🏀 KuBuckets Archive

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article136526003.html ↗

He is so perfect for K-State. I sure hope he has indeed saved his job.

Some choice pearls of butthurt and an irrational sense of self worth below

“Every year you’re coaching for your job,” he says. “I’ve been part of the greatest run in Purdue history. I’ve been part of the greatest run in Southern Illinois history.

“I’ve been at Illinois, the best nine-year run. When was the last team to win an outright Big Ten championship at Illinois? I’m the only one (since 1952). And not one, two times. Who’s the only coach to take them to the national championship game? Me. So it is what it is.”

“Yeah, well, rules are meant to be broken,” he says. “They also have traveling in the rulebook.”

Elite coaching moment with Dean Wade

“I told him the other day, ‘This is between you and the guy in the mirror,’” Weber said. “I said, ‘I can’t do it anymore. You’ve got to figure this out yourself.’”

@BShark He did great with Bill's recruits at Illinois! Not so great after those first 3 years....

I doubt the next coach at KSU will feel a need to hold a mock funeral for Squeaky in order to get the team to forget him.

“If we don’t get in, somebody better check on the publicity for our league,”

http://www.kansas.com/sports/college/big-12/kansas-state/article136037668.html ↗

Howling. It's never Bruce's fault.

@BShark

Well, I have to say, that Bruce is not the first person to wonder jest uh weeeeeeeeeeeeee leeeeeeeeetle bit about asymmetry in treatment of B12 team in seedin' and uh whistlin', if'n ya know what ah mean.

Franny and Kimmy English both come to minds. Losers both.

On Coach Bruce Weber…

“I did not like anything about today except for being able to shake hands with one of the best coaches in the country after the game. He has won eight games in this league and had his team in the top-25 this year. They lost a couple of heartbreakers. The Kansas game, the guy takes about four steps and they beat K-State there. I think you got a really good coach here. He does it the right way and is one of the most respected coaches in the country.”

Immediately, it was met with some typical comments from those who will not acknowledge that Weber is a good coach. I paraphrase a few.

"Of course they like him. They know they can recruit over him and beat him."

And one from a West Virginia poster who loves to patronize K-State fans:

"We hope you keep Weber." What a patronizing comment. If that poster really thought that person would keep their mouth shut and not join the chorus of people thinking Weber should be fired. Or am I to believe the West Virginia poster really wants K-State fans to have a much better team?

Let me get to the point. I'll be fine if K-State decides to go with another coach if that coach plays by the rules. Frankly, I can't hardly stomach the negative, toxic fan base that will always be ready to jump in and pile on Weber all because he came in after Frank Dalonte Martin, so if it happens, fair enough. But, I won't stand by and allow the haters to spill forth their nonsense without a rebuttal.

Coach Beard is a protégé of Bob Knight who was a coach that did not resort to cheating. In later years, Knight despised what the game had become often times taking shots at Calipari and the cesspool of basketball recruiting. Beard knows this and so do many other very successful College basketball coaches. The truth is that these coaches know that Weber does not cheat and competes very well, playing with 3 star players, against other coaches who have 5 stars. When Tom Izzo talked about Weber being a great coach, this is what he meant. When Roy Williams said that Bruce Weber can coach the hell out of basketball, he was saying that Weber coached a bunch of 3 stars and almost whipped my 5 stars.

Read between the lines of what Coach Beard said and realize it's importance. Weber took a team of 3 stars to Lawrence and had a team, known for breaking all the rules in the book, on the ropes.....and the refs let them off the hook with a clear traveling.

@BShark

The Star and Weber can't help themselves. Even in an article about Weber there are lots of digs at KU, both from Weber and the Star's Mellinger. Weber's are pure jealousy of Self and Mellinger's the current Star's SOP.

@BShark is this from you? did you write the" known for breaking all the rules," or is that from the paper?

The thing with Bruce Weber, is that he is almost universally praised as a good fundamentals coach. I dont think anyone will dispute that.

KU fans, and longtime alums are generally quite observant about Div.1 basketball in general. All personal biases aside, Bruce Weber's track record speaks for itself. His interpersonal relations with his own Illini and KSU teams...speaks for itself.

