Die another day
Jeff Jordan was specifically NOT the desired candidate for heroism. Jeff hit a crucial free throw in the final minute of Illinois' victory (yes they won) over Wisconsin (repeating: Illinois won).
At 1:12 Bruce Weber pulled Jordan away from the scorer's table, realizing he didn't want Jordan in the game during an offensive possession."He can't shoot free throws!" Weber yelled at Gary Nottingham and Wayne McClain. Jordan returned to the bench.
When Jordan reached the charity stripe moments later, I couldn't help wondering whether he'd heard that.
| Make way for the champions
Even when she was winning by 20 lengths and defeating a classy field of males by daylight, somehow it always seemed that Rachel Alexandra was up against the odds. There were always the questions: did she over extend herself in her last race? Will she be vulnerable for this big test? Will she overcome the outside post? Will she be as good as the boys? She's only 3-years-old, can she contend against older males? Will she be invincible to the Saratoga curse? Always the questions, and to each of these, Rachel answered with her brilliance. Now, with the race for the ages looming less than one month away, her destined showdown with the undefeated Breeders' Cup champion, Zenyatta, Rachel must again answer more questions. This time, it isn't about how good she is, or even how good her foes are. This time, we merely ask: is she ready?
The Big Ten Tournament runs from Thursday through Sunday at Conseco Field House in downtown Indianapolis. If you've never gone, I recommend it. The area is nice and safe, and has interesting hotels and restaurants. You can park without paying a million dollars.
It is a quarter to nine on a cold January morning―not so cold that it is uncomfortable, but cold enough, below freezing―and some twenty-something kid leans out of the passenger side of a truck on the streets of Savoy and yells, "Nice flag, douche bag!" Thanks, I think. The three young women I'm running with snigger under their breaths. It is the end of week two of training for the Illinois Half Marathon, and I've already survived -8° weather and …
Over the course of a challenging year, I've learned to distinguish between the two varieties of Illini follower. Some want to know all the news. Some want just the best stuff — the good news! Lately I've been harangued for appealing only to the former group. Today, I want to make up for that. GOOD NEWS! All's well with the Illini! For the sixth season in seven, Bruce Weber has led his charges to a winning record. And it's not …
Three graded stakes races for 3-year-olds highlight the first weekend in March. In New York, the Gotham Stakes won't star any standouts on the Derby trail, but you never know what's going to be produced in the building weeks to the first Saturday in May. In California, Big Cap Day also marks the running of the Santa Anita Oaks, where filly star Blind Luck will try to win her third Grade I race in a row. The Sham Stakes, which …
A couple of weeks ago, I agreed with the team's assessment of its anomalous loss to Ohio State: Just forget about it, and move on. The problem with losing to Minnesota at home is that this loss may very well prevent Illinois from moving on. On the bright side, the Illini could get another home game out of the deal. And that's good for those newspapers who can just afford to send their beat reporters to Champaign.
Richard Semrau practices while reporters wait in the background. Having watched plenty of basketball from his seat at the end of the bench, Richard Semrau has decided to do something else for a change.
****CHECK BACK WITH THIS STORY SOON FOR UPDATES FROM UBBEN, INCLUDING RICHARD SEMRAU NEWS**** Most of the Illini showed up for the taping of Big Ten Network's Hoops on Campus Thursday night at the ARC (formerly IMPE). Flyin' Illini Kendall Gill joined a crew of eight to ten at the shoot, which took place on the middle of three indoor basketball courts in the northeast gym. The show will air tonight at 9 p.m. CST, just before its time to …
If you needed a chance to catch your breath and digest all of the racing that's been blitzing the past few Saturdays, now is your chance. This final weekend of February, which will hopefully mark the end to the worst winter in recent memory, will bring us only three 3 year old races of great interest, and only one of those is packed with drool-worthy contenders; this race just so happens to be a test against some salty fillies. …
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Sometime between now and their first game in this year’s NIT, the Illini need to practice taking a shot before the game clock expires.
Can we please refrain from ever EVER comparing running a marathon to childbirth? Especially when the comparison is made by someone without a vagina? Kthx.
