Illinois head basketball coach Bruce Weber's recruiting woes are well documented. Although he's widely considered an outstanding game coach and a good guy, Weber has never been able to convince top level high school basketball players to matriculate to Champaign. In fact, it's gotten so bad that in the last two or three years Weber's inability to recruit elite talent has become something of a legend.
That could change.
More here.
For background on the disparity between Bruce Weber's coaching prowess vs. his struggles on the recruiting trail, read Dave Parker in today's Joliet (IL) Herald News.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
6 comments:
You need to show the complete package on and off the field with recruiting. Bruce Weber needs to attend a Dennis Green seminar. For real. Heres a guy who transformed two programs nobody wanted to play at. Illinois isnt a bad place to go. It starts with the family. DG has got that foundation built
I don't know. I think B.Web is doing a better job recruiting. He got Bertrand, Paul, Richmond and Richardson for '09 and '10. And Crandall Head is a sure thing for "10 too.
Bruce had some trouble at first, but now he's starting to blaze the recruiting trail. (Besides, I'm glad that we didn't get Jon Scheyer. He'd never make it in the Big 10. and he's not athletic enough to play on this team anyway.)
But B.Web is still struggling in the city of Chi Town (all our recruits are from downstate or the suburbs). Bruce needs to be able to relate to the urban, Chicago players, coaches, AAU coaches, and posses. So I think Bruce should start rockin' Sean Jean and Rocca wear. And he should wear a headband on the sidelines. It might help if B.Web got some tattoos too.
And it would really help him on the Southside if B.Web could learn how to "get his juke on." That's what the kids are into these days.
World Wide Wes could help, but Bruce can win kids over if he just learns how to relate to them a little better. Maybe he could start carrying a pimp chalice around too. That could help.
Bruce Almighty is a great recruiter. When J.Bert, D.J., and Paul get to Chambana in '09, were back in the Final 4 immediately!! Then when Richmond and C.Head come in '10, its dynasty time!
But look no further than Bruce Almighty's recruits on this team. Pruitt has NBA written all over him. Brock is gunna be a star. Chet the Jet is the toughest, hardest working PG in the country - I have a huge man crush on him. And when Jamarvellous comes back next year, we're a top 10 team again ... book it! (Although I am worried that Jamarvellous will leave early. He's a lottery pick for sure.)
Add to that the fact that our walk ons are the best in college basketball. I mean, we got 3 walk ons in our back court!! Their so good that Bruce only has 2 guards on scholarship!! How many teams can say that?
Meach is as good as any guard in the Big 10. And when Holdren starts to play, he's one of the best shooters in the country. Plus Meach and Holdren are from Champaign Centennial!!! C-Pain reprezentin!!! Anybody who saw them guys in high school knows how good they are.
And the '07 class is the most underrated in the country. Mike Tisdale is gunna be an NBA lottery pick. I mean, Tissy is 7'1" and can shoot 3 pointers, just like Dirk Nowitski. He'll be even better then Nick Smith in a few years. D-Mac is the second coming of Deron Williams. I just hope he sticks around longer than D.Will did. And Billy Cole is from Peoria. 'Nuff said. Plus, Jordan's last name is Jordan!!! And his dad has actually come down to C-'Paign a few times. That's gunna help B.Web recruit big time!!! I mean, Bruce Almighty actually knows M.J. now. And he's shook M.J.'s hand too!! And Matt Lauer came to town to meet M.J., J.J. and B.Web ..... that's gunna help with recruiting big time!!! I mean, Bruce was standing next to M.J. and Matt Lauer on the Today Show. Every high school basketball player in America prolly seen that.
When Carwell and Randle come back from there injuries, were gunna win the Big 10 again. MSU doesn't scare me. Sampscum is gunna have the Loosiers on probation before the tornament, and Wiscy is overrated. Besides, Bruce Almighty will coach 'em up in January and February. We'll be back in the sweet 16 by march!! And since Chet is our PG, were the toughest team in the conference.
Bring back Chief Illiniwek!!
Wrigleyville Illini,
Bruce doesn't need to recruit up in Chicago. Forget them. Bruce just needs to keep Peoria, Springfield and the rest of the state in the fold. That's all he needs.
I couldn't believe that Weber didn't offer a scholarship to Lewis Jackson or Verdell Jones. LewJack City is goin to be a load at Purdue. But he coulda been the next Dee Brown for us. And as far as Jones goes, it's just inexcusable to let a Champaign kid from your own back yard get out of town. He's goin to come back to bite us.
It's no mistake that the best Illini players always come from the real Illinois (south of I80), not up there in Cheegago. Frankie Williams is the greatest basketball player who ever lived and he's from P-town. If he hadn't been worried about getting hurt, he would have dominated the NBA like nobody else ever has. And Sergio McClain was a man among boys in high school.
Carwell hasnt done anything yet and hes from Chicago. But look at how good Tisdale has been so far. Wanna guess where he's from? Riverton -'bout 30 miles south of Springfield.
And don't forget that NBA superstars Darius Miles, Troy Hudson, Keon Clark and Tyrone Nesby are all downstate guys (Livingston doesn't count, as far as I'm concerned, when he committed to Puke he revoked his Illinois citizenship).
So is Brett Melton. He'll be in the NBA someday. He's doin good in the ABA.
Lastly, everybody's favorite Illini, the Orlando Magic's Brian Cook, is a Lincoln Railsplitter.
Go get em' (as long as there from South of I-80) Bruce.
abtin h,
Bruce Weber doesn't need to
attend a Dennis Green seminar. He needs to bring in a motivational speaker ...... like me.
Here's a little sample of my motivational techniques:
It may all be fun and games now, but if Bruce Weber doesn't improve his recruiting soon, he's gunna end up like me. I'm 33 years old, thrice divorced and I'm livin' in a van down by the river.
I agree wholeheartedley with abtin h. Dennis Green possesses a rale gift of intellect blended in with compassion. His seminars help coaches who have struggled to repeat success find the inner-strength to succeed. I agree with matt foley, that Weber is headed towards gloom and doom, unless he sees the light. Green is the hottest coaching candidate in both college and the pros. for a reason. He is the ultimate motivator. Our economy would be better and more productive if we had more leaders like Dennis Green and less self-absorbed people like Bobby Petrino.
Post a Comment