Illinois 71, Idaho State 60

Idaho State brought their A-game tonight; the Illini, on the other hand, were either hung-over from their huge Braggin' Rights Game victory on Tuesday night or thinking about getting back home for Christmas. Whatever the reasons were, Idaho State gave the Illini all they wanted and more, only to come up short in their upset bid in Champaign. Trailing 46-40 with 11:57 left in the game, Illinois produced a game-saving 24-7 run to salvage a 71-60 victory from the Bengals of Pocatello, Idaho.

Make no mistake about it: Idaho State (5-7 overall) has a good basketball team and these guys will make a run at the Big Sky Conference championship. The Sagarin Ratings currently have them ranked #126 in the country. Point guard Akbar Abdul-Ahad was outstanding tonight, exploding for 24 points on 9-for-16 shooting. One of the other ISU guards, David Schroeder, also had a nice game with 16 points.

Warren Carter, who is sidelined with a hip flexor injury, did not play for the Illini: Turns out, he was sorely missed tonight. Jamar Smith came to the rescue for the Illini, hitting 5 of 12 treys for 21 points. Chet Frazier added 13 points, three of which came on an absolute rainmaker of a shot that had the highest arc I've ever seen in hundreds of games at Assembly Hall. Brian Randle added 11 points, Rich McBride hit a couple of threes for 10, and Calvin Brock had 7 points.

Illinois improves to 12-2 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: versus Xavier (Ohio) at Cincinnati, Ohio on Friday, December 29 at 8 PM CT. Hopefully, Warren Carter will be ready to go in this one.

On another note, it was great hearing Coach Lou Henson provide color commentary during the Illini Sports Network's broadcast of this game. He looks great too - it's wonderful to see him doing so well again.

Illinois 71, Idaho State 60

Simeon's Wilson chooses Illini

It's official! Martez Wilson - the highest rated player in the state of Illinois - says 'yes' to Coach Ron Zook and the Illini!

What a recruiting class the Illini are assembling!!! WOW!!!

Simeon's Wilson chooses Illini

Catching up with Illini football recuiting: Lots of GOOD NEWS!!!

Coach Ron Zook and his hard-working staff have been running all over the country since the Illini football season ended. And all that hard work is starting to pay off: To steal a clever marketing phrase from the marketing folks at Lexus, it's been a "December to Remember" for the Illini football family.

After Thornton Township's stud wide receiver Anthony Morris and Washington, DC superstar Arrelious Benn verballed to Coach Zook and the Illini back on November 9, several other highly-ranked athletes have jumped on the Illini football bandwagon. Here's a list of the newest UI verbal commitments:

S #39 *** Brian Gamble
(Washington HS)
Massillon, OH
6-0/190
Verballed: 12/05/2006

RB NR * Troy Pollard
(Andrew Jackson HS)
Jacksonville, FL
5-8/175/4.50
Verballed: 12/05/2006

C #11 *** Mark Jackson
(Harmony Community School Midd)
Cincinnati, OH
6-5/290/5.20
Verballed: 12/11/2006

WLB NR ** Erique Robertson
(Maple Heights Senior HS)
Maple Heights, OH
5-11/210
Verballed: 12/11/2006

S NR ** Darius Purcell
(Hubbard HS)
Chicago, IL
5-11/215/4.60
Verballed: 12/11/2006

RB JC * Daniel Dufrene
(College of the Sequoias)
Visalia, CA
5-11/205/4.45
Verballed: 12/12/2006

DT #3 ***** D'Angelo McCray
(Andrew Jackson HS)
Jacksonville, FL
6-4/290/4.85
Verballed: 12/14/2006

OT #26 **** Jack Cornell
(Quincy Notre Dame HS)
Quincy, IL
6-7/305/4.90
Verballed: 12/19/2006

For more on these student-athletes, check out Scout.com.

Welcome, one and all, to Fighting Illini football and congratulations on your decisions! We're very excited to have you all with us!!!

NOTE: Simeon's outstanding DE Martez Wilson is to announce his school of choice this evening in a press conference in Chicago. The buzz on the street is that 'Tez is also coming to UI - keep your fingers crossed, Illini fans...

Illinois 73, Missouri 70

Seven straight! Seven straight Braggin' Rights victories over Missouri! Another joyous Christmas in Champaign-Urbana!

But, unlike last year's 82-50 woodshed beating by the Illini, this game was close and it came down to the last play and the last few seconds. In fact, neither team led by more than six points in the game. One thing is certain: First-year Missouri coach Mike Anderson has done a nice job installing his version of Nolan Richardson's chaotic "40 Minutes of Hell" system and this Mizzou team has come a long way since last year.

When the final buzzer sounded, Trent Meacham had stolen the ball from Mizzou point guard Stefhon Hannah and the Illini had a hard-fought 73-70 victory and a seventh straight Busch Braggin' Rights trophy. And Illini coach Bruce Weber had his 100th victory (against just 18 defeats) with the Illini. All is well with the world!

But give Missouri (9-2, 0-0 in the Big XII) credit: They fought the Illini harder then they've fought in a long time and their pressure defense was very good all night long. Fortunately, Chester Frazier, Rich McBride, Jamar Smith and Meacham were up to the task as the Illini only committed 14 turnovers - one fewer than their season average of 15.

My game balls go to two Illini: Frazier and Shaun Pruitt. Frazier played a few seconds short of all 40 minutes - even with a painful turf toe injury - and he was solid at the point in the face of all the full-court pressure and wing traps. He totaled 8 points, 6 assists and 3 steals. And Pruitt was just as solid in the paint with a team-high 19 points and 9 rebounds (5 were offensive rebounds). I'm not sure any of the Tigers can stop Shaun when he plays like he did Tuesday night.

The Illini shot just 42% from the field, but outrebounded the fiesty Tigers 39-31. The Illini also out-pilfered the Tigers 12-6 and didn't give the Tigers any easy points in transition - two more surprising statistics. Arguably, the Illini took care of business and forced their slower tempo as much as possible in order to get this important win.

Perhaps the only disappointment in this game was the Illini defense: Missouri used dribble penetration effectively and had a lot of good looks at the basket. The Tigers connected on 51% of their shots.

Mizzou's Hannah led all scorers with a career-high 21 points. No other Tiger player scored more than 9 points.

So the Illini head back to Champaign with another year to brag and an 11-2 record (0-0 in the Big Ten). Up next: versus Idaho State at the Assembly Hall in Champaign on Thursday, December 21 at 7 PM.

Illinois 73, Missouri 70

Illinois 77, Belmont 51

After a close first half, the Illini used a 13-4 run early in the second half to pull away from a stubborn and talented Belmont team on Sunday at Assembly Hall in Champaign. When it was all done, the Illini had a 77-51 victory going away. Both coaches credited tough Illini defense in the second half as the difference in this one.

Warren Carter had another strong game with 21 points and 5 rebounds. Chester Frazier contributed eleven - yes, eleven! - rebounds to lead the Illini (10-2 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten). Shaun Pruitt added 13 points and 4 boards and Brian Randle totaled 10 and 4, respectively.

The one sore spot for the Illini in this game: turnovers. Belmont, somehow, forced a season-high 22 Illini turnovers. This statistic doesn't bode well for Tuesday's Braggin' Rights Game in Saint Louis against Missouri's chaotic "40 Minutes of Hell": The Illini must take care of the basketball against the much-improved Tigers or they will suffer a defeat.

Shane Dansby came off the bench to lead Belmont (7-3, 2-0 Atlantic Sun Conference) with 13 points, while center Boomer Herndon added a team-high six rebounds for the Bruins.

My personal opinion: This Belmont team will be in the 2007 NCAA Tournament. They were in it last year. They're very disciplined and they've got a lineup full of shooters.

Up next: versus Missouri in the annual Busch Braggin' Rights Game at the Scottrade Center in Saint Louis, MO on Tuesday, December 19 at 8 PM. It should be another wild affair under the Gateway Arch.

Illinois 77, Belmont 51

Illinois 71, UIC 66

Ugh! I think I hated watching this Lexus "December to Remember" game as much as Coach Bruce Weber says he did.

After an average first half that led to a comfortable 37-22 halftime lead, the Illini seemed to go into "play not to lose" mode. The Flames cut that 37-22 lead down to just 37-33 in the opening minutes of the second half to get back in the game. UIC shot just 27 percent in the first half and improved to 50 percent shooting in the second 20 minutes (where was the Illini defense in the second half???).

Rich McBride led the Illini with 13 points. Chester Frazier chipped in with 10 points for the Illini and Brian Randle - who had missed the previous nine games following groin surgery - had nine points and nine rebounds.

Othyus Jeffers, who led UIC's comeback, scored 13 of his 16 in the second half. Josh Mayo added 13 for the Flames (5-5).

About the only good news from this game: The Illini (9-2 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten) are now 29-6 all-time at the United Center and 12-1 against UIC.

Next up: versus Belmont on Sunday, December 17 at the Assembly Hall in Champaign.

Illinois 71, UIC 66

Illinois 87, IUPUI 59

One stat says it all about this mismatch: The Illini had 26 assists on 32 made baskets. The Illini offense was extremely efficient in an easy victory from IUPUI.

