Fired ISU assistant Paris Parham hired as assistant at Illinois

[tornado]

Paris Parham is hired to complete the staff at Illinois

http://www.illinihq.com/sports/illini-sports/mens-basketball/2012-06-26/klee-parham-join-illini-staff.html

the reaction as gauged by posts on the Illinois message boards is mixed but largely skeptical - especially from fans who wanted someone who would replace Jerrance Howard's Chicago connections...

[tornado]

most of the comments on the Illini message boards and not real good - Illini fans feel they are mid-major-izing with all the coaches and assistants, as well as multiple mid-major transfers like Rayvonte Rice & Sam McLaurin

they question if Parham is a good recruiter of Chicago then what Chicago recruits who they've landed since he was hired could in all his time there have contributed one iota?
...the only one on the roster is Zeke Upshaw who, along with the departed Trey Blue, Kenyon Smith, & Terry Johnson were all inconsequential players at best and actually more like wasted scholarships....
A lot of Illinois fans really don't see the evidence of the claims that he is good at landing Chicago talent...

[tornado]

Trivia question - when was the LAST TIME the University of Illinois had a coach - either head coach or assistant -
who was was FROM CHICAGO - not just from the Chicago area - but actually from Chicago??


Answer......mouse over to read....

1996 - when they had Jimmy Collins - who lived in Chicago BUT was actually NOT a Chicago native

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/07/07/wisch-illini-go-to-paris-finally-connect-with-chicago/

[AZ BU Fan]

Most of the comments on the Illini message boards and not real good - Illini fans feel they are mid-major-izing with all the coaches and assistants, as well as multiple mid-major transfers like Rayvonte Rice & Sam McLaurin ...

Interesting, don't remember Illini fans' disappointment with mid major transfers when SM showed up on their team...

BU's mid major players handed it to the Illini in Vegas a couple years ago if I remember correctly....

Of course, Illini couldn't win with all their big time BCS players, so why not try something else?