Illinois basketball fans

[IlliniFan]

We don't match up well with them on the defensive end. Even though we lost by 20, we have been playing better the past couple games. I like the fact that Head is getting some time. We had it down to 6 before Lighty beat us by himself. I think we have a slight chance to beat Purdue.

[wang4three]

I came back from the dead to say two words: Fire Weber.

[bootsy]

I came back from the dead to say two words: Fire Weber.

Amen to that. I was definitely in the Weber can do no wrong category his first 3-4 years at Illinois but the program has regressed, he calls out players and throws them under the bus all the time, seems like he can't connect to the players he coaches at all. I am fed up with him. He doesn't change his coaching style to fit the team he has. His crappy offense "philosophy" sucks for these type of players. Also I thought he was more of a defense coach and that has regressed year after year. To me Weber is in over his head at this level and would be better suited where he once was at a mid-major. I can't believe I am saying that after being such a huge fan of his but he isn't getting it done and I don't want to hear nothing about it being the players not playing up to their standards and 'wait until such and such' leaves and we will be better'. The players change the coach and his philosophy stay the same.

[wang4three]

I just don't think Weber is adjusted to coach for the big stage anymore. His coaching strategies are archaic and ever since the 1 and done era, he's been struggling. It's not so much that the NBA-ready players are killing us, but that the talent pool has just started to get better and better and his style doesn't factor in the individual talents he has on his roster as well as his opponents rosters.

I've defended him, think he's a great guy, a classy guy..but this is just not for him. I don't want us on national television if its going to be getitng blown out by 19. Or letting a team go on a 19-0 run to beat us AT HOME. It's just not a good fit anymore.

[ILLsmak]

I just don't think Weber is adjusted to coach for the big stage anymore. His coaching strategies are archaic and ever since the 1 and done era, he's been struggling. It's not so much that the NBA-ready players are killing us, but that the talent pool has just started to get better and better and his style doesn't factor in the individual talents he has on his roster as well as his opponents rosters.

I've defended him, think he's a great guy, a classy guy..but this is just not for him. I don't want us on national television if its going to be getitng blown out by 19. Or letting a team go on a 19-0 run to beat us AT HOME. It's just not a good fit anymore.

Come on man... really?

As has been said, if we fire him then we lose a bunch of commits and maybe get some transfers... and who do we get to replace him? That's assuming that he is a horrible coach and needs to go.

But I don't think he is. Look at our roster. We have good players, but Bruce is letting the Seniors play. Of our seniors, we have Dmac who... we all thought would be pretty good, but nobody thought he'd be as good as he is... but he's a headcase and mentally weak. Then we have Tisdale who is playing his heart out, but he's not a great player. We have Davis, who is the only big guy I've ever seen shoot a floater consistently... and of course we have a decent glue guy... Cole.

Our Sophs are studs. Our Freshmen are studs. We have no Jrs. I promise you next year we will be fine.

I don't understand how you want Weber to adjust. We've had mid-major talent the past few years, and it's been getting worse. Now we're finally getting some players.

I think he overcoaches at times, but I also think that he's smart enough to know when our guys are gonna fold. When someone is gonna fold... you can't really coach them out of folding. You can't make an adjustment when your guys are folding. Because when they go out there, they will still be scared.

If we fire Weber, it will be a travesty, and we'll fall off the map even more. At least we are making progress here.

Wait until next year.... we are a top 10 team start to finish.

-Smak

[wang4three]

I have been hearing wait for next year for... about 5 years now. It's just not a fit anymore. He airs all the problems to the media, he doesn't get along with the players he recruits, and he's too demonstrative on the sideline waiving his hands in contempt.

I'm just done with it all. Thank Bruce for the one great year he gave us and move on. Talent shouldn't be an issue. I don't want to hear we don't have the talent. It's there. I understand we're not big upfront, but you have to adjust to coaching talent we have. Watching us play is like watching a pick up basketball team play. We're sloppy, we turn it over, and in fact, if we win it's cause we have more talent than the opposing. I don't see any coordination or any improvement. Tisdale? Still a 7 foot jump shooting big man. He has added only an inconsistent hook for the last 4 years. Mike Davis? Athletic 4 who can defensive rebound with a spotty jump shot. He's still the same player he was his sophomore year. Demitri? He's the only player who's truly improved but his effort is inconsistent. We could say this is the players' fault, but at some point the coach has to be held responsible for what's going on with the problem.

