Tate & Turpin chat: 11 a.m. Monday
Monday, March 8, 2010 - 11:00am
Chat with the hosts of "Saturday Sportsline" and "Monday Morning Quarterback."
Chat with the hosts of "Saturday Sportsline" and "Monday Morning Quarterback."
OK, we're braced for the onslaught. Let's go. Loren and Jim
Good Morning: Legend Tate and Mr.Reality Check Turpin=ying/yang.World peace would be possible if we would live our lives like you guys.Loren: Will Jamar Smith make it in the pro's? Do your think Deon Thomas will make it to the Division 1 level coaching job down the road?
Loren's fan: Smith will play professionally somewhere. We haven't seen Smith play for two years, so we really don't know. And the same is true of Deon as far as where he goes from here. Sorry but we're just not on top of those situations. Loren and Jim.
Not a question just an observation. I don't think the Illini basketball team deserves to go to the NCAA'S this year. It would most likely be one and done just as in past years. They should just regroup for next year and see if they can't get some toughness and determination that was sadly lacking this season. Hopefully some of the new players will help with that and make some of the upperclassmen work harder than they did this year. It's really a shame with all of the talent they had this year that they laid such a big egg in many of their ballgames. We probably need to be prepared for a similar year next year, unless there are some drastic changes, but let's hope it is somewhat better.
Jake, you obviously have a much greater idea of Illinois' talent than we do. We just checked a mock draft, and there were no Illini in the top 60. If they played the season over again, it would probably come out about the same. Loren and Jim
So Loren, remember the Jimmy Carter administration? I do............albeit vaguely. I was 7 when it started.
Point is, the Illini basketball program has not been this putred for such a stretch since that time.
Accordingly, will you find a way to call out Ron Zook for this demise?
Good Morning Champaign's finest commentators! Do you think that Dmac should be benched for our next game against Wisconsin? He showed up Coach Weber and did not act like a floor General Sunday. He needs to act like a junior and not a freshman. Great job guys.
Illini Hopeful: Since he returned to the game with 5 minutes to go, it appears that the fuss is over, and he will be back in the lineup Friday. Of course, Weber benched him earlier so he could if he wants to. Jim and Loren
will a win on Friday get the Illini back feeling comfortable about there NCAA hopes? Or do they need to now win 2 games?
Brian, one win wouldn't give the Illini a "comfortable" feeling but it might be enough, and again it might not. Several major bracketologists including Lunardi have Illinois in right now. Nobody knows. We're all guessing. Jim and Loren
Why is it that the Illini appear to be apathetic and resigned to losing and won't even try to give it their all and fight back?
Hello Legends!!!
I am looking forward to watching some good basketball in Indy this weekend, got an all session pass and hope to be cheering on the O & B all weekend long. Illinois is a jump shooting team which as we have seen lately can be a big problem. On the other hand those shots fall, were looking at a big run in Indy. Either way should be a great weekend.
drew, Conseco is a great facility and Indianapolis is a terrific host. And we continue to wonder how much conference tournaments count in the minds of the selection committee. Jim and Loren
Smartest men in America,
Who do you want to see us play in the first round of the NIT?
Pete, we'd rather not have to play in the NIT but, if it happens and geography is a consideration, it might be Illinois State. Jim and Loren
What is with the Illini passing, shot selection and blocking out? Wisconsin put on a passing and shot selection clinic. Why doesn't Illinois pass for better shots?
Peter, Bruce Weber said it best. The Illini have only one player in the starting lineup who is an effective passer. It takes passing and maneuverability to get open shots, and you can tell by the assists column that only one player has that ability. Jim and Loren
Do you think that Demetri McCamey has earned a break from public criticism by Bruce Weber? He has dramatically improved this year while his team mates have not. He has carried the team. A successful minute of play for Brandon Paul would be: don't shoot, don't foul, don't turn the ball over. Brandon seems to come into the game and do one of these things right away.
Dave, yes Brandon should stand there like the others and not do anything, and then he wouldn't be a detriment. Just between us, what's it like to live in Iowa City? Jim and Loren
Loren:
Do you now understand why many people were so upset about the Minnesota loss?
Karl, no I don't. It's OK to be upset about any loss. But this was virtually a tossup game in terms of talent, and Illinois was vulnerable, played poorly and lost. If that makes you mad, fine. You have that right. I just think there ought to be a difference between disappointment and rage. Loren
Loren, I was listening to the Locker Room show with Steve Kelly after the game and the one thing that struck me was that the whole entire program has lost confidence in itself. It seemed to me that Weber has lost total confidence in his team and the guys have totally lost confidence in themselves, is that the case?
John: Maybe they've lost some confidence. That happens when you lose. The late schedule was very difficult and, with one disappointment after another, that tends to happen. Jim
Guys,
Do expect the Illini to take an NIT invitation if offered? I think the real problem with this team is its lack of talent. Very average players. No bigs that can make a move. All projects. Would you agree? Dosn't that fall on the coaching staff? I didn't have to take any stupid pills to figure that out.
