Looks like Tori McCoy was rooting for UConn...

[CocoHusky]

Whatever. My lack of respect is for the local Big 10 team, not for the local player. If you can't grasp that, then so be it. I'm done with this one.

That is very big of you.

 

[hoophuskee]

I don't see anything wrong with what bigbird has said. Just because EDD turned into a complete beast doesn't mean Tori will. Bigbird seems to be in close proximity or aware of the Illinois situation. He made it clear a couple of times. It's possible her decision to come to UCONN or go to Illinois might not work out. We seldom assume it will work out for a player here until we get a good at them as a senior and even then we know these kids are put through a gauntlet. It's not assured "it will work out" for nationally ranked juniors. Is it? Or am I missing something? I don't want to seem mean or cold-hearted but it is possible it might not work out, right?

I know nothing of the team but if what bigbird is saying about Illinois is true? And what if she is a post and teams collapse all over her for 4 years? It's not okay to express this on here? I respect you coco - you are a super poster. Super. Super. I just don't see what bigbird did as wrong especially that he seems to know of the Illinois situation a bit.

and jsloanjr you are an excellent poster as well. I hope neither of you take this is personal. I just didn't see what bigbird said as wrong. jsloanjr-- you really think by posters from this board speculating like this we are intruding on her space? Does the Boneyard have this kind of power?

 

[HuskyNan]

People are forgetting that we're discussing a 16 year old here. I'm sure Tori's parents and coach will weigh in with considered reasons for her to think over but in the end, the decision these young people make aren't always the same that an adult 20, 30 or 40 years older might make and they aren't necessarily made for the same reasons.

Kids often chose schools because they like the academics (remember, they are going to college to play basketball, not signing up for a basketball team so they can take some classes), proximity to home, the feel of the campus or location (urban vs suburban vs rural). Maybe they like/dislike the team or coach at a certain school or the style of play suits them. There are many many other things that could influence a 16 year old's decision and not all of them have to do with basketball.

We don't know what Tori wants from college or from her college basketball team. All I do know is that I wish her the best, whatever she chooses.

 

[Icebear]

If one watched the round table on Real Sports on HBO this weekend which discussed the issue of college athletics and the related issues including health issues, long term injuries, compensation, significant numbers of abusive coaches, and hours it was clear that any athlete going into colleges at a Div. 1 sport is naive if they think sports will not be their number 1,2 and 3 job while on campus. There may be an illusion of time to interact on campus and other considerations but once there it is a completely different world. Athletes are supposed to practice 20 hours per but due to ridiculous reporting techniques reality is often closer to 80. Injuries including lifelong disabilities are not covered with healthcare provided through the schools. Estimations of injury rates approached 100%. In other words it is not a question about whether you will experience injury but when. All in all it is clear that the NCAA's sole interest is not in the student athlete (a nice term they coined to escape management under labor laws in the 50s or 60s) but rather in minimizing expenses to the university and protecting billions of dollars in revenue.

There is so much unseen that the decisions on the surface by which most kids and families make their decisions pale to the reality.

 

[CocoHusky]

I don't see anything wrong with what bigbird has said. Just because EDD turned into a complete beast doesn't mean Tori will. Bigbird seems to be in close proximity or aware of the Illinois situation. He made it clear a couple of times. It's possible her decision to come to UCONN or go to Illinois might not work out. We seldom assume it will work out for a player here until we get a good at them as a senior and even then we know these kids are put through a gauntlet. It's not assured "it will work out" for nationally ranked juniors. Is it? Or am I missing something? I don't want to seem mean or cold-hearted but it is possible it might not work out, right?

I know nothing of the team but if what bigbird is saying about Illinois is true? And what if she is a post and teams collapse all over her for 4 years? It's not okay to express this on here? I respect you coco - you are a super poster. Super. Super. I just don't see what bigbird did as wrong especially that he seems to know of the Illinois situation a bit.

and jsloanjr you are an excellent poster as well. I hope neither of you take this is personal. I just didn't see what bigbird said as wrong. jsloanjr-- you really think by posters from this board speculating like this we are intruding on her space? Does the Boneyard have this kind of power?

Hoophuskee thanks very much for the compliment. I hope and predicted that McCoy will come to UCONN. Tori has stated that Illinois will be among her top choices. The offending parts of Bigbird 's post are 1) "Illinois would be, IMO, a major waste of her ability." and 2) But talk about setting your personal bar low." My intention was not to defend Illinois as a choice but to defend Tori (a 17 year old girl) right to choose without be accused of wasting her talent or setting a low personal bar.

 

[meyers7]

And (this was the main point of my earlier post), ND is reasonably close to Champaign. Closer than Champaign is to Chicago. And people here don't regard Chicago as "far from home." ND is maybe two hours drive.

Don't think so. Chicago to Champaign is about 135 miles. South Bend to Champaign is about 195.

