I don’t find Bardo as anti-Illini and think he does a good job overall. But I’m not sure what “comes from a wonderful family” as to do with him being pro or anti Illini.
I think Bardo is a fine announcer. The anti Bardo opinion for some stems from his tweets and book:
Stephen Bardo has new book out on the '89 Illini and former teammate Ken Norman says certain parts of the book are 100 percent untrue.
chicago.cbslocal.com
"From what I read Darius Paul's arrest sounds shaky. Champaign area police r known for racial profiling. Happened to my son. I don't condone his drinking but let's be real. Was he the ONLY student underage drinking that night? It's a college campus. I loved my time there but the community of Champaign is stuck in the 60's. Racism is overt there. Needs to change"
Bardo decided to write a book,
The Flyin’ Illini: The Untold Story of One of College Basketball’s Elite Teams.
Bardo’s honesty in the book, especially over the coaching and relationship with Lou Henson, angered some people in Illini Nation. Of Henson, he wrote:
“Lou and I didn’t like each other at all. It was a battle of wills. Lou’s way was old school.”
“I took me a few years to work out all the negative thoughts I collected about Coach Henson.”
“Lou was not the kind of coach to instill confidence in his players.”