whitesoxfan99

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Feb 15, 2014 -> 08:49 PM) 3 fouls huh? Classic. Almost no defensive fouls were called on either team in the first half. Only 3 free throws total and both teams are doing a dreadful job attacking the basket. There is remarkably little offensive talent in this game. Illinois doesn't have a single upperclassmen who is really that talented on offense. Rice will hopefully be better with more talent around him next year but I'm seriously concerned about his propensity for forcing terrible shots and refusal to hit the open man. And this is the way Egwu needs to play all the time, just hit the glass and play D. He will always be bad on offense but if he gives effort like this on D next year's team will be pretty damn good with Hill and Nunn becoming sophs and then having Paul, Cosby and Starks eligible.

It is literally impossible to have a pair of wings who are worse passers than Rice and Bertrand. Solid effort by Illinois so far tonight though.

QUOTE (bmags @ Feb 15, 2014 -> 05:54 PM) It seems like the progression of rookies under thibs is they look like hell while they learn his d, and then when they feel comfortable there we see their value on O. Same progression happens with vets except it's usually 1-2 months. This is why we have such slow starts last few years. We've only had a handful of rookies under Thibs and I don't think any of them have really developed on O during their rookie years. Asik was never a good offensive player, Butler saw spot minutes and was decent in those minutes but never really was part of the rotation. Teague was horrendous and didn't play. Tony Snell's best offensive month was in November.

If Vonleh goes pro (which he should) does Crean last past next year for Indiana? There is a good chance they don't make the tourney if Vonleh goes pro because that frontcourt will be a train wreck.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Feb 15, 2014 -> 11:41 AM) Unfortunately both are very good at their jobs and will probably sign/play as soon as they are able to But hey, let's all shun Michael Sam! Amirite Herm Edwards? Yep. Pro sports where you can be a rapist, criminal, dog killer, or just generally a piece of s*** human being and that is all ok if you help us win but god forbid you be gay.

That was an incredible game to watch. In other news, the USA speed skating team continues to perform terribly even after switching suits.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Feb 14, 2014 -> 01:16 PM) Back to Melo talk, it's actually possible to retain Taj/Jimmy/Noah/Mirotic It requires a desperate, forced hand Knicks team. Boozer, Kirk, and Snell have to go out. Felton has to come in from the Knicks as well. Bulls In: Melo, Felton Bulls Out: Boozer, Kirk, Snell, Picks on Picks on Picks Throw in Okafor as a possibility to be swapped in if the Suns do find they want Booz. There is literally no reason for the Knicks to do that deal.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Feb 14, 2014 -> 01:10 PM) The USA speed skaters are blaming their new suits for their poor performance. Please. Might be bulls*** but in a sport where tenths of seconds separate the top skaters little things can make a big difference and it would explain why literally every single USA speed skater is under performing.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Feb 14, 2014 -> 11:42 AM) I don't think that's disputing anything I said there. You said he wasn't a top pick. He didn't go number one but he was still a top pick in the draft and if it wasn't for the weird eligibility rules he goes #2 after his senior year.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Feb 14, 2014 -> 11:26 AM) Well yeah Bird wasn't a top pick in the 70s I think it would be safe to say he wouldn't be now when there's even more a premium on athleticism. ? He went 6th overall after his junior year despite the Celtics not being sure whether he was going to go pro or stay in college for his senior year (he stayed in school and the Celtics retained his right).

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Feb 13, 2014 -> 10:30 PM) Ski slopestyle is awesome. So much better than snowboarding surprisingly I wonder if that will hold true for half pipe as well.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Feb 13, 2014 -> 08:14 PM) Haha. I think I know what might be the problem now. This idiot, who's dating Doc Rivers' daughter, (had no clue about that) hooked up with a stripper last summer and now she's pregnant. He allegedly offered her 1 million to abort. But, of course, she said f*** no to that. As she'll get MUCH MORE than that in child support for the next 18 years. Oh my goodness. How could this happen? They warn you about this s***. Wrap that s*** up or atleast pull. stupid ass. This story just came out like a week ago, which I hadn't heard/read about until I googled Paul George 10 minutes ago. My game would fall off to if I had to say goodbye to millions because of a one-night stand with a stripper. Moron. Why the f*** do athletes not wear condoms when they have sex with these girls who probably want to get pregnant with their kids.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Feb 13, 2014 -> 06:27 PM) US Speed skaters blaming Under Armor suits for their slow times. Interesting I obviously don't know near enough about speed skating to know if that is a legit excuse but in a sport where tenths of seconds are huge it could actually make a real difference.

What an epic choke job by the USA long track speed skating team in this Olympics. Davis has been the best in the world in the 1000 on the men's side and Richardson and Bowe the two best in the 1000 on the women's side and all 3 come up empty and weren't even competitive for medals.

So with just two riders left the USA is guaranteed at least two medals in half pipe and still has a chance to sweep. The women are pulling their weight so far for the USA but the men have been a disaster.

