Illini to Lose their Best Recruiter

[smitty]

As quickly as Tracy Webster jumped at this job offer, I guess it's fair to say that the lowest assistant position at Kentucky is a more desirable job than the top recruiting position at Illinois?

This doesn't say much for Illinois.

[tornado]

Rumor is that Weber will dip into the Chicago Public League and try to hire a coach from there.
Problem is that he has such a lousy reputation in the CPL, he might just have a hard time finding anyone of significance who'll take his offer,
especially since many of the top Chicago Public League coaches are already making good money by also working the AAU circuit, and doing high profile "clinics" where they can accept money for very little work as long as they sell some influence in the recruiting.

But then, everyone else is doing this kind of hiring, just to gain influence in recruiting the area.

[DannyCooksey]

Rumor is that Weber will dip into the Chicago Public League and try to hire a coach from there.
Problem is that he has such a lousy reputation in the CPL, he might just have a hard time finding anyone of significance who'll take his offer,
especially since many of the top Chicago Public League coaches are already making good money by also working the AAU circuit, and doing high profile "clinics" where they can accept money for very little work as long as they sell some influence in the recruiting.

But then, everyone else is doing this kind of hiring, just to gain influence in recruiting the area.

They sure are and it's smart. Why not? This is what Weber should have done as soon as he got the job at Illinois. His reputation in the CPL is at best 'cool'. The best thing he could do at this point is look to hire a well connected CPL coach who could help serve as conduit to repair his repuation in the city as well as increase his odds of actually getting a couple decent players from the city. As you said though, it's slim pickens at this point.

We all know Chicago is one of the most fertile recruiting grounds for basketball in the entire country. Why not do whatever you can within reason to help mine some of that talent? The best teams Illinois has ever had always had a couple key guys from the city area or were completely loaded with kids from city as the '89 team was. Who is there now from Chicago? Pruitt and Carlwell are from suburban schools.

[Da Coach]

Here is another interesting article about Tracy Webster and this latest switch to Kentucky. It sounds from this article as if Tracy Webster was one fantastic recruiter!
It also quotes Simeon head coach Robert Smith as saying--
"I think it is probably a good move for himself to coach at Kentucky. I think it will be bad move for Illinois," said Chicago Simeon coach Robert Smith, whose program has long had ties to Illinois. "I think that Tracy took a lot of heat for the things that happened for Illinois in Chicago, and I don't think he deserved it. People want to blame it on somebody, but for whatever reason it was (that) they weren't getting kids out of Chicago, it wasn't because of Tracy."

If it wasn't because of Tracy, what was the reason Illinois couldn't get the best Chicago players?

http://www.news-gazette.com/blogs/basketblog/2007/09/06/illinois_lose_webster_chicago_ties

A lot of Illinois fans want to bring Jerrance Howard back as an assistant. He is currently Kentucky's director of basketball operations. But that is not likely to happen. Bruce Weber knows he needs someone who has strong connections to the Chicago area and to the Chicago prep coaches.

[Beninator]

All the king's horses and all the king's men couldnt put Bruce-All-Mighty back together again.

[tornado]

From the Kentucky boards....

They have a picture of Webster after signing with the Wildcats

And also a couple nice pics of the top players Illinois
has been able to land under Webster as top recruiter

[chitownBUB]

Oh My, t
that alone is worth the price of a subscription if you ever decide to charge for Bradleyfans!
Gotta love it....maybe someone should post a link over on the Illinois boards.

[chitownBUB]

I tried, but the scout/Illinois forums seem to have the entire message board index
closed and locked. Must be in meltdown mode..........

[Beninator]

Too bad there isnt a picture of that guy shooting freethrows the old fashioned way!!!

[Bravesguy]

Apparently the top choice to replace Webster on the Illini staff was Gene Cross
and Illinois grad who is now a top assistant and recruiter at Notre Dame.
But, Cross this morning said: "I'm focused on Notre Dame," said Cross, who expressed interest in Illinois three years ago when Webster was hired. "I'm getting ready to get on the road recruiting. I love working for Mike Brey. I love working for Notre Dame."

So that eliminates Cross, and believe it or not I have heard speculation they should go after Loren Jackson.
Maybe a year ago when he had some influence over the talent at Boys to Men, but now Jackson is a has been.
Maybe elevate McClain to top assistant/recruiter, and hire Sergio to fill the other spot.
Isn't McClain highly respect in Chicago? That's what I had heard somewhere?
Or maybe Bruce can hire his brother to help land the Chicago area talent.
Naw- he couldn't even help land the guys on his own team at GBN.

[tornado]

One more pic....

Here is the last player from the Peoria area, that McClain nearly got through the
PEORIA PIPELINE, although eventually they lost him to another smaller instate school.

[Beninator]

One more pic....

Here is the last player from the Peoria area, that McClain nearly got through the
PEORIA PIPELINE, although eventually they lost him to another smaller instate school.

I still think that BU should retire this guy's number!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Da Coach]

Maybe former Chicago Bull Dickie Simpkins could be a candidate for the new opening at Illinois?

http://www.herald-review.com/blogs/marktupper/

[Da Coach]

Another article with a reference to a rumor that apparently has surfaced that Tracy Webster was an agent for Kentucky all the time he was working for Illinois, trying to sabotage the Illini recruiting efforts. Sounds interesting, but I agree with this writer that it's a bit ridiculous. --

http://blogs.suntimes.com/hoopsreport/2007/09/webster_loss_huge_webster_rumo.html

[tornado]

Maybe former Chicago Bull Dickie Simpkins could be a candidate for the new opening at Illinois?

http://www.herald-review.com/blogs/marktupper/

Nope--
the best move is to hire the dad of one of the players.......
maybe the best bet is to hire the dad of the kid named Jeffrey.
I am sure he'd take the job, as he's always wanted to coach and who wouldn't want to be your kid's coach?
There is no single name that could get past MORE doors in Chicago than Michael Jordan.
If mj would buy a team bus for a minor league baseball team, I am sure he'd do this for his own kid.