Not gonna lie, I thought the Lovie hire was desperate when it was reported as well. If the team improves and he continues to recruit as he did this past cycle, I will gladly shut it.
FINE you caught me. I was being a bit dramatic when I said Monday when I was really told "early next week". It could very well be Tuesday.
SORRY GUYS
moving along...
Why do people willfully not understand the context behind this claim and how stupid it is?
Unfortunate username
Does anyone see the same problem I do? We aren't relevant and our coaching search is bearing that out. Look at who has been named here and cross referenced on other boards:
Martin- hired at Mizzou
Keatts - hired at NC State
Bennett - likely staying and getting a raise
Marshall - ditto
Miller - ditto
The only name that is most realistic is Monty Williams who was on nobody else's list but ours!?!? And he's a home run because why? NBA? Would he be on our list if JW didn't hire an NFL guy for the football job? Let's be honest here Lovie was the epitome of a desperation hire, are we at that point with hoops?
Hire a college coach with college chops not some guy that's never done it and nobody else wants.
How do you know that he's a helluva coach?
Hmmmmm, never again.
Rick Pitino and John Calipari looked awful in the NBA.
One thing about it, who got asked or didn't get asked we may never knowGuyz, let's be honest with ourselves! Our pathetic program won't be able to attract anybodyz worthwhile. Cuonzo and Keattz dissed us and now they're going to win NCAA championships for Missouri and NC State while we languish in the hot tar of self-loathing and eternal mediocrity. Bennett, Marshall, and Archie wouldn't even deign to take a phone call from Whitmanz, unless it was to receive a desperate Illinois offer that they could leverage in negotiations with other suitors. They probably text each other and laugh about it! "Ill-annoy offered me $5 million, but no way Jose am I going to that foul smelling basketball purgatory! LOLZROFLMFAO!" We'll end up with another John F. Groce in all likelihood and spend the next two decades gazing up I-57 enviously at perennial tournament team Northwestern University. Or if we hire Bryce Drew or Monty Williamz they'll probably fail miserably (do those dorks even know how to coach basketball?? Monty missed the NBA playoffs).
Sorry, couldn't resist the opportunity for satire. Some of you guys need to see a professional about your kicked puppy complex. We're going to hire someone awesome and then win a bunch of games, make a bunch of tournaments, and maybe win a national title. Everything is fine. Goodnight!
Have you seen his post count?!?! THIS TRAIN HAS NO BRAKES.
KATHY!
To quote the great Katy Perry - "You're hot, then you're cold. You're in, then you're out. You're up and you're down"
The Illini coaching search...
Do you think he isn't? I haven't played for the guy, but everything I've read seems to indicate that he can coach. He was with Team USA, he is with the Spurs organization now, everyone seems to think he will be a hot name for coaching vacancies in he NBA at the end of this year. I don't think that happens if you can't coach at all. Maybe my baseline is low after years of Groce, but I have to believe he is an upgrade at X's and O's.
Because he is a helluva coach. Why wouldn't you want him?
Whitman better have a plan
The question really isn't "is he an upgrade". Half the coaches out there could be an upgrade over Groce. I want to know if he is a good enough coach to return the Illini back to prominence. I think people are just worried because we know some college coaches who CAN coach, but we don't really know if Monty can coach at the collegiate level. If he will indeed be the next Illinois bball coach, I'm intrigued. I think he could probably recruit by saying he's a coach on Team USA, but the coaching college kids part remains to be seen
JoshW: "Jamal, look - I need you to stay. Here's $x for your trouble. I can't tell you who the coach is or if I have one yet, but I think you'll like it."
JoshW: "But if I don't find at least 'Plan C' guy - I'll tell you what - you can have the keys for a year. Kick the tires, try her out. See what happens".
JaW: "But wait, didn't something like that happen to that Bob Cubit guy? Or what was his name now....."
JoshW: "Trust me - I've got a plan"