IlliniKat91
- Chicago, IL
I do, too, but I'm loving the pettiness of the #CFBPlayoff tag most of all
Illinois 21, South Carolina 17 Postgame
- Status
chiefini
- Rockford, Illinois
@Mr. Tibbs I was one of those who was very unsure about the Bielema hire because I had some Wisconsin friends who were UW season ticket holders who hated his guts. I’ve decided he was really a winner and an immature bachelor playboy doing stupid things at UW, and they were just butt hurt he left them. I’m SO glad and grateful Bret’s now my Illini’s coach. I’ll eat crow forever…
One of these two things doesn't potentially put player safety at risk. If Beamer thinks a player giving himself up and then throwing a lateral for a trick return is fine and legal, then is it also legal for Illinois to always ignore a player signaling they are giving themselves up and hitting them into next week? Or will Beamer scream how unfair it is that Illinois hit a defenseless player and demand an unsportsmanlike call? I'm guessing Beams wants it both ways... Illinois can't hit the player, Illinois has to assume the play is over, and Illinois isn't allowed to complain about anything because it's legal. And also Illinois can't sub after he subs even though that legal because he doesn't like it. Yeah, no. All of that is crap.
I particularly enjoyed how the broadcasters waxed on about how this officiating crew was the very best at what they do and got to this bowl game by grading out so highly or some such nonsense; of course this was after sevral terrible calls. It was like a call went up to the booth, "The refs are blowing it... we've got a call into them to cool their stupidity; please do some damage control for the viewers..."
Their fanbase is just a mad bunch of crybabies. The root of their anger is that no one takes them seriously. When people think of football in SC they think Clemson 1st then Georgia, lol and they know it.
Illini in Italy
- Illini HQ, Florida Panhandle
).MoCoMdIllini
- Montgomery County, Maryland
Guys like Shane Beamer always feel entitled to have it both ways.
These announcers practically anointed So.Car before the kickoff...
purcy51
- Louisville, KY
How dare you work the limit of the rules to offset my working the limit of the rules! How dare you!
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
Can you also throw some Chick Fil A sauce in there as well for me? Crow can sometimes taste a little tough.
I guess I have my homer glasses on. All I see is a lot of gamesmanship being played. Only BB is calling SC/Shane out on it.
If you have to get the move cleared from an official before the game clearly your in the grey area of gamesmanship.
Also true of the weird substitution timing. BB just turned it on Shane and he did not like it. Sneaking in personnel groups is also that grey area.
Shane is probably embarrassed that he was called on breaking the unwritten rules of the game.
The more BB sticks to his guns the more Shane looks bad, imo.
If you play games, be ready for someone to play them back.
Hopefully we see him in the playoffs next year and smoke'em like a cheep cigar!!!!
If you have to get the move cleared from an official before the game clearly your in the grey area of gamesmanship.
Also true of the weird substitution timing. BB just turned it on Shane and he did not like it. Sneaking in personnel groups is also that grey area.
Shane is probably embarrassed that he was called on breaking the unwritten rules of the game.
The more BB sticks to his guns the more Shane looks bad, imo.
If you play games, be ready for someone to play them back.
Hopefully we see him in the playoffs next year and smoke'em like a cheep cigar!!!!
Now back home from the game and man what a game it was. I still can't stop grinning ear to ear getting to see one of the greatest wins in the entirety of my Illini Fandom. There's a lot to say about the game, but much of that has been said in the 26 previous pages. But what I can add is my experience with South Carolina fans:
The stadium was probably nearing 60/40 Carolina as it looked like the SEC side was a bit fuller than the B10 side despite more tickets being sold on the B10 side. As well there were a large amount of Carolina fans who bought up sides in the first few rows on the B10 side. I was in one of those areas 2 rows from the field with more Gamecocks fans around me than Illini fans (though I was right next to Declan Duley's girlfriend- more on that later).
1. Overall I thought their fans were nice, respectful, and were good company who were there to cheer for their team. There's always bad apples, but honestly, I walked away more appreciative of them than what I saw of their coach and team on the field.
