WISCY MILW - careful...story...

[dolphin]

I received two calls last night that new life has been breathed into an old story as a result of ILLINOIS playing WISCY-MIL on Thursday.

The coach of Wiscy-Mil ratted out some violations going on at the Illinois program many years ago, leading to their probation. I can't send you to a site, but I think for those of you unfamiliar with it, Chicago newspaper sources at the very least, will provide the details.

How important could this be? Well these Illinois players have nothing to do with it. Alumni wanting a burial cannot add much fuel to the basic level of motivation which already exists for Illinois.

HOWEVER...as the story gains legs heading towards Thursday, it is quite likely to prove a distraction to the coach and team of WM. As well, some percentage of the fans at the game who might otherwise have been neutral or even sentimentally favoring the underdog...will now be rooting against WM.

something to consider...or not...

Dolphin

 

[ProphetablePicks]

this makes me like UW MILW even more!!!! keep on stacking things against these guys. playing in Chicago against # 1 team, this thing u are talking of.....give me the points here!!!

 

[SportsJunkie+]

This is old news. Happened in the late 80's. Pearl caught Jimmy Collins (now head coach at Illinois Chicago ) , then an assistant at Illinois offering Deon Thomas cash to come to Illinois. It was widely rumored that Lou Henson was known for these type of things. Pearl was an assistant under Tom Davis at Iowa and got head coach and AD approval to tape conversation of Deon Thomas saying he was offered cash to come to Illinois.

 

[Kojak]

Living in Chicago, I can tell you that the media is trying to reopen old wounds that imo are dead. Wisc-Milw and Ill. Chicago where Collins coaches have a heated rivalry where neither coach has ever shaken the others hand but in regards to this game different people involved. Alumni may want big victory but they don't play the game. I actually think this may help the cover for Panthers even more as people bet the Illini forcing the line up. I may add here also that these games are not being played in United Center but Allstate Arena so Illinois will be playing for first time there along with Panthers. It is a much easier place to shoot the ball than United Center so more points may be scored by both sides than expected. I do think Illinois will win this game but I don't think they will cover it. If the Panthers had a different name on their jersey this line would be half of what it is. They have lost only 3 games all year long, have the guards to matchup with Illini, in fact McCants and Tucker may be better shooters. Illini have had off and on turnover problems the past couple of weeks so I am interested to see them handle the Panther Pressure as they have not seen anything like it all year. This will be a 1-2 possession game in the end with or without 80's probation hype being brought back up by media!

 

[Coast2Coast]

YAWN!!!!!!!!!!! The players were 5 years old when Pearl caught Illinois cheating. The story gets recycled twice every year in the Chicago papers when Collins' UIC team plays Pearl's UWM team. It gives the writers something to write about since most of them aren't capable of actually breaking down the game. The writers have already asked the players and they responded with the basic "who cares". If this or any newspaper story is a distraction for any athlete or coach in this game, then they don't deserve to advance. This is the kind of thing that a kid or coach thinks about for maybe the 30 seconds they are asked the question about it...then they go back to focusing on what's really important.

The one real effect of this though will be that Pearl will be booed very very loudly by the Illinois fans at every opportunity during the game.

 

[jwunderdog]

If I am an Ill fan the last thing I want attention drawn to is the fact my school was caught cheating ever. Just what you need to do is boo the coach, so the media will have to explain. Probably will happen but stupid in my opinion, and will not have an effect on the game, except make Ill look bad.

 

[SportsJunkie+]

These guys love playing for Pearl. They love his system. They see what kind of person Collins is when after the last 5 or 6 games, Pearl reaches out to shake Collins hands and Collins walks right past him. The players can logically guess that Thomas was paid off at Illinois. THEY WERE CAUGHT RIGHT ON TAPE. It doesn't take much to see that. UWM players see this game as us vs. the world. Illinois didn't face any type of pressure like they'll see Thursda night so it will be interesting to see how they fare. Also, UWM didn't face 3 guards like Illinois has and that they'll see Thurs. night.

 

[dolphin]

It wasn't my intent to claim I know how this will play out. Yes, it is a very old story, locally especially. And I said in my post that the alums wanting a burial is a "so what". And I said THESE kids have nothing to do with it.

However, today's environment features 24-hour "news" cycles with the need to fill space and time. There are three days to find things to talk about regarding 16 NCAA teams. This story may be a non-starter for the UWM's coach and players, but it is something for fans and media to wrap themselves around as if it is fresh news. No one likes a snitch, esp. in the Midwest. Illinois won't be re-tainted by the story, but the UWM coach may be.

Just IMO.

Dolphin

 

[arniesarmy]

Another thing to consider if you believe Illinois will want to run it up on UWM is that Illini coach Bruce Weber is a Milwaukee native and UWM alum.

 

[FairWarning]

I can see it being a disruption to the WM side for sure. The Pearl to Tennessee rumors don't help either. Fans will be jacked for this game.


BTW, the WM campus is closer to Allstate Arena in Rosemont than the UofI.

 

[dolphin]

Arnie'sarmy -

First allegiance is to current program, and in big games some coaches will go out of their way to prove they have no conflict...unless they are a HUGE favorite.

 

[SportsJunkie+]

He is not going to Tennessee but he won't be at UWM either next year.

 

[Coast2Coast]

I agree with that. Tennessee is a graveyard for hoops coaches. Little support from the administration, the hoops coach plays third fiddle to Fullmer and Summitt, and the arena is barely half full for most games (except when the UK fans buy the house). The undisciplined bunch Peterson recruited can't be much of a draw for any new coach either. Virginia has more going for it and might better match Weber's style.

 

[FairWarning]

If I were Tennessee, I would make a major sell job to the General then.