Let's not confuse Weber's own created track record vs. some KU fans (myself 300% included) with some of us totally gunning for KSU to lose just to shut up their pathetic fan base.

Nothing really against Weber or his players. Just hate a segment of their fanbase, and simply want FM3, JJ, DG, and Self to show keep reminding them who's better.

Cannot compare 1-game result between 3star players and 5star players as some sort of trend, because its not. Trends require multiple games. UNI, VCU, blah, blah blah, but where are those program's coaches and those program's trends? Nowhere special. Where is Ben Anderson of UNI now? We see Shaka still sucks (commenting on his body of work, nothing personal). Shaka even has 5star players. Rick Barnes would have done better with Shaka's current roster.

Meanwhile, Bill Self has built a track record. He was a highly successful midmajor coach himself. Tulsa, no McDAA's, but 32-5 and Elite8 in 1999. So what did that midmajor coach do since then?

Well, dont we find it a very curious choice of words for Bruce Weber to "use" the fact that he took Self's roster to the NC game? And then the funeral thing. Hey, who's picking on Weber, when he keeps doing strange things and utterances in public? That's his doing. We are only observers. We also observe Izzo, Roy, Calipari, Underwood, Beard, etc, etc, etc.

Nobody said Weber couldnt coach. But he has interpersonal relationship recurring issues with his players at 2 different schools now. And he just isnt a top recruiter. But neither is Gregg Marshall. But Marshall can most definitely coach.

Bruce Weber simply lies in the bed he has made. That is all. Been watching NCAA basketball for a long, long time...

This is the exact thing I was talking about when it comes to Coach Weber. I've watched many post game interviews of Coach Weber. If his teams win he's the best Coach ever. If his team loses it's because of the players.

That's not a coach I would want.

Coach Weber has never been out coached. Just ask him. I would love to see the stats on how many players have left his program.

That's not a coach I would want.

And people are allowed to have their own personalities. So, then, what is the general consensus on Weber's personality? What do KSU alums think? What do his players think? That probably matters the most. A corrollary is: what do potential KSU recruits think? All Bruce's doing.

I think we should ignite a grassroots campaign to save Liberace. We could hastag it as #saveourbiotch.

Kstate made a huge mistake when they let Coach Frank go to bring in Weber. Frank was hell on wheels, yet he respected great coaching and great players. He respected the game. Weber thinks it's all about him. He has no respect for great coaching or the players. He has no respect for the game.

@DoubleDD

I agree. Huggins brought recognition to the program but Martin brought real success. KSU should have taken Underwood when he was available, now they will have problems getting a name coach to Manhattan..

What a sore losing goon!!! They shouldn't be in with the laughable non conference schedule they had. Play some some one pussy cats.

@Crimsonorblue22 said:

@BShark is this from you? did you write the" known for breaking all the rules," or is that from the paper?

I couldn't help myself. That post was straight copy paste from a thread on a KSU forum.

@BShark oh, but it was a quote? I couldn't tell if you meant it.

@Crimsonorblue22

None of those words were mine. I thought it was hilarious that there were still some KSU fans that delusional.

@ralster

Weber's personality = huge loser dork.

@DoubleDD said:

This is the exact thing I was talking about when it comes to Coach Weber. I've watched many post game interviews of Coach Weber. If his teams win he's the best Coach ever. If his team loses it's because of the players.

That's not a coach I would want.

Coach Weber has never been out coached. Just ask him. I would love to see the stats on how many players have left his program.

That's not a coach I would want.

Nailed it. :100:

@BShark

Coach Weber doesn't really seem MAD.

A little crazy maybe.

Regarding Huggins and WVU fans. Let them blast the hell out of the KSU fanbase.

Huggins is a HOF level coach. Routinely gets a 2-platoon team of no-namers (3star recruits) and every year has them in the top 10-20--> which is FAR better than Weber does with his 3star guys.

WVU fans got a coach. They can be sassy, I'm fine with it. And they beat our butts in Morgantown. They do need to learn to not court-rush, simply out of respect to Huggins, though...

Weber is a desperate man at a desperate program that will grab whatever they can to salvage what pride they possess, which isn't much. This is a really sad commentary to his pathetic career. He only dreams of wearing Bill Self's ties. Also, they will never live the AFH loss down. They will play that to the bitter end. Yet they lose again in Bramalage. I'm so sick of KSucks excuses for losing to KU.

