It does suck at times being an Illini fan. Especially when you have had to put up with BS for as many years as some of us have.
Like when it comes to recruiting and being used by some coaches and some AAU teams.
This is what I was talking about in another thread when I said...It's all about building that relationship...lol
Yes having the right guys on staff means a hell of a lot more than some want to admit but playing the game is even more important when it comes to going after players on certain AAU teams.
A relationship with Robert Smith is very important as an example and having someone close to him on staff is huge.
Playing the game with SOME AAU coaches is what matters to them and they don't really care about an actual relationship quite as much. Coaches have to be able to read that and know when to move on.
Our problem IMO is that our staff doesn't have as good of connections as we need or should I say it could be upgraded to have better ones. However you want to say it AND we don't play the recruiting game nearly as well as the competition that we recruit against. Double whammy.
Groce is in a sucky situation. He has loyalty to his people which is good to an extent (sometimes you just have to make changes though) AND he is also at a school that doesn't care about winning as much as it's coaches or fans do.
I feel for any coach that comes here. People complain about me being negative. Well I have seen a hell of a lot in my forty plus year as an Illini fan. I'm getting much older...lol and I'm realizing more every day that my hopes of seeing this program winning a championship are fading and not likely to get better any time soon.
Until we hire an establish head coach (and to do that we have to pay which we won't or haven't in the past) and we play the game like the better schools then we are spinning our wheels.
I'm sorry for my rant. I love my Illini and want to see them win so badly. Wish the hell the ones in charge cared about winning as much as the coaches and the fans. Sad situation.
Good luck Coach Groce. Hitch your wagon to Robert Smith and the better HS coaches and get back in good with Mullins (IF we have lost any ground with that program) and maybe things will workout for you.
Wish Groce would do a Lon and just come out and say that "we do things differently here" and just pass on some kids with certain AAU programs or with parents/handlers with their hand out. It's ok to pass on some kids. Fans that follow recruiting should understand that. Remember when Derrick Rose said his dream school was UNC and they didn't even recruit him? That's is all that needs to be said or done.
Very tired of seeing the UI being used as a safety net. Coaches need to grow some and just say some kids aren't the right fit. That is all that needs to be said instead of being played year after year.
It's ok for coaches to back out of recruitments. Don't stay in it when you can't win it. Know when it's time to move on. Fans IMO understand that better than staying in it until the end and missing on kids that we could have probably had.
I'm just very frustrated with where we are today as a program. Partly Groce's fault (and past coaches) IMO for passing on some kids. Partly the school's fault for not caring about winning and not helping get some kids into school. AND partly our fault as fans for not having a booster network like some of the better programs. Plenty of blame to go around I guess.
Just hope that I get to see those nets cut down on a Monday night once in my lifetime. Is that too much to ask? lol
Sorry again for my rant. Just a frustrated old fart.
I'll try my best to stay away in hopes that things improve.
Like when it comes to recruiting and being used by some coaches and some AAU teams.
This is what I was talking about in another thread when I said...It's all about building that relationship...lol
Yes having the right guys on staff means a hell of a lot more than some want to admit but playing the game is even more important when it comes to going after players on certain AAU teams.
A relationship with Robert Smith is very important as an example and having someone close to him on staff is huge.
Playing the game with SOME AAU coaches is what matters to them and they don't really care about an actual relationship quite as much. Coaches have to be able to read that and know when to move on.
Our problem IMO is that our staff doesn't have as good of connections as we need or should I say it could be upgraded to have better ones. However you want to say it AND we don't play the recruiting game nearly as well as the competition that we recruit against. Double whammy.
Groce is in a sucky situation. He has loyalty to his people which is good to an extent (sometimes you just have to make changes though) AND he is also at a school that doesn't care about winning as much as it's coaches or fans do.
I feel for any coach that comes here. People complain about me being negative. Well I have seen a hell of a lot in my forty plus year as an Illini fan. I'm getting much older...lol and I'm realizing more every day that my hopes of seeing this program winning a championship are fading and not likely to get better any time soon.
Until we hire an establish head coach (and to do that we have to pay which we won't or haven't in the past) and we play the game like the better schools then we are spinning our wheels.
I'm sorry for my rant. I love my Illini and want to see them win so badly. Wish the hell the ones in charge cared about winning as much as the coaches and the fans. Sad situation.
Good luck Coach Groce. Hitch your wagon to Robert Smith and the better HS coaches and get back in good with Mullins (IF we have lost any ground with that program) and maybe things will workout for you.
Wish Groce would do a Lon and just come out and say that "we do things differently here" and just pass on some kids with certain AAU programs or with parents/handlers with their hand out. It's ok to pass on some kids. Fans that follow recruiting should understand that. Remember when Derrick Rose said his dream school was UNC and they didn't even recruit him? That's is all that needs to be said or done.
Very tired of seeing the UI being used as a safety net. Coaches need to grow some and just say some kids aren't the right fit. That is all that needs to be said instead of being played year after year.
It's ok for coaches to back out of recruitments. Don't stay in it when you can't win it. Know when it's time to move on. Fans IMO understand that better than staying in it until the end and missing on kids that we could have probably had.
I'm just very frustrated with where we are today as a program. Partly Groce's fault (and past coaches) IMO for passing on some kids. Partly the school's fault for not caring about winning and not helping get some kids into school. AND partly our fault as fans for not having a booster network like some of the better programs. Plenty of blame to go around I guess.
Just hope that I get to see those nets cut down on a Monday night once in my lifetime. Is that too much to ask? lol
Sorry again for my rant. Just a frustrated old fart.
I'll try my best to stay away in hopes that things improve.
