I graduated in 1970, and the 1969 football season was until that point at least the worst in Illini history. We lost every game, including Northwestern, when Northwestern was the doormat of the conference.
But I went to every game--and I still have my Block I ticket to prove it.
If I lived closer now, I'd do a lot more games. While we were still in state, we found a way to attend a game per year.
This year I wanted to go to Penn State but it didn't work out. Lucky me. But I am going to the basketball game next week, and I'm planning on taking my grandson to the football game at Rutgers next fall. (Shouldn't some travel agency buy a block of tickets together?)
Am I a fan? My PA license plate is "ILLIINI.
But look, there are those who would get rid of sports altogether if they could. The "revenue sports" are what keeps the who interscholastic program going. Anyone hoping to change ice hockey from a club sport to varsity should remember that. And anyone wanting to keep a top notch football/basketball program going needs to realize that.
If the stands are full, that tells the administration that sports are important to students and alumni. Empty stands? It doesn't matter to students and alumni. There's no need to keep it.
And if there's no income coming in, that sends the message that it's not a revenue sport, it's an expense sport. With the financial pressures on the university as a whole, is that the message you want to send to the powers that be?
Add to that, potential recruits watch games on TV, and if the picture shows empty seats, does that encourage them to come to Illinois. No, a potential recruit makes his decision based on more than how many butts are in the bleachers, but if it comes down to the wire and they see a fan base that fills the stands and believes in its team (even if unreasonably), it gives them a reason to believe in the team. And who wants to play in front of empty stands. Would you?
However, students need to get good seats. If the Orange Krush can get 1,200 good seats in the Assembly Hall, can't we get good seats for the students? Put Block I in the main stands again, East Block AND West Block.
And not to beat a dead horse--well, dammit, he's not really completely dead, to quote Miracle Max--but Chief Illiniwek. He doesn't matter to everybody, and if he doesn't matter to you, realize he does make a difference in spirit, and spirit makes a game fun to go to, even if you're losing. Remember, you don't know losing like I know losing. Yeah, Ohio State may have a better football team, but all they have it something with a nut for a head. We had the Chief. Nobody else had the Chief. We knew we were special.
All that said, we are ILLINI and we're as much of team as the guys on the field are. If you do go to a game, don't leave early. If you don't want the team to give up even when behind, you don't either. Support the team. Support the players. Support the sport.
If I can go to the basketball game at Penn State next week and sit in the middle of the season pass holder section, you can go to a game in the Assembly Hall or Memorial Stadium. :thumb:
But I went to every game--and I still have my Block I ticket to prove it.
If I lived closer now, I'd do a lot more games. While we were still in state, we found a way to attend a game per year.
This year I wanted to go to Penn State but it didn't work out. Lucky me. But I am going to the basketball game next week, and I'm planning on taking my grandson to the football game at Rutgers next fall. (Shouldn't some travel agency buy a block of tickets together?)
Am I a fan? My PA license plate is "ILLIINI.
But look, there are those who would get rid of sports altogether if they could. The "revenue sports" are what keeps the who interscholastic program going. Anyone hoping to change ice hockey from a club sport to varsity should remember that. And anyone wanting to keep a top notch football/basketball program going needs to realize that.
If the stands are full, that tells the administration that sports are important to students and alumni. Empty stands? It doesn't matter to students and alumni. There's no need to keep it.
And if there's no income coming in, that sends the message that it's not a revenue sport, it's an expense sport. With the financial pressures on the university as a whole, is that the message you want to send to the powers that be?
Add to that, potential recruits watch games on TV, and if the picture shows empty seats, does that encourage them to come to Illinois. No, a potential recruit makes his decision based on more than how many butts are in the bleachers, but if it comes down to the wire and they see a fan base that fills the stands and believes in its team (even if unreasonably), it gives them a reason to believe in the team. And who wants to play in front of empty stands. Would you?
However, students need to get good seats. If the Orange Krush can get 1,200 good seats in the Assembly Hall, can't we get good seats for the students? Put Block I in the main stands again, East Block AND West Block.
And not to beat a dead horse--well, dammit, he's not really completely dead, to quote Miracle Max--but Chief Illiniwek. He doesn't matter to everybody, and if he doesn't matter to you, realize he does make a difference in spirit, and spirit makes a game fun to go to, even if you're losing. Remember, you don't know losing like I know losing. Yeah, Ohio State may have a better football team, but all they have it something with a nut for a head. We had the Chief. Nobody else had the Chief. We knew we were special.
All that said, we are ILLINI and we're as much of team as the guys on the field are. If you do go to a game, don't leave early. If you don't want the team to give up even when behind, you don't either. Support the team. Support the players. Support the sport.
If I can go to the basketball game at Penn State next week and sit in the middle of the season pass holder section, you can go to a game in the Assembly Hall or Memorial Stadium. :thumb:
