The Winter of our Discontent

As I stare out my office window I am struck by the bleakness of a January day, devoid of sunlight and deprived of the usual warmth associated with the brilliant orange glow that has resided inside Assembly Hall. The State owes the University of Illinois over $400,000,000.00 dollars, we’re a running joke in the college football world, and now our bright orange security blanket otherwise known as Illinois basketball is starting to smell. Was the football season and its wretched results coupled with the amateurish attempts by Heir Guenther to fix the mess of his own making, not enough to punish us for some long forgotten sins that we committed in a past life?

Bruce Weber seems like a fine man and competent basketball coach at worst, but judging from the tortured look on his face and the seemingly uncontrollable outbursts on the sideline, I would say that something is not right in the State of Denmark. In the “chicken and the egg” world of college basketball, it was assumed that good and great players begat great coaching. I am not buying the argument that the recruiting misses that have morphed into sophomore and senior classes without production is an excuse for the inconsistencies we have witnessed of late. Balanced classes have little to do with winning as long as you have talent and a hint of experience. Bruce has had almost three years to reach and teach his five juniors and mold them into a cohesive complement to his highly ranked freshmen class.

Thus a year that started with great anticipation and promise, has devolved to a point where there are far more questions than answers. I have defended Bruce as we have all eagerly anticipated the current uptick in recruiting and the resulting return to a consistent top 20 form. Something is clearly amiss and altered under the “giant mushroom” that is the iconic symbol of Illinois basketball. Bill Carmody and Matt Painter each made second half adjustments that worked without a meaningful counter from the Illini and its leader. Northwestern in particular determined that only McCamey could beat them and in the end, Carmody was right.

We are floundering and adrift without passion or purpose and only leadership and mental toughness can salvage a season on the brink. Mike Davis may be the only player who is deserving of a lower grade than the coaching staff at this point in the season. Is the pressure getting to Bruce and is he comfortable in the glare of the spotlight that comes with the territory at this level of head coaching? We know he can coach at a high level under the right circumstances; now he must search for and find the right answers or face and increasingly frustrated Illini Nation which has come to expect excellence from its marquee winter sport.

McCameying of Age

The last four Illini basketball games offer the intriguing prospect that our reluctant leader and erstwhile point guard may actually be on the verge of finding his groove. Demitri McCamey is the kind of player that drives an”old schooler” like Weber batty as he searches for ways to motivate and direct a player with more talent than sense. DM seems like a nice enough guy and possesses a body type and skill set that makes you want to think that Illinois has stumbled upon the second coming of DWILL . Weber and the faithful are frustrated because there is the fear of promise gone unfulfilled that accompanies so many talented young men in today’s me first world.

Illini Nation desperately needs DM to become the point guard he can be and elevate his game beyond that of a gifted shooting guard bent on “getting his”, teammates and coaches be damned. What we have seen over the last couple weeks speaks to a maturity that has been lacking in DM’s first two years in O&B. His reaction to not starting has been nothing short of remarkable given the indifference and attitude that he has flashed in the past. Fourteen plus points a game and five point nine assists favorably compare to Frankie and Deron, but his assist to turnover ratio at less than 2:1 falls below the minimum threshold we associate with great creators of the past.

Recently, DM’s respect for each possession and his unselfish play has forced many of us to reevaluate whether the kid will lead and succeed at the highest levels. We saw flashes of a warrior attitude when that Schnauzer of an Indiana guard rapped his legs around DM and tried to hump our Doberman. DM looked as if he wanted to bite Hulls head off and then proceeded to play with a fire and intensity that ignited the Illini and helped will us to victory. DM’s defense in the second half at IU left us wondering whether the taste of blood and the thrill of the kill will propel him to another level as the Big 10 season roars into high gear.

Ultimately, Weber and most recent Illini coaches define greatness by winning atIllinois and it starts with a defensive intensity that sends the Krush into a frenzy and makes the most skilled of opposing point guards (Chris Paul in 04-05) wilt in the snow white heat of the Hall. Tailor Battle and the perplexingly thorny Nittany Lions come calling tonight and Demitri and the boys best beware. Attack the head of the snake from the get go and throw doubles at their diminutive magician from the moment the first whistle sounds. Don’t expect greatness, demand it and be the player that we all believe you can be. Get ready for the Battle; for tonight we see if Demitri becomes Grand Master DM.