MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

Titan Q · June 12, 2020, 06:35:53 PM

To Augustana...

* Brett David, 6-2 G (Kaneland HS) 12 ppg, 3 rpg, 2 apg

https://www.kcchronicle.com/2020/03/23/boys-basketball-after-10-years-the-david-brothers-run-at-kaneland-comes-to-a-close/dpdfv74/?page=1

Titan Q · June 13, 2020, 07:54:11 AM

iwumichigander · June 14, 2020, 03:59:10 PM

Quote from: Titan Q on June 12, 2020, 11:46:54 AM
Quote from: augie77 on June 12, 2020, 10:48:03 AM
I have no clue, but why do you think it's Thomas?

I also have no clue.

But...

* Great relationships in the suburban Chicago basketball scene - would seem to walk in with the ability to recruit that key area.
* Augie grad.
* Well respected coach.

Clearly they have strong options here. I think a tie, if there is a tie, would go to an Augie guy?

Jim Thomas has the right qualifications to be seriously considered from the high school ranks. It certainly does no hurt that he is both an Augustana grad and successful as a college basketball player. His academic qualifications are a good fit at the college level. I would venture his compensation requirements would be a fit also.

Titan Q · June 18, 2020, 09:15:26 AM

Credit to Augie, I don't think anyone is 100% sure who the final 4 are. 2 seem confirmed:

* Jim Thomas (Downers Grove North HS)
* Todd Kelly (formerly Illinois Tech)

Yesterday I heard these 2 (thank you, source...you know who you are):

* Steve Schafer (Ben U Mesa)
* Dr. Oliver Eslinger (Cal Tech)

We'll see.

I still think Jim Thomas will be the guy.

tomt4525 · June 18, 2020, 09:29:56 AM

Quote from: Titan Q on June 18, 2020, 09:15:26 AM
Credit to Augie, I don't think anyone is 100% sure who the final 4 are. 2 seem confirmed:

* Jim Thomas (Downers Grove North HS)
* Todd Kelly (formerly Illinois Tech)

Yesterday I heard these 2 (thank you, source...you know who you are):

* Steve Schafer (Ben U Mesa)
* Dr. Oliver Eslinger (Cal Tech)

We'll see.

I still think Jim Thomas will be the guy.

Did you hear new information regarding Dernbach? Was it just speculation that he is involved in the coaching search?

Titan Q · June 18, 2020, 11:09:24 AM

Quote from: tomt4525 on June 18, 2020, 09:29:56 AM
Quote from: Titan Q on June 18, 2020, 09:15:26 AM
Credit to Augie, I don't think anyone is 100% sure who the final 4 are. 2 seem confirmed:

* Jim Thomas (Downers Grove North HS)
* Todd Kelly (formerly Illinois Tech)

Yesterday I heard these 2 (thank you, source...you know who you are):

* Steve Schafer (Ben U Mesa)
* Dr. Oliver Eslinger (Cal Tech)

We'll see.

I still think Jim Thomas will be the guy.

Did you hear new information regarding Dernbach? Was it just speculation that he is involved in the coaching search?

To be clear, I can't confirm anything.

But I was hearing Dernbach's name from a lot of people for 2+ weeks -- that he was very much in the process. Then I got a note from someone last week that said he removed himself from the process.

Who knows.

augie77 · June 18, 2020, 11:23:22 AM

Dr. Oliver Eslinger has coached at MIT and for the last 12 years or so at Caltech in Pasadena. Upon reading his (lengthy) bio on the Caltech website he has no apparent ties to the Midwest, having played at Clark (Ma). It makes me wonder whether he is looking for an academic upgrade, or perhaps it's better weather he seeks?

petemcb · June 18, 2020, 03:04:13 PM

Quote from: augie77 on June 18, 2020, 11:23:22 AM
Dr. Oliver Eslinger has coached at MIT and for the last 12 years or so at Caltech in Pasadena. Upon reading his (lengthy) bio on the Caltech website he has no apparent ties to the Midwest, having played at Clark (Ma). It makes me wonder whether he is looking for an academic upgrade, or perhaps it's better weather he seeks?

