We have seen the enemy, and it is us.
As posted here yesterday, the 2006 Chicago Bears’s season is lost. How do we know? Because we believe GM Jerry Angelo doesn’t think either qb Rex Grossman or qb Brian Griese can take the team to the Super Bowl this year, and so Angelo figures it’s best for Rex to take his lumps now and become better prepared for next year.
Their 9-2 won-loss record suggests that the Bears could be title contenders. But the Bears, quarter-backed by Rex Grossman, will make an early exit from the playoffs. And soon afterward, there will be a dramatic confrontation called On the Lakefront. It will take place in a car driving down Lake Shore Drive on a dark and stormy night. Facing each other in the back seat will be a distraught Brian Griese and a nervous Jerry Angelo.
Griese finally breaks a long silence. “Jerry, I coulda made us a contender.”
Angelo wipes a stream of sweat from his forehead. “I know you coulda, kid. I know it.”
Griese wipes his hand across his mouth and nods his head. “But you wouldn’t let me play, Jerry. It was you, Jerry. It was your fault.” Griese lifts both his arms upward in a questioning gesture.
“I know it was, kid. I know.”
“Those playoff teams, the Vikes, the Pats, the Colts. They were bums. I coulda handled all of ‘em.”
“You coulda handled ‘em, kid. All of ‘em.” Angelo nods furiously. “You coulda done it.”
“Then why, Jerry, why didn’t you gimme the chance? Why didn’t you put me in for the second half, Jerry? Why? Why?”
“The score was close, and we felt Rex was gaining confidence.”
“The score was 32-0. And Rex had already thrown five interceptions and dropped three center snaps.”
“We thought he could turn it around in the second half.”
“Then what were you thinking when Rex threw his sixth interception? His seventh? When he muffed his fourth center snap?”
Angelo places his hands over his cheeks and shakes his head. “After Rex threw his eighth interception, I told Lovie to put you in if we got the ball back.”
“With 20 seconds left? Losing 56-0?”
“I wanted to show you that the coaches and I still had confidence in you.”
Chicago & Illini Sports
Thursday, November 30, 2006
The absence of additional player moves recently by the Chicago Cubs is surprising considering all the previous action. Is that because all the top available players want to talk to Cubs GM Jim Hendry before making any moves? After all, Hendry has sent out strong signals that the Cubs’s cash register is still loaded and open for business. It is well known that Hendry is seeking one or two veteran pitchers to join starters Carlos Zambrano and Rich Hill. A closer and another dependable reliever are on the Cubs’s shopping list as well.
Can’t the Cubs and Chicago White Sox get together on another deal? The Cubs could package one of their promising rookie pitchers from the M squad (Marshall, Mateo, Marmol, and O’Malley) and another player or a first-round draft pick for Freddie Garcia.
Interesting situations are also developing with the position players. Second base, for example. Hendry traded for Mark DeRosa. But Ryan Theriot performed brilliantly at second base at the end of last season. And the best player in the Cubs’s minor league system today is probably second baseman Eric Patterson. He recently hit .345 in the Arizona Fall League and was named to its best prospects list.
Also, center field is completely open on the present depth chart. Alfonso Soriano wants to open in left or right. Jacque Jones has said he would switch to center. Hendry indicated he’s looking for another power-hitting outfielder. So where does that leave the Cub’s most promising rookie position player of 2006, Matt Murton? And then there is the struggling Felix Pie, once considered a can’t-miss center field prospect. Unfortunately, he’s missed a lot in recent years. But maybe 2007 is the year he blossoms. Wouldn’t that be nice.
Sounds like there’s room for more blockbuster deals.
Can’t the Cubs and Chicago White Sox get together on another deal? The Cubs could package one of their promising rookie pitchers from the M squad (Marshall, Mateo, Marmol, and O’Malley) and another player or a first-round draft pick for Freddie Garcia.
Interesting situations are also developing with the position players. Second base, for example. Hendry traded for Mark DeRosa. But Ryan Theriot performed brilliantly at second base at the end of last season. And the best player in the Cubs’s minor league system today is probably second baseman Eric Patterson. He recently hit .345 in the Arizona Fall League and was named to its best prospects list.
Also, center field is completely open on the present depth chart. Alfonso Soriano wants to open in left or right. Jacque Jones has said he would switch to center. Hendry indicated he’s looking for another power-hitting outfielder. So where does that leave the Cub’s most promising rookie position player of 2006, Matt Murton? And then there is the struggling Felix Pie, once considered a can’t-miss center field prospect. Unfortunately, he’s missed a lot in recent years. But maybe 2007 is the year he blossoms. Wouldn’t that be nice.
Sounds like there’s room for more blockbuster deals.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
What are they thinking?
That is, why are the Chicago Bears coaches sticking with an overall game plan based on inconsistent quarterback Rex Grossman? The Rex Grossman who has stunk up the field in three of his last six games. As mentioned in an earlier posting, Grossman is the first one to admit his poor play. But every game, he takes the field hoping that the good Rex will show up instead of the bad Rex. So it’s 50-50 you’re going to get the good Rex. Or the bad Rex. Do you like the odds?
So what are they thinking? Here are some possibilities:
The coaches believe Rex can lead the Bears to the Super Bowl this year.
The coaches do not think Brian Griese can lead the Bears to the Super Bowl this year.
The coaches don’t think Rex can do it this year, but GM Jerry Angelo does.
GM Jerry Angelo doesn’t believe in Grossman or Griese and so figures it’s best for Rex to take his lumps now and get prepared for next year.
The 9-2 won-loss record suggests that the Bears could be title contenders. The Bears, by sticking with Grossman as the starter, indicate that Rex is up to the job. But he’s not. He’s actually a qb in the early developmental stage. He’s the kind of qb who starts for a rebuilding team.
But the Bears are not a rebuilding team. They are title contenders. They need a good veteran qb at this time.
And they are fortunate to have one in Griese. Griese has had a superb career, and there are indications that he’s still got a lot to offer. So what are the Bears thinking? The situation comes down to this:
GM Jerry Angelo doesn’t believe in Grossman or Griese and so figures it’s best for Rex to take his lumps now and get prepared for next year.
That is, why are the Chicago Bears coaches sticking with an overall game plan based on inconsistent quarterback Rex Grossman? The Rex Grossman who has stunk up the field in three of his last six games. As mentioned in an earlier posting, Grossman is the first one to admit his poor play. But every game, he takes the field hoping that the good Rex will show up instead of the bad Rex. So it’s 50-50 you’re going to get the good Rex. Or the bad Rex. Do you like the odds?
So what are they thinking? Here are some possibilities:
The coaches believe Rex can lead the Bears to the Super Bowl this year.
The coaches do not think Brian Griese can lead the Bears to the Super Bowl this year.
The coaches don’t think Rex can do it this year, but GM Jerry Angelo does.
GM Jerry Angelo doesn’t believe in Grossman or Griese and so figures it’s best for Rex to take his lumps now and get prepared for next year.
The 9-2 won-loss record suggests that the Bears could be title contenders. The Bears, by sticking with Grossman as the starter, indicate that Rex is up to the job. But he’s not. He’s actually a qb in the early developmental stage. He’s the kind of qb who starts for a rebuilding team.
But the Bears are not a rebuilding team. They are title contenders. They need a good veteran qb at this time.
And they are fortunate to have one in Griese. Griese has had a superb career, and there are indications that he’s still got a lot to offer. So what are the Bears thinking? The situation comes down to this:
GM Jerry Angelo doesn’t believe in Grossman or Griese and so figures it’s best for Rex to take his lumps now and get prepared for next year.
As much as we are excited about the commitment of 14-year-old basketball phenom Jereme Richmond to Illinois, we will ignore any further news about him. Waiting four years to put on the Illinois uniform seems like an eternity to us. The only thing that we can be sure about him is that he won't shrink in the next four years.
I wonder how much Richmond really knows about coach Bruce Weber or Weber's coaching style. Weber is a great teacher, but his nickname is Old Yeller. Haven't we all seen Weber screaming instructions or correcting player positions or defensive assignments throughout the game--throughout, as in every second? Yet Richmond is quoted in the Chicago Tribune as saying Weber is reserved and laid-back and that Richmond doesn't like tense coaches who yell a lot. Ouch!
Is Richmond talking about the same coach we all know and love as Squeaky? So, invest the next thousand days worrying about the next big de-comitter at Illinois? No sir.
We’re more concerned about the nature of Jamar Smith's injury. Hope it's not the kind that limited Luther Head in his junior year—a nagging pain that kept him from playing at his highest level. Smith shouldn't play unless he is completely healed. And if that's not possible, we're sunk.
I wonder how much Richmond really knows about coach Bruce Weber or Weber's coaching style. Weber is a great teacher, but his nickname is Old Yeller. Haven't we all seen Weber screaming instructions or correcting player positions or defensive assignments throughout the game--throughout, as in every second? Yet Richmond is quoted in the Chicago Tribune as saying Weber is reserved and laid-back and that Richmond doesn't like tense coaches who yell a lot. Ouch!
Is Richmond talking about the same coach we all know and love as Squeaky? So, invest the next thousand days worrying about the next big de-comitter at Illinois? No sir.
We’re more concerned about the nature of Jamar Smith's injury. Hope it's not the kind that limited Luther Head in his junior year—a nagging pain that kept him from playing at his highest level. Smith shouldn't play unless he is completely healed. And if that's not possible, we're sunk.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
The nation’s longest homecourt winning streak against nonconference opponents ended at 51 tonight when Maryland beat Illinois 72-66 in Assembly Hall in Champaign. The game was part of a series known as the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.
If the game seemed familiar to other recent Illinois games, it was—and it wasn’t. It was, because the Illini again fell behind by double digits in the first half (this time by as many as 15 points) and then used great defense to storm back in the second half. It wasn’t, because the Illini (7-1) could not withstand a second surge by 23rd ranked Maryland (8-0) and fell from the unbeaten.
In this game, the hero was an unheralded guard who wasn’t playing for Illinois. It was Maryland freshman reserve Greivis Vasquez, who scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half. And nearly all of them were layups as he sliced and diced the porous Illini defense, which ran out of gas in the last three minutes.
Illini center Shaun Pruitt played another good game and led the team in scoring with18 points. Warren Carter played an amazing game in the first half, scoring 13 points. But he was held scoreless in the second half. Calvin Brock added 11 points in another strong showing. Freshman Brian Carlwell continued to show his tremendous potential in the first half, when he scored eight points. He, too, went scoreless in the second half.
But the most mysterious happenings were the poor shooting of Jamar the microwave Smith and the usually aggressive Chester the bulldog Frazier. Smith was scoreless and Frazer had one basket. The Illini have little chance of winning many games without stellar performances from them. Stay tuned for possible injury announcements.
Brian the plasticman Randle is estimated to be halfway through his recovery from groin surgery.
If the game seemed familiar to other recent Illinois games, it was—and it wasn’t. It was, because the Illini again fell behind by double digits in the first half (this time by as many as 15 points) and then used great defense to storm back in the second half. It wasn’t, because the Illini (7-1) could not withstand a second surge by 23rd ranked Maryland (8-0) and fell from the unbeaten.
In this game, the hero was an unheralded guard who wasn’t playing for Illinois. It was Maryland freshman reserve Greivis Vasquez, who scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half. And nearly all of them were layups as he sliced and diced the porous Illini defense, which ran out of gas in the last three minutes.
Illini center Shaun Pruitt played another good game and led the team in scoring with18 points. Warren Carter played an amazing game in the first half, scoring 13 points. But he was held scoreless in the second half. Calvin Brock added 11 points in another strong showing. Freshman Brian Carlwell continued to show his tremendous potential in the first half, when he scored eight points. He, too, went scoreless in the second half.
But the most mysterious happenings were the poor shooting of Jamar the microwave Smith and the usually aggressive Chester the bulldog Frazier. Smith was scoreless and Frazer had one basket. The Illini have little chance of winning many games without stellar performances from them. Stay tuned for possible injury announcements.
Brian the plasticman Randle is estimated to be halfway through his recovery from groin surgery.
Stay the course!
React to the situation on the ground!
Of course, we’re talking about the Chicago Bears’s strategy this season. At the center of this plan is their erratic punky quarterback, Rex Grossman. The bad Rex played a leading role in the Bears’s 17-13 loss to New England last weekend. He once again had one of the worst performances of the week among league quarterbacks, throwing three interceptions and dropping a center snap.
Yet…
…Coach Lovie Smith continues to support Rex as his starting quarterback. Lovie sees the situation on the ground as pretty good—that is, a 9-2 division-leading record. Ergo, stay the course.
We see Grossman as an inexperienced, struggling quarterback embarrassing himself week after week.
To corroborate Rex’s poor performances, just listen to, well…Rex himself. Rex is brutally honest and often accepts the blame for his poor performances even though others are contributing to his problems.
And stay the course can be an acceptable approach in certain conditions. For example, let’s say you have a rebuilding effort centered around a rookie quarterback. You know you won’t have a good season at first, but you stick with the rookie qb for developmental purposes. You don’t expect your team to do much, but the qb is getting valuable experience and making mistakes you hope will be instructive.
The point is, winning is not the point.
There are very few young inexperienced qb’s that can lead their teams to the Super Bowl. Sometimes it happens but rarely. But this is what the Bears want Rex to do. The odds are heavily against this happening. Maybe in three or four years. But not this year.
So, stay the course won’t get the Bears to the Super Bowl. Veteran Brian Griese might. Why not give him a chance? See how he performs against the relatively weaker teams left on the schedule. What do the Bears have to lose by ditching the current course for a while?
Maybe the Super Bowl.
React to the situation on the ground!
Of course, we’re talking about the Chicago Bears’s strategy this season. At the center of this plan is their erratic punky quarterback, Rex Grossman. The bad Rex played a leading role in the Bears’s 17-13 loss to New England last weekend. He once again had one of the worst performances of the week among league quarterbacks, throwing three interceptions and dropping a center snap.
Yet…
…Coach Lovie Smith continues to support Rex as his starting quarterback. Lovie sees the situation on the ground as pretty good—that is, a 9-2 division-leading record. Ergo, stay the course.
We see Grossman as an inexperienced, struggling quarterback embarrassing himself week after week.
To corroborate Rex’s poor performances, just listen to, well…Rex himself. Rex is brutally honest and often accepts the blame for his poor performances even though others are contributing to his problems.
And stay the course can be an acceptable approach in certain conditions. For example, let’s say you have a rebuilding effort centered around a rookie quarterback. You know you won’t have a good season at first, but you stick with the rookie qb for developmental purposes. You don’t expect your team to do much, but the qb is getting valuable experience and making mistakes you hope will be instructive.
The point is, winning is not the point.
There are very few young inexperienced qb’s that can lead their teams to the Super Bowl. Sometimes it happens but rarely. But this is what the Bears want Rex to do. The odds are heavily against this happening. Maybe in three or four years. But not this year.
So, stay the course won’t get the Bears to the Super Bowl. Veteran Brian Griese might. Why not give him a chance? See how he performs against the relatively weaker teams left on the schedule. What do the Bears have to lose by ditching the current course for a while?
Maybe the Super Bowl.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Chicago Bears fans should be getting worried about the team’s prospects for this season. The 17-13 loss to the New England Patriots yesterday revealed what is needed to beat the Bears.
A strong pass rush.
The Bears’s much-maligned quarterback, Rex Grossman, shares the blame. The Bears can fix the problems he creates—poorly aimed passes—by replacing him with Brian Griese. But the team cannot now find adequate replacements for an offensive line that offered little or no pass protection against a good team like the Pats. Patriot rushers spent all day in the Bears’s backfield pressuring Rex.
And these are the kinds of teams you face in the playoffs.
The Patriots’s offensive line also manhandled the Bears’s defensive line. Quarterback Tom Brady had tons of time to throw.
One thing about a strong pass rush. You usually can’t beat a good team without one.
One thing about pass protection. You usually can’t beat a good team without it.
So where does that leave the Bears? Man, that’s a toughie. Might as well start, immediately, with the Griese option.
A strong pass rush.
The Bears’s much-maligned quarterback, Rex Grossman, shares the blame. The Bears can fix the problems he creates—poorly aimed passes—by replacing him with Brian Griese. But the team cannot now find adequate replacements for an offensive line that offered little or no pass protection against a good team like the Pats. Patriot rushers spent all day in the Bears’s backfield pressuring Rex.
And these are the kinds of teams you face in the playoffs.
The Patriots’s offensive line also manhandled the Bears’s defensive line. Quarterback Tom Brady had tons of time to throw.
One thing about a strong pass rush. You usually can’t beat a good team without one.
One thing about pass protection. You usually can’t beat a good team without it.
So where does that leave the Bears? Man, that’s a toughie. Might as well start, immediately, with the Griese option.
The Chicago Bulls are beginning to stretch our patience.
Yeah, we’re talking about the controversy over Ben Wallace’s headband. Which is not really about Ben Wallace’s headband. It’s about Wallace’s head games, which stem from his frustration. Not frustration about how the team’s been doing. But about how little he has done to make this team better.
Wallace knows why he got the big bucks from the Bulls. He was expected to be the last piece in the puzzle, the player to lead the yuppie Bulls to the promised land. And he knows he’s not doing it.
So if his headband gives him a little comfort, what’s the big deal?
Didn’t you ever have a stuffed, furry puppy that did the same thing? Or a favorite blankie that you would drag everywhere and refuse to give to mommie for washing?
Big Ben needs his blankie/headband at this time. So let him have it. It’s not like he wants to wear a yellow uniform or blue suede shoes. And delete headbands from the Bulls list of fashion no-no’s.
Give Big Ben the chance to fix his own problems.
And he’ll fix the Bulls.
Yeah, we’re talking about the controversy over Ben Wallace’s headband. Which is not really about Ben Wallace’s headband. It’s about Wallace’s head games, which stem from his frustration. Not frustration about how the team’s been doing. But about how little he has done to make this team better.
Wallace knows why he got the big bucks from the Bulls. He was expected to be the last piece in the puzzle, the player to lead the yuppie Bulls to the promised land. And he knows he’s not doing it.
So if his headband gives him a little comfort, what’s the big deal?
Didn’t you ever have a stuffed, furry puppy that did the same thing? Or a favorite blankie that you would drag everywhere and refuse to give to mommie for washing?
Big Ben needs his blankie/headband at this time. So let him have it. It’s not like he wants to wear a yellow uniform or blue suede shoes. And delete headbands from the Bulls list of fashion no-no’s.
Give Big Ben the chance to fix his own problems.
And he’ll fix the Bulls.
Response to recent visitor re the Illlini hoopsters (see below).
The success of the Illini basketball team so far is a pleasant surprise. There were so many questions before the season: Who was going to step up to replace Dee and Augie? How good were the guards? How good were Warren Carter and the two rookies? Could this team play defense?
We won’t have a clear idea of how good this team will be until Brian the slasher Randle returns. And even then, the team could improve---and we think it will—for other reasons.
First, both Shaun Pruitt and Brian Carlwell will continue to get better throughout the season. They can make Illinois a Final Four contender. Second, with Jamar the Microwave Smith, Chester the bulldog Frazier, and Trent the homie Meacham, the Illini will have the kind of perimeter shooting that usually prevails in the guard-oriented play in the Big Dance.
Anything we get from Warren Carter, Rich McBride, and Randle would be extra helpful, and we should get a lot.
