Weber all but gone. Feel bad for him, but it's been coming.
Bruce Weber resigns as Kansas State coach
- Status
He wasn't up to the task here but Weber always seemed like a great guy. Watched the end of that presser and man, I feel for him. I hope he has one more stop left in him and can find someplace where he can end his career on his own terms.
I'll always like the guy.
You know what? Bruce didn’t win enough games to be our coach anymore, but I’ll defy anyone to find a better person than that guy.
And I love that he’s growing his hair until the NCAA actually punishes teams. Good for him!
And I love that he’s growing his hair until the NCAA actually punishes teams. Good for him!
Bruce Weber built a solid career and ran a clean program. If he’s not back at K-State next year, I think he will be coaching at another P5 school.
Not many coaches have a resume like this…
496 career victories.
13 NCAA appearances
5 sweet sixteens
2 elite 8s
1 final four
1 Ncaa Championship runner up
2x MVC regular season (2002, 2003)
2x Big Ten regular season (2004, 2005)
Big Ten Tournament (2005)
2x Big 12 regular season (2013, 2019)
2019 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup
Not many coaches have a resume like this…
496 career victories.
13 NCAA appearances
5 sweet sixteens
2 elite 8s
1 final four
1 Ncaa Championship runner up
2x MVC regular season (2002, 2003)
2x Big Ten regular season (2004, 2005)
Big Ten Tournament (2005)
2x Big 12 regular season (2013, 2019)
2019 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup
And ran clean programs.
Edit to add, for emphasis.
OurMottoisOskeeWowWow
- Illinois
With all honestly, Bruce Weber is a nice guy and is a really good coach. It's unfortunate that he just couldn't recruit well enough and win enough games when he was here in the Big Ten during his time at Illinois. Really have no hard feelings against him. Say what you will about him but he got Illinois the closest ever to winning a championship back in 2005.
Man, I found that rough to watch…sad, and more than a little awkward. Even when he’s calling people out he sorta sounds like a Boy Scout.
Apparently he’s guilty of: being a big cornball, not a great recruiter, and more
than a little too nice for his own good.
…if that’s the worst thing you can say about the guy he must be doin’ alright.
Apparently he’s guilty of: being a big cornball, not a great recruiter, and more
than a little too nice for his own good.
…if that’s the worst thing you can say about the guy he must be doin’ alright.
So much of what the reporter says in this piece about the end of the Weber era at KSU sounds just like the end of his time at Illinois.
chrisRunner7
- San Diego
Thanks for posting this. I don't despise Weber like a few of the posters here... I did not know the backstory behind the hair thing. If we know one thing about Weber, it's that he's not a cheater. For those of you who don't click the video:
On Wednesday, following a Big 12 Tournament loss to West Virginia at T-Mobile Center, he said he had vowed to grow out his hair until some of the teams that were tangled up in the recent FBI investigations that revealed NCAA recruiting violations were punished.
“We did it the right way,” Weber said. “We did it with our guys graduating. ... I’m on the NCAA ethics committee. And on the meetings, I was told that they were going to take care of the people in the FBI stuff. So I told somebody, ‘I’m going to grow my hair until something happens.’
“Obviously, it’s still growing. That’s the sad part of our business. Lon Kruger told me the other day, think about all the guys in the FBI thing. They are all in the NCAA Tournament except one. So I’m just proud of what I’ve done.”
He obviously didn't get the ending he wanted, but stayed in Manhattan 10 years, winning two league titles and making the Elite Eight once. Overall, I think it was a good hire that just ended up running its course. Unless you're a Hall of Fame coach or working at a blueblood program, recruiting gets pretty tough. Of course, recruiting was never his strongest suit, which I always thought was partly a result of his exceptional honesty. To that end, there's one moment that always exemplifies that for me.
Toward the end of our 2006-7 season, they did a segment on his coach's show about that year's seniors. I don't remember what he said about Rich McBride (maybe nothing as he was going through some issues), but the other two were Marcus Arnold and Warren Carter. Remember, this is his coach's show, the biggest softball environment possible. The host is not going to press him. Surely, he'd say a few nice words about each guy and they'd move on.
But Bruce almost seems physically unable to be dishonest. About Arnold, he said something like, "He didn't do much here after coming over from Illinois State." About Carter, "I bet he wishes that he listened to us freshman year when we told him to redshirt." Both comments were absolutely correct. Arnold never showed here what we saw when he played great against us in a game while at ISU. Carter barely played his first couple of years and made a big leap as a senior. He wouldn't have missed anything by redshirting and could have gotten a lot of positive attention had he been able to return for a fifth year. However, a little diplomacy there probably wouldn't have hurt anyone, but that's just not his nature.
Go Nats 88 Illini
Fairfax, VA
There is nothing wrong with good guys being around. Of course I wish he would have done more at Illinois (and at KSU), but I remain a Bruce Weber fan.
AEX
- West Lafayette
I think framing a lack of diplomacy as an inability to be dishonest is a rather diplomatic thing to do. Bruce’s tendency to honest about the shortcomings of others or his situation always struck
me as complaining and self-preserving. If you want the antithesis of this approach, look to Underwood. He’s plenty honest with his guys, but he always highlights their strengths and never complains about the hand he’s dealt. I respect the hell out of him for that.
Agreed. I certainly got frustrated with the end of the Weber years, but I don't understand all the hate. You could argue that the Groce years were more damaging to the Illinois brand. I wonder if Bruce hangs it up or tries to land somewhere else.
I have never understood the hatred for BAM (remember when he was BAM) on this board. He may not have recruited but he had the ability to pull the players he had together. I think it may have been his cornball honesty that players eventually sensed. He truly cared about his players and eventually that came thru to them. Coaching a team thru a season with only 2 loses is an accomplishment worthy of recognition. That alone should earn him the respect I believe he deserves.
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
I got to give Bruce a fist bump this season (in Kansas City). We were staying at the same hotel as the tournament teams. I wished him well in the tourney and left him with an "ILL". (He was surrounded by KSU coaches/fans and , No, he didn't respond with "INI".)
I loved the job he did in 2004-05 and I wish him well! That team's brand of pass-first basketball was second to none.
I don't know what it was but it was pretty awesome. Sad too. But I think he made some excellent points about the program and the state of the NCAA. It helped me understand his hair. Hope he lands somewhere if it is over at K State
I think some of the Weber hate comes from the way he left. It seemed like he blamed everyone but himself for the team's lack of success and openly gushed over other players.
- Status