Wisch: Who Are The Illini? We're About To Find Out
Over the next three weeks, Illinois faces five opponents with a combined record of 78-15. Four of them are currently ranked among the Top 15 teams in the country.
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Over the next three weeks, Illinois faces five opponents with a combined record of 78-15. Four of them are currently ranked among the Top 15 teams in the country.
For Cubs fans, it's time to convene. But for the Cubs? Well, apparently, it's time to count beans.
From the get-go, the names fit like a small-sized helmet on an XL-sized head. Awkwardly. And now, it's time for the Big Ten to send "Legends" and "Leaders" on their way. Mercifully.
The Fighting Illini are an imperfect basketball team.
But then there's the University of Illinois, the sadsack program of the prairie whose last three head football coaches can now be found at Florida International University (Ron Turner), the University of Buffalo (Lou Tepper) and, well, the coaching unemployment line (Ron Zook).
Is Nick Saban worth a look?
Keep your wits about yourself, Illini Nation.
This week, Ditka's comments about Smith's firing got me curious about how "Da Coach" fared against winning teams during his coaching career with the Bears. Additionally, I wondered how the coaches in between Ditka and Lovie – Dave Wannstedt and Dick Jauron – held against top competition during their time in Chicago.
Kirk Herbstreit might want to shoo them out of South Beach, but the Northern Illinois Huskies will nevertheless be playing in a BCS game tonight when they butt helmets with Florida State during the 2013 Orange Bowl.
There are more than 20,000 seats inside the United Center.
When it comes to college football, the state of Illinois has an attendance deficit.
asher and Dancer. Cookies and milk. Mistle and toe. The Bulls and the Knicks. Yes, some things just seem to go together on Christmas.
Come this evening in front of a rabid crowd in St. Louis, Illinois will defend its border against Missouri during the two schools' annual Braggin' Rights game.
Such is the Catch-22 of the situation that the Cubs have put themselves – and their overpaying, overly patient fans – in thanks to the path that Theo & Co. have embarked upon.
The future of Notre Dame's athletic programs – despite the football team's current success – has never been less stable, or clear.
With an 11-0 record and a Top 10 ranking, Illinois basketball appears to be back. But the Illinois basketball crowds? Well, they're not.
With no games scheduled until Monday, the Northwestern basketball team is taking a break this week. But here in the meantime, what I'm wondering is if the Northwestern basketball program will ever decide to break away from coach Bill Carmody.
Since the Bears traded for Cutler before the 2009 season, Lovie Smith's overall record is 34-27 for a winning percentage of .557, which is actually a drop off compared to his 45-35 record (.563) B.C. (Before Cutler).
Minnesota. The Chicago YMCA. Rose Polytechnic Institute. Minnesota again. The Evanston YMCA. Wisconsin. Millikin. Butler. DePaul. Wisconsin again. Houston. Arizona State. Furman. Louisville. North Carolina. … And Gonzaga?
How such numbers factor into the Bears' decision about whether to bring Smith back for 2013 isn't known, but what's clear is how Smith's career record looks under a magnifying glass. Not good.
Attendance certainly didn't improve markedly this past weekend. Rather, it sunk startlingly.
He's three inches shorter, five pounds lighter and unlikely to be named National Player of the Year (or go No. 2 in the NBA Draft), but that doesn't mean Brandon Paul can't still pull an Evan Turner this season.
When the Chicago Cubs, coming off their 104th year of championship futility topped by 101-loss cherry, probably inspire more hope and interest than your football program does, you know you have a problem.
Ex-Cub Ron Santo finally got into the Hall of Fame this past summer. Ex-Cub Greg Maddux will easily get into the Hall of Fame in the summer of 2014. And Ex-Cub Lee Smith will surely get into the Hall of Fame …
Last week, I canvassed a swath of Illini Nation via Twitter and Facebook, asking for suggestions about how the state's flagship school could better connect with fans – both existing and prospective ones – in the city.