I'm just tired of hearing people say next year. I'm done hearing it. This program was a top 5 program when I got to UI. Making the 2nd round/Sweet 16 is a given. Now we're happy if we make the tournament. Bruce single handily lowered expectations of the Illini. Instead of being compared to Syracuse, Georgetown, or Pitt, we're being spoken as if we're Xavier or WVU. Unacceptable.

If it means we lose recruits now and transfers, fine we lose out in one or two seasons. But if in the long run we're back to where we were, then give me that. I've had it and I'm done listening to "wait till next year." We've had Bruce for 7 or so years now. Only two of those seasons were considered Illini level. I'm done waiting for us to be a true Illini team.

[bootsy]

Come on man... really?

As has been said, if we fire him then we lose a bunch of commits and maybe get some transfers... and who do we get to replace him? That's assuming that he is a horrible coach and needs to go.

But I don't think he is. Look at our roster. We have good players, but Bruce is letting the Seniors play. Of our seniors, we have Dmac who... we all thought would be pretty good, but nobody thought he'd be as good as he is... but he's a headcase and mentally weak. Then we have Tisdale who is playing his heart out, but he's not a great player. We have Davis, who is the only big guy I've ever seen shoot a floater consistently... and of course we have a decent glue guy... Cole.

Our Sophs are studs. Our Freshmen are studs. We have no Jrs. I promise you next year we will be fine.

I don't understand how you want Weber to adjust. We've had mid-major talent the past few years, and it's been getting worse. Now we're finally getting some players.

I think he overcoaches at times, but I also think that he's smart enough to know when our guys are gonna fold. When someone is gonna fold... you can't really coach them out of folding. You can't make an adjustment when your guys are folding. Because when they go out there, they will still be scared.

If we fire Weber, it will be a travesty, and we'll fall off the map even more. At least we are making progress here.

Wait until next year.... we are a top 10 team start to finish.

-Smak

Man you are the biggest Weber apologist. Kudos to sticking to your guns but to say wait til next year and we are making progress deserves a WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WATCHING to think we are making progress. And wait til next year, that has been the motto for about 3 years now. When is next going to happen. I saw that Weber's Big 10 record since Dee and Augy left is under .500 now. That is not progress.

[ILLsmak]

I have been hearing wait for next year for... about 5 years now. It's just not a fit anymore. He airs all the problems to the media, he doesn't get along with the players he recruits, and he's too demonstrative on the sideline waiving his hands in contempt.

I'm just done with it all. Thank Bruce for the one great year he gave us and move on. Talent shouldn't be an issue. I don't want to hear we don't have the talent. It's there. I understand we're not big upfront, but you have to adjust to coaching talent we have. Watching us play is like watching a pick up basketball team play. We're sloppy, we turn it over, and in fact, if we win it's cause we have more talent than the opposing. I don't see any coordination or any improvement. Tisdale? Still a 7 foot jump shooting big man. He has added only an inconsistent hook for the last 4 years. Mike Davis? Athletic 4 who can defensive rebound with a spotty jump shot. He's still the same player he was his sophomore year. Demitri? He's the only player who's truly improved but his effort is inconsistent. We could say this is the players' fault, but at some point the coach has to be held responsible for what's going on with the problem.

I'm just tired of hearing people say next year. I'm done hearing it. This program was a top 5 program when I got to UI. Making the 2nd round/Sweet 16 is a given. Now we're happy if we make the tournament. Bruce single handily lowered expectations of the Illini. Instead of being compared to Syracuse, Georgetown, or Pitt, we're being spoken as if we're Xavier or WVU. Unacceptable.

If it means we lose recruits now and transfers, fine we lose out in one or two seasons. But if in the long run we're back to where we were, then give me that. I've had it and I'm done listening to "wait till next year." We've had Bruce for 7 or so years now. Only two of those seasons were considered Illini level. I'm done waiting for us to be a true Illini team.

what up...

Yeah but intelligent people haven't been saying wait until next year. I've been saying, and you can go back into this thread... that as long as McCamey is our best player we won't win anything. I've said our Seniors are trash, and they are.

How can you compare the team we had with Dee and James to what we have now? Even Randle, Carter, and Pruitt were better than what we have now... and they were not-quite NBA level. And that year we were, as usual, up big in a game and choked it away vs VTech; that game had such an effect on me whenever I think of that cho guy and his massacre that I think, first, of the Illini game.