Third, Illinois’s games so far suggest the Illini can bring a slam-the-door-in-your- face shutdown defense, even without Randle, who is probably their best defender. This team has a lot of characters and a lot of character.
And fourth, the Illini have one of the top five coaches in college basketball, Bruce the squeaker Weber.
So when will we know how good this year’s team is? We get an initial reading after the Ohio State and Wisconsin games, and the final answer, of course, in the national championship game against Florida.
The success of the Illini basketball team so far is a pleasant surprise. There were so many questions before the season: Who was going to step up to replace Dee and Augie? How good were the guards? How good were Warren Carter and the two rookies? Could this team play defense?
We won’t have a clear idea of how good this team will be until Brian the slasher Randle returns. And even then, the team could improve---and we think it will—for other reasons.
First, both Shaun Pruitt and Brian Carlwell will continue to get better throughout the season. They can make Illinois a Final Four contender. Second, with Jamar the Microwave Smith, Chester the bulldog Frazier, and Trent the homie Meacham, the Illini will have the kind of perimeter shooting that usually prevails in the guard-oriented play in the Big Dance.
Anything we get from Warren Carter, Rich McBride, and Randle would be extra helpful, and we should get a lot.
Third, Illinois’s games so far suggest the Illini can bring a slam-the-door-in-your- face shutdown defense, even without Randle, who is probably their best defender. This team has a lot of characters and a lot of character.
And fourth, the Illini have one of the top five coaches in college basketball, Bruce the squeaker Weber.
So when will we know how good this year’s team is? We get an initial reading after the Ohio State and Wisconsin games, and the final answer, of course, in the national championship game against Florida.
A visitor replies re the Illini basketballl team:
I was in San Diego over the weekend but caught up on the two Chicago
victories on the Internet. Smith apparently won the game against
Bradley.
Pruitt seems to be coming on but we are thin in the front line with
only Carter and Pruitt as solid performers. Arnold and Carlwell can't be
counted on for anything so if the big two get into foul trouble Weber will have
to go small, which fortunately he can do with McBride, Meacham, Smith,
Frazier, and Brock.
The key to the season will be reliable three point shooting
and improved free throw shooting.
After going through Maryland, Missouri, Arizona, and Xavier we should know where we are, but the return of a productive Randle is the ultimate key for the conference season.
I was in San Diego over the weekend but caught up on the two Chicago
victories on the Internet. Smith apparently won the game against
Bradley.
Pruitt seems to be coming on but we are thin in the front line with
only Carter and Pruitt as solid performers. Arnold and Carlwell can't be
counted on for anything so if the big two get into foul trouble Weber will have
to go small, which fortunately he can do with McBride, Meacham, Smith,
Frazier, and Brock.
The key to the season will be reliable three point shooting
and improved free throw shooting.
After going through Maryland, Missouri, Arizona, and Xavier we should know where we are, but the return of a productive Randle is the ultimate key for the conference season.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
That exposed Achilles’s heel of the Chicago Bears went on display again today. This time in a hard-fought 17-13 loss to the New England Patriots on the road. The heel, of course, belongs to inconsistent quarterback Rex Grossman. The bad Rex showed up in Foxboro while the good Rex remained in Chicago studying film or….whatever. The good Rex just wasn’t in this game.
The Patriots got to the heel several times as the bad Rex threw three interceptions and muffed a center snap. The third interception killed a Bears's chance to win the game. He connected on some nice passes but threw a bunch of clunkers as well. The roar of Brian Griese supporters could be heard from Foxboro to Chicago.
In all honesty, Rex must share the blame for the loss with the Bears’s offense line, which generally resembled a leaking faucet. The pressure on Rex was unrelenting. Still, when he had receivers open, Rex often threw poor passes. Patriot penalties bailed the Bears out in key situations.
The Bear defensive line, on the other hand, rarely got near Patriot quarterback Tom Brady. Brady often had four or five seconds to pass from his well-protected pocket.
Can Rex lead the Bears deep into the playoffs? Definitely not, according to former great Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman, who was a TV commentator on the game. Ouch!
However, there are some Bear fans who are not bothered by the loss. They want to see the Bears clinch the division against the Minnesota Vikings next weekend in Soldier Field. Maybe the film the good Rex was studying was of the Bears’s 19-16 victory against the Vikes. Sure hope the heel is covered.
The Patriots got to the heel several times as the bad Rex threw three interceptions and muffed a center snap. The third interception killed a Bears's chance to win the game. He connected on some nice passes but threw a bunch of clunkers as well. The roar of Brian Griese supporters could be heard from Foxboro to Chicago.
In all honesty, Rex must share the blame for the loss with the Bears’s offense line, which generally resembled a leaking faucet. The pressure on Rex was unrelenting. Still, when he had receivers open, Rex often threw poor passes. Patriot penalties bailed the Bears out in key situations.
The Bear defensive line, on the other hand, rarely got near Patriot quarterback Tom Brady. Brady often had four or five seconds to pass from his well-protected pocket.
Can Rex lead the Bears deep into the playoffs? Definitely not, according to former great Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman, who was a TV commentator on the game. Ouch!
However, there are some Bear fans who are not bothered by the loss. They want to see the Bears clinch the division against the Minnesota Vikings next weekend in Soldier Field. Maybe the film the good Rex was studying was of the Bears’s 19-16 victory against the Vikes. Sure hope the heel is covered.
Enough already, Illini basketball team. Can’t you get back to winning games easily again? Illinois ran its record to 7-0 last night in beating Bradley 75-71 in the Sears Centre in suburban Hoffman Estates. The game was similar to the 51-49 nailbiter against Miami of Ohio, in which Illinois had to come back from double-digit deficits to win.
Against Bradley, as in the Miami game, Illinois couldn’t keep Bradley from scoring on layups and threes in the first half. The IIlini finally figured it out in the second half, again, and engineered a 22-7 run to catch up. Once again, Chester the bulldog Frazier started slowly and then played out of his mind in the second half.
The Illini also benefited from the unexpected early return of Jamar the Microwave Smith, who had been out since he suffered an ankle injury in the first game. Jamar cut two weeks off the anticipated healing tme. He hit three threes, including one that gave the Illini the lead with about five minutes remaining. Once again, clutch free-throw shooing in the second half helped cement the victory.
Scoring leaders for the Illini included Warren Carter, 17; Shaun Pruitt, 16; Smith, 14; and Frazier, 10. Rich McBride scored only 4 points, but completely shut down Bradley’s Jeremy Crouch in the second half. Crouch hit four threes in the first half. Frazier was named the MVP of the tournament.
Weber and the Illini still need to iron out some wrinkles. The motion offense, for example, isn’t showing much motion or offense. In addition, the team came out of the starting gate with good intensity, but soon showed signs of fatigue as Bradley began to pull away. It was the second straight game the Illini were losing at halftime. Not a skill you want to perfect.
Perhaps the problem is simply that Frazier, Calvin Brock, and Trent Meacham lack experience in running Weber’s offense. And in communicating on defense to set up traps. The return of Smith and McBride could help fix some of these problems. Now Weber has to consider changing the starting lineup again.
Frazier looks like he will be a real asset as a starting point guard. Smith’s scoring ability should qualify him as a starter. You have to like McBride coming off the bench, so Brock might be a good choice as a starter, along with Pruitt and Carter. Pruitt looks like he’s ready for a breakout season. Carter is showing a good all-around game..
What to do with Brian Randle, the best Illini defender? What a “problem.” Has to be a starter when he returns. You’ve got to think that when the Big Ten conference games begin, this team’s going to be pretty darn good. But please, enough with the nailbiters!
Against Bradley, as in the Miami game, Illinois couldn’t keep Bradley from scoring on layups and threes in the first half. The IIlini finally figured it out in the second half, again, and engineered a 22-7 run to catch up. Once again, Chester the bulldog Frazier started slowly and then played out of his mind in the second half.
The Illini also benefited from the unexpected early return of Jamar the Microwave Smith, who had been out since he suffered an ankle injury in the first game. Jamar cut two weeks off the anticipated healing tme. He hit three threes, including one that gave the Illini the lead with about five minutes remaining. Once again, clutch free-throw shooing in the second half helped cement the victory.
Scoring leaders for the Illini included Warren Carter, 17; Shaun Pruitt, 16; Smith, 14; and Frazier, 10. Rich McBride scored only 4 points, but completely shut down Bradley’s Jeremy Crouch in the second half. Crouch hit four threes in the first half. Frazier was named the MVP of the tournament.
Weber and the Illini still need to iron out some wrinkles. The motion offense, for example, isn’t showing much motion or offense. In addition, the team came out of the starting gate with good intensity, but soon showed signs of fatigue as Bradley began to pull away. It was the second straight game the Illini were losing at halftime. Not a skill you want to perfect.
Perhaps the problem is simply that Frazier, Calvin Brock, and Trent Meacham lack experience in running Weber’s offense. And in communicating on defense to set up traps. The return of Smith and McBride could help fix some of these problems. Now Weber has to consider changing the starting lineup again.
Frazier looks like he will be a real asset as a starting point guard. Smith’s scoring ability should qualify him as a starter. You have to like McBride coming off the bench, so Brock might be a good choice as a starter, along with Pruitt and Carter. Pruitt looks like he’s ready for a breakout season. Carter is showing a good all-around game..
What to do with Brian Randle, the best Illini defender? What a “problem.” Has to be a starter when he returns. You’ve got to think that when the Big Ten conference games begin, this team’s going to be pretty darn good. But please, enough with the nailbiters!
Saturday, November 25, 2006
The success of former Illini Deron Williams with the Utah Jazz in the NBA has triggered this question among Illini fans: Which of the current players have a good chance to play in the NBA?
Among the seniors, none has a good chance. Rich McBride is too slow and unathletic. The big guards of the NBA will shut him down.
Warren Carter’s future depends on his development this year. He has some NBA tools in his defensive game. His shooting needs improvement.
Marcus Arnold does not have any NBA tools.
Among the others: Calvin Brock—maybe, if he develops a consistent three-point shot.
Trent Meacham—possibly, if he shows a three-point shot. Odds are against him. But he’s going to be a terrific player for Illinois.
Jamar Smith—if he continues to find space to get his deadly jumper off, he could be a pretty good NBA player.
Chester Frazier—yes, yes, if he continues to develop as he has so far.
Shaun Pruitt—yes, four years of Bruce Weber’s training can open the door for this strong, mobile player.
Brian Randle—maybe, but he’s got to sharpen his shooting skills.
Brian Carlwell—same comment as for Pruitt.
Rich Semrau—maybe.
C. J. Jackson—probably not, but he might be a good reserve for the Illini.
Best chance: Pruitt.
Among the seniors, none has a good chance. Rich McBride is too slow and unathletic. The big guards of the NBA will shut him down.
Warren Carter’s future depends on his development this year. He has some NBA tools in his defensive game. His shooting needs improvement.
Marcus Arnold does not have any NBA tools.
Among the others: Calvin Brock—maybe, if he develops a consistent three-point shot.
Trent Meacham—possibly, if he shows a three-point shot. Odds are against him. But he’s going to be a terrific player for Illinois.
Jamar Smith—if he continues to find space to get his deadly jumper off, he could be a pretty good NBA player.
Chester Frazier—yes, yes, if he continues to develop as he has so far.
Shaun Pruitt—yes, four years of Bruce Weber’s training can open the door for this strong, mobile player.
Brian Randle—maybe, but he’s got to sharpen his shooting skills.
Brian Carlwell—same comment as for Pruitt.
Rich Semrau—maybe.
C. J. Jackson—probably not, but he might be a good reserve for the Illini.
Best chance: Pruitt.
Illini basketball team adds another “coach.”
The Chicago Invitational Challenge in the Sears Centre in suburban Hoffman Estates lived up to his name for the Illlni last night. The lllini edged Miami of Ohio 51-49 as Chester Frazier made a layup with seconds remaining in the game and Warren Carter moments later made a free throw.
Coach Bruce Weber called a time out with one second left and Miami with the ball. In the huddle, Weber was trying to come up with some way to stop Miami’s high scorer Nathan Peavy, a 6-8 forward who had rattled the nets for 22 points and was having no problem scoring over 6-5 Calvin Brock and 6-3 Rich McBride. Suddenly, Weber heard the words, ”Let me cover him. I’m bigger.” It was Warren Carter to the rescue. “Ok, do it,” said a surprised Weber. It worked. Peavy couldn’t get a shot off, and the Illini had survived.
This was a game in which injured 6-7 forward and defensive star Brian Randle was sorely missed. Weber said the coaches thought about bringing in injured guard Jamar Smith for a last shot. But that thought lasted a nanosecond.
The pesky RedHawks led practically the entire game. Brock and Trent Meacham had a hard time handling the pressure. Brock hit one three and Meacham none. Rich McBride helped keep Illinois in the game with three threes. The 6-0 Illini helped their cause by connecting on 13 of 16 free-throw attempts.
The Illini probably will face their toughest game in the tournament tonight when they battle high-scoring Bradley. Bradley buried 14 of 25 threes in thrashing Rutgers 101-72.
To beat undefeated Bradley, the Illini have to start off with the one ingredient that has generally shown up late to their games: intensity. And coach Weber, don’t hesitate to consult coach Carter if needed.
The Chicago Invitational Challenge in the Sears Centre in suburban Hoffman Estates lived up to his name for the Illlni last night. The lllini edged Miami of Ohio 51-49 as Chester Frazier made a layup with seconds remaining in the game and Warren Carter moments later made a free throw.
Coach Bruce Weber called a time out with one second left and Miami with the ball. In the huddle, Weber was trying to come up with some way to stop Miami’s high scorer Nathan Peavy, a 6-8 forward who had rattled the nets for 22 points and was having no problem scoring over 6-5 Calvin Brock and 6-3 Rich McBride. Suddenly, Weber heard the words, ”Let me cover him. I’m bigger.” It was Warren Carter to the rescue. “Ok, do it,” said a surprised Weber. It worked. Peavy couldn’t get a shot off, and the Illini had survived.
This was a game in which injured 6-7 forward and defensive star Brian Randle was sorely missed. Weber said the coaches thought about bringing in injured guard Jamar Smith for a last shot. But that thought lasted a nanosecond.
The pesky RedHawks led practically the entire game. Brock and Trent Meacham had a hard time handling the pressure. Brock hit one three and Meacham none. Rich McBride helped keep Illinois in the game with three threes. The 6-0 Illini helped their cause by connecting on 13 of 16 free-throw attempts.
The Illini probably will face their toughest game in the tournament tonight when they battle high-scoring Bradley. Bradley buried 14 of 25 threes in thrashing Rutgers 101-72.
To beat undefeated Bradley, the Illini have to start off with the one ingredient that has generally shown up late to their games: intensity. And coach Weber, don’t hesitate to consult coach Carter if needed.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Enough already! Enough with the talk about the benefits of the Chicago Bears losing to New England this weekend.
A loss is a loss. All losses are bad. Are there strategic losses? No way.
The negative thinking, in part, suggests that a Bear loss now will lessen the intensity of Bears’s opponents in the playoffs. Sure, as if any factor would lessen the intensity in a playoff game. Makes no sense.
And then there’s the view that the Bears should clinch the division title the following week in Chicago so Chicago fans could celebrate at Soldier Field. Are these people loopy or what? What Bear player or coach would want to lose a single game? Forget the celebration. Win as soon as possible wherever.
Another questionable view is that if the Bears were to clinch the division this weekend, the coaches might be tempted to rest some regulars of just give reserves more playing time so they will be more prepared for the playoffs. What are these people thinking? The starters need to be sharp from the opening kickoff every game. Even if the Bears start running up big scores in December victories, they must stay with their strongest lineup every game.
The Bears have momentum and need to keep it. Momentum is good. Momentum helps build confidence. Confidence is good. Beating New England on the road will enhance the Bears’s confidence even more. It’s especially important to beat a good team with a potent passing attack and dispel any thoughts that the Bears are weak in pass defense.
Don’t be concerned by a loss? Forget that.
Go for a shutout. How about 30-0?
A loss is a loss. All losses are bad. Are there strategic losses? No way.
The negative thinking, in part, suggests that a Bear loss now will lessen the intensity of Bears’s opponents in the playoffs. Sure, as if any factor would lessen the intensity in a playoff game. Makes no sense.
And then there’s the view that the Bears should clinch the division title the following week in Chicago so Chicago fans could celebrate at Soldier Field. Are these people loopy or what? What Bear player or coach would want to lose a single game? Forget the celebration. Win as soon as possible wherever.
Another questionable view is that if the Bears were to clinch the division this weekend, the coaches might be tempted to rest some regulars of just give reserves more playing time so they will be more prepared for the playoffs. What are these people thinking? The starters need to be sharp from the opening kickoff every game. Even if the Bears start running up big scores in December victories, they must stay with their strongest lineup every game.
The Bears have momentum and need to keep it. Momentum is good. Momentum helps build confidence. Confidence is good. Beating New England on the road will enhance the Bears’s confidence even more. It’s especially important to beat a good team with a potent passing attack and dispel any thoughts that the Bears are weak in pass defense.
Don’t be concerned by a loss? Forget that.
Go for a shutout. How about 30-0?
Illinois basketball coach Bruce Weber and IlliniNation got an early holiday season gift Wednesday. Four years early! A strong verbal commitment from Jereme Richmond, a 6-6 sharpshooter-ball handler extraordinaire from the Class of 2010. Richmond, a freshman at North Shore Country Day School in Winnetka, has been rated the top player in the state in his class.
According to insiders, the youth has been an Illini fan since childhood and made his decision after attending the recent Midnight Madness. Take that, Derrick and Eric.
Richmond’s coach expects him to grow another four or five inches in the next four years. The prospects of a do-it-all player with height started comparisons by Illini fans. The names of Kevin Garnett and Ben Wilson dominated the list of former great stars in the state. One fan even threw in Magic Johnson! Nobody mentioned Marcus Liberty!
Funny, no one mentioned Nick Smith, either.
Since few Illini fans are familiar with the lightweight conference that little-known North Shore Country Day plays in, it might be difficult to get a true reading on Richmond. However, he has played with AAU summer teams, and reportedly has dominated.
Richmond now serves as another focus of attention for Illini fans. After the Illini football team loses another game, for example, fans can always ask: How’s Jereme doing?
According to insiders, the youth has been an Illini fan since childhood and made his decision after attending the recent Midnight Madness. Take that, Derrick and Eric.
Richmond’s coach expects him to grow another four or five inches in the next four years. The prospects of a do-it-all player with height started comparisons by Illini fans. The names of Kevin Garnett and Ben Wilson dominated the list of former great stars in the state. One fan even threw in Magic Johnson! Nobody mentioned Marcus Liberty!
Funny, no one mentioned Nick Smith, either.
Since few Illini fans are familiar with the lightweight conference that little-known North Shore Country Day plays in, it might be difficult to get a true reading on Richmond. However, he has played with AAU summer teams, and reportedly has dominated.
Richmond now serves as another focus of attention for Illini fans. After the Illini football team loses another game, for example, fans can always ask: How’s Jereme doing?
Thursday, November 23, 2006
To help celebrate Thanksgiving Day, Da Blog looks back to count the major blessings of our favorite teams. And the turkeys, too.
Chicago Bears
Blessings:
Duh, the leader, Brian Urlacher. Brilliant!