The USA is having a horrible Olympics in comparison to expectations thus far.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Feb 11, 2014 -> 03:21 PM) Ohio State was not nearly the basketball school ILL has been when Matta got there. He single handedly made it into a destination and one of the top programs in the country. Few remember that OSU had to vacate wins and face NCAA sanctions because of O'Brien. Since he started at OSU, he's been the most dominant coach in the conference when you look at wins, conference titles and conf tourney titles. He has yet to have a season that doesn't top 20 wins. To think he wouldnt do that at ILL is foolish. Even hiring his replacement, MIller, would have been a good move. I think there is a good chance Illinois would have been the top program in the conference over the last 10 years had they hired Matta and he certainly would have capitalized on the recruiting trail inheriting Dee, Deron and Luther unlike Weber.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Feb 11, 2014 -> 02:23 PM) Weber obviously needed to go, but I don't have ill will towards him or his teams. I actually root for him to do well. And what he does in the future is completely irrelevant to Illinois moving forward. Him being good or bad or anywhere in between doesn't prove anything, if that's what people are looking for. I agree that how he does is irrelevant but I can't root for him to do well considering he ruined Illinois basketball and did as much harm to the program as sanctions in the 90s.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Feb 11, 2014 -> 02:33 PM) Matta could have just as easily become one of the other no-names mentioned in that article. You can't look back at coaching hires like that. Considering his recruiting process there is no chance Matta wouldn't have been successful at Illinois.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Feb 11, 2014 -> 01:33 PM) Knowing what you know now, sure. But I don't think Matta was some slam dunk hire either. Was he even on the short list? I know he was a local guy but I don't remember him being mentioned along with Weber. He was a year away from his Elite 8 run at Xavier but he had done extremely well his first two years at Xavier (following a good year at Butler) and he was local so he should have been on the short list if he wasn't. Plus, just from an interviewing standpoint I can't imagine it would be difficult to tell that Matta would blow Weber away as a recruiter. And apparently Matta was a candidate: http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/illini-...a-illinois.html

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Feb 11, 2014 -> 01:29 PM) US fails to make the podium in the men's snowboard halfpipe Really bad day for the USA today with getting shut out in the halfpipe, Kikkan Randle failing to medal in cross country skiing and Heather Richardson not medaling in speed skating.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Feb 11, 2014 -> 09:32 AM) Ozzie is a good comparison. Personally I wouldn't trade eithers tenure here though since they each brought us the best season in each programs history (or 90 years). Both held on too long and it's best they are gone now. I'll root for Weber because he's a nice guy and since he's no longer affecting my team that is good enough for me.. Probably not for Ozzie since he's an asshole. I would trade Weber's tenure in a heartbeat if it would mean Guenther hires Matta instead. As amazing as 04-05 was, without a championship I just don't think it makes up for Weber running the program into the ground (we are now in year 8 of being completely irrelevant as a basketball program) when there are a lot of coaches that could have made the final 4 with that team. It makes me sad thinking about where Illinois basketball would be right now if Matta would have gotten the job instead of Weber. To Weber's credit he found a diamond in the rough in Marcus Foster at KSU. That kid is a stud and is better than any player Weber recruited in 9 years at Illinois. As long as he is there KSU will be solid.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Feb 11, 2014 -> 11:46 AM) A seven!!!! How does that even happen? Both US teams are sucking it up so far. Not surprising at all that the men are sucking it up but this women's team has actually been respectable in international competition. Must not be handling the pressure of the Olympics well.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Feb 9, 2014 -> 07:45 PM) Thanks Groce for listening to the fan base. Too bad you couldn't have done that about 5 weeks ago. Maybe this season wouldn't have been a lost cause. Bertrand was, again, awful. Egwu continues to dominate defensively despite the cinder blocks for hands. Ekey didn't shoot an airball, so that's progress. Nunn and Hill. Thank God it seems like you guys actually have some talent AND have a swagger to win. Next year will be interesting. A player or two (I'm thinking Abrams) isn't going to be very happy about the lack of playing time if the transfers are any good. Egwu played good D in the second half tonight but he certainly hasn't been a force on that end this year and no big man who is as bad on the glass he is can ever be considered dominant defensively.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Feb 8, 2014 -> 07:06 PM) I hate that Bruce Weber will go to the tournament with a lot less talented team than John Groce, who sits in last place Kansas State is more talented than Illinois and I don't think its close. I don't care that Illinois has more top 100 players because Egwu is f***ing terrible and two of the other 3 top 100 players on Illinois are freshmen. Gipson is vastly superior to any big man on Illinois and Foster is easily the best guard on either team. Weber somehow actually finding Foster is going to keep Kansas St. a decent team as long as Foster is still in school. Illinois should be better than they are but the only teams in the Big 10 they have more talent than this year are Northwestern, Nebraska and Penn St. And even then when you have no big men who can rebound and no guards who can shoot it is tough to win games. My concern with Groce is that his teams have not been great defensively going back to his time at Ohio. Part of the problem at Illinois has been that it is really tough to be great defensively when you can't rebound but I do have concerns there.