RockRaines

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 27, 2012 -> 12:26 PM) An arena near campus should have happened a long time ago if DePaul wants to compete. That and they should have stayed in C-USA. Yup, too bad theres basically no room to build it.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Mar 27, 2012 -> 01:58 PM) Nebraska picked Tim Miles over Groce as well. I don't think Theus was ever considered for that position. I think Nebraska is a sleeping giant in bball. Arguably the best facilities in all of the Big Ten.

At what point do you chalk up your disappointment to the fact you have unrealistic expectations? Was Weber really that big of a hire? 2 conference titles in the MVC (1 shared) 3 average seasons and 2 tourney appearances with 1 sweet sixteen. Groce's year this season mirrors alot of Webers second to last season at SIU. Took a team from under .500 to 29-8 with a sweet sixteen run. 11-5 in conference to Webers 14-4.

Its really strange that ESPN hasnt even aired a highlight including this dunk from sat's game. I cant even find a good quality replay.

QUOTE (Tex @ Mar 26, 2012 -> 01:58 PM) Again, coming from a retired D1 AD at a school that has only made two NCAA men's basketball tournaments. Each time the guy moves up he has a tougher time evaluating talent. There are noticable differences between the 300 and 325 best players in the country, far fewer between the 23rd and 25th. It starts getting into intangibles. He was the lead recruiter for Mike Conley, Greg Oden and Dequan Cook.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Mar 26, 2012 -> 01:33 PM) I don't think there will be an issue evaluating talent. That's probably the first thing these coaches learn to do since their success depends on finding the second or third tier guys that can play. Talent is rarely an issue at Illinois. It was for a season or two after the Eric Gordon crap fell through. Otherwise Illinois has had plenty of talent to compete for conference titles and decent seeding. It's come down to work ethic and the inability to get better as the season progressed. That happened about 3 times on Webers' watch - his first two seasons and in 08-09 when they were hot and could have made a run before Frazier broke his hand in the Big Ten tourney. The rest of the time they were about the same from the beginning of the season on, if not worse. And if he keeps Jerrance Howard the contacts with the top Chicago talent (though maybe not the one or two premier guys) will remain intact. He was rivals recruiter of the year in 2006. The guy brought in really good talent at OU as well. Getting Walter Offut to transfer in was a HUGE coup. He will recruit very hard, especially in indiana (surprise!). Also his teams play a much more uptempo attacking style than Weber has been using of late so that will be a welcome addition for UI fans.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Mar 26, 2012 -> 12:43 PM) But this "as good" stuff is kind of ridiculous. Go look at Bo Ryan's D1 record before taking over for Wisky. Crean was like 50% at getting to the tournament at Marquette, had a final four run with D-Wade, but was blown out of the gym once he got there. Except for this last year Beilen hasn't done much at Michigan. It's just not a slam dunk that a big name hire will do anything for you. Ask Minnesota fans how Tubby has worked out. Heck, the best coach in the Big Ten had ZERO head coaching experience, and look what MSU's been the last decade. Exactly. I like getting guys that can recruit in second or third tier conferences and have shown the ability to win tournaments and tournament games. I think those guys are the types of hires that stay and are successful. Groce basically recruited a national title contender for Matta, and then went to OU in a football state and won some tourney games.

I can see the frustration of Illinois fans in that it's not as good of a hire as other schools in the conference have made like Michigan, Indiana, OSU, Iowa (somehow), but you have to look at it without orange and blue glasses on, Groce is a pretty decent hire with a good pedigree. Kind of exactly like the football hire. If you want someone who has a chance to recruit extremely well and stick around even if he's successful that he's your guy. If you want a stepping stone guy then guys like Martin, etc would be just that.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 26, 2012 -> 10:49 AM) It tells you something. I mean, the whole point of basketball is to win games, right? In the tournament, yes.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Mar 26, 2012 -> 09:58 AM) A lot of OSU fans are telling us this would be a good hire, they'd take him if Matta wasn't there. I am not sure thats accurate, but he's fairly well regarded in OSU circles. OU hasnt even gotten a ton of talent, even as far as the MAC goes. However 2 tourney appearances in 3 years coaching speaks pretty highly of the job he's done. There are many teams mentioned in these threads that havent accomplished that even with superior talent. I dont think Illinois is quite the job many fans think it is, but it COULD be the kind of job where an up and comer makes his name and stays for a LONG successful time.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 26, 2012 -> 10:09 AM) 34-30 in the MAC. Mediocrity at its finest. LOL, proving once again that a college's coach's record means everything you need to know right?

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 25, 2012 -> 10:33 PM) f*** that. If it happens, I will continue my Illini basketball boycott. Ohio never even won a conference title in the MAC. What a joke. Yet he's had actual tournament wins, and for a MAC team thats pretty tremendous. He also comes from a pretty successful coaching tree.

Big Ten representing! Buckeyes throwing down with key players from Indiana, Illinois and Ohio to make it to the dance.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Mar 19, 2012 -> 08:37 AM) I understand that, but it's a remarkable occurrence that 62.5% of the teams remaining are in such a compact geographic area, and Indiana happens to be at the center of that area. 4 are from Ohio.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Mar 17, 2012 -> 09:20 AM) Not that my opinion means a damn thing but I'd go Baylor. Gonzaga has enough skill to at least hang with OSU... Shoulda bet the bucks. I had them money line. I'm back from my s*** and in vegas next weekend. Cant wait to bet it.

Sb, Big Ten baby

LOL, I bet Beiliein knows who Ohio is now. Picked it and bet them to win and cover. Bobcats baby.

f***, I knew they were overrated but I still put them in my final four.

Big Ten baby.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 6, 2012 -> 05:05 PM) The west loop is two miles from the UC. There is nothing over there on the west side. False and false. The west loop goes all the way to Ashland which is 3 blocks from the UC. The West loop is one of the more affluent and family friendly areas in the city at this point. Randolph street was just named one of the best restaurant areas in America, there are more James Beard award winners in a few blocks than there are in all of Indy.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 20, 2011 -> 09:21 PM) Indeed it does, my friend...what's the diagnosis? I have to go back in tomorrow but at this point they think its some sort of cartilage shearing and it may require microfracture surgery.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 20, 2011 -> 08:11 PM) Indeed. There are some fat people who can run the s*** out of thin people...that is all you need to see in order to know the distinction. I find that getting fit has inspired me to improve my overall health. Working this hard encourages you to eat better. I also find that my body naturally craves more healthy foods when I work out this often. When I don't, I start craving crap again. I'm also someone that has smoked on and off since I was 17 or so. It's very difficult to do some of the more intense cardio workouts as a smoker, so it's forced me to choose: smoke or workout. I've chosen workout. Which is why being injured blows.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 20, 2011 -> 09:13 PM) Last year in the playoffs. I remember they were annoying because of the effort/scrappiness, maybe my memory is clouded by the beers I consumed during that series.

Yes but Shack's point is that rules changes have helped it be easier for QB's for the most part which has "changed" the game. The no contact rule after 5 yards was HUGE, and really helped shape TE's what they are today. You also cant deliver the hits to the WR's and QB's like you used to so the premier players are staying in the game for longer periods of time. I was always wondering when we would have more running QB's in the NFL and it may be happening with QB's getting bigger and faster.

When did the Pacers start turning into actors?