Boogua

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Jan 3, 2015 -> 03:59 PM) Horrendous 2nd half performance yet again. The PG play is just horrendous. It's sick that Tate has to be out there because a senior Starks isn't any better.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jan 3, 2015 -> 03:12 PM) Setting up for a classic "miss 10 jumpshots in a row and go scoreless for 8 minutes as they take the lead and win" game. Yup. Setting up the same as all of the Illini losses this year. Keep it close for 30 minutes and then just lose composure in the last 10 minutes and lose. Very little leadership on this team.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Dec 31, 2014 -> 02:17 PM) "TCU is making a statement" again and again. Great, you know how many people will care tomorrow afternoon during the semifinals? Zero. It can certainly help support the idea of an expanded playoff, though. I expect Baylor to hurt that cause tomorrow (if MSU shows up to play D- no Narduzzi might hurt).

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 31, 2014 -> 09:43 AM) you couldn't find why or the news of LBJ thinking of retiring. then again i should be carefull, it is really the sportswriter article. here is the link for the retirement. http://fantasynews.cbssports.com/fantasyba...ter-next-season Lebron James and Kobe Bryant are different people.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 31, 2014 -> 09:29 AM) it was just 1 more lost. it is still good. this Bulls teams is a great team assembled in a long time. BTW, LBJ is now considering retirement. what a push to get his coach fired. question Why??? I wouldn't believe any rumors about Lebron retiring. I can't even really find anything with a quick google search. I believe that he may not like Blatt, but there's no way he is retiring soon.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Dec 30, 2014 -> 05:21 PM) Oh, and next year this team isn't much better. It's probably worse. You lose 4 of your top 6 players and replace them with a guard playing PG without much offensive game, 2 back-up mid-major level centers, and some freshman. You have to hope and pray Hill continues to develop into a super star, Nunn grows into an all-Big Ten caliber guy every game, Black can stay on the floor and out of foul trouble and maybe JCL gives you some shooting off the bench. You have a warped view on the team or just really dislike Groce. First Groce should have been fine after losing Paul, Richardson, and Griffey because he was bringing back Abrams (aka a guard playing PG without much offensive game) and Egwu. The only other returning contributor was Bertrand. That's insane. Now, Illinois should be worse next year because they bring back the same guard playing PG without much offensive game, Hill, Nunn, Black, a transfer in Paul, and at least loads of experience off the bench. You then said that the first team had Nunn and Hill on it also (true freshmen). DJW is in that range of recruit and JCL is more highly rated than both. I'm just not understanding the logic here. How is that first situation better than the second?

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Dec 30, 2014 -> 05:02 PM) 3 of your current top 6 players? That's not enough? I'm not saying he didn't have a difficult task, but you're making it sound like he brought a program back from the death penalty. That's far from the case. This was the roster after that first year if nobody transfers: Egwu, Abrams, Bertrand, Langford, Djimde, Shaw, Henry, and Orris (if Groce decided to keep him). Yup, lots of high level difference makers in the group. I guess we can just agree to disagree. I don't think that team is all that talented. Groce brought in guys like Rice and Ekey, but they were imperfect. Especially rice in conference play.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Dec 30, 2014 -> 04:57 PM) I don't think the program was THAT bad. It wasn't a good program. It wasn't really trending upwards. But it wasn't at the bottom either. The team tanked, they knew Weber was gone, so it was a lost season. You still had 5-6 starters that Groce used heavily/uses heavily in Paul, Richardson, Griffey, Egwu and Abrams. So you named 5 players, 3 of which were seniors. The team made the tourney and actually won a game that year. How did the roster look behind that?

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Dec 30, 2014 -> 04:26 PM) Talent isn't the problem. Illinois has more talent than the majority of the conference, and that's been the case for all 3 seasons. He loses winnable games. It's an epidemic. Purdue, Northwestern and Iowa his first year. Georgia Tech, Northwestern, Purdue, Clemson (NIT, but still) last year. Now Miami, Oregon and Michigan this year. All terrible, season-ruining losses. It's not all about talent. Roster construction means a ton and the fact is that Groce had a major overhaul. Sure, the Illini were more talented than teams last year, but had 5 true freshmen? You can't just totally dismiss things by saying the Illini had more talent. Depth, experience, and overall roster construction means a ton. I don't see how one can look at the dumpster fire he inherited and then want him out as his first recruiting class just finishes their first semester of their sophomore year.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Dec 30, 2014 -> 04:18 PM) I think you have to seriously consider it. See what names are out there. Frankly his in-game coaching sucks. He can call a decent play now and again, and he makes decent adjustments, but his rotations and substitution patterns flat out suck. His players aren't very confident in late game situations either. And you just have to win games you should win. You have to. This is a terrible loss. The Oregon game was a terrible loss. Miami is looking like a terrible loss. All games with big leads that are choked away. Or too confident in late game situations in Rice's case...

QUOTE (gatnom @ Dec 30, 2014 -> 04:17 PM) Barring a complete collapse and last place finish, Groce easily gets another year. Yeah, it looks dim now, but the cupboard was left almost completely bare when he took over. He would have had to hit like crazy on recruits to turn the Illini around by year 3. Our backcourt was lined up to be two guys that currently play in conferences I don't know (NIU is MAC?). Mike Shaw is terrible at Bradley. Langford and Ibby I'm not sure of. Henry is doing solid on a terrible Depaul team. Groce had to completely clean house. His in game coaching has left a lot to be desired, but the program is headed in the right direction (the Abrams injury killed).

