Chatman to the Portal

[Yogi]

not sure he will find a big market for a guy that has transferred so much and has a torn acl

 

[DBird]

Pedon has said publicly during early work outs he told the team that they’ll have to earn everything. He said he even told the last years captains they’d have to earn their titles. He was prepared to start from scratch and is.

Bingo!

 

[Localfan]

Lol. Or afternoon.

I’m fine with this. Let them all leave. I don’t understand the infatuation with the players on this roster leaving. Give the staff some damn time to replace lesser players with better ones.

Hit the road

 

[CB2K]

It’s not like these guys are or were lazy slobs. They worked their tales off. They know what the cost is to earn position and playing time. Nothing new. DM required hard work and attitude to earn and find the floor but some complained that someone was always in the dog house with him. He could be hard-nosed and stubborn on his requirements and from what I have heard through the years was uncompromising on it.

DJ has said he always wondered why coach rode his backside so hard and he finally realized it was because coach saw his potential and knew he wouldn’t reach his potential without hard work and a positive attitude. So, to me this rhetoric is nice and cozy and checks all the new coach boxes but it is nothing other coaches haven’t said before. These guys aren’t transferring because they got scared off and trembled at the realization that they now have to “earn“ it. They have been earning it throughout their basketball lives.

 

[SgtHulka]

It’s not like these guys are or were lazy slobs. They worked their tales off. They know what the cost is to earn position and playing time. Nothing new. DM required hard work and attitude to earn and find the floor but some complained that someone was always in the dog house with him. He could be hard-nosed and stubborn on his requirements and from what I have heard through the years was uncompromising on it.

DJ has said he always wondered why coach rode his backside so hard and he finally realized it was because coach saw his potential and knew he wouldn’t reach his potential without hard work and a positive attitude. So, to me this rhetoric is nice and cozy and checks all the new coach boxes but it is nothing other coaches haven’t said before. These guys aren’t transferring because they got scared off and trembled at the realization that they now have to “earn“ it. They have been earning it throughout their basketball lives.

+1
PLee almost did the same when he was here. Glad he stayed. I'm sure he is too. He's got a great paying gig

 

[Birdfriend72]

Here comes another Thursday night!

The good news- there is a good player in the portal to replace every player that left.

 

[Birdfriend72]

It’s not like these guys are or were lazy slobs. They worked their tales off. They know what the cost is to earn position and playing time. Nothing new. DM required hard work and attitude to earn and find the floor but some complained that someone was always in the dog house with him. He could be hard-nosed and stubborn on his requirements and from what I have heard through the years was uncompromising on it.

DJ has said he always wondered why coach rode his backside so hard and he finally realized it was because coach saw his potential and knew he wouldn’t reach his potential without hard work and a positive attitude. So, to me this rhetoric is nice and cozy and checks all the new coach boxes but it is nothing other coaches haven’t said before. These guys aren’t transferring because they got scared off and trembled at the realization that they now have to “earn“ it. They have been earning it throughout their basketball lives.

I don’t know how hard they worked- and it’s their right to leave. I do know it wasn’t like they ever won anything. I would more likely to cry at night had this team went to the NIT last year.

 

[isuquinndog]

Well hey at least now we will never know if Dan's coaching was the problem or not because we won't have the same players to do a fair comparison.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

Well hey at least now we will never know if Dan's coaching was the problem or not because we won't have the same players to do a fair comparison.

But we may find out if it was his recruiting

 

[DaveBird10]

+1
PLee almost did the same when he was here. Glad he stayed. I'm sure he is too. He's got a great paying gig

It’s not like these guys are or were lazy slobs. They worked their tales off. They know what the cost is to earn position and playing time. Nothing new. DM required hard work and attitude to earn and find the floor but some complained that someone was always in the dog house with him. He could be hard-nosed and stubborn on his requirements and from what I have heard through the years was uncompromising on it.

