Pregame: Illinois vs Eastern Kentucky, Sunday, December 16th, 5:00pm CT, ESPNU

Botb9 · Dec 13, 2012, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WesterveltVictoryCigar

I wouldn't characterize it as such given that John is an Illinois alum.

That almost makes it worse, though. Our own alumni can't get behind this start, even knowing what the program has gone through the last 18 months? We're not asking people to think we're a title contender, here.

It's not that I don't think there are issues. Of course there are, but every team has issues right now, with the possible exceptions of Duke and Indiana.

mattcoldagelli · Dec 13, 2012, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botb9

We're not asking people to think we're a title contender, here.

It's not that I don't think there are issues. Of course there are, but every team has issues right now, with the possible exceptions of Duke and Indiana.

So if you agree there are potential issues, what do you want from him? These guys are covering basketball, they can't just shrug and say "Hey, we'll see, I guess"

pizzaman · Dec 13, 2012, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botb9

That almost makes it worse, though. Our own alumni can't get behind this start, even knowing what the program has gone through the last 18 months? We're not asking people to think we're a title contender, here.

It's not that I don't think there are issues. Of course there are, but every team has issues right now, with the possible exceptions of Duke and Indiana.

You're absolutely correct. As fans are we supposed to expect a collapse because we've experienced collapse in previous seasons?

This year's team has been very successful with different players taking the hero role. That's great and there's no reason to doubt this team. Enjoy the success, have no fear of the future. The season will end in all liklihood with a loss (assuming making a tournament) and all of us will die one day. We can still enjoy the process.

WesterveltVictoryCigar · Dec 13, 2012, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botb9

That almost makes it worse, though. Our own alumni can't get behind this start, even knowing what the program has gone through the last 18 months? We're not asking people to think we're a title contender, here.

Why should he, as a journalist/basketball stats guy, "get behind" any team? He'd lose a ton of credibility.

FYI, he has come around a bit, he didn't have us in his top 25 prior to the Gonzaga game, he does now.

JoeJ · Dec 13, 2012, 12:22 PM

With all the seniors playing, we are having the kind of year I expected two years ago when Tis, Dmac and Davis were all experienced seniors. Senior leadership should help us thru this season.
I expect a high scoring game.

87, them 71.
GO ILLINI!

zoggle101 · Dec 13, 2012, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WesterveltVictoryCigar

Why should he, as a journalist/basketball stats guy, "get behind" any team? He'd lose a ton of credibility.

FYI, he has come around a bit, he didn't have us in his top 25 prior to the Gonzaga game, he does now.

Why not just watch a team play and decidehowe competitive hey are. Maybe they could forecast a few things before everyone else does. It's easy to say you agree after the fact a team has been doing it in real games. Florida had a top 10 team pre season but little title talk. It took me one game to decide they'll compete for national championships over the next two years.

I'm sticking to Purdue in the top 8 and a top 25 club at some point next season along with making the NCAA. Vandy is starting to play like a bubble team, Nova has the potential to be a NIT team, West Va is still up in the air although I'll stick by my top 3-4 in the Big 12 after a quality win followed up by a head scratching loss plus chemistry is getting better, Memphis is at full strength somewhat(have a key player injured) playing great basketball, NC State was hurt by losing Deshawn Painter to transfer but will be a top 15-20 team again soon with elite 8 aspirations,, Kansas was a elite team after watching them play next, etc........ I could keep going with my somewhat accurate prognostications.

I'm honestly thinking about retiring from the blog world though. I'll be taking my talents to being a great father!!!!!

Botb9 · Dec 13, 2012, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattcoldagelli

So if you agree there are potential issues, what do you want from him? These guys are covering basketball, they can't just shrug and say "Hey, we'll see, I guess"

Maybe it's not Gasaway's stance I have a problem with, but the way it's being presented by ESPN. "ooh, Gasaway still has doubts about Illinois, see why here:..."

Botb9 · Dec 13, 2012, 01:38 PM

Here's another set of power ratings from Mark Titus. He has us #9. At least he appears to be giving the guys some respect, and perhaps that's what I was looking for to begin with.

Quote:

Illinois isn't running some Grinnell College gimmick offense where they jack up 3s because they can't play real basketball. No, the Illini have legitimate athletes who can do plenty of things other than shoot 3s. It's just that they aren't awarded three points for doing those other things, so they choose not to do them as often.

