Guenther's Alleged Behavior Courtside-INEXCUSABLE

While Gregg Doyel may be a maroon, his article on the behavior of the best AD in the country, if true, warrants Guenther's immediate dismissal.

His name is Ron Guenther. He sat two chairs from me on press row. If there's etiquette about what behavior is on or off the record on press row, I don't know about it. Here's what I do know: The Illinois AD is smart enough to ascend to the job he holds, but dumb enough to behave so ridiculously courtside, surrounded by media in general and sitting 30 inches from me in particular.

Guenther is a table-pounder, in good times and bad. Since there were very few good times Friday -- even when the Illini had a 10-point lead with less than 4 1/2 minutes to play, they looked awful -- Guenther did most of his pounding in anguish.
If only he left it at pounding. Alas, he did not. Guenther would on occasion rise and stare down an official, or rise and give coach Bruce Weber advice, generally something along the lines of, "Get Randle out of there!" And after one miserable play by Warren Carter -- which isn't nearly specific enough considering his vast array of miserable plays -- Guenther pounded the table, rose from his chair and screamed, "Warren -- you idiot!"

I didn't know second-guessing your coach in public and criticizing players in public were part of the job duties of an athletic director at a major university. That is great, Coach Guenther. Criticize a student-athlete who actually during his 4 years at Illinois didn't get arrested for drunk driving or otherwise embarrass the University. BRILLIANT!

This basketball season was a disappointment. Bad losses, injuries, and a total lack of discipline off the court. People blame Weber, but you should look at the guy who hired him.

FIRE RON GUENTHER!