I am now convinced Bruce Weber is no longer human. He is the John Wayne and Superman of college basketball rolled into one. Nothing can keep him down.

For those who missed it, Weber had an appendectomy Monday afternoon at Carle Foundation Hospital.

On Tuesday, Weber prepared Illinois’ practice schedule and showed up at practice for two hours. According to HealthCentral.com, the normal recovery time from the surgery is three days.

Suffice to say, this proves Weber is not normal. In fact, I’m questioning if he is even human.

“Don’t let a little thing like being in surgery hold you down,” said Illinois assistant coach Jay Price jokingly.

How can a basketball player look Weber in the eye now and say he will not practice because his nose is stuffy?

Weber would laugh in his player’s face – and probably show him the pictures he has from the surgery.

No kidding.

Weber has pictures from the surgery. He showed them off at Wednesday’s press conference and said he felt like a naked turkey on Thanksgiving.

So, unless sophomore forward Brian Randle is going to be stuffed, basted and put into an oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit with a meat thermometer stuck in him, he may play on Friday – broken left hand, sling and all.

Randle, a young, spry 19-year-old, can’t be physically upstaged by his 48-year-old, on-the-verge-of-being-an-AARP-cardholder coach.

And that is the beauty of Weber showing up Tuesday at practice.

Illinois is going to have to be a tough team. There is no way around it. Weber won’t allow Illinois to be anything else.

A comfortable leather chair was put out for Weber to sit in at practice.

John Wayne wouldn’t use it and Weber didn’t either.

He actually got on the court and gave out instructions during some drills Tuesday.

Talk about a lasting impression. It’s college basketball’s version of subliminal advertising.

Weber wants his team to be tough. And just like subliminal advertising, Weber’s message is getting across.

“It shows that he cares about our team,” said junior guard Dee Brown. “Even though he isn’t in perfect condition, he doesn’t want to miss anyone.”

Weber also doesn’t want to miss out on the one tidbit of information that could win a game. Coaches have nightmares of losing a game because they slept for an extra hour while the opponents put the finishing touches on a winning game plan.

That is why they spend up to 18 hours a day at work.

They watch and re-watch tapes of opponents.

They map out new out-of-bounds plays.

Anything for a win.

“(Weber) wanted to stay all practice, but I don’t think his wife or the doctors would let him,” Price said.

Why do I think Weber handed the doctor a defensive strategy to stop Delaware State moments before he went under the knife?

The man is what many call a college basketball junkie – a non-human college basketball junkie.

And if the last few days haven’t proven it, nothing will.

Bobby La Gesse is a senior in communications. He can be reached at [email protected].