Honestly, I'm excited about the possibilities this team could have. Think eventually we could be pretty good, and VERY fun to watch. But.....it's going to take time. We need to keep this team together (no more mass exodus of transfers) and allow them to grow. Add a couple of '19 studs and we're right back in business!!
Illini Basketball 2018-2019
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Honestly, I'm excited about the possibilities this team could have. Think eventually we could be pretty good, and VERY fun to watch. But.....it's going to take time. We need to keep this team together (no more mass exodus of transfers) and allow them to grow. Add a couple of '19 studs and we're right back in business!!
A bit of continuity with this program would really get me to sleep better at night.
Kathy, where ever you are, I believe you are being called out here. heh! Although I too am as optimistic as you and hope to all heck we surprise the collegiate basketball world with a great season.
kcib8130
- Parts Unknown
:thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb:
Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days" should be the soundtrack to the last 2 days of posts on this thread...
Yes but would they when they were freshmen, that is the comparision?
Besides Liberty being the #1 player Lowell was also competing with Danny Ferry and Tony Kimbro for #1 up until his SR in HS. And I don't expect anyone to believe me but Larry was the most complete player of that 87 class as a FR but he couldn't defend or rebound as good as Bardo. Nick had to sit out then his Soph year he broke his hand preseason on the rim trying to block a breakaway in Huff. The best game Jens ever had was a intrasquad game that Laphonso attended and probably got discouraged because Jens probably had 30. One of those games Jens ran down Lowell on a breakaway and took his legs out....Jens wasn't a favorite. Jens also broke Phil Kunz's nose at least once in practice. Good times good memories. Hope to get back to that level again.
Agreed on all. I'm not sure any team in the history of college basketball is comparable to the '89 team which is why this discussion has been so silly.
The bigger question is: Would Larry Bird have added some athleticism to the ‘89 team ?
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If we are going to achieve the continuity we had at one time we will need some of this class to transfer. Hopefully a couple will be good enough to turn pro but experience is still necessary and playing this many freshmen is not going be as successful as we would all like.
foby
- Bonnaroo Land
Continuing to support the idea that this current team resembles the Flying Illini as far as ability has to be one of the most absurd arguments I have ever read in any Illini message board. Congrats!
If it would somehow turn out that we make the final four (calling that a longshot is not fair to longshots).......but just imagine we do. Do you apologize for being the way you be?
I think the comparison is when the '89 players were freshmen and sophomores, not in that great season of '89.
Houston with The Dream and all of those guys, Louisville with Darrell Griffin and that group in '81, and UNLV with Larry Johnson and friends.
Comparable in the uniqueness of five such similarly sized guys, or comparable in being as good?
Mostly the uniqueness of five (eight) such similarly sized guys who were athletic, exciting and warriors.
There have been better teams before and after although I put them on my short list of best teams that didn't win it all.
Hou 82-83
Ill 88-89
UNLV 90-91
KU 96-97
Peoria Illini
- Peoria, IL
I think for this coming season and for building this program, the warrior part is the most important. I think Underwood meshes with those types of players better.
If you make a strong statement and vehemently support that statement, it does not mean that you believe there is 0.00001% chance of that happening. If someone says, "there is is 0.00001% chance this team resembles anything like the Flyin' Illini" I do not think many will consider that statement off the wall. It would still be a "water is wet" meaningless statement though.
More importantly though, the specific statement made had nothing to do with making the Final Four. It was about resemblance/comparison of abilities and skillset to the Flyin' Illini. There have been hundreds of teams (not specific schools) that have gone to the Final Four in the history of college basketball. That does not mean that all of those teams (including our own 2005 team) compared or resembled the Flyin' Illini.
The Flyin' Illini was a very unique team and group of individuals where their abilities, skillset, and style of (individual) play had nothing to do with the current Illini team, even if this team improves (we will need major additions in the coming years) and hopefully becomes good some day.
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