Big Ten Opener: It's Something
January 5, 2005 2:46 AM
It is a widely held belief that the beauty of college football is the fact that every single game counts, every game means something—unlike college basketball where only some of the games mean something (and thus the rest mean nothing). Illinois basketball is 14-0, so the question is: which games mean something (or nothing)? When opposing teams scout the Illini do they magically filter out the games that mean nothing? Are the U of I but 9-0, or perhaps 6-0, taking the nothings into account? Do basketball season ticket holders receive a refund for all the nothing games they attend?
For perspective, let us compare Illinois to the Auburn football Tigers. Both teams are dominant, undefeated (Auburn is 13-0), and wear the orange and blue. However, there is something quite notable about the Tigers: every single one of their games meant nothing. Perfect non-conference, conference, and post-season record, yet no championship game participation. A football "championship" game without Auburn, a game the Tigers had no way to play their way into, means nothing. A sport with a fractured championship system means nothing.
Every college basketball game means something. When Illinois embarks on the impossible dream of a perfect conference slate, each and every battle will mean something. Every college basketball non-conference contest, conference game, conference tournament game, the 63 games in the Big Dance, they all add up to a big something. And when Illinois hosts the Ohio State University tonight, it will most certainly mean something.
- Illinois seeks wins, exclamation points
[suntimes.com] - Brumby's Big Ten Season Predictions
[illinois.scout.com] - OSU-Illinois Things To Consider
[ohiostate.scout.com] - Do we have any chance against Illinois?
[ohiostate.scout.com] - Illinois Game Notes vs. Ohio State
[fightingillini.com]
