Walton.....
Pregame: Illinois vs Indiana, Thursday, January 19th, 7:30pm CT, FS1
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Walton ...Walton.....
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
As an old math geek, I chuckle at the fact that the sum of Tyler's uniform numerals (4+2) equaled the sum of the other four Illini players' uni numbers on the floor at the time combined (McLaurin, DJ, Bertrand and BP... 0, 1, 2, 3). He literally was the sum of the parts!
Also, IIRC, that inbounds play in the corner was made possible by DJ's steal and thwarted coast-to-coast lay-in attempt after Victor Oladipo lost control of the ball at the other end. And Oladipo recovered to block DJ's shot.
I'd been playing hockey that evening and couldn't see the game. Got home around 11:30 (ET), and had been thinking about it all night. I couldn't bear to look, as the boys had endured a really rough January that season. I recall patiently showering, checking on my sleeping daughter (8 at the time, in college now), and finally pulling up Loyalty on my computer. I'll never forget that post banner at the top of the page: "Illinois 74, Indiana 72." I'm surprised I didn't burst a blood vessel stifling a shout.
Hard to believe that was a decade ago. Seems much longer. Given that life seems to speed up as I get older, that's actually comforting.
Let's thrash 'em again tonight.
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If you're going, STAND UP AND SHOUT!!!!!!
We don't play Purdue tonight lol
No, they're out indefinitely.
While I am not saying you're wrong, I actually have to agree with the guy you're replying to. As a 26 year old who graduated a few years ago, we were awful until literally the year myself and most of my friends graduated. But, the hate for Purdue was always stronger than that of Indiana in my experience. I think to us, Purdue feels like more of an equal while Indiana feels like an annoying little brother that wants to be us.Really? I think you're the first Illini fan I have EVER heard say that ... I don't know if it's the shared animosity of Indiana or the fact that Purdue has a relatively small/"refined" fan base (i.e., fewer numbskulls on social media like a Michigan, lol), but I just find Purdue SO hard to "hate," haha. Historically, when you look at the entire history of the program, it is hard not to say Indiana is the "biggest rival" ... however, I think you can make a case for a couple, depending on where you live and your age:
Indiana: Incredibly close series between the flagship schools of two bordering basketball nations. Forget the Henson/Knigh feuds or Eric Gordon; there really is a feel during this game sometimes that it's our two great and storied basketball STATES going up against each other.
Iowa: I cannot imagine how much I would have hated Iowa had I been of age during the Bruce Pearl saga and we had some recent bad blood during the Ayo years, so I genuinely get the "hate Iowa above all else" crowd. Additionally, Iowa fans really do have a strange animosity toward Illinois as an entity - from the school to the state to the team - in a way that they don't toward other rivals that they might even hate MORE like Wisconsin. It's hard to explain, but I lived in Iowa City for a long time; it's a weird combination of being intimidated by the Illini and having a bit of a Napoleon Complex while also completely disparaging us and showing us no respect. It's bizarre and bitter, but I'll say that most Iowa fans are incredibly nice/chill compared to a fan base like Michigan or Indiana or Ohio State if you can get past this initial rivalry hatred, haha. However, Iowa has rarely been good WHILE Illinois was also good during my lifetime ... pretty much only since 2019-20. So, at times the rivalry has seemed dead to me.
Michigan: I assume this stems from the 1989 loss and general Big-Ten-wide loathing of the Wolverines, along with some recent bad blood about their COVID pause abuse and Dickinson running his mouth, but count me out on this one. Michigan's focus has always been SO skewed toward football, and they have other rivalries that they would always prioritize in Michigan State and Ohio State.
Michigan State: This one is weird for me, because it was so artificially friendly during the Weber years, and then we sucked so it didn't matter. During our ascension, MSU has been down compared to their normal selves. Other than the cheap shot on Ayo, this one seems like a generic series against a good program.
Northwestern: Really all this one has going for it is that NU is the only fan base where 90%+ of their fans would name us as their biggest rival ... so it would at least be reciprocal. However, they have been so historically bad while we have been pretty good that the animosity is just so low. Even at its height during the "Chicago's Big Ten Team" crap, it just never picked up that much steam. However, I have no problem calling them a rival (I think gatekeeping that term is the height of cringe, personally) in the way that Tennessee is a "rival" with Vanderbilt and Georgia is a "rival" with Georgia Tech. Both programs throw a bone to their (private school) little brother instate, even if their fans care more about other rivalries.
