When Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States, gave his farewell address it included this famous quote: “only when you’re in the lowest valley, do you know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.” As the Illinois men’s basketball team heads to Indianapolis this weekend, to face UConn in the Final Four, one can’t help but think of this quote. Illinois Athletic Director Josh Whitman has truly ushered in a new Golden Era of Illini sports.
Started from a Very Low Point Now We Here
However, things were vastly different under Whitman’s predecessor, Mike Thomas. The former Illini A.D…well, do we really need to re-live that era? Does anyone need to recall the Tim Beckman and Bill Cubit eras?
Haven’t we heard all of the goofy Beckmanisms from press conferences enough?
I mean, we can all laugh at those now, as they’re in the distant past, so let’s just leave it there.
With regards to Brad Underwood’s presser, John Groce, well, the mid-2010s marked a low point for Illini men’s basketball. Groce’s teams were “mid” at best, and Illinois fans everywhere vividly remember seeing their team in the Big Ten Tournament #8 vs #9 game, with the 11am tip, every Thursday morning.
Maybe we should just let that past…stay in the past, and just focus on where we are right now! And of course, look ahead to all the good things to come.
Bielema Brings New Highs to Illini Football
- Illinois secured back-to-back 9+-win seasons for the first time in program history
- 2024 team tied the school record for wins (10)
- Bielema is the first coach in program history to win a bowl game in back-to-back seasons
- Illinois set the program record for the most wins over a two-year period with their 19th victory since 2024.
- Illinois had 37 wins over the last five seasons (2021-25), tied for its most wins over a five-year period since 1901-05
- More on what the Citrus Bowl victory meant at this link
Underwood Revitalizes and Rebuilds Illini Men’s Basketball
Underwood may be the greatest coach in Illini men’s basketball history.
If he completes the job in Indy, and wins it all, then he is, no doubt, the G.O.A.T. Illini hoops coaches.
- Underwood’s 10 NCAA Tournament wins are second-most in Illini history. He’s only two behind the program record held by Lou Henson (12)
- Underwood has an 8-2 record over the last three NCAA Tournaments
- He’s the first head coach in program history to achieve multiple seasons with 28+ wins.
Twitter is filled with postings from Illini fans referring to Josh Whitman as the best A.D. in the entire country.
And when you look at all that has been accomplished by Whitman’s two main hires, Underwood and Bielema, we’re certainly inclined to agree.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG, Ratings and SportsBoom. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.