Tom Kleinschmidt/Chicago Gordon Tech

[tornado]

Ex-DePaul star Tom Kleinschmidt is taking over as head coach at Dick Versace's old school - Gordon Tech

Gordon Tech is also alma mater to Carl Maniscalco and Carl's associate coach with the Illinois Wolves is Dave Kleinschmidt


BTW -- at last night's Illini banquet - Sam Maniscalco was awarded the Kenny Battle Most Inspirational Player Award
The surprising story was that Meyers Leonard did not win the team MVP Award!

[Da Coach]

The surprising story was that Meyers Leonard did not win the team MVP Award!

Maybe someone with greater knowledge of the Illini program can tell us exactly what is going on, but the players voted Tracy Abrams as the team's MVP for last season!

http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x403920132/Abrams-named-Illini-MVP

Abrams averaged just 4.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, and 1.9 apg, and his shooting percentage was awful. He was 7th on the team in scoring. He wasn't even a starter until Sam was injured. Something very strange is going on for him to be voted the team MVP by the players. It looks like the younger players must have conspired to vote for Abrams to deny the MVP award to much more deserving players like Meyers Leonard, Brandon Paul, and D.J. Richardson (the top 3 scorers).

I would have liked to see the paper do a bit more digging and find out more about this odd selection. But then again, there is no bobblehead involved.

[lake Camelot]

Maybe someone with greater knowledge of the Illini program can tell us exactly what is going on, but the players voted Tracy Abrams as the team's MVP for last season!

http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x403920132/Abrams-named-Illini-MVP

Abrams averaged just 4.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, and 1.9 apg, and his shooting percentage was awful. He was 7th on the team in scoring. He wasn't even a starter until Sam was injured. Something very strange is going on for him to be voted the team MVP by the players. It looks like the younger players must have conspired to vote for Abrams to deny the MVP award to much more deserving players like Meyers Leonard, Brandon Paul, and D.J. Richardson (the top 3 scorers).

I would have liked to see the paper do a bit more digging and find out more about this odd selection. But then again, there is no bobblehead involved.

I thought that was strange also. All I can think of is they thought Point Guard was a weak link on the team and he helped improve that part of the team.

[lefty]

Maybe someone with greater knowledge of the Illini program can tell us exactly what is going on, but the players voted Tracy Abrams as the team's MVP for last season!

http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x403920132/Abrams-named-Illini-MVP

Abrams averaged just 4.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, and 1.9 apg, and his shooting percentage was awful. He was 7th on the team in scoring. He wasn't even a starter until Sam was injured. Something very strange is going on for him to be voted the team MVP by the players. It looks like the younger players must have conspired to vote for Abrams to deny the MVP award to much more deserving players like Meyers Leonard, Brandon Paul, and D.J. Richardson (the top 3 scorers).

I would have liked to see the paper do a bit more digging and find out more about this odd selection. But then again, there is no bobblehead involved.

I thought that was interesting too.....but TA was the vocal leader toward the latter part of season even though they were losing, he actually played with a lot more heart than any of the three you mentioned....

Any one of those three should have been voted MVP based on ability but all three had plenty of rockhead moments during the season....

it would be interesting to here more of the story though...

[hoops guru]

I hear it was more of a protest vote by the freshmen. Recall that the freshmen banded together as a block, at the urging of JH, and tweeted that Howard should get the head coaching job. Then Howard was let go and the freshmen aren't happy about the changes. The freshmen all hung together and there was a divide between them and the upper class guys.

[lefty]

I hear it was more of a protest vote by the freshmen. Recall that the freshmen banded together as a block, at the urging of JH, and tweeted that Howard should get the head coaching job. Then Howard was let go and the freshmen aren't happy about the changes. The freshmen all hung together and there was a divide between them and the upper class guys.

Ugh...that's not good. Probably a rough couple of years in Champaign coming up

[Biff]

Even if they didn't like Leonard, it seems like quite a "diss" to the other guys they will have to be playing with next year, Paul, Richardson, Griffey, Bertrand, if they all stay at Illinois.

[tornado]

I agree - if this happened at some schools - the headlines would dig at why the team is in disarray and rebelling...

[wily coyote]

I think something smells down I-74.IMO, I think it is two-fold. One they don't like Leonard and two a protest for letting JH go. The new coach has alot of work to do to right that ship.

[wily coyote]

Almost forgot what the topic was about. Congrats to young Tom. He's a fine young man and will do a good job at his old school. I worked the state tournament with his father whose name is also Tom. He told me some very interesting stories about his recruitment in grade school. He was recruited as hard by the High Schools in Chicago as he was by Colleges a couple years later. Great kid ,great family hope he does well.

[lefty]

I think something small down I-74.IMO, I think it is two-fold. One they don't like Leonard and two a protest for letting JH go. The new coach has alot of work to do to right that ship.

You know.....it might have helped Jerrance to be at the introductory news conference if he really wanted the job

[Da Coach]

Jerrance also skipped the open reception that night for everyone to meet John Groce. I think you are right and it might have hurt his chances of getting offered a position there.

[lefty]

Jerrance also skipped the open reception that night for everyone to meet John Groce. I think you are right and it might have hurt his chances of getting offered a position there.

Makes me wonder if he really wanted to be a part of Groce's team....this way he stays in the good graces of Illini Nation...says he wants the job...but the actions don't really reflect it.

[tornado]

With Tom Kleinschmidt leaving York, a very big school in a well funded district - to take over at Gordon Tech...a somewhat smaller (only about one-fifth the enrollment as York) and more obscure school with lesser recent success...
one has to wonder what's up as this seems to be another "lateral" or downward step....

This means that Elmhurst York will now have their 4th head coach - hiring Vince Doran who was just cut loose in Hinsdale under controversial circumstances - in less than four years since their coach then of 5 years left - so what's happening there??
There are clues.........but it would be interesting to know more...

http://blogs.suntimes.com/hoopsreport/2012/05/vince_doran_to_take_over_york_.html

[cpacmel]

Didn't Kleinschmidt attend Gordon Tech?