For over ten years Illinois sports, mainly football and basketball, has no relevance, no identity and has operated in a completely fear based culture.
There I said it.
Admitting the problem is the first step.
What’s wrong with Illinois Sports?
It doesn’t take a medical physician with an expertise in human behavior and sports psychology to figure this out (although that’s what I do), but let’s dig a little deeper into the missing “I” in Illinois football & basketball. No Identity.
The Definition of Identity:
When a person has no identity, they act lost, confused, aimlessly living their life without purpose and constantly reacting to the world around them instead of doing what motivates and drives them.
When a team has no identity, they often play soft, undisciplined, disconnected, give up too easily and react to their opposing team’s style of play instead of dictating their own. (sound familiar?)
Operating from a position of fear and having no identity leads you to do desperate things like the following:
1) Tim Beckman and his entire crew, dressed in all Illini gear, blundering their way to State College to try and lure players away from Penn State. This act of desperation just happened to make national news as a total disaster and embarrassment.
2) John Groce constantly in reactive mode preparing more for the other team’s ability to take over the game than building his own identity and style. As a result, we all witnessed the wonderful art of “passive coaching” instead of “active coaching”, leading many fans to question his decision-making abilities.
3) Ex-coach Groce being more of a “friend”’ (sometimes called a players coach) than a coach who commands respect, has his own system and is a true leader on the court.
This “friend” style often leads to poor boundaries (ie. disciplinary problems)
4) Ex-AD Mike Thomas going zero for three in hiring coaches without a strong identity. Not only did we have many losing seasons but the allegations of the desperate and unethical mistreatment of players in men’s football and women’s basketball and all the legal issues in men’s basketball during this AD’s time were absolutely atrocious.
Now that we’ve done some reminiscing, don’t get too depressed and reach for the Prozac and group therapy because there is hope.
Our new AD, Josh Whitman, looks and acts like a winner.
He knows Illinois football & basketball need more than just a make-over but a true emotional overhaul and Identity shift.
Our new basketball coach, Brad Underwood, has a real system, a leadership style and will inject a different type of culture and identity into our players and overall team.
Our new football coach, Lovie Smith, has significant NFL experience and knows how to coach – although he may still have quite a bit to learn about college recruiting.
As an Illini fan and psychiatrist who’s worked with many professional athletes, I often get asked by fellow members of Illini nation how we fix our primary sports teams problems.
My answer elicits initial confusion followed by the “Oh, I get it” response.
Get the “I” back in Illini.
Create a new “Identity” or simply bring back the old “Flyin’ Illini” slogan with that style of play.
Now that’s an Identity! Even Dickie V would be proud.
Impart our system, culture, identity, style and toughness onto the other team. Recruit with this differentiating identity and style, and sell the fans on the system.
Next: Class of 2018 recruits pros and cons
Make us proud to feel a part of this sports community. It’s time. Go Illini!