Lance Briggs
Sack leader rookie Mark Anderson
Bernard Berrian
Mark Bradley
Devin Hester
Thomas Jones
Conference leader with 9-1 record
Turkeys:
Rex Grossman, more lucky than good, other talent is saving his butt
Coach Lovie, too much in love with Rex
Inonsistent pass rush
Cedric Benson
Chicago Bulls
Blessings:
John Paxson and Scott Skiles, exceptional leaders
Acquisition of Big Ben
Acquisition of rookies Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha, it's only a matter of time
Andres Nocioni
It's a long season
Trade that brought Knicks's first pick in upcoming draft
Turkeys:
Failure to mesh all the talent during disappointing start
Inconsistency of Little Ben
It could be a LONG season
Chicago White Sox
Blessings:
Acquisition of Jim Thome
Continued development of John Garland
Turkeys:
Overall collapse at end of season
Refusal to take divisison lead regularly offerred by Detroit
Inconsisitent bullpen
Chicago Cubs
Blessings:
MLB administrators give Cubs one more year to get competitive or be converted to an AAA team.
General Manager Jim Hendry gets money to reshape the team for 2007
Re-signing off Aramis Ramirez
Acquisition off Alfonso Soriano
Hiring of Sweet Lou
(worth rementioning); Re-signing off Aramis Ramirez
Acquisition off Alfonso Soriano
Matt Murton
Ryan Theriot
Rich Hill
Turkeys:
What else? 66-96.
Generally (mostly), an underwhelming bullpen
Generally (mostly), an underwhelming lineup
Injury to D-Lee
Some unknown force in the park that attacked the roster, especially pitchers; must solve this mystery or Wrigley will be declared a crime scene.
Ronny Cedeno
Illini football
Blessings:
The season ended
23-20 upset of Michigan State
Near upset of Number 1 ranked Ohio State in 17-10 loss
JuniorJ Leman. Brilliant!
Freshman Vontae Davis
Pierre Thomas, loved his second efforts, finished a notable career
Sophomore Rashard Mendenhall, showed flashes of exciting running
18 of 22 starters return for 2007 campaign.
Commitment from Arrelious Benn, natin's top hig school wide receiver. He looked like Gale Sayers in video clips, alhough the clips were shown in fast-forward.
No blowouts in conference play
Defensee, generally, decent
Turkeys:
The season began (final record in conference 1-7, good for last-place tie with Michigan State)
Freshman qb Juice Williams regression
Conference leaders in turnovers
Lots of dropped passes
18 of 22 starters return for 2007 campaign (we had them when we went 1-7)
Punting
Pooch kicking (this has nothing to do with dogs--or does it?)
Loss to Northwestern
Loss to Ohio University
Illini basketball
Blessings:
5-0 start in 2006-07 season
Turkeys:
5-0 start in 2006-07 season against turkeys, some of whom may be on your dinner plate tonight.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Chicago Bears
Blessings:
Duh, the leader, Brian Urlacher. Brilliant!
Lance Briggs
Sack leader rookie Mark Anderson
Bernard Berrian
Mark Bradley
Devin Hester
Thomas Jones
Conference leader with 9-1 record
Turkeys:
Rex Grossman, more lucky than good, other talent is saving his butt
Coach Lovie, too much in love with Rex
Inonsistent pass rush
Cedric Benson
Chicago Bulls
Blessings:
John Paxson and Scott Skiles, exceptional leaders
Acquisition of Big Ben
Acquisition of rookies Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha, it's only a matter of time
Andres Nocioni
It's a long season
Trade that brought Knicks's first pick in upcoming draft
Turkeys:
Failure to mesh all the talent during disappointing start
Inconsistency of Little Ben
It could be a LONG season
Chicago White Sox
Blessings:
Acquisition of Jim Thome
Continued development of John Garland
Turkeys:
Overall collapse at end of season
Refusal to take divisison lead regularly offerred by Detroit
Inconsisitent bullpen
Chicago Cubs
Blessings:
MLB administrators give Cubs one more year to get competitive or be converted to an AAA team.
General Manager Jim Hendry gets money to reshape the team for 2007
Re-signing off Aramis Ramirez
Acquisition off Alfonso Soriano
Hiring of Sweet Lou
(worth rementioning); Re-signing off Aramis Ramirez
Acquisition off Alfonso Soriano
Matt Murton
Ryan Theriot
Rich Hill
Turkeys:
What else? 66-96.
Generally (mostly), an underwhelming bullpen
Generally (mostly), an underwhelming lineup
Injury to D-Lee
Some unknown force in the park that attacked the roster, especially pitchers; must solve this mystery or Wrigley will be declared a crime scene.
Ronny Cedeno
Illini football
Blessings:
The season ended
23-20 upset of Michigan State
Near upset of Number 1 ranked Ohio State in 17-10 loss
JuniorJ Leman. Brilliant!
Freshman Vontae Davis
Pierre Thomas, loved his second efforts, finished a notable career
Sophomore Rashard Mendenhall, showed flashes of exciting running
18 of 22 starters return for 2007 campaign.
Commitment from Arrelious Benn, natin's top hig school wide receiver. He looked like Gale Sayers in video clips, alhough the clips were shown in fast-forward.
No blowouts in conference play
Defensee, generally, decent
Turkeys:
The season began (final record in conference 1-7, good for last-place tie with Michigan State)
Freshman qb Juice Williams regression
Conference leaders in turnovers
Lots of dropped passes
18 of 22 starters return for 2007 campaign (we had them when we went 1-7)
Punting
Pooch kicking (this has nothing to do with dogs--or does it?)
Loss to Northwestern
Loss to Ohio University
Illini basketball
Blessings:
5-0 start in 2006-07 season
Turkeys:
5-0 start in 2006-07 season against turkeys, some of whom may be on your dinner plate tonight.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
A visitor’s thoughts on Illinois basketball after the first five games:
Chester Frazier is the heart and soul of the team. He could be one of the best point guards in the country by his senior year, or sooner.
It's difficult to assess the quality of the team after the first five games because the competition was so weak. We'll know more after Miami of
Ohio and Bradley (or Rutgers).
It's good to have Rich McBride back, but the key is Brian Randle's return. I have qualms about Shaun Pruitt and Warren Carter for their inconsistency. Brian Carlwell may contribute a bit if they get into foul trouble but obviously he's still a diamond in the rough. But he has the makings of a real stud.
Hopefully Calvin Brock can continue his strong all around play when the competition gets tougher. He's the wild card on the team. If he can score, that would be a boon.
The team looks OK for defense and rebounding but where will the points come from? We seem to have a potent perimeter offense with Brock and Rich McBride and Trent Meacham and Jamar Smith (when he returns) and Frazier. The inside game concerns me.
I took a closer look at the conference schedule and it's good news/bad news. The bad news is that we play Northwestern and Penn State only once, on the road, and they will be the weakest teams in the conference. The good news is that we also play Ohio State and Wisconsin only once, both games at home.
Coach Brruce Weber was smart to schedule easy teams first to give the team some confidence, though he couldn't have predicted that Smith and Randle would be injured. After going through Miami, Bradley, Xavier, Missouri, Arizona, and Maryland, we should have a better handle on the team. But if Randle can't play in any of the games, it will be unfair to evaluate the team.
The Big 10 looks weak this year so we should do pretty well if we can defend the home court against Ohio State and Wisconsin.
It looks like an 8-man rotation once Randle comes back. Semrau obviously is too green to contribute and Marcus Arnold has regressed, which is too bad because we could use another experienced big body. And the team will continue to shoot free throws badly, which will be a danger in close games.
An excellent analysis by the visitor. We've listened to all the games and pretty much agree. The strength of the team is the perimeter offense. But we still don't have a strong idea about how good the team really is, mainly because of the competition, or lack of, and as you say, two key pieces are still missing.
The Jackson State game offers the best clue so far, and that was a show of character for the Illini. Chester Frazier, as you say, is a major surprise. He should contribute immediately. He does seem to have a weakness in finishing on fast breaks, although we’re comparing him to Dee Brown, who was a fantastic finisher.
We like the way Trent Meacham and Calvin Brock let the game come to them. They've been playing more like seniors than like sophomores. Both of these guys are very unselfish, though, and may pass up threes in favor of working the ball in for a better shot. This is a team that is going to keep passing until the time clock nearly runs out.
Not too many teams will outrebound us. Not because of the bigs, but because of the smalls. That is, Frazier and Brock seem to have a sixth sense about where the rebounds are coming.
When Jamar Smith and Brian Randle return, we should have more quality depth than any team in the Big Ten. I can see a situation where any of six players leads the team in scoring in any given game.
As far as the bigs, Shaun Pruitt is getting better every game. Warren Carter is, well, Warren Carter. He'll probably average a double-double in scoring and rebounding. If he plays with Randle and Pruitt, we should get lots and lots of rebounds. Carlwell might see more minutes if Pruitt gets in foul trouble. Rich Semrau and C.J. Jackson won't play too much this year.
One area that might be a surprise is free-throw shooting. The team hit 31 of 41 in a recent game and 18 of 26 last night. Seems like they're practicing.
Chester Frazier is the heart and soul of the team. He could be one of the best point guards in the country by his senior year, or sooner.
It's difficult to assess the quality of the team after the first five games because the competition was so weak. We'll know more after Miami of
Ohio and Bradley (or Rutgers).
It's good to have Rich McBride back, but the key is Brian Randle's return. I have qualms about Shaun Pruitt and Warren Carter for their inconsistency. Brian Carlwell may contribute a bit if they get into foul trouble but obviously he's still a diamond in the rough. But he has the makings of a real stud.
Hopefully Calvin Brock can continue his strong all around play when the competition gets tougher. He's the wild card on the team. If he can score, that would be a boon.
The team looks OK for defense and rebounding but where will the points come from? We seem to have a potent perimeter offense with Brock and Rich McBride and Trent Meacham and Jamar Smith (when he returns) and Frazier. The inside game concerns me.
I took a closer look at the conference schedule and it's good news/bad news. The bad news is that we play Northwestern and Penn State only once, on the road, and they will be the weakest teams in the conference. The good news is that we also play Ohio State and Wisconsin only once, both games at home.
Coach Brruce Weber was smart to schedule easy teams first to give the team some confidence, though he couldn't have predicted that Smith and Randle would be injured. After going through Miami, Bradley, Xavier, Missouri, Arizona, and Maryland, we should have a better handle on the team. But if Randle can't play in any of the games, it will be unfair to evaluate the team.
The Big 10 looks weak this year so we should do pretty well if we can defend the home court against Ohio State and Wisconsin.
It looks like an 8-man rotation once Randle comes back. Semrau obviously is too green to contribute and Marcus Arnold has regressed, which is too bad because we could use another experienced big body. And the team will continue to shoot free throws badly, which will be a danger in close games.
An excellent analysis by the visitor. We've listened to all the games and pretty much agree. The strength of the team is the perimeter offense. But we still don't have a strong idea about how good the team really is, mainly because of the competition, or lack of, and as you say, two key pieces are still missing.
The Jackson State game offers the best clue so far, and that was a show of character for the Illini. Chester Frazier, as you say, is a major surprise. He should contribute immediately. He does seem to have a weakness in finishing on fast breaks, although we’re comparing him to Dee Brown, who was a fantastic finisher.
We like the way Trent Meacham and Calvin Brock let the game come to them. They've been playing more like seniors than like sophomores. Both of these guys are very unselfish, though, and may pass up threes in favor of working the ball in for a better shot. This is a team that is going to keep passing until the time clock nearly runs out.
Not too many teams will outrebound us. Not because of the bigs, but because of the smalls. That is, Frazier and Brock seem to have a sixth sense about where the rebounds are coming.
When Jamar Smith and Brian Randle return, we should have more quality depth than any team in the Big Ten. I can see a situation where any of six players leads the team in scoring in any given game.
As far as the bigs, Shaun Pruitt is getting better every game. Warren Carter is, well, Warren Carter. He'll probably average a double-double in scoring and rebounding. If he plays with Randle and Pruitt, we should get lots and lots of rebounds. Carlwell might see more minutes if Pruitt gets in foul trouble. Rich Semrau and C.J. Jackson won't play too much this year.
One area that might be a surprise is free-throw shooting. The team hit 31 of 41 in a recent game and 18 of 26 last night. Seems like they're practicing.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
This weekend’s road battle against the division-leading 7-3 New England Patriots should answer the big question for Chicago Bears fans: How good are the Bears?
The Patriots are probably the best team the division-leading 9-1 Bears will play in the regular season. This game will be one of those reality checks—for both teams.
Another question: Can the Bears’s swarming defense thwart the Patriots’s outstanding group of receivers? So far, the Bears have won most challenges in the passing game.
The problem for the Bears is that New England has quarterback Tom Brady, who can find and hit his receivers (four TD passes last week!). He could be trouble if not harassed by the defense. Our qb, Rex Grossman, can sometimes find his receivers but struggles to hit them. However, the return of receivers Mark Bradley and Bernard Berrian could make patsies out of the Pats.
So the key to the game for both teams is rushing the quarterback.This is something the Bears have not done too well in recent games. When is the last time you heard of Tommie Harris or Adewale Ogunleye sacking the qb? How come rookie defensive end Mark Anderson is leading the team in sacks?
Do you feel that one of these teams is in for a rude shock? But which one?
If the game is close at halftime, the Bears will win.
The Patriots are probably the best team the division-leading 9-1 Bears will play in the regular season. This game will be one of those reality checks—for both teams.
Another question: Can the Bears’s swarming defense thwart the Patriots’s outstanding group of receivers? So far, the Bears have won most challenges in the passing game.
The problem for the Bears is that New England has quarterback Tom Brady, who can find and hit his receivers (four TD passes last week!). He could be trouble if not harassed by the defense. Our qb, Rex Grossman, can sometimes find his receivers but struggles to hit them. However, the return of receivers Mark Bradley and Bernard Berrian could make patsies out of the Pats.
So the key to the game for both teams is rushing the quarterback.This is something the Bears have not done too well in recent games. When is the last time you heard of Tommie Harris or Adewale Ogunleye sacking the qb? How come rookie defensive end Mark Anderson is leading the team in sacks?
Do you feel that one of these teams is in for a rude shock? But which one?
If the game is close at halftime, the Bears will win.
BOM (Brick-O-Meter) final update following the Illinois football team’s devastating 27-16 loss to Northwestern last weekend.
Before the game, the BOM registered 1,833 bricks. The BOM, which began at 100 bricks, measures football coach Ron Zook’s progress in building a foundation for the football program.
After the Northwestern game, the brick pile collapsed and all but a small pile of bricks got hauled away. The BOM ended its 2006 activity at a disappointing level of 75 bricks. Ouch!
Illinois won one Big Ten game, against Michigan State, and tied th
The loss to the Wildcats mirrored much of the season. The turnover parade continued, preserving Illinois’s dubious leadership in that category in the Big Ten and nationally. Ouch!
The Illini had a few exciting big plays, but too few. Against Northwestern, senior tailback Pierre Thomas had a 75-yard kickoff return. His successor, sophomore tailback Rashard Mendenhall, exploded up the middle for an 86-yard TD run.
For the most part, though, the offense was generally mediocre, the defense shined at times, and the special teams were undistinguished.
Biggest disappointment: Freshman quarterback Juice Williams showed little development at the end of the season.
Biggest surprise: Junior J Leman developed into one of the best linebackers in the country. It’s worth looking at his season ending highlights:
The Champaign native ended the 2006 season as the Big Ten's leading tackler with 152 tackles, the sixth-highest single-season total in Illinois history and the most since Darrick Brownlow collected 161 defensive stops in 1990.
Leman accumulated a career-high 22 defensive stops against Northwestern (11 solo tackles). His 22 tackles are the most by a conference player this year and equal the highest total by any NCAA Division I-A football player this season.
Leman finished this year ranked first in the Big Ten and second nationally with 12.7 tackles per outing in all games.
He also led the way with 13.4 defensive stops per contest in conference games only.
Leman’s performance against Northwestern earned him weekly Big Ten honors for the second time this season and in his career. He also had been lauded for his play against Ohio State.
Overall highlight of the season: The 17-10 loss to No. 1 ranked Ohio State. Kudos to the Illini for almost pulling off the upset of the season. The Illini blanked the mighty Buckeyes in the second half. This is the one game that everyone will remember with pride. And rightly so.
So what about Zook’s attempt to build a strong foundation for the football program? It’s barely breathing.
On the positive side, you can point to improved competitiveness over the 2005 team. That team got blown out of games so quickly you wanted to put a bag over your head if you attended the games. The 2005 team gave up 30 or more points to every conference opponent and twice gave up over 60 points. Not so the 2006 team. It was close to winning almost every conference game.
On the negative side, you see only one Big Ten victory--even though that’s one more than we had last year. Still, it’s hard to celebrate that skimpy improvement.
Perhaps it is most instructive to look at the Ohio State model for success. The Buckeyes lost nine defensive starters from the 2005 team and yet reloaded to produce another great defense in 2006. How is that possible?
Recruiting, recruiting, recruiting. Time to hit the road, Ron.
Before the game, the BOM registered 1,833 bricks. The BOM, which began at 100 bricks, measures football coach Ron Zook’s progress in building a foundation for the football program.
After the Northwestern game, the brick pile collapsed and all but a small pile of bricks got hauled away. The BOM ended its 2006 activity at a disappointing level of 75 bricks. Ouch!
Illinois won one Big Ten game, against Michigan State, and tied th
The loss to the Wildcats mirrored much of the season. The turnover parade continued, preserving Illinois’s dubious leadership in that category in the Big Ten and nationally. Ouch!
The Illini had a few exciting big plays, but too few. Against Northwestern, senior tailback Pierre Thomas had a 75-yard kickoff return. His successor, sophomore tailback Rashard Mendenhall, exploded up the middle for an 86-yard TD run.
For the most part, though, the offense was generally mediocre, the defense shined at times, and the special teams were undistinguished.
Biggest disappointment: Freshman quarterback Juice Williams showed little development at the end of the season.
Biggest surprise: Junior J Leman developed into one of the best linebackers in the country. It’s worth looking at his season ending highlights:
The Champaign native ended the 2006 season as the Big Ten's leading tackler with 152 tackles, the sixth-highest single-season total in Illinois history and the most since Darrick Brownlow collected 161 defensive stops in 1990.
Leman accumulated a career-high 22 defensive stops against Northwestern (11 solo tackles). His 22 tackles are the most by a conference player this year and equal the highest total by any NCAA Division I-A football player this season.
Leman finished this year ranked first in the Big Ten and second nationally with 12.7 tackles per outing in all games.
He also led the way with 13.4 defensive stops per contest in conference games only.
Leman’s performance against Northwestern earned him weekly Big Ten honors for the second time this season and in his career. He also had been lauded for his play against Ohio State.
Overall highlight of the season: The 17-10 loss to No. 1 ranked Ohio State. Kudos to the Illini for almost pulling off the upset of the season. The Illini blanked the mighty Buckeyes in the second half. This is the one game that everyone will remember with pride. And rightly so.
So what about Zook’s attempt to build a strong foundation for the football program? It’s barely breathing.
On the positive side, you can point to improved competitiveness over the 2005 team. That team got blown out of games so quickly you wanted to put a bag over your head if you attended the games. The 2005 team gave up 30 or more points to every conference opponent and twice gave up over 60 points. Not so the 2006 team. It was close to winning almost every conference game.
