Boogua

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Mar 25, 2014 -> 02:39 PM) I get what happened. The point is it cost them money, and I doubt things would have changed significantly if they came out a year earlier. Even going to the extreme case with guys coming straight out of high school and raw as hell, guys like Jermaine O'Neal and Tyson Chandler eventually turned into productive players. I'm not endorsing going back to that, but I don't think staying another year is a magic elixir for guys to develop into studs. Two more examples: Perry Jones III and Isaac Austin. Both of those guys missed a chance to be lottery picks, and they're not averaging 20-10 their first year because they stayed. Yes, the rule clearly hurts the players. I don't know anyone who would argue otherwise.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Mar 25, 2014 -> 02:20 PM) Meh. It's not going to make a major difference for most of the guys the rule will affect. I don't see Julius Randle or Jabari Parker gaining much against guys they outclass and facing a ton of zones and junk defenses for teams to try to close the talent gap. Plus it seems like nearly every top prospect that comes back stagnates and has their stock drop (Smart, Sullinger, Noah, Barnes, sorta Zeller before Charlotte reached for him off the top of my head), and if you get hurt like Noel or McGary you're in trouble. We've seen plenty of young guys come in and be productive, and even a lot of the ones that didn't still had productive careers. I think getting the high schoolers out of the draft was good, but I don't see the pressing need to up it another year. Couldn't you argue that those players stock dropped because there was a better evaluation on them? I'm also fairly certain that Noah wouldn't have been drafted above 9th overall after his freshman season.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Mar 25, 2014 -> 02:22 PM) Lol. This will do nothing to help the NBA product and the product in the Western Conference is just fine. The East is a joke because you have a few teams tanking for picks and some horribly run franchises. If there is a problem in the NBA it certainly isn't because kids are only staying one year in college. This rule basically f***s over kids and doesn't do anything positive. I guess it makes it slightly less likely NBA teams blow an eval but the NBA is driven by elite talent and that is cyclical and teams blow plenty of talent evaluations even when they've seen a guy for multiple years (Evan Turner?, Emeka Okafor?, Olowokandi? I could go on forever). There are plenty of drafts in the 80s and 90s where teams were drafting juniors and seniors and those drafts sucked because they didn't have enough talent. It obviously screws the kids over, but it should help evaluations. Sure, the NBA still blows some on guys they've seen for multiple years, but it also helps them at points too (Sullinger, McRoberts). This should give a player a bit more time to physically and mentally mature a bit before entering the NBA. You're obviously entitled to your opinion, but I don't see why the league would actually be considering it if they thought it would do nothing to help the product. Baseball has a minor league system (and college) and the NFL has college. The NBA is the only sport of the big 3 that doesn't really have that. How many 18 year olds can come in and dominate the NBA? How about 19 year olds? While they're developing or failing in the NBA the product is hurt.

It looks like Adam Silver wants to raise the age limit to 20. Smart call. The NBA product is pretty awful right now.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Mar 19, 2014 -> 07:22 PM) Lol, a lock and a 7 seed or better indeed. Lol, had no idea this game counted towards next season. Damn.

Rice looks like he couldn't care less. There we go. This team has no size. He should be unguardable.

