Deontae Hawkins

[WSUwatcher]

I'm not sure where that comes from. I'd take Marshall everyday over Muller, but don't understand some of the hostility towards the young coach. Even reading the ISU board, they sound as though Muller is looking at WSU as the blueprint to build a program that can compete nationally and I think he has the recruiters to attempt it. If Hawkins can get eligible, he could go quite a ways in helping them achieve that as well. Time will tell. I'd say the same thing about Ford at Bradley. Only difference is he has more experience and has built a program elsewhere.

I'd love to see both find some success and help lift the conference and help us over time. Playing and beating stronger teams in conference is only a good thing that ends up helping rankings/seedings. Plus, it'll make the style of play inside the MVC even better as I know those two want to get to the point where they can get up and down the court as well and not play like UNI or UE.

Fair enough, Sub. I really wasn't being hostile to Muller so much as looking back at his head-shaking train wreck of a season with a team that was expected to be pretty good, followed by an exodus / housecleaning (although in fairness, if he believes the guys who were there were partly responsible for the train wreck, the next logical step is indeed to clean house). Actually, I hope he does succeed, because as long as WSU is stuck in the Valley, the more programs who are credible opponents, the better -- especially if they pick up the pace a little as you say he'd prefer to do. Regardless, though, as I said in my response tpo im4wsu, it's hard to see how Hawkins could possibly be eligible right away in 2013-14 given his history.

[SubGod22]

Fair enough, Sub. I really wasn't being hostile to Muller so much as looking back at his head-shaking train wreck of a season with a team that was expected to be pretty good, followed by an exodus / housecleaning (although in fairness, if he believes the guys who were there were partly responsible for the train wreck, the next logical step is indeed to clean house). Actually, I hope he does succeed, because as long as WSU is stuck in the Valley, the more programs who are credible opponents, the better -- especially if they pick up the pace a little as you say he'd prefer to do.

Fair enough. Some have come on as a bit hostile towards him in the past. I read a number of the other boards and it sounds as though Jank let a lot of guys do what they wanted and had little discipline within the team. Muller sounds like he runs a tighter ship and that there may have been a few "cancerous" members that helped ruin the season last year. I'd guess that Wilkins was one of them. And Allen another.

Time will tell how Muller ends up. The good news for them is he's an ISU guy so I'm sure he's thinking more than just a stepping stone, even though he may leave down the road. I believe that this years team is pretty much all his guys and it sounds like they've brought in some talent. They keep talking about some Lofton kid that transferred in from somewhere that someone over there compared to a smaller Mo Evans as far as style of play and ability. Take that for what it's worth. They'll be young for a couple of years but I think he and Dana will do a good job there. We'll see if Muller can coach because I do believe that they'll bring in some talent.

Plus I really like Redbird fans and would love to see them do well. I thought Moser had them about there as he loaded them with talent. Jank came in and kept them close to that spot but could never get them over the hump. Mostly because he was scared to schedule up at all. Muller has shown he'll test his guys and they'll eventually win some of those games. I simply don't want to be in a conference that we dominate with few or no challengers. At least our OOC schedule is looking better and that'll help.

[ShockTalk]

If Hawkins does not become eligible before Dec 2014, I'd be real surprised if he would still be there in 1+ years.

1) Can he stay in any one place that long without changing his mind?

2) Why would the prep school pull his scholarship? Before the season, they were touting him to be their star.

3) If he didn't end up going to another school, would he not jump ship for the $s and Europe by that time?

Nevertheless, I do hope things go well for him.

[Capitol Shock II]

Move along folks. Nothing to see here. Teddy is never going to play for us so let's move on. Hope the kids winds up doing something productive with his college days and if that means ISU so be it. But our team is loaded and there's not one player on our roster that I would trade for Teddy. Period. Quit rubber necking this car wreck in the making.

[Aargh]

According to the sportswriter who covers IlSU, the Valley considers that Hawkins accepted a scholarship from WSU, and now must sit 2 years before he's eligible.

http://www.pantagraph.com/blogs/redbirds/isu-basketball-don-t-expect-hawkins-to-play-for-redbirds/article_dd7a6a56-e9aa-11e2-8817-001a4bcf887a.html

IlSU fans are already blaming Marshall if Hwkins isn't cleared to play this year. They think he can make up for any academice issues with the clearinghouse in summer school at IlSU.

[Shox21]

If ISU fans are blaming Marshall for this then my opinion of those fans (not necessarily all ISU fans) has hit rock bottom. Maybe they should just shut up and reverse the rolls and put the shoe on the other foot and see how it fits. I bet anything it's pretty damn tight. If they were honest about the situation ---

[ripemupshocks]

Move along folks. Nothing to see here. Teddy is never going to play for us so let's move on. Hope the kids winds up doing something productive with his college days and if that means ISU so be it. But our team is loaded and there's not one player on our roster that I would trade for Teddy. Period. Quit rubber necking this car wreck in the making.

Well hell man, we're sorry. We didn't mean to upset you with our basketball related conversation. And as to your apparent assertion that we're all unhappy because Hawkins isn't coming to WSU; since it became known that Hawkins would be attending ISUR, I haven't seen a single post bemoaning the fact that he isn't going to be playing for WSU. On the contrary, everybody seems happy he isn't here. Which makes me wonder if you even took the time to read any of the posts from yesterday?

Now. Carry on all you rubberneckers.

[Rick BW]

Here is an update on Teddy and his standing at Ill St:

http://www.goredbirds.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/091613aaa.html

The part that I found interesting is the following:

"Hawkins originally signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to play at Wichita State in 2011, but he was granted partial relief from the Missouri Valley Conference's intra-conference transfer rule after Hawkins did not enroll at WSU. Hawkins will be permitted to compete for the Redbirds in the 2014-15 season; however, he is required to miss both of ISU's regular-season games against Wichita State"

Sounds like WSU won't be facing him for at least 3 years (unless we meet in Arch Madness in 2014-15 assuming that we are in the MVC and that he is actually eligible and still a member of their team). My guess is that Dan Mueller will be canned in 2 years and he will have transferred out to wherever Dana Ford catches on.

[Ricardo del Rio]

Meeting in the Final Four is a possibility.

[WSUwatcher]

Well, in St. Louis, maybe, Ricky -- assuming IlSt gets things turned around. I think that's why the others are speculating. Indianapolis and Houston seem a little less likely.

[tropicalshox]

@Pg_Benson: MVC announces Illinois State's Teddy Hawkins can play in all games (including against Wichita State) in 2014-15 season. #isuhoops

[ShockTalk]

@Pg_Benson: MVC announces Illinois State's Teddy Hawkins can play in all games (including against Wichita State) in 2014-15 season. #isuhoops

Wow, @tropicalshox:. You got scooped by over 3 hours in the More Redbird News thread. You're slippin' dude.

[tropicalshox]

Guess I'll retire.

[pinstripers]

@Pg_Benson: MVC announces Illinois State's Teddy Hawkins can play in all games (including against Wichita State) in 2014-15 season. #isuhoops

.........if.......IF..........he is eligible

[moshock]

Guess I'll retire.

Please don't