Re: Illinois basketball fans
They HAVE to win at Nebraska, Michigan, and Iowa. I've already written OSU off as a loss. This team doesn't have it in them to win in Columbus. If they can pull off a miracle at Wisconsin and win a couple in the BTT, maybe, but nothing I've seen over the past 8 games leads me to believe that they can do any of that. It's scary how much the basketball team has mirrored the football team in the fast start and disastrous collapse. They've lost to both NW and Purdue at home, so it wouldn't surprise me, though it would be painful, to see them go 1-4 over their next 5.
Re: Illinois basketball fans
[QUOTE=IlliniFan]They HAVE to win at Nebraska, Michigan, and Iowa. I've already written OSU off as a loss. This team doesn't have it in them to win in Columbus. If they can pull off a miracle at Wisconsin and win a couple in the BTT, maybe, but nothing I've seen over the past 8 games leads me to believe that they can do any of that. It's scary how much the basketball team has mirrored the football team in the fast start and disastrous collapse. They've lost to both NW and Purdue at home, so it wouldn't surprise me, though it would be painful, to see them go 1-4 over their next 5.[/QUOTE]
I know you are trying dude but let me tell you something: GIVE IT UP ALREADY. This season is done, this coach is done. Weber is gone at the end of this season, if it were me he would be gone NOW. This team will not make the tournament and if by some miracle they do they won't be doing anything once they get in. It's time to look and move forward to next season with a new coach.
Edit: I didn't see your post on the bottom of the previous page so I guess you already got the message.
Re: Illinois basketball fans
That post was a response to Dolphin's post on the last page. I'm hanging on by a thread, but I'll have hope till it is absolutely impossible for us to make the tournament anymore. I'm still a fan. Apathy is setting in, but there is still an emotional attachment to the team, and I want to see them succeed, no matter how frustrating this year has been.
Re: Illinois basketball fans
Weber just seemed kind of manic at his [URL="http://youtu.be/V8KddpKgT2Q"]post game presser[/URL]. It's pretty obvious the writing's on the wall and he's probably talked to the AD and it's just a matter of time. It was almost a requiem of his time at Illinois. I feel kind of bad for him, it's definitely on him and his staff to get through to players, but it's like they just completely disregard anything he says.
Re: Illinois basketball fans
Yeah, it's ridiculous that we keep losing. I haven't been able to watch the games that aren't on national TV, but I somehow have expected losses. I had a dream that the Illini lost a close one and they were gonna fire Bruce.
I think we can make the tourney. We are obviously talented enough, but I dunno what is wrong. After awhile, you just gotta find a way to win. We can't keep shooting 20% from downtown. If we are going to do that, we might as well just not shoot 3s.
I am really speechless. This was a game we should have won. I'll take the two Ls before.
The scary part is if we didn't get BPs 40 and barely beat MSU we'd have an even worse losing streak.
TBH, I can see us pulling off an upset at Wisconsin or OSU. That's just the way this team is. It's like we can't be 'good' or we'll crack under pressure. But if we play freely then we can beat a highly ranked team.
Edit: Not that it matters, but what happened in my dream was we were down 2 with one possession left and they inbounded it to Brandon Paul, and Bruce was like kick it out (to the PG) and he had a play designed, but BP didn't listen and ended up turning it over. And I went up to him after the game... I was like are you just TRYING to get Bruce fired? And he was like yeah, I want to get to the NBA and I only have one year after this.
-Smak
Re: Illinois basketball fans
This is turning into somewhat of a mutiny. They didn't even try against Nebraska.
Re: Illinois basketball fans
I'm glad I missed the game. Wouldn't have been able to bear watching what I'm hearing happened.
Re: Illinois basketball fans
[QUOTE=IlliniFan]I'm glad I missed the game. Wouldn't have been able to bear watching what I'm hearing happened.[/QUOTE]
Wow, I just checked the score it's like WUT?
Speechless.
-Smak
Re: Illinois basketball fans
You know what is weird... Bruce is paid. He has a legacy at two school. He was an assistant under a great coach.
Players on Illinois have a small window and most of it (for the upperclassmen) is up. Why would they play poorly to get him fired? It's stupid. Unless it's that serious to them. It's like grabbing someone and jumping off a cliff only to realize they have a parachute and you don't.
-Smak
Re: Illinois basketball fans
Essentially if Bruce doesn't win the BTT and go to atleast the Final Four, he's gone.
Re: Illinois basketball fans
[QUOTE=wang4three]Essentially if Bruce doesn't win the BTT and go to atleast the Final Four, he's gone.[/QUOTE]
lol ****in ay.
Too bad for him...
-Smak
Re: Illinois basketball fans
[IMG]http://p.twimg.com/Al-VFiWCMAAPHw6.jpg[/IMG]
What a tool, good riddance.
Re: Illinois basketball fans
[QUOTE=bootsy][IMG]http://p.twimg.com/Al-VFiWCMAAPHw6.jpg[/IMG]
What a tool, good riddance.[/QUOTE]
Haha, if you can't tell his desire to win and dedication by that pic, I dunno what to say.
It's sad that they are going to fire him cuz our players are being hos, but I guess that's life. And when they get a new coach, our players will probably stop being hos for awhile and they will go on a big run. Then people will say SEE BRUCE SUCKED.
-Smak
Re: Illinois basketball fans
I'm sure a lot of you guys'll crucify me, but Illinois seems to have a lot of illusions of grandeur. It's a good program don't get me wrong, but some of the demands people seem to have just don't match up with the reality of what Illinois has ever been.
And that's just a stupid headline meant to sell weekend papers.
Re: Illinois basketball fans
[QUOTE=InspiredLebowski]I'm sure a lot of you guys'll crucify me, but Illinois seems to have a lot of illusions of grandeur. It's a good program don't get me wrong, but some of the demands people seem to have just don't match up with the reality of what Illinois has ever been.
And that's just a stupid headline meant to sell weekend papers.[/QUOTE]
I can't speak to much of the longtime fans, but my expectations of Illinois are this every year:
-Top 15
-Never lose more than 1-2 home games, if any at all
-Go to at least the sweet 16,
-Occasionally win the BTT
-Have a top 25-30 recruiting class.
-Graduate all our players
I think that's not really all that much to ask considering the wealth of talent in Illinois and the university's dedication to the basketball program.
Overall though, I think Bruce is well regarded as a smart coach who is a nice guy. But under him, shit went really crazy:
-Players rebelling and being malcontent (McCamey, Keller, Pruitt)
-Players leaving the program (Alex Legion, Jereme, Jeff Jordan, Crandall Head, Jamar Smith, Brian Carlwell)
-49-52 since the 05 season
-Assembly Hall is not being regarded as a hostile environment to play in
Something's afoot. Something's got to change. Bruce may have a heart of gold, but it's not a good fit for our program anymore. He's been with us for what, 8-9 years now? If he doesn't have it by now, he may never.