2. The Carolina fanbase seemed more organized and louder especially at the beginning of the game. However, they couldn't sustain that intensity for any large amount of time as the play of our team took them out of it.
3. When Carolina went up 10-7 and picked Luke off, the crowd noise and momentum was really starting to pick up and their fans were ready to explode. The extremely timely forced fumble and recovery put an end to that and their fanbase would not get any louder the rest of the game.
4. Beamer going ballistic had an untalked about effect on the fans there: For much of the first half it felt like much of the Illini crowd was just happy to be there and sit and watch some football. After that Beamer-Bielema exchange, the sea of orange turned into a tempest. Huge swaths of orange stood and cheered with an organized intensity that reminded me of the early 00s through the rest of the game. Momentum had completely shifted and as the game went on, the Illini Fandom and cheers took over the stadium, absolutely dwarfing the South Carolina faithful. The Illini Fandom was no longer just happy to be there, they believed they were they to win. Thanks, Beamer!
5. From multiple South Carolina fans mouths:
5a. They could not believe our physicality. Many said "this was the hardest their players had been hit all season". That we were a "tough physical bruising team" that "pushed them around harder than anyone".
5b. Several said our Illini were "massively underrated" and they had no idea why the national media wasn't higher on us. A few even went to say that "Your Illini are better than 'Bama this season". Yes, straight from their mouths, and they played both Bama and us.
5c. Almost every South Carolina fan I talked to thought both teams played their hearts out and that we were simply the better team. "Better coached", "Smarter", "More physical", "Nastier", "CFP level team". "Illinois deserved to be talked about more as a potential playoff team".
5d. Most said "This was a great game" between "2 really really good teams"
6. The most interesting moment for me was right before that 3rd and 2 McCray run to clinch it. The South Carolina fans were restless, sounds muted for the situation, and one of their fans started shaking Illini fans hands, saying great win. When people were like, dude, there's 2 minutes left, he said "If you run it, we can't stop you. We've got nothing left." I looked to the crowd and saw the hopefulness and belief in all of our Illini fandom's eyes and the total lack of belief in the South Carolina fans, and I thought back to almost every major moment in the past decades where our fans looked like that. Sad, pitiful, depressed, knowing that we're going to lose despite there being all sorts of time and possibilities left. And to see those tables flipped. The feeling was something else. The entire stadium of orange believed we were getting that 1st down.
And then McCray comes bursting through a hole the size of the Grand Canyon. The perfect ending to a masterpiece.
I-L-L my brethren!
The stadium was probably nearing 60/40 Carolina as it looked like the SEC side was a bit fuller than the B10 side despite more tickets being sold on the B10 side. As well there were a large amount of Carolina fans who bought up sides in the first few rows on the B10 side. I was in one of those areas 2 rows from the field with more Gamecocks fans around me than Illini fans (though I was right next to Declan Duley's girlfriend- more on that later).
1. Overall I thought their fans were nice, respectful, and were good company who were there to cheer for their team. There's always bad apples, but honestly, I walked away more appreciative of them than what I saw of their coach and team on the field.
2. The Carolina fanbase seemed more organized and louder especially at the beginning of the game. However, they couldn't sustain that intensity for any large amount of time as the play of our team took them out of it.
3. When Carolina went up 10-7 and picked Luke off, the crowd noise and momentum was really starting to pick up and their fans were ready to explode. The extremely timely forced fumble and recovery put an end to that and their fanbase would not get any louder the rest of the game.
4. Beamer going ballistic had an untalked about effect on the fans there: For much of the first half it felt like much of the Illini crowd was just happy to be there and sit and watch some football. After that Beamer-Bielema exchange, the sea of orange turned into a tempest. Huge swaths of orange stood and cheered with an organized intensity that reminded me of the early 00s through the rest of the game. Momentum had completely shifted and as the game went on, the Illini Fandom and cheers took over the stadium, absolutely dwarfing the South Carolina faithful. The Illini Fandom was no longer just happy to be there, they believed they were they to win. Thanks, Beamer!