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Dec 30, 2014 -> 04:08 PM) I'm starting the exploratory committee for Groce's replacement. 2.5 seasons now of complete choke jobs in big games. It's not like 2 minutes with a bucket, it's 6, 7, 8. It's pathetic. It seems like he needs guys with high basketball IQ because he gives his players too much freedom. Egwu, Rice, Cosby, and Starks all seem to make really, really stupid decisions. The recruits he has brought in seem much smarter (Hill, Nunn-although not today, Black, Morgan, Tate). Groce has made a lot of in-roads, especially at Simeon. Coleman-Lands, Jordan, and DJW all seem pretty basketball savvy. I'm giving him a bit more time, but it's clear he's having trouble with this group. He did a terrible job today.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Dec 30, 2014 -> 03:57 PM) What a terrible shot by Rice. Hill looked wide open. Also, Aubrey Dawkins is God.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Dec 30, 2014 -> 03:36 PM) I love that a garbage freshmen who hasn't hit a shot all year is on fire. He was 2/11 from 3 coming into this game. Unreal.

I've only been watching since the start of the second half, but I swear 90% of the shots I've seen Michigan take have been 3s I feel.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 29, 2014 -> 12:11 PM) If you can get another team to assume his contract, you free up cap space by moving Cutler with the idea being that you can get similar production from a guy for much cheaper. I think Cutler's value is a negative right now, but there will likely be a GM out there willing to give up a late round pick which frees up cap space. But if they don't feel there's anyone better, or Shanahan can maybe breathe some life into him, then they can keep him. I'm not sure who the Bears can play at QB that would help the Bears for the remaining two years in Cutler's contract more than Cutler. Having a guy with a cannon arm, but who is turnover prone throw the ball 40+ times per game was just asking for problems. Trading him now basically forfeits any shot you have over the next few seasons. We've seen the Bears go through different guys as backups (Jason Campbell, Caleb Hanie, Todd Collins, and Josh McCown) and it would be hard to pinpoint Jay as the problem after seeing those guys perform. McCown was good statistically, but he wasn't really winning games for the Bears. He also hasn't been good anywhere other than in the small sample size under Trestman.

QUOTE (buhbuhburrrrlz @ Dec 24, 2014 -> 12:21 PM) Varejao out for season. Torn Achilles. Makes no difference. Lebron doesn't lose in his prime... Except to the Spurs.... And the Mavs.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 22, 2014 -> 09:19 AM) The muffed punt occurred right after a missed pass interference penalty which could have been a TD, so call that even. Clausen also got hit on a pass at the 2 yard line by Suh, who beat Ola who was in there for Long. I think they would have had at least one more TD, maybe another FG or 2 if they cut the drops in half. It's not as though any TD passes were dropped. I don't know how one can credit them with another 10-13 possible points in that case. Everybody is entitled to their opinion, though, and neither of us can be proven right or wrong. The only fact remains that the Bears put up 14 points.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 22, 2014 -> 08:36 AM) The crappiness yesterday was the drops. Who knows if the Lions defensive intensity didn't take a hit facing a back up QB that has hardly played in 4 years, but if the receivers actually caught the ball yesterday, there would have been a lot more points on the board, and talk radio would have really had a field day. Kyle Long would have been nice to have in the line up as well. How do you know they would've had "a lot" more points? McCown had a lot of success in between the 20s, but had some issues in the red zone. Yesterday the Bears were stopped at the goal line also. We have no idea how many points they should or would have scored. If not for the muffed punt and the roughing the kicker they could have gotten shut out.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 22, 2014 -> 08:12 AM) Given the factor of 30 difference in the salary cap hit of the 2 potential QBs, one would still call that an indictment of one particular player. Yes, in this particular crappy offense the difference in QB isn't a big deal. Bad QB game managers do fine under Trestman although they still lose games (like losses by the great Josh McCown to powerhouse teams St. Louis and Minnesota last year). In a standard offense the difference between Cutler and players like McCown or Clausen would be huge (look how McCown is doing in Tampa).

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Dec 21, 2014 -> 02:08 PM) First McCown now Clausen. Maybe Cutler is the only problem on offense. Regardless his trade value is going down by the minute. Yeah, you're completely right. How many points do the Bears have again?

QUOTE (gatnom @ Dec 20, 2014 -> 02:30 PM) Watching this Illinois team struggle has been worse. It's incredible how much this team misses Abrams. I had no idea how important he was.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Dec 20, 2014 -> 10:53 AM) He didn't say a huge package of picks, but will probably have to send a high pick with Cutler in which they get a lower round pick back. He was thinking something like Cutler and a 3rd. Honestly, Bears fans shouldn't be choosy on who they can offload Cutler on. You need to get rid of that contract as soon as possible. And the whole argument of, "Well, who will replace him..." is a very weak one. You've had QBs all worse than him over your franchise's existance and have made SBs as well as won one. The Bears also made an NFC Championship game with Jay and he had almost no talent around him at all on offense. The Bears would be paying to downgrade at QB (by a lot). It'll probably happen, but it's really stupid.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 20, 2014 -> 08:52 AM) Why would the Rams give up a 5th for a guy who is a riskier proposition while the Bears give up a 7th? If would be flip-flopped if anything, and I just don't see the Rams as a team that would take in a guy like Cutler right now. Riskier proposition in what way? Cutler is clearly better career wise than Bradford. I'm not sure if GMs are going to use this year alone to determine that an injured Sam Bradford is less risky than Jay.

QUOTE (Brian @ Dec 17, 2014 -> 10:34 AM) Sounds like LoVett leaning towards Illinois. Probably a strategic leak from the Lovett camp to make KU up their offer.