Wanne

HUUUUUUGE WIN! Eddie Action Jackson with another huge play. The last 1st down was simply awesome with Daniels carrying Cohen across the 1st down marker. Daniel with a nice game...LOVED IT!!! Thankful!!!

yeah...I'm starting to see that now too. Rose colored glasses now off...

I sure wish I knew the exact story about why he's not an Illini. I've heard various things from the Irvins were pissed at him...to he and Ayo not getting along...to THT's having a beef with Ayo or the Irvins. Whatever it was...Underwood caved in on that one surprisingly. I don't think we'll see that happen again...but whatever the case it's a damn shame and really will come back and bite Illinois in the ass (as it already appears to have).

very winnable game last night but you have to love how gritty this team is. A few of those open looks drop and it's a different outcome. Trent was just gassed on that last three. Overall there's quite a few positives I see so far. Some negatives too. Kipper HAS to show up and shake off the Georgetown game miscue at the end. Seems it carried over into last night and he was tentative. Underwood FINALLY switched up to the 1-3-1 after getting burned on overplay man on man. They'll get killed all year and I think the switching up to a zone was smart. It definitely slowed Gonzaga down. And man...thank God for Giorgi! What a find he's been...

It's been on mute half the time. Benetti actually isn't too bad at all as a BB announcer. But for fuck sakes...shove a sock in Walton's mouth already.

geezus christ...on right now...an announcing nightmare. Bill Walton and Jason Benetti doing the Illini/Gonzaga game. Benetti just baits Walton to blab on and on and on...

Immediate difference?!?!? geezus. Illini fans are part of the problem...UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS. People need to get a grip and understand what's going on with this basketball program and the personnel they have/had. If you really think he was brought in to win immediately...lol...that's actually comical. This program needed to be rebuilt...as evidence having to purge a number of dead weight people that didn't fit what Underwood wanted to do. He's been here ONE YEAR...and this is his second game in YEAR TWO. Your expectations are idiotic honestly. Not sure where you're getting this "he was hired to win right away" is coming from. Good lord. Right away? Like with the roster he had?!?! lol... Let's revisit this in another year. Claiming Underwood a failure right now is laughable.

yeah...let's talk at the end of the year. Georgetown has some nice talent...skilled big men and their freshman guards aren't that shabby. Be interesting to see how they do in the Big East. Better than Depaul I'm thinking....

seriously....you can't see a difference? Sucked not having Trent out there last night...but the young guys on this team this year actually have a clue. What sucks is how far behind Kane is...and Adonis needs to get his legs back under him. I wouldn't play him too much until late next month...just a few tics here and there. Yeah...Whitney would have been a game changer...sucks. But until this team starts winning...OR changes how they play they won't get these guys. It's been a good start so far. I bet tons of recruits watch this style and love it. Far cry from January John's snooze fest O.

btw....anybody know the status of the Ubben upgrade? Last I heard it was in the BOT hands...and it's been sitting there ever since. No word when the upgrades were going to start or anything.

How in the hell can you say Underwood has underperformed? He's had one season with a pretty meh roster. His class this year is actually pretty good...and they've played two games this year. Everybody b****ed and moaned about the talent level and came in and purged dead weight...but since he didn't replace it with a Duke-like class...people b****. If people didn't watch that game last night and see that the arrow is pointing up...not sure what to tell ya. Add a pretty damn good big man committed yesterday too. I agree about the bad hires.....thank Mike Thomas for that hot mess. Weber was kept on too long...and so was Groce. Beckman never should have been hired. As for Underwood...I'm excited what he brings to the table. This is going to be a very fun team to watch this year. Frustrating as hell sometimes....but fun.

THIS!!! GOD I hate those jerseys.

he really needs to alter his defensive philosophy...it sucks ass! He had to scrap it at OSU...and he doesn't have the personnel to do it here yet either. This overplaying D...good God. I don't mind the 3/4 press...but it's about time to think about falling back into a 2-3 zone. The lane just gets gashed every time down the court. The young guys are fun to watch tho. Giorgi...lol...he's going to be an Illini favorite for his entire 4 years.

RIGHT?!?! Kipper is such a lazy ass...and Jordan just isn't a D1 player IMO. He's had so many chances...and people keep expecting him to rise up. Ain't happening. Nichols tho...he has all the talent in the world...but just doesn't seem to get it. Very disappointing loss tonight...but overall this team is night and day better than it was at this time last year. The young guys are really fun to watch. Just need a few more stallions. Got a really nice big commit tonight. Khalil Whitney sure would have been nice.

for starters...their admission standards are ridiculous and they refuse to get in the dirt with the rest of the programs. BOT has made sure of that. Closer in basketball than football IMO. I think the bb program is on the right track. Nice big man they got a commit from today....and if you saw tonights game...they need all the big men they can get. I think it started in bb when they hired a safe "rule follower" that they knew wouldn't bolt at the first opportunity when they hired Weber. For some reason he failed miserably for failing to capitalize on the Final Four team recruitment wise. He had some really horrible classes. Funny tho how he's doing better out at KSU tho huh? What does that tell you? Illinois doesn't "play ball" in the recruitment area. plus...Chicago shouldn't even be a consideration. They are as dirty and corrupt as the day is long. I'm glad Underwood is going national with his recruiting. The coaches and AAU people seem like a huge pain in the ass to deal with. Illinois just needs to start winning in hoops...and I think it's coming. But people want these instant results...and it's not going to happen the season after Underwood had to purge some dead weight. If we're having this conversation in two years...then I'll consider it a problem.

that was my first thought too....

I realize it was only Evansville...but the Illini backcourt looks REALLY good this year! I'm not sure Trent isn't the 3rd best among he Feliz and Ayo. They're going to be fun to watch this year. Hopefully Jordan can keep his stroke up all year (unlike last year when he started out on fire and petered out). But I have to say...all of sudden out of nowhere....Giorgi is my favorite Illini. He looked pretty damn polished for an under-recruited big man. And his enthusiasm is contagious. He's going to be a fan favorite the next 4 years! Was disappointed that we didn't get to see Samba Kane play last night (apparently broke a team rule). He started behind the 8 ball getting here late...so he needs all the PT he can get. I think basically he'll be 5 fouls to give and a rim protector this year. Who knows...but if the Illini can get anything out of him...with he and Giorgi and healthy Adonis...the Illini may not be a woeful in the frontcourt as most think. Tevian Jones...once he gets his feet underneath him and adapts to the speed and physicality of the game...he's going to be a good one. Illini haven't had players like this for a while. Not expect a whole lot...but I think this team will be greatly improved...and overall fun to watch.

screw MJ....send Benny the Bull!!!!

or one of the most disappointing ones ever.... sorry...not trying to be Debbie Downer. But I've seen this movie a few times...

hahahaaa....

geezus christ....

this is where I'm at. I just cannot see Bryce Harper signing with the White Sox. Makes no sense for him.

LA chanting "Davey Sucks"...lol. Not sure he makes it out of this one....

This makes me pretty sad. Will always root for Kevan Smith. Just a damn good guy too!

I think it's a moot point since Ricky's keeping the seat warm for Vizquel anyway....