55% field goal shooting and 59% accuracy from behind the arc didn't hurt either. Warren Carter continued his solid play with a game-leading 21 points and he added 8 rebounds for the Illini. Rich McBride converted 6 of 9 treys for 18 points and Jamar Smith came in off the bench for 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Chester Frazier did a solid job at the point, handing out 11 assists with only 3 turnovers.

Two senior guards led the way for IUPUI (3-5 overall): David Barlow had 19 points and 5 rebounds while Matt Burks added 17 and 4, respectively.

One interesting side note: IUPUI Guard/forward Craig Swoope, a freshman, is the son of former standout Illini defensive back Craig Swoope, who played football at UI back in the 1980's. The younger Swoope added 2 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 12 minutes played last night.

The Illini improve to 8-2 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: versus Illinois - Chicago at the United Center on Saturday, December 9 at 1:00 PM.

Illinois 87, IUPUI 59

#16 Arizona 84, Illinois 72

PHOENIX (AP) -- The last time Arizona and Illinois played, the Fighting Illini staged a late comeback that stunned the Wildcats and denied them a berth in the 2005 Final Four.

The 16th-ranked Wildcats are still haunted by that heartbreaker, but may have eased the pain with their 84-72 victory over Illinois in the Basketball Hall of Fame Challenge on Saturday.

The Wildcats (5-1) felt they made a statement after rallying from a 16-point deficit to win a game played at tournament intensity.

"Illinois is a big-time team," said game MVP Chase Budinger, who led Arizona with 22 points and eight rebounds. "They always have a great program. It really tested us to see where we were as a team and as a program."

Regretfully, I predicted this game to be a loss for the Illini when I first saw this season's schedule. The Illini started out strong (for once this season!) and built a comfortable 35-19 lead midway through the first half, only to see Arizona's athleticism get the best of them late.

So, after losing two straight to top 25 teams, the Illini are now 7-2 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: versus IUPUI at the Assembly Hall in Champaign on Wednesday, December 6 at 7:00 PM.

#16 Arizona 84, Illinois 72

#19 Maryland 72, Illinois 66

Tough game. Tough (and rare) home loss for the Illini. Give Maryland a ton of credit: They're a very good team and they just out-toughed the Illini in our own back yard. I thought the Orange Krush and the crowd brought their A-games for this matchup and it's still hard to believe that we lost in the House of 'Paign. There's not much else to say: This one really hurts.

#19 Maryland 72, Illinois 66

Beef House Rolls!!!

OH.MY.GOD!!! These are - by far - the BEST dinner rolls on Earth!!! WOW!!!!!

Beef House Rolls

Illinois 75, Bradley 71

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. (AP) -- Jamar Smith hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and the Illini stormed back from a nine-point second-half deficit to defeat Bradley 75-71 Saturday night, winning a matchup of early-season unbeatens in the Chicago Invitational Challenge.

Warren Carter scored 17, Shaun Pruitt had 16 and Smith added 14. Chester Frazier scored all 10 of his points in the second half for the Illini (7-0). Frazier also had 11 assists.

Bradley (5-1) was led by 17 points from Will Franklin and 16 from Daniel Ruffin.

This is a good win for the Illini. Bradley's four-guard lineup is ultra-quick and this team will likely challenge for the Missouri Valley Conference Championship and an NCAA Tournament berth this season.

Illinois is 7-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten. Up next: versus Maryland (in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge) at Assembly Hall in Champaign on Tuesday, November 28 at 6:00 PM.

Illinois 75, Bradley 71

Illinois 51, Miami (Ohio) 49

Chester Frazier's driving layup with 18 seconds left gave Illinois a 50-49 lead and Warren Carter's free throw with 6 seconds left accounted for the final point of the game as the Illini won a defensive battle with Miami (Ohio), 51-49.

After trailing 33-26 at the half, the Illini cranked up the defensive pressure and held Miami to just 16 points in the second half to overtake the stubborn Redhawks.

Miami's Nathan Peavy led all scorers with 22 points and all rebounders with 11. The Illini shot just 39% for the game and had just three players in double figures: Rich McBride had 11 points, while Shaun Pruitt and Chester Frazier added 10 points each. Pruitt grabbed 9 rebounds but the Illini were outrebounded by the smaller Redhawks 29-19. One bright spot for the Illini: free throw shooting. The Illini converted 13 of 16 free throws, as Frazier made all six of his attempts and Warren Carter sank 6 of his 8.

The Illini improve to 6-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: versus Bradley in the championship game of the Chicago Invitational at the Sears Centre in suburban Hoffman Estates, Illinois on Saturday, November 25 at 7:30 PM. This game will be televised by WCIA-TV in Champaign.

Illinois 51, Miami (Ohio) 49

Welcome, Wyatt Samuel Brownfield!

Wyatt Samuel Brownfield was born yesterday, November 22, 2006 to Alice and Jeff Brownfield! He weighed in at 7 pounds even and measured 20 inches long! He is as cute as a button! Welcome to the world, Wyatt!!!
:-)

Michael Richards - What in the HELL are you thinkin', man?!

I loved you (and Kramer) before I heard about - and saw - this outburst of rage, hatred and racism. Now, I'm not sure what to think about you.

Ultimately, I think this incident will negatively affect (Richards' friend) Jerry Seinfeld's career as well as Richards'. You can pretty much put a fork in Richards' acting career.

Richards appeared via satellite last night on the Late Night With David Letterman show. He was asked to try to explain the tirade by one of David's guests, Jerry Seinfeld. Richards appeared very shaken and seemed remorseful for what happened, which makes you wonder why he went off like he did in that club. Totally uncalled for...

Illinois 81, Savannah State 34

Savannah State (5-1) matched an Assembly Hall record for low team score with its 34 points in an 81-34 Illini blowout tonight. The Tigers shot just 25% from the field. Wisconsin - Green Bay set the low team scoring record back in 1985 in an 84-34 loss to the Illini.

Chester Frazier led all scorers with 17 points on 6-for-8 accuracy and he added 5 assists. Shaun Pruitt had a double-double for the Illini with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Warren Carter added 12 points and 7 boards for the Illini.

Rich McBride returned to the lineup following his 6-game suspension and contributed 16 points on 5-for-11 shooting, including 4-for-10 accuracy from three-point range.

The Illini easily won the rebounding battle from the smaller Tigers, 52-21.

The Illini improve to 5-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: versus Miami (OH) in the Chicago Invitational at the Sears Centre in suburban Hoffman Estates, Illinois on Friday, November 24 at 7:30 PM. This game will be televised (although we're not sure at this time who will broadcast it).

Illinois 81, Savannah State 34

Leman Named First-Team All-Big Ten: Five Illini earn all-conference honors

University of Illinois linebacker J Leman was named first team All-Big Ten by the league's media representatives and earned second-team honors by the conference coaches, as announced by the Big Ten on Tuesday. Cornerbacks Alan Ball and Vontae Davis, running back Pierre Thomas and placekicker Jason Reda were named honorable mention picks.

"I am really proud of J," Head Coach Ron Zook said. "The defense showed great improvement this year, and that is a tribute to everyone out there, but there is no doubt that J is one of the leaders and did a tremendous job with everything that was asked of him this season."

Leman led the conference in total tackles (152) and tackles per game (12.7), and ranked second in the NCAA. He was even more impressive in league games, with 13.4 tackles per contest. He was also among the Big Ten's best in tackles for loss with 19 for the season, which was second in the league and 10th in the nation. His tackles and TFLs both rank sixth on the Illinois single-season lists. Leman is Illinois' first first-team All-Big Ten selection since Steve Weatherford in 2004.

"I feel very honored," Leman said. "The credit for this award goes to the defensive line and all the players around me as well as Coach Zook, Coach (Dan) Disch and Coach (Vince) Okruch. They are the reason I was able to play well and excel this season."

Leman Named First-Team All-Big Ten: Five Illini earn all-conference honors

Villanova 89, UFI 60

A second straight loss for Alfraud's UFI Squawkeyes down in the Virgin Islands... UFI falls to 2-2 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference.

Villanova 89, UFI 60

Alabama 72, UFI 60

Thank you, Crimson Tide!!!
:-)

UFI falls to 2-1 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Too effin' bad.

Alabama 72, UFI 60

Illinois 84, Florida A&M 63

Florida A&M gave the Illini all they wanted and more for three quarters of Sunday afternoon's game at Assembly Hall, but in the end, the Illini were too strong for the Rattlers.

With 11:45 remaining in the game, Calvin Brock made a free throw to give the home team a 54-53 lead; the Illini never trailed - and were never threatened - again. From that point, the Illini went on a 30-10 run to close out the game going away.

Champaign's own Trent Meacham made Fighting Illini Basketball history Sunday afternoon: Unofficially, Meacham's eight three-pointers (on 13 tries) tied a school record for three-pointers made in a game. He now shares this honor with former Illini guards Dee Brown and Kevin Turner.

Chester Frazier contributed with a double-double as he totaled 13 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds. Calvin Brock continued his hot shooting with 7-for-13 accuracy and also earned a double-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists. The Illini shot 53% for the game as a team.

