Illini Basketball

Rudd21 · Mar 28, 2023

cruth13 said:
Any truth to the RJ rumor?

I’d say his sponsorship/NIL obligations are done and now he’s open to the highest bidder again. That’s my take on his changing his IG to basically be “unaffiliated”.

As for Coleman, his wording of being on a veteran national title team if he comes back makes me think he could look in the portal for that if he doesn’t like the Illinois roster. I blame Underwood for Miller/Curbelo/Podz leaving. But if Hawkins left, I don’t blame Brad at all. Brad let Hawkins do whatever he wanted on offense (including shoot under 30% from 3, along with many turnovers from dribbling). No other coach would let him do that. Coleman had more freedom here than anywhere, but if he wants to go to San Diego State (where his Dad played) and be on a vet FF caliber team it wouldn’t surprise me either

sacraig · Mar 28, 2023

WeWillWhen said:
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1611085792683909121

Unless you are Epps or Clark or...

sacraig · Mar 28, 2023

Joel Goodson said:
when your best player emphatically has your coach's back, it speaks volumes

You might argue it may not be coincidental that the best player handles that kind of coaching well.

LvilleILL · Mar 28, 2023

Oranges said:
Please give me another year of TJ Shannon

I think there's a very real chance that you get that

DocMorgan · Mar 28, 2023

illini0440 said:
Go watch a coach K, Izzo, Cal, Huggins practice....heck even Self.

Back in my other life, I coached high school basketball. Went to a coaching clinic for high school coaches at, if I remember correctly, DuPage College. Hubie Brown was one of the guest speakers. He was on the court demonstrating drills with members of the college basketball team. He screamed and cursed at every player that screwed up during the drills. Couldn’t believe it. After him, Kevin O’Neill (spelling?) spoke next and did the same thing. Opened my eyes.

IlliniHardwood · Mar 28, 2023

Toad1977 said:
Unless BU learns to calm the F down and treat his players with respect, we'll see more transfers, in the future. I hope this ages poorly but I'm afraid it won't.

Scott Drew is the exact opposite of BU, and we had two of his transfers on this year's roster...one of whom is graduating and the other is staying. I don't think yelling is the primary reason players transfer.

I-L-L · Mar 28, 2023

IlliniHardwood said:
Scott Drew is the exact opposite of BU, and we had two of his transfers on this year's roster...

I do believe Underwood gets over-hyped too often on television, but it doesn't worry me. The young men know the kind of coach he is. But people are kidding themselves if they don't think behind closed doors at practice that even what presume to be the calmer coaches don't yell or get in kids' faces pretty intensely at times. ALL OF THEM DO! At this high a level of basketball, the competitive nature, wanting to win, wanting young men to succeed, if you don't get emotional and/or angry, you probably don't care that much. I've yelled pretty loudly and intensely at my children before b/c I want them to be honest, kind, successful people. Does that make me a bad parent? Probably don't want to hear the answer to that question

.

the juiceman cometh · Mar 28, 2023

I think the lesson here, which I'm sure BU has figured out, is that in this transfer-heavy era it's important to find players who will respond well to your coaching style and team culture from the start. In a different time, it was on the players to adapt to the culture. Nowadays, players aren't going to tough it out if they're unhappy. The personality/fit evaluation is probably more important now than it's ever been.

Chickenmane · Mar 28, 2023

Literally no one has claimed that some successful coaches don’t yell lol.

signILLINIman · Mar 28, 2023

the juiceman cometh said:
I think the lesson here, which I'm sure BU has figured out, is that in this transfer-heavy era it's important to find players who will respond well to your coaching style and team culture from the start. In a different time, it was on the players to adapt to the culture. Nowadays, players aren't going to tough it out if they're unhappy. The personality/fit evaluation is probably more important now than it's ever been.

Thus any potential incoming transfer should be required to see the TSJ tweet!! Coach has been this way since day 1, he ain't kissing a$$ now.