5. From multiple South Carolina fans mouths:
5a. They could not believe our physicality. Many said "this was the hardest their players had been hit all season". That we were a "tough physical bruising team" that "pushed them around harder than anyone".
5b. Several said our Illini were "massively underrated" and they had no idea why the national media wasn't higher on us. A few even went to say that "Your Illini are better than 'Bama this season". Yes, straight from their mouths, and they played both Bama and us.
5c. Almost every South Carolina fan I talked to thought both teams played their hearts out and that we were simply the better team. "Better coached", "Smarter", "More physical", "Nastier", "CFP level team". "Illinois deserved to be talked about more as a potential playoff team".
5d. Most said "This was a great game" between "2 really really good teams"
6. The most interesting moment for me was right before that 3rd and 2 McCray run to clinch it. The South Carolina fans were restless, sounds muted for the situation, and one of their fans started shaking Illini fans hands, saying great win. When people were like, dude, there's 2 minutes left, he said "If you run it, we can't stop you. We've got nothing left." I looked to the crowd and saw the hopefulness and belief in all of our Illini fandom's eyes and the total lack of belief in the South Carolina fans, and I thought back to almost every major moment in the past decades where our fans looked like that. Sad, pitiful, depressed, knowing that we're going to lose despite there being all sorts of time and possibilities left. And to see those tables flipped. The feeling was something else. The entire stadium of orange believed we were getting that 1st down.
And then McCray comes bursting through a hole the size of the Grand Canyon. The perfect ending to a masterpiece.
I-L-L my brethren!
this is my somewhat weird reason I always liked him :
i’m 3rd generation Dutch immigrant and so are 90% of the midwest dutch . Bret is also . I don’t know him or any of his family , but I know lots of people just like him . if you went to one of my family reunions , seriously 1/2 the guys look just like him . my dad did especially .
so I always liked him for these odd cultural reasons . Iowa , Mich & Wiscy are also full of these small dutch towns & I always figured he was Iowa dutch as I didn’t know any Bielemas .
At some point after he was fired from Arky I found out he was from Prophetstown . When it became obvious to most of us that Lovie wasn’t the answer , I had him on my personal watch list. I was well aware he had a bad reputation among many of our fandom , so I really didn’t think Josh felt differently and never gave him a chance for our possible opening . imagine my surprise when we all found out Lovie was canned and that BB was already in discussions with JW . I really thought we were going to go after LL, who was out plan B .
So i have these obscure cultural reasons for wanting Bielema , and also why I follow coaches like DeBoer , DeVries & Spoelstra with interest . If you are dutch , you know dutch names
Great post.
Totally believable that the sc fans at the game were good sports about it, they weren't being rage baited by ESPN
My wife finished her chemo treatments. Now it's the building her strength back. Hang in there. If you need to talk let me know.
Social Media Reacts to Illinois Football's Citrus Bowl Upset Over South Carolina
A few of the best reactions from the Illini's 21-17 win over the Gamecocks on New Year's Eve
www.si.com
Hopefully we steal a couple of his best players in the portal and he starts the season 2-4 and has to listen to internet rumors for the next two months about whether USC can steal Bielema from Illinois after Beamer is fired.
Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
What’s the odds that we see a new rule by the NCAA by next season regarding some aspect of T-barring? Thinking a letter gets sent to them regarding player safety and something gets finalized. Probable result: Beamer probably can’t do that anymore going forward.
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
It will be treated the same as a fair catch signal. If you give a fair catch signal and then play after that, it’s a delay of game penalty.
Me leading up to the game:
Me as soon as the game ended:
Me as soon as the game ended:
Best observation in this thread. The PSU game in 94 is a great example. I was there and I think the majority of Illini fans thought we were going to lose. And, of course, we did.
Now the fans and more importantly the team just thinks they're going to win. Sea change in attitude from what we've really seen most of our lives. Really watching football for just 40 years, but this is the first season I felt that we weren't going to end up shooting ourselves in the foot and finding a way to lose.
.ILL
- Status