Further Fallout from Illini Win Over the Braves

[tornado]

Illini coach Bruce Weber clearly brought Jamar Smith back too early because he was desperate to beat Bradley.
Jamar wasn't ready to play and the admissions from the Weber and Jamar himself confirm it.
Then in his next game, Jamar's inability to play the 2nd half cost Illinois the Maryland game,
now Jamar didn't even dress and it cost Illinois the Arizona game.

I hope BW values that win over the 9th place pick in the Missouri Valley, because it may cost him an at large bid come March.

[BUBraves2006]

Re: Further Fallout from Illini Win Over the Braves

Illini coach Bruce Weber clearly brought Jamar Smith back too early because he was desperate to beat Bradley.
Jamar wasn't ready to play and the admissions from the Weber and Jamar himself confirm it.
Then in his next game, Jamar's inability to play the 2nd half cost Illinois the Maryland game,
now Jamar didn't even dress and it cost Illinois the Arizona game.

I hope BW values that win over the 9th place pick in the Missouri Valley, because it may cost him an at large bid come March.

You beat me to posting this, as I was thinking it the entire second half of watching the Ill. - Ari. game. Anyone that doesn't think Weber cared about beating Bradley BIG time can just look at this one now. He got one but lost two in the process (and maybe more). I guess BU isn't a bunch of chumps that the big names/schools make us out to be.

[MacabreMob]

Re: Further Fallout from Illini Win Over the Braves

Illini coach Bruce Weber clearly brought Jamar Smith back too early because he was desperate to beat Bradley.

...it may cost him an at large bid come March.

I agree. If he were to just let the Bradley game go, he could have boasted 2 wins this week over 2 ranked teams. The Illini would have definitely made the Top 25. Smith would be healthy. They would be looking at 3 very easy opponents over the next 2 weeks allowing them to have a ranking in the 12-18 range before playing Mizzoo (who could very well be ranked by then).

As I shake my head... tisk - tisk -tisk .... too bad.

[patrick_o'brian]

T- why are you degrading us? "9th pick in the Valley"? Who cares what we were picked. You guys have a whole topic devoted to why Weber wanted to beat us. He wanted to beat us because we are in-state Sweet 16 basketball team. He used Jamar because i'm sure Jamar wanted to play being from Peoria and all, and that is not what cost Illinois 2 games. Illinois lost those games because Arizona and Maryland are better basketball teams. Thats it. Period.

BTW T- I know you are just being sarcastic

[MacabreMob]

Illinois lost those games because Arizona and Maryland are better basketball teams.

I think Illinois could have won both those games. A healthier Jamar could have sealed the deal for them in both games. So why wasn't Jamar healthier?

[Braves4Life]

Weber

Weber did the right thing by playing Smith against Bradley. I honestly believe that Weber knew/felt that a loss to Bradley would have been used against him later by the rabid Illini Alums. In other words, losing to Bradley would have cost him his job!

[phyneous_j_whoopie]

Re: Weber

Weber did the right thing by playing Smith against Bradley. I honestly believe that Weber knew/felt that a loss to Bradley would have been used against him later by the rabid Illini Alums. In other words, losing to Bradley would have cost him his job!

I hope that's not the case. It seems that BW is too classy to put protecting his job ahead of what is best for his team.

[tornado]

I think the use of Jamar ahead of his schedule for returning is somewhat akin to other actions that show a college coach does what he has to do to win games.
Of course they care about the kids, but in any gray area, some coaches will tilt toward the greedy side, and the use of Jamar in a game that means less to Illinois' resume come March is an example.
I am convinced that BW valued the instate bragging rights more than any other factor last Saturday night.
Now he is seeing the fallout from that decision.

[MacabreMob]

Re: Weber

Weber did the right thing by playing Smith against Bradley. I honestly believe that Weber knew/felt that a loss to Bradley would have been used against him later by the rabid Illini Alums. In other words, losing to Bradley would have cost him his job!