On the negative side, you see only one Big Ten victory--even though that’s one more than we had last year. Still, it’s hard to celebrate that skimpy improvement.
Perhaps it is most instructive to look at the Ohio State model for success. The Buckeyes lost nine defensive starters from the 2005 team and yet reloaded to produce another great defense in 2006. How is that possible?
Recruiting, recruiting, recruiting. Time to hit the road, Ron.
Monday, November 20, 2006
The humiliating 27-16 loss to Northwestern in the season finale was, unfortunately for the Illini football team, no moral victory. As noted in previous postings on Da Blog, moral victories are important because they imply some kind of virtue. They are awarded, for example, when a team beats the oddsmakers. Outfoxing the oddsmakers suggests the virtues of courage, determination, and zeal. Zeal veally leaves a good taste in your mouth. The Northwestern victory left a taste as bad as pickled peanut butter.
Now, let’s take a look at Illinois’s REAL final season record, which includes moral victories.
Eastern Illinois—win in standings…1-0
Rutgers—loss in standings………..1-1
Syracuse—loss in standings…….. 1-2
Iowa—moral victory………………. 1-2-1
Michigan State—win in standings. 2-2-1
Indiana—loss in standings………. 2-3-1
Ohio—loss in standings (ouch!)… 2-4-1
Penn State—moral victory………. 2-4-2
Wisconsin—moral victory…………2-4-3
Ohio State—moral victory………..2-4-4
Purdue—loss in standings….……2-5-4
Northwestern—loss in standings..2-6-4
Totals: Losses in standings—6
Wins in standings and moral victories—6
That doesn’t seem so bad.
Now, let’s take a look at Illinois’s REAL final season record, which includes moral victories.
Eastern Illinois—win in standings…1-0
Rutgers—loss in standings………..1-1
Syracuse—loss in standings…….. 1-2
Iowa—moral victory………………. 1-2-1
Michigan State—win in standings. 2-2-1
Indiana—loss in standings………. 2-3-1
Ohio—loss in standings (ouch!)… 2-4-1
Penn State—moral victory………. 2-4-2
Wisconsin—moral victory…………2-4-3
Ohio State—moral victory………..2-4-4
Purdue—loss in standings….……2-5-4
Northwestern—loss in standings..2-6-4
Totals: Losses in standings—6
Wins in standings and moral victories—6
That doesn’t seem so bad.
He did it! The blockbuster deal that Chicago Cubs fans have been waiting for. General Manager Jim Hendry added five-time All-Star Alfonso Soriano to the potent Cub lineup.
Soriano’s got so many positives we won’t try to review them all. But one statistic that jumps out (besides those 46 home runs) is 22 assists from the outfield! That’s nine more than the combined total of assists attributed to Matt Murton, Juan Pierre (so long, Juan, it was nice while it lasted), and Jacques Jones.
So does this deal make the Cubs automatic contenders? Or is the truth of the matter that the problem has always been the Cub uniform itself and it really doesn’t matter who the players are? Was the deal made to enhance the Cubs’s saleability? But who cares who owns the team? Or was the deal made just to win back the popularity contest with the White Sox? Man, this is heady stuff to consider. That is, we’re expending a lot of brain-cell activity about a lousy last-place baseball team.
We’ll, let’s take a stab at the first question. When D-Lee went down with his wrist problems last season, people wondered how many games the Cubs would have won with him in the lineup fulltime. Most fans estimated 30 some games. But a noted baseball statistician burst the fans’ balloon by putting the figure at 15 games, based on historical averages.
So that would mean the Cubs could improve on last season’s 66-96 record considerably with Soriano (figuring Aramis Ramirez stays healthy most of the year). That is, we add a plus 15 games for Soriano and a plus 15 games for Lee. Hey! Hey! We now add 30 wins and subtract 30 losses, ending up with a win-loss record of 96-66! That ought to do it.
You say 96-66?
Yes.
96-66. Brilliant!
But hold on. Don’t most people in the know say pitching is the key aspect of the game? How do the Cubs stack up in this area? Last time we checked (yesterday), the Cubs had a starting rotation of two, Carlos Zambrano and Rich Hill. Are we looking at a giant Cubs doughnut? Would the Soriano money have been better spent on two of the best available pitchers instead?
Conclusion: Let’s not get too excited until we see how Hendry reshapes the pitching corps. Wonder how much money is left in the pot to spend?
Anyway, Hendry certainly earns kudos for trying to improve the Cubs. And at least he still has not traded away any of our promising pitchers on the M squad: Marshall, Mateo, Marmol, and O’Malley.
So let’s see how Hendry has done so far in the postseason.
Activity……………………..Grade
Firing Dusty Baker………......B-
Hiring Lou Piniella……………A
Resigning Wade Miller……….B
Resigning Kerry Wood……….B
Resigning Aramis Ramirez….A
Acquiring Mark DeRosa……..C+
Resigning Henry Blanco….....A
Trading David Aardsma
and Carlos Vasquez……..A
Trading for Neal Cotts……….C-
Acquiring Alfonso Soriano…..A+
Now, how about getting some pitchers.
Soriano’s got so many positives we won’t try to review them all. But one statistic that jumps out (besides those 46 home runs) is 22 assists from the outfield! That’s nine more than the combined total of assists attributed to Matt Murton, Juan Pierre (so long, Juan, it was nice while it lasted), and Jacques Jones.
So does this deal make the Cubs automatic contenders? Or is the truth of the matter that the problem has always been the Cub uniform itself and it really doesn’t matter who the players are? Was the deal made to enhance the Cubs’s saleability? But who cares who owns the team? Or was the deal made just to win back the popularity contest with the White Sox? Man, this is heady stuff to consider. That is, we’re expending a lot of brain-cell activity about a lousy last-place baseball team.
We’ll, let’s take a stab at the first question. When D-Lee went down with his wrist problems last season, people wondered how many games the Cubs would have won with him in the lineup fulltime. Most fans estimated 30 some games. But a noted baseball statistician burst the fans’ balloon by putting the figure at 15 games, based on historical averages.
So that would mean the Cubs could improve on last season’s 66-96 record considerably with Soriano (figuring Aramis Ramirez stays healthy most of the year). That is, we add a plus 15 games for Soriano and a plus 15 games for Lee. Hey! Hey! We now add 30 wins and subtract 30 losses, ending up with a win-loss record of 96-66! That ought to do it.
You say 96-66?
Yes.
96-66. Brilliant!
But hold on. Don’t most people in the know say pitching is the key aspect of the game? How do the Cubs stack up in this area? Last time we checked (yesterday), the Cubs had a starting rotation of two, Carlos Zambrano and Rich Hill. Are we looking at a giant Cubs doughnut? Would the Soriano money have been better spent on two of the best available pitchers instead?
Conclusion: Let’s not get too excited until we see how Hendry reshapes the pitching corps. Wonder how much money is left in the pot to spend?
Anyway, Hendry certainly earns kudos for trying to improve the Cubs. And at least he still has not traded away any of our promising pitchers on the M squad: Marshall, Mateo, Marmol, and O’Malley.
So let’s see how Hendry has done so far in the postseason.
Activity……………………..Grade
Firing Dusty Baker………......B-
Hiring Lou Piniella……………A
Resigning Wade Miller……….B
Resigning Kerry Wood……….B
Resigning Aramis Ramirez….A
Acquiring Mark DeRosa……..C+
Resigning Henry Blanco….....A
Trading David Aardsma
and Carlos Vasquez……..A
Trading for Neal Cotts……….C-
Acquiring Alfonso Soriano…..A+
Now, how about getting some pitchers.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
The Sharpshooter from Champaign. Playing their fourth game in six days, the Fighting Illini basketball team ran its record to 4-0 by crushing spunky Florida A&M 84-63 today in Assembly Hall. The victory marked the 50th straight nonconference home-court win, the longest such streak in the nation.
But the outcome was more in doubt than in any of the previous games, all played without the team’s three leading scorers. The missing players were Brian Randle (groin surgery), Jamar Smith (ankle injury), and Rich McBride (suspension for DUI).
The Florida A&M Rattlers, consisting of several Chicago and northern Illinois players, struck early and often right from the start. The chief Rattler, L .C. Robinson, dropped four threes on the Illini and helped the Rattlers take a 38-34 lead at halftime. The Illini looked tired during the first half and could not get the ball to their bigs.
The deficit would have been much greater had it not been for the Sharpshooter from Champaign. Guard Trent Meacham, who grew up in the Champaign/Urbana area and originally attended Dayton before transferring to Illinois, was sensational, matching Robinson’s four threes.
The current version of Illinois’s s three-headed monster luckily arrived for the second half.
Guards Calvin Brock and Chester Frazier supported Meacham in unleashing a devastating attack on the Rattlers, defanging them with seven more three’s (four by Meachem, two by Brock, and one by Frazier). Meacham’s total of eight threes tied a school record of threes in a single game, shared by Kevin Turner and Dee Brown. Brock scored 18 points in a breakout game that had the fans cheering wildly. Brock, a former Chicago Player of the Year, also had nine rebounds and five assists. Frazier started slowly but finished in a rush with 13 points and 10 assists. Center Shaun Pruitt continued his development with 14 points and nine rebounds.
By the time the smoke from the Illini basket barrage cleared, the Assembly Hall streak was still alive. And fans were working on a new sign. It said: Welcome home, Trent.
But the outcome was more in doubt than in any of the previous games, all played without the team’s three leading scorers. The missing players were Brian Randle (groin surgery), Jamar Smith (ankle injury), and Rich McBride (suspension for DUI).
The Florida A&M Rattlers, consisting of several Chicago and northern Illinois players, struck early and often right from the start. The chief Rattler, L .C. Robinson, dropped four threes on the Illini and helped the Rattlers take a 38-34 lead at halftime. The Illini looked tired during the first half and could not get the ball to their bigs.
The deficit would have been much greater had it not been for the Sharpshooter from Champaign. Guard Trent Meacham, who grew up in the Champaign/Urbana area and originally attended Dayton before transferring to Illinois, was sensational, matching Robinson’s four threes.
The current version of Illinois’s s three-headed monster luckily arrived for the second half.
Guards Calvin Brock and Chester Frazier supported Meacham in unleashing a devastating attack on the Rattlers, defanging them with seven more three’s (four by Meachem, two by Brock, and one by Frazier). Meacham’s total of eight threes tied a school record of threes in a single game, shared by Kevin Turner and Dee Brown. Brock scored 18 points in a breakout game that had the fans cheering wildly. Brock, a former Chicago Player of the Year, also had nine rebounds and five assists. Frazier started slowly but finished in a rush with 13 points and 10 assists. Center Shaun Pruitt continued his development with 14 points and nine rebounds.
By the time the smoke from the Illini basket barrage cleared, the Assembly Hall streak was still alive. And fans were working on a new sign. It said: Welcome home, Trent.
Can’t the 9-1 division-leading Chicago Bears play more road games at the Meadowlands?
The Bears won their second straight game there today by blanking and spanking the fired-up New York Jets 10-0. A week ago, the Bears beat the hopeful New York Giants on the same site. Doesn’t it seem as if every team the Bears play is more pumped than the machinelike Bears? The Bears are so confident they can win every game they feel no need for trash talking during the week. Nice way to approach each game.
Against the mistake-prone Jets, the Bears patiently waited for their gifts. The first one came when the jets appeared ready to score on a long drive in the second quarter. However, Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher intercepted a throw by Jet quarterback Chad Pennington in the end zone. Bear cornerback Nathan Vasher also intercepted a Pennington pass.
Another Jets gift occurred at the start of the second half with a surprise onside kick. But Bear safety Chris Harris caught the kick. The Bears soon took a 3-0 lead on a Robbie Gould field goal.
The game’s only touchdown came in the fourth quarter when Bears quarterback Rex Grossman threw a short pass in the flat to wide receiver Mark Bradley, and Bradley outran a gaggle of pursuers on a 57-yard dash into the end zone.
With Thomas Jones putting on another display of hard-hitting running (his fourth straight 100-yard game) and Bradley catching a series of critical passes, the Bear offense controlled the end of the game. Another welcome sight was the return of speedy receiver Bernard Berrian although Bradley did all the damage in this game’s passing attack.
As usual, the entire defense was superb. Urlacher led the way with over 10 tackles to go with his drive-killing interception. Lance Briggs, Peanut Tillman, Hunter Hillenmeyer, Todd Johnson, and Mark Anderson also contributed solid games. The Jets offense got 264 total yards. No team has run up 300 or more yards against the Bears.
As for Rex Grossman, man, that was another gross performance: only 119 yards passing. Rex, what are we going to do with you? Or a better question: How far can you take us?
The Bears won their second straight game there today by blanking and spanking the fired-up New York Jets 10-0. A week ago, the Bears beat the hopeful New York Giants on the same site. Doesn’t it seem as if every team the Bears play is more pumped than the machinelike Bears? The Bears are so confident they can win every game they feel no need for trash talking during the week. Nice way to approach each game.
Against the mistake-prone Jets, the Bears patiently waited for their gifts. The first one came when the jets appeared ready to score on a long drive in the second quarter. However, Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher intercepted a throw by Jet quarterback Chad Pennington in the end zone. Bear cornerback Nathan Vasher also intercepted a Pennington pass.
Another Jets gift occurred at the start of the second half with a surprise onside kick. But Bear safety Chris Harris caught the kick. The Bears soon took a 3-0 lead on a Robbie Gould field goal.
The game’s only touchdown came in the fourth quarter when Bears quarterback Rex Grossman threw a short pass in the flat to wide receiver Mark Bradley, and Bradley outran a gaggle of pursuers on a 57-yard dash into the end zone.
With Thomas Jones putting on another display of hard-hitting running (his fourth straight 100-yard game) and Bradley catching a series of critical passes, the Bear offense controlled the end of the game. Another welcome sight was the return of speedy receiver Bernard Berrian although Bradley did all the damage in this game’s passing attack.
As usual, the entire defense was superb. Urlacher led the way with over 10 tackles to go with his drive-killing interception. Lance Briggs, Peanut Tillman, Hunter Hillenmeyer, Todd Johnson, and Mark Anderson also contributed solid games. The Jets offense got 264 total yards. No team has run up 300 or more yards against the Bears.
As for Rex Grossman, man, that was another gross performance: only 119 yards passing. Rex, what are we going to do with you? Or a better question: How far can you take us?
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Illini football coach Ron Zook wanted to start a streak by beating Northwestern today. He figured his team had a good chance since it led Northwestern in every major statistical category, including scoring offense and scoring defense. He got a streak all right—a seven-game losing streak—as the 2006 campaign climaxed with an embarrassing 27-16 loss to the Wildcats in Evanston. Northwestern recovered Illini fumbles on a punt return and a kickoff return to help its cause.
The loss also gave Illinois a 1-7 Big Ten record and tied it for last place in the conference with Michigan State, the only Big Ten team it beat. Illinois’s overall record was 2-10. For 2005, it was 2-9 overall and 0-8 in the conference.
The Illini suffered through the same plagues most of the season:
Poor passing by freshman Juice Williams. Against Northwestern, he completed 4 of 17 passes for 65 yards. Williams ranks last among Big Ten quarterbacks in completion percentage.
Dropped passes. The Illini had a ton of these, making it difficult to sustain a drive. All the receivers contributed key dropsies.
Poor field position. It seemed like the Illini were always starting drives from inside the 20-yard line and their opponents were starting from about the 40. That doesn’t seem fair. And the Illini punting? Had to be the worst in the conference. Fixing this problem should head the to-do list.
Turnovers. Ouch! Can you believe that the Illini led the conference and were among the worst five teams in this category in the country? That’s out of 119 teams!
Hope the administrators will keep Illinois among Division-A schools. Is there something like being put on probation if you remain a leader in turnovers?
Through all the gloom and doom, however, there were some good things. Senior tailback Pierre Thomas added to his school record in kickoff returns with a 75-yarder against Northwestern. And Juice added to his school record for single season rushing yardage for a quarterback. Sophomore tailback Rashard Mendenhall continued to show flashes of brilliance with an 86-yard TD run against the Wildcats and another 100-yard rushing performance.
On defense, a number of players emerged as genuine stars, led by junior middle linebacker J Leman and freshman safety Vontae Davis. Britt Miller, Chris Norwell, Derek Walker, Antonio Steele, David Lindquist, Kevin Mitchell, and Alan Ball also sparkled much of the time. All but Ball return next season. Kicker Jason Reda also distinguished himself.
After the Northwestern game, Zook was asked to discuss the team’s chiel needs. He said, sadly, “There are so many,” and left it at that.
The loss also gave Illinois a 1-7 Big Ten record and tied it for last place in the conference with Michigan State, the only Big Ten team it beat. Illinois’s overall record was 2-10. For 2005, it was 2-9 overall and 0-8 in the conference.
The Illini suffered through the same plagues most of the season:
Poor passing by freshman Juice Williams. Against Northwestern, he completed 4 of 17 passes for 65 yards. Williams ranks last among Big Ten quarterbacks in completion percentage.
Dropped passes. The Illini had a ton of these, making it difficult to sustain a drive. All the receivers contributed key dropsies.
Poor field position. It seemed like the Illini were always starting drives from inside the 20-yard line and their opponents were starting from about the 40. That doesn’t seem fair. And the Illini punting? Had to be the worst in the conference. Fixing this problem should head the to-do list.
Turnovers. Ouch! Can you believe that the Illini led the conference and were among the worst five teams in this category in the country? That’s out of 119 teams!
Hope the administrators will keep Illinois among Division-A schools. Is there something like being put on probation if you remain a leader in turnovers?
Through all the gloom and doom, however, there were some good things. Senior tailback Pierre Thomas added to his school record in kickoff returns with a 75-yarder against Northwestern. And Juice added to his school record for single season rushing yardage for a quarterback. Sophomore tailback Rashard Mendenhall continued to show flashes of brilliance with an 86-yard TD run against the Wildcats and another 100-yard rushing performance.
On defense, a number of players emerged as genuine stars, led by junior middle linebacker J Leman and freshman safety Vontae Davis. Britt Miller, Chris Norwell, Derek Walker, Antonio Steele, David Lindquist, Kevin Mitchell, and Alan Ball also sparkled much of the time. All but Ball return next season. Kicker Jason Reda also distinguished himself.
After the Northwestern game, Zook was asked to discuss the team’s chiel needs. He said, sadly, “There are so many,” and left it at that.
More strange doings at Assembly Hall yesterday as the Illini basketball team hammered Georgia Southern into submission 85-50. The undermanned Illini showed no effects of missing three key players as they overwhelmed a team that led Duke at halftime in a recent game. The victory marked the 49th straight nonconference home-court win streak, longest in the country.
The most unbelievable statistic was free-throw shooting, probably the weakest part of the Illini game so far. So how did the Illini address this concern? By making 31 of 41 attempts!
The missing players, Brian Randle (groin surgery), Jamar Smith (ankle injury), and Rich McBride (suspension for DUI), are all probable starters. Who would have figured Illinois would be doing so well without them?
Another unusual development last night was the sharpshooting of senior forward Warren Carter, who opened quickly with a three and two other baskets. Unfortunately for Carter (12 points) and Illini fans, he also got in foul trouble quickly and sat on the bench for much of the game.
Fortunately for the Illini, however, Trent Meacham (19 points), Calvin Brock (17 points), and Chester Frazier (10 points) ran Bruce Weber’s motion offense very well, and Georgia Southern caught motion sickness that rendered them toothless. The guards’s re-creation of Illinois’s famous three-headed monster kept Georgia Southern 20 to 30 points in arrears most of the game.
