To everyone thinking about parents and loved ones no longer with us that you wish you could hug right now, this is why we put so much love into our fandom… cheers!
You hit things on the head. This is what Sports is about. Pro or college or anywhere.
Once you get past all the other stuff – the money, media, egos, recruiting, NIL, The Portal, press-conferences, all the practices and the travel, all the miles driven and flown by fans to follow Their Beloved Teams – it’s about People and the teams they love and how this enriches our lives. It’s about our family and friends, and it’s about You.
In Illinois we’ve had a few moments in this 21st Century like this that get you right in your Heart ... Both Chicago baseball teams finally bringing the Big Trophies home... the Blackhawks bringing back some Cups... the Illini near-miss that still aches.
There just is no feeling like it when you hit that higher level. The joy. The relief. The fulfillment of Dreams. The rewards for hard work and believing.
These become moments you will always remember like births and weddings and times of honors. They become part of the fabric of one’s soul and life experience.
Enjoy it, everyone. These kinds of moments don’t happen as often as we wish they did.