Smart turns down Illinois

[BBK]

I wonder how many players will transfer. They have 7 4-star recruits on their team, and I doubt they all stick around. I'm sure Hoiberg has called all of them by now.

 

[Will McCoy]

We will see Farva..Evan Turner sure spoke VERY highly of him..He's an extremely elite recruiter.

Text from one of my Illini buddies.

You know who else Evan Turner spoke highly of?

Eric Awkward May.

 

[bigazzturkeylegs]

We will see Farva..Evan Turner sure spoke VERY highly of him..He's an extremely elite recruiter.

Text from one of my Illini buddies.

You know who else Evan Turner spoke highly of?

Eric Awkward May.

+1

 

[BBK]

Thad Matta also speaks highly of the guy. You know who else Matta speaks highly of? Todd The Criminal.

 

[scottsdalehawk]

David Kaplan ‏ @thekapman
Plane that was being used to pick up Groce has not left Champaign-Urbana. Major problems with a trustee and the hiring.

 

[scottsdalehawk]

David Kaplan ‏ @thekapman
Trustee James Montgomery reportedly is furious at hiring process at Illinois. Press conference that was planned is currently off

 

[BBK]

Some folks on the BoT are adamant that Illinois hires a black coach.\

Illinois has never had a black coach for football or men's basketball.

 

[BBK]

I don't think anyone other than redbirdhawk is enjoying this as much as I am.

 

[ISUFan98]

Some folks on the BoT are adamant that Illinois hires a black coach.\

Illinois has never had a black coach for football or men's basketball.

Yes, because that's what's really holding them back.

 

[ISUFan98]

I know a black coach who loves being a school's fifth choice, and would be real cheap for the Illini. Plus, he could get their satellite TV installed for free.

 

[Rodney Farva]

I don't think anyone other than redbirdhawk is enjoying this as much as I am.

I'm pretty sure every Iowa fans that lives close to or in that state is enjoying this as much as you. As I've said before there is no worse fan than an Illinois basketball fan.

 

[Will McCoy]

I don't think anyone other than redbirdhawk is enjoying this as much as I am.

This is pretty GD awesome. I'm trying to temper my enthusiasm b/c I don't want to see them hit a homerun.

 

[fuisu98]

Some folks on the BoT are adamant that Illinois hires a black coach.\

Illinois has never had a black coach for football or men's basketball.

Yeah, Montgomery (black guy) is raising hell because they arent hiring a black coach. apparently to the point that the plane to pick the coach up was ground. He also was 1 of 2 that voted against Beckman being hired, again because they wanted a black coach.

If Iowa were looking for a coach and had Bj Armstrong lined up to take the job but they held off on the contract because 2 BoT members wanted a white guy Iowa City would be in ashes.

 

[Grandma]

Some folks on the BoT are adamant that Illinois hires a black coach.\

Illinois has never had a black coach for football or men's basketball.

Yeah, Montgomery (black guy) is raising hell because they arent hiring a black coach. apparently to the point that the plane to pick the coach up was ground. He also was 1 of 2 that voted against Beckman being hired, again because they wanted a black coach.

If Iowa were looking for a coach and had Bj Armstrong lined up to take the job but they held off on the contract because 2 BoT members wanted a white guy Iowa City would be in ashes.

If this is the real reason then if the job goes elsewhere I hope Groce fires up a several million dollar lawsuit.

 

[scottsdalehawk]

Fran's Red Face‏@FransRedFaceReply

Nice work on the whole coaching hire process Illinois. I've seen more organized monkey shit fights at the zoo.

 

[imissjoeyrange]

Sort of related but not really: DePaul is looking to build an arena near campus. The Finkl Steel site would be perfect. It's walking distance to campus, the L, the metra and 2 minutes from the interstate. This would be huge for DePaul.

http://www.csnchicago.com/ncaa/news/DePaul-looking-to-build-new-arena-land-C?blockID=677786&feedID=661

 

[OlePeep]

Frank Martin is out of play: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/03/26/3514005/report-south-carolina-to-hire.html

Did anyone else hear Martin say that he used to send money to some of his former plaers when they were in college? It was on CBS yesterday and they were discussing it on Mike and Mike. Is there any way that the NCAA doesnt start taking a look at Frank?

I caught the tail end of that. WTF was he talking about?

I heard him discuss that on Rome last week. He was talking about how when he was still a HS coach he would send cash to help out poor former players as they struggled w/out $$ while they were in college. It was in conjunction with his player's (forgot the kid's name) ineligibility for taking some petty cash from a former AAU coach who had practically raised the kid from age 11

 

[Slidewilly]

Text from one of my Illini buddies.

You know who else Evan Turner spoke highly of?

Eric Awkward May.

+1

In fairness, that was after a game in which May had two or three of the best highlight-reel plays by any Iowa player in recent years--including that baseline-takeoff Superman dunk on which Turner was a spectator.