Illini231 · Mar 28, 2023

With no inside information, it feels like the staff is confident that TSJ and Coleman will be back. We still have yet to be connected to anyone in the portal beyond contacting them. I've seen that Indiana has given visits to Jamison Battle and Shedrick from Virginia.

SactownIllini · Mar 28, 2023

the juiceman cometh said:
I think the lesson here, which I'm sure BU has figured out, is that in this transfer-heavy era it's important to find players who will respond well to your coaching style and team culture from the start. In a different time, it was on the players to adapt to the culture. Nowadays, players aren't going to tough it out if they're unhappy. The personality/fit evaluation is probably more important now than it's ever been.

Yes exactly. You need to find Sencires and Trents and Goodes. Problem is that many of those types of players don't transfer or at least don't transfer early.

I thought after the Texas game, Epps was going to be a star for us for many years. Sad to see how things ended. But it's just how it goes these days I guess (Miller, Curbelo, Podz, Skyy, Epps). All that high star rating guard talent out the door makes me nauseous. Gotta be so hard to be a college coach these days.

sacraig · Mar 28, 2023

the juiceman cometh said:
I think the lesson here, which I'm sure BU has figured out, is that in this transfer-heavy era it's important to find players who will respond well to your coaching style and team culture from the start. In a different time, it was on the players to adapt to the culture. Nowadays, players aren't going to tough it out if they're unhappy. The personality/fit evaluation is probably more important now than it's ever been.

I think that's a good take. And overall I think it's good players can leave a situation that isn't good for them. However, I also wonder how long until NIL contracts start having clauses about time spent at a university and/or performance like you'd see in the actual pros.

Rez · Mar 28, 2023

ptgrd23 said:
If you want to play guard

1. Stop with crazy passes that nobody has a chance to catch.
2. Learn how to feed Dain in the post
3. Learn how to hit the wide upon 20 footer
4. Learn how to drive to the hoop and score

Hawkins wasn't talking about himself playing guard.

phats22 · Mar 28, 2023

Joel Goodson said:
when your best player emphatically has your coach's back, it speaks volumes

And what better way to set the tone moving forward given the ups and downs of this season?
Big props, would love for him to stay

And kudos to DGL! He gets it

Illini231 · Mar 28, 2023

Illini231 said:
With no inside information, it feels like the staff is confident that TSJ and Coleman will be back. We still have yet to be connected to anyone in the portal beyond contacting them. I've seen that Indiana has given visits to Jamison Battle and Shedrick from Virginia.

I'll also add that my fear for this offseason is holding spots for TSJ/Coleman for the draft process to play out and not having a backup plan if it goes awry. It kinda reminds me of two years ago with Kofi. We almost had a center rotation of Payne/BBV/Lieb. That team probably wouldn't have even made the tournament.

Mr. Tibbs · Mar 28, 2023

you cant wait for those guys.
you have to assume they are gone

skyIdub · Mar 28, 2023

Rudd21 said:
If that were true, Brad would have benched Mayer for no defense/no effort. He didn’t until the very last 10 minutes of the season.

Blaming these guys for transferring out bc they can’t play defense is bs. What freshmen is good at defense? Very few.

Skyy Clark simply wasn’t good enough. Makes sense he transferred out.

But the other guys:

Adam Miller- was a good player. Never should have left.

Podz- misevaluation by the staff.

Andre Curbelo- dynamic talent that the staff couldn’t get the most out of.

Jayden Epps- very promising freshmen season. Left anyway.

When your employees leave the company, it’s the company’s fault.

Right. Ok. It's never a bad employee.

Thaillini22 · Mar 28, 2023

sacraig said:
I was thinking something similar. Just once I want these people to just air it out. Or at least not outright make things up.

Yeah, if Epps bounced and was all, "I'm outta here man, and coach man, coach is wiggity wiggity wack!" -- and he went and joined Clark at Louisville or wherever, well then the whole "Coach Underwood is a lunatic" thing might have more force with me.

And btw, have there been any examples of highly touted guys from one school portalling to the same destination? I reckon that will be vanishingly rare, these guys are $ole trader$.

