Got to sleep at 2:15 Friday morning delirious and fairly drunk after that Houston game. Up at 6:45 to drive to Williamsburg, VA for a weekend with my partner and her cousins. Today was her cousin’s wife’s (Gretchen’s) birthday. Dinner reservations at 7:15. Watched the 1H to the 10 min mark. Didn’t look at my phone again until 11:30 left in 2H. At the 7:30 mark I excused myself to go to the bar. Before I got up Gretchen said a prayer for the team. I sat down as Mirk stepped to line down 51-50. We then went on a 10-1 run. And it was over.
For all of you who have supported this team for 5, 55 or 75 years, I’m so happy for you. It has been 43 for me. 1989 and 2005. Now 2026. I love our team. I love what Iowa did the past three weeks. What a sport, what a game we enjoy. Please reread the Wisconsin postgame thread from two weeks ago. It’s a lifetime gone by. Despair, resurrection, redemption. So sweet.
Savor it, everyone. And thank you all for being here with me as my Illini family.