Dont know how many years it has been, but not sure any other state matches the drought? Thinking Rhode Island and Delaware have gone since the last time an Illinois team has...or did the Illinois squeak in one recent year based on Big 10 RPI crap? Still sucks for the number of teams that play in Illinois to get maybe 1 in 5 years?

_________________
"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

2013 Illinois.

Lots of bad talent evaluaters at the state schools.

_________________

Worst high water mark in the history of high water marks!

_________________
"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

lack of fortitude in the younger generation. they want success handed to them rather than have to deal with adversity here in Illinois.

_________________
Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

One day I think they will see the flaw of "recruiting Chicago being a priority".

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Do Illinois and DePaul even bother to recruit in Chicago?

_________________
Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

Signing guys from Jabari Parker's Simeon team not named Jabari Parker hasn't worked out well for them.

_________________

Yes. Very much so.

Without much to show for it.

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I only caught part of the report on Comcast last night, but evidently the geniuses in Champaign were recruiting the Sun Times Player of the Year point guard at Morgan Park. The kid (Charlie Moore) apparently had been heavily leaning to U of I.

Unfortunately, the kid's dad suffered a massive stroke and was hospitalized for a long period right after the start of the school year. Apparently, the idiots in the Illini basketball program started pressing him to commit during his dad's hospitalization and once he didn't they abandoned their interest in him. By doing so they pissed off his coach & many other CPS (& AAU) coaches. Of course he much later committed to Memphis.

But it's not their fault that the Illini can't get city kids . Neither this one, or the (other) ones that also were Player of the Year/Mr. Basketball/certain lottery picks. Yeah, the ones whose talents the geniuses in Champaign later downplay whilst sitting at home in mid-March. Or at least they have been since Bill Self left.

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Maine's never been there. But they only have 1 school, we have 13.

_________________
"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

Pitino & Calipari don't see this to be a flaw.

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

That is the flaw though.

They take the best players and when they are gone someone else will. The "geographical advantage" of sharing the state name won't ever overcome that.

Even great recruiters like Izzo and Matta are fairly selective with Chicago.

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

First, it doesn't seem as if Izzo hasn't been in the market for 1-2 year & done players like the top tier Chicago kids. Secondly, I honestly don't really remember where either of them have been big in attempting to mine the Chicago market successfully.

Illinois is going to have to accept that it will need to return to the Henson model, attract the marginally good players of a
strong HS program (or the dads of the stars) to develop relationships with city coaches and actually have a legitimate shot at the top tier kids. (Or at least stop with the high handed crap they pulled with the kid out of Morgan Park)

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Josh Pasner, best recruiter in college hoops.

_________________
"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

What about the three Simeon kids they have on the roster?

_________________

Recruiting Chicago is not their problem. Not being able to sign the best players out of Chicago is. Illinois has attempted to recruit guys from out of state and they haven't been successful at that either. They are signing guys that are playing above their level. The kid out of Milwaukee is but the latest example.

_________________

Take out the city of Chicago and Illinois still has more people than Indiana. UofI and DePaul are just plain incompetent. That's the problem.

_________________
Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

Probably lower than the number of Obama Executive orders

That's kind of it, I've always thought that Tate had to be quid pro quo for arguably their best player. DJ Williams (?) is exactly the kind of kid I'm talking about & frankly I'd even forgotten he went to Simeon. Many they're taking baby steps to return to the their glory years...but it sounds as if they've even started pissing that away.

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Jaylen Tate should be playing at UIC or Chicago State. He isn't a high major guard. D.J. Williams was ranked in their top 20 as a sophomore and viewed by some as the heir aparent to Jabari Parker. His stock dropped his last 2 yrs as people began questioning his motor and toughness. Kendrick Nunn is the only guy they should have signed. It is a problem if he is your best or even 3rd best player though.

_________________

I doubt it. Someone with more knowledge than me can verify, but I thought I remember hearing there was a rift between Chicago Public League schools and Joey Meyer back in the day that got DePaul blackballed. That said, saw a few people referring to this and one of the best comments was, "Bottom line, DePaul wouldn't pay and Joey, although I'm sure no saint when it came to academics, preferred that at least the kid could read before letting him into school. The CPL was a cesspool and really except for Nick Anderson in 1989, what did any of those players achieve during the Meyer era in Champaign or any place else? Yes, DePaul would have benefitted from getting some of these players but at what cost - literally? And by the way- Kenny Battle, Kendall Gill, Lowell Hamilton and Steve Bardo - NOT CPL."

Leitao was supposed to have been able to recruit well, but I highly doubt he and the school would do what it takes to build a championship-caliber team.

_________________

Hell, they'd name a street for him if he got DePaul back in the tournament.

_________________
Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

I feel like I've said this before, but the reality is when Illinois and DePaul were at their peak - the AAU thing wasn't huge. Kids wanted to stay closer to home. Now, with the premier AAU programs travelling across the nations, the premium to stay home isn't as big of a deal. It might be the opposite - they want to get away and be independent like they are at the AAU tournaments.

And when they do go after the guy who is lightly recruited, it's always the wrong guy. When I went to that doubleheader out at Lyons, Izzo was there, Pitino Jr. was there. All kinds of schools were represented, but not Illinois. Anyway, the main guy from R-B dropped 32 on Morgan Park and was just awesome. He's a little guy though. I'm sure he'd love to go to Illinois if they had any interest. But he doesn't fit their profile of the "Big Ten player". I mentioned to my buddy that he was exactly the kind of player you'll see wearing a Western Kentucky or Northern Iowa uniform in three or four years and dropping in 25 while eliminating the Illini in a second round NCAA game.

_________________
Don't take it personally.

Excuse the morbid tone of the post, but many are waiting for JeanE Ponseto to leave the position, which she should have stepped down from years ago professionally speaking, but many wanted her to retire with her recent bout with breast cancer.

I don't 100% blame her as she is saying with the Padres want to hear. 'We wont spend that much and we will make alot! We will have a great girls team and softball team. We will take the Big East Mens basketball money and spread it around"....."Yes, our BBall team will not be good"

"Jeanie, just so you know, we promised the jewish mayor we would start competing soon, so he would build us a place to play."

_________________
"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

I was shocked to finally see them getting a new stadium. I'm sure the first year or two they will get great attendance, but let's see how things look around 2020 when the team still sucks and the newness of the place has worn off. I think that's when they start firing people, including Ponsetto.

_________________