No offense intended, I liked Leach too. But this is pushing my buttons as my wife was making similar noises today. I want to win this bowl game and establish / maintain what has been built this year. Very sorry for the Leach family but I hope we do not roll over out of sympathy.The Michigan State fiasco and now this….Illinois has been on the wrong end of a couple of rallying cries.
That said, I won’t be crushed if we lose this one…Leach was such a unique character that didn’t take himself too serious and from all accounts an amazing person. Really wanted him when we hired Lovie.
Treading lightly because the situation is so much bigger than an exhibition game, but this will be tough. Everyone who’s not a diehard Illinois fan will be pulling for MSU and their players will never have more motivation to go out with a victory to honor their coach. I get it. Tough task for our staff and players to face.No offense intended, I liked Leach too. But this is pushing my buttons as my wife was making similar noises today. I want to win this bowl game and establish / maintain what has been built this year. Very sorry for the Leach family but I hope we do not roll over out of sympathy.
Spot on regarding MSU and now this...
Oh I still want to win. I just think his unfortunate passing at such a young age has taken some of the thrill of the game out of it.No offense intended, I liked Leach too. But this is pushing my buttons as my wife was making similar noises today. I want to win this bowl game and establish / maintain what has been built this year. Very sorry for the Leach family but I hope we do not roll over out of sympathy.
Spot on regarding MSU and now this...
Perhaps…but we also have the opportunity to go out there: play hard, accept the cards we were dealt, and show what a decent, classy program we have. And, just maybe, at least some of those people out there might go away thinking: “You know those Illinois kids play hard and they’re respectful too. I now have a little bit a of begrudging respect for them.”Whether we like it or not, we are officially the "bad guys" of this game in the eyes of the vast majority of CFB fans. Just the way it's gonna be.
Mike Leach would certainly want the game to be playedThe MSU players may want to play, who knows.
It's a different situation than the Virginia thing.
More eyes and attention will be on our game and rightfully so. My HS coach died during our season and he coached my school for 20 years or so. It's tough, but football has a way of bringing people together. It's about having fun and appreciating the opportunities we get in this life.Whether we like it or not, we are officially the "bad guys" of this game in the eyes of the vast majority of CFB fans. Just the way it's gonna be.
Most definitely. Just looking at reddit etc, we're not going to have anyone happy if we win. We'll only get that respect and admiration if we play hard and lose. I think we will be respectful and we should play to win, but that's just how it is gonna be I think.Perhaps…but we also have the opportunity to go out there: play hard, accept the cards we were dealt, and show what a decent, classy program we have. And, just maybe, at least some of those people out there might go away thinking: “You know those Illinois kids play hard and they’re respectful too. I now have a little bit a of begrudging respect for them.”
Personally I was quite proud to be an Illini when I saw this:
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Maybe something like that can happen…
Alternate theory: The vast majority of CFB fans don't care about this game.Whether we like it or not, we are officially the "bad guys" of this game in the eyes of the vast majority of CFB fans. Just the way it's gonna be.
Generally true of all the games except 2. However the situation will bring more eyes to the game and they won't be tuning in to see how Illinois plays.Alternate theory: The vast majority of CFB fans don't care about this game.
As far a the game goes, we didn't get much pressure on the one team this season that really throws the ball around(Purdue). MS REALLY throws it around. I'm assuming we'll be missing our 2 best secondary pieces in Witherspoon and Brown so forgive me if I'm apprehensive about our chances of stopping MS from having a 500 yard passing day.
Got a feeling a team that runs an "Air Raid" offense probably has a stable of wr's.....They will also be missing their top WR.
I don't think the majority of CFB fans care about any game other than their own. But the recent events mean a lot more care than they did last week and of everyone new who cares, they aren't gonna be rooting for us.Alternate theory: The vast majority of CFB fans don't care about this game.
It’s not that people care about our game specifically, it’s that a huge number of people love to watch college football.Alternate theory: The vast majority of CFB fans don't care about this game.
Reminds me of when we played Alabama in Bear Bryant's last game in the 1982 Liberty Bowl - our first bowl game in 20 years and we were the bad guys.It’s not that people care about our game specifically, it’s that a huge number of people love to watch college football.
And the NYD bowls are some of the last bits of football to watch outside the playoffs.
Sure, fans outside of Illinois and MSU don’t care much about the plight of either school.
But when they tune in to the first bowl game of the day, craving their college football hit and see that MSU is playing for their beloved, fallen leader you betcha they are gonna all of a sudden want to see MSU win.
We will be public enemy #1 (though not in a malicious way) for those 3.5 hours even if it’s subconscious for most people.
And that’s okay. I’m sure we will also honor him and people will see how the two teams can come together to pay their respects.
But yeah, the random fan that tunes in to the broadcast and sees what MSU is playing for will want them to win.
I recall the game - I was a senior - watched it on TV . Had he announced that December he was stepping down ?Reminds me of when we played Alabama in Bear Bryant's last game in the 1982 Liberty Bowl - our first bowl game in 20 years and we were the bad guys.
Was at that game, and after landing our first 'bowl game' in like forever, it had to be the one against Alabama in Bear's LAST game... bummer... We're almost never allowed to have nice things...Reminds me of when we played Alabama in Bear Bryant's last game in the 1982 Liberty Bowl - our first bowl game in 20 years and we were the bad guys.
I was at that game as well, froze my a$s off. Not Champaign Tony's greatest night, and the game that sent Kris Jenner off to bigger and better things in the medical and health care investment fields.Was at that game, and after landing our first 'bowl game' in like forever, it had to be the one against Alabama in Bear's LAST game... bummer... We're almost never allowed to have nice things...