Klee: Is there a solution?
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Beat writer Paul Klee on tonight's game:
Prediction
Minnesota 57, Illinois 54
It's easy enough to say there need to be changes. Placing blame is easier than finding solutions. So what is the solution? What ails Illinois basketball is less a problem in strategy and more a problem in culture. Players saw the successes of Dee, Deron and Luther, but they weren't around to see the hard work and gym hours that propelled them to the NCAA championship game. The program's culture needs an adjustment, and coaches addressed that topic in private meetings this week. One change that could develop next season, for example, is having all of the non-freshmen live together. "That's what we did," assistant coach Jerrance Howard said of his time as a player. "Me and Sean (Harrington) were different, but it doesn't matter, we lived together and we learned to be there for each other. That stuff matters." Another change is having open competition for playing time. That was a point of emphasis in spring workouts after last season, but it never developed, and the coaching staff stuck with the usual suspects. Those reserves relegated to the bench got complacent. It became clear they weren't going to play anyway, you know, so why bust your tail in practice? Being a student-athlete at Illinois offers a comfortable lifestyle. After a loss at Northwestern last season, for example, players were held out of media interviews, supposedly as a punishment. In reality, it was a gift and another example of not holding them accountable. Another change that must be addressed is the negativity in the locker room and coaches offices. That isn't simply the beat writer's belief — it is the belief of coaching peers that want to see this staff succeed again. The head coach has shouldered the blame for the program's slide, saying at least a half-dozen times, "It's my fault," whether in relation to recruiting the right players or making them better. Reaching the NCAA tournament was considered a given heading into this season — we've noted those preseason Final Four t-shirts on several occasions — but now that is the primary goal. "You hope we can find a way to get in there and do some damage," Weber said. NCAA tournament bracket projections favor the Illini, but those projections are designed as if the season ended today. In fact, Illinois is in trouble in regards to the NCAA tournament, with the most difficult portion of the schedule starting today. This eight-game stretch will determine if Illinois enters an offseason of change with optimism toward the future or more negativity toward the past. (News-Gazette prediction record: 16-7).
Bruce Weber is a very good coach, the ideas in the above article are good. Harken to the days of Bill Self, who came into practice wearing camo gear, it's war out there in the Big Ten, and it takes guts, not looks, or style. Being on scholarship is a privilege, not a gift or a right, and needs to be earned. Forget the NBA, you've got 4 years to bust your tails for the Illini faithful who support you through thick and thin. that's priority, and a coach can't teach that!!
Disagree with the LDrake post. I believe Weber is a very good person but an average coach. His resume and record speaks for itself. No debate.
Illlini nation must now determined if we are ready to accept average. If we are,Weber is the guy. If not ,we need a change...plain and simple.
HoopsNut. . .what was BW supposed to do with the Smith-Carwell situation? There was a serious mistake made by a couple of young guys, which sometimes happens with guys that age. Smith was given a second chance, failed and was dismissed. I'm sure a near death experience for Carwell was just too much to take, especially when coupled with his lack of playing time due, at least partially, to injury. Where, in your opinion, is BW not a good guy?
Bruce Weber is most certainly not a good coach. He took over a program which was on the verge of elite status and made it average.
The only technique he has left to get this team to play up to its potential is to start the seniors and hope for the best.
This team will not get better until Weber is gone.
Weber seems like a good person and it's not that illini fans want him to be shamed it's just obvious he's not the right man for the job. Illini nation want a consistent top 20 team and a shot at a tourney run every 3-4 years and Weber has trouble getting through to the type of players it takes for that type of success
Weber does feel the heat and so do the players. They want to win and they care. They are trying to do different things but to no avail at least not yet. They were successful during most of November and December and the first 3 games of the B10 season. What are they doing differently now vs. then? The most noticeable changes to the negative have been Dmac, Richardson and Tisdale. All three are very important. When one falters it's tough when 2 or 3 do then it's insurmountable.
But, I do agree that seasons are made or at least molded not from Dec through March but in the off-season. There does seem to be a lack of trust or chemistry out there. I don't think they dislike each other but they don't seem together as a team no matter what the lineup. It's like a bunch of freshmen from different schools all playing for the first time with each other.
Anyway if we miss the NCAA this year some eyebrows should be raised. I'm not in favor of firing Weber at the end of the season if we miss but he needs to be put on the clock. It doesn't take a genius to know that the 2012 and 13 class could slip as the program looks shaky at best. But we can't afford to let the program slip into oblivion either. We should expect and demand better. As good a buy Weber is at the end of the day it's about results and the last 4 years we have underachieved so there needs to be a change in how he runs the program or new person to take charge of it.
In my mind the huge failure of this staff is simply that they do not adjust to make the best use of the talent they have in order to give the team the best chance to win, PERIOD. Coaches, you do NOT have the personnel to play a successful man-to-man defense 100% of the time this year. Get that through your head!! Maybe next year, not this year. Hello McFly...Tisdale does NOT belong on the block!! If he can't/won't shoot from the perimeter let someone else play. Mix it up, give the other team different looks, you are so predictable I want to puke! For God's sake push the ball, deny passing lanes, and CRASH THE BOARDS!!
