I brought myself to watching the entire Miami of Ohio game tonight, including the bonus overtime footage. I'm surprised the Illini made it to overtime with their struggles to score and must have set records in futility for field goal and free throw shooting. The announcers were raving about Pruitt and I just wanted him to sit down every time he went to the free throw line.
Chet Frazier must be the worst point guard in the Big 10 this year and should not be allowed to shoot the ball. He should not be able to dribble the ball either, because his turnovers at the end of the game kill all team momentum. Meacham looks sick again, and it must be his ankle. McCamey seems redundant when he is paired with Frazier. For that matter, Meacham looks redundant when paired with Frazier or McCamey. Why so many point guards who cannot create anything?
I think the entire team needs to learn the motion offense all over again, because the only scoring took place when someone would throw the ball to Pruitt, or make an individual move. The offense is not creating any opportunities.
Randle made some nice shots, but is still not that useful in there. Brock is OK, but not really an offensive threat. Rodney Alexander is the only talented player on offense, but he must still be in Weber's doghouse. Mike Davis can score, so why is he on the bench?
The team needs a psychologist on staff, to help them improve at the free throw line. I can't believe a college team is this embarrassingly bad at shooting free throws. Even Kenny Battle can tell why Pruitt misses, he takes a different type of shot each time.
I think this season is on a steep decline now, and Weber needs to start developing the freshmen. The Pruitt, Randle and Frazier show is not something I can watch much longer, other than for comedy hour.
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7 comments:
I think it would be interesting for you to parallel the Davis years at IU a few years after the national title game and Weber years a few years after the title game.
The similarities, difficulty in recruiting and coaching are eerie! The fan base in Illinois needs to accept the advice given to Indiana before Sampson. "Lower your expectations and get used to it."
If Illinois is not willing to accept that, then they need to change. You can not win with a motion offense if the players are not running the offense the way the coach instructs.
Scott:
I don't exactly understand your point. I think we are ready to lower our expectations and watch the freshmen develop their skills. The Pruitt, Randle, Frazier show is getting old and should be removed from the air. Clearly Illinois will be much better when new recruits come in with 2009 and 2010 classes and can execute the motion offense. I am not against Weber, merely commenting on the product he puts on the floor this year. Yuck!
Based on his public comments, he doesn't feel much better about it, nor should he. They are in a steep decline right now, and I'm not sure what will bring them out of it.
Points are as follows:
1. As long as Weber is the coach he will coach and recruit his way.If Alum don't like it, petition for his removal or go cheer for another team.
2. Illinois will be a defense first team. Offense comes from good defense in the terms of the fast break.
3. Illinois will be a motion offense.Motion offense relies on outscoring the opponent from the line. Go watch old Coach Knight or Coach Keady teams and take notes.
4. Illinois will lose games at the free throw line until Weber's type of player is regularly in the lineup. These are smart players who follow the coaches instructions and can hit 85% of their free throws.
5. Illinois will have a team mostly of 4 year players. Not one and done.Legion will be an exception because they are desperate for shooters.
6. Illinois will not over rely on freshman. Freshman need to be brought into the system slowly. The coach wants them to learn the system right. Playing incorrectly only reinforces bad habits and does not promote efficient teaching of the motion offense. Bad defense will not be rewarded with playing time.
6. Illinois will be good but not great year in and year out. On the other hand, when a recruiting class jells and matures, that will translate into winning the Big 10 every 3 years or so. See Keady Purdue team and Knight IU team.
7. When Indiana fell from the top under Davis, Illinois fans said Indiana was no longer an elite program and fans needed to lower their expectations. I respectfully suggest that advice applies to Illinois. If winning ugly disgusts a fan, then in my opinion, that fan needs to support a more exciting team. (I suggest Indiana.) Very fun team to watch. I queried that if so called fans were so negative in victory, what would happen in loss. Now we no longer need to speculate because we can see by fan reaction.
7. If an Illinois fan still does not understand the point, then they likely simply don't want to understand.
8. When Sampson leaves Indiana, IU will be more than happy to take Weber and his motion offense. Perhaps you can work out a trade even up. Or, if IU takes Weber and U of I does not want Sampson, perhaps Coach Davis will be available.He has exciting, but losing teams. Plus, Davis promises freshman lots of playing time even if they don't play any defense.
Scott
Scott, thanks for posting again, and glad you are interested in Illinois basketball, even though you seem to be a Cellvin Sampson fan.
1. I don't think most Illinois fans are wanting Weber to be removed, or cheer for another team, especially not IU. Ugh!
2. Yes, we know this.
3. Yes, we know this.
4. Weber has his type of players in the line-up, so your comment does not make sense here.
5. OK with this.
6. OK with this, except when the freshmen look better than the upper classmen.
6 b). No, Illinois fans don't really care about Indiana, and hope they get banned from postseason play.
7. Not sure of your point.
7 b). Correct, I don't understand your point.
8. I doubt Weber leaves Illinois for Indiana. And no, we don't want Mike Davis the coach, we have Mike Davis the player, thank you.
Ron
For fun I shared points 1-8 with some folks who should know. LOL. All agreed on all 8 points but one.
Break down the Mizzu film and re-evaluate the points. As long as Weber is the coach, points 1-8 shall remain "the law" in Champaign-Urbana.
As a Christmas gift I predict J. Smith returns to the line up in Jan of 08. Not a done deal yet, but close. But what the heck do I know about Illinois basketball...
Scott
P.S. A Weber player is an upper classman with 3+ years running the motion who shoots 80% or better from the line.They play defense first and they run the motion exactly how they are instructed not how they "feel it should be run."
(I really don't see any in the line up right now. The closest is Trent. In the future, I see Tisdale, Cole, Davis... but they don't have the experience yet.)
No wonder this team is ugly to watch.....a Weber coached team with no Weber-type players, other than Meacham.
Interested to know which point is not agreed upon of the 8 points.
Hope that Jamar is suiting up in January as you predict. We have the shooting guards coming in 2009, so might as well use Jamar to be competitive this season and try to make the NCAAs.
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