Don't put that on the internet!That's not me talking, it's ex-Purdue assistant coach, and current Illinois head coach, Bruce Weber when asked about the Big Ten race later this fall. His exact quote is:
"The league should be wide open and we can be right in the middle of it. I do know one thing, though. I think Indiana will suck. Don't put that on the Internet."
I don't know why a coach of a college team would ever spout off like a fan about another team in a conference, but the likable (not to IU fans) Weber shoots from the hip. I guess it's always a good thing to see new rivalries...and if IU can ever have a full roster of schollie players, theirs with the Illini will continue to be a good one.
If Tom Crean will play along in the coming seasons, Big Ten basketball could become like SEC football a few seasons ago when Spurrier was at UF...Extremely entertaining theater especially during pressers.
23 comments:
What a whiner, I dont see how we can be any worse than the whining illini worse last year. This is why weber will never be successful there because he is a crybaby, and the fact of the matter is we will suck, but for a coach to say it? That shows zero class, you Purdue fans think Painter would ever talk like that? Hes too smart. Sampson was even to smart to talk like that. I expect a decommitt from Jereme Richmond soon, after weber gets fired.
I agree, Painter would never be so reckless. But I don't think he has the hate that Weber apparently does for IU. Remember, Painter wanted to play for IU.
As for Weber, sometimes he does seem a little off the rails, but he's a good coach and has done some very good things in his various stops, including at Illinois.
khr,
My point exactly- most coaches wouldn't talk like that...but it's entertaining.
You seriously don't see how IU can be any worse than Illinois this coming year? That could be the biggest homer statement ever by an IU fan...and there have been some doozies. IU returns 1.3 points from last year...keep it in mind. UI was nearly .500 last season.
Wow. I love it!
Classic smack from a guy who won 5 Big 10 games last year. Everyone knows IU will struggle this year. Only an idiot, paranoid, IU-obsessed fool like Weber would say something like this. He'll be in the Horizon League within two years if he keeps this up.
Crean could have 80 ppg coming back and he'd still get outcoached every 2nd half since he is inept when it comes to making adjustments
/obligatory comment from a Marquette alum
where is this quote from? You pull it randomly but don't give any credit to a media outlet or credit a personal interview...please shed some light
Alex- click on coach Weber's name early in the entry...We don't steal around here, yo!
I love that a Marquette alum stopped by our humble abode; thanks for the visit...come back soon.
Seriously though, I have watched IU basketball for 30 years and never considered Illinois a rival. Illinois fans are delusional and made up this "rivalry." Two good years with players he didn't recruit and he thinks he should win the big ten repeatedly... DELUSIONAL
Its like Illinois thinking its a rival with Michigan in football.
It was said a a fan meet and greet event in a completely joking way. He was playing to crowd of Illini fans and got a laugh and then went on to say that Indiana has one of the best traditions in the country and and that he hopes they come back soon because it hurts the whole conference when they're not good.
@Anon,
Duke and Kentucky are your REAL rivals, right? (tic)
i think the illini have one of the best traditions and hope they come back soon, too!
dowd,
you may be right about how bad we will be but i really dont think we will be that far off from the whining illini's season last year, i predict 13 wins. but we have zero expectation where as there were some in champaign. i think weber needs to take care of his own house before he starts saying other programs suck. hes got is own work to do
khr- that's more level-headed...and I don't disagree.
Like my wife says about Weber, his silly sideline signs (SCREENERS!), scratchy voice, tongue falling out of his mouth and general antics...He's entertaining if nothing else.
Lord,I can't imagine why the guy hates IU.IU hires cheater to get Gordon away from Weber.
IU Hires assistant coach who spreads rumors that Weber is a racist.(not something you will see on the internet,but it happened).
Weber refuses to shake hands of staff because of the racist crap,but can't comment publicly about it and gets branded as a sore loser,when the recruiting loss was secondary.(He does shake hands of the players before the games,but that goes unreported.)
Hoosier fans despise Weber even after finding out that he was correct about Sampson and staff being a bunch of cheating renegades.
After Crean is hired, he is asked about Illini recruiting success in 09 and 10 and instead of saying "no comment or nice class",he responds that Illinois has a long way to go for the program to be back.
You don't think Weber is laughing his a--off now? To say that Indiana will suck is being kind.
Thank you, Coach Weber, for spicing up an otherwise boring off-season.
cratch,
it is a well known FACT that the Gordon family contacted Sampson, not the other way around.
Yeah, well Illinois offered to pay Reggie Bush money to Eric Gordon to win him back. (Not something you'll see on the internet, but it's true.)
Gee, that's a fun game to play.
Good lord, why does everything have to be so serious? He's just having a good time like the rest of us would! Just because he's on the national stage doesn't mean he can't poke fun every once in a while! Especially of a rival!
Amen to that, Anthony.
The Illini had a bad season this past year because of some underhanded dealings by a conference coach who stole the biggest recruit Illinois has had in 20 years. Illinois with Gordon would have been better than IU was with him, or even Illinois with some of the shooting guards they missed out on because Gordon was commited FOR SO LONG would have been quite a bit better. The Gordon scenario in many ways threatened Weber's job, and one that he worked hard for many years to get. How many on here would feel the need to be cordial to someone who threatens our jobs, and the standings in said jobs that we worked hard to acheive. Can't blame the guy for taking a little satisfaction from the current situation at Indiana.
As far as the comment themselves, I initially thought it was a bit much, and Weber does lack ALOT in the media savy department, but upon searching more and putting the comment in the proper context, it becomes obvious that it was a joke aimed at a pro Illini crowd, and if anyone would take the time to read what he said about Indiana after this joke, this fact becomes obvious.
Also, IU and UI were never really rivals except in so much as Indiana was the top team in the conference for many years, that lower teams such as Illinois strived to beat them and took more satisfaction on the occasions that they did. IU was a rival to the UI much like UM was in the 90's in this regard. Also, IU hasn't been good enough the past 10 to 15 years for the most part for Illinois to consider them a rival.
Finally, to think that the ship hasn't been righted in Champaign, and also Purdue, Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan State, and even in some regards to Northwestern is looking past the obvious gains that these programs have been making in recruiting. The Big Ten is setting itself up to be a beast in the next couple of years, with the obvious exception of IU (and whoever said 13 wins for them next year has been smoking their breakfast, lunch, and dinner because there is no chance of that). And just out of curiosity, why doesn't anyone bring up the fact that Roy Williams didn't recruit his National Championship team?
If Illinois had beena ble to make a damn free throw last year they might have been in the NCAA Tournament. They had a number of close losses where, had they not thrown up enough bricks to build a new Champaign Orphanage from the line, they would have had several more wins.
Worry about teaching free throws first, Bruce.
To be quite honest, I really don't care what he says about IU. The comment was obviously made to a pro-UI crowd, and I highly doubt he meant it to be derogatory towards Crean (directed at Sampson).
Just like Bo Schem said "to hell with Notre Dame" at rallies, and Weis pulling the "to hell with Michigan", I really don't understand the big deal. We have no problem with sports blogs/message boards/bar room conversations saying non-classy things. Surely there's been worse said on the illiniboard about IU than "IU will suck."
I do understand that that we're (fans) held to lower standard than the face of a program, ala the head coach. However, calling someone "Porky Painter", "Fat Charlie", and "Wilford Brimley" on message boards doesn't make it right.
My point with that rant (and I'm probably the most guilty of anyone) is that while Bruce may have been classless, it doesn't help when our fellow IU fans refer to other coaches as Bruthie, Porky Painter, Fat Charlie, Wilford Brimley, etc...
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