i don't mind the "negative" reporting. what i do mind is the refusal of the source to give his name. he is not an anonymous internet message boarder, he is a leader of young men, and, as such, he has a responsibility to them to look out for their best interests. with that in mind, ruling out a school predicated on a grudge is not only unprofessional, but immature, egotistical, petty, and a gross violation of responsibility that said coach has to his players. he doesn't like illinois? fine. however, if a kid shows interest and likes the coaching staff, thinks that the university would be a good fit, then it is not the coach's responsibility to bring his own personal grudge to bear. bruce has a right to know who it is that he unfortunately must struggle against.

"I only wish Illinois could stand by its record."

Illinois does, but internet "fans" may not. Don't confuse the two.

As a Illinois graduate and a teacher in the CPS system. I agree 100 percent with your statement about posters. They are truly what the problem is with college sports. I would be extremely happy is Illinois sports team had a 100 percent graduation rate, no NCAA violations and just made the NCAA year in and year out. Some people are just never happy with what they have.

"Anonymous sources, they say. Why doesn't anyone have to stand up and say who they are when they make comments like this? they say.

Thank you very much, Illinialways, Hopeeternal, Illiniptown and FightingIllinifan and all you other nameless Illiniboard.com contributers.

........... get their facts straight, instead of tossing spitballs across cyberspace."

Taylor, your disdain for the comments from anonymous posters is ironic - why do you think the Illinois fans are upset with anonymous quotes in the paper? Why not vilify the public league coaches for throwing spitballs behind an anonymous veil?

Taylor,

I think that by defending your writings, you're giving ill-deserved legitimacy to a few reactionary "Illini fans" who post their thoughts on an internet board. I think in general it's not responsible for journalists to refer to "what the chat rooms or IBs are saying", as these posters do not in any meaningful way represent the larger groups they are associated with.

Richard Pittman

Taylor, I saw some of the comments you are talking about, and i agree it was pathetic. I am an illini fan, and have always liked your work. By the way, I absolutely loved your book on illinois high school basketball.

It just seems like if there were two camps of opinions on Jerrance Howard's hiring, you might have included anonymous quotes on both sides rather than just choosing the negative ones. I think your writing is generally pretty fair.

Bill Self and Lou Henson were also "outsiders" when they arrived at Illinois. Jimmy Collins had no recruiting experience in Chicago prior to his hiring. So those points by CPL coaches don't have a lot of merit, IMO.

Jerrance will cultivate relationships over time. He will have to gain trust from the coaches in the Chicago area. Just like whoever else was hired.

I have followed Illini sports for almost 50 years, Coach Weber didn't do anything except hire a tremendously capable and passionate young man whom he himself coached. As a former player that has prepared himself with his degree earned at Illinois and was involved at Texas A&M and briefly at Kentucky has the right to take his love and passion for the Illini to the future basketball players where ever that may lead him. In life, people should be judged only by how they treat others and what they give through their hard work and their dedication to others. The fact that Jerrance did not come from Chicago should not be an issue, he is from Illinois and has earned the right to show his biggest atributes that he HAS and that would be his trustworthiness, his passion, knowledge and love for the game, and the wonderful values that he has shown all those around him. The coaches that he will meet will also learn to trust him and that in a nutshell is a great thing to look forward to. Good luck Jerrance!

The glaring flaw of many in the Illini nation is the "persistent refusal to analyze the cause of happenings." (D.Thompson)

Taylor,
I grew up in Urbana and have worked in Chicago for 25 years. As you know, not every Illini fan is unreasonable. Our fan base actually tends to be more reasonable than most. See the football program. I've always enjoyed your writings. Actually, I think the Illini coverage for the last 22 years has been much better than before. There was much less coverage in the 70's. The athletic dept. was in shambles. Actually, I would be willing to bet that Illini coverage is more when both Illini and Fighting Irish programs are doing the same in approx. wins for the season.

Taylor,

I appreciate your comments and I think it is worthwhile to occasionally call out people who write comments with no accountability on message boards. But, there is a reason why their forum is a message board. And you are correct that they need a history lesson, but that is the problem. These people could be 13 year olds, Iowa fans, or crazed people who spend their day and lives waiting on the decisions of 15-17 year old boys...I believe your response to them is a message indicating that what they say is on the same playing field as someone who actually attaches his/her name to their opinion and is a professional. This only gives fuel to fire that is unaccountable message boards.

I respect everything you wrote in the article, I think most fans appreciate both the negative and the positive. However I do feel that you are worrying way too much about what posters on a UI message board are saying. For someone that has had mutiple honors and awards of recognition for writing, why would you further embarrass yourself by pointing out posters on a message board by creating an entire blog about it? Who are you writing for, people on a message board tossing around meaningless rumors or the grneral public in Illinois.

Taylor,

I appreciate your comments and I think it is worthwhile to occasionally call out people who write comments with no accountability on message boards. But, there is a reason why their forum is a message board. And you are correct that they need a history lesson, but that is the problem. These people could be 13 year olds, Iowa fans, or crazed people who spend their day and lives waiting on the decisions of 15-17 year old boys...I believe your response to them is a message indicating that what they say is on the same playing field as someone who actually attaches his/her name to their opinion and is a professional. This only gives fuel to fire that is unaccountable message boards.

I thought part of the coaches jobs were to look out for the best interest of their players/students. But in the CPL it appears this is not the case for many. The coaches want to be compensated (a job for them or a friend) for sending a kid to Illinois. Yet they will send them hundreds of miles away from their parents and family to a place the CPL coaches have probably never visited.