Duke, we have no information on whether the Illini would accept a road game in the NIT, but we have no reason to think they would decline it, if offered. As for the bigs being projects, I think that's what we've been trying to say, as nicely as possible, all along. Yes, the recruiting has been sub-par, and the chickens have come home to roost. Jim and LOren
I know freshmen are hard to project but let's talk about Richmond. Based on what u guys have seen from him in person, do u see him starting over Cole next year? You know Cole will probably outwork him over the summer(Billy has obviously been working on his jumper already) so I can see a scenario where Jereme comes off the bench. Or is Jereme one of the top 5 recruits we've ever had here and he's a cinch to be a starter?
Adam, Richmond is one of the top recruits ever at Illinois. Whether he falls in among the Top 5 is another question that would take some research. He is not a cinch starter but, if he doesn't start, it would be a big disappointment. Illinois needs his skills, mobility and scoring ability. Jim and Loren
Regarding the rants on the message boards demanding Weber's firng, in your view what is a realistic time line that Weber has to improve the team performance. I would think he at least has to get the team be a consistent entry in the NCAA tournament.
Efrem, you are right that the NCAA tournament has become a measuring stick for coaches. But in terms of a time line, Weber is under no immediate pressure from the hierarcy in terms of his job. Jim and Loren
How to RG's verbal attacks on Warren Carter and "suggestions" to Weber, made in public during the VA Tech game and reported by the media, compare to the "stupid" fan criticism that you deplore this year? Maybe, just maybe, frustration brings out the stupid in all of us.
JT, we all do things in a moment of crisis that we regret. Frustration sometimes boils over. It has happened before and it will again. Jim and Loren
I don't understand the revisionist history with Chester Frazier. He played with passion, no doubt about it, but he had such limiited offensive skills and consistently airballed three pointers. His tenure at Illinois coincided with the Dark Ages for Illinis basketball -- the awful PSU performance, the Jamar Smith drama, poor tournament results -- and yet many look back with nostalgia on him. I ask that you be realistic.
Andrew, Frazier did not consistently airball threes. He shot 38 percent on threes last season, and the team average was 35 percent. So we ask you to be realistic. Jim and Loren
Great, the NIT. Oh, how far we've come. Since Dee Brown and Co. left, we have not won an NCAA game. We have been seeded 12, nothing, 5, and now again nothing. Heck of a coaching job!
Can this Illinois team even get itself up to play a NIT game?
Recently, you wrote an article "I've had enough." (or something to that effect)
Does this open the door a tiny bit more of itching toward retirement?
Charley, I am planning to retire in 2050. Why would I want to leave when I'm having so much fun? Loren
Will results of this years' basketball team change the recruiting priorities of finding real bangers and playmakers? Why didn't Weber catch on the imbalance of player-types on the squad earlier? Too many lean lankies and straight-up shooters w/o play making skills.
Charley, he recruited the best players that he could attract, and it turned out this way. Sure, he'd love more bangers. Sure, he'd love more playmakers. So does everyone else. What is it about Illinois that everything thinks the basketball team should be markedly better than OSU, MSU, Purdue and Wisconsin when those are peaking with Top 20 teams? They have resources too. They have strong fandoms. They are located in basketball areas also. Loren
Hey guys,
It's been discussed plenty about how this team is just not physical and how that hurts their rebounding, but not being physical shouldn't keep them from at least trying to rebound. It's hard to get an offensive rebound when four guys take off the other way as soon as a shot goes up. If you look at what Wisconsin did, even when it looked like we were going to come away with a defensive rebound, they kept swatting at the ball and harassing us and several times we gave up the ball and they got an extra possession.
Long story short, there's a big difference between not being good at something and not trying.
I agree that Illinois doesn't have as good of players as Wisconsin does. In fact I would say that there are 4 or 5 teams in the Big Ten that have better talent. My question is how long is it acceptable to have mid tier talent at best before a change is considered. I don't think Weber's problem is coaching, it is recruiting. Thoughts?
Andy, clearly, recruiting has been the problem, and there is now a possibility that putting next year's class with the current freshmen will pay off in the coming years. We'll see.
This much we know: The two classes are better than those that preceded them. Loren
If we have the same starters back next year, won't we see more of the samethings?
Sore leg, probably, yes, The hope is that Paul, Bertrand, Griffey and the incoming freshmen give the Illini a boost. Loren
If we have the same starters back next year, won't we see more of the samethings?
If we have the same starters back next year, won't we see more of the samethings?
This may or may not be fair, but I believe Bo Ryan would have the ILLINI
in a better place than Bruce. Ryan takes any and all players and coaches the heck out of them. Maybe Bruce could go to one of his clinics and learn how to coach!!!!
What happened to Dj in the second half. He did not seem to play very many minutes. Jeff Jordan even came in for Dmac while DJ sat on the bench?
John, Richardson played 28 minutes without accomplishing much. He appears to have hit the freshman wall. And he is not a point guard. That's why Weber uses Jordan for McCamey. Loren