Welcome back, monster.
The most unbelievable statistic was free-throw shooting, probably the weakest part of the Illini game so far. So how did the Illini address this concern? By making 31 of 41 attempts!
The missing players, Brian Randle (groin surgery), Jamar Smith (ankle injury), and Rich McBride (suspension for DUI), are all probable starters. Who would have figured Illinois would be doing so well without them?
Another unusual development last night was the sharpshooting of senior forward Warren Carter, who opened quickly with a three and two other baskets. Unfortunately for Carter (12 points) and Illini fans, he also got in foul trouble quickly and sat on the bench for much of the game.
Fortunately for the Illini, however, Trent Meacham (19 points), Calvin Brock (17 points), and Chester Frazier (10 points) ran Bruce Weber’s motion offense very well, and Georgia Southern caught motion sickness that rendered them toothless. The guards’s re-creation of Illinois’s famous three-headed monster kept Georgia Southern 20 to 30 points in arrears most of the game.
Welcome back, monster.
Friday, November 17, 2006
More tweaking yesterday by Chicago Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry: A deal with the White Sox that probably will be underwhelming for both teams.
Hendry certainly earns kudos for trying. At least he did little harm to the existing roster—that is, he did not give up any of our promising pitchers on the M squad: Marshall, Mateo, Marmol, and O’Malley.
In the latest deal, Neal Cotts had a 1-2 record and an ERA of 5.17 last season for the White Sox. He gave up 12 homers. Ouch! David Aardsma was 3-0 with an ERA of 4.08. for the Cubs. He was rarely effective. Good-bye and good luck. Carlos (who’s he?) Vasquez, how come the Cubs didn’t bring him up for a look last season? Seems like they brought every other minor league hurler up.
So let’s see how Hendry has done so far in the postseason.
Activity……………………..Grade
Firing Dusty Baker………......B-
Hiring Lou Piniella……………A
Resigning Wade Miller……….B
Resigning Kerry Wood……….B
Resigning Aramis Ramirez….A
Acquiring Mark DeRosa……..C+
Resigning Henry Blanco….....A
Trading David Aardsma
and Carlos Vasquez……..A
Trading for Neal Cotts… ….C-
Now, about that blockbuster signing that will get us where we want to go? Still waiting.
Hendry certainly earns kudos for trying. At least he did little harm to the existing roster—that is, he did not give up any of our promising pitchers on the M squad: Marshall, Mateo, Marmol, and O’Malley.
In the latest deal, Neal Cotts had a 1-2 record and an ERA of 5.17 last season for the White Sox. He gave up 12 homers. Ouch! David Aardsma was 3-0 with an ERA of 4.08. for the Cubs. He was rarely effective. Good-bye and good luck. Carlos (who’s he?) Vasquez, how come the Cubs didn’t bring him up for a look last season? Seems like they brought every other minor league hurler up.
So let’s see how Hendry has done so far in the postseason.
Activity……………………..Grade
Firing Dusty Baker………......B-
Hiring Lou Piniella……………A
Resigning Wade Miller……….B
Resigning Kerry Wood……….B
Resigning Aramis Ramirez….A
Acquiring Mark DeRosa……..C+
Resigning Henry Blanco….....A
Trading David Aardsma
and Carlos Vasquez……..A
Trading for Neal Cotts… ….C-
Now, about that blockbuster signing that will get us where we want to go? Still waiting.
A visitor to the blog snickering at Kansas’s loss to Oral Roberts:
And North Carolina was lucky to beat Winthrop at home. I heard the game on radio last night and was delighted to hear Bruce Weber chortle over Indiana losing to Butler in the NIT. Clearly there is no love lost on our part there.
In a way I feel for Kelvin Sampson. He was thrown into a situation not of his making, but he will still take plenty of heat. When Indiana comes to Champaign the Big Ten better call out the National Guard.
Re the Jackson State game: It's an indication of the talent gap between these bottom division one teams and major programs when Illinois can take out Jackson State with our three best players out. It's too bad that Randle and Smith probably won't be able to play against Arizona and Maryland. Those are the two money games in the preseason, and I don't think we win with both of them out.
It's good to see Brock playing well, though I kept waiting for Meacham to contribute. Carlwell may be a force early rather than later. We have plenty of big bodies in the front line but we need back court depth. McBride better come out hitting three pointers or we are dead until Smith comes back.
I fear Randle is one of those brittle types who can never stay healthy. He could have been an All American. Charles Jackson looks like a waste of space right now, and Arnold apparently has regressed into a nonfactor. What few minutes he was going to get will go to Carlwell.
The visitor makes some good points although Arnold may surprise. Carlwell looks like a beast and, with Pruitt and Carter, should give Illinois one of the best front lines in the conference.
But the biggest or best surprise will be Chester Frazier. This guy is a bulldog who sticks his nose in there with the bigs and has shown a decent shot. In fact, the whole team looks like a bunch of overachievers. Reminds one of the little engine that could.
And North Carolina was lucky to beat Winthrop at home. I heard the game on radio last night and was delighted to hear Bruce Weber chortle over Indiana losing to Butler in the NIT. Clearly there is no love lost on our part there.
In a way I feel for Kelvin Sampson. He was thrown into a situation not of his making, but he will still take plenty of heat. When Indiana comes to Champaign the Big Ten better call out the National Guard.
Re the Jackson State game: It's an indication of the talent gap between these bottom division one teams and major programs when Illinois can take out Jackson State with our three best players out. It's too bad that Randle and Smith probably won't be able to play against Arizona and Maryland. Those are the two money games in the preseason, and I don't think we win with both of them out.
It's good to see Brock playing well, though I kept waiting for Meacham to contribute. Carlwell may be a force early rather than later. We have plenty of big bodies in the front line but we need back court depth. McBride better come out hitting three pointers or we are dead until Smith comes back.
I fear Randle is one of those brittle types who can never stay healthy. He could have been an All American. Charles Jackson looks like a waste of space right now, and Arnold apparently has regressed into a nonfactor. What few minutes he was going to get will go to Carlwell.
The visitor makes some good points although Arnold may surprise. Carlwell looks like a beast and, with Pruitt and Carter, should give Illinois one of the best front lines in the conference.
But the biggest or best surprise will be Chester Frazier. This guy is a bulldog who sticks his nose in there with the bigs and has shown a decent shot. In fact, the whole team looks like a bunch of overachievers. Reminds one of the little engine that could.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Wow! Another excellent move by Chicago Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry: signing reserve catcher Henry Blanco.
Thought Henry was going on the open market after he proved his value last season in subbing for Michael Barrett.
Hendry certainly earns an A on this postseason move.
So how's Hendry done so far (this postseason period may be more exciting than last year’s regular season!).
Activity……………………..Grade
Firing Dusty Baker………......B-
Hiring Lou Piniella……………A
Resigning Wade Miller……….B
Resigning Kerry Wood……….B
Resigning Aramis Ramirez….A
Acquiring Mark DeRosa……..C+
Resigning Henry Blanco….....A
Now, give us that blockbuster signing that will get us where we want to go.
Thought Henry was going on the open market after he proved his value last season in subbing for Michael Barrett.
Hendry certainly earns an A on this postseason move.
So how's Hendry done so far (this postseason period may be more exciting than last year’s regular season!).
Activity……………………..Grade
Firing Dusty Baker………......B-
Hiring Lou Piniella……………A
Resigning Wade Miller……….B
Resigning Kerry Wood……….B
Resigning Aramis Ramirez….A
Acquiring Mark DeRosa……..C+
Resigning Henry Blanco….....A
Now, give us that blockbuster signing that will get us where we want to go.
Possibly the most amazing thing about the Illinois basketball team’s 76-55 scorching of Jackson State yesterday was that you could hear Illini coach Bruce Weber barking out instructions on your radio.
No wonder he can barely squeak out his responses to interviewers.
Weber was particularly provoked by his team’s lackadaisical play during most of the first half. Deficits of 10-14 points (10-0) and 18-4) had him steaming. Fortunately, Weber was able to fire up his young cagers, who turned up their defensive thermostats. Guard Chester Frazier led a torrid comeback, and the smokin' Illini walked off the court at halftime with the score 34-34.
Illinois opened the second half on fire again and cooked Jackson State with a swarming defense, tenacious rebounding, and sizzling shooting (hitting 73.9 percent of their shots in the half). The percentage was high mainly because Weber drilled it into the heads of his guards that the Illini bigs were much taller and stronger than the Jackson State bigs. Then followed a parade of passes into the post players, and the Illini pulled away from their torched opponents.
The barbecue of Jackson State pleased Weber on several counts. Jackson State was not chopped liver. It is favored to win its league title and qualify for the Big Dance. The Illini were missing three of their key players, the suspended Rich McBride and the injured Jamar Smith and Brian Randle. Weber especially liked what he saw of Warren Carter (16 points, 15 rebounds), Frazier (14 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists), Shaun Pruitt (15 points), and Calvin Brock (14 points). Freshmen Brian Carlwell and Richard Semrau and newcomer Trent Meacham pitched in with impressive baskets as well.
Senior Marcus Arnold was the only Illini who failed to get into the flow of the game. Look for a breakout game coming up.
Was there ever the fear that lllinois would lose to Jackson State? Nah, not with its sixth man—Assembly Hall.
No wonder he can barely squeak out his responses to interviewers.
Weber was particularly provoked by his team’s lackadaisical play during most of the first half. Deficits of 10-14 points (10-0) and 18-4) had him steaming. Fortunately, Weber was able to fire up his young cagers, who turned up their defensive thermostats. Guard Chester Frazier led a torrid comeback, and the smokin' Illini walked off the court at halftime with the score 34-34.
Illinois opened the second half on fire again and cooked Jackson State with a swarming defense, tenacious rebounding, and sizzling shooting (hitting 73.9 percent of their shots in the half). The percentage was high mainly because Weber drilled it into the heads of his guards that the Illini bigs were much taller and stronger than the Jackson State bigs. Then followed a parade of passes into the post players, and the Illini pulled away from their torched opponents.
The barbecue of Jackson State pleased Weber on several counts. Jackson State was not chopped liver. It is favored to win its league title and qualify for the Big Dance. The Illini were missing three of their key players, the suspended Rich McBride and the injured Jamar Smith and Brian Randle. Weber especially liked what he saw of Warren Carter (16 points, 15 rebounds), Frazier (14 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists), Shaun Pruitt (15 points), and Calvin Brock (14 points). Freshmen Brian Carlwell and Richard Semrau and newcomer Trent Meacham pitched in with impressive baskets as well.
Senior Marcus Arnold was the only Illini who failed to get into the flow of the game. Look for a breakout game coming up.
Was there ever the fear that lllinois would lose to Jackson State? Nah, not with its sixth man—Assembly Hall.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
BOM (Brick-O-Meter) update following the Illinois football team’s 42-31 loss to Purdue last weekend.
Before the game, the BOM stood at a burgeoning 2,183 bricks. The BOM, which began at 100 bricks, measures football coach Ron Zook’s progress in building a foundation for the football program.
The loss to the Boilermakers was disappointing following the 17-10 near upset of the Ohio State Goliaths. Subtract 300 bricks. Take away 150 bricks for allowing Purdue a TD on a fumble recovery in the end zone in the second quarter. Still, the game was competitive, so give the pile 150 bricks for Illinois’s 16-14 halftime lead.
Add 100 bricks for Illinois tailback Rashard Mendenhall’s 8-yard TD run at the start of the third quarter. Then Illinois reverted to its former self-destruct mode. Subtract 100 bricks for allowing Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter to run 42 yards untouched into the Illini end zone in the third quarter. Ouch! Subtract 150 bricks for allowing Purdue to score two TD’s in the fourth quarter.
The Illini stifled themselves again as Purdue intercepted one Juice Williams pass and recovered four Illini fumbles. The five turnovers gave Illinois a Big Ten leading number of 32 giveaways. Subtract 200 bricks.
On the other hand, both Williams and tailback Pierre Thomas rushed for over 100 yards. Give the pile 100 bricks for each of these accomplishments. Williams’s 145 rushing yards put him over the 500-yard mark, setting a school record for rushing by a quarterback in a single season. His total exceeded Tim Brasic’s record of 470 yards. Add 100 bricks. Thomas also returned three kickoffs for 92 yards, setting a school record of 1,420 yards in that category. Add another 100 bricks.
The Illini defense, which had shut out No. 1 ranked Ohio State in the second half, ran out of gas in the fourth quarter against Purdue. Subtract 100 bricks. Unfortunately, the loss was not a moral victory since Illinois was given a chance to win. No bricks for oddsmakers’s insults, either.
So the BOM now stands at 1,833 bricks with one game remaining, against arch rival Northwestern. Zook says the Illini need a victory to get a streak going. Makes sense. But avoiding a last-place finish or a tie for last place seems a better goal. And then there’s that foundation thing.
Before the game, the BOM stood at a burgeoning 2,183 bricks. The BOM, which began at 100 bricks, measures football coach Ron Zook’s progress in building a foundation for the football program.
The loss to the Boilermakers was disappointing following the 17-10 near upset of the Ohio State Goliaths. Subtract 300 bricks. Take away 150 bricks for allowing Purdue a TD on a fumble recovery in the end zone in the second quarter. Still, the game was competitive, so give the pile 150 bricks for Illinois’s 16-14 halftime lead.
Add 100 bricks for Illinois tailback Rashard Mendenhall’s 8-yard TD run at the start of the third quarter. Then Illinois reverted to its former self-destruct mode. Subtract 100 bricks for allowing Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter to run 42 yards untouched into the Illini end zone in the third quarter. Ouch! Subtract 150 bricks for allowing Purdue to score two TD’s in the fourth quarter.
The Illini stifled themselves again as Purdue intercepted one Juice Williams pass and recovered four Illini fumbles. The five turnovers gave Illinois a Big Ten leading number of 32 giveaways. Subtract 200 bricks.
On the other hand, both Williams and tailback Pierre Thomas rushed for over 100 yards. Give the pile 100 bricks for each of these accomplishments. Williams’s 145 rushing yards put him over the 500-yard mark, setting a school record for rushing by a quarterback in a single season. His total exceeded Tim Brasic’s record of 470 yards. Add 100 bricks. Thomas also returned three kickoffs for 92 yards, setting a school record of 1,420 yards in that category. Add another 100 bricks.
The Illini defense, which had shut out No. 1 ranked Ohio State in the second half, ran out of gas in the fourth quarter against Purdue. Subtract 100 bricks. Unfortunately, the loss was not a moral victory since Illinois was given a chance to win. No bricks for oddsmakers’s insults, either.
So the BOM now stands at 1,833 bricks with one game remaining, against arch rival Northwestern. Zook says the Illini need a victory to get a streak going. Makes sense. But avoiding a last-place finish or a tie for last place seems a better goal. And then there’s that foundation thing.
Chicago Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry did a little tweaking with the roster by signing utility infielder Mark DeRosa yesterday. Hendry is just full of surprises, as a good GM should be. Who knew the Cubs were looking for another second baseman? However, what does this mean for one of the most promising Cub rookies last year, Ryan Theriot?
In an eight-year career in the majors, DeRosa has only put up decent numbers one year, in 2006, when he hit .296 and drove in 74 runs for Texas. Theriot became a Wrigley Field favorite when he hit everything in sight in about 40 games at the end of last season. Signing DeRosa is a good insurance move. But hopefully Theriot will be given a chance to win the second base position in spring training. Nice problem to have.
Meanwhile, does anyone else think that Kerry Wood is just not suited to the closer role? Wood generally failed to pitch a good first inning as a starter. He tried various warmup approaches but consistently had trouble in the early innings. Not what you want in a closer. Hope the “experiment” works although why not put Wood back in the starting rotation if he can pitch at all?
Most published reports mention that the Cubs expect to lose centerfielder Juan Pierre. Too bad. He was starting to play pretty well. So what’s up with centerfielder Felix Pie, the jewel of the Cubs minor league system? The silence about him is becoming deafening.
In an eight-year career in the majors, DeRosa has only put up decent numbers one year, in 2006, when he hit .296 and drove in 74 runs for Texas. Theriot became a Wrigley Field favorite when he hit everything in sight in about 40 games at the end of last season. Signing DeRosa is a good insurance move. But hopefully Theriot will be given a chance to win the second base position in spring training. Nice problem to have.
Meanwhile, does anyone else think that Kerry Wood is just not suited to the closer role? Wood generally failed to pitch a good first inning as a starter. He tried various warmup approaches but consistently had trouble in the early innings. Not what you want in a closer. Hope the “experiment” works although why not put Wood back in the starting rotation if he can pitch at all?
Most published reports mention that the Cubs expect to lose centerfielder Juan Pierre. Too bad. He was starting to play pretty well. So what’s up with centerfielder Felix Pie, the jewel of the Cubs minor league system? The silence about him is becoming deafening.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
At last, good news about Chicago Cub third baseman Aramis Ramirez. He re-upped for at least five more years despite published reports that had him heading west. Ramirez and D-Lee may give the Cubs the best one-two punch in the league.
The next order of business for general manager Jim Hendry is to find a closer, two more starters, a closer, a centerfielder, and a closer. The Cubs need a closer real bad. Check with the White Sox for a starter. Maybe they would be interested in Jacque Jones.
Other suggestions:
Consider Michael Barrett for the leadoff position. He’s a .300 hitter and would get on base a lot for the power hitters.
Don’t give up on Matt Murton. He may be the next Craig Biggio.
Get an upgrade on Jacque Jones.
Has Ronny Cedeno been shipped to the Uruguayan League yet?
Is anyone else concerned about the new hitting coach, who has a career batting average of .265? Isn’t the idea to get someone who knows how to hit? Check to see if Tony Gwynn is available.
So the Cubs have frozen season ticket prices. Anybody think that maybe the prices should have been cut?
The next order of business for general manager Jim Hendry is to find a closer, two more starters, a closer, a centerfielder, and a closer. The Cubs need a closer real bad. Check with the White Sox for a starter. Maybe they would be interested in Jacque Jones.
Other suggestions:
Consider Michael Barrett for the leadoff position. He’s a .300 hitter and would get on base a lot for the power hitters.
Don’t give up on Matt Murton. He may be the next Craig Biggio.
Get an upgrade on Jacque Jones.
Has Ronny Cedeno been shipped to the Uruguayan League yet?
Is anyone else concerned about the new hitting coach, who has a career batting average of .265? Isn’t the idea to get someone who knows how to hit? Check to see if Tony Gwynn is available.
So the Cubs have frozen season ticket prices. Anybody think that maybe the prices should have been cut?
Hooray. It’s back! College basketball. Road to the Final Four. Cinderella teams. Davids versus Goliaths. Ya just gotta love it.
Illini coach Bruce (Squeaky) Weber led his 2006-07 version onto the court last night in the season opener, and Illinois grilled Austin Peay 80-35. It was lopsided from start to finish and gave fans their first opportunity to see freshman Brian Carlwell. At 6-10, 265-pounds, there was a lot to see. He contributed six rebounds and a crowd-pleasing, monster dunk in the mop-up period.
Sophomore scoring machine Jamar Smith led the Illini with 19 points, but went out with an ankle injury early in the second half. Before leaving, Smith had hit five threes. But his most spectacular basket was a layup off a 360-degree spin among three defenders. He got a standing ovation for that one.
