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2023 2.0 Portal Thread

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No one in Mn

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Re: 2023 2.0 Portal Thread
« Reply #135 on: April 26, 2023, 01:11:39 PM »
Are there really that many Illini fans calling for Underachiever's head? I tend to doubt it.
There might be, there might not be. But other than Tempo and Dom, who knows ?
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spark mandrill

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Re: 2023 2.0 Portal Thread
« Reply #136 on: April 26, 2023, 01:20:07 PM »
Nope, I’m actually a big Illinois football fan now that Bret Bielema is coach (which I recommended before he was even higher).

I will support success.  I will not support mediocrity

This is the part where, were the situations reversed, you would play meathead and point out that Bret Bielema is 13-12 in two years at Illinois, pretty close to definitional mediocrity.

If Bielema takes us to four straight bowl games after a couple decades of mediocrity, that'd be fantastic.  Underwood already got us there (ignoring that more teams make bowl games than the tournament) and he gets shat all over every time he's mentioned here.
« Last Edit: April 26, 2023, 01:22:01 PM by spark mandrill »

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spark mandrill

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Re: 2023 2.0 Portal Thread
« Reply #137 on: April 26, 2023, 01:20:59 PM »
Are there really that many Illini fans calling for Underachiever's head? I tend to doubt it.

Quite a few, yes.  And many, many more including most of this board who talk about him like they wouldn't let him coach their 7th grade daughter's team.

Lots of very, very basketball stupid people out there.  Led by our very own Dom, the most basketball stupid person on the Internet.

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Lkdog

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Re: 2023 2.0 Portal Thread
« Reply #138 on: April 26, 2023, 01:24:52 PM »
Nope, I’m actually a big Illinois football fan now that Bret Bielema is coach (which I recommended before he was even higher).

I will support success.  I will not support mediocrity

NIT Squeaky talking about success is absolutely hilarious. A loser living in a shithole driving a cab making $15,000 a year who can't get a job because of a pedophile criminal conviction.

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Murph’s Dog

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Re: 2023 2.0 Portal Thread
« Reply #139 on: April 26, 2023, 01:32:12 PM »

I think people overall were very positive about the trajectory and results. I especially thought the Covid year team was excellent coaching, adjustments, development, and roster creation. His best work by far anywhere. That was a very good team and I am pretty sure would have made it to second weekend.

The Loyola game, right or wrong, really was a kick in the nuts for the fanbase and a hit for UW and staff.
The next year was solid overall, but the tourney results were again disappointing and the team was not playing well by that time. They were on fumes mentally.
This year was a struggle though we made it in, but again, the tourney was not good, and the year was pretty chaotic managing culture. Nobody thought we could put two games in a row together.

I do not think there is any chance UW is on hot seat right now. I do think if we do not get out of first weekend the next two years, he will be.
And that would be reasonable and most other top tier coaches would understand. He would then be 0-5 here and 0-9 overall getting to second weekend. 

I hope we will break through. It will be 19 years since a S16 come next March.

I also think the fact that he was allegedly looking around tells me he will not stay if boosters start bitching too loudly.

*chef’s kiss*
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Murph’s Dog

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Re: 2023 2.0 Portal Thread
« Reply #140 on: April 26, 2023, 01:36:48 PM »
Incapable of honest discussion still.  Some things never change.

YOU made the poll about Underwood being fired.  Remind me what it said?

I made that poll trying to get a pulse of what the board was. I even fucking said I wasn’t looking to have him fired. Even I was surprised by the result. So again, “stop lying” about MY position.
Tempo34: “I want dignity and equality of opportunity for all, a higher standard of living for all, and healthcare for all.”

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Dominic

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Re: 2023 2.0 Portal Thread
« Reply #141 on: April 26, 2023, 01:37:54 PM »
This is the part where, were the situations reversed, you would play meathead and point out that Bret Bielema is 13-12 in two years at Illinois, pretty close to definitional mediocrity.

If Bielema takes us to four straight bowl games after a couple decades of mediocrity, that'd be fantastic.  Underwood already got us there (ignoring that more teams make bowl games than the tournament) and he gets shat all over every time he's mentioned here.

