Who’s the best men’s college basketball coach in the state of Illinois?
Is it Illinois’ Brad Underwood, who delivers 20-win seasons like money in the bank?
Is it Northwestern’s Chris Collins, who gets as much from what he has to work with as any coach in the Big Ten?
Or is it someone else?
We led this week’s “Polling Place,” your home for Sun-Times sports polls on the social platform X, with that topic.
“Collins is the best coach, Underwood the best recruiter,” @radiorick58 commented.
There might be some truth in that, but recruiting is a bigger piece of the coaching puzzle than ever before.
Both @mikegaichas and @CapnRedBeardSD wrote in Loyola’s Drew Valentine, while Bradley’s Brian Wardle got a shout-out from @The1Tab. Nothing wrong with either of those calls.
Next, we asked if you’ve been to spring training.
“I love it,” @ChiTownSports wrote.
Last, we charged you with picking a free-agent quarterback from these four: Sam Darnold, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and former Bear Justin Fields.
“I’m rolling with Fields,” @SummerOuttaHere replied. “Get him a decent line with a decent offensive coordinator, then let’s see.”
On to the polls:
Poll No. 1: Who’s the best men’s college basketball coach in the state of Illinois?
It’s time for this week’s “Polling Place.” Let us hear from you! Selected comments will appear in Sunday's paper.
Poll No. 1: Who’s the best men’s college basketball coach in the state of Illinois?
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) March 6, 2025
Upshot: There are far more fans of the Illini than there are of the Wildcats, and this vote probably reflects that as much as anything else.
Poll No. 2: Have you ever taken a trip toCubs and/orWhite Sox spring training?
Poll No. 2: Have you ever taken a trip to Cubs and/or White Sox spring training?
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) March 6, 2025
Upshot: Really, it’s a delightful experience. Not to mention expensive as all get-out, which can have a way of eating into the aforementioned delight.
Poll No. 3: If you had to pick one of these free agents to be your quarterback in 2025, whom would it be?
Poll No. 3: If you had to pick one of these free agents to be your quarterback in 2025, whom would it be?
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) March 6, 2025
Upshot: Fields received such a large amount of support here, @ludovicle asked if it was “bias or insanity?” But we Chicagoans are multitaskers, more than capable of being both biased and insane at the same time.