thedoctor

santana to red sox?

QUOTE(Felix @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 02:51 AM) They are right most years too

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 02:23 AM) Am I the only one who feels like he hears that exact line every single year? you do. but this year they're right.

QUOTE(whitesoxin' @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 12:43 AM) I'd be the first to admit my bias. My excitement for this team is through the roof, and I don't think I should be criticized for it. And I never said they actually do have the best inside-outside combo, even though I believe they do (obviously I'm going to think that) and it is debatable for "experts". If I had to pick a second favorite team in the Big Ten it would be MSU without a doubt, but I just see them as a team that is always over-hyped and never lives up to expectations since the Mateen and Mo Pete days. don't get me wrong. i'm not criticizing your enthusiasm. indiana clearly has a great team and some nice players. some perspective would be nice is all. from a basketball standpoint, there are more than a few teams that are much deeper and more well-rounded than indiana is, imo.

QUOTE(whitesoxin' @ Dec 4, 2007 -> 09:53 PM) If we shoot 6.7% from behind the arc (like we did against Xavier) again against any decent D-I school we will have a pretty decent chance of losing. Xavier is a ranked team now. They were receiving a lot of votes before they beat us. With that said, I can predict with a face straighter than a ruler that we will win it all. I've seen all games except for the Xavier and Illinois St. (because I was at home and didn't have BTN) and when we play like we are capable of we are one of the best in the country. By the way, Izzo kicked his team out of the locker room after their loss, try telling him the game itself means little or nothing. And besides, MSU's reserves should be way better than GVSU's best players. it's great that you've seen all your games. i don't doubt it because there's no question you're a huge homer. nothing wrong with that, it is what it is. and of course izzo was pissed. he should be. but there's a difference between it mattering on the night of the game to the coach and it mattering in the grand scheme of the season. but fine. indiana will win it all. best inside-outside combination in the country. no one can touch those guys. got it.

QUOTE(whitesoxin' @ Dec 4, 2007 -> 09:39 PM) It doesn't matter if it's pre-season or not. If you're supposed to be the 8th best team in the country and win the Big Ten you should blow any D-II team out of the water no matter what. I find it shocking that someone can argue that. well, then be shocked. exhibition games don't mean a damn thing. coaches aren't using their regular rotations, starters aren't playing normal minutes and the game itself means little or nothing. if you want to use that logic, how can you predict with a straight face that indiana will win it all when they got b****-slapped by xavier by 15. indiana may or may not be better than michigan state. i'm not saying either way. but citing a preseason game as your argument is weak.

QUOTE(greasywheels121 @ Dec 4, 2007 -> 09:26 PM) How is this topic not boring yet? to most of us it is.

QUOTE(whitesoxin' @ Dec 4, 2007 -> 09:30 PM) You think a team that loses to D-II teams is better than IU? We're on a 22 game home winning streak and play 19 at home this year. We were only the 4th team to win in Carbondale in the last 6 years. We have the best inside-outside duo arguably in America and great depth. I'm not going to argue with a bitter Illini fan though, I'll let our play do the talking. so, indiana is better than michigan state because the spartans lost a preseason game to a d-2 team? ok.

QUOTE(ptatc @ Dec 3, 2007 -> 08:31 PM) I think alot of it has to do with the public perception of each sport. In football the only people who can play it are the big monsters so they are expected to take Steriods. Baseball is supposed to be the sport anyone, any size can play. There fore people get down on baseball. Also there is so much more gambling in football that many more people only care about winning at all costs and want their monsters on streoids. the stat aspect also plays a huge role. stats and records are sacred in baseball, but not so much in football. if shawne merriman goes out and sets the all-time sack record, it's not a big deal. nine out of 10 fans probably don't even know who holds the sack record in the first place, so it's hard to argue that the fabric of the game is being besmirched. but with baseball, the stats and records are as much a part of the game as the game itself. when the stats are stained, so is the game.

radio in gainesville is reported jarred fayson to illinois.

QUOTE(Jimbo's Drinker @ Dec 3, 2007 -> 02:27 AM) The orange chose kansas first out of the open spots, i know they had first pick followed by Fiesta. I think we were in more demand than I thought. miami-area restaurants were clamoring for kansas.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Dec 3, 2007 -> 01:17 AM) Missouri gets screwed with no vaseline.

QUOTE(fathom @ Dec 2, 2007 -> 08:46 PM) Illinois is going to the Rose Bowl.

i'm as big of an illinois fan as anyone but they would struggle to keep it within two touchdowns against usc. still, i don't really care. all of this is just more validation for zook on the recruiting trail. they will continue to add top-notch talent and improve as a program. i know there was a lot of skepticism here regarding zook's ability to lead the program. if they end up in the rose bowl this year, i'd have to think that some of the "zook can't coach" stigma would be put further to rest.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 1, 2007 -> 11:49 PM) He was hurt being thrown to the ground by his coach to keep him away from an umpire. Let me repeat that, in case you didn't get it the first time: He was hurt being thrown to the ground by his coach to keep him away from an umpire. coop will fix him.

