Illinois Job Better Than Marquette?

[LAZER]

No, please. Back up what you're trying to say, you just said I ignored everything you said. Don't run away now.

I never said you "ignored everything" for one... Just a couple points...Purdue having to compete with Butler, IU, ND.  Michigan competing with MSU and football. 

But enough with the bickering...What does Wisconsin or Purdue have to offer that Illinois can't and why would you consider Michigan a sleeping giant and not U of I?

[Clarence]

His point is that Uniforms and facilities are important to a point.  What is most intriguing to coaches about the Illinois job is the potential to be in the cat bird's seat for players like Mike Shaw, Jabari Parker and Derrick Rose.  While you might not get them all, you will always get at least a look being the home state team.  

This is a HUGE advantage, and just becuase Bruce Weber kept stepping on his dick in recruiting doesn't mean that somehow this advantage goes away.  

[LAZER]

His point is that Uniforms and facilities are important to a point.  What is most intriguing to coaches about the Illinois job is the potential to be in the cat bird's seat for players like Mike Shaw, Jabari Parker and Derrick Rose.  While you might not get them all, you will always get at least a look being the home state team.  

This is a HUGE advantage, and just becuase Bruce Weber kept stepping on his dick in recruiting doesn't mean that somehow this advantage goes away.  

Yes and while anyone can recruit Chicago, the fact is noone does it as consistently as U of I.  Hell Marquette is 90 miles from Chicago and we don;t have one kid from IL let alone Chicago on our roster.

[MUMac]

Take away Coach K and what does Duke have? Irrelevant point.

Disagree.  Duke has a couple of more things that will allow it to survive Coach K.  They have become a destination school of choice for high level recruits.  They will have their choice of coaches clamoring to replace Coach K.  They have tenticals nationally.  Lastly, they also have many former players/coaches who would love to return to Duke to coach.

Before Coach K, Duke was a Final 4 team.  They have a history that does transcend K.

Wisconsin has recruited players that fit Bo's style.  It's not like they are on the wish list of the athletes.  The state is also not a hot bed of top level recruits.  Wisconsin survived Bennett because they had a coach who wanted that as his destination.  I am not so sure they can rebake that mix again.  Once Bo leaves, it will be interesting to see what does become of UW's program.

[hdog1017]

Bruce is not the best recruiter in the world.  His brother coached Jon Scheyer in high school and he still chose Duke over U of I. 

[buckchuckler]

Take away Coach K and what does Duke have? Irrelevant point.

Matt Painter almost left Purdue? He leveraged himself into a better contact. Bruce Weber almost left Illinois for Oklahoma, and didn't get a better contract. Using your logic, the Illinois coach thought Oklahoma might be a better gig, but Buzz turned down Oklahoma.

Illinois being in the same state of Chicago has very little importance. You over estimate the connecting between inner-city Chicago and the wasteland of UC. Anyone can come in and recruit Chicago successfully, but it takes time. The best of the best Chicago recruits are leaving for promises other than playing time. It's the Steve Taylors that can be recruited and you don't need to be from some hillbilly town 130 miles to the south to have an advantage.

Basically the only strong point you have is that Illlinois has a worse football program than their basketball program.

Did you really just compare what Bo has done at Wisconsin to what Coach K has done with Duke?  Kind of an irrelevant comparison, don't you think?

[Pakuni]

His point is that Uniforms and facilities are important to a point.  What is most intriguing to coaches about the Illinois job is the potential to be in the cat bird's seat for players like Mike Shaw, Jabari Parker and Derrick Rose.  While you might not get them all, you will always get at least a look being the home state team.  

This is a HUGE advantage, and just becuase Bruce Weber kept stepping on his dick in recruiting doesn't mean that somehow this advantage goes away.  

Certainly Illinois has a slight advantage in Chicago, but I'd hardly say they're in the "Catbird's seat." That really hasn't been the case since Lou Henson was paying for Sonny Cox's $3,000 suits. Too many big-time programs recruit Chicago real hard (Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, MSU, UNC, etc.) for Illinois to have a decided advantage.

Also, ever sinnce the Jordan era, Chicago has been a pro hoops town, so kids there don't grow up dreaming for a particular college (as they might in, say, central Wisconsin), they dream about the NBA.

[Avenue Commons]

As an MU alum living in Chicago, I can tell you that people in the Chicago-land area have way too high of an opinion on the type of "basketball power" that U of I really is.  There are a lot of mouth-breathers who rank U of I in the same class as UNC, Duke, UCLA, and Kentucky.  They believe that the best coaches from all over the country would trip over themselves if that job opens.

I've lived in Chicagoland all of my life (except for 4 years at MU) and I have never met a single person who thinks U of I is in the same class an UNC, Duke, UCLA and Kentucky. Not one. They think highly of it for sure, but I've yet to meet someone that delusional.

[Dawson Rental]

Take away Coach K and what does Duke have? Irrelevant point.