Illinois improves to 4-0, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: at home versus Savannah State on Tuesday, November 21 at 7:00 PM.

Illinois 84, Florida A&M 63

#1 Illini Hockey - 15-0!!!

The Illini Hockey Club wins again - this time on the road at #15 Kent State! Here's what the Illini Hockey Club Web site says...

November 17, 2006 - The Illini keep the streak alive, taking Kent State on their home ice 5-1. Mike DeGeorge almost had a perfect game before the Flashes scored with just 40 seconds left. The Illini's Liang, Resch, Pringle, Hoelzer, and Park all tallied goals in game one.

Illinois 85, Georgia Southern 50

In contrast to Wednesday night's game with Jackson State, the Illini showed up early in this one and turned what was anticipated to be a dogfight into a rout with sharp shooting. Again without the services of starters Brian Randle, Rich McBride and Jamar Smith, the Illini were counting on solid performances from youngsters Chet Frazier, Calvin Brock and Trent Meacham: They got what they needed against Georgia Southern. Meacham led the Illini with 19 points and 4 assists, Brock added 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting and Frazier chipped in with 10 points. The game was pretty sloppy - the Illini forced 27 GSU turnovers and committed 18 of their own. But overall, this was a quality win against a very athletic and potentially tough team. Illinois improves to 3-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten. Up next: at home versus Florida A&M on Sunday, November 19 at 4 PM.

Illinois 85, Georgia Southern 50

Men's club hockey to visit Kent State: Depleted squad will be without offensive leaders

The No. 1-ranked Illinois men's hockey club will hit the road for just the third time this year, traveling to Kent State for a pair of Central States Collegiate Hockey League (CSCHL) conference games this weekend.

The American Collegiate Hockey Association's (ACHA) top-ranked Illini will put its perfect 14-0 record on the line against the No. 15-ranked Golden Flashes on Friday and Saturday nights in Kent, Ohio, but the Illini will have to do it without a few key players.

Illinois will be without junior forward Kevin Wicklin, out with a broken foot, junior defenseman Dave Schmitt, who is suffering from a hernia, and senior forward Marshall Chubirka, who sat out last weekend's pair of wins against North Dakota State and is still ailing from a right shoulder injury. Additionally, freshman forward J.J. Heredia has been listed as inactive after injuring his left knee against the Bison in last Saturday's win.

"They are four of our best players and are all big losses for us," head coach Chad Cassel said. "Now it just becomes an opportunity for other guys who haven't seen much ice time to play more. We are going to need them to step up because it's a huge weekend for us."

Men's club hockey to visit Kent State: Depleted squad will be without offensive leaders

Hockey club remains perfect: Record now 14-0 after weekend

The Illinois men's hockey club picked up their 13th and 14th straight wins to start the season on Friday and Saturday night.

The Illini entered the weekend the American Collegiate Hockey Association's (ACHA) No. 1-ranked team but without a few of its players in the line up due to injuries.

Still the Illini defeated the North Dakota State Bison 6-2 both nights to remain a perfect 14-0, and in the process got a little payback for the Bison's upset win over the Illini last season.

"We played pretty well considering we were missing quite a few guys from the line up," head coach Chad Cassel said. "We played with a few different lines and combinations and still got two more wins. But I think we realize we still have some work to do."

Hockey club remains perfect: Record now 14-0 after weekend

Rest in peace, Sticky...

You were the best stick catfish ever. We'll miss you so much...

Oral Roberts outplays, outlasts No. 3 Kansas

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- Marchello Vealy hit his first seven 3-point shots and Oral Roberts stunned No. 3 Kansas 78-71 Wednesday night.

Vealy, only 1-for-13 in 3-pointers last year as a freshman, was 7-for-8 from behind the arc and finished with 22 points.

Caleb Green added 20 points for the Golden Eagles (1-1), who outplayed the heavily favored Jayhawks from start to finish.

...

Kansas trailed by as many as eight points in the second half and never got closer than three. The Golden Eagles looked every bit as quick as the Big 12 favorites and played a tenacious defense, keeping Kansas off balance all night in an arena where it usually dominates.

The Jayhawks fell to 165-11 in Allen Fieldhouse since 1994-95.

Kansas got 22 points from freshman Darrell Arthur, but was only 11-for-21 from the line and missed easy shots all night long.

Julian Wright, a preseason favorite for Big 12 player of the year, blew layups on two consecutive possessions as Kansas tried vainly to regain the lead in the second half.

Bearing little resemblance to the crisp outfit that routed Northern Arizona 91-57 in their season opener last week, the Jayhawks missed 11 of their first 17 shots and had 10 turnovers.

It's called karma, Coach Bail $elf - karma.

Oral Roberts outplays, outlasts No. 3 Kansas

Illinois 76, Jackson State 55

The shorthanded Illini quickly fell behind 18-4 but fought their way back to tie Jackson State at the half, 34-34. The Illini then took control with 74% shooting and better defense in the second half and won this game going away. Three of the younger guys - Calvin Brock, Trent Meacham, and Brian Carlwell - played lots of meaningful minutes in this one. In fact, both Meacham and Chet Frazier played all 40 minutes and Brock logged 38 minutes. Illinois is 2-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: at home versus Georgia Southern on Friday, November 17 at 7 PM.

Illinois 76, Jackson State 55

Illinois 80, Austin Peay 35

Easy win for the Illini - I love these blowout victories! The only concern is for starters Jamar Smith (who is out for 4-6 weeks with a high ankle sprain) and Brian Randle (who tweaked an abdominal injury and is rated as "week by week"). Illinois is 1-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: at home versus Jackson State on Wednesday, November 15 at 7 PM.

Illinois 80, Austin Peay 35

Illinois lands nation's No. 1 wideout

Dunbar (Washington, D.C.) senior wide receiver Arrelious Benn committed to Illinois this evening over Maryland, Notre Dame and Florida State. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder is rated the nation's No. 1 wide receiver and the No. 7 overall recruit in the Class of 2007 by RISE.

Benn's pledge to the Illini means that head coach Ron Zook has pulled off the recruiting coup of the year. But that isn't a big surprise if you've followed Zook, who was a tremendous recruiter when he was the head coach at Florida.

Illinois lands nation's No. 1 wideout

4-star wide receiver/safety Anthony Morris pledges the Illini!

Anthony Morris' Rivals.com bio

Here's how Rivals.com rates the Fighting Illini recruiting class of 2007 so far...

COMMITTED/NOT SIGNED  Pos  Stars  Ht   Wt   40   RR   Hometown
====================================================================
Daryle Ballew         DT   ***    6-3  285  5.15 5.6  Cincinnati, OH 
Arrelious Benn        WR   *****  6-1  210  4.45 6.1  Washington, DC
Clint Brewster        QB   **     6-1  187  4.8  5.4  Denver, CO 
Nathan Bussey         ATH  ***    6-2  202  4.5  5.6  Washington, DC 
Mike Garrity          OL   ***    6-6  255  -    5.5  Batavia, IL 
Steve Matas           DE   ***    6-5  270  4.7  5.5  Mentor, OH 
Anthony Morris        WR   ****   6-3  200  -    5.8  Harvey, IL 
Marcus Thomas         DB   ***    5-11 157  4.5  5.5  Chicago, IL 
Craig Wilson          OL   ****   6-5  290  5.2  5.8  Chatham, VA

Rivals.com - Illinois football commitments for 2007

Benn’s impact could be far reaching

Now that receiver Arrelious Benn is committed to Illinois, giving coach Ron Zook his biggest recruiting prize in two years at the school, analysts will be watching to see if the surprising pickup leads more big names to choose the Illini.

Benn is arguably the top high school receiver in the country, and that Illinois was able to wrest him away from Notre Dame, Florida State and Maryland seemed miraculous to some.

But he’s not the only big-name player giving the Illini a look.

Top-100 players who have Illinois on their short lists reportedly include defensive tackle Marvin Austin, rated the No. 1 player in the country by Scout.com, defensive tackle D’Angelo McCray (No. 22), defensive end Martez Wilson (No. 28), running back Robert Hughes (No. 68) and defensive tackle Josh Brent (No. 70). The latter three are from Illinois.

“Watch and see the next few weeks, I have a feeling it will become a domino effect,’’ said Bob Lichtenfels, recruiting analyst for Scout.com. “I’ve talked to some kids who flat out told me Martez Wilson is the reason they committed to Illinois. It makes me think Martez Wilson will commit to Illinois, and he’s probably one of the top defensive end prospects in the country. If Martez goes, odds are Robert Hughes could go and Josh Brent.’’

Benn’s impact could be far reaching

Dunbar's Benn Will Play at Illinois

Dunbar senior All-Met Arrelious Benn, regarded as the nation's top wide receiver in the class of 2007, surprised many recruiting experts when he announced last night that he intends to sign with Illinois, spurning offers from more than 40 other schools, including Notre Dame, Florida State and Southern California.

