To the editor:

Several years ago during the basketball coach shuffle, Bill Self came to Kansas University and Bruce Weber replaced him at the University of Illinois. During the honeymoon year at Illinois, coach Weber made several comments regarding the differences in coaching style and how he was going to change the program. Even the local Illinois newspapers joined the bandwagon and said coach Self could not coach his way out of a paper bag.

During his first year at Illinois, coach Weber had a fantastic season and made it to the championship game at the “Big Dance.” He did all this with the players that coach Self had recruited. The last few years have resulted in gradual decline of Illinois basketball. It appears that coach Weber can’t do very well when he is challenged with recruiting his own players.

On the other hand, coach Self and his staff have recruited solid basketball players and they continue to produce solid teams that reflect proudly on the Kansas tradition. Kansas appears to get better every year.

So I ask, where is Illinois basketball and who is coaching now?

Ken Phipps,

Lawrence