Matt Painter almost left Purdue? He leveraged himself into a better contact. Bruce Weber almost left Illinois for Oklahoma, and didn't get a better contract. Using your logic, the Illinois coach thought Oklahoma might be a better gig, but Buzz turned down Oklahoma.

Illinois being in the same state of Chicago has very little importance. You over estimate the connecting between inner-city Chicago and the wasteland of UC. Anyone can come in and recruit Chicago successfully, but it takes time. The best of the best Chicago recruits are leaving for promises other than playing time. It's the Steve Taylors that can be recruited and you don't need to be from some hillbilly town 130 miles to the south to have an advantage.

Basically the only strong point you have is that Illlinois has a worse football program than their basketball program.

Fortunately, we'll never know about Steve Taylor because he was not offered by Illinois.  They had only one scholarship, and wanted a point guard, besides they got Mike Shaw last year, remember?  The two players who are freshmen this year who I know were offered by both MU and Illinois, Mychael Henry and Mike Shaw both went to Illinois.  Freshman center Nnanna Egwu certainly would have been welcomed at MU, but he was wrapped up so early by Illinois that I don't think MU ever had a shot at him.  Illinois got four members of the ESPN top 100 among its six recruits.  In 2010, they got three out of three, none of whom considered MU.  In 2009 it was three out of four recruits.  My point here is just that if you think Illinois doesn't have an advantage recruiting Chicago and a big advantage recruiting the rest of the state of Illinois, then I disagree with your assessment.  It certainly isn't that Weber is a better recruiter than Buzz, although Weber does have one of the best recruiting assistants in coach Howard.

Based on the above, I think that Sultan's assessment is straight on, if you're looking for a job and both MU and Illinois are open, Illinois would be the better job to take.  Given the point where Buzz has gotten the MU program to in his time here, it definitely doesn't make a lot of sense to him to move to Illinois.  It's not much better - some would say not as good as - some of the jobs, Buzz passed on last year.

[Dawson Rental]

I've lived in Chicagoland all of my life (except for 4 years at MU) and I have never met a single person who thinks U of I is in the same class an UNC, Duke, UCLA and Kentucky. Not one. They think highly of it for sure, but I've yet to meet someone that delusional.

+1

[OnWisconsin]

What is the definition of a "better job?"  I would think it simple, the school pays well and gives the head coach the tools to succeed.

MU pays as well as anyone so this is not the issue.  So beyond pay, does Illinois offer more than MU to allow a head coach to succeed?

Mainly the ability to recruit the state of Illinois which is the cream of the crop when it comes to basketball recruits. Not saying Buzz is leaving or anything, but seeing how well he recruits at MU, he'd really be able to get some big names to Illinois. Bruce got big time talent, but he's not a great coach, and I think a lot of kids on their roster aren't the most coachable.

[brewcity77]

If I'm Illinois, I'm taking a long look at Tony Benford. Top assistant at a rising program, recruits Chicago well, but also has experience south to Texas and west to California, and you don't have to pay him the kind of money a Shaka Smart or Brad Stevens would command, though I'm not sure either would be interested anyway. I guarantee Tony would give serious consideration to that job if he were a candidate.

[wadesworld]

If I'm Illinois, I'm taking a long look at Tony Benford. Top assistant at a rising program, recruits Chicago well, but also has experience south to Texas and west to California, and you don't have to pay him the kind of money a Shaka Smart or Brad Stevens would command, though I'm not sure either would be interested anyway. I guarantee Tony would give serious consideration to that job if he were a candidate.

He'd be gone in a heartbeat and he'd be a fool not to be.

[🏀]

Laurence Holmes on 670 The Score was talking about this last night. Holmes' is one of the best guys on the the Score, and does the DePaul games. This list was checked by Herb Lawrence, HUGE Illinois homer

Basketball history, recent success, facilities, location, coaching and academics.

Here's his list of programs he thinks are more attractive than Illinois.
Michigan State
Wisconsin
Michigan
Indiana
Ohio State
Syracuse
Georgetown
Pitt
Louisville
UConn
Notre Dame
North Carolina
Duke
Maryland
Florida State
Kentucky
Florida
Vanderbilt
UCLA
Arizona
Cal
Kansas
Missouri
Texas
Baylor


The Jumble - Schools that are all in the same mess of attractiveness
Illinois
NC State
Arkansas
Miami
Marquette- bc, tc leaving dumb
St. John's
Villanova
Cincinnati
West Virginia
Purdue
K-State
Washington
Stanford
Tennessee
Butler
St. Mary's
Gonzaga
UNLV
Memphis
San Diego State

Holmes and Lawrence both agreed that if the Bradley Center were owned by Marquette and on-campus, Marquette would instantly be out of the jumble. Herb Lawrence also chimed in that Tom Crean should have never left for Indiana, Buzz is one of the best young coaches in the NCAA, and getting Buzz to leave will be tough.

Other notes:
Oliver Purnell makes more than Bruce Weber. That's sad.
Holmes notes several times that he could make an argument for Marquette to be ahead of Illinois.
Several callers wanted Marquette ahead and Notre Dame dropped down into the jumble.

