Late in the Michigan game Friday evening I pulled up the MGoBlog game thread to see what they were kvetching about (wait for it... the officiating!) With five minutes left in the game they had around 160 posts. We had nearly 500 for a Friday night game. Kinda like the threads during football season but reversed.No real content to share but just wanted to point out that the board has absolutely blown up since yesterday's game. The Fandom is feeling riled up and ready to get involved. Definitely a much more exciting feeling than the recent past.
It's an apples to oranges comparison for sure. Bilas or Dakich might be a better comparison. Probably a discussion for a different thread though.I don't watch ESPN often but I believe that SVP hasn't ever done play-by-play or color work. He's far removed from courtside so apparently feels free to be a Terp booster, rather like Mike Wilbon is for the 'Cats.
Bardo's got to maintain objectivity as long as he's on a network. Would be different if he were Brian's color man on radio. I like listening to Deon; he's appropriately critical of the Illini when necessary but obviously an alum and huge fan.
I agree, blackdog. It’s exciting, and again, with success, many “fans” have jumped on the bandwagon. As Pruman has said, a definite negative component of nastiness towards our own players has reared its ugly head this season, despite the fact that the season has been fraught with issues on all fronts. I fear it is a sign of the times, where anonymous keyboard warriors spew their bitterness, hate, and ‘what have you done for me lately’ mentalities. Some of it is very hard to read. Whether they are trolls or just young’in’s who want instant gratification, they take some of the joy out of reading the board. It’s pretty much for certain that most of them haven’t suffered through the long years of the past twenty years of Illinois Loyalty. As a fan since the late 60’s, I can verify that this is a REALLY, REALLY exciting time in the storied history of Illinois Basketball; I hope they appreciate and enjoy this special team and its Coach for the positivity and fun that they are working and fighting so hard to provide. -L-LNo real content to share but just wanted to point out that the board has absolutely blown up since yesterday's game. The Fandom is feeling riled up and ready to get involved. Definitely a much more exciting feeling than the recent past.
See 1915.We need to thump Maryland...I live here and the fans, as has been stated...are obnoxious. Talk about living in the past...that one Gary Williams title makes them believe they are among the elite in CBB. I know...it's one more than we have...but they need to be humbled. And the nut-sacker needs to be taught a very hard lesson by Kofi.
See slide 6: https://www.news-gazette.com/multim...n_a3220ca8-2f4c-5d22-960d-92d25d4faa39.html#6I’m always surprised how much that one title and those 2-3 years of being really good carry Maryland’s reputation historically … I’d love a title of our own, so props to them and all, but we have at least as good of an overall history:
MARYLAND
1 National Title, 2 Final Fours
4 Elite Eights, 14 Sweet Sixteens
1 #1 Seed, 12 Top 4 Seeds
28 NCAAT Appearances
.603 All-Time Winning Pctg.
24 AP Top 25 Finishes
433 Weeks in AP Top 25
1 30-Win Season, 11 25-Wins, 30 20-Wins
ILLINOIS
0 National Titles, 5 Final Fours
9 Elite Eights, 13 Sweet Sixteens
4 #1 Seeds, 14 Top 4 Seeds
31 NCAAT Appearances
.641 All-Time Winning Pctg.
28 AP Top 25 Finishes
474 Weeks in AP Top 25
2 30-Win Seasons, 9 25-Wins, 34 20-Wins
The refs!Who stops Edey/Williams from IU? That’d be by biggest hesitation in predicting an upset.
Great post. This needs to be emphasized and taken to heart. -NI agree, blackdog. It’s exciting, and again, with success, many “fans” have jumped on the bandwagon. As Pruman has said, a definite negative component of nastiness towards our own players has reared its ugly head this season, despite the fact that the season has been fraught with issues on all fronts. I fear it is a sign of the times, where anonymous keyboard warriors spew their bitterness, hate, and ‘what have you done for me lately’ mentalities. Some of it is very hard to read. Whether they are trolls or just young’in’s who want instant gratification, they take some of the joy out of reading the board. It’s pretty much for certain that most of them haven’t suffered through the long years of the past twenty years of Illinois Loyalty. As a fan since the late 60’s, I can verify that this is a REALLY, REALLY exciting time in the storied history of Illinois Basketball; I hope they appreciate and enjoy this special team and its Coach for the positivity and fun that they are working and fighting so hard to provide. -L-L
Not sure I’d count that one if I were Illinois.
Props. Our 1915 National Champion Illini (from A Century of Orange and Blue, by Loren Tate & Jared Gelfond). Home court: what is now Kenney Gym.See 1915.
The most compelling reason, perhaps, is that Wisconsin won three of them from 1912-16. So I'm all for ignoring that.Not sure I’d count that one if I were Illinois.
Those would make some sweet throwback unis, complete with the belt.Props. Our 1915 National Champion Illini (from A Century of Orange and Blue, by Loren Tate & Jared Gelfond). Home court: what is now Kenney Gym.
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I like how at three of them deploy Block instead of "ILLINOIS" and don't match the others. I do dig that "B B" design, however.Those would make some sweet throwback unis, complete with the belt.
Good to stay on edge in this league.I know we’re good and we’re different with belo. But I will stay worried about Maryland because their consistent stockpile of long athletic wings is a good matchup for us, even if they will struggle vs kofi.
Illinois nearly lost this championship. Harry Boroski, the great great great uncle of Bo, called the game. He was terrible!Props. Our 1915 National Champion Illini (from A Century of Orange and Blue, by Loren Tate & Jared Gelfond). Home court: what is now Kenney Gym.
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Best part of the caption is that they didn’t just have a win or a victory over Indiana, but it was a ‘spanking.’ Love when that happens in any era!Props. Our 1915 National Champion Illini (from A Century of Orange and Blue, by Loren Tate & Jared Gelfond). Home court: what is now Kenney Gym.
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We generally played a team from west Indiana every year. For all the hype of their run and gun play and fan support, we won every one fairly easily. How? We played both ends and rebounded every one of their Hurried Hoosier shots. Lots if willing shooters, few makers. But, I have to admit, the two smartest players I have ever seen are Oscar and Bird.Having lived an 18-yr stint in Bloomington, IN, I can confirm this.
When I first moved there, I couldn’t figure out why the local news sources never had a shred of pre-game info about their opponents. I came to learn that the fans just don’t care about anything besides their silly candy-stripe-clad home team. They think they invented basketball over there. That’s why they’re so surprised and whiny when they lose a game.
Outside of this obvious character flaw in the residents, it’s a lovely place to live, though.
I knew it. It's the sins of B1G officiating past. At the next league meeting for officials, Kevin Warren should call in a specialist...Illinois nearly lost this championship. Harry Boroski, the great great great uncle of Bo, called the game. He was terrible!
Late in the Michigan game Friday evening I pulled up the MGoBlog game thread to see what they were kvetching about (wait for it... the officiating!) With five minutes left in the game they had around 160 posts. We had nearly 500 for a Friday night game. Kinda like the threads during football season but reversed.
During the Purdue game thread Loyalty had 1,000 posts.
When was the belt removed from the uniforms? It made for a pretty kewl look.Those would make some sweet throwback unis, complete with the belt.
Belt was deemed too dangerous for moves like this:When was the belt removed from the uniforms? It made for a pretty kewl look.
As a public service, henceforth instead of actually watching/listening to the games I will compile pie charts segmenting Loyalty game thread posts. Or can someone just program a bot to do that?800 of the posts were about Bardos horrible job.