This board likes being overly optimistic...one step ahead...but lets face it: not winning this. The key here is hanging in there. Despite us being young, untested, inexperienced, and the amount of talent difference not to mention being on the road...if we can show to hang in there and make it somewhat competitive, unlike we did against Ole Miss, that would show heart and progress.
Pregame: Illinois vs Alabama, Wednesday, November 20th, 8:00pm CT, SECN
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One if the best. RIP.
And a Notre Dame NCAA football fan. I don't discuss sports with those people.
When I was growing up in the late 60s and 70s being a Cubs fan, Bears fan, Illinois football fan and Illinois basketball fan, I remember very little good - we took that bad with the bad. Butkis knees going, Sayers getting put out for good, Cubs had their moments but choked away their best chance at a pennant to the Mets, basketball had to suffer the end of Harv Schmidt era and Gene Bartow and even early Henson, football was OK but hit bottom with Gary Moeller. Central Illinois sports fans took pride in their suffering during that era. Only if you were a Cardinal's fan did you have something to root for during that time.
Mike White will always have a special place in my heart for what he did to revive the pride in U of I sports (more so than Hensen who a lot of people had little faith in during his early years).
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Many years ago I worked with a guy that was a PSU grad and obviouslya huge football fan. The BB team made the tournament and I brought it with him in a congratulatory manner. He said. "They did?"
That's an understatement. Unless you think about Beckman.
I will never forget the standing ovation from Memorial Stadium for an incomplete pass on the Illini's first play under White. It was the first down field pass we had seen in years.
Dave Wilson will always be a hero, too.
Yep. I was there. I can vouch for that
I try not to think about things that I don't think about
Chad Fleck
- Eureka, IL
For the record, I do feel bad for my Bear fan friends when stuff like yesterday happens.
(The double drink was kind of hilarious though)
And I thought I was old. I do remember Bobby Douglas for the Bears thoughChicago area Packers fan here. How? I jumped on the bandwagon in the Bart Starr Superbowls I and II era. Never jumped off, so I feel OK with it now.
RichardKeenesCousin
Richard Keene's Cousin
you are my spirit (animal) poster. Favorite player from each team? Ill go first. Kendall Gill/Kenny Battle, Kurt Kittner or Jason Verdusko, Ozzie/Willie, Hull/Oates, and Reggie White.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
That's crazy, lol. As a fun illustration, below are these teams' Instagram followers. Even compared to other football-first schools, the PSU drop-off is staggering.
Iowa Football: 230,000
Iowa Basketball: 96,000
--> 58% drop-off
Michigan Football: 773,000
Michigan Basketball: 207,000
--> 73% drop-off
Penn State Football: 598,000
Penn State Basketball: 60,300
--> 90% drop-off
For comparison, Alabama...
Alabama Football: 1,400,000
Alabama Basketball: 183,000
--> 87% drop-off
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
Alabama Football adjustment for national bandwagon sheep: -900,000
Alabama Basketball adjustment for Illinois fans seeking local news on the game: -100,000
--> Adjusted amounts: 500,000 / 83,000 / 83% drop-off
no material difference, carry on
My normally optimistic self is having trouble not seeing us lose this game in similar fashion as we did the Ole Miss exhibition.
I think we will struggle to guard their quick & athletic perimeter players and Omoruyi will clean up rebounds on both ends. While they do have a freshman starter, they're also much more seasoned/experienced.
That said, if this game were played in March '25 then I think we're a lot closer to them.
96-78 Bama
PS, still think we have at least a 2nd weekend team here. But we won't see that kind of quality until maybe halfway through the conference slate.
I think we will struggle to guard their quick & athletic perimeter players and Omoruyi will clean up rebounds on both ends. While they do have a freshman starter, they're also much more seasoned/experienced.
That said, if this game were played in March '25 then I think we're a lot closer to them.
96-78 Bama
PS, still think we have at least a 2nd weekend team here. But we won't see that kind of quality until maybe halfway through the conference slate.
foby
- Bonnaroo Land
Could be. But remember that Bama has also been struggling with some things to start this season. If we lose, hope it's under 10.
Well, I am old...I have eaten Chesty Potato chips!! And they were fun to eat! Now, if you saw Johnny Kerr play, you are ancient.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Caring about basketball is Big Ten heritage.
Rutgers and Maryland were a financial mistake and don't belong, same can be said in many ways about Nebraska, but those are good basketball fans at least.
Except for UCLA (and even they have underwhelming crowds) we've let in some real riff-raff on the basketball fan side of things this time.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
^ I remain INCREDIBLY impressed with the Rutgers basketball fan base. While they have had some decent teams in recent history and their arena is obviously small, they have a ridiculously depressing history all-time. Given that, their fans seem very loyal and passionate, and they actually have one of the busiest Rivals message boards that I ever really check out. Maybe it's because I see a similar-if-accentuated instate dynamic to winning over fans for them in Jersey (being in a state that cares a lot about pro sports and the mild similarities between the Chicago/St. Louis and New York/Philadelphia MSAs for both schools), but I have always had a soft spot for them. I would say they are the one Big Ten team where I genuinely have zero distaste for them, haha.
I try not to think about Dave Wilson, as I still get REALLY pissed off when I do. His situation proved the adage that, just because long time Illini fans are paranoid, doesn't mean the bas*%#rds are not out to get us.
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