Home
Forums
New Posts
Illini Basketball
Illini Football
Sports Talk
Log in
Register
What's new
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Forums
General
Chat
Campus Memories
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="LouHenson" data-source="post: 1545587" data-attributes="member: 746834"><p>My best friend lives in Van Wert Ohio and went to tOSU and is a die hard Buckeye. Even he understands just how hard it is to be a fan of Illinois. So many “heartaches”, Lou was the one thing that was “moving in the right direction” for the athletic department.</p><p></p><p>My dad always told me how good Illinois was before the slush fund, but I can’t remember it so I grew up with a school that simply was a also run. In HS we used to go to Illinois games, and one guys would get i the end zone for (started as $1.00) then they killed us when it went to $2.00. That kid would then leave and get his hand stamped. He would then come out and “roll” the stamp onto about 4 or 5 other guys. It was all there was in Champaign in the 70’s.</p><p></p><p>When Lou came, it was sort of like well we have this “old” guy with funny hair and so what really? Little did I know that 45 years later, he would be far and away the most influential person in the history of the school (at least for me).</p><p></p><p>I did not have the grades to go to the U of I, so I went to ISU, but never followed the Redbirds. Always loved and followed the Illini.</p><p></p><p>in 1986 i went to grad school at Purdue and was such an Illini fan that I would drive half way to Champaign from Lafayette (Hoopston) and a guy who owned a small motel would let me watch Illinois games on their TV (Hoopston could get channel 3 via antenna) for $5.00. Only catch was I could not sit on the bed or use the bathroom lol.</p><p></p><p>After grad school I came home to Champaign and ran my parents business for 10 years. In 1985 or 1986 my wife (working at Lincoln Lodge in Urbana) And Kendall stayed their with his HS team. Well I met him and we have been friends ever since, but something cool happened.</p><p></p><p>In 1988 my buddy from HS was watching an Illini game where Dick Vitale called the Illini the “flying Illini”. Well my friend called and said you should make a shirt saying that. Well the chief with wings was born. We made them first with Flight #33 on them Kenny Battle was just so huge. Kenny was pretty shy back then, but Kendall he was so personable. Well he asked me if I could make one with flight #13 on it? I did and then we were off to the races. We made them with every players number on them.</p><p></p><p>Back then we could not print our own shirts, so we had them made in all places (Des Moines Iowa). Every night I would leave Champaign and Drive to the Quad Cities and pick up every shirt our printer could make in one days time (he would drive to meet me in Davenport). I would bring them back to the store and in 10 minutes every one was sold out.</p><p></p><p>Soon after Champion allowed us to sell the basketball shorts (Remember Illinois and Michigan sort of invented the baggy shorts look). We could not stop selling these $50 shorts in 1989.</p><p></p><p>Well, 2020 has been a tough year Lou passed on and my parents (my grandfather started the store in 1955) closed its doors for the last time last Friday July 31st. TeShurt will no longer be a part of the University of Illinois campus.</p><p></p><p>I am sure there are many many people with a much deeper love for Illinois, but it is tough to imagine? The greatest thing as a fan for me was I was able to be in the locker room after the Arizona game with my best friend from college (he knew Roger Powell senior from ISU).</p><p></p><p>Anyways, enough of the trip down memory lane. To say the least last week was very hard for me, so seeing both Ayo and Kofi return was like a present from above for me. Ayo is and will be another Kendall, Jerry C, Deon who simply gave all they had to the school and the town.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="LouHenson, post: 1545587, member: 746834"] My best friend lives in Van Wert Ohio and went to tOSU and is a die hard Buckeye. Even he understands just how hard it is to be a fan of Illinois. So many “heartaches”, Lou was the one thing that was “moving in the right direction” for the athletic department. My dad always told me how good Illinois was before the slush fund, but I can’t remember it so I grew up with a school that simply was a also run. In HS we used to go to Illinois games, and one guys would get i the end zone for (started as $1.00) then they killed us when it went to $2.00. That kid would then leave and get his hand stamped. He would then come out and “roll” the stamp onto about 4 or 5 other guys. It was all there was in Champaign in the 70’s. When Lou came, it was sort of like well we have this “old” guy with funny hair and so what really? Little did I know that 45 years later, he would be far and away the most influential person in the history of the school (at least for me). I did not have the grades to go to the U of I, so I went to ISU, but never followed the Redbirds. Always loved and followed the Illini. in 1986 i went to grad school at Purdue and was such an Illini fan that I would drive half way to Champaign from Lafayette (Hoopston) and a guy who owned a small motel would let me watch Illinois games on their TV (Hoopston could get channel 3 via antenna) for $5.00. Only catch was I could not sit on the bed or use the bathroom lol. After grad school I came home to Champaign and ran my parents business for 10 years. In 1985 or 1986 my wife (working at Lincoln Lodge in Urbana) And Kendall stayed their with his HS team. Well I met him and we have been friends ever since, but something cool happened. In 1988 my buddy from HS was watching an Illini game where Dick Vitale called the Illini the “flying Illini”. Well my friend called and said you should make a shirt saying that. Well the chief with wings was born. We made them first with Flight #33 on them Kenny Battle was just so huge. Kenny was pretty shy back then, but Kendall he was so personable. Well he asked me if I could make one with flight #13 on it? I did and then we were off to the races. We made them with every players number on them. Back then we could not print our own shirts, so we had them made in all places (Des Moines Iowa). Every night I would leave Champaign and Drive to the Quad Cities and pick up every shirt our printer could make in one days time (he would drive to meet me in Davenport). I would bring them back to the store and in 10 minutes every one was sold out. Soon after Champion allowed us to sell the basketball shorts (Remember Illinois and Michigan sort of invented the baggy shorts look). We could not stop selling these $50 shorts in 1989. Well, 2020 has been a tough year Lou passed on and my parents (my grandfather started the store in 1955) closed its doors for the last time last Friday July 31st. TeShurt will no longer be a part of the University of Illinois campus. I am sure there are many many people with a much deeper love for Illinois, but it is tough to imagine? The greatest thing as a fan for me was I was able to be in the locker room after the Arizona game with my best friend from college (he knew Roger Powell senior from ISU). Anyways, enough of the trip down memory lane. To say the least last week was very hard for me, so seeing both Ayo and Kofi return was like a present from above for me. Ayo is and will be another Kendall, Jerry C, Deon who simply gave all they had to the school and the town. [/QUOTE]
Verification
Post reply
Forums
General
Chat
Campus Memories
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
Accept
Learn more…