The most de-motivating thing in the world is to have a boss/parent/leader say that if you do x,y, and z you will get a chance. If your comments are true about "open competition", lack of follow though (i.e people did the work, but were not rewarded), then the bench becoming complacent, that is a serious condemnation of the coaches. I have been troubled/confused/bemused by the comment that I have heard on a number of podcasts and columns that they didn't work the bench in because there were no blowouts. You don't need blowouts to carefully work people in from time to time for a few minutes. When Head was forced to play against MD, he didn't hurt us. Surely there were times thoughout the season when minutes could be found to reward and develop. It wasn't done for whatever reason, and now the program is paying for it. If it leads to transfers, we will pay again.
Sorry tom, IMHO a different coach would get different results with this squad. A different coach would have different recruits than this coach. A different coach would be running different schemes than this coach. The results we're getting are simply unacceptable and the coach is the biggest reason why. Weber didn't make those shots in 2005. Cut the excuses. A good coach works with what he has and gets the most out of it. Bruce struggles in this area.
The comment about this team going 7-1 under Mike Krzyzewski is meaningless, because if he'd been the head coach, we wouldn't have the same team... any more than we would with Lon Kruger or Bill Self.
Loren's comments about the junior and senior classes are spot on... remember, he was saying that this was a bubble team _BEFORE_ all the problems we've seen this season.
Bruce Weber is going to win or lose with recruiting... but if the team goes badly enough, that will kill the recruiting no matter what. So would a wave of transfers... not at all unlikely if next year's team is in the Big Ten cellar.
Weber made an elite team average? How do you figure he did that? Unless of course 37-2 is average in your opinion. Weber has had a great success will Illinois. He coached them to the championship game, he has made average teams better than they should have been. The difference between the teams we have seen this year and last year is leadership and toughness. McCamey, Davis and Tisdale simply do not have the heart, the emotion, toughness or the leadership that Webers early teams had. Three years ago we went 24-10 because Weber had what this team is lacking. All great teams that those qualities on their team and unfortunately this Senior class has never had those qualities and they never will. Thankfully this is their last season because I don't see Illinois moving forward until the Seniors are gone. Two years from now Illinois is going back to the Final Four, this season the Freshmen and Sophomores are going to get a taste of what it feels like to be in the tourney. I think this years team may make it to the second round. Next years team will make it to the Sweet 16 or Elite 8. It is going to happen, Illinois is on the verge of being an elite program once again.
I can't understand all the negativity about Bruce . After all,his team surely leads the nation in letting fans storm the court . We saw it at PSU, UIC, Ind, Northwestern . And let's not forget his creative offense that has scored the fewest points in modern history(vs.PSU). And he's the 1st Illini coach in 36 yrs to lose 2 straight games at N.W. And it certainly isn't his fault that there aren't enough practice times during the week to teach his players his offense . So he's forced to do it during games by screaming instructions for the whole 40 minutes .
His Big 10 coaching record(after Self's players left) speaks for itself. An average record at best by an average coach .
Man up , Bruce ,admit you're lost, and leave !
Jturner, I couldn't agree more. Weber has created a culture of complacency and mediocrity and not just this year, this has been a trend (see Randall and Pruitt) that makes the 2005 team the exception rather than the rule. Weber talks a good game regarding "open competion" but at the end of the day, the seniors play, the freshman and sophomores sit creating complacency and chemistry issues for and between both groups. But what would you expect when there is a consistent lack of coaching integrity? Weber frequently makes comments and never follows through. How many times have we heard from the coaching staff that Bertrand might make a real difference tonight only to never see him take his warm up off? How many times have we heard Weber criticize Leonard knowing those same criticisms apply to Davis and Tisdale? This is killing this team as the young guys don't know what to expect and the older guys have no expectations placed upon them. Unfortunately, we're stuck for the rest of the year because the lack of playing time for the bench up to this point doesn't exactly give us a bunch of options.
My only criticism of Bruce is the micro managing on the sidelines. Do your preparation during the week and let the guys relax and play. Make your adjustments from your seat according to game conditions and situations.
Anyone who thinks Bruce is going to win big with these seniors and no juniors are expecting a little to much. You can blame him for the recruiting failures...but not so much the coaching. I don't know any coach that can make Tisdale and Davis tough hard nosed players that can finish inside.
The major criticism had been the recruiting. That has turned around tremendously. Bruce might not deserve an opportunity to coach the next wave of player, but I really feel like it's going to turn around soon.
Well 1st things 1st 24-10 is not what anyone would call a great record.And thats what everyone is getting at lets forget 05' I mean it everyone stop putting Bubbles and the 05' team in the same post please.
They played decent @ Minn. but we got a win from the only team in the Big 10 who is more mentally messed up than our boys are.
The boys, each game are playing against 2 teams at once they have their opponent and they have the ever yelling and screaming coach,how the heck can they run the floor find an open man when just when they are getting ready to execute, Bubbles calls an audible.This might work with some teams-not this one.No wonder Davis took a stoll across the paint during a free thow.
He needs to turn these guys lose let them play and have a little fun,let them ride a winning high into the next game instead of "bringing them back down to earth" and for god sake shut up when they are getting ready to shoot!!!!!
ps:Someone tell Jay Price to shut up too ...he don't do anything all yr then draws a tech.
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