I hope that's not the case. It seems that BW is too classy to put protecting his job ahead of what is best for his team.

C'mon Phyn. Don't you see? BW thought protecting his job WAS the best for his team. They are interconnected.

[Lakeview Brave]

So if he benches Jamar then we played a team missing two starters. Im sure BW wants to win every game. I for one am happy Jamar played and would rather play a team with its best players. We still had a chance to win and just didnt execute down the strech. To be honest had they had a fully healthy Jamar and Randle I think they would have led the whole game and won by 10 or 15. Those who think that his JOB was on the line with that game are nuts. As long as Randle and Jamar are ready for the big ten season I think IL will be just fine.

[phyneous_j_whoopie]

Re: Weber

Weber did the right thing by playing Smith against Bradley. I honestly believe that Weber knew/felt that a loss to Bradley would have been used against him later by the rabid Illini Alums. In other words, losing to Bradley would have cost him his job!

I hope that's not the case. It seems that BW is too classy to put protecting his job ahead of what is best for his team.

C'mon Phyn. Don't you see? BW thought protecting his job WAS the best for his team. They are interconnected.

Sorry Mob, poor attempt at sarcasm on my part. Boy, for a program that thinks Bradley should feel fortunate just to get to play on the same court as Illinois, they sure were worried...enough so to jeopardize their best player and maybe their season

[lefty]

I think BW knows what he is doing much better than any of us.

The only thing any of us know for sure is that Illinois beat BU and Smith definitely contributed.
There was no guarantee at all that Illinois wins against MD and AZ with Smith. It's all conjecture
Is everyone upset that Weber played Smith and BU lost...so what?
I don't get it

[MacabreMob]

Is everyone upset that Weber played Smith and BU lost...so what?

Don't need to get your orange&blue panties in a bunch.

Way back when the tournament was being put together, I didn't think BU would be good enough to get to the championship to face Illinois and if they did, I figured (a healthy) Illinois would run Bradley off the floor.

The only thing I know for sure is Smith came back too early and the Illini had to play without him in 'more important' games.

I'm just laughing - that's all.

[tornado]

lefty, If Jim Les had used one of the BU players ahead of the reported schedule, and that player got reinjured, requiring several more games missed, I am sure a point would have been made claiming JL mismanaged his injured player.
Why is Bruce Weber off limits when it comes to questioning why he did what he did.

It was apparent to me watching the Ill-BU game that Jamar was hurting and I wondered a out loud why he was in the game with so much at risk, so early in the season.
Sure enough, the time Jamar played against BU clearly had an impact on his lack of playing ability in the next couple games.
Now Jamar might not even play for another 3-4 games.
Was it worth it just to beat Bradley?
I just think it was silly gamble, a big risk for a game so early in the season. Why did he take that chance, and now he is paying for it with Jamar's absence, and the lack of good shooting from anyone else on the team?

[Lakeview Brave]

lefty, If Jim Les had used one of the BU players ahead of the reported schedule, and that player got reinjured, requiring several more games missed, I am sure a point would have been made claiming JL mismanaged his injured player.
Why is Bruce Weber off limits when it comes to questioning why he did what he did.

It was apparent to me watching the Ill-BU game that Jamar was hurting and I wondered a out loud why he was in the game with so much at risk, so early in the season.
Sure enough, the time Jamar played against BU clearly had an impact on his lack of playing ability in the next couple games.
Now Jamar might not even play for another 3-4 games.
Was it worth it just to beat Bradley?
I just think it was silly gamble, a big risk for a game so early in the season. Why did he take that chance, and now he is paying for it with Jamar's absence, and the lack of good shooting from anyone else on the team?

Why does it matter? What do you want Illini fans to say.. that the BU game was the most important one of the year, that the needed to win it? He was cleared to play and wanted to play so he played and played well. How was BW supposed to know the after effects if Jamar playing in that game? As as a BU fan do you care if BW is off or on the hook?