I heard a yet-to-be confirmed rumor that it was the Augie Med School that sparked his interest.

augie77 · June 18, 2020, 03:17:01 PM

Could be! The Augie Med School has been known to attract players.

AndOne · June 18, 2020, 04:07:39 PM

Quote from: augie77 on June 18, 2020, 03:17:01 PM
Could be! The Augie Med School has been known to attract players.

But how is it that, despite such strong initial attraction, the Augie Medical School has the lowest graduation rate of any such institution in the entire nation?

In fact, a recent thorough record search failed to document even a single graduate! ~~👨‍⚕️~~

AndOne · June 18, 2020, 05:16:01 PM

Quote from: Titan Q on June 18, 2020, 09:15:26 AM
Credit to Augie, I don't think anyone is 100% sure who the final 4 are. 2 seem confirmed:

* Jim Thomas (Downers Grove North HS)
* Todd Kelly (formerly Illinois Tech)

Yesterday I heard these 2 (thank you, source...you know who you are):

* Steve Schafer (Ben U Mesa)
* Dr. Oliver Eslinger (Cal Tech)

We'll see.

I still think Jim Thomas will be the guy.

Quote from: CCIW ALUM on June 08, 2020, 06:30:25 PM
Steve Schafer no longer being considered at Augie

So, the prior indication that Augie grad and current BenU-Arizona Head Coach Steve Schafer is no longer being considered is erroneous?

With regard to the possibility of Kelly and Thomas being the final 2;

Jim Thomas
* Very good playing career at Augie and AC grad.
* Successful HS coach at Downers North for 12 years.
* Very familiar with the Chicagoland HS 🏀 scene.

Todd Kelly
* Successful HS coach at Providence-St. Mel for 3 years.
* Head Assistant at North Central for 5 years. Team won the CCIW Championship twice, and the CCIW Tournament twice. Reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2012, and the Final Four in 2013.
* Head Coach at Illinois Institute of Technology for 6 years. Took over a zero win team prior to 2014-15 and led team to a 23-5 record in 2016-17. Took IIT from Provisional status to full NCCA member in 2018-19.
* Very familiar with the Chicagoland HS 🏀 scene.

It seems if Augie values not only college coaching experience, but Head Coach college experience Kelly would be the pick. If they want an Augie player/grad with good HS, but not necessarily college experience, it would be tough to find a better guy than Thomas.

kiko · June 18, 2020, 08:09:51 PM

Quote from: AndOne on June 18, 2020, 04:07:39 PM
Quote from: augie77 on June 18, 2020, 03:17:01 PM
Could be! The Augie Med School has been known to attract players.

But how is it that, despite such strong initial attraction, the Augie Medical School has the lowest graduation rate of any such institution in the entire nation?
In fact, a recent thorough record search failed to document even a single graduate! ~~👨‍⚕️~~

On the contrary... they've placed every single graduate at their first-choice medical facility for their residency.

Titan Q · June 19, 2020, 01:18:21 PM

Quote from: Titan Q on June 18, 2020, 09:15:26 AM
Credit to Augie, I don't think anyone is 100% sure who the final 4 are. 2 seem confirmed:

* Jim Thomas (Downers Grove North HS)
* Todd Kelly (formerly Illinois Tech)

Yesterday I heard these 2 (thank you, source...you know who you are):

* Steve Schafer (Ben U Mesa)
* Dr. Oliver Eslinger (Cal Tech)

We'll see.

I still think Jim Thomas will be the guy.

These are in fact the 4 finalists.

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh · June 19, 2020, 03:44:24 PM

...despite what one individual who likes to kick the dirt around is indicating today ...

He should browse these boards more often ... he'd find his DIII info tends to be more inaccurate than anything.

Mr. Ypsi · June 22, 2020, 11:29:49 PM

Totally off-topic - though in this bizarre year, what is on-topic or off-topic seems pretty unclear

:

My backyard had the first great lightning bug show of the season this evening!

June lightning bugs always catch me by surprise.

Consciously I know they start up in June pretty much every year, but somehow deep in my brain it is ingrained that they are a LATE summer phenomenon. I thought perhaps there was a difference between Peoria (where I grew up) and here in Michigan, but Mrs. Y grew up 60 miles straight north of here and said she has the very same reaction.