I don't think losing Smart is a big deal assuming that they still find a good coach.

While I think you are right, it is a big deal for the fan base.

The fan base got hammered on the football coach hiring. The crappy collapse of the basketball program. The program needs a splashy hire to get excited about.

And, while Leonard Hamilton might make a fine coach, he won't get people too excited.

While I think you are right, it is a big deal for the fan base.

The fan base got hammered on the football coach hiring. The crappy collapse of the basketball program. The program needs a splashy hire to get excited about.

And, while Leonard Hamilton might make a fine coach, he won't get people too excited.

There is no way this can happen...right?

Source: Illini contact Simeon High School head basketball coach Robert Smith
Updated: March 20, 2012, 7:59 PM ET
By Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com

A University of Illinois representative contacted Chicago's Simeon Career Academy coach Robert Smith regarding the Illini's coaching vacancy, according to a source, but it wasn't a formal interview.

There had been some speculation that Smith could be an assistant coach to help recruit the Chicago area, but Smith is interested only in being Illinois' head coach and has yet to speak with Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas, the source said.

Smith declined comment when contacted on Tuesday.

Illinois has targeted VCU's Shaka Smart, according to a source, as its top choice to replace Bruce Weber, who was fired on March 9.

Smith won a state-record fifth state championship on Saturday with the top-ranked junior in the country in Jabari Parker, who lists Illinois as one of the schools he's considering. Kendrick Nunn, who was previously committed to Texas A&M, and Marquette recruit Steve Taylor also were key contributors.

Smith has compiled a 230-37 record in eight years at Simeon. His former players include Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose, UCLA senior guard Lazeric Jones, Memphis junior center Stan Simpson and Kansas State junior guard Jeremy Jones.

Scott Powers covers high school and college sports for ESPNChicago.com and can be reached at spowers@espnchicago.com.

Bernstein may have hinted that Sean Miller at Arizona is a possibility. "white coach at top ten program unhappy with athletic director" leaves only a few options of people who really would be young enough to leave.

I have MANY years of experience in trying to appreciate steaming piles of dogshit.

No, I don't think that would happen.

Might just be a symbolic gesture to Chicago coaches. He has stated that he would not be interested in being an Assistant before.

I hope you are right, but Mike Thomas is a desperate boob.

I have MANY years of experience in trying to appreciate steaming piles of dogshit.

Your next Illinois coach

Dayton, Ohio- The Lamar Cardinals found out early in the second half of last night’s 71-59 loss to the Vermont Catamounts that the Cinderella slipper would not fit. Trailing by as many as 15, the Cardinals tried to make a comeback, but the closest they could get to Vermont was seven points.

Yet it appears that despite the outcome of last night’s contest, head coach Pat Knight could find himself among the short list of candidates to be the next coach at the University of Illinois. The athletic administration at Illinois has to be impressed with the way Knight was able to motivate his team during the latter part of the regular season. It also doesn’t hurt that Knight is also the son of a former coaching legend in his own right, one Bobby Knight, who has won two national titles and over a dozen Big Ten titles while at Indiana.

Turning around the Illinois men’s basketball program might not be an easy task, however. Bruce Weber was fired as incumbent head coach during a season that saw his team give up on several occasions, going 2-12 during its last 14 games. Yet if anyone could be brought in to rally the troops, so to speak, one would think that Knight would have to be at the top of that list.

Of course, right now the last thing on coach Knight’s mind may be where he will be employed next season. He did, however, leave Texas Tech, another big Division I basketball school, to coach the smaller Lamar. On the other hand, Texas Tech does not have nearly the history in basketball that Illinois does, and it is probably easier to recruit better talent at the latter school as well.

Ultimately, the decision will come down to whether the University of Illinois athletic department is willing to bring a Knight to its campus in order to turn its floundering men’s basketball program around. In this instance, the rewards a big name like Knight could bring to the school would surely seem to outweigh any risks, making it impossible not to hire him.

I have MANY years of experience in trying to appreciate steaming piles of dogshit.

:cry:

Is that from The Onion?

I have MANY years of experience in trying to appreciate steaming piles of dogshit.

I'm surprised Smart didn't take the job. He must like his situation too much to move to decent but not great program. Even if he wanted a better job he still could have come to U of I first and then left like Self. I wouldn't have cared what he did if he brought some success back to the program.

Groce. Ohio university. Welcome.

Why move twice? Shaka will have many better opportunities than Illinois.

That's a pretty big gamble to take to pass on $20+ million.

All it takes is a couple of 19-year olds to get drunk somewhere and something unfortunate to happen and you are suddenly 12-20 and some other coach has a run to the Final Four and is the new "hot" coaching prospect.

That seems to be a very Mike Thomas thing to do. I hope he doesn't do it.

I want them to get Frank Martin now.

Im pretty hammered right now.

This happens to top 10 programs all the time.

They set their sights on one coach - and are very public about it. They make an over the top, can't refuse offer to that coach, and yet he stays at a small school instead of signing with them.


MIC CHECK!! MIC CHECK!!!

This happens to top 10 programs all the time.

They set their sights on one coach - and are very public about it. They make an over the top, can't refuse offer to that coach, and yet he stays at a small school instead of signing with them.


MIC CHECK!! MIC CHECK!!!

Carmody staying for another year . . .