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Wilkes down to 3

iubud

iubud

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Aug 7, 2003
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Less than a week after his visit, Wilkes has trimmed his list to IU, Illinois, and UCLA. He has cancelled his remaining visits to UCONN and Xavier.

Several, including Justin Albers, are posting that it would be a big surprise if he picked anyone over IU. I don't know what those comments are based on, but I will take my chances against the remaining 2 teams. Groce is one more bad year from getting the ax. UCLA might have something to offer, but they haven't set the world on fire. UCLA wouldn't be friendly for family and friends to come to games if that is important to him.
 
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iubud said:
Less than a week after his visit, Wilkes has trimmed his list to IU, Illinois, and UCLA. He has cancelled his remaining visits to UCONN and Xavier.

Several, including Justin Albers, are posting that it would be a big surprise if he picked anyone over IU. I don't know what those comments are based on, but I will take my chances against the remaining 2 teams. Groce is one more bad year from getting the ax. UCLA might have something to offer, but they haven't set the world on fire. UCLA wouldn't be friendly for family and friends to come to games if that is important to him.
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Illinois is who we need to worry about.
 
It sound like Kris "air" Wilkes may be coming to IU. The class is starting to come together nicely.
 
IU Scott said:
I just don't think they are a great basketball program and if they have another down year then Groce will probably be let go.
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Why is that? His teams have been decimated with injuries or they may have been very good. Why is it ok to speculate that another coach may be gone after a couple of bad years but not ours? people on here get upset when we have a bad year or two and you always stand up for CTC, but then spew things like this about another coach?
 
IU Scott said:
I just don't think they are a great basketball program and if they have another down year then Groce will probably be let go.
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Illinois is my sleeper team this year. Their administration must have thought there was a reason to keep him this year. I feel it is NCAA or bust for them.
 
IU Scott said:
I just don't think they are a great basketball program and if they have another down year then Groce will probably be let go.
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We're not a great program right now, but some recruits are attracted to the idea of helping to bring a program "back." We have a passionate fan base that would go crazy over a team that got us back to where we were in the late '90s and early to mid-2000s. U of I would also provide a great degree, and we have a newly renovated facility.

Plus, #1 party school. :p I'm not comparing us to IU or UCLA, just saying to say that an experience playing basketball Illinois with the current classes coming in is without ANY appeal is just harsh.
 
quad runner said:
Why is that? His teams have been decimated with injuries or they may have been very good. Why is it ok to speculate that another coach may be gone after a couple of bad years but not ours? people on here get upset when we have a bad year or two and you always stand up for CTC, but then spew things like this about another coach?
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Not true at all because I actually wanted Crean gone after the off the court incidents as well as after the Duke Game. I also thought maybe it was time for a change after the 2014-15 season.
 
chitownUofI05 said:
We're not a great program right now, but some recruits are attracted to the idea of helping to bring a program "back." We have a passionate fan base that would go crazy over a team that got us back to where we were in the late '90s and early to mid-2000s. U of I would also provide a great degree, and we have a newly renovated facility.

Plus, #1 party school. :p I'm not comparing us to IU or UCLA, just saying to say that an experience playing basketball Illinois with the current classes coming in is without ANY appeal is just harsh.
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Several of my cousins are UI alumni. One of them played basketball at UIS, but is a lifelong UI fan. They are very down on the whole athletic program. One stopped giving to the athletic department and hasn't been to any games since the AD fired all the coaches 4 years ago. We used to call each other to boast after the games between us. I haven't done that for several years because I know they aren't happy with the way things are.

Since making the NCAA in his first year, Groce hasn't been back. The trend of NCAA 3rd round, NIT 2nd round, NIT 1st round, and no post season last year isn't something that is a big seller. You've had injuries and other off court issues like we have. We lost our second leading scorer and another starting guard and still won the B1G. We played with those losses plus one forward with a broken wrist and another that had his arm popping out of joint and still made it to the Sweet 16 with Tom Crean as coach.