One question that was answered convincingly was how much intensity does this team have? Answer: Lots. The defense was sensational, resembling the swarming defense of the football team. The 35 points the Illini gave up—(1 point more than the lowest previous total of 34 points in Assembly Hall) was much more impressive than the 80 points they scored. Weber demands a sticky defense, and he got it. Austin Peay was held to only 15 points in the entire second half.
Weber also must have loved his team’s unselfish play. Time after time, various players passed up open shots to work for better shots. The Illini ended up with 17 assists. Weber did a lot of smiling.
Not that the shooting was bad. Illinois hit eight threes and shot 54 percent from the field.
If there was anything that may have irked Weber, it was poor free-throw shooting, 12 of 27. This won’t do. Oh well, it gives the Illini something to work on for the next game.
Illini coach Bruce (Squeaky) Weber led his 2006-07 version onto the court last night in the season opener, and Illinois grilled Austin Peay 80-35. It was lopsided from start to finish and gave fans their first opportunity to see freshman Brian Carlwell. At 6-10, 265-pounds, there was a lot to see. He contributed six rebounds and a crowd-pleasing, monster dunk in the mop-up period.
Sophomore scoring machine Jamar Smith led the Illini with 19 points, but went out with an ankle injury early in the second half. Before leaving, Smith had hit five threes. But his most spectacular basket was a layup off a 360-degree spin among three defenders. He got a standing ovation for that one.
One question that was answered convincingly was how much intensity does this team have? Answer: Lots. The defense was sensational, resembling the swarming defense of the football team. The 35 points the Illini gave up—(1 point more than the lowest previous total of 34 points in Assembly Hall) was much more impressive than the 80 points they scored. Weber demands a sticky defense, and he got it. Austin Peay was held to only 15 points in the entire second half.
Weber also must have loved his team’s unselfish play. Time after time, various players passed up open shots to work for better shots. The Illini ended up with 17 assists. Weber did a lot of smiling.
Not that the shooting was bad. Illinois hit eight threes and shot 54 percent from the field.
If there was anything that may have irked Weber, it was poor free-throw shooting, 12 of 27. This won’t do. Oh well, it gives the Illini something to work on for the next game.
The Northwestern Wildcats football team has lost 10 fumbles and had 17 passes intercepted this season. Ouch!
The Fighting Illini, however, lead the Big Ten in turnovers (and rank 116th out of 119 Division-A schools in giveaways), with a total of 32. Double ouch!
Statistically, Illinois has the edge in both offense and defense as well as turnovers. But go figure these results.The Illini beat Michigan State. Northwestern lost to MSU. Illinois lost to Iowa. Northwestern beat Iowa.
Both teams are 1-6 in the Big Ten. Basically this game is the Illinois Bowl for these intense rivals, who hook up this weekend in Evanston. So what kind of a season finale for both teams will it be?
Probably a thriller.
Surely a laugher.
The Fighting Illini, however, lead the Big Ten in turnovers (and rank 116th out of 119 Division-A schools in giveaways), with a total of 32. Double ouch!
Statistically, Illinois has the edge in both offense and defense as well as turnovers. But go figure these results.The Illini beat Michigan State. Northwestern lost to MSU. Illinois lost to Iowa. Northwestern beat Iowa.
Both teams are 1-6 in the Big Ten. Basically this game is the Illinois Bowl for these intense rivals, who hook up this weekend in Evanston. So what kind of a season finale for both teams will it be?
Probably a thriller.
Surely a laugher.
Monday, November 13, 2006
So this is how it’s going to be. The Chicago Bears are going to drive us nuts this year.
It there’s an easy way to do something, they’ll do it the hard way.
Take yesterday’s 38-20 road victory over the New York Giants. The Giants (6-3) were crippled by injuries, but they manhandled the Bears (8-1) throughout the first half until the two-minute mark.
As a gesture to sportsmanship, the Bears tried to help the undermanned Giants by giving up three more turnovers.
But just before the end of the first half, the Bears pushed the easy button they recently acquired from a local supplies store and started moving the ball upfield. A 26-yard blast from Thomas Jones, a short pass to Jones, and boom, a 29-yard TD pass to now healthy receiver Mark Bradley. Welcome back, Mark.
All the wheels fell off the Giants’s wagon in the second half. They reached back for one more inspired short TD drive, but then ran out of gasps and were left for the vultures.
In the meantime, the good Rex Grossman replaced the gross Rex Grossman. Again. Let’s give the good Rex some credit. He made quite a few passes to receivers who were actually open. Hopefully, star receiver Bernard Berrian will return soon and resuscitate the passing game. Jones carried the rushing attack magnificently in the second half, recording another 100-yard plus game.
With Rex’s inconsistency and the Bears’s propensity for turning the ball over, one thing is clear: Keep that easy button handy.
It there’s an easy way to do something, they’ll do it the hard way.
Take yesterday’s 38-20 road victory over the New York Giants. The Giants (6-3) were crippled by injuries, but they manhandled the Bears (8-1) throughout the first half until the two-minute mark.
As a gesture to sportsmanship, the Bears tried to help the undermanned Giants by giving up three more turnovers.
But just before the end of the first half, the Bears pushed the easy button they recently acquired from a local supplies store and started moving the ball upfield. A 26-yard blast from Thomas Jones, a short pass to Jones, and boom, a 29-yard TD pass to now healthy receiver Mark Bradley. Welcome back, Mark.
All the wheels fell off the Giants’s wagon in the second half. They reached back for one more inspired short TD drive, but then ran out of gasps and were left for the vultures.
In the meantime, the good Rex Grossman replaced the gross Rex Grossman. Again. Let’s give the good Rex some credit. He made quite a few passes to receivers who were actually open. Hopefully, star receiver Bernard Berrian will return soon and resuscitate the passing game. Jones carried the rushing attack magnificently in the second half, recording another 100-yard plus game.
With Rex’s inconsistency and the Bears’s propensity for turning the ball over, one thing is clear: Keep that easy button handy.
Which was the longer missed field goal return for a touchdown by a Chicago Bear? Nathan Vasher’s 108-yard return in 2005 against the San Francisco 49ers or Devin Hester’s 108-yard romp yesterday against the New York Giants?
Huh?
Thanks to a clever illustration in today’s Chicago Tribune, Vasher is shown as the clear winner. The illus shows that both players started their returns at about the same spot eight yards back in the center of the end zone. Hester shot over to the right sideline and, after reaching the 20-yard line, rocketed straight up the field near the sideline to the Giants’s goal line.
Vasher, however, took a more roundabout route. He immediately headed toward the left sideline. At about the 12-yard line, he made a sharp cut to the right and flew straight across almost the entire field. When he reached the 16-yard line or so, he headed up toward the right sideline, reaching the same spot where Hester had arrived at the 30-yard line. He then followed Hester’s route in scurrying up the right sideline into the end zone.
For bragging rights, Vasher could point out that his scamper, including a jaunt from sideline to sideline, was about 40 yards longer than Hester’s excursion!
Although Hester might say to Vasher, “What took you so long? I was in the opponent’s end zone 10 seconds before you got there.”
Huh?
Thanks to a clever illustration in today’s Chicago Tribune, Vasher is shown as the clear winner. The illus shows that both players started their returns at about the same spot eight yards back in the center of the end zone. Hester shot over to the right sideline and, after reaching the 20-yard line, rocketed straight up the field near the sideline to the Giants’s goal line.
Vasher, however, took a more roundabout route. He immediately headed toward the left sideline. At about the 12-yard line, he made a sharp cut to the right and flew straight across almost the entire field. When he reached the 16-yard line or so, he headed up toward the right sideline, reaching the same spot where Hester had arrived at the 30-yard line. He then followed Hester’s route in scurrying up the right sideline into the end zone.
For bragging rights, Vasher could point out that his scamper, including a jaunt from sideline to sideline, was about 40 yards longer than Hester’s excursion!
Although Hester might say to Vasher, “What took you so long? I was in the opponent’s end zone 10 seconds before you got there.”
Sunday, November 12, 2006
The 3-3 Chicago Bulls ended the second week of the regular season still trying to get some separation from their rivals. The team beat the Indiana Pacers 89-80 in Chicago Saturday and then prepared to start a new road trip looking for answers.
The team has been a puzzlement so far. This is to be expected with eight new players joining up. The major highlight was the win against defending champion Miami on the road. The major lowlight was the opener giveaway to Sacramento.
Big Ben turned up his energy supply against the Pacers. Wallace showed he can still be king of the boards. Veteran P. J. Brown started off slowly but is also beginning to pump up the volume.
Major surprises include the inconsistent play of Little Ben. Gordon had a couple of 30+ point games and a couple of embarrassing duds. Maybe it’s time to restore him to the sixth man role.
The newcomers have shown flashes of brilliance. Tyrus Thomas, unfortunately is limited by his busted nose. He’s wearing a mask but is not scaring any opponents yet. Thabo Sefolosha has won the hearts of the home crowd. He fits in well and should bring a lot to the table in the second half of the season.
Two other promising newcomers are Andre Barrett and Viktor Khryapa. Coach Scott Skiles has got to find more playing time for these guys.
The rest of the main players are fun to watch as well, especially Kirk Hinrich, Andres Nocioni, Luol Deng, and Chris Duhon. The talent is there, so why aren’t the Bulls better than a .500 team? Wish we knew. Maybe there are just too many players in the mix. Perhaps the Bulls will need to go in a radical new direction and package some of their best players for a superstar who could set the pace, like the old champion Bulls of Michael Jordan and the Jordannaires. Has a nice ring to it, eh?
The team has been a puzzlement so far. This is to be expected with eight new players joining up. The major highlight was the win against defending champion Miami on the road. The major lowlight was the opener giveaway to Sacramento.
Big Ben turned up his energy supply against the Pacers. Wallace showed he can still be king of the boards. Veteran P. J. Brown started off slowly but is also beginning to pump up the volume.
Major surprises include the inconsistent play of Little Ben. Gordon had a couple of 30+ point games and a couple of embarrassing duds. Maybe it’s time to restore him to the sixth man role.
The newcomers have shown flashes of brilliance. Tyrus Thomas, unfortunately is limited by his busted nose. He’s wearing a mask but is not scaring any opponents yet. Thabo Sefolosha has won the hearts of the home crowd. He fits in well and should bring a lot to the table in the second half of the season.
Two other promising newcomers are Andre Barrett and Viktor Khryapa. Coach Scott Skiles has got to find more playing time for these guys.
The rest of the main players are fun to watch as well, especially Kirk Hinrich, Andres Nocioni, Luol Deng, and Chris Duhon. The talent is there, so why aren’t the Bulls better than a .500 team? Wish we knew. Maybe there are just too many players in the mix. Perhaps the Bulls will need to go in a radical new direction and package some of their best players for a superstar who could set the pace, like the old champion Bulls of Michael Jordan and the Jordannaires. Has a nice ring to it, eh?
Whoever said no news was good news?
Not where the Chicago Cubs are involved. The lack of news about re-signing star third baseman Aramis Ramirez was worrisome. The official word that we hoped we would never hear came across loud and clear today:
The Chicago Cubs no longer have exclusive rights to Aramis Ramirez, and the third baseman is now available to the highest bidder.
Ouch! Say it ain’t so, Joe.
Next season is already doomed because Ramirez is irreplaceable. At age 28, he is coming into his prime. So what if he wanted six years and the Cubs wanted five. He’s probably good for another seven or eight years. The probable loss of Ramirez in a bidding war represents a major step backward for the Cubs. Even if they get someone with his stats—40+ homers and 100+ RBI’s—(which is unlikely), what have the Cubs gained? They’re right back where they started—needing another power hitter.
If they can’t get another third baseman, will fans pay for the pleasure of seeing Ronny Cedeno at the hot corner? Say it ain’t so, Joe. And since it also appears that the Cubs will lose Juan Pierre, is there anybody out there who can get as many hits and steal as many bases?
But let’s credit new manager Lou Piniella with coming at these problems from another angle by hiring Gerald Perry as hitting coach. Perry is a genius at teaching players the easiest way to get to first base. By walking. While at Seattle for three years, Perry’s counsel helped the Mariners lead the major leagues in on-base percentage (.357) and walks (2,018).
Looking for walks is unheard of on the Cubs’s bench. It’s like a sea change. Since it’s so easy to hit home runs in Wrigley Field, why would a player focus on getting a walk? Ever hear of a player who got big bucks because he got a lot of walks? If the Cubs led the league in walks, would they be the same Cubs we expect to play .500 ball and make us wait until next year?
Instead, maybe the Cubs need the anti-walker. Yep, none other than the guy who used to get the joint jumpin’ with his hoppin’: Sammy Sosa. Sammy, say you’re sorry about that sorry exit and get back, get back to where you once belonged.
Not where the Chicago Cubs are involved. The lack of news about re-signing star third baseman Aramis Ramirez was worrisome. The official word that we hoped we would never hear came across loud and clear today:
The Chicago Cubs no longer have exclusive rights to Aramis Ramirez, and the third baseman is now available to the highest bidder.
Ouch! Say it ain’t so, Joe.
Next season is already doomed because Ramirez is irreplaceable. At age 28, he is coming into his prime. So what if he wanted six years and the Cubs wanted five. He’s probably good for another seven or eight years. The probable loss of Ramirez in a bidding war represents a major step backward for the Cubs. Even if they get someone with his stats—40+ homers and 100+ RBI’s—(which is unlikely), what have the Cubs gained? They’re right back where they started—needing another power hitter.
If they can’t get another third baseman, will fans pay for the pleasure of seeing Ronny Cedeno at the hot corner? Say it ain’t so, Joe. And since it also appears that the Cubs will lose Juan Pierre, is there anybody out there who can get as many hits and steal as many bases?
But let’s credit new manager Lou Piniella with coming at these problems from another angle by hiring Gerald Perry as hitting coach. Perry is a genius at teaching players the easiest way to get to first base. By walking. While at Seattle for three years, Perry’s counsel helped the Mariners lead the major leagues in on-base percentage (.357) and walks (2,018).
Looking for walks is unheard of on the Cubs’s bench. It’s like a sea change. Since it’s so easy to hit home runs in Wrigley Field, why would a player focus on getting a walk? Ever hear of a player who got big bucks because he got a lot of walks? If the Cubs led the league in walks, would they be the same Cubs we expect to play .500 ball and make us wait until next year?
Instead, maybe the Cubs need the anti-walker. Yep, none other than the guy who used to get the joint jumpin’ with his hoppin’: Sammy Sosa. Sammy, say you’re sorry about that sorry exit and get back, get back to where you once belonged.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
The Illini football team continues to lead the Big Ten in an important statistic: turnovers.
Illinois committed five more as it fell to Purdue today 42-31, upping its total to 32. It should be clear by now that leading the league in this dubious distinction is not good. It also kills drives and generally explains losses. The gifts today consisted of four fumbles and one interception. Isn’t it too early to be giving gifts?
The turnovers helped answer the question on everyone’s mind before the game: Does Illinois have any gas left in its tank following the heroic losing effort against Ohio State last weekend. The answer was clear as crystal: Nope.
The Boilermakers are a passing team that should have been affected by a brisk wind more than Illinois. They weren’t. And ironically, Purdue’s second easiest touchdown came on a 42-yard run by untouched quarterback Curtis Painter. Its easiest TD occurred when star Purdue defensive end Anthony Spencer crushed Juice Williams in the Illinois end zone, causing a fumble recovered by Purdue.
Bright spots for Illinois included some nifty runs by Williams, who set a school record for most rushing yards in a single season by a quarterback. Senior running back Pierre Thomas turned in another 100-yard rushing game.
Will someone please get the Illini some gas before the Northwestern game next week.
Illinois committed five more as it fell to Purdue today 42-31, upping its total to 32. It should be clear by now that leading the league in this dubious distinction is not good. It also kills drives and generally explains losses. The gifts today consisted of four fumbles and one interception. Isn’t it too early to be giving gifts?
The turnovers helped answer the question on everyone’s mind before the game: Does Illinois have any gas left in its tank following the heroic losing effort against Ohio State last weekend. The answer was clear as crystal: Nope.
The Boilermakers are a passing team that should have been affected by a brisk wind more than Illinois. They weren’t. And ironically, Purdue’s second easiest touchdown came on a 42-yard run by untouched quarterback Curtis Painter. Its easiest TD occurred when star Purdue defensive end Anthony Spencer crushed Juice Williams in the Illinois end zone, causing a fumble recovered by Purdue.
Bright spots for Illinois included some nifty runs by Williams, who set a school record for most rushing yards in a single season by a quarterback. Senior running back Pierre Thomas turned in another 100-yard rushing game.
Will someone please get the Illini some gas before the Northwestern game next week.
If Illini football coach Ron Zook can recruit 3 or 4 more five—star athletes, like wide receiver Arrelious Benn, then the university should create a new position for him--Director of Recruiting. It would work like a car dealership. Take basketball, for example. First the basketball recruit talks to coach Bruce Weber. If the recruit doesn't give Weber a commitment, Weber says, I think we could work out your concerns. Let's go see the director.
Then Weber leaves the recruit with Zook, and Zook gives the recruit the building a foundation speech…oops, wrong sport. Then Zook shows the recruit the video on Illini basketball greats. Again and again. Over and over. Or he uses his magic potions, hypnosis, or any other persuasive methods that we don’t want to know about. Sound like a plan?
Then Weber leaves the recruit with Zook, and Zook gives the recruit the building a foundation speech…oops, wrong sport. Then Zook shows the recruit the video on Illini basketball greats. Again and again. Over and over. Or he uses his magic potions, hypnosis, or any other persuasive methods that we don’t want to know about. Sound like a plan?
Friday, November 10, 2006
Chicago Bears bites.
Reality check. Both the 7-1 Bears and 6-2 New York Giants come into their game Sunday night leading their divisions. The Giants had hoped for a chance to beat an undefeated Bears. Sorry.
The Bears lead the NFC in both offense and defense. Hard to believe considering the games against Arizona and Miami.
The main reason the Bears will win: Erratic quarterback Rex Grossman fixed his feet faults.
The main reason the Bears will lose: Erratic quarterback Rex Grossman failed to fix his feet faults and Bears coaches preferred to let Grossman flounder rather than fetch Brian Griese.
Another problem for the Bears: Giants’s tailback Tiki Barber, who leads the NFL in rushing with 830 yards and averages 4.8 yards per rush. Keep Barber away from the great sprained left toe.
Can the Giants overcome the losses of All-Pro defensive lineman Michael Strahan and leading receiver Amani Toomer?
Can the Bears overcome the sprain of the great left toe and the probable limitation of the great sore ribs? Wide receiver Mark Bradley returns with healthy toes and spare ribs. Should help a lot.
Will Adewale Ogunleye (3 sacks) and Alex Brown (2) start to give the Bears a better pass rush? Mark Anderson, get ready.
Since the New Yorkers have noticed that Grossman is often graceless under pressure, they will focus their lasers on him. Their approach will be to stress stress, that is, hurries, rather than sacks in hope of generating interceptions.
Will the Bears figure this out and spend some extra time on the running game?
Haven’t heard a peep from Cedric Benson. Has he been sent to hang out with the practice squad?
Reality check. Both the 7-1 Bears and 6-2 New York Giants come into their game Sunday night leading their divisions. The Giants had hoped for a chance to beat an undefeated Bears. Sorry.
