More Redbird news

[Dave Stalwart]

Dammit Fever I thought that was a photo of the arena. Don't do that to me. :)

That'll be the next thing. "Redbird arena has burned to the ground"

Just when you think it can't get any worse

[_kai_]

I'd say this will be Muller's tactic for the remainder of this season to retain his job.

[ISU Redbirds]

I come in peace gentleman. I have noticed a few of you have made a trip over to our board and I decided to do the same.

First things first, I am a life long Redbird fan, not just one that became a fan when I attended the school. I attended my first game when I was 2years old. Im sure you can all see how difficult it has been for me haha.

Last night I watched the game against BYU and I am truly envious of what Greg Marshall has built. Though I do not like the Guy he really has taken your program from the ground up. I never thought I would see the day where my favorite player in the valley wasn't a member of my Redbirds, but the Shox. Clea Early is just fantastic and fun to watch. I don't believe he had the best game last night but still seemed to have an impact in the game. Also, Van Fleet played lights out.

I one thing I have grown to love over the past few years is the 'bad blood's And rivalry that is currently taking place between our programs. I know since CU left, you are looking for a new rival and you have found it in ISU. Growing up I was always told to hate BU, that they were our rival, but I never understood why. It seemed like BU was our rival by default, just because they were close. Now, I can get behind WSU and ISU fighting through an all sports rivalry.

On to Middlebrooks. If you go over to our board you will see that this is the fourth player Muller has had trouble with, and the third of HIS recruits. I am interested to see what Muller can do when he has time to recruit. Im not using that as a cop out by any means. He shouldn't have told the team to.take a hike after last season if he didn't have sure things set up. Muller has gone on record saying he doesn't want to recruit Jucos.

As for Hawkins, I don't think you will find a Redbird fan that says Hawkins will make or break next season. But next season looks significantly better with the addition of Hawkins and McIntosh along with a more seasoned Paris Lee, Zach Lofton, and Reggie Lynch.

With all that said. Keep on.making the valley look good. Until the Birds can get to the top, we need a good program receiving national recognition.

Im excited for the games between us this season because you guys will probably smoke us similar to VCU and that is what this team needs, a kick in the teeth to get there act together on and off the court.

Muller has 2 more seasons to make something happen

Thanks for letting me.post!

[Kung Wu]

I come in peace gentleman. I have noticed a few of you have made a trip over to our board and I decided to do the same.

Welcome to the board.

First things first, I am a life long Redbird fan, not just one that became a fan when I attended the school. I attended my first game when I was 2years old.

My condolences.

Last night I watched the game against BYU and I am truly envious of what Greg Marshall has built. Though I do not like the Guy he really has taken your program from the ground up. I never thought I would see the day where my favorite player in the valley wasn't a member of my Redbirds, but the Shox. Clea Early is just fantastic and fun to watch. I don't believe he had the best game last night but still seemed to have an impact in the game. Also, Van Fleet played lights out.

Well, you definitely know talent when you see it. Try not to drool over Baker and Cotton, also, while you are watching the Shox!

I one thing I have grown to love over the past few years is the 'bad blood's And rivalry that is currently taking place between our programs. I know since CU left, you are looking for a new rival and you have found it in ISU. Growing up I was always told to hate BU, that they were our rival, but I never understood why. It seemed like BU was our rival by default, just because they were close. Now, I can get behind WSU and ISU fighting through an all sports rivalry.

We'd like nothing better than to see ISUr step up and be a top-25 team. But right now we'll even settle for Top-150. You guys have a looong way to go to turn the ship around, in my opinion. And I'm afraid you don't have the right skipper to get it done. In fact your skipper appears to be running full throttle toward the iceberg, not away from it. Are your fans grumbling like crazy about him, or are they trying to remain patient?

On to Middlebrooks. If you go over to our board you will see that this is the fourth player Muller has had trouble with, and the third of HIS recruits. I am interested to see what Muller can do when he has time to recruit. Im not using that as a cop out by any means. He shouldn't have told the team to.take a hike after last season if he didn't have sure things set up.

See what I mean?

As for Hawkins, I don't think you will find a Redbird fan that says Hawkins will make or break next season. But next season looks significantly better with the addition of Hawkins and McIntosh along with a more seasoned Paris Lee, Zach Lofton, and Reggie Lynch.

With all that said. Keep on.making the valley look good. Until the Birds can get to the top, we need a good program receiving national recognition.

Im excited for the games between us this season because you guys will probably smoke us similar to VCU and that is what this team needs, a kick in the teeth to get there act together on and off the court.

Muller has 2 more seasons to make something happen

Thanks for letting me.post!

Looking beyond the recruiting and player management disasters, in your opinion is Muller a Top-50 X's and O's coach?

[ISU Redbirds]

The Fan base is being patient. That is what happens when you bring in a former player (that hit a game winner the last time we were in the NCAA tournament). Fans are willing to be patient with Muller. But the patience will run out. Luckily for Muller, our new president doesn't give a rats a** about athletics and our new athletic director is under a 3 year deal and will probably retire at the end of that. The upper administration isn't stable enough right now to hire a new HC for any sport let alone hoops.

Muller has NOT proven to be any sort of an X's and O's Guy. He is clearly knowledgeable of the game though. He has shown a glimpse of hope though. The one example I can think of is last year at the Valley tournament when we played you guys last Saturday and you guys were up something crazy in the first half. Muller put on that zone which forced some difficult shots, in turn the birds went on a run still loosing the game.