The next year, we have ONE player who can make a jumpshot, and so what happens is we have our almost NBA caliber big man (who I still think would have gone to the NBA if we had the shooters to showcase that he was talented) in Pruitt destroyed by double and triple teams the whole year.

then next year, we play well again, but remember Chester got injured. That team wasn't great, but I think we would have gone past the first round if we had him.

Then, we transition to these guys being our top players. McCamey... who still isn't a PG BTW... as our only scorer. McCamey was a 4 star and I could see that he had potential, but I never wanted him as our primary decision maker.

Mike Davis... 3 star. Bill Cole 3 star. Tisdale... 3 star. And none of these guys were even on the radar other than Tisdale. Not saying you can't make a team out of 3 star players... but in a power conference? With no Jr class?

This season has been a disaster, and I thought we'd be better... but I didn't think we were gonna be a GREAT team this year.

You think Bo Ryan is telling Jordan Taylor to suddenly step up and beat Ohio State with 3 after 3? No, that's just what happens when a great player plays. And our guys are overmatched against the big boys. Of course, our freshmen and Sophs are coming in and are already at the level of our Srs... except for McCamey. Then we are gonna bring in another top recruiting class, bring in another legit big man in Egwu.. I've watched some tape on this kid and he's gonna be a force inside defensively despite not being 'huge'. Shaw looks to be a monster, too, and will bring us a Michigan State type player... you know those 6-8 230 type guys that can do whatever. And we also got Henry and Abrams.

We are gonna be stacked next year. This has been tough, sure... I've not really been bothered by it. If our guys don't play the way I think they should play, I don't even invest emotionally in the team. The last Sr we had with heart was Chester and it's too bad he was limited as a talent.

I assure you... stop watching the Illini this year if you can't handle it. But next year we will be back at the top... and from there.. we'll be a perennial powerhouse. Why? Because we'll have players that are capable of succeeding.

-Smak

[ILLsmak]

@ Purdue

"Oh, we're winning by too much. Here, how about you shoot 4 wide opens 3s and we throw the ball out of bounds a few times."

This illini team makes me want to puke. I still dunno how people blame Weber for our guys ****ing up. But man do they... we came out like we were about to beat some ass. But as soon as they made those 3s I knew we had lost. I mean those weren't even close to contested shots.

Another time we didn't shoot poorly, we did pretty well on the boards... but we just left too many shooters open and gave the ball up too much. I dunno what to say...

-Smak

[bootsy]

@ Purdue

"Oh, we're winning by too much. Here, how about you shoot 4 wide opens 3s and we throw the ball out of bounds a few times."

This illini team makes me want to puke. I still dunno how people blame Weber for our guys ****ing up. But man do they... we came out like we were about to beat some ass. But as soon as they made those 3s I knew we had lost. I mean those weren't even close to contested shots.

Another time we didn't shoot poorly, we did pretty well on the boards... but we just left too many shooters open and gave the ball up too much. I dunno what to say...

-Smak

Oh I don't know maybe we blame him because he can't think outside of the box and never adapts to his players or in game situations. Like last night, he takes DMac out after 2 fouls when we are ahead and leaves him out for the rest of the half. Like there is some rule that says you HAVE to sit a player from the time he gets his 2nd foul til the end of the half. That was a moment where Weber could have done something different but again he didn't. Or late in the game when he takes Richmond out and puts in Cole. Billy 'Freaking' Cole who sucked last night. You keep on with your Weber-free criticisms and live in that dream world you are in while the rest of us look at the bigger picture.

[ILLsmak]

Oh I don't know maybe we blame him because he can't think outside of the box and never adapts to his players or in game situations. Like last night, he takes DMac out after 2 fouls when we are ahead and leaves him out for the rest of the half. Like there is some rule that says you HAVE to sit a player from the time he gets his 2nd foul til the end of the half. That was a moment where Weber could have done something different but again he didn't. Or late in the game when he takes Richmond out and puts in Cole. Billy 'Freaking' Cole who sucked last night. You keep on with your Weber-free criticisms and live in that dream world you are in while the rest of us look at the bigger picture.

I do agree that he should have probably left Dmac in because Dmac rarely fouls anyway... but what if they call a BS 3rd? I remember in the NC game where he put James back in w/ fouls and he got one in like 5 seconds. But I think it's different because Dmac is not a pressure defender.

But, don't get it twisted... I am defending the logical choice... which is keeping the coach that brought us to the National Championship game (Further than we have ever been, one of the most historic seasons in NCAA history) and is finally bringing in top recruiting classes. I am not defending Weber because he's Weber. I'm defending him because he's our coach and there's no way we can get a better coach than him. If you had a viable option for that, then I could see you saying fire him...

