WIU lets Coach Thomas go

[tornado]

Head basketball coach Derek Thomas is let go after 5th year,
record was 40-104

http://www.pjstar.com/php/index.php?/sports/macomb_western_illinois_fires_mens_basketball_coach/

[IlliBraves]

Maybe the Leathernecks will pick up Barry....

[MacabreMob]

Or Wayne McClain!

Or Kelvin Sampson!

[tornado]

It would make them instantly a more credible program and he'd get players in there that could win in that conference.

[J Money]

By the way did anyone hear that Popovich is having Kelvin Sampson hang out with him to learn the NBA game for the rest of the year? It was on Mike and Mike yesterday. The NBA would be a perfect fit for him.

[squirrel]

Barry may be a bit out of WIU's price range, but wouldn't Hinson-Molinari be an interesting situation at WIU.

[tornado]

Here is a coaching rumor website saying Molinari is in the mix for the WIU job.

"Look for the following names to be mentioned for the recent opening at Western Illinois: Mankato State's Matt Margenthaler, Wisconsin's Greg Gard, Iowa State's Jeff Rutter, Illinois' Jay Price, Former Bradley Head Coach Jim Molinari and former St Louis and Wisconsin head coach Brad Soderberg"

http://coachingnewsonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=4&Itemid=29

The site also says Indiana is down to three candidates
Washington State's Tony Bennett, Xavier's Sean Miller and Brad Brownell from Wright State.

[Da Coach]

Article discussing one writer's potential candidates for WIU. Most of them have a Bradley or MVC connection--

http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/WIU-Thomas-031208-glance

[tornado]

WIU's best recruit, 6-9 Josh Harrelson, wants out since the coaching change,
but WIU won't release him...
He is very highly rated and Kentucky wants him...

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/columnists.nsf/berniemiklasz/story/148B4747AB3D3FC38625741B0010B705?OpenDocument

http://jucojunction.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=59073&sport=2

http://jucojunction.rivals.com/content.asp?cid=784856

[2bradleyfans]

What does it mean when it is stated that WIU won't let this kid go?

I don't really understand how this whole thing works. If the kid dosen't want to play for WIU anymore is this a case where Western is punishing him. Does this happen alot? Do other schools react in the same way if a player they signed balks.

[tornado]

He has signed his letter of intent, so if the school won't release him he cannot get a scholarship anywhere else.
He is free to transfer but he'll have to play his own way.
If they release him, then he can be on scholarship elsewhere but would have to sit out one year if he transfers to D-I.

[real fan]

If they release him from his letter of intent he does not have to sit out a year, I would not bet on him not getting out of his letter as other players have and not paid any penalties. (Grundy got away with it)

[2bradleyfans]

Why does Josh want out? (perhaps a better question would have been: Why did he want to play at Western?)

Has his stock increased dramatically as a JUCO?

Did he have some loyalties towards the now departed Coach Thomas?

[2bradleyfans]

Is Coach MO really being seriously considered at Western, or is what we are hearing unsubstantiated "hype".

Mo, does have a history of success in Illinois. Interresting if Mo takes the job at Western that would mean he will have been head coach for 3 D-1 programs in Illinois. Who has coached at the most out of the 12 D-1 programs in Illinois? I obviously know Weber has coached at two programs.

[houstontxbrave]

Is Coach MO really being seriously considered at Western, or is what we are hearing unsubstantiated "hype".

Mo, does have a history of success in Illinois. Interresting if Mo takes the job at Western that would mean he will have been head coach for 3 D-1 programs in Illinois. Who has coached at the most out of the 12 D-1 programs in Illinois? I obviously know Weber has coached at two programs.

If the administration at WIU has any brains, and MO is sincerely interested in their job, they should immediately hire him. They are never winning anything in Macomb but he would bring instant credibility to that school and its basketball program. They will not find another head coach who will give his heart and soul into a job and will believe in more in the product he puts out on the floor on a nightly basis.

Also, I believe he is not given enough credit for the very good talent he brought into Bradley in his time as the BU head coach.