You would think once in awhile it would be the kids best interest to attend Illinois, for academic reason if nothing else. Yet this rarely happens. Simeon's Robert Smith is an exception, but if he had been named the assistant, the CPL would still be upset.

Illinois had a coach from Chicago and they never did him any favors, yet they think they should have their say over who is hired to replace him.

Start sending kids to Illinois and I bet the Illinois would start adding Chicago coaches to its staff. But if Illinois adds one CPL coach four others will be mad. The CPL talks as one unit, but that is not the case. Their are several factions there. Illinois will never be able to please all of them.

I have put my name on this message, how about putting out one name from the CPL who didn't know who Howard was.

Taylor,
I too have been an avid Illini fan since graduating from college over 30 years ago. I agree that you have been unfairly vilified by many of the lunatic posters on the Illiniboard. Matter of fact, I agree with your article in entirety with the exception of the very last statement regarding wishing Illinois could stand by it record. Ethical wrongdoing should be exposed and the wrongdoers punished. I commend you for doing that, but should Illinois of today be vilified? Afterall,Illinois is not some abstract entity, it's people, people of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Vilify those that deserve vilification of yesterday, but do not judge those that have done no wrong and tarnish "Illinois" for eternity.

Dear Mr. Taylor Bell,

My take on this thing....I just do not understand something that you clearly have not addressed.

If you are a CPL coach and a Illinois coach shows up at your doorstep asking to speak with a kid, how in the world can you say no or offer any resistance at all ? The Illinois coach is not there to arrest the kid, hand him a summons or steal his lunch money....... they are there to talk to the kid about his future and the possibility of a scholarship that will not only educate the kid, but quite franklly change his entire life from that moment forward in a positive way. How can a coach say no ?..... and for what possible reasons could he say no or offer any resistance at all ?

And how in the world can a CPL coach automatically shun a young assistant coach who is "only" taking advantage of a wonderful opportunity with his alma mater..... whatever has happened in the past, has nothing to do with Howard or the CPL student athlete, and for a CPL coach to shun him in anyway is simply unprofessional in every aspect.

In my opinion, if a writer such as yourself is "still" a true Illini fan, I would think that maybe you would have directed questions to the CPL coaches as to "Dear Mr. CPL Coach, please explain how it hurts your student athlete that the young Coach Howard was born and raised it Peoria, instead of Chicago ?"..... Its a valid question, how in the world does where Mr. Howard came from have "any" effect at all of the future of a young CPL student athlete ?

I know if I was interviewing a CPL Coach, the very second they said, "Hey, we don't like this young coach, he was raised in Peoria, thats a slap in my face up here in Chicago!"..... once again, I'm back on that question of "What does that have to do with the future of your student athlete?"..... sure, I understand, you feel a bit hurt the job wasn't offered to you.... but what does that have to do with the young coach Howard, the young CPL Student athlete and the Education the University of Illinois is capable of giving this student ?

Thats my question.... and as near as I can tell, you haven't even thought about asking the question or maybe you don't care ? Or maybe its not a question that meshes well with your agenda ?.... I don't know, only you do.... But I do know, somebody needs to ask these CPL coaches this question..... because they are important to the kids.

Taylor: YOU'RE not the problem. I was a journalist, UI grad, Daily Illini, etc. There was nothing wrong with your previous blog or this one. No one with a brain thinks you're an "Illini hater." Some fans just think any criticism is unfair.

But look, you know that a small percent of the posters are total morons. It's like the crazy person in a public meeting who gets up and says something totally stupid and that's the quote the reporter uses.

I wish, tho, someone would point out the REAL problem BAM is having trouble recruiting in Chicago. It's dirty as hell. With shoe contracts and money. Let's face reality. I personally don't know the coaches and can't swear that they are getting bags of money but why don't you ask your "anonymous" sources about it?

If Weber can't recruit in Chicago it's not cuz he's a bad person, bad recruiter or doesn't "connect" with kids. It's because he doesn't bring a bag of money with him. If you look at the "successful" in terms of recruiting teams, most of them are dirty. They are paying players. Who can blame them? It's the system that's set up.

Does anyone believe things have changed and money is no longer offered to b-ball players? These kids have shoe contracts in 8th grade. Then they just happen to go to a school that wears those shoes? Coincidence?

If you think so, let me sell you a piece of the Quad.

In reading the article after seeing the comments from Illiniboard.com, I was shocked to find nothing inflammatory or innaccurate in what was written (as opposed to the norm on the internet boards).

I am not an Illinois alum, but am critical of my alma mater for not graduating its athletes....and have therefore withheld financial support. Nothing wrong or betraying about wanting your school to do much better when it is performing below standard.

The Illini basketball program has been a passion of mine for over 50 years. I follow the Illini avidly and pull for Illinios guys at other schools. The success I wish for the program, and those at my alma mater, will not come at the expense of educating athletes, competing with full NCAA compliance, and leading by example. It seems most successful programs do not agree with me in today's world....sad but true. But that is still no excuse not to walk the road less traveled. Long term success is the result. As long as I pay taxes that support the University of Illinois, I will never support success on the field at the expense of conscience.

These are the values I believe Mr. Bell adhers to in his article, he just wants his school, in which he has great pride, to accept and follow those values and succeed through hard work and intelligent performance. Trying to find "and edge" at any expense of these values is unacceptable.