Thank You

#1      

whatahack

St. Peters MO
I thought this needed its own thread. I can't say how much I enjoyed watching this team. Despite the disappointment of today, I will remember this group of players for a long time. They have started the revival of Illinois basketball.

A special thanks to Trent and Da'Monte. They epitomize what I want the Illini to be...dedication, hard work and team first.

I am confident and optimistic about the future!!!

I-L-L
 
#2      
I thought this needed its own thread. I can't say how much I enjoyed watching this team. Despite the disappointment of today, I will remember this group of players for a long time. They have started the revival of Illinois basketball.

A special thanks to Trent and Da'Monte. They epitomize what I want the Illini to be...dedication, hard work and team first.

I am confident and optimistic about the future!!!

I-L-L
Well said Whatahack! Even though we didn't like the ending, the journey has been one heck of a ride. Thank you men (these guys have all gained my respect) for their effort, their love for one another and the entertainment they provided us all year. A special thank you to Kofi and Ayo for coming back for one more year. The growth I've seen in these guys has been from boys to men and they are the epitome of what it means to be a student athlete. They are all well spoken and great ambassadors of our beloved university. Thank you for the memories gentlemen. You'll always be champions in my mind and heart. ILL-
 
#3      
This year was a great distraction for what was getting to be a tough year. This team was a joy to watch grow together. What is being built at Illinois is special, this just the first step.

Thank You players and coaches you've done my heart a lot of good
 
#5      
I posted this in the post-game thread, thought I would add it here too.

"I just want to thank Ayo, Trent, Damonte and Adam for choosing their home state school. You guys made us proud and represent yourselves well. For those leaving next year, I wish you all the best in your careers. I-L-L!"
 
#6      

Deleted member 747903

D
Guest
I posted this in the post-game thread, thought I would add it here too.

"I just want to thank Ayo, Trent, Damonte and Adam for choosing their home state school. You guys made us proud and represent yourselves well. For those leaving next year, I wish you all the best in your careers. I-L-L!"
Big +1. The program is where it is now because of these guys. They will be given a standing ovation when they return to SFC
 
#9      
Before the game I was thinking about how much work Trent and Monte have put into the past four years, and how much they deserved to be enjoying the Tournament. They were so instrumental to this build, and they both went through periods where these boards were not kind to them.

This team has been a pleasure and priviledge to follow. So much fun to end the regular season and pull out the BTT Championship.

I don't think Kofi and Ayo will "unfinished business" two years in a row, but we should still have a heck of a team next year. That will be another great team to follow!!!
 
#10      

iLL 89ers

Dallas,TX , Born and raised in Alton,Illinois
This team players and coaches alike should be proud , very proud...When you play in the "Dance" everyone knows it is one-n-done.
Hell of a season to say the least and you gave it your all,, so to You Players and Coaches - Illini` Nation , thanks you and celebrates this season along with you. Proving it`s not always "rainbows and Lolli-pops" and you put up the good fight all year and will always be remembered , and thanks again for turning the cornerstone on the path you started in bringing Illini Basketball back in the national circuit and national relevance once again .

Again thanks for the memories Players and coaches....You Rock !
 
#14      
I think we also have to have empathy for what they are all going thru right now. It was disappointing for us as fans but had to be so much more of a disappointment for each of them. We did not have the investment of time and energy that each of them had. A big thanks for the excitement of the year, for finishing first in the Big Ten :), for winning the B10 tournament, and for rising to NUMBER 2 in the polls. We can only imagine the hurt that they are experiencing. Hope they can eventually find encouragement in the accomplishments of this year.
 
#15      
I had these same thoughts. Immediately after the game I felt about bad as I have ever been after an Illini game. Then I saw Ayo's post game presser and realized that this year has been the most invested I have been in an Illini team since 05. I was there every step of the way with them. I love this team. Great group of young men. That horrible feeling after this game was just the feeling of heartache. I was invested and care about the group. Illini basketball will be alright. I am still very proud of the guys on this team
 
#16      

Tophe

Middle TN
Giorgi it was amazing.gif
 
#17      
Illini BBall Team, thank you for bringing us joy and hope in a real diificult year. Through your sacrifices we had pride again in our program. You'll be remembered for having the most BIG wins in a season, BIG tourney champs, and finishing the year top#3 in the country. Good luck to all and our two All Americans in the pros.
 
#19      

Deleted member 11228

D
Guest
This season and especially the last 3 weeks of the regular season were the most fun I've had as an Illini bball fan since 2005. They played at the highest level you could play as a team. Thank you for the great memories this season. Build off of this like the Villanova's, Virginia's did when they had so many disappointing finishes to their season's. Those teams didn't go away until they got what they wanted.
 
#20      
Thanks for the sacrifices you made during Covid. I can’t even imagine what that was like. To not seemingly see friends, family, etc all for the greater good of the team speaks volumes for the character of everyone associated with the program.

Thanks for making my Covid winter a hell of a lot better too. Today hurt - a lot. But ultimately will remember the good a lot more at some point.
 
#21      
Us fans are disappointed, but not as disappointed as the players and coaches that lived this every single minute for the last 6 months. Thank you to all the players and all the coaches and staff for the excitement you brought to us. These games were some of the only things i looked forward to over the past few months since we are living in boring times. Our program is in the beginning stages of being built back to prominence. Maybe that doesn't mean a national championship anytime soon, but to be relevant and make the tourney each year, means the world to us fans. We will always bleed orange and blue, and cheer when you cheer, and hurt when you hurt. I think we need a school nun going forward to call our own. If they won't let us have a Chief, we need a nun.
 
#22      

DReq

Always Illini
Central Illinois
There is no way to say thank you enough to these young men and the coaching staff for putting in the long hours every day to build Illinois basketball back to relevance and to a position among the leaders. Doing it during this COVID pandemic makes it that much more impressive (I was going to say "amazing" but I think GB has that trademarked). It has made this year a far better one than a pandemic tried to make it.

For those who return, we will be waiting eagerly to see you back on campus and for those moving to the next level, we will be cheering you on and wish you the happiest and most productive careers in any activity you choose. Illini means family way beyond your campus years.
 
#23      
There is no way to say thank you enough to these young men and the coaching staff for putting in the long hours every day to build Illinois basketball back to relevance and to a position among the leaders. Doing it during this COVID pandemic makes it that much more impressive (I was going to say "amazing" but I think GB has that trademarked). It has made this year a far better one than a pandemic tried to make it.

For those who return, we will be waiting eagerly to see you back on campus and for those moving to the next level, we will be cheering you on and wish you the happiest and most productive careers in any activity you choose. Illini means family way beyond your campus years.
Well put, the Illini are back and moving forward. Belo will be great next year.
 
#24      
Any year when you beat Wisconsin in the Kohl Center, blow out Michigan in Ann Arbor, beat Iowa twice, sweep Indiana, and beat OSU two out of three is a good year.

Winning the BIG tournament, being a number 1 seed, and winning the most BIG league games in school history is a tremendous accomplishment when you realize just two years earlier we lost the most games in school history.

This is a gutsy, hard working group. “Everyday Guys” who made us proud to be ILLINI. They changed the culture as well as our expectations as fans. I can’t thank them enough for their dedication and wish them all success going forward.