The Bears lead the NFC in both offense and defense. Hard to believe considering the games against Arizona and Miami.
The main reason the Bears will win: Erratic quarterback Rex Grossman fixed his feet faults.
The main reason the Bears will lose: Erratic quarterback Rex Grossman failed to fix his feet faults and Bears coaches preferred to let Grossman flounder rather than fetch Brian Griese.
Another problem for the Bears: Giants’s tailback Tiki Barber, who leads the NFL in rushing with 830 yards and averages 4.8 yards per rush. Keep Barber away from the great sprained left toe.
Can the Giants overcome the losses of All-Pro defensive lineman Michael Strahan and leading receiver Amani Toomer?
Can the Bears overcome the sprain of the great left toe and the probable limitation of the great sore ribs? Wide receiver Mark Bradley returns with healthy toes and spare ribs. Should help a lot.
Will Adewale Ogunleye (3 sacks) and Alex Brown (2) start to give the Bears a better pass rush? Mark Anderson, get ready.
Since the New Yorkers have noticed that Grossman is often graceless under pressure, they will focus their lasers on him. Their approach will be to stress stress, that is, hurries, rather than sacks in hope of generating interceptions.
Will the Bears figure this out and spend some extra time on the running game?
Haven’t heard a peep from Cedric Benson. Has he been sent to hang out with the practice squad?
Juice Williams, the rocket-armed freshman qb of Illinois just got a lot better without even picking up a football. That’s because the Illini just got a commitment from Arrelious Benn, rated the top wide receiver recruit in the country. Sounds good, huh? In the country! He’s a 5-star player who runs the 40 in 4.5. How about having him and Kyle Hudson running around on the same plays? And the coaches are also excited about another recruit, 4-star rated offensive lineman Craig Wilson, who goes 6—5, 300. Hope Juice can see over this monster.
Juice looked somewhat nervous during the OSU game, and coach Ron Zook made a difficult, but correct, decision to bring in Tim Brasic. Developing Juice for Big Ten play has been a tough test of Zook’s coaching ability. We’d give Zook a grade of B so far.
This weekend’s game between the 2-8 Illini and 6-4 Purdue should be exciting. In its Big Ten games (3-3), Purdue has scored 95 points and given up 129. In its conference games (1-5), Illinois has scored 108 and given up 151.
Purdue’s possible advantages are its excellent junior quarterback, Curtis Painter, and beastly senior, pass rushing, defensive end, Anthony Spencer. Illini, stay away from Spencer.
Illinois’s possible advantages are an enormous boost in confidence from the superlative play last weekend against No. 1 ranked Ohio State and the increased tenacity of J Leman, Alan Ball, Vontae Davis, Derek Walker, Britt Miller, Chris Norwell, and the rest of the defense. The main question facing Illinois? Got any gas left in the tank?
Juice looked somewhat nervous during the OSU game, and coach Ron Zook made a difficult, but correct, decision to bring in Tim Brasic. Developing Juice for Big Ten play has been a tough test of Zook’s coaching ability. We’d give Zook a grade of B so far.
This weekend’s game between the 2-8 Illini and 6-4 Purdue should be exciting. In its Big Ten games (3-3), Purdue has scored 95 points and given up 129. In its conference games (1-5), Illinois has scored 108 and given up 151.
Purdue’s possible advantages are its excellent junior quarterback, Curtis Painter, and beastly senior, pass rushing, defensive end, Anthony Spencer. Illini, stay away from Spencer.
Illinois’s possible advantages are an enormous boost in confidence from the superlative play last weekend against No. 1 ranked Ohio State and the increased tenacity of J Leman, Alan Ball, Vontae Davis, Derek Walker, Britt Miller, Chris Norwell, and the rest of the defense. The main question facing Illinois? Got any gas left in the tank?
Thursday, November 09, 2006
The Chicago Bears vs. the New York Giants this weekend will be interesting on several fronts. The Giants are already somewhat demoralized because the Bears are no longer undefeated. The New Yorkers were drooling at the prospect of giving the Bears their first loss. But no, the lowly Flying Fish of Miami go ahead and clobber the Bears first, 30-13. How rude!
Further dampening the Giants’s hopes was a plethora of key injuries. You know from the sound of it that anything to do with a plethora can’t be good. The Giants have 10 players on the injured list, including their best player, All-Pro defensive end Michael Strahan. Strahan is like the Brian Urlacher of the Bears. The other defensive end, Osi Umenyiora, is probably out, too. As is the team’s leading pass receiver, Amani Toomer. Is it possible to get injured just thinking of playing the Bears?
The Bears have some concerns of their own. First, of course, is the condition of the team’s greatest toe. The one attached to the rest of star player Brian Urlacher. It got sprained at the end of last week’s game and prevented Urlacher from practicing. Urlacher wants to rip the toe off his foot immediately and get on with preparing for the Giants. This approach bothers the Giants more than the Bears because they want to beat the Bears without any excuses. New York medical people have offered Bears medical people use of their specialists on toes. But the Bears’s medical people don’t trust the Giants’s medical people and rejected the help.
Probably more of a problem for the Bears is punky quarterback Rex Grossman. Grossman contributed to the thrashing by Miami by throwing three interceptions He did that against the Arizona Cardinals as well. It was reported that Grossman’s feet mechanics were unmechanical. He allegedly threw one interception off his left foot, another off his right foot, and the third with both feet off the ground on a jump pass. The last errant pass caused the Bears’s quarterbacks coach to pass out.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, the Bears followed up on a suggestion made in an earlier posting that Grossman could benefit from some training with the Chicago Ballet. Grossman wasn’t at the Bears’s practice Tuesday, and sources tell us he was working out with the ballet company. Another source who accompanied Grossman at the dance group’ss practice facility told us that Grossman was amazed at the strength of the dancers, who threw adult bodies around as if they were sacks of hay. The quarterback was impressed by the dancers’ other football skills, such as leaping, running, and catching.
Grossman would not admit to us that he worked out with the dancers. But we noticed a pink tutu in his locker. We also saw a pair of ballet shoes, you know, the kind with the hard toes, in Urlacher’s gym bag. Hmmmm!
Further dampening the Giants’s hopes was a plethora of key injuries. You know from the sound of it that anything to do with a plethora can’t be good. The Giants have 10 players on the injured list, including their best player, All-Pro defensive end Michael Strahan. Strahan is like the Brian Urlacher of the Bears. The other defensive end, Osi Umenyiora, is probably out, too. As is the team’s leading pass receiver, Amani Toomer. Is it possible to get injured just thinking of playing the Bears?
The Bears have some concerns of their own. First, of course, is the condition of the team’s greatest toe. The one attached to the rest of star player Brian Urlacher. It got sprained at the end of last week’s game and prevented Urlacher from practicing. Urlacher wants to rip the toe off his foot immediately and get on with preparing for the Giants. This approach bothers the Giants more than the Bears because they want to beat the Bears without any excuses. New York medical people have offered Bears medical people use of their specialists on toes. But the Bears’s medical people don’t trust the Giants’s medical people and rejected the help.
Probably more of a problem for the Bears is punky quarterback Rex Grossman. Grossman contributed to the thrashing by Miami by throwing three interceptions He did that against the Arizona Cardinals as well. It was reported that Grossman’s feet mechanics were unmechanical. He allegedly threw one interception off his left foot, another off his right foot, and the third with both feet off the ground on a jump pass. The last errant pass caused the Bears’s quarterbacks coach to pass out.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, the Bears followed up on a suggestion made in an earlier posting that Grossman could benefit from some training with the Chicago Ballet. Grossman wasn’t at the Bears’s practice Tuesday, and sources tell us he was working out with the ballet company. Another source who accompanied Grossman at the dance group’ss practice facility told us that Grossman was amazed at the strength of the dancers, who threw adult bodies around as if they were sacks of hay. The quarterback was impressed by the dancers’ other football skills, such as leaping, running, and catching.
Grossman would not admit to us that he worked out with the dancers. But we noticed a pink tutu in his locker. We also saw a pair of ballet shoes, you know, the kind with the hard toes, in Urlacher’s gym bag. Hmmmm!
Rock star! Rock star!
Is there any doubt that college basketball recruiting
is the greatest sport for serious fans? The mystery.
The cast of characters. The competition. The
anticipation. The de-committing.
Man, that’s excitement! For the fans, that is. For
the coaches--making the calls, doing the traveling,
eating a lot at fast-food stops, doing the
groveling--it’s flat out farcical.
It’s even worse than waiting for Godot.
We revisit this sickening subject because the
University of Illinois, still smarting from its loss
of hotshot basketball prospects Eric Gordon and
Derrick Rose, has sent out feelers to the top-rated
recruit in the nation. No, really, we’re not making
this up. Illinois is checking the interest level of
prized guard O.J. Mayo, who has Illinois on his list
and who has not made a commitment.
Signing Mayo would be the mother of all back-door
plays. And would greatly enhance Illinois’s chances to
reach the Final Four and would give Mayo several
opportunities to outplay Indiana-bound Gordon and
would provide Mayo with exposure to the Chicago market
for endorsements, especially the spreading mayonnaise
market.
So, coach Bruce Weber, here’s your chance to learn
from the Rose recruiting debacle. Remember, All you
need is love. Love, love, love. Love is all you need.
Think rock star.
If Mayo agrees to make a visit, hold a special O.J.
Mayo Midnight Madness. Get the female cheerleaders
out. Get the Orange Krush out. Invite Governor Rod
Blagojevich and U. S. Senators Barack Obama (he’s a
must) and Dick Durbin. Gush all over him. Convince him
he can be the greatest player in Illinois basketball
history (rock stars are very gullible).
What are our chances of signing Mayo? Let’s go ask the
two guys who are still waiting for Godot.
Is there any doubt that college basketball recruiting
is the greatest sport for serious fans? The mystery.
The cast of characters. The competition. The
anticipation. The de-committing.
Man, that’s excitement! For the fans, that is. For
the coaches--making the calls, doing the traveling,
eating a lot at fast-food stops, doing the
groveling--it’s flat out farcical.
It’s even worse than waiting for Godot.
We revisit this sickening subject because the
University of Illinois, still smarting from its loss
of hotshot basketball prospects Eric Gordon and
Derrick Rose, has sent out feelers to the top-rated
recruit in the nation. No, really, we’re not making
this up. Illinois is checking the interest level of
prized guard O.J. Mayo, who has Illinois on his list
and who has not made a commitment.
Signing Mayo would be the mother of all back-door
plays. And would greatly enhance Illinois’s chances to
reach the Final Four and would give Mayo several
opportunities to outplay Indiana-bound Gordon and
would provide Mayo with exposure to the Chicago market
for endorsements, especially the spreading mayonnaise
market.
So, coach Bruce Weber, here’s your chance to learn
from the Rose recruiting debacle. Remember, All you
need is love. Love, love, love. Love is all you need.
Think rock star.
If Mayo agrees to make a visit, hold a special O.J.
Mayo Midnight Madness. Get the female cheerleaders
out. Get the Orange Krush out. Invite Governor Rod
Blagojevich and U. S. Senators Barack Obama (he’s a
must) and Dick Durbin. Gush all over him. Convince him
he can be the greatest player in Illinois basketball
history (rock stars are very gullible).
What are our chances of signing Mayo? Let’s go ask the
two guys who are still waiting for Godot.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Wake-up call vs. Reality check.
Which result best characterizes the Chicago Bears’s 30-13 thrashing by the 2-6 Miami Dolphins last week? The Flying Fish intercepted three passes and recovered three Chicago fumbles in humbling the Bears. Thought we covered this ground after the miracle 24-23 win against the Arizona Cardinals. Guess not. Players and coaches are referring to these situations again (although Brian Urlacher, always the original, is using “eye opener”).
First, let’s examine the two main terms. A wake-up call occurs when a weak team upsets, or nearly upsets, a strong team, usually an unbeaten team. The Cardinal game is a good example. Everyone would agree the then undefeated Bears were the stronger team. But it seemed as if the Bears were sleepwalking through the game, and suddenly woke up in time to see their plight and cash in their one allotted miracle for the season to win the game.
The players agreed that was a wake-up call. They vowed to end their sleepwalking ways. They certainly seemed back on track the next game when they slaughtered the 49ers.
Now, what’s a reality check? A reality check occurs when a team that has one or two losses, but regards itself as a good team, gets spanked (and beaten as well) by another team regardless of the other team’s record. Then the beaten team views its loss as a clue that it, actually, or really, or in reality, maybe is not as good as it thought.
Teams don’t like to publicly admit that a particular loss, like the Dolphins game, was a reality check. Because if the loss was, actually, or really, or in reality, a valid measurement, why play the rest of the season? Getting spanked now and then is no fun. Fans boo a lot. Reality checks are bad.
Suggestion to the Bears, when asked to characterize any future losses, go with eye opener.
Which result best characterizes the Chicago Bears’s 30-13 thrashing by the 2-6 Miami Dolphins last week? The Flying Fish intercepted three passes and recovered three Chicago fumbles in humbling the Bears. Thought we covered this ground after the miracle 24-23 win against the Arizona Cardinals. Guess not. Players and coaches are referring to these situations again (although Brian Urlacher, always the original, is using “eye opener”).
First, let’s examine the two main terms. A wake-up call occurs when a weak team upsets, or nearly upsets, a strong team, usually an unbeaten team. The Cardinal game is a good example. Everyone would agree the then undefeated Bears were the stronger team. But it seemed as if the Bears were sleepwalking through the game, and suddenly woke up in time to see their plight and cash in their one allotted miracle for the season to win the game.
The players agreed that was a wake-up call. They vowed to end their sleepwalking ways. They certainly seemed back on track the next game when they slaughtered the 49ers.
Now, what’s a reality check? A reality check occurs when a team that has one or two losses, but regards itself as a good team, gets spanked (and beaten as well) by another team regardless of the other team’s record. Then the beaten team views its loss as a clue that it, actually, or really, or in reality, maybe is not as good as it thought.
Teams don’t like to publicly admit that a particular loss, like the Dolphins game, was a reality check. Because if the loss was, actually, or really, or in reality, a valid measurement, why play the rest of the season? Getting spanked now and then is no fun. Fans boo a lot. Reality checks are bad.
Suggestion to the Bears, when asked to characterize any future losses, go with eye opener.
BOM (Brick-O-Meter) update following the Illinois football team’s 17-10 loss to No. 1 ranked Ohio State last weekend.
Before the game, the BOM stood at a growing 208 bricks. The BOM, which began at 100 bricks, measures football coach Ron Zook’s progress in building a foundation for the football program.
Normally, it would be in order to subtract bricks for a loss. But there was little that was normal about the game with the Buckeye Goliaths. So add 300 bricks for the valiant effort against a vaunted opponent. Once again, it was apparent that Illinois came not only to play but also to win. Give another 50 bricks to Zook and the other coaches for resurrecting the team’s melting morale after the Wisconsin loss.
Let’s also add bricks for these Illini accomplishments:
No team had scored a touchdown against OSU in 11 quarters. That’s over. Add 100 bricks.
OSU averaged over 30 points a game. Not against Illinois. Add 100 bricks.
OSU’s smallest margin of victory was 17 points, against Texas. Not anymore. Add 100 bricks.
OSU averaged about 400 total yards a game. It got about half that much in this tenacious battle against Illinois. Add 150 bricks.
OSU was held scoreless in the second half. The Illini scored 10 points. Add 200 bricks.
OSU gained a total of 29 yards in the second half. And it’s ranked No. 1? Add 200 bricks.
OSU was favored by 27 points. Add 100 bricks for the insult.
The most remarkable individual performance of this game belonged to Illinois middle linebacker J Leman. That is if you call 19 tackles a good day’s work. Add 150 bricks. Nah! Let’s go for 200.
The entire swarming Illini defense was sensational in the second half. Add 275 bricks.
And, of course, the contest was one of the most memorable moral victories in Illini history. That’s good for 500 bricks. As noted in earlier postings, moral victories are mighty important because they imply some kind of virtue. They are awarded, for example, when a team does something unexpectedly good, like beating the oddsmakers. Moral victories suggest the virtues of courage, determination, and zeal. Zeal veally leaves a good taste in your mouth.
So the BOM now stands at 2,183 bricks. Seems sufficient for the start of a foundation.
Before the game, the BOM stood at a growing 208 bricks. The BOM, which began at 100 bricks, measures football coach Ron Zook’s progress in building a foundation for the football program.
Normally, it would be in order to subtract bricks for a loss. But there was little that was normal about the game with the Buckeye Goliaths. So add 300 bricks for the valiant effort against a vaunted opponent. Once again, it was apparent that Illinois came not only to play but also to win. Give another 50 bricks to Zook and the other coaches for resurrecting the team’s melting morale after the Wisconsin loss.
Let’s also add bricks for these Illini accomplishments:
No team had scored a touchdown against OSU in 11 quarters. That’s over. Add 100 bricks.
OSU averaged over 30 points a game. Not against Illinois. Add 100 bricks.
OSU’s smallest margin of victory was 17 points, against Texas. Not anymore. Add 100 bricks.
OSU averaged about 400 total yards a game. It got about half that much in this tenacious battle against Illinois. Add 150 bricks.
OSU was held scoreless in the second half. The Illini scored 10 points. Add 200 bricks.
OSU gained a total of 29 yards in the second half. And it’s ranked No. 1? Add 200 bricks.
OSU was favored by 27 points. Add 100 bricks for the insult.
The most remarkable individual performance of this game belonged to Illinois middle linebacker J Leman. That is if you call 19 tackles a good day’s work. Add 150 bricks. Nah! Let’s go for 200.
The entire swarming Illini defense was sensational in the second half. Add 275 bricks.
And, of course, the contest was one of the most memorable moral victories in Illini history. That’s good for 500 bricks. As noted in earlier postings, moral victories are mighty important because they imply some kind of virtue. They are awarded, for example, when a team does something unexpectedly good, like beating the oddsmakers. Moral victories suggest the virtues of courage, determination, and zeal. Zeal veally leaves a good taste in your mouth.
So the BOM now stands at 2,183 bricks. Seems sufficient for the start of a foundation.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
My kingdom for a healthy toe.
Brian Urlacher’s toe, that is. Can it be, or not be, that the fate of this Chicago Bear football season rests on the toe of a single player? What else can that collective whew! that whistled across the Windy City yesterday mean when the injury was classified as minor?
Maybe the best way to deal with Urlacher’s injured toe is to rip it off right now and get refocused on the upcoming game against the New York Giants. That’s the way Urlacher would want it.
Everyone agrees that Urlacher is the heart of the team. Actually, if you consider the loss of Mike Brown, Brian is the soul of the Bears as well. Could the Bears contend without him. Probably not. After Brown went down, the question of who are the five best Bears came up. These players, considered irreplaceable, are Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Bernard Berrian, Olin Kreutz, and Tommie Harris. The loss of any one of these players is regarded as devastating. The loss of two is considered fatal.
So the Bears, missing Berrian, are in the devastated mode. And they just dodged a bullet by a toe. Jerry Angelo, hello, know anyone on the list who is seeking an enhanced contract? Sign Briggsy immediately, puleeeez.
Brian Urlacher’s toe, that is. Can it be, or not be, that the fate of this Chicago Bear football season rests on the toe of a single player? What else can that collective whew! that whistled across the Windy City yesterday mean when the injury was classified as minor?
