Illini Basketball
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pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
And the way blue bloods want it. They can have their pick of 5 stars plus another teams players to fill slots
If we thought the internal politics of the players unions and ownership groups in pro sports was wild, time to buckle up.
I have suggested mostly tongue in cheek that college basketball just become a pro sport. Privately-owned teams with pro (not student) players. Team owners would be free to move the team (name/mascot stays with the university) at will, but school could likewise dump a franchise. Players would benefit by not having to go to classes and meet all kinds of academic folderol, spending more time on their game, plus they could be paid whatever the franchise owner is willing to pay.
Of course, I don’t follow pro sports. College, on the other hand, these guys walk the same quad, go to class in the same buildings, and live in the same dorms (oops, that last one not so much anymore). But now the student-athlete bond has been broken.
I will say this, NIL is going out the transfer portal. Those unwilling to invest their heart aren’t going to invest their hard cold cash. Golden egg of NIL is seeing goose killed by transferring.
Of course, I don’t follow pro sports. College, on the other hand, these guys walk the same quad, go to class in the same buildings, and live in the same dorms (oops, that last one not so much anymore). But now the student-athlete bond has been broken.
I will say this, NIL is going out the transfer portal. Those unwilling to invest their heart aren’t going to invest their hard cold cash. Golden egg of NIL is seeing goose killed by transferring.
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ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Y'all were trying to dump my guy BU like five minutes ago, who's fooling who here.
What? I haven’t said anything about BU
It has been thrown about a lot here that Epps leaving is all on Underwood and his yelling. Along with that, not being coachable is a distant second. A few pages back it was mentioned by @Indy Illini Fan I believe that Epps also asked for more money than we were willing to give. That little nugget was glossed over, but to me that says that Epps was willing to come back if the price was right, making NIL then the main reason he ended up leaving.
But I know nothing.
But I know nothing.
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ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Lots of people on this board were falling all over themselves at some daredevil plot to get rid of him.
I am optimistic come what may because I believe in BU as a coach.
But if this is going to be a situation where the load-bearing pieces constantly have to come through the portal, I think BU needs to be thoughtful and proactive about what that means for the right way to organize things.
It’s a money grab for most of theses kids now. Get used to it.
Yup. What a shame.
They weren’t going to throw that kind of money at someone that wasn’t producing enough.
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You say that but not a few hours ago you were saying no way Campbell comes to Illinois simply because it’s Illinois.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Illinois is great, but Campbell is a player another great program in UCLA will be desperate to keep, and if he goes on the open market will be a hot target for the absolute apex programs of the country. He'd be a huge coup for UNC, just off the top of my head.
We don't have to be as precious about this anymore, blessedly. It would be a bidding war. Illinois is very, very strong in a bidding war, but we're not at the absolute peak.
Any run at Campbell would also be pulling from the same piggy bank as trying to lure Shannon and Hawkins back to school, important to remember.
They will be. And we will get excited. But, I don’t think it’s odd for some of us that are 40 and older to think about how fun it was to watch the Dee Deron and Luther group grow together knowing what they had the chance to become. Seems like those days are gone forever now.Y'all keep this same energy in a month. Good things are coming, all I will say
Another thing I would like with the portal is no entry into it until two weeks after the end of the championship and have it close 3 weeks after players have to make the decision to stay or leave draft. I don’t like how the season isn’t over and portal has ton of kids
I guess I need to start just referring to them by number. Not much point in learning names any longer if they are only here for one year.
I find this all to be depressing.
We have an outstanding AD so far as I can tell and a Fantastic head coach that being said there's no one in the program I wouldn't gladly trade for someone better. I find it remarkable that people are complaining about Brad yelling at players. It was a very short time ago we had a coach that wanted to be the players buddy and the resulting product was complete garbage. I shouldn't be surprised but it still shocks me how many people on here have a higher valuation for our players than the reality. The defense and the turnovers were unacceptable we need better players. I personally could care less who leaves so long as we get better players. I like Brad but I expect better play if things don't improve he has to go.
If a guy like RJ is going to leave then I see no reason not to bench a player that is struggling like he was. Brad did everything he could to let RJ play through the slump/loss of confidence after the injury and this is the thanks you get. I’m sure we will get talent but this wide open free agency is not the answer. Even the pros have contracts to give some assurance to building a “team”!
Respectfully disagree. RJ had been supported and given time to work through his shooting problems. Meanwhile, his defense and hoop play steadily improved. Not making any predictions, but I don't think he will land at a better place. I loved JE's future also, but he can be replaced more easily than a 6'7" guy who can shoot, rebound, and defend. But I am concerned with the fact that both true PGs on the roster will be freshmen and pygmies.. add in Sincere as willing to play there, and you have little faith that any of them can make a shot with the clock running out. But we know little about Moretti or DGL other than they are shorter than Epps with no experience and you have a big question mark. Just feel like RJ will leave a big hole in the program...one that supported him likely more than he will appreciate until it is too late.
Of course, if his play last season indicated his ceiling then he will not be missed....but I don't think it is.
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