Illini Basketball 2019-2020

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#176      
Deleted member 29907
RedRocksIllini said:
How Illinois would it be for the team to have a great season this year and then Underwood leaves because he doesn't want to work for a micromanaging AD?
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There's micromanagement and then there's 'coaching' in the sense of how to manage some situations. Micromanagement would entail much more day to day direction - if anyone is aware that this is JW's style - it would be nice to know.

Unless someone has more detail they are not sharing, we either believe JW is a sharp leader or he's not. BU still reports into the AD and the AD has ultimate responsibility for the overall health of Illini athletics. BU, honestly, should still be grateful JW pulled him out of OSU and gave him a significant increase.

That being said, however, when in doubt, I say we blame Mark Smith.
 
#177      
TCTORNADO
This could be the high water mark of the Brad Underwood era.:)


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#179      
Illini_matt
So the argument this thread is making is:

1. Lovie wanted to hire his own son (widely considered blatant nepotism) to be an assistant coach for the football team in an absolutely pivotal year. He hires him to work on the side of the ball that needed to show the most urgent improvement, despite his complete lack of experience coaching at any level. Whitman says, "Ya, totally cool, lol, it's your program, do what you want."
2. BU wants to keep his staff "as is" going into a pivotal year, but Whitman intercedes in dramatic fashion, demanding he demote his longest tenured assistant coach, most likely for a few recruiting misses. BU fights tooth and nail for his guy who he passionately thinks deserves to keep his job, but Whitman puts his foot down. Whitman says, "No, Brad, I am the AD and I am ultimately responsible for the performance of your program." Now BU is furious about it and will leave at the end of the year.

Give me a break. Sounds to me like we just need football to start back up to give us something real to talk about.
 
#180      
sacraig
JiroDreamsOfMcRibs said:
If I was being too subtle...
Whitman has become his mentor. His mentor was Guenther...
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Guenther wasn't exactly known for giving coaches a short leash, though. He tended to give coaches plenty of rope to hang themselves, and then let them dangle... and dangle... and dangle.
 
#184      
Deleted member 569417
sacraig said:
Guenther wasn't exactly known for giving coaches a short leash, though. He tended to give coaches plenty of rope to hang themselves, and then let them dangle... and dangle... and dangle.
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For poor performance yes...
 
#186      
RedRocksIllini
Illini_matt said:
So the argument this thread is making is:

1. Lovie wanted to hire his own son (widely considered blatant nepotism) to be an assistant coach for the football team in an absolutely pivotal year. He hires him to work on the side of the ball that needed to show the most urgent improvement, despite his complete lack of experience coaching at any level. Whitman says, "Ya, totally cool, lol, it's your program, do what you want."
2. BU wants to keep his staff "as is" going into a pivotal year, but Whitman intercedes in dramatic fashion, demanding he demote his longest tenured assistant coach, most likely for a few recruiting misses. BU fights tooth and nail for his guy who he passionately thinks deserves to keep his job, but Whitman puts his foot down. Whitman says, "No, Brad, I am the AD and I am ultimately responsible for the performance of your program." Now BU is furious about it and will leave at the end of the year.

Give me a break. Sounds to me like we just need football to start back up to give us something real to talk about.
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I don't know that anyone is making any such argument. My post was purely hypothetical (How Illinois would it be...). Having said that, IF this played out as some are suggesting where Whitman forced at least part of these coaching decisions, it seems natural to wonder how this sits with Underwood.
 
#187      
Deleted member 29907
illini0440 said:
It should be BUs call but it wasn't in this case....don't think BU or Walker are happy at all about it even though BU does love Gentry.
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If this is true, that's a problem. If BU was asked to demote someone - whether he fought it or not - no one should know whether he's happy about it or not. Good leaders own the ultimate action/decision and are not transparent.
 
#188      
sbillini
JiroDreamsOfMcRibs said:
For poor performance yes...
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At the risk of starting a whole new line of likely baseless speculation, so is the insinuation here that the walker demotion is not performance related? Something outside of basketball? And JW (the former attorney) is "mentoring" BU on managing the situation?
 
#189      
dbeverly26
PlayAZ said:
According to this from the Zags page, he was responsible for recruiting to extents at both OSU, and SFA and player development with the Zags as well, this could be correlated to recruiting. Nationwide ties as well?

https://gozags.com/coaches.aspx?rc=255
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The thing that popped out to me in his bio is that the mid-major player of the year award is named after Lou Henson.

On the whole, I think that this is a good hire even if there are bad politics behind it. Nothing wrong with checking the expiration date on Walker, and Gentry seems like a talented young coach who has a good relationship with Underwood. I can't really argue with it.
 
#190      
Deleted member 569417
sbillini said:
At the risk of starting a whole new line of likely baseless speculation, so is the insinuation here that the walker demotion is not performance related? Something outside of basketball? And JW (the former attorney) is "mentoring" BU on managing the situation?
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I'm saying that Walker wasn't demoted for "missing recruits" or the results of his performance.

And I apparently wasn't clear enough. Whitman has become the person that mentored him - Guenther - and the bigger picture people need to grasp is that the DIA has regressed to 1996 and only 2 things are relevant. Staying out of trouble with the NCAA and staying in the black.
 
#191      
Halloweenie
sbillini said:
At the risk of starting a whole new line of likely baseless speculation, so is the insinuation here that the walker demotion is not performance related? Something outside of basketball? And JW (the former attorney) is "mentoring" BU on managing the situation?
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Seems possible... timing and insider knowledge would seem to suggest it.. don't know why Whitman would get involved otherwise..should not in my opinion.
 
#192      
illini80
Well after feeling pretty good about the situation last night, I don’t feel that way at all anymore.
 
#193      
IndyILL
Halloweenie said:
Seems possible... timing and insider knowledge would seem to suggest it.. don't know why Whitman would get involved otherwise..should not in my opinion.
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please read the post directly preceding this post.... jirodreamsofmcribs
 
#197      
BananaShampoo
illini0440 said:
2. The demotion has nothing to do with coaching or recruiting ability and while BU didn't want the move to happen he made sure he was able to get someone he wanted to fill the spot.
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If it had nothing to do with Jamall's coaching or recruiting then what could it be that would cause his demotion unless it was personal and something of his own doing? And if it was, then why would Underwood be upset about it? Makes no sense. I just hope whatever it is doesn't mess up the morale of the team and their chemistry, because this is absolutely a make or break season. Glad we got Gentry, though.
 
#199      
PlayAZ

Regarding personal and Whitman and Walker...maybe it is as simple as Whitman doesn't see Walker as the future of this program, past history doesn't exactly help him that much except a gap bridge which has now been crossed. His recent recruiting efforts haven't helped and possibly this is the "safest" way to convey that you will no longer be here long term. We will help you, but eventually help yourself out the door?
 
#200      
Ga65
Anyone know when Kenpom will come out with 2019-20 ratings?
 
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