What's Going on With Bruce Weber and Oklahoma?

 

Chicago Sun-Times -  The Norman (Okla.) Transcript, citing a “well-placed” source, said Illinois coach Bruce Weber has emerged as a viable candidate to become the next coach at Oklahoma, saying there appears to be mutual interest.

Weber, who has been at Illinois the last eight seasons, appears to have some reasons to find Oklahoma attractive, the paper said.
Earlier this season, athletic director Ron Guenther issued a statement supporting Weber’s future at Illinois when it looked like it might miss the NCAA tournament for the third time in four years.
Illinois must replace four senior starters next season.
The source said another factor that could make OU attractive to Weber is that Guenther’s contract expires at the end of June. If it’s not renewed, the paper said Weber’s seat could get hot under a new athletic director.

Does anybody actually know what is going on with this story?  First I heard that Bruce was talking with Oklahoma.  Then this Oklahoma sportscaster, Brian Birchell, posts on twitter that Bruce will be named new OU coach as early as Friday.  Now, Bruce is saying that these are all just rumors, but that is exactly what anyone would say in this situation.  So what is actually going on?  I have no clue.

But why would Bruce leave to go to Oklahoma, when it is at best a lateral move?  Two reasons.  The first, as always is money.  I'm sure they are offering more than he is making now, that is how you get a coach to leave his job.  The second is his situation at Illinois.  He has basically been on the hot seat there for three years and why not leave on your own terms rather than get fired.  Also, he just lost four senior starters and there is the possibility that Jereme Richmond could transfer this year to get away from Bruce.  So, if there was a time for Bruce to bolt, this is it.

As far as I am personally concerned, Bruce can go...get the fuck out.  I really don't know why he hasn't been fired yet.  The only things he has ever done were go to the championship game with Bill Self's players and get some decent recruits that he has failed to develop.  Oh yeah, the other thing he has done, is take Illinois from a team that competes for Big 10 titles every year, to a middling Big 10 team that competes for a chance to make the NCAA Tournament.

So, I guess we will just wait to see what happens, but if he goes Illini fans shouldn't be mad, he may be doing us all a favor.

P.S.  If you ever are doing a Google image search for Bruce Weber, search for "Bruce Weber Illini".  If you don't, you get a ton of pictures of dudes not wearing a lot of clothes.  The more you know...