Now, don't get me wrong. I obviously don't think the Illini are going to go undefeated and I don't think they'll even finish within three games of the regular-season Big Ten title. But to react to Saturday's win at Gonzaga by saying, "Well I guess Gonzaga must've been overrated" is unfair to Illinois. Maybe they will eventually cool off and get blown out by one of the other top-10 teams in the Big Ten, but until that day comes, Illinois deserves to be mentioned among the nation's best.

Mark Titus

WesterveltVictoryCigar · Dec 13, 2012, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoggle101

Why not just watch a team play and decidehowe competitive hey are. Maybe they could forecast a few things before everyone else does. It's easy to say you agree after the fact a team has been doing it in real games. Florida had a top 10 team pre season but little title talk. It took me one game to decide they'll compete for national championships over the next two years.

Not sure what this has to do with my comment, but Gasaway was one of the early bloggers to focus on the new tempo-free stats and use them to analyze college hoops. Hie used to blog as the BigTenWonk before selling out....I mean, moving to ESPN/The Basketball Prospectus. So he's very much the opposite of the "watch teams play" methodology.

IlliniRunIn07 · Dec 13, 2012, 01:46 PM

There's just a weird vibe around Sunday afternoon games. There always has been, IMO. I'm not necessarily predicting a loss, but I do not see this being a game where we are comfortable at any point for the first 39 minutes.

RockyMtnIllini81 · Dec 13, 2012, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illiniwek06

Not sure if this is the correct place for this, but thought I'd share.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...ege-basketball

This is a great article - lots of fun information and opinions. My personal favorite was this prediction:

"Gonzaga 74, vs. Kansas State 59: The Wildcats have trouble scoring, which isn't good against a ticked-off team looking to bounce back in front of a pro-Zags crowd in Seattle."

lstewart53x3 · Dec 13, 2012, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IlliniRunIn07

There's just a weird vibe around Sunday afternoon games. There always has been, IMO. I'm not necessarily predicting a loss, but I do not see this being a game where we are comfortable at any point for the first 39 minutes.

I know what you're talking about. For some reason I thought it was a Saturday game and thought we'd be fine. Then when I saw its a Sunday afternoon game, I was like FML.

mattcoldagelli · Dec 13, 2012, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoggle101

I could keep going with my somewhat accurate prognostications.

I'm honestly thinking about retiring from the blog world though. I'll be taking my talents to being a great father!!!!!

You're a really weird dude, zoggle.

trevdv · Dec 13, 2012, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lstewart53x3

I know what you're talking about. For some reason I thought it was a Saturday game and thought we'd be fine. Then when I saw its a Sunday afternoon game, I was like FML.

Yup, Sunday games are weird to me too. For some reason, they're also less attractive to go to IMO. Even though it's on a weekend, 5:00 on a Sunday night on an obscure ESPN Network channel doesn't appeal to me. Usually Sunday night is sort of a "prep time" for me to get ready for the work week ahead. Besides, since it's dark by 4:00 PM nowadays, these games just feel a little weird and I can never really "get into them" in the same way I do for a big weekday matchup or a Saturday game.

Illini70math · Dec 13, 2012, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trevdv

Yup, Sunday games are weird to me too. For some reason, they're also less attractive to go to IMO. Even though it's on a weekend, 5:00 on a Sunday night on an obscure ESPN Network channel doesn't appeal to me. Usually Sunday night is sort of a "prep time" for me to get ready for the work week ahead. Besides, since it's dark by 4:00 PM nowadays, these games just feel a little weird and I can never really "get into them" in the same way I do for a big weekday matchup or a Saturday game.

This is my complaint about Groce. If he can't get Trevdv ready for games anywhere, anytime, against anyone, then he has got to go! (Groce, not Trevdv) (OK, maybe both of them.)

Illini1324 · Dec 13, 2012, 04:42 PM

Man i can get into a game if were playing an NAIA team at midnight on Sunday.. on Christmas haha just hope the players and fans in attendance can

trevdv · Dec 13, 2012, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illini70math

This is my complaint about Groce. If he can't get Trevdv ready for games anywhere, anytime, against anyone, then he has got to go! (Groce, not Trevdv) (OK, maybe both of them.)