DJ has said he always wondered why coach rode his backside so hard and he finally realized it was because coach saw his potential and knew he wouldn’t reach his potential without hard work and a positive attitude. So, to me this rhetoric is nice and cozy and checks all the new coach boxes but it is nothing other coaches haven’t said before. These guys aren’t transferring because they got scared off and trembled at the realization that they now have to “earn“ it. They have been earning it throughout their basketball lives.

I believe it was Johnny Hill that got benched at Bradley in Mullers 1st year for a stupid technical when the Birds were up big in the 1st half. People got upset that the staff was so hard on Hill because we ultimately lost that game in OT. Years later Hill understood that decision and thanked that staff for what they taught him and it helped him grow as a person.

This isn't any different then that situation where Hill, Threloff, Ziesloft, Upshaw and Ekey transferred out after that year. It just looks different because you can transfer without sitting out and transferring is the thing to do. Its ultimately a new staff. I always say as much as I want these kids to come play and stay at Illinois State I realize that they didn't come to Illinois State because they liked the school like I did, they came to Illinois State because of ties and commitments to the previous coaching staff. Pedon and company will ultimately bring in kids that they have ties to that fit them and there style.

 

[dpdoughbird06]

This isn't any different then that situation where Hill, Threloff, Ziesloft, Upshaw and Ekey transferred out after that year.

Damn that’s a whole starting lineup’s worth of solid P5 rotation guys or equivalent who made the most of their post-Redbird opportunities.

Hill - Purdue starter
Threloff - solid 10+ RPG starter at NIU
Zeisloft - Indiana to G-League
Zeke - G-League sadly cut short
Ekey - Illini starter

This has me rethinking the “what if we stuck with Judson hire?” hypothetical at least a bit…

 

[Adunk33]

Damn that’s a whole starting lineup’s worth of solid P5 rotation guys or equivalent who made the most of their post-Redbird opportunities.

Hill - Purdue starter
Threloff - solid 10+ RPG starter at NIU
Zeisloft - Indiana to G-League
Zeke - G-League sadly cut short
Ekey - Illini starter

This has me rethinking the “what if we stuck with Judson hire?” hypothetical at least a bit…

Worth pointing out that the Illannoy team Ekey played on was pretty bad. They won a Tim Jankovich 20 games with wins over Valpo, Bradley, Bama State, Jville State, Chicago State, Dartmouth, and IPFW.

Didn’t Johnny Hill also have a stop at a regional Texas school? UT Arlington?

 

[Redbird222]

Damn that’s a whole starting lineup’s worth of solid P5 rotation guys or equivalent who made the most of their post-Redbird opportunities.

Hill - Purdue starter
Threloff - solid 10+ RPG starter at NIU
Zeisloft - Indiana to G-League
Zeke - G-League sadly cut short
Ekey - Illini starter

This has me rethinking the “what if we stuck with Judson hire?” hypothetical at least a bit…

Ziesloft stayed one year extra to graduate early and then transferred. He was the part of the famous zone with Reggie in the middle and surrounded by 4 guards. Ziesloft usually played the back on the baseline where the #4 usually is.

 

[Redbird222]

Worth pointing out that the Illannoy team Ekey played on was pretty bad. They won a Tim Jankovich 20 games with wins over Valpo, Bradley, Bama State, Jville State, Chicago State, Dartmouth, and IPFW.

Didn’t Johnny Hill also have a stop at a regional Texas school? UT Arlington?

You are correct on Hill. He went to Purdue after graduating from UTA.

Upshaw went to Hofstra

 

[Bird Friend]

Damn that’s a whole starting lineup’s worth of solid P5 rotation guys or equivalent who made the most of their post-Redbird opportunities.

Hill - Purdue starter
Threloff - solid 10+ RPG starter at NIU
Zeisloft - Indiana to G-League
Zeke - G-League sadly cut short
Ekey - Illini starter

This has me rethinking the “what if we stuck with Judson hire?” hypothetical at least a bit…

When did NIU jump to a P5?