Purdue: Again, for me, this one is just lacking. Both fan bases, by and large, absolutely hate Indiana and there has just been a surprising lack of bad blood over the years. Additionally, of all of the teams on this list INCLUDING Northwestern, I have had the most chill/non-confrontational interactions with Purdue fans both online and in person.
Wisconsin: This REALLY should be a bigger rivalry in every sport to mirror a Bears/Packers dynamic ... but it just has never been. A likely reason is that Wisconsin historically sucked at everything and got good at football right as we slid into the dark ages. Maybe this one will pick up with BB at the helm for us and spill over into hoops?
Missouri: Personally, I am a sucker for non-conference, out-of-state rivalries where the two rivals have absolutely nothing to bond over. Indiana and Purdue "hate each other," but they're both so far up their a$$ about the state of Indiana's basketball lore that they have a lot in common there. Florida and Georgia "hate each other," but they'll both start a cringe "SEC! SEC! SEC!" chant with the best of them. When we suit up against Mizzou in that epic atmosphere in St. Louis, I feel nothing but hate, contempt and a burning desire to start the Christmas season with BRAGGIN' RIGHTS. I understand this one is way bigger for folks in the St. Louis area and Southern Illinois, but honestly the lengthy history and unique setup puts it at #1 for me.
With all that said ... every time we actually suit up against the Loosiers, I find myself ranking them #1 on our rivals list yet again, as I absolutely hate them and their deranged fans.Let's pummel them!
Altenberger had one against IU in 84.
Since Jan 1st, we're ranked 24th on torvik. Indiana is 65th during that same stretch. If we come ready to play and the shots are falling, I could see this being a 20 pt statement win.
Maybe the last handful of years that Brad has been here…that is true. during some Of Lon and Self’s years also…Indiana was mostly mediocre to kinda bad in those stints I believe…)
But. I just dunno about that one. I wish that were true. But I just can’t convince myself it is….
I don’t wanna be the old fart knocker that starts out by sayin’: “back in the day…” blah bla bla
BUT Back in the day, Indiana was perfect in ‘76. PERFECT…PERFECT.
There were plenty of other years during
the Early-Mid Bob Knight Regime too that they were WAY better than us.
If you wanna expand this a little and look
at both states proud tradition of HS basketball…Illinois HS basketball is legendary…Indiana HS basketball is more legendary.
We wanted to be them…longer than they wanted to be us. I wish it wasn’t true but it is. Do I think MANY of their fans are delusional?… because in their heart of hearts they still think Indiana owns a lot of Blue-Chip stock? Yes, I absolutely do.
Before the Illinois / Arizona game I kinda liked to listen to Walton call games. He should not have been allowed to call that game however, as he was a total homer the entire game. Can he be a bit annoying, yea - but he does tell some good stories.
I think it will be a close game, but I need less stress in my life so I'm hoping for an Illini blowout!
the national
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Go Illini!altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
That's horrifying. And now surpasses the Wheel of Fortune faceplant I witnessed as a kid in the early '80s. Woman had the following:
A_STERDA_ NETHERLANDS
all lined up on the tee and eagerly asked to solve the puzzle:
"Asterday Netherlands."
Just shanked it directly into her golf bag lying on the ground at her side.
My older brother and I watching nearly wet ourselves laughing.
I graduated Illinois BS CompE a long time ago. I never saw any Purdue grads where I worked. IBM, HP, Intel etc. Yea Purdue graduates more people but meh.
Hard to find a perfect announcer, maybe roll Cosel, Gifford, Meridith, Keith Jackson and Vitale into one announcer.
Bardo and Humel both present themselves as persons who are extremely sincere and both are likable.
Walton ...
The Galloping Ghost
- Washington, DC
Agree that he was tolerable before that game, but I can't listen to him since. There is homer and there is HOMER. It's one thing to be an alumnus of a school, it's another to have a kid playing for it, and calling the game. He made our players sound like a cartel hit squad. Cried the whole game about calls.
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