It appears Weber's time at KSuck is coming to an end. Why would you go on a senseless tirade to defend your coaching for the year? He is truly the bottom of the B12 coaching list after this and it appears most KSuck fans agree.

@truehawk93 It sounded like Chris Beard was plugging for Weber a bit. Its truly SAD when someone has to beg for their job in public like that.

I actually felt uncomfortable for Weber's own pride to have to read that shameless plug.

Quit running off your players, Bruce!

Now that KSU AD Currie has left, lets see what happens...

@ralster What pride?

@dylans good point, he may not have any left...

@ralster said:

@truehawk93 It sounded like Chris Beard was plugging for Weber a bit. Its truly SAD when someone has to beg for their job in public like that.

Beard was plugging? defending? justifying? Where was this "plugging"?

@ralster

Another one of your good posts. But I'm not sure I would say Marshall can't recruit. I believe he has 3 players in the league now. What decent prospect wants to go to WSU? It's not even like a real university atmosphere. Another thing... WSU is starting to recruit better players. We don't want to go to sleep on these guys.

I'm not one that just hates WSU because they are WSU. I don't hate WSU. I like good basketball in our state so I support all our schools to do well. That's just me. I've actually had a good time watching the Shockers once in a while. They hustle and they build team synergy with their hustle. I wish we had more of that type of synergy. It helps them perform to the top of their capabilities.

@drgnslayr

Honestly he has a good eye for talent all things considered.

A few openings this year. Will be tough to get a new coach at KSU.

Lets understand one thing - there are no awards for degree of difficulty in coaching.

What I mean is, so what if Weber almost wins with 3 stars against 5 stars. This is D1 basketball. You're in a major conference. You should be recruiting 4 star players. That simple.

Look at the ESPN 100 for basketball recruits. Look at where some of those players have signed:

VCU, Miami, Iowa, Illinois, Butler, Virginia Tech, Western Kentucky, Xavier, Colorado, Cal, Creighton, Seton Hall, Auburn, St. Louis, Arizona St., Arkansas.

If you can't recruit against that level of schools, you shouldn't be in a major conference. The A-10 is on that list, lower level ACC teams, lower level Pac-12, lower level SEC, Sun Belt, Big East, lower level Big 10. The fact that Weber can't get 4 star players is, in itself, a knock on him. It's his fault he isn't getting a higher rated (and more talented) players. Recruiting is part of the job and he's just not good enough at it to be at a major conference school.

Weber has brought a midmajor approach to a major conference.and that is going to limit his success.

@justanotherfan

The Creighton commit is Mitch Ballock from Kansas, and he wasn't interested in KSU. I wish him well there, he just wants to play as soon as possible and that wasn't going to happen at KU.

@BShark

Ballock actually isn't ranked in the top 100.

The Creighton player is another SG, Ty-Shon Alexander from North Carolina. Creighton likely has two players ranked higher than anyone that KSU will sign for next season - so far KSU has signed a 2-star player and two unrated players, and has a pair of three stars considering, as well as another unrated player.

Compare that to Creighton, which has signed two four stars, and has another four star considering them, as well as a couple of three stars.

Weber is recruiting like he is still at a midmajor. Sometimes those guys hit, which can lead to a strong season, other times they miss and you end up in the middle or at the bottom of the conference.

@justanotherfan

Guess it depends on the site you use. Just noticed you said ESPN. Personally I would consider Ballock top 100 and would have been a very good player for KSU.

Notice that Weber seems to have amnesia regarding his horrible seasons when listing off his accomplishments in the article. Hmm. Wonder if they can cure that? :smirk:

@BShark

Doubtful. Weber's amnesia is a choice, not an accident.

It looks like Ballock is considered just off the top 100 (I believe he was ranked in the 90s at one point last year). He's the 26th rated SG and the 25th rated SG is ranked 94. Either way, he's much better than anyone KSU has incoming.

@justanotherfan

Definitely Ballock has dropped since the Injury that took away an important AAU stretch for him. He's definitely a better prospect than anything KSU has signed in the last 4-5 years easily.

Alexander is going to be a really nice piece for Creighton. He's teammates with Preston, Wigginton, Coleman (all headed to the Big-12) at Oak Hill and has been a steady part of that powerhouse for the last few years.