He can come to UI and hope the coach that recruited him is still there. Or, he can play for the state school and be praised wherever he goes.
 
iubud said:
Several of my cousins are UI alumni. One of them played basketball at UIS, but is a lifelong UI fan. They are very down on the whole athletic program. One stopped giving to the athletic department and hasn't been to any games since the AD fired all the coaches 4 years ago. We used to call each other to boast after the games between us. I haven't done that for several years because I know they aren't happy with the way things are.

Since making the NCAA in his first year, Groce hasn't been back. The trend of NCAA 3rd round, NIT 2nd round, NIT 1st round, and no post season last year isn't something that is a big seller. You've had injuries and other off court issues like we have. We lost our second leading scorer and another starting guard and still won the B1G. We played with those losses plus one forward with a broken wrist and another that had his arm popping out of joint and still made it to the Sweet 16 with Tom Crean as coach.

He can come to UI and hope the coach that recruited him is still there. Or, he can play for the state school and be praised wherever he goes.
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Don't get me wrong because I think UI is a good program and really enjoyed watching the 89 team. I watched that 89 twice in person at the RCA Dome in the 1st/2nd round of the tournament and was a very fun team to watch.

I just think it is odd for a top 20 kid from Indiana to have them in their top 3 teams. I can see UM, MSU, UL and UK and even Xavier but something just seemed odd having UI in there.
 
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iubud said:
Several of my cousins are UI alumni. One of them played basketball at UIS, but is a lifelong UI fan. They are very down on the whole athletic program. One stopped giving to the athletic department and hasn't been to any games since the AD fired all the coaches 4 years ago. We used to call each other to boast after the games between us. I haven't done that for several years because I know they aren't happy with the way things are.

Since making the NCAA in his first year, Groce hasn't been back. The trend of NCAA 3rd round, NIT 2nd round, NIT 1st round, and no post season last year isn't something that is a big seller. You've had injuries and other off court issues like we have. We lost our second leading scorer and another starting guard and still won the B1G. We played with those losses plus one forward with a broken wrist and another that had his arm popping out of joint and still made it to the Sweet 16 with Tom Crean as coach.

He can come to UI and hope the coach that recruited him is still there. Or, he can play for the state school and be praised wherever he goes.
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I won't speak for the folks you know, but I think the hiring of Whitman as AD and Lovie as the football coach really regenerated interest in Illini athletics. With the renovation of State Farm Center, recent announcements to renovate Memorial Stadium and the lightning-fast revitalization/growth of Downtown Champaign and Campustown over the past 5-6 years, I think there certainly is a feeling of optimism that we haven't had in a while. At least here in Chicago and with fans I talk to.

I'll agree, however, that the natural choice here would seem to be IU, I've never argued that. Just saying, picking Illinois isn't like picking Washington State or something.
 
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chitownUofI05 said:
I won't speak for the folks you know, but I think the hiring of Whitman as AD and Lovie as the football coach really regenerated interest in Illini athletics. With the renovation of State Farm Center, recent announcements to renovate Memorial Stadium and the lightning-fast revitalization/growth of Downtown Champaign and Campustown over the past 5-6 years, I think there certainly is a feeling of optimism that we haven't had in a while. At least here in Chicago and with fans I talk to.

I'll agree, however, that the natural choice here would seem to be IU, I've never argued that. Just saying, picking Illinois isn't like picking Washington State or something.
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Whats wrong with Washington State... :D
 
IU Scott said:
I don't understand UI even being one of his final teams because they really don't have that much to offer.
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I see UI as a consolation mention in the last three and gratitude for their efforts - thanks for showing great interest in me. It's between going to a UNC or Duke or staying home like in Zeller's or Jared Jeffries's case.
 
IU Scott said:
It is funny on this site it is said that UI is who we should worry about. On the other site it is said that UCLA is the one to worry about. To me it sounds like we are in pretty good shape with Wilkes and hopefully we will land him.
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As I've posted before, Illinois always seemed to be the outlier on his list -- I never understood the attraction for Illinois compared to the other four schools. Cancelling Xavier and Connecticut (assuming posters are right about that) seems a very good sign to me.

