[Oskee] Illini BB - the cloud lingers

[gtillini95 at aol.com]

Somewhat shockingly, the cloud that dumped torrential rain on the 
Illini basketball program for most of the last year, at least since 
Shaun slapped the bouncer, is stalled around Cunningham Ave. and still 
threatens us with inclement weather.

I'm assuming most of you have heard by now that Quinton Watkins is back 
in California attending to unspecified academic issues needing to be 
resolved before Coach Weber will allow him to participate with the 
team. The NCAA "clock" for players giving them five years to play four 
begins ticking when formal practices begin. Unless I'm mistaken, the 
upcoming tour to Canada has accelerated this decision faster than 
normal and coach doesn't want Quinton to begin working out with the 
team if he doesn't stand a chance of being given the OK by our friends 
at the Clearinghouse.

Reading between the lines, this may suggest coach is expecting prep 
school or junior college for Quinton. What confuses me is why this 
would be treated any differently than the year Frank Williams sat out 
as a non-qualifier? At least he got to practice with the team. Under 
the current rules, Quinton would get the 4th year of eligibility back 
if he graduated in four years. Maybe that's so hopeless, it's not even 
being considered. I hope Q is able to get things in order during this 
amazingly important next week before the team leaves for Canada, but I 
haven't heard much optimism coming from the folks in the know.

Just as we were beginning to feel the sunshine on our face again with 
the very positive statements from new recruit Mike Davis and his family 
about coach and the program, the rumble of thunder started up again.

Loren Tate has a column in today's News-Gazette implying the University 
folks who determined that Jamar must sit this year were just piling on; 
he's served his time literally and figuratively; and it should have 
been the decision of the athletic administration. I respectfully 
disagree.

The DIA hasn't had the best year proving to us that its student 
athletes are capable of acting like adults off the court (field). Tate 
wrote, "For most of us, life is a game of second chances." To me, the 
second and third chance for every member of that basketball team came 
after Shaun slapped the bouncer outside the bar and Rich McBride was 
arrested for DUI. This current team hasn't proved it's capable of doing 
more than the minimum. Having Jamar sit out a year sends a message that 
we demand excellence from the young men who have been presented this 
amazing opportunity to succeed at the highest level - not just the 
minimum.

With Quinton, I think the nucleus of this team could be extremely 
strong next season and beyond. As a matter of fact, the addition of 
Davis had me beginning to believe we're one "star" away from making a 
run back to the final weekend. With recent events, I'm a little nervous 
again about the direction of the program.

I'm not saying scrap the season, but maybe the best plan for '07-'08 is 
to get guys like Davis, Tisdale, Semrua and Jordan more minutes than 
they might during a typical year to give them the experience needed to 
make a real difference in the future. Jordan sounds like he's had the 
most improvement during the last two seasons of high school. He's only 
a "preferred" walk on, but I've been told his drive to excel is there 
and sitting the bench might stall that potential from ever being 
realized.

Let's get this thing turned around! I just want these guys to play hard 
and take care of business. Time to move forward.

OWW!

Geoff

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