[Dr. Blackheart]

A B1G school like Illinois will not hire an assistant as head coach.  The new AD would be skewered on the spot after he botched the football hire.  It will be Jeter or Smart.  TB could move into the UWM job.  Question is, would he have to take a pay cut to get a head coach job?

[4everwarriors]

He'd be gone in a heartbeat and he'd be a fool not to be.

Were Illinois make a change, Benford doesn't get a sniff. Will have to put in the time and be successful elsewhere first.

[wadesworld]

Were Illinois make a change, Benford doesn't get a sniff. Will have to put in the time and be successful elsewhere first.

I absolutely agree.  Which is why I said if Illinois came calling like Brew said he would be a fool not to take it and run with it as fast as he can.

[ErickJD08]

U of I fans are the biggest fair weather fans out there. I have a bunch of friends that went there and there is only one person I know that can name more than three players on basketball and football teams.

Let's put it this way. There are three MU bars in Chicago. U of I has about five times the alumni base and there really is only one U of I bar on the north side.

[Dawson Rental]

Laurence Holmes on 670 The Score was talking about this last night. Holmes' is one of the best guys on the the Score, and does the DePaul games. This list was checked by Herb Lawrence, HUGE Illinois homer

Basketball history, recent success, facilities, location, coaching and academics.

Here's his list of programs he thinks are more attractive than Illinois.
Michigan State
Wisconsin
Michigan
Indiana
Ohio State
Syracuse
Georgetown
Pitt
Louisville
UConn
Notre Dame
North Carolina
Duke
Maryland
Florida State
Kentucky
Florida
Vanderbilt
UCLA
Arizona
Cal
Kansas
Missouri
Texas
Baylor


The Jumble - Schools that are all in the same mess of attractiveness
Illinois
NC State
Arkansas
Miami
Marquette- bc, tc leaving dumb
St. John's
Villanova
Cincinnati
West Virginia
Purdue
K-State
Washington
Stanford
Tennessee
Butler
St. Mary's
Gonzaga
UNLV
Memphis
San Diego State

Holmes and Lawrence both agreed that if the Bradley Center were owned by Marquette and on-campus, Marquette would instantly be out of the jumble. Herb Lawrence also chimed in that Tom Crean should have never left for Indiana, Buzz is one of the best young coaches in the NCAA, and getting Buzz to leave will be tough.

Other notes:
Oliver Purnell makes more than Bruce Weber. That's sad.
Holmes notes several times that he could make an argument for Marquette to be ahead of Illinois.
Several callers wanted Marquette ahead and Notre Dame dropped down into the jumble.

Vanderbilt, Baylor and Pitt clearly do not belong on the more attractive list.  These are all schools that are overachieving due to having made great coaching hires.  Where was Vanderbilt before Stallings?  Where was Baylor before Drew?  Wisconsin is a reach too, IMHO.  How many coaches can make a go of it with white kids from the sticks of Minnesota and Wisconsin?  Bo gets on my nerves, but I'd never underestimate his value to Madison.  Actually, I wouldn't be shocked to see Illinois land Stallings away from Vandy.

Oliver Purnell makes more than Bruce Weber. That's sad.

I'm not sure why you'd say that.  DePaul was clearly under the gun when they realized that their initial targets for the job wanted no part of it.  Purnell had to be convinced to leave a school whose program he had just rebuilt to go and rebuild from scratch yet again at a school in possibly the most competitive B-Ball conference in the country.  Purnell would have been an idiot to leave for anything less than top dollar.  That said given who their new athletic director is, I think that Illinois will set their sights on a new coach who will set them back what DePaul is paying Purnell.

[🏀]

Pitt has the Pete. That on-campus arena would make the Bucks jealous.

I'll agree with Vandy and a little bit with Baylor.

[muwarrior69]

The one thing we have that was not mentioned in the article is Mrs. Buzz..."don't mess with happy."

[Bieberhole69]

From the list above I think it's a pretty good one. I'd question Wisconsin, ND, FSU, Baylor, Vandy, and Cal as more attractive.  I wouldn't be surprised if Drew or Stallings left for Illinois.  U of I will up the ante on the salary too.

[Slim]

Were Illinois make a change, Benford doesn't get a sniff. Will have to put in the time and be successful elsewhere first.

If Illinois wasn't going to make a change before, they are now. Nebraska just went on a 40-2 run. Pretty sure they will look at that as a team quitting on a coach.

[LloydMooresLegs]

Holy cr@p!  Is that typo?   Got to be a record.  Nebraska?  Maybe in football against the Illini, but basketball?  Weber resigns tonight.

[MarquetteDano]

Wow losing to Nebraska that bad?  Not good.  Writing on the wall now for the coach.  He's done.

Seeing some of the posts on what kind of program it is I agree it isn't one of the elites.  However the history is hard to ignore....

13th in all-time NCAA wins
5 Final Fours (tied for 8th)
29 tournament appearances (14th)

That is a pretty big program looking for a coach after the season.  The carousel will be spinning again.