Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (October 2017)
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skyIdub
Winged Warrior
I don't have a problem with this perspective. I would just add that most are putting the blame on Camp THT, not the kid himself. The adults around this whole situation are clearly to blame, not the kids.
When you are this talented, and you are being handled by coaches, parents, family members....the choices and consequences are mostly made by them.
THT got stuck in a bad situation, but he came out just fine. So will
I think you need to re-read the thread as well as the THT Commitment thread. A number of posts imply that THT is to blame for leaving MIF.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
Again, I think it's "Camp" THT, not the kid himself that most are implicating.
So who are the rest of the players that will fill out this class?
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
I don't have a problem with this perspective. I would just add that most are putting the blame on Camp THT, not the kid himself. The adults around this whole situation are clearly to blame, not the kids.
When you are this talented, and you are being handled by coaches, parents, family members....the choices and consequences are mostly made by them.
THT got stuck in a bad situation, but he came out just fine. So will
Appreciate you clarifying, but it was your post a few pages back that said "THT took a calculated risk". It did not say "THT's camp"
This. While this is no doubt bad PR today I doubt it has any long term effects on the dynamics of Chicago recruiting. Also at the end to the day the Illini have the commitment of a Top 30 PG who others want to play with. Illinois will be fine.
As far as "this is embarrassing and I can't believe we pulled a scholarship", do you honestly think that scholarship offers aren't pulled all of the time for many reasons. What looks so bad about this is the last minute timing and the fact that the curtain was pulled on the behind the scenes actions. I am sure "embarrassing" things are done in recruiting all the time. We just usually don't get a blow by blow account of them.
Why would I or anyone else be ashamed. Seems pretty obvious THT wanted MSU during the summer. That really isn't disputed.
Also, TF has nothing to do with this. It was a committed Ayo >>>> THT.
For all the hemming and hawing I don't think the staff refuses a THT commit in July to check with the Irvins or Ayo's camp.
The only regrettable part in all this is that the staff thought they could mend fences and took the THT OV this past weekend. Optimally they would have had more time to get a better feel for the situation. Ayo's camp likely didn't make much of a fuss about it because before Monday no one really thought THT would be going to UofI. When that became apparent they likely raised the flag to the staff and things got real sticky real quick.
I honestly can't believe people here (in a job where millions ride on it) wouldn't stick with the 5 star that is already committed and according to most experts was always coming to UofI. Add in that he is tied to one of the biggest power brokers in Chicago basketball and its such a no brainer its not even debatable. The staff would be the first to say (if they were allowed) that the way it played out is regrettable.
You're right. It's not embarrassing that we pulled a scholarship. It IS embarrassing BECAUSE of the timing and manner in which it happened.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
Yeah, I kind of took it for granted that everyone realizes that these kids are handled pretty...handily? Can I use it like that? I would never put all this crap on a 16/17/18 year old kids' shoulders.
Anyway, this is all adults doing. The FBI thing paints that ugly picture very clearly.
IllFanInMi
I
Guest
Wow, time to let this go for the night. I really can't believe how there are so many comments spinning today into any positive stance. Imo, fumbling this like a football soaked in shark oil, FAR outweighs the POTENTIAL Irvin food down the road. I'm all for alignment, but this was done without savvy, and filled with rookie mistakes. I'm afraid this may hurt us more than it helps for a while; bush League stuff by the staff today, and if they were a publicly traded company, STOCK DOWN!
Agreed. And I hope I can speak for all of us who are unhappy (whether with the decision, timing, whatever) that this in no way changes my support for Ayo as an Illini. I would not put any of his "camp's" actions on him, either.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
You know what? I'm gonna go ahead and give BU and Chin and Co. a whole lot of CREDIT! That's right! Credit.
Maybe they tried to rise above this petty Chicago b.s. and bring things together. Maybe they tried to mend some fences. Maybe they deserve some love for thinking they could do the right thing by EVERYONE and bring these kids together even though the adults wanted to beat their chests and parade their ego's around the room?
Maybe they tried to do the right thing for Illinois, Ayo, THT, and Chicago, but giant ego's wouldn't let it happen.
Maybe they tried to rise above this petty Chicago b.s. and bring things together. Maybe they tried to mend some fences. Maybe they deserve some love for thinking they could do the right thing by EVERYONE and bring these kids together even though the adults wanted to beat their chests and parade their ego's around the room?
Maybe they tried to do the right thing for Illinois, Ayo, THT, and Chicago, but giant ego's wouldn't let it happen.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
Agree 100%
Even more hyperbole than usual around here today
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Thread view count is approaching 1.65 million, so obviously there is no correlation between hyperbole and views on the Interweb . . . That Al Gore guy who invented it was a genius, I'm tellin' ya.
IllFanInMi
I
Guest
Yeah, I'm upset, and if my posts get deleted for expressing my emotions, so be it.
There's a reason pro athletes have a code of honor of keeping it in the locker room, done go to the media/social media with negativity; its cancerous.
This all could've been handled "in the locker room" before us here, fans, the current team, THT/Ayo, Fire, national media (247), etc.. made the THT announcement a story.
I believe the staffs intentions were correct and right, but to let this play out the way it did was not.
There's a reason pro athletes have a code of honor of keeping it in the locker room, done go to the media/social media with negativity; its cancerous.
This all could've been handled "in the locker room" before us here, fans, the current team, THT/Ayo, Fire, national media (247), etc.. made the THT announcement a story.
I believe the staffs intentions were correct and right, but to let this play out the way it did was not.
For the first time in 45 years of being an Illini fan, I have inside information. I promised I wouldn’t share too much but I can say this all went down exactly the way it is being speculated. With that said, I still think it is a shame and I would not have been so upset had we pulled offer and OV. Just think it is bad business to do to a kid. This shouldn’t be done if it was a once in a lifetime recruit from Arcola.
I am with you been a fan a little longer and this just stinks to see happen, But nothing we can do about it now, just have to wait and see how it all plays out in 18,19,20 and beyond
Just imagine if THT was your kid and he was ready to commit to a major college that he just visited and was treated like he was wanted to only have that offer taken away from him on the day of his commitment...I honestly think we will black flagged by other schools and this will hurt us in the long run..
Yep...No matter how you spin it the staff looks like tools in this situation.
Do you ever get the feeling you are getting about 40 percent of the story?
If even that. . . and the worst part is that we lack the context to tell if the part of the story we are getting is the true part or something completely different . . .
What was the old Spock (and by Spock, I mean Kurt Vonnegut) quote? "In an insane world, a sane man must appear insane."
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