Benn said Notre Dame was his front-runner for a long time, but Illinois came on late. Illinois has gone 8-36 since the start of the 2003 season and has had just two winning records since 1995, but Benn said he liked the fact that the Illini have given several young players prominent roles in recent years.

Dunbar's Benn Will Play at Illinois

YouTube video: Arrelious Benn commits to the Fighting Illini!

Illini hockey wins pair at home: Illinois beats Eastern Michigan twice, now tied for first-place spot in league

The Illinois men's hockey club found out they were the American Collegiate Hockey Association's (ACHA) top-ranked team when the latest ACHA poll was released Friday afternoon - and on Friday and Saturday night, they played like it.

Illinois routed No. 17-ranked Eastern Michigan 8-0 and 7-3 in its pair of games this weekend at the University of Illinois Ice Arena, earning eight more points in the Central States Collegiate Hockey League (CSCHL).

Illini hockey wins pair at home: Illinois beats Eastern Michigan twice, now tied for first-place spot in league

Illini clip the Eagles wings with sweep

November 5, 2006 - The Eagles of Eastern Michigan University returned home with their feathers ruffled as the Illini outshot them seventy to thirty-seven and outscored them by twelve goals this weekend at the Big Pond. With scores of 8-0 and 7-3, the Illini kept their win streak alive and are a perfect 12-0 on the season.

Illini clip the Eagles wings with sweep

There's a new leader in the ACHA

November 3, 2006 - The University of Illinois takes over the top spot in Ranking #3 of the 2006-07 season, getting 23 of a possible 38 first-place votes. The Fighting Illini are now a perfect 10-0-0 on the season. Illinois last held the #1 position on December 16, 2005. Former #1 Rhode Island slipped to #2 after suffering its first loss of the season at Delaware.

There's a new leader in the ACHA

Illinois hockey sweeps Western Michigan

The Illinois men's hockey club kept its perfect record last weekend with a pair of wins on the road against the red-hot Western Michigan Stallions.The Stallions came into the weekend having lost just one game of its first 11, but the American Collegiate Hockey Association's No. 2-ranked Illini shut down Western Michigan, beating the Stallions 7-3 and 5-2 to move their record to 10-0 on the season.Sophomore forward Jason Nemeth and freshman forward Jason Jennings led the way for the Illini. Nemeth finished the two-game series with four goals, while Jennings came away with four assists for the Illini."These were the two biggest wins of the season for us so far," head coach Chad Cassel said."We played well and our special teams came up huge for us all weekend and really were the key to our success," he added.

Illinois hockey sweeps Western Michigan

Blogs re: Orange & Blue Scrimmage and Derrick Rose

CHAMPAIGN – Reggie Rose said Friday night that Illinois is now involved in a three-horse race for the services of his brother, Chicago Simeon point guard Derrick Rose.

But the big brother of the senior star stopped short of handicapping a field that also includes Memphis and Indiana.

Illinois’ Orange & Blue scrimmage was played out on the Assembly Hall court Friday night, but the center of attention was clearly Derrick and Reggie Rose, who sat in the front row of the bleachers under a basket. They were constantly serenaded by the Orange Krush student cheering section, which wasted little time launching into a chorus of “We want Derrick!”

His appearance here came as a surprise this week, considering that his five “finalists” announced in August included Memphis, Indiana, Kansas, DePaul and UCLA.

Since then, however, Kansas, DePaul and UCLA have been eliminated and the Illini have emerged as a late consideration.

“I’m honest with my word and when we came out with the list, that was the list,” said Reggie Rose, who serves as his brother’s spokesman and recruiting advisor. “We took trips and everything and looked at our options. Then we said, “Let’s take another visit to Illinois, just to take a second look.’

“Sometimes you think the grass is greener on the other side, but when you take that look you say, ‘Oh, it ain’t like we think. So let’s go take another look.’”
So is Illinois officially back on the list?

“If Illinois wasn’t on the list, we wouldn’t even be down here,” said Reggie Rose, who indicated they planned to visit with Illini coach Bruce Weber later Friday night, then observe the team’s practice tomorrow morning.

And while Derrick Rose’s decision remains uncertain, Reggie Rose said an invitation-only press conference already has been scheduled to announce it.

“It will be Saturday, Nov. 4 at the Martinique Boutique at 82nd and Cicero in Burbank,” he said, setting the deadline.

The NCAA’s fall signing period begins on Nov. 8.

For what it’s worth, Derrick Rose wore an orange shirt and blue and orange patent leather shoes. Seated on either side of the Rose brothers were former Illini great Kenny Battle and another Simeon guard who played at Illinois, Bryant Notree.
When the Illini team came out to begin the intrasquad scrimmage, each player filed by and shook hands with Derrick Rose and, to a lesser degree, other recruits in attendance including Decatur Eisenhower’s Lewis Jackson and Jarod Oldham.

Reggie Rose was asked if Eric Gordon’s recent decision to switch his commitment from Illinois to Indiana in any way impacted the move to involve Illinois at this late time.

“It plays a role, then again it doesn’t,” Reggie Rose said. “When I grabbed Eric to play on my AAU team this summer, the way they played together was scary. It’s really up to them if they want to play together or not… But sometimes you have to be selfish, also.”

Mark Tupper: Rose visits, but mystery remains

Chicago Simeon High School senior Derrick Rose attended tonight's Orange and Blue Scrimmage at the Assembly Hall. Rose, ranked the No. 1 point guard in the nation by at least one recruiting service, sat courtside with a group of recruits and his brother, Reggie Rose.

Reggie, who has handled Derrick's recruitment, addressed the purpose of the unofficial visit after the scrimmage.

"The decision that he's going to make, it's not like you’re just going to a candy machine and just picking out some type of candy. It’s a life decision," Reggie Rose said. "Before we just make a decision, we just have to make sure it’s going to be the right decision. That was the main thing about coming back down and taking a look.

"And also, I respect the fact that Illinois is a great program and they've got tradition and everything," Reggie Rose continued. "You know, what can you say about going to take a second look at your state school?"

Derrick Rose politely declined an interview request. Initially, the plan was for the Rose camp to return home after the scrimmage. Reggie Rose said they will stay overnight, instead.

He also revealed that the Rose camp will make a public announcement on Derrick Rose's school of choice Nov. 4. Reggie Rose said the list includes three schools, and there will be no more visits.

"Right now (it’s) between Illinois, Indiana and Memphis," Reggie Rose said.

Paul Klee: Derrick Rose at Assembly Hall

Illini get last shot at Rose

"If he wasn't interested in Illinois, he wouldn't be coming down there,'' Simeon coach Robert Smith said. "He's got a lot of other places he could go.

"If he wasn't interested, he wouldn't be coming down there. He just wanted to make sure he's making the right decision. He wanted to come back to Champaign and take another look.''

...

According to recruiting sources, Illinois attempted to stay in touch with Rose and his family with periodic phone calls. Rose's older brother, Reggie, ran the recruiting process, and he surprisingly called Weber earlier this week to set up the unofficial visit, the source said.

Although Smith said Rose's visit to Memphis went well, another recruiting source said Rose realized how long a trip it was to Memphis.

Illini get last shot at Rose

More On Derrick Rose And Others

There are few things we can be certain on when it comes to analyzing the current state of affairs as it pertains to Derrick Rose's recruitment. However, one thing that we can say with an incredibly high degree of confidence is that when Reggie Rose announced that both he and Derrick will visit the University of Illinois this weekend for the Illini's Orange and Blue scrimmage, it was NOT a publicity stunt and that the trip to Champaign will be a lot more than just a mere courtesy visit. That is why we get a kick out of others who are trying to say otherwise to the point where they are trying to put their own personal spin on the situation. Here is the bottom line--Rose's visit to Illinois HARDLY means that he is going to commit or sign with the Illini. However, at the present time, based on the information that has come out none other than Reggie's mouth himself, we have every reason to believe that Illinois is still very much in the running, along with Memphis and Indiana.

More On Derrick Rose And Others

Simeon's Rose giving Illinois a late look

Simeon senior Derrick Rose, the top-rated point guard in the country, has reconsidered and will take an unofficial visit to Illinois.

Rose and his older brother Reggie will be in Champaign on Friday and will attend the Blue and Orange game, a scrimmage by the Illinois basketball team.

''Sometimes you have to step back and re-evaluate the whole process,'' Reggie Rose said. ''We don't want to look back after it's all over and too late and realize we made the wrong decision.

''We have discussed it with some close confidants and believe Illinois is a great place. The school has a great [basketball] program and it is in our home state. And no decision would be valid without giving Illinois a serious look.''

Simeon's Rose giving Illinois a late look

Bears stun Cardinals with improbable rally

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Maybe the Bears are a team of destiny.

Trailing the Cardinals 23-3 late in the third quarter Monday night in Arizona, Chicago staged a miraculous comeback, scoring two touchdowns on defense and one on special teams to escape with a stunning 24-23 victory.

“It’s meant to be,” guard Ruben Brown shouted as he left the field. “It’s meant to be.”

“That’s a good team,” linebacker Lance Briggs said of the Cardinals. “But the bottom line is that it’s a 60-minute game. You don’t ever give up.”

