3/22 Games

[SampsonRelpenk]

Leave Bruce to one side, how about some congratulations for Chester Frazier who is now an experienced, successful high-major assistant at the precocious age of 31.

We've all got the Rev on our long term radar, Chet should be on there too.

This. I hope relationships with both are being maintained behind the scenes (Chet and Powell, that is).

 

[Deleted member 631370]

Assigning fault for the collapse of Illinois sports to any one individual would be inaccurate. Still, if you had to pick one, Ron Guenther laps the field.

But we just got a 5-star QB today. The winds of change are blowing. Let Bruce and Loyola play in their sandbox, we've got work to do.

Disagree. At least he gave us Kruger and Self. He gave us Theresa Grentz. Ron Turner was a good hire -- who admittedly hung on too long. RG was a man of many, many faults, but at least he has successes. Thomas had none.

In fact, "doing nothing" would have been better than what Thomas did in hiring the combo of Groce and Beckman. That's far worse than doing nothing.

 

[LBZ]

In fact, "doing nothing" would have been better than what Thomas did in hiring the combo of Groce and Beckman. That's far worse than doing nothing.

Absolutely this! Cleveland State better hope all he does is nothing as well.

 

[Second and Chalmers]

Thomas had none.

The SFC renovation, Grange Grove, Thomas's successes were in modernizing the operation beyond Guenther's 80's mindset. Josh Whitman is better off for having had someone rip that band aid off for him and play the bad guy.

No laurels should be thrown at the feet of someone who sat in a room with Tim Beckman and resolved to make him the face of the athletic department. That alone makes Thomas a failure. But casting Thomas as the singular villain of Illini sports is just convenient revisionist history to aid in cheerleading the Whitman-Lovie-Underwood axis. There's nothing wrong with being supportive of our current administration - they deserve it - but doing so in a clear-eyed way is best of all IMO.

To bring it back on-topic, KSU-LUC has opened at a pick-em. That is gonna be one tasty basketball game.

 

[Deleted member 631370]

The SFC renovation, Grange Grove, Thomas's successes were in modernizing the operation beyond Guenther's 80's mindset. Josh Whitman is better off for having had someone rip that band aid off for him and play the bad guy.

No laurels should be thrown at the feet of someone who sat in a room with Tim Beckman and resolved to make him the face of the athletic department. That alone makes Thomas a failure. But casting Thomas as the singular villain of Illini sports is just convenient revisionist history to aid in cheerleading the Whitman-Lovie-Underwood axis. There's nothing wrong with being supportive of our current administration - they deserve it - but doing so in a clear-eyed way is best of all IMO.

To bring it back on-topic, KSU-LUC has opened at a pick-em. That is gonna be one tasty basketball game.

Goodness gracious.....I don't think that's what's occurring here. At all.

But yes, back on topic, looking forward to the KSU-Loyola game. My gut tells me Loyola -- they're such a fundamentally sound team, and those kinds of experienced teams make big plays late in games when it matters. Not that KSU isn't gritty and tough, but in a pick-em scenario, I tend to side with the team that has the leadership/experience edge. And that's Loyola.

 

[KrushCow31]

Also fun story from last night. Michigan student manager turned Freshman walk on hit a deep 3 with 30ish seconds left last night. Also set an NCAA record for most players scoring a 3 in game. His face and the benches faces are so awesome.

https://twitter.com/JorshP/status/976997850134597632

 

[Dren1]

Also fun story from last night. Michigan student manager turned Freshman walk on hit a deep 3 with 30ish seconds left last night. Also set an NCAA record for most players scoring a 3 in game. His face and the benches faces are so awesome.

https://twitter.com/JorshP/status/976997850134597632

Seems like a good kid in the attached interview: https://www.theringer.com/video/201...-michigan-sweet-16-mark-titus-walk-on-manziel

 

[TCTORNADO]

Disagree. At least he gave us Kruger and Self. He gave us Theresa Grentz. Ron Turner was a good hire -- who admittedly hung on too long. RG was a man of many, many faults, but at least he has successes. Thomas had none.

In fact, "doing nothing" would have been better than what Thomas did in hiring the combo of Groce and Beckman. That's far worse than doing nothing.

Thomas successes!!

 

[ChiefIllini]

Thomas successes!!

That pic will never get old, not only does it encompass half a decade worth of awfulness, but they Beckman just looks completely like a fish out of water perfectly sums up his tenure here.

 

[Illini Resurgence]

Yes.

It was time for Weber to move on from Illinois.

But that doesn't overcome the hurricane of incompetence that was Mike Thomas. That man set back Illinois sports a decade.

Nailed it.

 

[Deleted member 631370]

That pic will never get old, not only does it encompass half a decade worth of awfulness, but they Beckman just looks completely like a fish out of water perfectly sums up his tenure here.

That photo and the lasagna references during his introductory presser is what I'll always remember most about Beckman.

Well, that and him being an awful football coach.

 

[Ol Dirty Gamer]

Disagree. At least he gave us Kruger and Self. He gave us Theresa Grentz. Ron Turner was a good hire -- who admittedly hung on too long. RG was a man of many, many faults, but at least he has successes. Thomas had none.

In fact, "doing nothing" would have been better than what Thomas did in hiring the combo of Groce and Beckman. That's far worse than doing nothing.

RG started digging the hole, and MT switched from a shovel to a backhoe.
He gave his guys all long term deals before he walked out the door, and i’ll still never understand why he didn’t match any kind of offer Kansas gave Self. He was too cheap, and arrogant thinking he could easily replace a guy like Self.
In a lot of ways RG reminds me of the AD from OSU who we poached Underwood from.

 

[ChiefIllini]

i’ll still never understand why he didn’t match any kind of offer Kansas gave Self.

I get there was probably a price he could've thrown Self to get him to stay, but when KU comes knocking, not many are turning it away, so acting like it was all RG's fault we lost Self to Kansas is a little uncalled for, regardless of the comments Self made or makes about UI. RG overstayed his welcome, similar to Zook and Weber.

 

[SycIllini]

Sorry to stay off topic here but, I sure enjoyed the Guenther years a lot more than past 6 or 7.

 

[dgcrow]

I get there was probably a price he could've thrown Self to get him to stay, but when KU comes knocking, not many are turning it away, so acting like it was all RG's fault we lost Self to Kansas is a little uncalled for, regardless of the comments Self made or makes about UI. RG overstayed his welcome, similar to Zook and Weber.

If memory serves, I believe Self had signed a new 5 year contract at UI not too long before he was offered the job at KU. Right or wrong, I think Guenther believed that Self should have honored that new contract and therefore declined to up the ante beyond it to try to keep him. I know that Guenther was pretty ticked when Self decided to leave.

Just curious: What comments Self has made regarding UI are you referring to?

 

[Ramrod2010]

If memory serves, I believe Self had signed a new 5 year contract at UI not too long before he was offered the job at KU. Right or wrong, I think Guenther believed that Self should have honored that new contract and therefore declined to up the ante beyond it to try to keep him. I know that Guenther was pretty ticked when Self decided to leave.

Just curious: What comments Self has made regarding UI are you referring to?

Self has consistently said he regards Illinois as one of the best jobs in the nation.