It’s true. You never quite forget your first.
I’m years away from my Central Illinois upbringing, but there’s something orange and blue that bubbles up inside me when I hear Oskee-Wow-Wow. And not many other schools boast that they have sand, which has to count for something.
So, while I may have renounced my childhood love of the Mariners (you really felt good rooting against a team that had Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson and little Joey Cora? Really?) to suffer on the altar of the North Siders, and my closet may be stuffed with Gold, Blue, Cream and Crimson, there’s that part that always answers “I-N-I!” when I hear the call.
Soooo, this is shaping up to be an interesting March for Illini fans. There’s the possibility for a showdown we all kind of hoped would happen someday—although there were times in January and February where it seemed impossible.
I mean, raise your hand if you figured Bruce Weber would foul up for the third time in four years and cost his team a trip to the NCAAs. Good. We’re all on the same page then.
This Friday, the last game played in Tulsa will be between the Fighting Illini and the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels. Now, if you’ve never had a debate about downstate recruiting over a Zorba’s gyro or Aunt Sonya’s pancakes, you’re probably asking, “Why the hell do I care if two teams with vaguely racist sounding mascots play each other in the Great Plains?”
Well, let me catch you up on the last decade of Orange Krush turmoil. In 2000, Lon Kruger rather abruptly left his coaching position at Illinois to coach in the NBA. Now, Champaign Urbana and the surrounding areas take their basketball and loyalty very, very, VERY seriously. People felt ridiculously betrayed by Kruger’s departure. His four-year tenure as coach had been studded with the complaint that he could never seem to recruit “The Chicago Athlete” (a Grail Quest of sorts for Illini sports), but no one could deny that he’d been the coach who nabbed the Illini three Illinois Mr. Basketball winners. When he left, he left a roster that would make any Big 10 coach weak in the knees. So both hearts and tournament aspirations took a hit.
And head coach of UNLV basketball just happens to be….hmmmm…Lon Kruger!
Yeah, that NBA run was not kind to him. Now, I’m not saying I wished the man harm, but when he offered money to ticketholders if the Hawks didn’t make the playoffs, failed to make good, and was canned halfway through the season—well, I didn’t shed any tears.
So, let’s just say Illinois beats the odds (UNLV are, I believe, 1pt. favorites?) and wins on Friday and, well, they might. I’m not holding my breath or, for God’s sake, putting money down on it, but it’s within the realm of physical possibilities. That's when the real fun begins, my friends.
Because a win on Friday would most likely pit the Fighting Illini of the University of Illinois against #1 Kansas.
Again, why should you care about this potential bloodbath?
Well, if you think Illini fans felt spurned by Lon Kruger, you should get a taste of a little something we call “Self-Hatred”.
You see, the coach who inherited that choice little roster from Kruger was none other than the current head coach at Kansas, Bill Self, a name I’d not advise you to speak aloud in certain bars in C-U.
Bill Self is a great college basketball coach. No doubt. And probably a nice guy. And he was adored by Illini fans from 2000-2004. Seriously, if you check the census records, I bet there was an increase in baby boys named William throughout downstate Illinois. Seriously.
But, in 2004, just days after he told a core of Illini fans he was thrilled with his position as their coach…he left for Kansas. Ouch.
So, the next week gives a decidedly lackluster Illini team a chance for revenge. A chance for redemption. A chance to prove they're not some stepping stone on the way to a more exciting program.
And no man ever needed that chance in a more desperate fashion than Bruce Weber.
And I can hear the cries of the frantic, loyal few:
“It’s not him, it’s the seniors!”
“It’s not him it’s the program!”
“But what about 2005?!”
Well, yeah, what about it? I’ll tell you, I could have probably made it to face North Carolina with a primarily Self-coached team that had Dee Brown, Deron Williams and Luther Head. That’s what about 2005.
And the seniors? Give me a stinking break! Every year it’s been people wailing about the damned seniors.
“Ohhhhh, once McBride leaves, it’ll be different!”
“Ohhhhh, once Randle leaves, it’ll be different!”
“Ohhhhhh, once Brock leaves, it’ll be different!”
Please. Cut the crap. Those are lousy excuses so everyone can stick their heads in the sand about the real problem: Weber.
Look, I’d love for him to be successful. He’s a wonderful, stand-up guy. And it gives every would-be comedian a chance to bust out a raspy-voiced imitation when his name gets brought up. But facts is facts: Bruce Weber is to Illinois what Ty Willingham was to Notre Dame—a guy who does everything right except win games.
I mean, even if it is the players’ fault (which, to some extent it is), who recruited these kids anyway? Did they just drop out of the sky onto the three-point line ready to play in the least aggressive fashion known to foe or spectator?
I mean, right, a coach can’t lace up his kicks and get out there on the court and make plays. But he can get some plays out of highly touted recruits. He can inspire people to care enough to play like it matters. And he can take them out of the game if they keep playing like they’d rather be anywhere else but there dribbling a ball.
And, the trend continues this year: it’s boo-hoo Tisdale this and, wahh-waah Davis that. Know what? A really good coach would bench ‘em. Bench ‘em and let the uber-talented freshmen and sophomores have some court time. But Weber is not a really good coach. Weber is a mediocre coach in a mediocre conference and no amount of equivocating can change that fact.
And I get that the University of Illinois (and, indeed, the entire state of Illinois) is in dire financial straits and won’t a) take a loss in cutting Weber’s contract or b) shell out money for a top coach to replace him. Fair enough.
But even that seems like a convenient excuse for Athletic Director Ron Guenther. The man is, understandably, gun-shy; he’s not going to waste time, money and personal pride on a great coach that is just going to be poached away from him.
So. The Bruce Weber Redemption Tour?
Unlikely.
Unwise? Yeah, under normal circumstances, I’d say it is. The only hope for an Illini comeback would be putting the talented kids they’re getting under a different coach. Weber is a good guy, but he’s not working well with the NBA hopefuls that both Illinois and the Big Ten in general need to really get back in the game.
But, unfortunately, dropping out early in the tournament is not going to get the Illini a new coach.
So I say, go for it, Orange and Blue. Find some fire and grow a pair somewhere between Champaign and Tulsa and win.
And I’ll cheer my throat sore.
And go ahead, beat Kansas and Vandy, too. (Though it’ll royally screw up my bracket…)
Know why? I want a redo.
Because in 2003, I was wearing orange and it was a low, low day.
But times have changed and so has my wardrobe and loyalty.
Go Irish.