STL Illini · Mar 28, 2023

Everyone agrees that BU has done awesome turning around the program, he deserves credit for BTC and BTT. Everyone loves his passion, that he wants everyday guys, pushes the players hard, and believes defense wins. We all also agree that tourney results could be better, we might benefit from a Gentry type assistant for x and o’s and strategy. These views both support BU and also suggest opportunities to improve. (Xs and Os, adjustments throughout the game, etc)
Overall, everyone agrees that the program is headed in the right direction and the best is yet to come (hopefully).

80% support the no holds barred style regarding demeanor, and if you don’t like it get the f out….we don’t want you and we will go portaling.
20% support that maybe he’d connect better if he toned it down a bit to improve team chemistry while maintaining roster stability and better connecting with players.

Why can’t the two sides have some respect for others opinions and move on?
Both opinions have merit…enough of slamming one side for being old school and the other side for thinking there may be a better way. Some don’t want social media and think it’s the devil, while others suggest to get with the times or the world will pass you by. It’s a personal preference or choice and neither is right nor wrong. It’s a personal opinion or choice.

Can we all agree that Izzo, Underwood, Tang, and Gates all are headed upward at the moment? Terrific coaches.
Well, Izzo and Underwood are old school and Tang and Gates are polar opposite as it relates to the “sideline demeanor” and communication style with players.
Can we not agree all 4 are pretty damn good coaches and stop with slamming others for having a different view pertaining to which is a better or more effective way to communicate and coach?

STL Illini · Mar 28, 2023

IlliniHardwood said:
Scott Drew is the exact opposite of BU, and we had two of his transfers on this year's roster...one of whom is graduating and the other is staying. I don't think yelling is the primary reason players transfer.

Well this board has certainly come to the conclusion that one of those two was a primary problem the team had this year.

Illini in Italy · Mar 28, 2023

PassingBy said:
आम्‌।

परिपूर्णम्‌ |

He did mention an NT-capable team. So, it is implied.

I thought, and rightly so, he was giving BU one chance to get it right. No more experimenting with FR PGs. At least that is how I read it.

Well played sir, well played!

IlliniHardwood · Mar 28, 2023

STL Illini said:
Well this board has certainly come to the conclusion that one of those two was a primary problem the team had this year.

Scott Drew has a long reach.

foby · Mar 28, 2023

Toad1977 said:
There's a difference between coach getting fired up and what he did to Epps. There's a line that he crossed, in that particular instance.

It happens all over.

SactownIllini · Mar 28, 2023

STL Illini said:
Everyone agrees that BU has done awesome turning around the program, he deserves credit for BTC and BTT. Everyone loves his passion, that he wants everyday guys, pushes the players hard, and believes defense wins. We all also agree that tourney results could be better, we might benefit from a Gentry type assistant for x and o’s and strategy. These views both support BU and also suggest opportunities to improve. (Xs and Os, adjustments throughout the game, etc)
Overall, everyone agrees that the program is headed in the right direction and the best is yet to come (hopefully).

80% support the no holds barred style regarding demeanor, and if you don’t like it get the f out….we don’t want you and we will go portaling.
20% support that maybe he’d connect better if he toned it down a bit to improve team chemistry while maintaining roster stability and better connecting with players.

Why can’t the two sides have some respect for others opinions and move on?
Both opinions have merit…enough of slamming one side for being old school and the other side for thinking there may be a better way. Some don’t want social media and think it’s the devil, while others suggest to get with the times or the world will pass you by. It’s a personal preference or choice and neither is right nor wrong. It’s a personal opinion or choice.

Can we all agree that Izzo, Underwood, Tang, and Gates all are headed upward at the moment? Terrific coaches.
Well, Izzo and Underwood are old school and Tang and Gates are polar opposite as it relates to the “sideline demeanor” and communication style with players.
Can we not agree all 4 are pretty damn good coaches and stop with slamming others for having a different view pertaining to which is a better or more effective way to communicate and coach?

I don't think anyone has ever completely agreed on anything in the history of this message board. This is the way.

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