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I just returned from the Independent Sports Club Smoker tonight at the Lariat Club. I will have to take a few weeks off to get a double lung transplant, but other than the smoky environment, it was great fun.
Bruce Weber and Jim Les were the honored guests, and they fielded questions from the crowd of people there, and from the several sportswriters that included Dave Reynolds, Kirk Wessler, and Bill Liesse of the PJS, and Gary Childs.
I will remember more of the events later, but here are a few things I recall.
Bruce Weber commented that this is the 1 year anniversary of the cell phone call he received from E.J. Gordon to inform him that Eric Gordon was decommitting from Illinois and going to Indiana. He then said, "and E.J. can kiss my a$$". The crowd loved it.
Weber also admitted that this was a very good day for him, since Illinois received the 2 verbal commitments. However, he would not talk about them, or name any names, to avoid getting into trouble with the NCAA rules.
Both coaches were asked about and talked about their teams this year and their schedules, and how they expected the season to go. Jim Les was very upbeat and referred several times to the great talent and depth Bradley had, and the advantage of having senior guards to lead the team. He admitted that they have a lot of work to do to meld the talent and get everyone playing as a team and getting everyone to accept their roles.
Bruce Weber was not as enthusiastic when talking about his team's prospects, but he did say he expected Illinois to be right behind the top 3 teams that everyone is picking for the top of the Big Ten (Ohio State, Michigan State, and Indiana). He also admitted they have a lot of work to do to define new players' roles, and he expected Dimitri McCamey to play a big role this year. Bill Cole is recovering nicely from a dislocated shoulder, and it sounds like he will be 100% by the start of the season, and there is no plan for a redshirt. And Mike Tisdale is very skilled, but way too skinny. They have him on a 6000 calorie diet, but he hasn't gained any weight yet.
Jim Les talked about the players individually, and he sounds very excited about his new big men. But his most effusive words were for freshman Sam Maniscalco.
Jim thinks Bradley's schedule will produce one of the best SOS ratings in the country. Illinois' schedule is pretty tough, too.
Jim Les talked about some of the improvements at the Civic Center and Bradley is very happy playing there. They have no intention of looking to move out anytime soon. This season there will be a new basketball floor, and a new design on the floor. Maybe we'll have to try to get a picture of the new floor.
Several times the coaches and the reporters veered off topics and lambasted the internet as the source of everything that is evil. They believe nearly everything that is said on internet recruiting sites, and message boards is not true, and it is damaging to the coaches, kids, and colleges. Repeatedly all the reporters echoed this sentiment, that the internet is a terrible thing, and the falsehoods perpetrated are the worst things in the history of sports. So I guess that means you shouldn't believe anything I am saying.
I will add more as I remember it. If anyone has any questions about what might have been asked of the coaches or said, let me know.
Everyone had a great time. I still have my unsmoked cigars if anyone is interested. Lots of great food, typical of the Lariat Club, and plenty of beer.
This may be the last year for the smoker, because legislation already passed by the Illinois General Assembly will prohibit smoking in any public building by this time next year. So the ISC will have to figure out a way to do this event next year. Bruce Weber said he likes doing these events, and has started a similar event at the Beef House in Indiana between the coaches of Illinois and Purdue to promote those 2 schools. He said he based his idea for the Beef House event on the ISC Smoker.
Bruce Weber and Jim Les were the honored guests, and they fielded questions from the crowd of people there, and from the several sportswriters that included Dave Reynolds, Kirk Wessler, and Bill Liesse of the PJS, and Gary Childs.
I will remember more of the events later, but here are a few things I recall.
Bruce Weber commented that this is the 1 year anniversary of the cell phone call he received from E.J. Gordon to inform him that Eric Gordon was decommitting from Illinois and going to Indiana. He then said, "and E.J. can kiss my a$$". The crowd loved it.
Weber also admitted that this was a very good day for him, since Illinois received the 2 verbal commitments. However, he would not talk about them, or name any names, to avoid getting into trouble with the NCAA rules.
Both coaches were asked about and talked about their teams this year and their schedules, and how they expected the season to go. Jim Les was very upbeat and referred several times to the great talent and depth Bradley had, and the advantage of having senior guards to lead the team. He admitted that they have a lot of work to do to meld the talent and get everyone playing as a team and getting everyone to accept their roles.
Bruce Weber was not as enthusiastic when talking about his team's prospects, but he did say he expected Illinois to be right behind the top 3 teams that everyone is picking for the top of the Big Ten (Ohio State, Michigan State, and Indiana). He also admitted they have a lot of work to do to define new players' roles, and he expected Dimitri McCamey to play a big role this year. Bill Cole is recovering nicely from a dislocated shoulder, and it sounds like he will be 100% by the start of the season, and there is no plan for a redshirt. And Mike Tisdale is very skilled, but way too skinny. They have him on a 6000 calorie diet, but he hasn't gained any weight yet.
Jim Les talked about the players individually, and he sounds very excited about his new big men. But his most effusive words were for freshman Sam Maniscalco.
Jim thinks Bradley's schedule will produce one of the best SOS ratings in the country. Illinois' schedule is pretty tough, too.
Jim Les talked about some of the improvements at the Civic Center and Bradley is very happy playing there. They have no intention of looking to move out anytime soon. This season there will be a new basketball floor, and a new design on the floor. Maybe we'll have to try to get a picture of the new floor.
Several times the coaches and the reporters veered off topics and lambasted the internet as the source of everything that is evil. They believe nearly everything that is said on internet recruiting sites, and message boards is not true, and it is damaging to the coaches, kids, and colleges. Repeatedly all the reporters echoed this sentiment, that the internet is a terrible thing, and the falsehoods perpetrated are the worst things in the history of sports. So I guess that means you shouldn't believe anything I am saying.
I will add more as I remember it. If anyone has any questions about what might have been asked of the coaches or said, let me know.
Everyone had a great time. I still have my unsmoked cigars if anyone is interested. Lots of great food, typical of the Lariat Club, and plenty of beer.
This may be the last year for the smoker, because legislation already passed by the Illinois General Assembly will prohibit smoking in any public building by this time next year. So the ISC will have to figure out a way to do this event next year. Bruce Weber said he likes doing these events, and has started a similar event at the Beef House in Indiana between the coaches of Illinois and Purdue to promote those 2 schools. He said he based his idea for the Beef House event on the ISC Smoker.
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