Illinois wants to lock down Chicago's borders?

[JugadorHawk]

Simeon Career Academy head coach Robert Smith believes he's the man for the job:

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/colleges/post/_/id/5642/simeons-smith-makes-pitch-for-illini-job

Source -- Illinois Fighting Illini contacts prep coach about opening - ESPN Chicago

Shaka Smart: Recruiting Chicago gives Shaka Smart pause - chicagotribune.com

 

[BSpringsteen]

Which just goes to show you what I have been saying all along and what Jon has been blatantly ignoring.

Illinois isn't a sleeping giant until their marketing department gets their head out of their tushy.

None of these kids grow up Illini fans, and when they watch TV, they see Duke, Kansas, UNC etc...

Add to it that there are COUNT THEM SEVEN major conference programs closer to Chicago than Urbana.

 

[silvanthalas]

Illinois only gets mentioned in Chicago because they happen to be in the same state.

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

Chicago is an international city which happens to be located within the same state as a Big Ten institution. It'd be like saying Cal needs to lock down Los Angeles or Syracuse needs to lock down NYC.

 

[JugadorHawk]

Everyone realizes how difficult it is to bring in Chicago's top talent year in and year out. Robert Smith has coached Derrick Rose and countless other high major players, but he currently coaches the number one junior Jabari Parker. He makes great points about knowing the Chicago landscape and has real relationships with the people that reside there. Do I think that Smith would make the jump from high coach to B1G head coach? No, but Champaign is definitely interested in what he has to say.

 

[glnhawk]

None of the kids want Blazers anymore.

 

[HawkeyeMike23]

I've always thought Iowa was a sleeping giant if we can just lock down Chicago's borders.

 

[PatrickAdamovicz]

I've always thought Iowa was a sleeping giant if we can just lock down Chicago's borders.

If that notion gets attached to Illinois, then it most certainly could be attached to Iowa. There is not much difference in distance between the two when it comes to Chicago.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

Distance from Chicago, per Mapquest:

South Bend 96
West lafayette 123
Champaign 135
Madison 145
Iowa City 222
East Lansing 222
Bloomington 231
Ann Arbor 241

Chicago is "in" Illinois..but there are plenty of options for a Chicago kid

 

[HawkeyeMike23]

Distance from Chicago, per Mapquest:

South Bend 96
West lafayette 123
Champaign 135
Madison 145
Iowa City 222
East Lansing 222
Bloomington 231
Ann Arbor 241

Chicago is "in" Illinois..but there are plenty of options for a Chicago kid

Watch out for Purdue. If they ever lockdown Chicago, they're a powerhouse waiting to happen.

 

[BSpringsteen]

You forget Marquette.

 

[HawkeyeMike23]

You forget Marquette.

Watch out for DePaul, they're a sleeping giant, once they lock down Chicago, look out.

 

[ATLHawkeye]

I've always thought Iowa was a sleeping giant if we can just lock down Chicago's borders.

Chicago's good, but we should think big and just lock down New York City. Fran's an east coast guy so it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[BaryGarta]

I've always thought Iowa was a sleeping giant if we can just lock down Chicago's borders.

if the people i went to Iowa with are any indication, we already have!

 

[HawkForce]

Chicago's good, but we should think big and just lock down New York City. Fran's an east coast guy so it shouldn't be a problem.

You're thinking too small...why not lock down the entire eastern seaboard?