Bielema winning 9 Big 10 games in his first 2 years makes him on par with Bill Self.

Plus Bielema already went to 3 Rose Bowls at Wisconsin.  He’s clearly an elite elite college football coach.

Underwood is nowhere close to that.

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Murph’s Dog

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Re: 2023 2.0 Portal Thread
« Reply #142 on: April 26, 2023, 01:39:06 PM »
I think that if/when he breaks through to a S16, majority of people will be fine. If he calms down a little bit on sidelines, even better.
Consistently making the tourney most years and an occasional S16 would be great for the majority of people.
He will retire here if he can achieve that.

Agreed.
Tempo34: “I want dignity and equality of opportunity for all, a higher standard of living for all, and healthcare for all.”

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Murph’s Dog

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Re: 2023 2.0 Portal Thread
« Reply #143 on: April 26, 2023, 01:40:36 PM »
Message boards are a terrible place to take the pulse of a fan base.

Wow, I think Jobu just said something insightful. I may need some air here.
Tempo34: “I want dignity and equality of opportunity for all, a higher standard of living for all, and healthcare for all.”

Judge Judy: “You are an extremist.”

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Murph’s Dog

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Re: 2023 2.0 Portal Thread
« Reply #144 on: April 26, 2023, 01:42:43 PM »
Last year was similar to Webers last 3 years.  And that level got him fired.  But now people like Sparky, LK, and Nichi think it’s fine.

Being better than terrible is not an acceptable bar.

Whitman needs to hold the basketball program to the standards that he expected out of and got out of Bielema.   That is = immense improvement.  Simply being a little better than Lovie/Beckman/Zook wasn’t gonna cut it.   Neither is being “a little better” than Groce

I think this was a pretty good post until the last sentence. Underwood has been better than Groce by miles. Even last year.
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Murph’s Dog

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Re: 2023 2.0 Portal Thread
« Reply #145 on: April 26, 2023, 01:43:35 PM »
But agreed. We should not be comparing ourselves to our worst years. We should be comparing ourselves to the mid 90s at the very worst.
Tempo34: “I want dignity and equality of opportunity for all, a higher standard of living for all, and healthcare for all.”

Judge Judy: “You are an extremist.”

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Murph’s Dog

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Re: 2023 2.0 Portal Thread
« Reply #146 on: April 26, 2023, 01:45:04 PM »

Sparky wanted Weber fired for results that he praises Underwood for.  That’s all you need to know.

Anyone that felt Weber should have been fired after 2012 (or earlier) should absolutely want Underwood gone after his 6 seasons too.

Sparky did say he’s be fine firing Underwood after he goes 17-15 or worse this year which he without a doubt will

The day we lost to Ohio State and missed the tourney in 2010 was the very last straw for me.
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Judge Judy: “You are an extremist.”

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Murph’s Dog

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Re: 2023 2.0 Portal Thread
« Reply #147 on: April 26, 2023, 01:47:20 PM »
I will also say, if you don’t “tolerate” a coach taking over a trainwreck and making them a nationally relevant tournament team every year, you’re going to end up with only shittty coaches wanting to coach for you.  Which obviously would be ideal for Dom, which is why he’s pushing it, but everyone else here is a lot smarter than him.

But were we “relevant” this year? I went into that Arkansas game with almost no expectation we’d win. And about 90% sure we’d get pantsed.
Tempo34: “I want dignity and equality of opportunity for all, a higher standard of living for all, and healthcare for all.”

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Dominic

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Re: 2023 2.0 Portal Thread
« Reply #148 on: April 26, 2023, 01:47:43 PM »
But agreed. We should not be comparing ourselves to our worst years. We should be comparing ourselves to the mid 90s at the very worst.

Lou Henson was pushed out for where the program currently is with Underwood.

Same with the end of Weber.

This past years level has always been a fireable level.

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Murph’s Dog

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Re: 2023 2.0 Portal Thread
« Reply #149 on: April 26, 2023, 01:49:51 PM »
There might be, there might not be. But other than Tempo and Dom, who knows ?

Idiot.
Tempo34: “I want dignity and equality of opportunity for all, a higher standard of living for all, and healthcare for all.”

Judge Judy: “You are an extremist.”