Illinois is somehow only -1.5. I realize it's a road game, but that still seems like a gift.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Mar 14, 2014 -> 02:54 PM) I'm saying let's look at both. They also lost games this year too. They didn't play well at times. They had the worse losing streak in 70 something years. You have to factor that in as well. The lineup during that streak was different than the lineup that has played of late. Groce took too long to make the switch, although Nunn and hill were much worse players earlier in the season.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Mar 14, 2014 -> 02:43 PM) Come on now... MSU was a gift. They were hurt, not at full strength. Iowa was/is terrible right now. And Minnesota is about as average as you can get. It's nice to see them finish the season well, but I wouldn't call that some amazing sign that this team has what it takes to compete for a top 25 spot all season. Where the hell is all this blind optimism coming from? We're freaking Illinois people. We rarely meet or exceed expectations. Alright, so just throw out the wins and lets focus on the losses. Sorry for the blind optimism. Also, we exceeded expectations last year and met expectations this year.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 14, 2014 -> 02:37 PM) So you dont think anyone has brought in better recruiting classes? We are bringing in 2 top 25 kids, to me that's more talent. Where did I say that? I asked how many. I wasn't disputing that Ohio state had a better recruiting class.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 14, 2014 -> 02:27 PM) I'm not being condescending at all, just saying that calling something a lock when there are so many question marks and so much improvement needed is silly. Look at the "predictive formula" that is being applied to Illinois that is never looked at in regards to the rest of the conference that they have to play day in and day out. I am being skeptical since the program and the players havent made much noise since about 2005. I dont understand why there is such a problem with me being skeptical. So it's wishful thinking because they haven't made much noise since 2005, with 6 of those years coming under a completely different coach. Got it. Completely disagree with the question marks. The starting lineup returns for a team that won 5 out of their last 7 including 3 road wins against 3 likely tournament teams and was a blown bunny away from beating #8 michigan.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 14, 2014 -> 01:52 PM) LOL. What about the team says they are a lock for the tournament? The Big Ten was way down this year and they didnt make it. Other teams in the conference are bringing in and have brought in more talent. Connect the dots for me here How many teams have brought in more talent? And would you take a 4 star freshman over a guy like Cosby who has already performed at a big east school? Other teams might be bringing in better freshmen talent, but I wouldn't be shocked if the newcomers for illinois have more impact in comparison to some other teams freshmen.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 14, 2014 -> 02:06 PM) So that to me looks like wishful thinking and I wouldnt call anything a lock. But hey, good to be positive. Which part of that post was wishful thinking and please explain why you think so. You don't have to, obviously, but it just seems like you're being dismissive and condescending without actually discussing the roster.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 14, 2014 -> 01:47 PM) Yes, nothing to show for it. No challenge at the conference title or tournament and an NIT berth. Last year they were 23-12 8-10 in conference. This year they are 19-14 7-10. What have they shown? Apparently context means nothing.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 14, 2014 -> 01:23 PM) They've been called to improve for years with nothing to show for it. Who can blame the skepticism? On top of that its not like they are pulling in top 10 recruiting classes. Nothing to show for it? They improved greatly last year after losing a lottery pick. They've improved greatly over the course of this season also. Groce has been here two years, so anything beyond those two years is a different issue.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Mar 14, 2014 -> 01:11 PM) We will be good next year and a lock tourney team. How good depends on the transfers and how big of jumps Hill and Nunn make. Not according to some on this board. Haven't you heard? Illinois players won't improve.

QUOTE (Brian @ Mar 14, 2014 -> 01:01 PM) Glad Groce switched to man Groce was awful that last minute or so. He should have called a timeout the possession with the shot clock violation as it was clear as day they weren't going to get a good shot before that.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Mar 13, 2014 -> 08:14 PM) None of this crap will matter in 2-3 years. I'll tell you two guys that will matter: Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins. The Sixers and Lakers will each get one. They're tanking and proud of it. Bulls had their chance but they want to win! #chicagotough There are 5 teams with worse records than the Lakers. Why do you think they get one of those guys? You think the lottery is rigged?

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Mar 13, 2014 -> 11:30 AM) Bertrand is awful. Every time he comes it is basically and automatic run for the other team. I haven't wanted a senior off the team so bad since bill cole. Can't wait for next year.

QUOTE (zenryan @ Mar 12, 2014 -> 06:58 PM) 3rd round pick I believe, another reason why Schiano and the old GM are out of football. This just seems crazy to me. I can think of many, many QBs that were taken before the third and never put up a year like Glennon did last year. Maybe I've been a Bears fan for too long so I got used to trash at QB, but Bears fans would have probably been a bit excited if we drafted a 3rd round QB that up 19 TDs to 9 INTs in his second year. I'm sure Schiano and the old GM were fired for a multitude of reasons, but drafting a guy like Glennon in the third should be pretty low on that list.

QUOTE (zenryan @ Mar 12, 2014 -> 06:41 PM) Who else are the Bucs suppose to start? Glennon is a backup at best. The Bucs will probably draft a Qb in the first three rounds and McCown will bridge that gap. Glennon is only 24 and put up better raw numbers in his first year than McCown had ever put up excluding last year. I'm not a Bucs fan or anything, but it just seems harsh to call a 24 year old that just up a season with 19 Tds to 9 INTs a backup at best. Also, previous to last season "backup at best" pretty much defined Josh McCown.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Mar 11, 2014 -> 04:18 PM) I still think Jairus Byrd is the only free agent worth signing. I'm curious to see where he goes. New Orleans, 6 years 54 million. 28 guaranteed. A lot of good teams are adding good players.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Mar 10, 2014 -> 02:24 PM) Same. I think he, Bostic, and SMC all compete for 2 spots. I thought Bostic and Shea were competing for the SAM. DJ is a MIKE I believe, so as of now I think he'd be a starter.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Mar 8, 2014 -> 09:58 PM) Ekeyyyyyyyyyy do we got a chance at the 7? Was at a bar so no commetary. Would be so much than the 8 9 I think Minnesota has to lose to PSU for the Illini to the 7

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 8, 2014 -> 09:39 PM) EKEY! WOOOOOOO! Sucks to not make the tournament, but wins over Mizzou, Indiana, and @ Iowa are the next best thing. It didn't look like it would have mattered a few weeks ago, but this is a tourney team if the NCAA lets Starks play. Unfortunate.