Dan
Admin
Neale Stoner: Illini Athletics Director from 1979-1988
Neale Stoner passes away
There's a name out of the past! He hired Lou didn't he?
Mike White also.
He hired White, but not Henson. Henson came on in 1975, Stoner in 1980. "The 80's Belong to the Illini!"
You beat me - do your friends call you Speedy?
I don’t recall having a favorite memory from that game. Is was over 15 minutes after it started.
If Craig Swoope does not fumble the blocked field goal - who knows.
dailyillini.com
Butterfly effect.
Nightmare Pasadena trip taints dream season - The Daily Illini
Editor's Note: Chris Deighan is a 1984 graduate of the University living in Warner Robins, Ga. As a senior, he served as a Daily Illini beat writer for the Big Ten champion Fighting Illini.
dailyillini.com
Butterfly effect.
Stoner was a lot better AD than Guenther, Mackovic and (shudder) Thomas, but Josh Whitman is no doubt the best Illini AD of the past 40 years.
MDchicago
- Lake Norman NC
I would agree with that. Pretty rare to have someone who gets it and can operate at a high level on all the important (athletic, business, fundraising, administration, and community/alumni relations) dimensions, and is an Illini letterman, alum and Bronze Tablet scholar to boot.
The 80's really did belong to the Illini. My favorite day from the 80s - what a great day! I'll always have the pics from the field after the game.
Great day indeed. As for me, I'll go with the OSU game. When Rooks crossed the goal line late in the 4th, I absolutely lost my mind. I remember calling out, score, score, SCORE!! YESSSSSSSS!!!!! So many years of dedicated frustration released in that one moment. Hugging my wife, high 5-ing my friends. The feeling of exhilaration is hard to describe. My greatest memory as an Illini fan of now 60 years. Take a moment to think back and enjoy it with me.
ILL-ILI! ILL-INI! ILL-INI!!!!!
I still say the Rooks TD was the greatest Illini play in the modern era.
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
Thank you Neale. What a run we had!
Neale Stoner Fan Club
Tailgreat
- Chiraq
I met Neale Stoner as a little kid in 1982. I asked him to get us to the Rose Bowl. two years later I'm at a fundraiser and he not only remembered my name, he told me he remember my Rose Bowl request. Incredible!
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
user name checks out
Hard to argue with this. For those who weren't around during that era, it's hard to describe the pandemonium that accompanied that drive.
The only play I can think of that is in the same ballpark is Rocky Harvey's late TD to seal the win against PSU in 2001
Buck Turgidson
- Massachusetts
I ran out on the field for that TD. I was in Block I and had wandered down to the field gate at the north endzone. I chatted up the gentlemen manning it. He was wearing an 'I like Dike' pin, and I might've told him I was related to Dike Eddleman. I asked him if I could stand on the field. Amazingly, he said I could as long as I stood next to him.
When Rooks turned the corner on the TD run, I ran toward the back of the endzone. Even from a healthy distance away he sounded like a freight train and looked about 7 feet tall. I tried to get him to give me a high five, but he didn't (I'll assume he didn't see me). I walked back to the gate, The gate custodian was ticked and asked me what the heck I was thinking. I told him I was caught up in the moment and said that was the greatest play I'd ever seen. He agreed...then told me to get back in the stands.
I graduated the year prior, so my Block I days were behind me. I was in the West Balcony with friends. When Brooks scored it was total pandemonium. High fives and hugs among strangers. Grown men in tears. Twenty years of football frustration relieved in that moment. I personally did not feel the balcony move, but I recall there were follow up inspections because some claimed the balconies moved.
Goal line stand against Iowa in '83 is right there with it. Prevented them from scoring. ILLININOIS 33 - iowa 0