I realize it's not an exact parallel, but isn't that kind of what LeBron was excoriated for? Wouldn't you want to at least attempt to carve your own path to legend rather than just be another in a long line of guys who won at Kentucky?

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Don't take it personally.

Does that dynamic really exist in the college game nowadays? Seems like it's more about the path of least resistance en route to the NBA. Hell, that dynamic barely exists in the NBA, as you alluded to with LeBron.

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Yeah, I'm not even sure the elite college player really cares about winning a championship. Playing that year is just something the NBA is illegally forcing him to do.

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Don't take it personally.

Yeah that is a good point and another reason why Groce's pitch is not going to be as effective as he would want.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

If it was illegal it would have been over turned by now. When in fact it is collectively bargained. No one says they cant go to the DLeague or Europe.

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It's a pitch more suited to the non-1 and Done guys, agreed.

But it's not like he can pitch the fast-track NBA guys that you can just as easily win a title here as Kentucky. THAT AIN'T TRUE!

It's a realistic pitch for Illinois, moreso than most, probably any, other college in the country, which was the guy's point. He was just a little over-exuberant.

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You know me like that.

the pitch aside, the funniest part of the whole article is that the dude believes Illinois is the best program to never win a national chamionship. They are not even the best in the Big 10 in that category.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

We've had that thread already.

The CSFMB came to mutual agreement that they clearly are.

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You know me like that.

Only on a board full of Illinois homers.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

You can't collectively bargain on behalf of people you don't represent. It's clearly and obviously illegal and would never stand if it were challenged.

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Don't take it personally.

I thought you'd take issue with him saying the 1989 and 2005 Illinois teams are the 2 greatest single teams to not win the NCAA.

I don't even think that.

The 2005 team, possibly, but the 1989 team probably isn't even in the top 10 of that list. And I only put that 2005 team because of their ability to win. Both teams had huge weaknesses.

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You know me like that.

I thought exactly the opposite. The '89 was a monster team. No way the 2005 team was as good. But there are certainly other better teams that didn't win.

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Don't take it personally.

I put the 2005 team above them just because of their record-setting win total for the year. It was more of an "upset" for a team with a record-setting season to not win it all.

As far as talent, neither of them are top 5 to not have won it, but the 1989 was deeper with talent.

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You know me like that.

The new Chief Illiniwek -

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You know me like that.

More like Chief Illiniwet, amirite?

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Sounds pretty promising. Nice start to putting his stamp on the team.


When John Groce was hired last spring, there was some grumbling heard around the state, particularly in some Chicago-area prep pockets.

The Illinois coach’s first recruiting haul ought to quiet the skeptics. The five-player recruiting class Groce unveiled Wednesday looks like an all-around winner.

With two big men, athletic 6-9 forward Austin Colbert and 6-10, 240-pound true center Maverick Morgan; 6-5 wing Malcolm Hill; 6-3 guard Kendrick Nunn; and 6-2 point guard Jaylon Tate, the quintet covers all five positions.

With two players from state-champion powerhouse Simeon (Nunn and Tate) and one from Downstate Belleville East (Hill) joined by Morgan, from Ohio, and Colbert, from New Jersey, it’s a class that shows Groce wants to work Illinois but won’t hesitate to recruit players wherever he finds them.

And with three four-star recruits (Colbert, Hill and Nunn) and two three-star prospects (Morgan and Tate), Groce has landed a class ranked 10th in the nation by Rivals. Scout ranked the class 22nd. It’s 23rd in ESPN’s ranking.

It’s an encouraging start for a staff that’s only been on the job seven months.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Weber had been bringing in good classes the last couple years, but the results on the court didn't reflect it. Only time will tell if Groce can coach them up.

Wonder how better it would have been if my guy Isaac Chew would have stayed....Marquette had the 9th best recruiting class.

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Marquette has a nice program and has continuity in the head coach position. I think this is a decent first stab
at it for Groce.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Hard to say but Parham was getting some good reviews from coaches from what I read.

I'm a little concerned with this year's team still. Watching the first game, the offense looked eerily similar to last year's where they would just pass the ball around the perimeter until Paul ended up going 1-on-1 before the shot clock ended.

Sounds like they were more up and down the court in the 2nd game.

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You know me like that.

After that stirring Bears performance, at least I was able to catch Illinois hammer USC by 30 last night at 11pm.

Illinois looks good when they can make 12 shots in a row. They still have no inside game. They should take care of Chaminade tonight to setup for an Illinois/UNC matchup tomorrow.

I expect the Illini to be top 5 in the country by the weekend.

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You know me like that.

I actually felt bad for USC because we just could not miss in the first half. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Especially since I hate USC.

When we beat UNC, definitely top 5.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

On a serious note, talk about night and day on offense from Weber. Forget the deliberate motion, pass-the-ball offense. These guys are chucking it up 5 seconds into the shot clock. Could definitely win a few games if we get hot like last night, but definitely going to lose quite a few when we are stone cold.

Liking the Illini love guys. Definitely going to be an interesting season.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

I would have been passed out asleep by 11:13pm watching a Bruce Weber offense last night. At least it's more entertaining to watch. But, I agree, they are going to look real, real bad when Egwu isn't pouring in 17-footers all night.

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You know me like that.

9:30 ESPN2 tonight. I will try to catch the first half.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Illinois was out rebounded by 20 against Hawaii the other night and needed a last second shot to beat them. It's definitely going to be up and down this year. Hopefully, they can dispatch Chaminade somewhat easily. A good program should, but we will have to see which team shows up.

Agree to disagree.

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You know me like that.

wow. That's quote of the year material...

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.