Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
This season.I think we will be even better next year!
FWLIW, I firmly believe the team will be better than last season.
This season.I think we will be even better next year!
Don't necessarily disagree with any of your points but last year's team was pretty special. They were a legit national title contender, #1 seed, and B1G champions (Muck Fichigan). That is a tall task to "exceed". Obviously the year ended on a sour note and that is definitely somewhere Brad and staff will want to exceed last year's team.Am I only one who thinks this year’s team will exceed last year’s team? I think right now we are a top ten team on paper as is. There are at least 7 positive developments that could occur, and I really think we only need 2-3 to hit in order to be a legit NC contender. Here is the list of possibilities, none of which I think are unrealistic:
1. Kofi becomes a more complete player from last year and improves FTs.
2. Belo becomes a competent (~30%) 3PT shooter.
3. Hutch is a key contributor.
4. OP exceeds his prior production at UF.
5. Coleman Hawkins takes a leap.
6. Plummer provides offensive firepower off the bench and has a sixth man of the year type season.
7. One of the freshman cracks the rotation.
Biggest weaknesses I see is
1. We are still small at the guard position, so longer teams from the SEC/PAC12 could pose matchup problems for us in the tourney,
2. Still somewhat undersized at the 4 (ie no bangers. But Verdonk could fill that role and that didn’t even make my list!)
3. Susceptible to a stretch 5.
I think good coaching and prudent rotations can cover up a lot of our weaknesses, and our shooting should cover up a lot of sins as well. Am I drinking too much Koolaid? I think we will be even better next year!
Am I only one who thinks this year’s team will exceed last year’s team? I think right now we are a top ten team on paper as is.
I know it didn't end well in the tournament, but we were 2nd in the final AP poll and Kenpom pre-tournament. That's going to be tough to top.This season.
FWLIW, I firmly believe the team will be better than last season.
I’m with you. I see more offensive balance and more depth. I think we can go deep in the tourney.This season.
FWLIW, I firmly believe the team will be better than last season.
I've been wondering about Kofi's lack of deals, and I wonder if it has to do with waiting on his waiver from the NCAA first.Has anyone heard of any NIL deals for Kofi at this point? What about Curbelo? I assumed these two would have signed some "significant" NIL deals at this point locally, with the possibility of some nation-wide deal appeal for Kofi? Maybe they have signed deals and I have just missed the announcements...
This team will have what last year's team didn't -- tournament experience. Don't underestimate how important that is.I’m with you. I see more offensive balance and more depth. I think we can go deep in the tourney.
I've generally believed that people were overrating the value of these endorsements. Hopefully donors come in with deals regardless.I've been wondering about Kofi's lack of deals, and I wonder if it has to do with waiting on his waiver from the NCAA first.
Hard to say lack of deals when we have no idea what is going on behind the scenes. He hasn't announced any, but he's expressed that he's received a lot of interest.I've been wondering about Kofi's lack of deals, and I wonder if it has to do with waiting on his waiver from the NCAA first.
I agree the deals probably aren't as lucrative as some of the hype suggested, but I'd think Kofi would command something, and I've seen a couple of the freshmen (I think Goode and Podz) post deals of some sort on social media, whereas it appears Kofi hasn't publicized anything as of yet (unless I missed something). It just feels to me like he's got to have negotiated some stuff, but maybe they're being conservative and holding back on publicizing it until they get the ok from the NCAA or something. Or maybe potential sponsors want to know for sure he's eligible before they finalize the deals. 100% speculation though on my part.I've generally believed that people were overrating the value of these endorsements. Hopefully donors come in with deals regardless.
I'm curious how this is going across the country, and especially the B1G.
I'm just going to point out that last year's team was only the 4th Illini team ever to obtain a #1 seed in the tournament, before we relegate them to warm-up act.
Hard to say lack of deals when we have no idea what is going on behind the scenes. He hasn't announced any, but he's expressed that he's received a lot of interest.
I could see the thought process behind your waiver point, but I doubt it. Wouldn't make much sense for them to dictate or limit his accessibility to deals when they've made it a free for all for everyone.
Once finalized that isI would assume, not only the company, but the staff/school would want these NIL deals being made public.
I'm just going to point out that last year's team was only the 4th Illini team ever to obtain a #1 seed in the tournament, before we relegate them to warm-up act.
There's a difference between a game where you know you get to come back for another and one where you are really up against a wall with the season on the line. The level of pressure is so much different. I think we essentially just folded under that pressure. We didn't have anyone with experience to lift the team up. And by the way, I am in no way trying to excuse that loss. It was a terrible loss to a really good but still inferior team. Experience just matters.We were punched in the mouth several times in the Ohio State games and we kept swinging back. I don’t know what to call the Loyola game other than the most bizarre and disappointing Illinois basketball game that I’ve ever seen. Granted, I do think that experience and the bad taste that it left in the team’s mouth will prevent the team from losing like that again.
The freshmen will take any deal that comes their way, I'm sure Kofi has a little more say what deals he takes and how they will be structured, which I'm guessing is why it's taking a bit more time.I agree the deals probably aren't as lucrative as some of the hype suggested, but I'd think Kofi would command something, and I've seen a couple of the freshmen (I think Goode and Podz) post deals of some sort on social media, whereas it appears Kofi hasn't publicized anything as of yet (unless I missed something). It just feels to me like he's got to have negotiated some stuff, but maybe they're being conservative and holding back on publicizing it until they get the ok from the NCAA or something. Or maybe potential sponsors want to know for sure he's eligible before they finalize the deals. 100% speculation though on my part.
I definitely agree with you. I just thought that the mettle we showed in the BTT would translate somewhat into March Madness, but evidently it didn’t in any way. We are much more prepared this year. I’m sure of it.There's a difference between a game where you know you get to come back for another and one where you are really up against a wall with the season on the line. The level of pressure is so much different. I think we essentially just folded under that pressure. We didn't have anyone with experience to lift the team up. And by the way, I am in no way trying to excuse that loss. It was a terrible loss to a really good but still inferior team. Experience just matters.
Missing out on a post season in 2020 could have been the difference in a final four run last season. Hope that last years experience is the difference maker for this season.There's a difference between a game where you know you get to come back for another and one where you are really up against a wall with the season on the line. The level of pressure is so much different. I think we essentially just folded under that pressure. We didn't have anyone with experience to lift the team up. And by the way, I am in no way trying to excuse that loss. It was a terrible loss to a really good but still inferior team. Experience just matters.