 

[atemp]

Sort of related but not really: DePaul is looking to build an arena near campus. The Finkl Steel site would be perfect. It's walking distance to campus, the L, the metra and 2 minutes from the interstate. This would be huge for DePaul.

http://www.csnchicago.com/ncaa/news/DePaul-looking-to-build-new-arena-land-C?blockID=677786&feedID=661

We are somewhat involved in neighborhood things in the City, getting development done is crazy, people are nuts. That's a nice plot of land, that can bring in quite a bit of revenue for the City (Illinois and Chicago need "revenue" to support the lib causes that help make society better). I would bet that it won't get done, and if by chance it does it will be done in 10 years. Given that Children's Memorial is moving downtown that plot is already a cluster as people in that neighborhood have been complaining for a while about various proposals (retail, DePaul, etc.).

 

[Pseudonym]

They still haven't hired anybody?

 

[BBK]

The word is that they might not get Groce now because Ohio is going to offer him a sizeable raise to stay.

 

[bigazzturkeylegs]

Groce would be walking into an impossible situation at Illinois now.

Reggie Theus?

 

[BBK]

I almost think Theus makes the most sense now. He's black, so he's got that going for him. Plus he'll probably be able to recruit fairly well.

 

[douglasbader]

Illinois should give Larry Brown a call to fill in for a couple of years while they get their shit together.

 

[ivan_drago]

Illinois should give Larry Brown a call to fill in for a couple of years while they get their shit together.

Good call - he wants to work , but he does have one large downfall:

he isn't black at all.

 

[ivan_drago]

Jeff Goodman ‏ @GoodmanCBS

John Groce to Illinois is a done deal, source told CBSSports. News Conference likely tomorrow.

 

[BBK]

They're really going to do this. LOL.

Supposedly Groce has been holding out to get an 8 year deal. If Illinois game him that they have gone full retard.

 

[MikeyJoe]

Groce is official. PC at 1:00 today.

 

[BBK]

This is not going to end well.

 

[valp0guy]

Groce was born in Muncie, Ind., and played for Todd The Criminal at Danville High School in Indiana.

:rotf:

 

[BBK]

Groce was born in Muncie, Ind., and played for Todd The Criminal at Danville High School in Indiana.

:rotf:

Yep. Todd fucking LOVES the guy. That should be all anyone needs to know.

 

[Whatever]

If Lick doesn't get the Miami of Ohio job I could see him being an assistant for Groce at Illinois. I suppose he could also be a candidate for the Ohio job.

 

[Hawkeye_Pierce]

They're really going to do this. LOL.

Supposedly Groce has been holding out to get an 8 year deal. If Illinois game him that they have gone full retard.

Just reading up on Groce. Sounds like he has pretty solid recruiting skills and was instrumental in Ohio State's success before taking the Ohio job. Still, I have a hard time imagining him being successful navigating the shark infested waters of the CPL. His first hire should be Simeon's Robert Smith.

Frankly, I think this is a better hire for the Illini than Brad Stevens would have been.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

maybe he knows bonzi wells

 

[BBK]

They're really going to do this. LOL.

Supposedly Groce has been holding out to get an 8 year deal. If Illinois game him that they have gone full retard.

Just reading up on Groce. Sounds like he has pretty solid recruiting skills and was instrumental in Ohio State's success before taking the Ohio job. Still, I have a hard time imagining him being successful navigating the shark infested waters of the CPL. His first hire should be Simeon's Robert Smith.

Frankly, I think this is a better hire for the Illini than Brad Stevens would have been.

From earlier in this thread:

5. Groce's reputation as a recruiter is almost entirely built around the Oden-Conley class at Ohio State. There are two giant holes to be blown in that feather in his cap, however. First of all, both Oden and Conley were coached in AAU by Groce's half-brother. This brother is no longer working as an AAU coach. Plus, the lead recruiter for that class was really Daequan Cook, who was as active as anyone in convincing Oden and Conley to jump aboard. Groce was in the right place at the right time.

[/QUOTE]

 

[MikeyJoe]

Groce's best recruit at Ohio (and purportedly evidence he'll recruit Chicago) was D.J. Cooper, an unranked 3* player whose other offers were Loyola and Kent State.

His recruiting classes at Ohio have been basically typical of a Mac school. The Illini are putting a lot of eggs in that one Ohio State recruiting class basket.

 

[HiawathaHawk]

They're really going to do this. LOL.

Supposedly Groce has been holding out to get an 8 year deal. If Illinois game him that they have gone full retard.

Just reading up on Groce. Sounds like he has pretty solid recruiting skills and was instrumental in Ohio State's success before taking the Ohio job. Still, I have a hard time imagining him being successful navigating the shark infested waters of the CPL. His first hire should be Simeon's Robert Smith.

Frankly, I think this is a better hire for the Illini than Brad Stevens would have been.

No fucking way.

Brad Stevens could have said "fuck Chicago" and won big. The idea that he can't recruit is nuts. He got Matt Howard, a 4-star guy to turn down everyone else in state and others in the Big Ten for Butler BEFORE they won anything big. He almost got Cody Zeller to Butler. He's not Todd The Criminal.

 

[BBK]

They're really going to do this. LOL.

Supposedly Groce has been holding out to get an 8 year deal. If Illinois game him that they have gone full retard.