But firing him just to get rid of him... you'd think he was the worst coach ever. Tell me who you think we should bring in after we fire Bruce.

-Smak

[DwadeOverLebron]

umm chris collins

[bootsy]

I do agree that he should have probably left Dmac in because Dmac rarely fouls anyway... but what if they call a BS 3rd? I remember in the NC game where he put James back in w/ fouls and he got one in like 5 seconds. But I think it's different because Dmac is not a pressure defender.

But, don't get it twisted... I am defending the logical choice... which is keeping the coach that brought us to the National Championship game (Further than we have ever been, one of the most historic seasons in NCAA history) and is finally bringing in top recruiting classes. I am not defending Weber because he's Weber. I'm defending him because he's our coach and there's no way we can get a better coach than him. If you had a viable option for that, then I could see you saying fire him...

But firing him just to get rid of him... you'd think he was the worst coach ever. Tell me who you think we should bring in after we fire Bruce.

-Smak

I don't know who I want as coach right now. I haven't had time to evaluate that but I know if Weber keeps this up there has to be a change. Blaming it on the players gets old especially after players have left and there are still the same patterns developed with each team. Blowing big leads, playing tentative with a lead, not be able to close out close games and on and on.

I am willing to give Weber the rest of this year before deciding what is best for next year. I want to see how this team responds in the NCAA tournament. If they can win a game or two. If they go out in the 1st round and have some big lead and blow it there needs to be a serious evaluation of him.I do see your point that you have made earlier in this thread that you want to see what he does with the recruiting classes he is starting to get but if this same crap and patterns keep happening he needs to go asap.

[ILLsmak]

I don't know who I want as coach right now. I haven't had time to evaluate that but I know if Weber keeps this up there has to be a change. Blaming it on the players gets old especially after players have left and there are still the same patterns developed with each team. Blowing big leads, playing tentative with a lead, not be able to close out close games and on and on.

I am willing to give Weber the rest of this year before deciding what is best for next year. I want to see how this team responds in the NCAA tournament. If they can win a game or two. If they go out in the 1st round and have some big lead and blow it there needs to be a serious evaluation of him.I do see your point that you have made earlier in this thread that you want to see what he does with the recruiting classes he is starting to get but if this same crap and patterns keep happening he needs to go asap.

I don't feel there's anything we can do this season to make it a success. Obviously, if this were a movie, we could go on some epic tourney run. Likely, we won't.

Did we have higher expectations than we should have for a team without a quality big man or senior leadership? Did we really think McCamey was going to be our savior?

I think when things go wrong that everyone likes to blame something. I prefer to blame the players because they are the ones on the court and they are the ones throwing the ball out of bounds, missing shots and free throws, and making stupid fouls/defensive mistakes down the stretch. I can see how Weber would get the blame because you're right... he is the constant. But, I'm not convinced.

I am waiting until next year... and if we do not become the top 10 team that I predict us to be (assuming the don't fire Weber at the end of the season...) then I will start questioning Weber. But I'm pretty sure we're good to go next year as both an offensive and defensive juggernaut being as we've had our pick of players and 3 top recruiting classes in a row, all being "Weber players" too.

-Smak

[bootsy]

I don't feel there's anything we can do this season to make it a success. Obviously, if this were a movie, we could go on some epic tourney run. Likely, we won't.

Did we have higher expectations than we should have for a team without a quality big man or senior leadership? Did we really think McCamey was going to be our savior?

I think when things go wrong that everyone likes to blame something. I prefer to blame the players because they are the ones on the court and they are the ones throwing the ball out of bounds, missing shots and free throws, and making stupid fouls/defensive mistakes down the stretch. I can see how Weber would get the blame because you're right... he is the constant. But, I'm not convinced.

I am waiting until next year... and if we do not become the top 10 team that I predict us to be (assuming the don't fire Weber at the end of the season...) then I will start questioning Weber. But I'm pretty sure we're good to go next year as both an offensive and defensive juggernaut being as we've had our pick of players and 3 top recruiting classes in a row, all being "Weber players" too.

-Smak

This season can still be a success but that depends on the 2nd act. What does this team do in the tournament. If they win a couple of games and get to the Sweet 16 I consider that a success. That was most Illini fans expectations before the start of this season is either winning a tourney game or getting the 2nd weekend. That goal is still possible.