'Only reason you took the job (Illinois) was for the money.'
Damn writing about the death of a former Illini great...
*Writing about the passing of a former Illini great…
-’Former Illini great hoopster Efrem Winters died this week after a lengthy illness.....He was 61....In 1982, the McDonald’s All-American Game, then in its sixth year of existence, came to the Chicago area for the first time (and the only time until 2011).
The rosters were loaded with future NBA players, including big men Brad Daugherty, Wayman Tisdale, Benoit Benjamin and Brad Lohaus, plus other major talents such as Kenny Walker, Dell Curry, Johnny Dawkins and Billy Thompson.
But the MVP of the game would be the star of stars from Chicago King......Efrem Winters, a sensational 6-9 leaper bound for the Illini. (Courtesy Chicago Sun-Times)
Was at the game at the Horizon...so happy to watch Winters dominate.....finally the Illini had a couple of stud in-state recruits Winters and fellow McDonald's All-American guard Bruce Douglas...pair changed the course of hoops Henson era.
Late 70's early 80's Illinois losing all kinds of blue-chip in-staters yearly Mark Aguirre, Isiah Thomas, Terry Cummings, Glenn 'Doc' Rivers, Walter Downing....drove me fuckin' nuts......all changed class of 1982 when staff signed Land of Lincoln's Winters, Douglas, Scott Meents, and Doug Altenberger top five group nationally.
Winters made it cool to go to Illinois for Chicago Public League players....really the 'glory days' in Champaign those early to mid 80's....hoops emerging as a power/1984 Rose Bowl berth for the football program....all kinds of success as Illini fans weren't used to.....beer at the circus fun.....with the athletic department 'saluting' jersey's of basketball players this winter....Winters #24 likely more important than any of those having their night in the Hall this season.....just my opinion.....only pictures could find of Efren were black and white....80's not that long ago.
*News and notes....
-Football player personnel director Dre Brown leaves the Illini to take a job with USC....new Trojans general manager hired Brown at Notre Dame reunited in Los Angeles....had to laugh at this opinion from Football Scoop...'It’s a stunning blow to Illinois, who loses both a former standout running back in Brown and the architect of the program’s best recruiting classes under Bret Bielema.'.....sure Brown did a good job....'a huge blow'....not quite…Brown isn’t Mike Locksley or Reggie Mitchell type of recruiter.....my view……Bielema should be pissed another hire left after a season....that being said…..Illinois football recruiting will be fine.
-Former Illini quarterback/Los Angeles Rams assistant coach Nathan Scheelhaase interviewed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Jacksonville Jaguars for their offensive coordinator position....good for him....Nathan a future head coach in the power four or NFL no doubt.
-Only the best....recently new University of North Carolina head football coach Bill Belichick hired two assistants that caught my eye....former Illini offensive coordinator Garrick McGee off the Louisville staff to coach Tar Heel wide receivers....course McGee recruited to Arizona State by then Sun Devils assistant Lovie Smith....Lovie hired McGee to be his first offensive coordinator in Champaign...throwing McGee under the bus/firing him after a couple of seasons...supposedly before leaving town....McGee's wife pissed told Lovie, 'Only reason you took the job (Illinois) was for the money'.....ummmm.....McGee another one of those guys that seems to change schools every two-three years....call those types 'old campaigners'.
Belichick also hired Lance Thompson to his defensive staff....Thompson like McGee an 'old campaigner' worked all over the south...remember an Illini assistant telling the story of Thompson recruiting for Lane Kiffin's Tennessee Vols program.......at Atlanta Grady High School he reportedly bragged to their players...paraphrase....'The girls at Tennessee love football players more than any school in the SEC’…..made a slurping sound emphasizing his point....Grady head coach heard this and reportedly kicked Thompson out of the school.….never to come back....Thompson has worked for Belichick's buddy Saban at a few schools so that's likely the connection....only the best for the Tar Heels right?
-With the early football signing period in December....few if any top recruits wait till February to sign now....miss those days when all of January a recruitnik like me hoped for a big surprise recruit flip February......reminds of an 'old days' story from assistants who recruited with Mike White when he was in charge.....up at 6AM....banging on recruits doors 7AM…..going all day till that night's visit to a prospects home.....rinse and repeat the next day......god help you if you were the assistant that screwed up....would have to take an ass-chewing from White in the car as you made your way around….getting an ‘education’ in recruiting from one of the best.
*’Guess that Illini’…
-No games to ‘analyze’….once a month off-season will try to ‘profile’ former player….see if you can ‘Guess the Illini’….Came to Illinois as a junior college All-American tight end….played with a future NFL QB JC ball….played tight end/fullback/linebacker for White’s program….scored a touchdown playing fullback.
Free agent played for a couple of NFL teams before heading back to SoCal to bounce at bars…’legend’ has him in the late 80’s being a ‘pit fighter’ (illegal back alley fights)…supposedly fought future legend Tank Abbott a few times in those alley fights (pre-UFC).
In and out of trouble….his testimony watching the Illini 2008 Rose Bowl in jail …decided was done with that ‘life’…sobered up/got clean….now a minister/addiction counselor in the southwest…’Guess that Illini’.