Maybe the best way to deal with Urlacher’s injured toe is to rip it off right now and get refocused on the upcoming game against the New York Giants. That’s the way Urlacher would want it.
Everyone agrees that Urlacher is the heart of the team. Actually, if you consider the loss of Mike Brown, Brian is the soul of the Bears as well. Could the Bears contend without him. Probably not. After Brown went down, the question of who are the five best Bears came up. These players, considered irreplaceable, are Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Bernard Berrian, Olin Kreutz, and Tommie Harris. The loss of any one of these players is regarded as devastating. The loss of two is considered fatal.
So the Bears, missing Berrian, are in the devastated mode. And they just dodged a bullet by a toe. Jerry Angelo, hello, know anyone on the list who is seeking an enhanced contract? Sign Briggsy immediately, puleeeez.
Little Ben came up big.
Like a good politician, Ben Gordon reenergized the fan base of the Chicago Bulls yesterday by pumping in 37 points and leading the Bulls in an impressive 110-85 pasting of the Milwaukee Bucks in Chicago.
Many Bulls fans had their high hopes hammered because of a 1-2 start of the season. But hang in there, Bulls fans, the best is yet to come. As long as the Bulls (2-2) follow coach Scott Skiles simple advice: Play good defense and spread the ball around.
And the Bulls did it magnificently against Milwaukee (2-2). The Bulls’s shooting was superb. And their passing was super. Super is way better than superb. Time after time, the Bulls went into fast-break mode, and the ball never hit the court on its highway to the hoop. At night’s end, the Bulls’s runaway train had registered an astounding 33 assists.
Little Ben also accumulated 9 assists and Kirk Hinrich added 7. In addition, crowd-pleasing passes by Thabo Sefolosha and Viktor Khryapa brought the fans to their feet. It was fun. The Bulls have to find more minutes for the can-do Khryapa.
Which calls attention to a statistic Da Blog is monitoring: points from the reserves. The Bench of Bulls (BOB) outscored the Bucks’s reserves 32-16. The BOB came out ahead in the first three games as well.
Like a good politician, Ben Gordon reenergized the fan base of the Chicago Bulls yesterday by pumping in 37 points and leading the Bulls in an impressive 110-85 pasting of the Milwaukee Bucks in Chicago.
Many Bulls fans had their high hopes hammered because of a 1-2 start of the season. But hang in there, Bulls fans, the best is yet to come. As long as the Bulls (2-2) follow coach Scott Skiles simple advice: Play good defense and spread the ball around.
And the Bulls did it magnificently against Milwaukee (2-2). The Bulls’s shooting was superb. And their passing was super. Super is way better than superb. Time after time, the Bulls went into fast-break mode, and the ball never hit the court on its highway to the hoop. At night’s end, the Bulls’s runaway train had registered an astounding 33 assists.
Little Ben also accumulated 9 assists and Kirk Hinrich added 7. In addition, crowd-pleasing passes by Thabo Sefolosha and Viktor Khryapa brought the fans to their feet. It was fun. The Bulls have to find more minutes for the can-do Khryapa.
Which calls attention to a statistic Da Blog is monitoring: points from the reserves. The Bench of Bulls (BOB) outscored the Bucks’s reserves 32-16. The BOB came out ahead in the first three games as well.
Monday, November 06, 2006
The Illinois football team, like IlliniNation, is still basking in the glow of last weekend’s near upset of undefeated and No. 1 ranked Ohio State. The Buckeyes (10-0) escaped with a 17-10 victory over pesky Illinois (2-6). The Illini amazingly outgained the Buckeyes in total yards 233 to 224, the first OSU opponent to win that statistic.
The narrow Illini defeat was, of course, a great moral victory. As noted in previous postings on Da Blog, moral victories are important because they imply some kind of virtue. They are awarded, for example, when a team beats the oddsmakers (who insultingly picked OSU to win by 27 points). Outfoxing the oddsmakers suggests the virtues of courage, determination, and zeal. Zeal veally leaves a good taste in your mouth.
Now, let’s take a look at Illinois’s REAL record at this time--which includes moral victories.
Eastern Illinois—win in standings…1-0
Rutgers—loss in standings………..1-1
Syracuse—loss in standings…….. 1-2
Iowa—moral victory………………. 1-2-1
Michigan State—upset victory...... 2-2-1
Indiana—loss in standings………. 2-3-1
Ohio—loss in standings (ouch!)… 2-4-1
Penn State—moral victory………. 2-4-2
Wisconsin—moral victory…………2-4-3
Ohio State—moral victory………..2-4-4
Totals: Losses in standings—4
Wins in standings and moral victories—6
There’s a clear trend here. Looks like the hemorrhaging from the series of embarrassing blowouts last season has been brought under control. The team owns one Big Ten win, which is one more than it had last year.
The final two games for 2006 are first Purdue and then Northwestern. Both of them beat up on us last year. But this is a different Illini team—this is the team that almost upset the Number 1 ranked team in the country.
The narrow Illini defeat was, of course, a great moral victory. As noted in previous postings on Da Blog, moral victories are important because they imply some kind of virtue. They are awarded, for example, when a team beats the oddsmakers (who insultingly picked OSU to win by 27 points). Outfoxing the oddsmakers suggests the virtues of courage, determination, and zeal. Zeal veally leaves a good taste in your mouth.
Now, let’s take a look at Illinois’s REAL record at this time--which includes moral victories.
Eastern Illinois—win in standings…1-0
Rutgers—loss in standings………..1-1
Syracuse—loss in standings…….. 1-2
Iowa—moral victory………………. 1-2-1
Michigan State—upset victory...... 2-2-1
Indiana—loss in standings………. 2-3-1
Ohio—loss in standings (ouch!)… 2-4-1
Penn State—moral victory………. 2-4-2
Wisconsin—moral victory…………2-4-3
Ohio State—moral victory………..2-4-4
Totals: Losses in standings—4
Wins in standings and moral victories—6
There’s a clear trend here. Looks like the hemorrhaging from the series of embarrassing blowouts last season has been brought under control. The team owns one Big Ten win, which is one more than it had last year.
The final two games for 2006 are first Purdue and then Northwestern. Both of them beat up on us last year. But this is a different Illini team—this is the team that almost upset the Number 1 ranked team in the country.
Life and football are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get.
That’s the advice, of course, that Ron Turner, offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears, is passing on to head coach Lovie Smith about punky quarterback Rex Grossman. The 31-13 loss to Miami yesterday in Chicago revealed the team’s Achilles heel and its main weakness, too. Rex is flat out inconsistent.
As for his throwing mechanics, opinions are split. A few weeks ago, sagacious broadcast announcer John Madden said it didn’t matter how Rex threw the ball, off the wrong foot or whatever, as long as the ball got to the intended (he emphasized that word) receiver. That was comforting since Madden knows football and since Rex throws off his back foot a lot, meaning that he doesn’t always step forward when he throws a forward pass. Other gurus think a quarterback is asking for trouble if he can’t step forward when passing forward.
So what is Lovie to do? You assume he’s working with Rex on one approach or another. That is, Lovie’s still dipping into the box of chocolates. Maybe Lovie’s plan is to stick with Rex until the coaches finish the chocolates. Of course, the box is off limits to the players.
Maybe another approach is to send Rex to an intense four-week ballet-training class to get his arms and feet working together. A little jete here, a little plie there, a little pirouetting all around—all the while dressed in a pink tutu—might do wonders.
If Rex still throws more interceptions than TD passes? Time to switch to another old delicacy, such as Bubba shrimp? That is, Brian Griese. Be prepared, Lovie, to get a lot of questions about him this week. And, of course, about the frenzied footwork of Rex’s frantic feet.
That’s the advice, of course, that Ron Turner, offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears, is passing on to head coach Lovie Smith about punky quarterback Rex Grossman. The 31-13 loss to Miami yesterday in Chicago revealed the team’s Achilles heel and its main weakness, too. Rex is flat out inconsistent.
As for his throwing mechanics, opinions are split. A few weeks ago, sagacious broadcast announcer John Madden said it didn’t matter how Rex threw the ball, off the wrong foot or whatever, as long as the ball got to the intended (he emphasized that word) receiver. That was comforting since Madden knows football and since Rex throws off his back foot a lot, meaning that he doesn’t always step forward when he throws a forward pass. Other gurus think a quarterback is asking for trouble if he can’t step forward when passing forward.
So what is Lovie to do? You assume he’s working with Rex on one approach or another. That is, Lovie’s still dipping into the box of chocolates. Maybe Lovie’s plan is to stick with Rex until the coaches finish the chocolates. Of course, the box is off limits to the players.
Maybe another approach is to send Rex to an intense four-week ballet-training class to get his arms and feet working together. A little jete here, a little plie there, a little pirouetting all around—all the while dressed in a pink tutu—might do wonders.
If Rex still throws more interceptions than TD passes? Time to switch to another old delicacy, such as Bubba shrimp? That is, Brian Griese. Be prepared, Lovie, to get a lot of questions about him this week. And, of course, about the frenzied footwork of Rex’s frantic feet.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
On any given Sunday! It happened again today when the Miami Dolphins upset the previously undefeated Chicago Bears 31-13 in Soldier Field in Chicago.
The Dolphins (2-6) apparently have the Bears (7-1) number when the Bears are unbeaten. Many of you probably remember Miami’s famous 38-24 victory over the then 12-0 Bears in December 1985 in Miami. It was the Bears’s only loss of the season.
Miami was inept during much of the game. It did its best to help the Bears win with one dumb and untimely blunder after another. But the Bears were inepter and more blunderous. They gave up six turnovers, three on interceptions and three on fumbles. It was the six-turnover Arizona game all over again except for the winner.
Having used their one allotted miracle for the season against Arizona, the Bears were at the mercy of the football gods. The gods, however, switched their TV’s to a better game.
How could the NFL’s top offense, top defense, and top special team stage such a humiliating performance? The Bears were a 24-point favorite. Is it any wonder that everyone who attended the game was seen with one hand on their heads scratching for all they were worth?
Can anyone recommend a Greek oracle who knows football?
Was this game a bad dream?
No, it was a bad game.
The Dolphins converted four of the six turnovers into 28 points. Ouch! Miami frequently had Chicago quarterback Rex Grossman on the run and sacked him three times. Dolphin running back Ronnie Brown shredded the Bear defense for 157 yards.
The absolutely worst result, however, is that it refocused attention on Rex Grossman. Once again called into question were his throwing mechanics and passing accuracy and judgment Brian Griese, get ready.
The Dolphins (2-6) apparently have the Bears (7-1) number when the Bears are unbeaten. Many of you probably remember Miami’s famous 38-24 victory over the then 12-0 Bears in December 1985 in Miami. It was the Bears’s only loss of the season.
Miami was inept during much of the game. It did its best to help the Bears win with one dumb and untimely blunder after another. But the Bears were inepter and more blunderous. They gave up six turnovers, three on interceptions and three on fumbles. It was the six-turnover Arizona game all over again except for the winner.
Having used their one allotted miracle for the season against Arizona, the Bears were at the mercy of the football gods. The gods, however, switched their TV’s to a better game.
How could the NFL’s top offense, top defense, and top special team stage such a humiliating performance? The Bears were a 24-point favorite. Is it any wonder that everyone who attended the game was seen with one hand on their heads scratching for all they were worth?
Can anyone recommend a Greek oracle who knows football?
Was this game a bad dream?
No, it was a bad game.
The Dolphins converted four of the six turnovers into 28 points. Ouch! Miami frequently had Chicago quarterback Rex Grossman on the run and sacked him three times. Dolphin running back Ronnie Brown shredded the Bear defense for 157 yards.
The absolutely worst result, however, is that it refocused attention on Rex Grossman. Once again called into question were his throwing mechanics and passing accuracy and judgment Brian Griese, get ready.
Nobody ever said life was fair. Later this week, the list of 10 semifinalists for the Butkus Award, given annually to the nation’s top college linebacker, will be pared to three finalists. The award is named for Dick Butkus, the former great linebacker of the University of Illinois and the Chicago Bears and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
One name that won’t make the finals list—because he wasn’t on the first list—is that of Fighting Illini middle linebacker J Leman. What a gaffe! The same guy who recorded 15 tackles against Indiana and an astounding 19 against the offense of No. 1 ranked Ohio State. Same guy who leads Division-A in total tackles with 117!
Request to Dick Butkus: Dick, could you make a phone call about this blunder?
One name that won’t make the finals list—because he wasn’t on the first list—is that of Fighting Illini middle linebacker J Leman. What a gaffe! The same guy who recorded 15 tackles against Indiana and an astounding 19 against the offense of No. 1 ranked Ohio State. Same guy who leads Division-A in total tackles with 117!
Request to Dick Butkus: Dick, could you make a phone call about this blunder?
This is definitely the last word by Da Blog about the recruitment of high school basketball player Derrick Rose. Although we reserve the right to talk about it further if Rose becomes a de-committer like his buddy Eric Gordon.
What Rose’s choice of Memphis came down to, according to published reports, was love. All you need is love. Love, love, love. Love is all you need.
How did we miss this rationale? We focused on the school, the coaches, the location, the type of offense, the Simeon High School connection, the state of Illinois link.
Apparently, the Memphis people gushed all over Rose as if he were a rock star, while the Illinois people responded with, “Hey, Derrick, how you doing?” Rose got the impression from the Illini group that he was just a “regular recruit.”
Very instructive. Coach Bruce Weber, add this approach to your recruiting guidelines. Forget about the essentials. Think rock star and just remember: All you need is love. Love, love, love. Love is all you need.
What Rose’s choice of Memphis came down to, according to published reports, was love. All you need is love. Love, love, love. Love is all you need.
How did we miss this rationale? We focused on the school, the coaches, the location, the type of offense, the Simeon High School connection, the state of Illinois link.
Apparently, the Memphis people gushed all over Rose as if he were a rock star, while the Illinois people responded with, “Hey, Derrick, how you doing?” Rose got the impression from the Illini group that he was just a “regular recruit.”
Very instructive. Coach Bruce Weber, add this approach to your recruiting guidelines. Forget about the essentials. Think rock star and just remember: All you need is love. Love, love, love. Love is all you need.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
The greatest upset in college football in the 21st century—the Fighting Illini almost pulled it off. Underdogs from around the world cheered the Illini as they lost 17-10 to No. 1 ranked Ohio State today in Memorial Stadium.
The underdogs wanted an Illinois VICTORY, the kind that goes into the standings. They didn’t get it, but they got a lot of victories.
For example:
No team had scored a touchdown against OSU in 11 quarters. That’s over, Rashard Mendenhall wheeled around the right corner for a short romp into the end zone near the end of the fourth quarter.
OSU averaged over 30 points a game. Not against Illinois.
OSU’s smallest margin of victory was 17 points, against Texas. Not anymore.
OSU averaged about 400 total yards a game. It got about half that much in this tenacious battle against Illinois.
OSU was held scoreless in the second half. The Illini scored 10 points. Take that, Buckeyes.
OSU gained a total of 29 yards in the second half. And it’s ranked No. 1?
OSU was favored by 27 points. Hah!
OSU quarterback Troy Smith has been touted as a leading candidate for the Heisman. But most fans would say that the most remarkable individual performance of this game belonged to Illinois middle linebacker J Leman. That is if you call 19 tackles a good day’s work.
Of course, the entire Illini defense was sensational in the second half. Medals all around for this swarming unit.
This Illini loss was the mother of all moral victories.
Years from now Illini fans will be talking about this game as if Illinois won. That’s because they won our hearts.
The rest of the season? Doesn’t matter! Doesn’t matter!
The underdogs wanted an Illinois VICTORY, the kind that goes into the standings. They didn’t get it, but they got a lot of victories.
For example:
No team had scored a touchdown against OSU in 11 quarters. That’s over, Rashard Mendenhall wheeled around the right corner for a short romp into the end zone near the end of the fourth quarter.
OSU averaged over 30 points a game. Not against Illinois.
OSU’s smallest margin of victory was 17 points, against Texas. Not anymore.
OSU averaged about 400 total yards a game. It got about half that much in this tenacious battle against Illinois.
OSU was held scoreless in the second half. The Illini scored 10 points. Take that, Buckeyes.
OSU gained a total of 29 yards in the second half. And it’s ranked No. 1?
OSU was favored by 27 points. Hah!
OSU quarterback Troy Smith has been touted as a leading candidate for the Heisman. But most fans would say that the most remarkable individual performance of this game belonged to Illinois middle linebacker J Leman. That is if you call 19 tackles a good day’s work.
Of course, the entire Illini defense was sensational in the second half. Medals all around for this swarming unit.
This Illini loss was the mother of all moral victories.
Years from now Illini fans will be talking about this game as if Illinois won. That’s because they won our hearts.
The rest of the season? Doesn’t matter! Doesn’t matter!
Chicago Bulls fans, you’re bewildered at the outcomes of the first three games (Bulls 1-2). Some of you have even given up on the Bulls’s chance of contending for the title. All the preseason promise has suddenly morphed into such deflating disappointment.
Not to worry! Lighten up. It’s a long season, and the Chicago Bulls are not the Chicago Cubs.
Consider this: the Bulls played against Orlando’s beastly Dwight Howard without the one weapon who could do a reasonable job of limiting his success: long-armed, leaper-shot blocker Tyrus Thomas. Of course, it’s hard to block a dunk. But Howard has to get the ball before he can dunk it, and not all his shots were dunks.
Unfortunately, it will take some time before Thomas is fully recovered from his broken nose even though he may play a few minutes in each game.
As Da Blog has suggested, the long season favors the Bulls because of their bench strength. Watch the Bulls take over the second half of the season, particularly the second half of games.
For a hint of what’s ahead, let’s look at how’s the bench has done in the first three games. The Bulls defeated Miami 108-66 on the road, and the Bulls bench outscored Miami’s bench 55-12. Orlando beat the Bulls 109-94 on the road, and the Bulls bench outscored Orlando’s bench 38-27. Sacramento beat the Bulls in Chicago 89-88, and the Bulls bench outscored Sacramento’s 30-6.
Like the trend for the second half of the season? Quality depth will win out.
Not to worry! Lighten up. It’s a long season, and the Chicago Bulls are not the Chicago Cubs.
Consider this: the Bulls played against Orlando’s beastly Dwight Howard without the one weapon who could do a reasonable job of limiting his success: long-armed, leaper-shot blocker Tyrus Thomas. Of course, it’s hard to block a dunk. But Howard has to get the ball before he can dunk it, and not all his shots were dunks.
Unfortunately, it will take some time before Thomas is fully recovered from his broken nose even though he may play a few minutes in each game.
As Da Blog has suggested, the long season favors the Bulls because of their bench strength. Watch the Bulls take over the second half of the season, particularly the second half of games.
For a hint of what’s ahead, let’s look at how’s the bench has done in the first three games. The Bulls defeated Miami 108-66 on the road, and the Bulls bench outscored Miami’s bench 55-12. Orlando beat the Bulls 109-94 on the road, and the Bulls bench outscored Orlando’s bench 38-27. Sacramento beat the Bulls in Chicago 89-88, and the Bulls bench outscored Sacramento’s 30-6.
Like the trend for the second half of the season? Quality depth will win out.
By Warren Silver, a lifelong resident of the Chicago area (except when he was attending college at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign) and a newcomer to blogging. Comments are welcome at wsilver9735@yahoo.com.
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