I don't know the story behind Walker's 'demotion'. From the outside looking in, it looks like he was pushed aside into a made up position to make room for Gentry. That is logical based on the timing and might help explain the friction. Insiders hint he played too much in the gray and was punished by the AD.
Another thing is he really did not deliver much in the SL /Metro East area; which has been traditionally Illini friendly. To be fair, we were hurt by situations beyond Walker's control. SLU hired a cheater, Misery hired Cuonzo, Mark Smith's dad ...
Not necessarily Walker, but this could be a good time to hire someone with connections in that area.
Bailey sounds like he would fit the bill. Was at SLU as an asst. Is from Chicago FWIW although we don't get much from them.
Have little insight on Walker activities in grey area. That is difficult part of the job for all of them at this level. Whitman is not stupid.
I am sure the Tilmon and Goodwin recruitments were interesting. Whitman was pretty fcking happy when we got Tillmon initially IIRC.
There is being in the grey and there is outright observable direct connection cheating. Plausible denial for staff and the institution being three steps removed is how you survive.
Hiring parents and AAU guys as staff and coaches is totally allowed as slimy as that seems.
I don't agree with gaming the rules necessarily and did not make them, but you have to play in that arena as long as the NCAA tries to still portray this somehow as amateur student athletics.
RecentLet's talk about somethin... by illiniray
COACHING ROULETTE by ILLINICHIEF
ILLINI VS UCONN - DEFEND ... by ThePAMan
Total Members: 142