CAMPUS HARDcourt February 17, 2012...What is happening to the FIGHTING ILLINI of ILLINOIS in MEN'S Hoops

Just watching Chicago Tribune LIVE Today they had a TOPIC they were discussing about the ILLINOIS Fighting' ILLINI being a TOP 15 Program in the COUNTRY in BASKETBALL. Now are the ILLINI even TOP 20 in the BLUEDUDE's Book don't know and it would be tough to put them there.

There are a few points the BLUEDUDE will point out for you and tell you why the ILLINI Job was a Top 20 for sure and not it isn't even a TOP 25 but could get back there.

The BLUEDUDE points at a couple factors in WHY the ILLINI have fallen off:

The RIGHT Coach: OK Bruce WEBER took the Deron WILLIAMS, Dee Brown, Luther HEAD, James AUGUSTINE, and Roger POWELL led ILLNI to the NATIONAL Championship game in then LOU and were beat by the UNC TAR HEELS. Now that team was with Current ROCK CHALK Coach Bill SELF. Now let's learn a little about COACH SELF.

SELF is a Eddie SUTTON Guy and Oklahoma STATE Grad who was a Student-Assistant under EDDIE, and then moved onto Oral ROBERTS and TULSA before coming to the ILLINI. SELF was a Rising STAR in the COACHING Ranks at the time. Looking at this closer SELF's Recruited at the 2 schools before ILLINOIS heavy in Northern TEXAS DALLAS Area and HOUSTON. Then he also had ties from his days in STILLWATER under Coach SUTTON and at Oral ROBERTS.

SELF was an excellent recruiter and at ILLINOIS got the TOP TALENT in ILLINOIS to STAY like Dee BROWN, Luther HEAD, Roger POWELL, and he inherited before them a really good unit in LUCAS JOHNSON, Frank WILLIAMS, Sergio McCLAIN, Marcus GRIFFIN, and current ILLINI Assistant Sean HARRINGTON.

Back to WEBER he is a good guy but a MID-MAJOR Coach at best. He cannot go into the TOP FLIGHT Talent's Living Room in ILLINOIS and get that player. Sending Lead Recruiter Jerrance HOWARD is not getting it done either. The ILLINI need a young SUPER STAR that thinks the ILLINI Job is Top FLIGHT. Yeah it is TOP FLIGHT in ILLINOIS but right now it isn't even a TOP 30 Job to the BLUEDUDE.

The NEW Coach needs to get talent like this to stay in ILLINOIS that WEBER has missed on or some of it:

Julian WRIGHT Homewood-FLOSSMOOR chose KANSAS
Sherron COLLINS Chicago CRANE chose KANSAS
Derrick ROSE CHICAGO SIMEON chose MEMPHIS
Jon SCHEYER Glenbrook NORTH chose DUKE and WEBBER's Brother Head Coach at HS

Sean DOCKERY Chicago JULIAN chose DUKE
Anthony DAVIS Chicago PERSPECTIVES chose KENTUCKY
Ryan BOATRIGHT Aurora EAST chose UCONN
Chasson RANDLE ROCK ISLAND chose STANFORD

Wayne BLACKSHEAR Chicago MORGAN PARK chose LOUISVILLE
Jabari PARKER Chicago SIMEON HS ILLINOIS not on his LIST CLASS 2013
Fred Van FLEET Rockford AUBURN Class of 2012 Wichita STATE

Just some of the TALENT that the ILLINI had NO SHOT because it is NO LONGER a TOP Destination for ILLINOIS Kids. AAU has a lot to do with it and there are a lot better CAMPUSES across the COUNTRY as far as CAMPUS LIFE set up better then U of I.

Why WEBER should be given the HEAVE what will the ILLINI do next? They need no more MID-MAJOR Coaches they need to get a STAR in the COACHING RANKS.

Maybe Chris COLLINS of DUKE.....Gerry McNAMARA SYRACUSE....Anthony GRANT ALABAMA....Matt DOHERTY SMU.....just a few names to throw out there. the ILLINI need to get back at getting these GUYS from CHICAGO to STAY HOME and the TOP TOP Talent. WEBER has not had an NBA Guy on his roster since the D-WILL, DEE, JAMES, and LUTHER and that MUST CHANGE.

A YOUTHFUL and ENTHUSIASTIC Coach with CHARISMA needs to get to that NAVY ORANGE ASAP.........