Having said all that, I must ask:

Funny!!!

What do you mean, funny?

Do you mean funny like a clown?




All in serious jest.
 
chitownUofI05 said:
I won't speak for the folks you know, but I think the hiring of Whitman as AD and Lovie as the football coach really regenerated interest in Illini athletics. With the renovation of State Farm Center, recent announcements to renovate Memorial Stadium and the lightning-fast revitalization/growth of Downtown Champaign and Campustown over the past 5-6 years, I think there certainly is a feeling of optimism that we haven't had in a while. At least here in Chicago and with fans I talk to.

I'll agree, however, that the natural choice here would seem to be IU, I've never argued that. Just saying, picking Illinois isn't like picking Washington State or something.
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To me it would be like a top Michigan football player picking IU over UM.
 
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IU Scott said:
To me it would be like a top Michigan football player picking IU over UM.
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LOL. Isn't this UM like the all time wiins leader in college football and your comparing the non-elite IU basketball program to UM football.
 
At what point is Crean held accountable for his dismal performance in the post season? Does he need actual NBA players vs. college players.

Crean is in the top 3 of a front runner for Indiana Mr. Basketball and its a big deal. That SHOULD be the norm, but he has reset expectations around here and fooled all (most) of you.
 
DeputyDong said:
At what point is Crean held accountable for his dismal performance in the post season? Does he need actual NBA players vs. college players.

Crean is in the top 3 of a front runner for Indiana Mr. Basketball and its a big deal. That SHOULD be the norm, but he has reset expectations around here and fooled all (most) of you.
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myth monger with new name
 
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DeputyDong said:
At what point is Crean held accountable for his dismal performance in the post season? Does he need actual NBA players vs. college players.

Crean is in the top 3 of a front runner for Indiana Mr. Basketball and its a big deal. That SHOULD be the norm, but he has reset expectations around here and fooled all (most) of you.
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Not sure if it's against rules so mods please delete if necessary. Can we have a contest to guess which former poster DD is?
 
DeputyDong said:
At what point is Crean held accountable for his dismal performance in the post season? Does he need actual NBA players vs. college players.

Crean is in the top 3 of a front runner for Indiana Mr. Basketball and its a big deal. That SHOULD be the norm, but he has reset expectations around here and fooled all (most) of you.
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Remember the Mike Davis years? He pissed off the Indiana high school coaches so bad, many wouldn't give him the time of day. We don't have the lock on Indiana kids we once had, but it didn't start with Crean. Remember Carl Landry? VU coach Sparks went with Landry to meet with Davis. After the visit, Sparks said that he would never recommend a player play for that idiot.
 
iubud said:
Remember the Mike Davis years? He pissed off the Indiana high school coaches so bad, many wouldn't give him the time of day. We don't have the lock on Indiana kids we once had, but it didn't start with Crean. Remember Carl Landry? VU coach Sparks went with Landry to meet with Davis. After the visit, Sparks said that he would never recommend a player play for that idiot.
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my guess is that the next great IU coach solves this riddle. and i'm not saying he's not our current coach.
 
IU Scott said:
If true that is not good at all. Where are you hearing this from because I thought you said the biggest challenger was UI.
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Well was hearing in beginning distance was the factor but supposedly that isn't an issue now and ucla will be the pick.
 
IU Scott said:
That sucks because he was the Indiana kid I wanted the most. Besides the weather and Hollywood I don't get the draw to UCLA for him.
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Didn't he either play for Schilling or know him well? And academically, it's an outstanding university.
 
Kern County said:
Didn't he either play for Schilling or know him well? And academically, it's an outstanding university.
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Schilling has deep roots back here still. Plus Sam and Steve are very well respected, the Pierce fiasco in Iowa not withstanding.

I'm getting mixed signals on this one. The IU visit went very well from all accounts. And I know that Steele was very disappointed to not get him to X for a OV.
 
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