It’s one of the most shopworn cliches in all of sports: “next man up.”
If you’re a sports journalist, your eyes instinctively roll whenever you hear this tired platitude. Unfortunately, “next man up” is the only thing Illini basketball players and Illini basketball coaches can really say right now about the rash of injuries that just keep coming.
“Next man up,” as meaningless a phrase as it is, happens to also be the only place Illini basketball fans can look right now.
It all started this summer when Tracy Abrams tore his Achilles tendon, ruling him out for the rest of the season. This followed up Abrams’ ACL tear in 2014, meaning that he’ll miss two consecutive seasons now.
If there is a “college basketball Derrick Rose,” then Abrams would be the closest comparison.
As of Big Ten Media Day, the talk was that Illinois forward Leron Black was set miss four-to-six weeks with a torn meniscus. On the plus side, the surgery went well, and he’s was already off crutches, almost immediately.
Said Illini wing Malcolm Hill at Big Ten Media Day:
“Leron, he won’t be back until the third game of the season, (but) hopefully sooner.”
Kendrick Nunn injured his left thumb that week at practice, and therefore missed his scheduled appearance at Big Ten Media Day.
It was revealed today that Nunn will undergo surgery on that left thumb tomorrow, and that he’ll be out 8 weeks.
That would place his return right around mid-December; possibly in time for his homecoming game at the United Center versus UIC on December 12th
Jalen Coleman-Lands is recovering from a stress fracture, and is scheduled to return November 1st. Oh by the way, point guard Jaylon Tate suffered a concussion last week too. So indeed the injuries are really piling up.
Hill on the Illini basketball big picture, in the wake of all the setbacks:
“Injuries like this, they don’t really bug us at all. We’re upset that it’s happening, but at the same time, we’re keeping it positive. Praying for a speedy recovery for all of ’em.”
Said Groce: “at this juncture, we’ll play the cards that we’re dealt and I think it opens up an opportunity for other guys.”
“A door opens to get more reps, to play two positions instead of one. They’ve got to sprint through that open door. We’ve got to figure it out.”
It’s Groce-ly unjust, the bad cards that the Illinois Coach has been dealt on the injury front. It’s a figuratively snake-bitten Illinois program right now.
But do remember “next man up” is nothing more than a simple depth chart. When Groce, or any other coach, or any player in any sport tells you “next man up” is a unique “culture” or distinctive “philosophy” special to that specific team, please, pay no mind.
It’s just a press conference/press release buzzword, not a deep profound, ground-breaking organizational mantra.
https://twitter.com/PaulMBanks/status/652200665436037120
Again though, what else can Groce say in this situation?
It’s sad. It’s unfortunate. It’s ridiculously unlucky and just borderline unfair. Whether you love Illini basketball, or hate it, or lack a strong opinion on this program, you have to feel some sympathy for the ludicrously bad cards that Groce and company have been dealt lately.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and sometimes writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. The website is also featured on News Now.
Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye. He also appears regularly on numerous television and radio talk shows all across the country. Catch him Tuesdays on KOZN 1620 The Zone.
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