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Weber gets vote of confidence

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Ron Guenther has plans for the Illinois basketball program - big plans. A season all but certain to end with the first losing record since 1998-99 hasn't changed a thing in the mind of Illinois' athletic director. Guenther sees this 13-18 season as a bump in the road. He wants Bruce Weber to coach the Illlini for many years to come, and he wants him to do it in a refurbished Assembly Hall or a new arena.

Chicago Tribune

Bruce Weber, AP Bruce Weber, AP

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March 11, 2008  10:20 AM ET
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Obviously Weber should be safe. Now that his recruiting has started to improve, they need to see how the new classes fare over the next 2-3 years. The man can coach, he just has a talent-challenged roster right now. If the talent improves close to where is was from 2000-2006, Weber is going to win.

March 11, 2008  11:58 AM ET
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can anybody please explain to me (maybe by messege or something cause im being serious here) when a guy has been locked up to be a coach or whatever....and considering you never hear this in the pros EVER except for historic purposes (you'll see where im going with this) heres my question that i want one of you to answer me if you actually know the answer to it...

what does a new arena have to do with anything? bigger fan capacity = bigger home court advantage?....i dont get it....i dont get how that makes a team better....he needs to recruit better...imagine the Illini this season if we DID have eric gordon....man...

March 11, 2008  12:51 PM ET
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He has some talent in the works. Give him a shot to see how he does with it.

March 11, 2008  03:04 PM ET
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I think the idea is that a big new facility helps bring in the bigger name recruits and is a selling point in the recruiting process. New arena almost always means new locer rooms, workout facilities, etc......which is what they use in the recruiting process.

March 11, 2008  03:18 PM ET
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Oh no, the dreaded VOTE OF CONFIDENCE!!! He'll be gone after next year fo sho.

March 11, 2008  05:35 PM ET
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More mediocre - or worse - b-ball for Illinois. At least the football program is on the upswing.

March 12, 2008  10:13 AM ET
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New arenas (or at least refurbished ones) are meant for fans and revenue, primarily. Redo the seating structure - fit more fans in the same building. Changes like that do wonders for the crowd noise issue as well. Visiting teams that finally become accustomed to an arena suddenly have to re-learn it, and then they usually only get one chance per year. If you've ever been to Assembly Hall in Champaign, you'll agree that something needs to be done.

March 18, 2008  11:47 AM ET
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Anyone know WHY the talent pool slipped? Isn't that the coach's responsibility as well?

Nice job in the Big 10 tourney though!

 
March 25, 2008  11:53 AM ET
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Like I've said in other blogs on this website, his first couple of years at Illinois he was still recruiting like he was at SIU. Now that he's figured out how fierce the competition is at the D-1 level, he's recruiting younger and for more impact talent. So far he's doing ok. Let's hope some of these guys last more than a year or two.

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