With the improbable win, the Bears improved to 6-0 for the first time since 1986 and increased their lead atop the NFC North to two and a half games over the Minnesota Vikings (3-2).

The Bears overcame six turnovers by quarterback Rex Grossman, who threw a career-high four interceptions and lost two fumbles while registering a hideous 10.7 passer rating. In the first half, the Cardinals converted four Grossman turnovers into 13 points in building a 20-0 halftime lead.

“I’ve never played so bad and won a game like that,” Grossman said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. That was unbelievable. I don’t know how to put it into words, how good our defense is and how big of plays they made. They could have done it by themselves tonight. It was just meant to be. We were supposed to win that game. For some reason, everything went our way when it needed to.”

It was a game for the ages, folks!!! I've watched a LOT of football in my 43 years on this earth, but I've never seen anything like this! Six turnovers - 4 interceptions and 2 lost fumbles - all by quarterback Rex Grossman...no offensive touchdowns for the entire game...trailing 23-3 late in the third quarter in a loud, hostile stadium. How in the hell did Da Bears win?!?!?!
:-)

Bears stun Cardinals with improbable rally

Illini Hockey Wins 2 Over Central Oklahoma

The ACHA's No. 3-ranked Illini (6-0) squeaked by the unranked Bronchos (2-4) 4-2 on Friday night and proved they were the better team with a 7-2 win on Saturday at the University of Illinois Ice Arena.

"We have to come with more intensity and play more as a team," senior forward and assistant captain Marshall Chubirka said. "I think last weekend beating St. Louis as badly as we did kind of took some edge away from our team. Anytime you beat a team that badly and score 22 goals you kind of get a big head and now we have to fix that problem."

Illini Hockey Wins 2 Over Central Oklahoma

Gordon spurns Illini for Indiana

Eric Gordon is headed to Indiana -- and this time it's his final decision.

Gordon's father confirmed to the Tribune on Friday morning that his son told Illinois coach Bruce Weber late Thursday night that he would not be following through on a commitment he made last November to play for the Illini.

Instead Gordon, the No. 2 recruit nationally according to Rivals.com, will attend Midnight Madness festivities at Indiana tonight and intends to sign with the Hoosiers when the early signing period begins Nov. 8.

"Late last night E.J. did get a chance to talk to both coaches, and he did talk to coach Weber," the elder Gordon told the Tribune on Friday morning. "Coach Weber called him back and (Eric) did tell him he was not going to be going to University of Illinois.

"It was really like splitting hairs, ultimately. This just happened to be the best thing for EJ."

After all, it's "all about me" nowadays. Screw you, EJ! Screw you too, Coach Sanctions!!!

Gordon spurns Illini for Indiana

YouTube/PayPal Founders: We Knew Them When...

The Google announcement of its $1.65 billion purchase of popular video-sharing site YouTube is front-page news - everyone's talking about the profit being made by a handful of guys living over a pizza place. But do you know the background story? This cluster of Internet superstars - YouTube co-founders Jawed Karim (B.S. '04) and Steve Chen, another departmental alum, and the man who first brought them together at PayPal, Max Levchin (B.S. '97) - all come from the same constellation: they were all students in the Department of Computer Science at Illinois!

YouTube/PayPal Founders: We Knew Them When...

Midnight madness: Gordon to Indiana? Prized Illini recruit visits Hoosiers Friday

Prized Indianapolis high school guard Eric Gordon will attend Midnight Madness festivities Friday night at Indiana, a move that likely indicates the senior guard who committed orally to Illinois last year has come to a decision, his father said.

And it's one that likely will make coach Bruce Weber and the Illini faithful unhappy.

"This is pretty significant, because we had not planned any other visits," Eric Gordon Sr. told the Tribune on Thursday night.

Midnight madness: Gordon to Indiana?
Prized Illini recruit visits Hoosiers Friday

Well, #$%&^*^#@&*@#$&*@#*&(@#$*@#(*$&@#*&*(@(#$!!!!!!!!

If EJ Gordon can change his mind about his commitment to Coach Bruce Weber and the Fighting Illini, then I reserve the right to change my mind about EJ Gordon and his family. Don't let the door hit you on the ass as you leave, EJ! And good luck with IU and Coach Sanctions...

Mark Tupper Weblog: "Rose snub no surprise"

Derrick Rose’s “list” of five schools contained some surprises, but Illinois’ absence from that list was not one of those surprises.

Rose snub no surprise

IndyStar.com: "Gordon's dad: Statement forthcoming"

Here's the REAL story from a reporter who knows what's going on with EJ and his family...

:-)

Anderson/Rowe Capture NCAA Doubles Title

Illini duo enters record books with straight set triumph

May 29, 2006

PALO ALTO, Calif. - University of Illinois All-Americans Kevin Anderson and Ryan Rowe captured the 2006 NCAA men's doubles championship at Stanford's Taube Tennis Center on Monday afternoon. The fourth-ranked and third-seeded sophomore tandem improved to 23-1 and won their 10th consecutive match with a 6-2, 6-4 win against the No. 2 seeded duo of Andre Begemann and Scott Doerner of the 2006 national champion Pepperdine team.

"Ryan and I have had a great semester playing together," Anderson said. "It doesn't get any better than this - this has been a great experience. We had the opportunity to prove that we're the number one doubles team in the country and we took advantage of it."

"I feel great," Rowe said. "We had to battle early in the tournament and we started playing our best towards the end. Right now I'm just enjoying the moment and I look forward to improving my game this summer.

"Today was one of our best matches," Rowe continued. "It was probably our best match of the year. We hit our serves, used our size to our advantage and it all came together."

Anderson/Rowe Capture NCAA Doubles Title

UI's plan to go after more out-of-state students dropped

URBANA – The University of Illinois has backed off a controversial plan to increase its enrollment of out-of-state students.

The plan, which came out of the university's strategic planning process, has drawn some criticism in recent months, and two legislators last week called for a review of the proposed policy.

The most recent draft of the UI's strategic plan does not outline any specific goals for increasing enrollment of out-of-state-students, but administrators have discussed the idea's merit in public for several months.

UI President B. Joseph White, while speaking at a University YMCA lecture series in February, said he could see the ratio of in-state to out-of-state students increasing to 85 percent/15 percent from the current 90/10.

Just last week Chancellor Richard Herman defended the plan while meeting with Chicago-area high school counselors.

"The modest increase that had been proposed was intended to improve the educational experience for Illinois residents, not to limit opportunity for them," said Herman in a statement released Monday afternoon. "However, since our constituents have made it clear that access is their highest priority, we feel it is important to listen and respond to their genuine concerns," he added.

UI's plan to go after more out-of-state students dropped

Some recent UI news

Building, renovation projects OK'd by UI board

UI hits milestone of 500,000 degrees

New alumni center on campus opens doors with activities

#7 Illini tennis team advances to the Sweet 16!

The Fighting Illini (24-6) swept its matches in the first two rounds of the men's NCAA tennis tournament in Louisville, Kentucky over the weekend. They took out Western Illinois (14-8) 4-0 in a first round match and then defeated host school Louisville (18-8) 4-0 in the second round. Next, it's on to Palo Alto, California and Stanford University and the NCAA Sweet 16 where they will face #10-seed UCLA (19-5).

First Round: Illinois 4, Western Illinois 0

Second Round: Illinois 4, Louisville 0

Sweet 16 @ Stanford University - May 20-29
#1 Georgia (26-0) vs. Notre Dame (19-8)
#2 Pepperdine (32-2) vs. Florida (17-7)
#3 Texas (24-3) vs. #14 Mississippi (22-5)
#4 Duke (22-6) vs. #13 Stanford (17-3)
#5 Baylor (22-6) vs. Washington (20-5)
#6 Ohio State (27-1) vs. #11 North Carolina (25-4)
#7 Illinois (24-6) vs. #10 UCLA (19-5)
#8 Virginia (23-8) vs. #9 Miami (FL) (20-4)

House aims to block NCAA ban

Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and Champaign representative Timothy Johnson (R-Ill.) introduced legislation Thursday intending to prevent the NCAA from interfering with the autonomy of its member institutions, Johnson's office announced yesterday.

House Resolution 5289, called the Protection of University Governance Act of 2006, constrains the NCAA's ability to use a member institution's nickname, symbols or mascot as a reason for imposing sanctions against that school. It would allow affected colleges and universities to sue the NCAA, seeking both a court order to stop the decision and damages to cover attorneys' fees and damages lost from not hosting postseason competitions.

"Local economies across the country would be impacted if the NCAA's recent decisions are allowed to prevail unchecked," Johnson said in the press release. "As indicated by the sponsors who have signed on and who will continue to sign on, this is not a Republican grievance or a Democratic grievance. The NCAA's presumed authority is a grievance against us all.

...

"The NCAA was established as a sports management association," Johnson said. "The organization has since assumed the mantle of social arbiters. They need to go back to scheduling ballgames and leave the social engineering to others."

House aims to block NCAA ban

Cool Web site: TopSecretRecipes.com

Now THIS is a cool site!

TopSecretRecipes.com

They even have a FREE recipe for my all-time favorite ranch dressing from Outback Steakhouse!!!
:-)

Moussaoui Gets Life for Role in Sept. 11

Rot in hell, Moussaoui!!!

