A few press conferences ago, Brad Underwood said he doesn’t read anything produced by us, the media pool. In the MSU postgame, he scoffed at “social media” as a concept. At Saturday’s presser, he dismissed the suggestion, offered by one of us, that Alan Griffin might join the starting line-up.
We do read social media, and participate in it. We know that people have clamored for MOAR ALAN since November. Maybe since last year.
Last night, after beating Purdue for the first time in his tenure, the head coach expressed surprise that Alan Griffin got so little floor time.
“I looked down and he played 19 minutes and I’m like my goodness I needed 25 to 30 minutes.”
If that concession surprised anyone, it should. We might all safely assume that Brad Underwood oversees (or at least knows about) minutes distribution among Illini Men’s Basketball players.
Right?
This column does not seek to indict the coach, or the champion the madding crowd. It’s merely observational, capturing a moment in the history of Illini basketball. Perhaps like that time that Wayne McClain told Bruce Weber that Demetri McCamey is good at basketball, and should move into the starting line-up.
Underwood is paid $3 million and fans aren’t. On the other hand, collective wisdom often competes favorably with an individual perspective.
With a staff of five, full-time well-paid advisors; one might assume that someone has suggested that Alan’s numbers dictate more court time.
Has Alan cleaned up his turnover problem? Has he been stripped recently? Those were factors in earning his coach’s trust. Maybe we’ll know more by bedtime Wednesday.