(Just for reference I did live in IL for about 20 years growing up, Mattoon, Rockford, Galesburg, Great Lakes, Bourbonnais, Peoria, Sunnyland)

 

[hoophuskee]

Hoophuskee thanks very much for the compliment. I hope and predicted that McCoy will come to UCONN. Tori has stated that Illinois will be among her top choices. The offending parts of Bigbird 's post are 1) "Illinois would be, IMO, a major waste of her ability." and 2) But talk about setting your personal bar low." My intention was not to defend Illinois as a choice but to defend Tori (a 17 year old girl) right to choose without be accused of wasting her talent or setting a low personal bar.

Okay I just didn't think he was personally attacking Tory. It appears he is close to an extent to the situation in Illinois and didn't think it was in her best interests in terms of basketball.

At any rate - I'm off the subject.

As far as saying "super" it's fun to read your pov. At times we agree/disagree and it's great to hear your perspective.

 

[BigBird]

Don't think so. Chicago to Champaign is about 135 miles. South Bend to Champaign is about 195.

Geez, Louise! How many ways can I screw up an innoculous post? I should be forced to read this thread every few months as a reminder.

Yes indeed, South Bend hasn't moved. Neither has West LaFayette, which I transposed with SB. Sorry.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

. . . (Just for reference I did live in IL for about 20 years growing up, Mattoon, Rockford, Galesburg, Great Lakes, Bourbonnais, Peoria, Sunnyland)

Sounds like you grew up living out of a suitcase!

But you might have seen some decent high school BBall played in
Rockford, Galesburg and Peoria.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Don't think so. Chicago to Champaign is about 135 miles. South Bend to Champaign is about 195.

(Just for reference I did live in IL for about 20 years growing up, Mattoon, Rockford, Galesburg, Great Lakes, Bourbonnais, Peoria, Sunnyland)

Interesting. How did you pronounce Bourbonnais? Bourbon-nay' or Bor-Bone'-us?

 

[meyers7]

Sounds like you grew up living out of a suitcase!

Can add in Atlanta, GA for a couple years in there too. Nope, not military. My dad was a pretty good store manager (Osco, SuperX drugstores) and they moved him around alot to fix under performing stores.

But you might have seen some decent high school BBall played in
Rockford, Galesburg and Peoria.

Rockford I was too young. But Galesburg and Peoria, absolutely. I remember one year in Galesburg we had 2 players who went Div 1, one was 6-9 and one was 6-7. Also got to see some of the Chicago teams play in tournaments too. My brothers and I used to go down to Champaign to watch the state tournaments. They were also all on TV (girls included).

 

[meyers7]

Interesting. How did you pronounce Bourbonnais? Bourbon-nay' or Bor-Bone'-us?

How did "I" pronounce it? Actually we usually said Bradley-Bourbonnais. Like Bloomington-Normal, or Champaign-Urbana.

And then you had the Tri-Cities, Quad-Cities or Quint-Cities, depending on your age. It kept growing.

 

[uconnfan68]

Can add in Atlanta, GA for a couple years in there too. Nope, not military. My dad was a pretty good store manager (Osco, SuperX drugstores) and they moved him around alot to fix under performing stores.


Rockford I was too young. But Galesburg and Peoria, absolutely. I remember one year in Galesburg we had 2 players who went Div 1, one was 6-9 and one was 6-7. Also got to see some of the Chicago teams play in tournaments too. My brothers and I used to go down to Champaign to watch the state tournaments. They were also all on TV (girls included).

I can remember boot camp at Great Lakes, 1970, and watching Illinois high school championships on the small tv in the 120 person smoking room. Through the haze I thought it was a college game.

 

[johnnyc]

I can remember boot camp at Great Lakes, 1970,

I can remember boot camp at Great Lakes in 1973.....in January.....

 

[Huskies Rule]

(Just for reference I did live in IL for about 20 years growing up, Mattoon, Rockford, Galesburg, Great Lakes, Bourbonnais, Peoria, Sunnyland)

And I thought life as an itinerant Marine was rough. Whoa.

 

[Kibitzer]

Sounds like you grew up living out of a suitcase!

But you might have seen some decent high school BBall played in
Rockford, Galesburg and Peoria.

Sounds more like the names of teams playing softball during WWII (I invite your attention to "League of Their Own").

 

[meyers7]

I can remember boot camp at Great Lakes in 1973.....in January.....

I went in the fall of 1982. Nice weather then. Not too hot, not to cold for marching around. Actually I was still around Great Lakes for A school for the winter. But we had a week in the middle of January in '83 where it was up in the 50's-60's. I remember riding around in my roommates convertible.

 

[meyers7]

And I thought life as an itinerant Marine was rough. Whoa.

The whole thing goes
Galesburg, Rockford, Mattoon, Peoria, Sunnyland, Atlanta GA, back to Galesburg through HS. Bourbonnais (college), left home for good, Great Lakes, Orlando, Idaho Falls, Newport News VA, Norfolk, Groton, Montville CT, Norwich CT, East Windsor CT, Chicopee MA, and finally Agawam MA. (center of the universe)

Feel like a little like Johnny Cash.