60 correct, three wrong. but, i also have about six beers in me, so who knows how that affects everything.

espn.com edit: thread title cut off. d'oh. i'm apparently not good at the internets. feel free to clean up, mods.

i've been hard on meacham in the past for illinois, but since his no-show against duke he's played much, much better. he's got 20 at the break tonight as illinois leads weber state 47-22.

QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Dec 1, 2007 -> 07:27 PM) The full text of his statement.... "There was misinformation on ESPN and i think it's imperative that I straighten it out. I am the head coach at LSU. I will be the head coach at LSU. I have no interest in talking to anybody else. I got a championship game to play, and I'm excited about the opportunity of my damn strong football team to play in it. And that's really all I'd like to say. It's unfortunate that I had to address my team with this information this morning. With that being done, I think we'll be ready to play. There will be no questions for me. I represent me in this issue. Please ask me after. I'm busy. Thank you very much. Have a great day." translation: "it was really crappy timing that the word of me going to michigan broke on the same day we're playing in the sec championship, particularly considering my d-coordinator is going to nebraska, too. so, i'm lsu's coach today, but sometime in the next few weeks i'll be coaching at michigan. i'll probably drum up some tears at that time, too, you know, just to take the edge off."

QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Dec 1, 2007 -> 07:12 PM) Does anyone that saw that press conference think the door is still open? He certainly didn't slam any doors closed. If you didn't see it, his words were (I'm paraphrashing): There was an erroneous report on ESPN today that I need to address I am the coach at LSU I will be the coach at LSU I have no interest in talking to anyone else I have a Championship football game to play I am excited to coach my damned strong football team today I am upset that I had to address my team this morning due to this report He did not answer any questions. The LSU Chancellor and AD were there and they left the table with him and did not address the media either. Interesting definitely agree. he completely left the door open.

interesting. frankly i think this is better for michigan. as the fan of a big ten foe, i was welcoming the idea of miles to mich. to me, the guy is just not a good coach. he was just OK at okie state then walked into an embarrassment of riches at lsu. time will tell, but it wouldn't surprise me if he never wins an nc at lsu or wherever. so, who does michigan turn to? what do people think of rich rodriguez?

QUOTE(Palehosefan @ Nov 28, 2007 -> 05:39 PM) http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?S=73#s=73&amp...2&t=1525497 It's a premium message board, so if you don't have access, here is his quote. "I think he is headed to Illinois.Jamie Newberg National Recruiting Analyst, Scout.com" thanks much. that is crazy.

QUOTE(Palehosefan @ Nov 28, 2007 -> 05:30 PM) Jarred Fayson is supposedly going to Illinois per Jaime Newberg. He would be your best recruit in the class even with him being a red-shirt sophomore after he red-shirts at Illinois. He's a tremendous athlete whether he gets a shot at QB or not. wow. do you have a link on this? not doubting you at all but that's crazy.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Nov 28, 2007 -> 05:05 PM) Wow...when was the last time you saw Illinois in on recruits with the likes of Miami, Florida, Florida St., LSU and Tennessee. Amazing. I have to say, I am torn, of course I want the Illini in a BCS bowl, but a Florida-Illinois matchup would be fantastic. i don't know how i feel about that. the story would be great, but i don't feel the program is to the point where that's a game we win. same with the rose bowl. i'd never turn down a shot at that game, but i shudder to think about us against usc. i think there will be a time in the next few years where we'll be better positioned to compete against those kinds of team. but right now i'm not sure we have the depth of talent to win that kind of game.

couple of illinois football recruiting tidbits.... -five-star defensive back boubacar cissoko is going to visit illinois. cissoko has committed to michigan and says he remains "100 percent committed" but wants to feel out his options in case he doesn't like how the michigan coaching hire plays out. he's also visiting tennessee. -offensive lineman david young from edwardsville has narrowed his list to illinois and florida. according to the most recent article on the florida site, he favors florida. you know how that goes. -linebacker ramon buchanon from florida, scout's top-ranked weak-side linebacker, is hedging on his commitment to miami and will visit illinois. buchanon also has offers from lsu, florida, and florida state. -wide receiver jarred fayson has decided to transfer from florida and lists florida state, south florida, and illinois as his most likely destinations. fayson was a five-star recruit and was scout's third-ranked receiver in the nation. however, he's stuck behind percy harvin and wants more playing time. also some speculation he wants to play quarterback, in which case i don't see him at illinois since we are pretty well set there. fwiw, all of these (excepting young) are probably long shots. but this is an example of what zook can do when he's got a winning team to promote.