Since this is Mullers first gig and because of his ties with ISU, he gets the benefit of the doubt in most situations. There probably wont be a situation where we blame Muller for a loss this season. (Maybe a questionable line up here and there). But we'll chalk this season up to in experience.

Ps.... I wont fall in love with Baker. Ever since after you guys beat OSU last season and he said something along the lines of "Man this is great.... im a really humble kid". I don't doubt he is but you just don't call yourself humble IMO. Maybe he should've worded it like "Im humbled to be here" or "This is a humbling moment" (just me being nitpicky there)

[ShockerFever]

Ps.... I wont fall in love with Baker. Ever since after you guys beat OSU last season and he said something along the lines of "Man this is great.... im a really humble kid". I don't doubt he is but you just don't call yourself humble IMO. Maybe he should've worded it like "Im humbled to be here" or "This is a humbling moment" (just me being nitpicky there)

Wow, kid just put his team in the Sweet 16 and rambled out a few words in the moment on national tv and THAT'S what you hold against him?

Hilarious coming from a fan of a program filled with thugs and jailbirds.

Carry on.

[vancedave56]

Keep in mind this is a 19-20 year old being interviewed. I doubt any of us would have known the perfect "right" thing to say either. These teams are all just "kids" to me. Young men maybe, at least trying to reach that point.

Randy Smithson was given a shot here also; wish it had worked out, but...

Sometimes our ex-players are not the solution.

Good luck.

[RoyalShock]

The Fan base is being patient. That is what happens when you bring in a former player (that hit a game winner the last time we were in the NCAA tournament). Fans are willing to be patient with Muller. But the patience will run out. Luckily for Muller, our new president doesn't give a rats a** about athletics and our new athletic director is under a 3 year deal and will probably retire at the end of that. The upper administration isn't stable enough right now to hire a new HC for any sport let alone hoops.

Muller has NOT proven to be any sort of an X's and O's Guy. He is clearly knowledgeable of the game though. He has shown a glimpse of hope though. The one example I can think of is last year at the Valley tournament when we played you guys last Saturday and you guys were up something crazy in the first half. Muller put on that zone which forced some difficult shots, in turn the birds went on a run still loosing the game.

Since this is Mullers first gig and because of his ties with ISU, he gets the benefit of the doubt in most situations. There probably wont be a situation where we blame Muller for a loss this season. (Maybe a questionable line up here and there). But we'll chalk this season up to in experience.

Ps.... I wont fall in love with Baker. Ever since after you guys beat OSU last season and he said something along the lines of "Man this is great.... im a really humble kid". I don't doubt he is but you just don't call yourself humble IMO. Maybe he should've worded it like "Im humbled to be here" or "This is a humbling moment" (just me being nitpicky there)

Reasonable posts. Thanks.

To most ISU fan's credit, they are vocalizing their embarrassment over the current state of their program. If things had gone that way under Randy Smithson we'd probably react the same way: embarrassed, but be hopeful things get better.

As for your dislike of Baker, he was asked why he wasn't smiling and showing emotion. He gave a straight-forward answer. To his credit he didn't pause and think about how to spin it to make him look better. Nothing about Baker says he's a "I'm the most humble person on the planet" type.

[SpanglerFan316]

This probably belongs somewhere else but ... I'll put it here. From http://www.redbirdfan.net/forum/view...=5643&start=40

Actually, the Redbirds are having a decent season...they're just playing for different teams.

I would feel sorry for the ILSU fans if they accepted that their choice of coach was a bad one ... but most of them keep defending Dan Muller. Some of you want to give Redbird fans a pass and that's fine for you. As one Redbird fan noted:

Sadly, we seem to have a team of players who suck and also lack character. The last 7 months has resulted in our program being set back 7 years.

[The Mad Hatter]

Hey Dan how many years was it that you were setting the program back?

[Cdizzle]

Is it possible that Dan just runs a tighter ship than most other programs?

This is one of my favorites. How one comes up with that level of delusion, I'm just not sure.

I think a lot of ILSU fans are starting to reach the end of their blind faith. They find themselves defending something every other week.

[RoyalShock]

Hey Dan how many years was it that you were setting the program back?

I don't care who you are, that's funny right there!

[WuShock16]

Wow, kid just put his team in the Sweet 16 and rambled out a few words in the moment on national tv and THAT'S what you hold against him?

Hilarious coming from a fan of a program filled with thugs and jailbirds.

Carry on.

Yeah, he was asked a couple of questions and was giving "boring" answers, not beating his chest and saying how good he was for leading his team to victory. When the sideline reporter tried to get him to act excited, he basically said, "Meh. I'm just a humble small town kid."

Yeah, to hold that against him is ludicrous. A) What he said was exactly what you should say there. Absolutely ZERO wrong with it. B) Even if there is something wrong with that...and there isn't, I'd listen to that kind of talk all day before I'd listen to whatever drivel someone like Marshall Henderson might have said in that setting.

[Dave Stalwart]

The real issue here is that the birds invent stuff to hate even though Baker hasn't done a thing wrong and Marshall hasn't done a thing wrong. All the while Normal has done A LOT of questionable things... Yet it is twisted into our people having a problem...

[Play Angry]

WSU fans did a little of the same thing back in the 90s. Our players were taking cars for joy rides and toting guns into the locker room, but we still cast stones at other programs plenty back then.

Hating on other programs is a lot more fun than discussing your own when things are that bad. And make no mistake, things really are that bad in Normal.