I think they are also the favorite to land a 4 star big man Epperson at this point. A development type big that needs to change his body but could be a pretty good player by year 3-4.

Creighton has done well recruiting. Justin Patton is a program changing recruit as he's being mocked in the Lottery, possibly Top 10 for the draft. The McDermott to Patton to ? effect has them competing for good talent these days.

There is no doubt right now. Creighton is a better job than KSU.

@BShark

Creighton is located in a much bigger city than KSU and plays in the Big East that is a major basketball conference. Also, being a smaller, private, Catholic school might be attractive to the prospect's parents. At this time, no question that it is a more desirable destination than KSU and MU.

@JayHawkFanToo

The Big East is major-ish at this point. Ain't what she used to be that's for sure.

I completely agree with the rest though. I don't know how much they play the religion angle compared to Drew at Baylor, but it could definitely be a factor for some recruits. Oh and no doubt Omaha >>>>>> Manhattan.

@BShark

Which can be attributed to having a better coach!

@BShark

The Big East is ranked #3 after the Big 12 and ACC according to Sagarin and Massey and home of the defending champion and predicted to send 7 teams to the dance matching the all time percentage record set by the Bi 12...pretty major in my book.

@JayHawkFanToo

If you barely play football, you are major-ish. Football drives everything.

@BShark said:

Ain’t what she used to be that’s for sure.

Still doing really well but not that monster it was. Especialy after it disintegrated by losing Syracuse, UConn, and even Pitt.

Just like the Big 12 was really reduced in strength by losing Mizzou....HAHAHAHAHA!!!

@BShark

The Big East does not play football Division I at all so you cannot hold it against it. In basketball they are without any doubt a major conference. Remember, we are talking basketball...

John Scheyer was coached in High School by Bruce Webers brother. Slam dunk easy recruit for Bruce Weber, right? As you all know John Scheyer went to Duke.

Think of all the talent to come out of Illinois during Bruce Webers tenure. How many went to U of I?

Derrick Rose, Anthony Davis, Patrick Beverly, Wayne Blackshear, Sherron Collins, Evan Turner,

The residual effect has cost them Jahlil Okafor, Cliff Alexander, Jabari Parker among others.

Unfortunately his weakness as a coach cost Illinois a lot of wins over the years. The few top recruits he did get were head cases like Jerome Richmond and Brandon Paul. Meyers Leonard blossomed in the NBA after he left the U of I.

i was in shock to hear that K-State's AD up and decided to run off Frank Martin. I can remember when the Wildcats clobbered my guys in NCAA tourney play, when my guys were favored. Martin installed a choking Defense and a inside game using a couple of athletic forwards to put up some nice numbers. I thought the guy overall was excellent in getting all his guys had in them. South Carolina seemed like a weird match for Martin, however his guys are playing in the Final Four.. Bruce Weber isn't my favorite Big 12 coach, reading his recent comments he acts like a victim.. Few coaches are willing to open up about their job status, sounds like another case of ego's, Weber and his AD) being so large they can fit into the same university.
You have a beautiful thing going on with Bill Self although I can recall bizarre losses to Buck Ellen, Bradley, Northern Iowa in tourney play as well as great wins. He is easily one of the five best coaches in college basketball. You can't spend as many weeks as the #1 without incredible recruiting, he has done that.

Gee thanks loads Spell Check for spitting out Bucknell replacing it with Buck Ellen, which sounds like the name of a prostitute in the 1850's Old West, who had a heart of gold.

@LighteningLou said:

Gee thanks loads Spell Check for spitting out Bucknell replacing it with Buck Ellen, which sounds like the name of a prostitute in the 1850’s Old West, who had a heart of gold.

When I read that, I thought it was a really clever way to not say the name of those who we hate to mention... I immediately thought you had restrained from going to the next step: Buck-Nellen (or BuckNaked). Then I realized it was too hard to come up with anything for the others... Badly, No Thorn Was and Villain over.

Serious signs of mental illness or mental breakdown.

Thread re-purposed. Another year of Bruce!

Perhaps extending Bruce Weber justifies their hiring of minorities and majorities in other sports?

Bring Tex Winter back.