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Al-Qaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui escaped the death penalty Wednesday as a jury decided he deserved life in prison instead for his role in the bloodiest terrorist attack in U.S. history. "America, you lost," Moussaoui taunted.

After seven days of deliberation, the nine men and three women rebuffed the government's appeal for death for the only person charged in this country in the four suicide jetliner hijackings that killed nearly 3,000 people on Sept. 11, 2001.

Three jurors said Moussaoui had only limited knowledge of the Sept. 11 plot, and three described his role in the attacks as minor, if he had any role at all.

Moussaoui, as he was led from the courtroom after the 15-minute hearing, said: "America, you lost. ... I won." He clapped his hands as he was escorted away.

Moussaoui Gets Life for Role in Sept. 11

SDSU's Holdren transferring to Illinois

This kid can flat-out play ball! What a nice surprise to have him in an Illini uniform next fall!!!

SDSU's Holdren transferring to Illinois

Gophers drop three of four games to Illini

The Illini are now at .500 in the Big Ten and sitting all alone in fourth place after taking back-to-back weekend series from Iowa and Minnesota.

The Dome just wasn’t homelike for Minnesota’s baseball team this weekend.

With three losses to Illinois this weekend, the Gophers are below .500 at the Metrodome this season and are sitting below the same number in conference play.

Minnesota’s (22-20, 9-11 Big Ten) 16-8 loss Sunday to the Illini (23-19, 10-10 Big Ten) pushes the Gophers into a four-way tie for fifth place in the Big Ten.

Gophers drop three of four games to Illini

NCAA upholds Chief restrictions

The University of Illinois will not be allowed to host NCAA championship events unless it eliminates its symbol Chief Illiniwek.

Leaders of the NCAA today announced they were upholding the association's previous decision to restrict the use of American Indian mascots, imagery and symbols at NCAA championships.

The decision means the UI will only be invited to participate in NCAA championships if it does not have Native American references on uniforms or associated athletic program activities, according to the NCAA.

NCAA Executive Committee Chair Walter Harrison said the policy does not mandate universities discontinue the use nicknames or images, but it "preserves the sanctity of NCAA championship sites by precluding them from hosting championships events," he said.

"The University of Illinois is disappointed by the NCAA Executive Committee's final decision to uphold a policy that is capricious in its design and implementation," said UI Board of Trustees Chair Lawrence Eppley in a written statement. "The NCAA's insistence on dictating social policy for a few select member institutions intrudes on the University of Illinois Board of Trustees' autonomy and the board's process for reaching a consensus conclusion on issues regarding the Chief Illiniwek tradition. In determining a course to follow, we will consider our options in the context of the NCAA's final pronouncement and the consensus process guidelines adopted by the (UI) board," he added.

The NCAA announcement comes about eight months after the NCAA issued a policy prohibiting postseason competition events at schools with "hostile or abusive" racial, ethnic or national origin mascots. The UI was one of 18 schools included on the list of such schools.

The UI first appealed the policy last fall and the NCAA responded by stating the UI could use the names "Illini" and "Fighting Illini," but not Chief Illiniwek. Since then, the UI has sent additional responses to the NCAA regarding the use of Chief Illiniwek.

The UI has said that the NCAA Executive Committee exceeded its authority when it decided American Indian imagery was a "core issue" and that the NCAA set policy without following its bylaws. The UI has also, in its appeals, requested the NCAA to respect institutional autonomy and allow the university to address the issue.

NCAA upholds Chief restrictions

Air Gordon

Nice interview... I LOVE this guy!!! I can't wait to see him in orange and blue!!!

Air Gordon

A little background on Bruce Pearl

A must-read for all Illini fans...

Bruce Pearl: Get ready, rat, because the Illini are comin'

Gordon sticking with college choice

This sounds great! Way to go, EJ!!!

Gordon sticking with college choice

Illini sweep Hawkeyes!!!

More good stuff from Illinois Field on Saturday, where the Illini won a close Game 1 and pummeled Iowa in Game 2 of a sun-splashed doubleheader. A huge crowd of 2485 showed up at the ballpark and nearly all of them thoroughly enjoyed the action and the results. Illinois is 3-0 against Iowa this season and is going for the series (and regular season) sweep today in Champaign.

Pitching, Power Spur Illini DH Sweep: Illinois Wins 4-3 in Opener, 10-2 in Nightcap

Illini pound Iowa, 12-3!

The Illini blow out the UFI Hawkeyes in Game 1 of the weekend series!!!

Whitmore, Homers Bring 12-3 Illini Win:
Five Illini Have Multiple Hits; Whitmore Strong in 1st Start of 2006

Columnist makes $1.5M endowment at U. of I.

Syndicated columnist and TV commentator Robert Novak says he owes his success to the University of Illinois, and now he's repaying that debt.

Novak has decided to endow a $1.5 million chair in Western civilization and culture at the U. of I.'s Urbana-Champaign campus.

Columnist makes $1.5M endowment at U. of I.

Ryan guilty of all charges

CHICAGO - Former Gov. George Ryan was convicted Monday of steering millions of dollars in state leases and contracts to political insiders, lying to federal agents and tax fraud, becoming the third former Illinois governor in as many decades to be convicted of federal felony charges.

Ryan, 72, sat stone-faced as U.S. District Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer read the verdict convicting him of racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud, tax fraud and lying to the FBI.

Co-defendant Larry Warner, 67, a Ryan friend and Chicago lobbyist, also was convicted of all charges in a six-month trial that was the climax of the state's biggest political corruption scandal in decades.

"I hope this case begins the end of political prostitution that seems to have been evident in the state of Illinois and begins a resurrection of honest government and services in this state that so many people have demanded," said Robert Grant, head of the FBI's Chicago office.

Ryan guilty of all charges

Champaign family gets up-close look at tornado

The News-Gazette has this story of Sunday's round of severe weather in central Illinois:

MATTOON – G. David Frye, his wife L.B, and their three sons were headed for their Champaign home late Sunday afternoon after an Easter celebration in Cape Girardeau, Mo., when dark skies over Coles County caught their attention.

"We stopped north of Mattoon because it looked bad," Frye said, adding their first stop was at a gas station, where they called a friend in Champaign to see what the weather was doing at home.

The report was that things were settling down so after a few minutes' wait, they got back on Interstate 57 and headed north again.

"It looked really bad," he said. His wife was driving and they pulled to the side of the road.

"I happened to see this cloud formation several miles to the west. I'm a pilot. I'd seen pictures of this before," he said.

So he got out a video camera and started taping.

Champaign family gets up-close look at tornado

University of Iowa campus hit by tornado

Here's a link to the CNN story:

Tornadoes rip through eastern Iowa, killing one

And here are two links to some video of this F2 tornado:

Tornado in Iowa City
Tornado Hits Iowa City, AS IT HAPPENED!!!

Congrats to Paxton, Illinois' own Tom Meents, the 2006 Monster Jam World Finals Freestyle Champion!!!

Tom Meents, Congratulations on winning the 2006 Monster Jam World Finals Freestyle Championship. How does it feel to be back on top?

It feels great. It feels awesome. I worked really hard for it this year. I'm really happy that I did it and pulled it off without no controversy.

How happy are you with your winning run?

Real happy. It could've been a little better in a couple areas from what I've seen. I haven't had a good look at it yet but there's a couple minor things that I could've made better but it was a pretty good run overall.

How much of it is planned out and how much of it is impromptu?

Well definitely the first move was planned out, quite a bit of the rest of it was planned out but near the end quite a bit of it was impromptu. I actually broke a rear steering centering cable. So there for a while the rear end was turned and so you gotta make due with what you got you know? You can't wait any longer so you gotta go with what it gives ya.

TOM MEENTS: A FEW MINUTES WITH THE 2006 MONSTER JAM WORLD FINALS FREESTYLE CHAMPION

Tonight at 7:00 CT on WILL-TV (PBS)...

NOVA: Hunt for the Supertwister

Illini Advance to Team Finals at NCAA Championships: Orange and Blue vie for first title since 1989

Congrats to the Illini men's gymnastics team! And good luck to them tonight as they compete for the team championship in Norman, Oklahoma.

Illini Advance to Team Finals at NCAA Championships: Orange and Blue vie for first title since 1989

GO ILLINI!

Cool Web site: IllinoisGasPrices.com

IllinoisGasPrices.com - Champaign area
IllinoisGasPrices.com - Decatur area

Dee Brown Wins Bob Cousy Award

Congrats, Dee!!!

"I am so blessed to receive the Bob Cousy Award, and I want to thank Mr. Cousy, the Basketball Hall of Fame and The Hartford for honoring me," Brown said. "There are so many people that have had an impact on my career and have allowed me to be successful, including my mom and family, Coach Weber and the assistant coaches, all my teammates, especially Luther Head and Deron Williams, the University, and of course all the Illini fans. I talk it about it all the time, but I am so grateful to have returned for my senior year to play point guard and put on that Illini jersey again. I had an unbelievable time playing basketball at the University of Illinois, and I feel like this award is an exclamation mark on my career and all the success that our team has had over the last four years."

