Weber on 2010 recruits
Jereme Richmond was named to the McDonald's All-American roster yesterday, and Crandall Head told me last night his repaired knee is "doing much better." The McD's game has been a goal for Richmond since I've known him, and it's tremendous and well-deserved that he was selected. He's really worked at it. In Head's case, Rich South assistant Walter Woghiren said last night the senior guard is "really getting after it" with their rehab work. So those are all positives for the 2010 pair.
But I don't think that stuff, the positives, will determine how good they are in college and beyond. I think it's whether they mature past the other stuff -- past suspensions, transfers, traffic charges reported last night by the Sun-Times, all of it -- that will dictate their levels of success. Whether you see them as minor issues or not... it's a pattern. Asked Bruce Weber in his press conference today about these issues:
"It always is (a concern). You want to make sure kids in your program do the right thing," Weber said. "I have said many times the best thing that can happen to those guys is when they come here we're going to have older guys that have been through it and understand what we want. So they're going to have no choice: 'This is the way we do it, do you want to be part of it?' It will be coming from the staff, but it's also going to be coming from the players.
"I think that will help their transition and our transition with them. You've got to do what we say or you're not going to play, because we've got enough guys. We're basically going to have everybody back. I think that will help both of them. I don't think either one are bad kids. They're kids. I know Jereme's made lots of strides, from just the growing-up process."
That Weber addressed the question at length shows it's something he's concerned with and has thought about. So that's the quick read, need to head over to practice. Weber had some more insight on the 2010 guys today - where they might fit in the rotation next season - and we'll get to that soon.
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