I guess I meant it's harder to really get hyped up for a Sunday night game against inferior competition compared to, say, a Thursday night game against #1 Indiana.

U of I 89-05-10 · Dec 13, 2012, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Future Walk-On

EKU 79
ILL 75

This game is a little scary with the big rivalry game in St. Louis coming up ... But I don't think we lose.

CUFan · Dec 13, 2012, 08:05 PM

http://www.kentucky.com/2012/12/13/2...ku-out-to.html

Dan · Dec 13, 2012, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Jeff Johnson (Centennial/Eastern Kentucky) previews Illini game

Jeff Johnson is a junior center at EKU. He won a state championship with Illini Rayvonte Rice at Champaign Centennial, in 2009

Rob McColley

Illini70math · Dec 14, 2012, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trevdv

I guess I meant it's harder to really get hyped up for a Sunday night game against inferior competition compared to, say, a Thursday night game against #1 Indiana.

I understand. I was just having a little fun with Groce who is always blaming himself for not having our guys ready to play after a close win against a lesser opponent. Just because of human psychology, it is tough to "fool" yourself into being excited about a situation that seems routine.

He may have an easier time getting them up for EKU because they appear to be a legitimate threat if we don't play pretty well. After this game, every other opponent is a high major, so presumably motivation won't be so tough to come by.

Illini70math · Dec 14, 2012, 04:23 PM

Another excellent interview by McColley. He has really improved a lot in my opinion as a video (OK, audio in this case) journalist in recent months.

This interview gives the listener a really nice insight into Jeff as a player and a person. I hope we win, but I hope Jeff does well.

Go Illini!

stlrunner · Dec 14, 2012, 06:26 PM

All it takes for me to be hyped up for a game is being able to see or hear it. It could be at 5am, and I'll watch and yell at the TV and get excited and cheer.

lstewart53x3 · Dec 14, 2012, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stlrunner

All it takes for me to be hyped up for a game is being able to see or hear it. It could be at 5am, and I'll watch and yell at the TV and get excited and cheer.

Yeah it just doesn't seem like Illinois plays that well in Sunday afternoon games for some reason. That could just be that we normally play cupcakes on Sundays early on the year, so our guys just aren't up for them. I'd be curious to see our record in Sunday games over the last 5 years or so to see if I'm just perceiving them playing bad on Sundays or if it's actually happening.

trevdv · Dec 14, 2012, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lstewart53x3

I'd be curious to see our record in Sunday games over the last 5 years or so to see if I'm just perceiving them playing bad on Sundays or if it's actually happening.

Beginning at the start of the 2006-2007 season, Illinois is 18-16 overall on Sundays. On every other day combined they are 114-69.

Dec 13, 2012, 12:22 PM	#55
JoeJ Posts: 128	With all the seniors playing, we are having the kind of year I expected two years ago when Tis, Dmac and Davis were all experienced seniors. Senior leadership should help us thru this season. I expect a high scoring game.87, them 71. GO ILLINI!

Dec 13, 2012, 01:46 PM	#60
IlliniRunIn07 Location: Central Florida Posts: 3,805	There's just a weird vibe around Sunday afternoon games. There always has been, IMO. I'm not necessarily predicting a loss, but I do not see this being a game where we are comfortable at any point for the first 39 minutes.

Dec 13, 2012, 04:42 PM	#66
Illini1324 Posts: 58	Man i can get into a game if were playing an NAIA team at midnight on Sunday.. on Christmas haha just hope the players and fans in attendance can

Dec 13, 2012, 08:05 PM	#69
CUFan Posts: 5	http://www.kentucky.com/2012/12/13/2...ku-out-to.html

Dec 14, 2012, 04:23 PM	#72
Illini70math Posts: 1,696	Another excellent interview by McColley. He has really improved a lot in my opinion as a video (OK, audio in this case) journalist in recent months. This interview gives the listener a really nice insight into Jeff as a player and a person. I hope we win, but I hope Jeff does well. Go Illini!

Dec 14, 2012, 06:26 PM	#73
stlrunner jakeyjakey Location: St Louis, MO Posts: 286	All it takes for me to be hyped up for a game is being able to see or hear it. It could be at 5am, and I'll watch and yell at the TV and get excited and cheer.