Dee Brown Wins Bob Cousy Award

Storm leaves trail of damage

Another Sunday night in our basement watching the WAND Channel 17 Storm Center Doppler Radar... Man, it got dark - real dark - in a huge hurry last night!

The powerful storm system that moved through East Central Illinois seemed to strike fast, but weather trackers were watching it long before the tornado warning sirens went off in Champaign County.

"This line of storms originated in central Missouri earlier today. It held together pretty well," Rick Atterberry, public information officer for the Champaign County Emergency Management Agency, said Sunday.

Atterberry said the storm moved northeast and left a string of tornado warnings in its path by the time it reached the local area.

Storm leaves trail of damage

What? The Illini just lost their quarterbacks coach?

"Head-scratcher" is right! I always wondered why the Illini ran (former quarterbacks coach) Zaunbrecher's offense with Mike Locksley leading the way as offensive coordinator. Very cumbersome organizational structure, don't you think?

I'm with Tupper: You don't want to lose assistant coaches to "lateral" positions - especially positions with conference foes. That just doesn't look good.

With Zook's "happy face" routine, I doubt we'll hear much more about this personnel development any time soon. I just hope that, going forward, we can find ways to keep assistants at Illinois longer than a year. We're becoming quite a "stepping stone" program - with a revolving door - where assistant coaches are concerned. That reputation will not serve Zook or Illinois well if it continues.

News that Ron Zook is losing his quarterbacks coach was a small scale stunner Thursday. Ed Zaunbrecher was at practice on Tuesday, standing in the rain while overseeing the work of five quarterbacks. Then on Thursday he was headed to Purdue to take a similar position on Joe Tiller’s staff.

First of all, the timing is lousy. Second of all, you don’t want to lose assistant coaches to “lateral” positions. Had he been named offensive coordinator, it’s easier to explain. But I use the word “lateral” loosely. Purdue’s offense, at least until last season, has been high octane and put the Boilermakers in a succession of bowl games. Illinois has struggled, although the struggles have been much more pronounced on defense.

Zaunbrecher departure a head-scratcher

Indy Star columnist questions IU's hiring of Sampson

Sounds like I'm not the only one who doesn't think too much of IU's new head basketball coach.

First, we find out that IU showed a great deal of unpublicized interest in Gonzaga's Mark Few and Memphis's John Calipari. However, these solid coaches didn't reciprocate that interest. Hmmmm...I thought Indiana Basketball was a Top Ten program on a national level - a program that could just choose its next head basketball coach when it needed a new one?

And we now understand that Sampson's graduation rates at Oklahoma were amongst the lowest in the country and that he will be leaving OU in a cloud of alleged recruiting infractions. Sounds to me as if Sampson is a motivated man on-the-move.

At least on the surface, this hire has a flavor of desperation in it. Not to mention that, as this news has just broken in the last 24 hours or so, Hoosier Nation is not exactly rolling out the crimson carpet for Sampson - not yet, anyway.

I wonder if Rick Greenspan consulted with Big Ten boss Jim Delaney before he reached out to Sampson? I know Illinois AD Ron Guenther always seeks input from Delaney when he is looking for a major head coach. It sure can't hurt to have Delaney's blessings before you put your good money down on the table.

Good luck with Sampson, Hoosiers. Somehow, I fearfully expected more from this hire.

This was supposed to be the big, sexy hire, the balloons-and-confetti hire that would once again unite the fractured Hoosier Nation. This was supposed to be the hire that confirmed IU's delusional self-image as a top-five, even top-10 program, the hire that sent shock waves through the upcoming Final Four here in Indianapolis.

Maybe Billy Donovan. Or John Calipari. Or Mark Few. Or someone with a Bob Knight pedigree, a Steve Alford or even Randy Wittman.

Kelvin Sampson?

Really?

...

This whole thing, the Davis resignation and the Rick Greenspan-led search, was supposed to be done with the idea of uniting Hoosier fans under one banner, energizing them after years of disillusionment and ennui.

Well, I don't claim to speak for the Hoosier Nation, but the early returns suggest it is united -- united in its amazement that Greenspan, the man on the hottest seat of all, could make a less dazzling and more distressing hire.

Not sexy.

Not a member of the family.

Neither.

Did you hear that noise?

Thud.

If goal was to unite fans, it failed

My new soft contact lenses

I had a follow-up visit with my eye doctor this afternoon. After one week with my new ACUVUE® OASYS™ contact lenses, everything is looking great! I've never been happier with contacts than I am with these new lenses!

WHO SHOULD WEAR ACUVUE® OASYS™

People who experience contact lens dryness in dry challenging environments

People who spend extended periods of time in front of a computer

People whose eyes get tired from long days at work

People who like to wear their lenses comfortably all day

Every answer, above, is, "me".

And after wearing this pair for three or four weeks, I can throw them away and start wearing a brand new pair! I think I'm gonna be very happy with these!
:-)

Illini spring football is underway

C'mon, guys! Let's at least compete next fall!!!

CHAMPAIGN - A 2-9 record last fall tells us something must change with the Illinois football team.

The Illini begin spring drills today leading up to the spring game on April 22, and coach Ron Zook has decided to make changes in a depth chart left largely intact by graduation.

The offensive line, "which we all agree needs revamping,'' Zook said, will start with transfer Akim Millington and former defensive lineman Charles Myles at the tackle positions. Antonio Steele, a junior-college transfer, adds speed to a linebacker corps that figures to see change after an ineffective season.

"Our offensive line has to improve,'' Zook said. "Overall defensively we have to improve. We have to improve across the board.''

Change is in the air as Illini prepare for spring football game

Stunner! IU chooses Sampson

I'm asking three questions about this move:

1. Why would IU want Kelvin Sampson?
2. Why would Kelvin Sampson want to coach IU?
3. Didn't Sampson see how Mike Davis was treated at IU?

Boggle...

Oklahoma's Kelvin Sampson is leaving the school to become the next head coach at Indiana, multiple sources told ESPN.com.

Sampson already told OU athletic director Joe Castiglione of his plans and met with the Sooner team Tuesday afternoon.

A press conference announcing his hiring at Indiana could take place as early as Wednesday afternoon in Bloomington.

Sampson replaces Mike Davis, who took over for Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight in 2000.

"I was caught by surprise a little bit," said Taylor Griffin, a freshman forward for the Sooners. "He made the decision. I guess it's better for the program. I guess it's better for him."

Negotiations with Sampson heated up in the past week as the Hoosiers zeroed in on him after making overtures through a search committee to Gonzaga's Mark Few and Memphis' John Calipari.

The hiring of Sampson means the Hoosiers will break away completely from the Bob Knight era, instead of looking at former Hoosiers Steve Alford of Iowa or Orlando Magic assistant Randy Wittman.

Sampson replaces Davis at Indiana

Admission to U. of I. gets tougher

The University of Illinois received a record number of applications this year, making it harder than ever to gain admittance to some of its top colleges.

The Downstate school received more than 22,300 applications -- a 12 percent increase over last year -- for about 7,150 slots. Its top-ranked business school received 2,800 applications -- a 22 percent increase -- for just 600 seats.

School officials say the increase reflects several trends, including more high school graduates and more interest in the state's flagship school, which provides "excellence and value,'' said Chancellor Richard Herman. And, frankly, last year was subpar in terms of interest in U. of I.

Admission to U. of I. gets tougher

Here's another similar story from the News-Gazette: Students showing record interest in UI

Another celebrity Illini fan!

We all proudly watched as Bill Murray donned orange and sat a few rows behind the Illini bench last year at the NCAA Chicago Regional at Allstate Arena, cheering the Illini into the Final Four. Now we hear about another comedic celebrity who is an Illini fan: Vince Vaughn! Check the bottom of this interview for his comments about the Illini basketball team...

Entertainment Weekly - Interview: Catching up with Vince Vaughn

Even before I learned this about Vaughn, I liked the guy's acting and his movies. Wedding Crashers is a classic and I also enjoyed his part in Starsky & Hutch. "Vaughn is money!"

What a comeback! UCLA 73, Gonzaga 71

UCLA scores final 11 points in stunning comeback over Gonzaga

This one reminded me of the Illini game against Arizona last year at Allstate Arena in the Regional Final. Gonzaga led (and had large leads) for nearly the entire game - until right when it mattered most. What an improbable comeback by the Bruins! Here's a look at the play-by-play of the final 3:26 of this game...

