Self to Kansas - Crean to Illinios? Clarkmeister?

[JTG51]

I know there's a couple of Illinois fans here, I'm curious how big a setback to you think Self leaving will be to your program. How are Illinois fans taking it? Is there a lot of bitterness towards Self like there was from Kansas fans towards Roy Williams?

Everyone seems to think Tom Crean is the front runner for the job. He did a great job at Marquette, I can't imagine there will be much of a drop off if they do hire him.

This has been a crazy offseason for college hoops coaches. As a UConn fan, every time I see this stuff I think god for Jim Calhoun.

[Clarkmeister]

I've been very active on the UI message board the last few days. To say people are bitter is a huge understatement. If you don't believe me, go look for yourself at:

http://forums.illiniboard.com/illhoop/

Anyways, here's my take.

1. We had no shot at keeping him. KU is simply one of those jobs that you take if its offered.

2. For many UI fans, its not that he left, its how he left. He didn't even meet with the players as he promised he would as recently as Friday evening. Of course, for many its the fact that he left. Myopia reigns supreme, as some honestly are deluded enough to think that UI is as good a job as KU.

3. We are far more worried about him taking Asst. Coach Wayne McClain who is the Peoria recruiting connection. At this point, Wayne's future is uncertain, which is very disturbing.

4. The program will be fine. We have a great incoming freshman class, 3 returning Soph starters and several excellent Juniors. The state incredible High School Junior and Sophomore classes coming up, so we should have lots of talent coming in. As many have written (Vitale, Decoursey etc), the program is about to take off. That won't change.

5. As much as I hate losing his recruiting, he is not the greatest X and O guy in the world. Not sour grapes, just fact. In 2 of his 3 tourney losses at UI his team played by far their least prepared game of the season. That's inexcusable. His first year when he got a #1 seed and went to the elite 8 with Krugers talent, literally anyone could've done *at least* that good. That team was crazy good, and frankly underachieved by not reaching the FF.

6. Yes, I think it will be Crean. While some think he wants to stay at MU, his lack of a blanket denial, similar to Self, means he is interested. The press is amazingly good at getting information on these situations as well. Crean is almost certainly our #1 choice, despite the lack of anything yet. I'd be shocked if we hadn't contacted him unofficially a week ago.

7. If not him, people are talking about Northern IL coach R. Judson, who is an Illini. Not enough experience for me though, and at 46 he's getting too old. Also mentined are SIU's Weber, but concerns are he will leave for Purdue when Keady leaves since he was an 18 year assistant there. Mark Few has come up, as has Mike Montgomery. Personally, I like both Tommy Amaker and Stan Heath, both of whom are in ugly situations at their current jobs and would love for a reason to leave.

In short, we'll be fine. Sometimes fate sucks. If Chad May doesn't break his ankle, maybe none of this happens.

[Clarkmeister]

This guy is the best beat man for the program:

http://www.hrpreps.com/current/sportslead/sportslead.php

Crean claims to have been on Mars for a week:

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/illinois/cs-030420crean,1,6213509.story?coll=cs%2Dhome%2Dheadl ines

Charlie Villanueva still undecided:

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/illinois/cs-030420illinirecruits,1,4769578.story?coll=cs%2Dhom e%2Dheadlines

[JTG51]

To say people are bitter is a huge understatement.

I believe it. There was some ugly stuff on the Kansas message boards the day or two after Williams announced he was leaving. The Pitt boards were really, really ugly when Ben Howland took the UCLA job. I know the same would happen if Calhoun left UConn. The guy could run for God here in CT, but if he left for another college job we'd be just as angry and bitter.

We are far more worried about him taking Asst. Coach Wayne McClain who is the Peoria recruiting connection.

I'm sure you've read everything that I've read, I thought I saw that he already announced he's taking all his assistants though.

The program will be fine.

I agree. I've been following them from a distance for a few years now. I had a good friend in college that was from Illinois and went to HS with several of their players (Frankie Williams for one). He got me interested in the team, enough so that I usually pull for them. There's no doubt that they are on the verge of becoming an elite program.

Yes, I think it will be Crean. While some think he wants to stay at MU, his lack of a blanket denial, similar to Self, means he is interested.

You said above that it's hard to turn down KU when they come knocking, I think the same applies here. It's going to be really hard for Crean to turn down a major program in a major conference. Marquette is a nice job, it just can't compete with the resources available at a school like Illinois.

If Chad May doesn't break his ankle, maybe none of this happens.

Great point. It's funny the way things work out, although from what I've heard the players hated Doherty and were ready to turn on him anyway. It would have been interesting to see if a winning season let him keep his job.

[JTG51]

I couldn't read the links to the Tribune. I had to register, I'm too lazy for that.

Does the Villanueva story mention UConn? I've sen a couple of stories this morning that say he's thinking about UConn, Syracuse, and the NBA.

From the Peoria Journal Star (http://www.pjstar.com/sports/uofi/g147343a.html)

From the NY Daily News (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/77135p-71161c.html)

Calhoun has a history of picking up really good players very late in the recruiting process. Okafor was a spring signing a couple of years ago.

[IrishHand]

I'd bet that Villanueva will either go pro or follow Self to Kansas.

[Clarkmeister]

He's not going pro. He's not projected high enough. At this point, he could even slip into the 2nd round, and has zero chance of being a lottery pick.

I'd say there's like a 10% chance he follows Self, a 30% chance he goes to UI and a 60% chance he heads east somewhere.

[IrishHand]

Not being projected high enough hasn't stopped about a dozen other high schoolers in the past few years.

[Clarkmeister]

True dat, but CV's been pretty vocal about wanting to be assured a lottery pick.

I owe you lunch. Wanna go double or nothing? You can have NBA and KU, I'll take "anywhere else".