Just reading up on Groce. Sounds like he has pretty solid recruiting skills and was instrumental in Ohio State's success before taking the Ohio job. Still, I have a hard time imagining him being successful navigating the shark infested waters of the CPL. His first hire should be Simeon's Robert Smith.

Frankly, I think this is a better hire for the Illini than Brad Stevens would have been.

No fucking way.

Brad Stevens could have said "fuck Chicago" and won big. The idea that he can't recruit is nuts. He got Matt Howard, a 4-star guy to turn down everyone else in state and others in the Big Ten for Butler BEFORE they won anything big. He almost got Cody Zeller to Butler. He's not Todd The Criminal.

While I agree that Stevens may not have been the best fit for Illinois and I jokingly said it would be similar to hiring The Criminal, Stevens would be a WAY better hire than Groce.

 

[Slidewilly]

have a hard time imagining him being successful navigating the shark infested waters of the CPL. His first hire should be Simeon's Robert Smith.

I think he should hire Bob Hambric.

I'm just relieved that they didn't get Smart, and pleased that there's a lot of gnashing of teeth among the Illannoy fanbase.

 

[Whatever]

They're really going to do this. LOL.

Supposedly Groce has been holding out to get an 8 year deal. If Illinois game him that they have gone full retard.

Just reading up on Groce. Sounds like he has pretty solid recruiting skills and was instrumental in Ohio State's success before taking the Ohio job. Still, I have a hard time imagining him being successful navigating the shark infested waters of the CPL. His first hire should be Simeon's Robert Smith.

Frankly, I think this is a better hire for the Illini than Brad Stevens would have been.

No fucking way.

Brad Stevens could have said "fuck Chicago" and won big. The idea that he can't recruit is nuts. He got Matt Howard, a 4-star guy to turn down everyone else in state and others in the Big Ten for Butler BEFORE they won anything big. He almost got Cody Zeller to Butler. He's not Todd The Criminal.

Matt Howard was a The Criminal recruit.

 

[Hawkstrat]

Good of Lick to bring him to Iowa.

 

[HiawathaHawk]

Just reading up on Groce. Sounds like he has pretty solid recruiting skills and was instrumental in Ohio State's success before taking the Ohio job. Still, I have a hard time imagining him being successful navigating the shark infested waters of the CPL. His first hire should be Simeon's Robert Smith.

Frankly, I think this is a better hire for the Illini than Brad Stevens would have been.

No fucking way.

Brad Stevens could have said "fuck Chicago" and won big. The idea that he can't recruit is nuts. He got Matt Howard, a 4-star guy to turn down everyone else in state and others in the Big Ten for Butler BEFORE they won anything big. He almost got Cody Zeller to Butler. He's not Todd The Criminal.

Matt Howard was a The Criminal recruit.

Yes Lick was the head coach. But as was discussed repeatedly at the time, Stevens was his lead recruiter and he never considered following Lick to Iowa.

 

[Whatever]

How do you know Howard never considered following Lick to Iowa?

 

[BBK]

Insider!!!!!

 

[Will McCoy]

How do you know Howard never considered following Lick to Iowa?

Put yourself in Howard's shoes...would you consider following Lick to Iowa?

NFW

 

[Whatever]

How do you know Howard never considered following Lick to Iowa?

Put yourself in Howard's shoes...would you consider following Lick to Iowa?

NFW

National Coach of the Year Lick? Hell if I know. He committed to play for him at Butler. I'd be interested to know how Hiawatha knows he didn't even consider it.

 

[cjhawks]

How do you know Howard never considered following Lick to Iowa?

Put yourself in Howard's shoes...would you consider following Lick to Iowa?

NFW

At that time? Probably. The HC of the school I committed to was just named Nat'l HC of the Year, is leaving a mid-major school for a power conference school, and would be receptive to me following him? Yeah, I'd think about it.

 

[HiawathaHawk]

How do you know Howard never considered following Lick to Iowa?

Didn't he say as much almost immediately? Iowa fans got excited about the possibility of Howard coming with him, Butler fans assured us that Stevens was his guy and Howard then re-affirmed his commitment.

That's how I remembered it at least but I could be wrong.

 

[imissjoeyrange]

How do you know Howard never considered following Lick to Iowa?

Didn't he say as much almost immediately? Iowa fans got excited about the possibility of Howard coming with him, Butler fans assured us that Stevens was his guy and Howard then re-affirmed his commitment.

That's how I remembered it at least but I could be wrong.

The Criminal immediately said that those players (Howard's class) made a commitment to Butler and they should stick with it and he made no attempt to bring any of them with him.

 

[MikeyJoe]

How do you know Howard never considered following Lick to Iowa?

Didn't he say as much almost immediately? Iowa fans got excited about the possibility of Howard coming with him, Butler fans assured us that Stevens was his guy and Howard then re-affirmed his commitment.

That's how I remembered it at least but I could be wrong.

The Criminal immediately said that those players (Howard's class) made a commitment to Butler and they should stick with it and he made no attempt to bring any of them with him.

That son of a bitch.

Todd The Criminal was a fucking criminal.