I think we are in. But being blown out again by OSU might give the selection comittee doubts. I dunno anymore.
Mark: You raise some interesting points. I’m impressed by anyone who runs a marathon, no matter their finishing time. It’s the commitment people show to accomplishing a goal they set for themselves that impresses me most. A sign I saw at the Illinois Marathon last year along…
April 9th can’t come fast enough!
Pheidippides wasn’t planning on running a marathon; that’s why he died. If he had known ahead of time that he’d be running 26 miles and followed a good training program for a year, stretched properly before the event, had bands and cheering people along the race route,…
Keep us posted on the latter!
The marathon is certainly a tough distance, but I imagine that it compares to childbirth. In any event, having completed the former, I will agree that it is an excruciating tastk. Should the opportunity arise, I will let you know how the latter compares.
Surprised you think it will take two wins. I think we have a shot to get in with another loss. The bubble is just a disaster this year, and we’ll float to the top even with one win.
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Ok, just tell me when I can exhale - Just curious, since all the globalists, carbon traders, and pretty much anyone with copious amounts of wealth have weighed in on population reduction in recent years, i was wondering what yer magic number was. Some of the more…
ESPN360!!!!! For those that don’t know, you can watch the ESPNs’ games on your puter.
...and given the lack of smiley emoticons i chose to employ, that reads far more sarcastically than i ever intended (my apologies). i actually find this to be a great article and an interesting discussion, seriously : )
Once it leaves the basement, it is then called what? hmmm…....could it be mainstream? accessible? appealing on a mass-level? POP??? Quickly it will become a fad, over-saturate the media, and piss people off. Then everyone can write articles based on how that shit sucks, too. chickens are…
So John is seeing all comments as being authored by John. I am seeing all comments as authored by me. The first comment was Mysterious McDade who evidently acquired an Optimism Hat and is now seeing how it fits.
No, everyone is me! Muahahaha! I so didn’t make that first comment so I thought maybe someone was trying to get my goat, adding me to the staff. I hope jumping to that conclusion is forgivable. Yeah, uh, I guess I should say that I swear I…
I have reached Nirvana, I guess. Everyone is me.
Something weird is happening.
WTF guys? Does impersonating a user in the comments section run afoul of your commenting policy?
In general, I think music is much more interesting now than in 1995. I definitely am very glad contemporary music has expanded beyond the four-piece rock lineup that dominated much of the 90’s. The point of the above isn’t so much about a sound or an instrument…
2010 is not 1995. I’m not sure why anyone would expect a music scene to remain stationary as the world of popular music moves around it. Also, today, making popular music with mainstream appeal and being innovative and cutting-edge are usually exact opposites.
I didn’t know that the LED was created here. That’s awesome.
It’s a total shame this is only during working hours! It sounds great, but I’m one of those who can’t slip away very readily during the 9-to-5. Next time, a request: weekend events, please?
Nuts. Sorry I saw this, um, 15 minutes before CULitFest (my term!) begins. However, one deficit - no beer. SP.com 1, UIUC 0. In all seriousness, hope it goes well!
This is federal money, yes. But it is money going to a network that is going to be owned by an inter-governmental of the two cities and the University, not by the federal government. If you’re worried about the local governments spying on us, that’s fine, but…
Prediction: Selection Sunday 2011, Illinois will be vying for a real #1 seed.
bhrama- thanks for the promo. it is true, crane and badger will be playing on friday at mike and mollys w/ the chemicals and tractor kings. we will be playing first. show starts at 10pm. come on out. rock will be had.
Heard there is a new rock band (Crane & Badger-2nd show) playing @ Mike’s this Friday night. Certified rock-styley.
Change is the only constant thing in this world. Change is just an indication that a particular place is improving or not. It is a good thing that there is a room for a change but it must be a change for the better. It is just…
Now that Olympian is probably a given, they’re going to have to rename the section between Willow and 45. Any suggestions? Now lets get onto Urbana’s next road to nowhere. Airport Rd., They want to extend it from Bartlow west to Lincoln thru 3 farm fields. One…
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*Shrugs*