 

[dpdoughbird06]

When did NIU jump to a P5?

“Or equivalent.” I knew he was a bit of a stretch, but worth including since we haven’t had a proper conventional big since.

And I really hated Nick Z having to play the 4 that whole season. Middlebrooks leaving mid-season really blew up Muller’s best-laid plans…

 

[SgtHulka]

But we may find out if it was his recruiting

I don't think recruiting quality was a major contributor. He brought in many players who ended up playing pro, excelling here , or excelling wherever they transferred to. Mostly it was a product of a handful of head cases he gambled on and failed, and not being able to retain, give the good ones A reason to stay. Churn was his primary downfall.

 

[Jeppson4ever]

Worth pointing out that the Illannoy team Ekey played on was pretty bad. They won a Tim Jankovich 20 games with wins over Valpo, Bradley, Bama State, Jville State, Chicago State, Dartmouth, and IPFW.

Didn’t Johnny Hill also have a stop at a regional Texas school? UT Arlington?

Ekey was a starter on a team that was #53 in Kenpom just 4 spots lower than our best squad in the past 24 years. I believe zeisloft was a decent contributor on a sweet 16 team. Hill’s Purdue team was a tourney team too I believe.

Obviously transfers are going to keep happening under the new rules, but if Pedon identifies the right guys from the right places, he can mitigate the damage. Muller seemed to recruit random guys from random places who who would be somewhat productive or promising and then they would transfer out.

i hope we become a destination for high major grad transfers looking for their last spot. Ahrens would be a good start, but his recruitment seems to be quiet.

 

[RedbirdSoxFan]

Ekey was a starter on a team that was #53 in Kenpom just 4 spots lower than our best squad in the past 24 years. I believe zeisloft was a decent contributor on a sweet 16 team. Hill’s Purdue team was a tourney team too I believe.

Obviously transfers are going to keep happening under the new rules, but if Pedon identifies the right guys from the right places, he can mitigate the damage. Muller seemed to recruit random guys from random places who who would be somewhat productive or promising and then they would transfer out.

i hope we become a destination for high major grad transfers looking for their last spot. Ahrens would be a good start, but his recruitment seems to be quiet.

Nothing great about these stats:
Jon Ekey 7.3 PPG (2013-14) Illinois
Nick Zeisloft 6.6 PPG (2014-15) Indiana
6.5 PPG (2015-16) Indiana
Johnny Hill 5.1 PPG (2015-16) Purdue

Ekey was not a starter his Junior year @ ISU.
He probably wasn’t going to start or have limited minutes if he stayed (Jones, Middlebrook, Samuel all 6’9)
Zeisloft was not going to start and would have limited minutes his Junior year (Knight, Hunter, Purcell)
Johnny Hill was probably not going to play at all (see Zeisloft & add PLee)

Not sure where the love for these guys is coming from. They were mediocre players at Illinois State that got some time in at Big Ten schools.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

Nothing great about these stats:
Jon Ekey 7.3 PPG (2013-14) Illinois
Nick Zeisloft 6.6 PPG (2014-15) Indiana
6.5 PPG (2015-16) Indiana
Johnny Hill 5.1 PPG (2015-16) Purdue

Ekey was not a starter his Junior year @ ISU.
He probably wasn’t going to start or have limited minutes if he stayed (Jones, Middlebrook, Samuel all 6’9)
Zeisloft was not going to start and would have limited minutes his Junior year (Knight, Hunter, Purcell)
Johnny Hill was probably not going to play at all (see Zeisloft & add PLee)

Not sure where the love for these guys is coming from. They were mediocre players at Illinois State that got some time in at Big Ten schools.

I’m guessing if they averaged 7points in the Big Ten the thought is they’d have done slightly better in the Valley…if they had a decent coach.

Additionally- and this is just my opinion - “some time” at a Big Ten school that regularly competes in the NCAA tournament is a helluva lot better than slightly better statistics at a mid major regularly exiting their own mediocre conference on Thursday nights.