3:26 Official TV Timeout. 69-62
3:26 Adam Morrison made Free Throw. 70-62
3:26 Adam Morrison made Free Throw. 71-62
3:13 Foul on Erroll Knight 71-62
3:13 71-63 Luc Richard Mbah a Moute made Free Throw.
3:13 71-64 Luc Richard Mbah a Moute made Free Throw.
2:50 71-64 Jordan Farmar missed Three Point Jumper.
2:50 71-64 Arron Afflalo Offensive Rebound.
2:46 Sean Mallon Steal. 71-64
2:22 Adam Morrison missed Two Point Jumper. 71-64
2:22 71-64 Luc Richard Mbah a Moute Defensive Rebound.
2:12 71-64 Jordan Farmar missed Two Point Layup.
2:12 71-64 Luc Richard Mbah a Moute Offensive Rebound.
2:09 71-66 Luc Richard Mbah a Moute made Two Point Layup.
1:48 Gonzaga Full Timeout. 71-66
1:39 Derek Raivio missed Three Point Jumper. 71-66
1:39 J.P. Batista Offensive Rebound. 71-66
1:35 J.P. Batista missed Two Point Layup. 71-66
1:35 71-66 Darren Collison Defensive Rebound.
1:29 Foul on Jeremy Pargo 71-66
1:28 71-66 Darren Collison missed Free Throw.
1:28 Jeremy Pargo Defensive Rebound. 71-66
1:01 Adam Morrison missed Two Point Jumper. 71-66
1:01 71-66 UCLA Defensive Rebound.
0:52 71-68 Jordan Farmar made Two Point Jumper.
0:41 Gonzaga Full Timeout. 71-68
0:23 Adam Morrison missed Two Point Jumper. 71-68
0:23 71-68 UCLA Defensive Rebound.
0:20 Foul on J.P. Batista 71-68
0:20 71-69 Ryan Hollins made Free Throw.
0:20 71-70 Ryan Hollins made Free Throw.
0:10 71-72 Luc Richard Mbah a Moute made Two Point Layup. Assisted by Jordan Farmar.
0:06 71-72 Luc Richard Mbah a Moute Steal.
0:04 Foul on Jeremy Pargo 71-72
0:02 71-72 Arron Afflalo missed Free Throw.
0:02 71-72 UCLA Defensive Rebound.
0:02 71-73 Arron Afflalo made Free Throw.
0:02 J.P. Batista missed Two Point Jumper. 71-73
0:02 71-73 UCLA Defensive Rebound.
0:00 End Game

I still think the Bruins can get to the Final Four.

Two noteworthy quotes from Jesse Livermore

"Beware of ignorance. The market must be studied and learned, not in a casual fashion but seriously and deeply. The stock market, with its allures of easy money and fast action, induces people into the foolish mishandling of their money like no other entity. The reverse of ignorance is knowledge, and knowledge is power." --Jesse Livermore

"There is nothing new on Wall Street or in stock speculation. What has happened in the past will happen again and again. This is because human nature does not change, and it is human emotion that always gets in the way of human intelligence." --Jesse Livermore

Quote of the day

"Time is the coin of life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful, lest you let other people spend it for you." --Carl Sandburg

The end of the Brown/Augustine era: Washington 67, Illinois 64

Roy, Huskies eliminate last year's national runner-up

"I can see clearly now, the PAIN is gone!"

For those who know me well, they know that I wear contact lenses (I'm nearsighted and I've had gas permeable contact lenses since I was 15 years old). And they also know that my lenses have been bothering me for quite a while - my eyes are often red and irritated.

Well, I went in to see my optometrist on Monday, hoping for some relief, and I came out of his office with all new soft contact lenses! I was more than a little apprehensive when he suggested that I try soft lenses, but WOW - I'm now very glad I did!

Here's what I previously didn't know: Between 25 and 27 million Americans wear contact lenses. The majority use these devices to correct vision as an alternative to glasses. Approximately 85% use soft lenses because of the superior comfort provided. 85%!!! I had no idea I was in the minority with my uncomfortable, dirty, rigid gas permeable lenses.

Hard lenses are difficult enough to clean, install, wear and remove - I wasn't sure how I would do with larger, much flimsier soft lenses. These lenses almost feel like Saran Wrap! But after a couple days of practicing with them, I'm getting them in and out much easier and I LOVE wearing them!!! I don't feel a thing in either eye - what a contrast that is to my hard contacts - and I can see so much better with them in!

I used to really feel those hard lenses... They would also slip up and down on my eye nearly every time I would blink. These new soft lenses feel like they're integral to each of my eyes. They're absolutely awesome and I highly recommend them to anyone with troublesome hard lenses!!!

Fun at the expense of UFI and Kansas

As much as I love the Fighting Illini, I also love to hate a select few teams. My hate is not irrational or malicious, but I definitely have my reasons for disliking these teams the way I do.

I enjoy watching the Iowa Hawkeyes, Missouri Tigers and Kansas Jayhawks lose - almost as much as I enjoy seeing the Illini win. So Friday was a great day for me, as two of my most hated rivals lost in huge, first round NCAA Tournament upsets on Friday.

The hate for "Freakin' Iowa" (a quote from Boy Wonder Steve Alford himself) started with Bruce Pearl about sixteen years ago. I don't think I need to say much more than that: My memory is very long and I know many other Illini fans feel exactly the same way.

#3-seed UFI got beat at the buzzer by #14-seed Northwestern State, 64-63, in one of the most exciting games I've watched in several years. Much to my dismay, the Hawks led this contest by 17 points with just 8 1/2 minutes to play, and the game appeared to be over. But the Demons from rural northwest Louisiana fought back with tenacious defense and some very timely shooting. After senior Greg Brunner came up short on the second of two free throws, leaving Iowa just two points ahead, Jermaine Wallace buried his desperation three with just 0.5 seconds on the clock to the delight of many in The Palace at Auburn Hills as well as many Illini fans watching on their TVs or PCs. And then seeing Wallace's shot replayed over and over and over again on SportsCenter and College GameNight and the local news just brings a huge smile to my face. Way to go, Demons! Thanks for the memories!!!

Hating Kansas has everything to do with hating carpetbagger Bill Self, who bailed on the Illini just three years ago next month, right when the Illini were knocking on the door of bigger and better things in the college basketball world. Self claimed that he was at Illinois "for the long haul" and that together, he, his staff and the Illini players "had a lot of work to do." Well, we all know how the "long haul" turned out with Self. Some Illini fans are more forgiving of Self, arguing that we should just forgive and forget what he did on his way out. Sorry - I can't do that. What's telltale about this, to me, is Illinois athletic director Ron Guenther's reaction to Self's abrupt departure: Guenther was apparently angry with Self just before and after Self left Illinois: In a press conference held shortly after Self was introduced as KU's new head coach, Guenther talked about loyalty to and from his coaches at Illinois and he called out Self as someone who crossed the line in that regard. What's bad for Ron Guenther - the king of Fighting Illini athletics - is arguably bad for Fighting Illini athletics. Thus, I have a chip on my shoulder where Bill Self is concerned.

Kansas, winners of 15 of 16 games, including the Big XII Tournament Championship, and the #4 seed in the Oakland Regional, struggled mightily all evening with the underrated, extremely athletic Bradley Braves from the Missouri Valley Conference. Bradley held off the desperate Jayhawks, 77-73, in an instant classic. I've gotta give BU a ton of props: They played with a purpose, they played aggressively, they played with poise and they pulled off a fantastic win over an immensely talented team of Jayhawks. KU, which looked unprepared and tentative from the get-go, only led by as many as two points early in the game for just a short spell; Bradley played on the lead for nearly the entire game and truly deserved the W. And let me say this: Bradley not only pulled off an upset last night, they proved what a good team they are with that performance. The Braves could have beaten a bunch of higher-seeded teams last night. This was Bradley's first NCAA victory since a win over UTEP in 1986 - twenty years ago.

Nice game for senior forward Marcellus Sommerville (21 points and 7 rebounds), sophomore center Patrick O'Bryant (8 and 10), sophomore guard Dan Ruffin (11 points and 7 assists) and junior guard Will Franklin (14 points and 6 assists). Looks like this Bradley team is still rather young and this bodes well for the next few years.

And so, the Jayhawks are headed back to Naismith Drive a little earlier than they had planned - again. Kansas has now lost in the first round in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history. I wonder how that will play amongst the anxious Phog Phaithful for the next several months.

Illinois 78, Air Force 69

Smith helps Illinois overpower Air Force

March Madness on Demand!

Live video and audio of all the games through the third round of the NCAA Tournament - FREE!

Here's the link to all the action:

NCAA March Madness on Demand

Live NCAA Tournament Scoreboards

Here are two links:

ESPN's Live NCAA Tournament Scoreboard
NCAA Sports.com Live NCAA Tournament Scoreboard

The best day...EVER!

It's my favorite day of the year! No, it's not my birthday today (I don't really care about my birthday anymore!). Today is the first day of games in the First Round of the men's NCAA Basketball Tournament!!! Sixteen games today, sixteen games tomorrow - it's all good, basketball fans!

My beloved Fighting Illini, the #4 seed in the Washington, DC bracket, are matched up against the #13-seeded Air Force Academy Falcons tonight in San Diego, California at 6:25 PM Central time. My fearless prediction: Illini 62, Air Force 48.

GO ILLINI!

Congrats to the Illini women's basketball team on their 58-37 preliminary round WNIT victory from Western Illinois at the UI Assembly Hall last night. Marquette is next, in Milwaukee... Keep it going, ladies!

Z-Blog is online!

First blog. First post. I must say - I'm pretty good with computers and the Web but I'm kinda lost here! But I'm not a quitter... I'll figure this blogging stuff out sometime soon.