Why Georgia? Why?
The National Invitation Tournament is one of life's neato, quirky sporting events. You get an extra home game or two, and then a weekend in New York! So why the long faces?
For those of you who don't get ESPNU — and among that group, I include those who have access but have never cared enough to determine which channel it's on — Illinois got beat last night, both in the frontcourt and the backcourt. They got beat on the boards. They may have been outhustled.
Pesky peckerwood Ricky McPhee disrupted Illini ball "movement" with three first half steals for transition buckets. Georgia's big guys enjoyed a predictably friction-free glide to the glass, scoring lay-ups when they felt like it.
Richard Semrau played no minutes. I didn't even bother to ask why. I'd feel silly if Coach Weber responded "who?" Besides, his press conference was depressing enough.
Weber has forgotten Semrau again. And because he coaches from a position that's between three and 10 feet out on the court, he can't even see Semrau on the bench. That's unfortunate, because seeing Semrau might remind Weber that he has a bulky option in the middle.
Instead of bothering Weber about it (again) I asked Georgia's Trey Thompkins (21 points, seven rebounds) about his freestyle dance in the lane. He applauded the Illinois approach, as one would after having smeared Illinois all over the glass.
Scouts from the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, Toronto Raptors and Oklahoma City Whatchamacallits were on hand to watch Thompkins, Albert Jackson (3 offensive + 5 defensive = 8 rebounds) and Jeremy Price (3+3=6) neutralize Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale in the paint.
I'll continue to not blame Davis and Tisdale for being tall/thin small forwards. They're both very good at being tall/thin small forwards. It's what they do best. Neither has the frame to play center against serious college competition, and no one should expect it of them.
Bruce Weber can get away with this strategy against similarly small or thin teams (Purdue) but it's not productive to "impose" that style of play on teams against whom it poses no threat.
Tyler Griffey moved the Bulldogs around for 4 minutes.
Still, if the Illini had hit 50% of their shots, they'd have won. This team doesn't live and die by the three. It lives and dies by the jumper.
It also dies on the defensive end, which is what happens when Chester Frazier's minutes go to two freshmen.
Illinois did try a 2–3 zone (at last!) but it featured Dominique Keller in the middle and Alex Legion on the strong-side wing. Unless they get more PT in the future, the experiment won't teach anyone anything.
60% ORANGE
The crowd, announced at 4008, favored Illinois. Because it was such an intimate group, I was able to chat with all of them. Smile Politely regular Dan Flannel sat with recently erstwhile trustee Dave Dorris, who enjoyed most of his 266th consecutive game.
Mike Davis' great aunt Shelia Brown came with her husband Michael, and their son Corey. We decided Corey is Mike's second cousins twice removed, although I have not yet verified this on my Table of Consanguinity.
Henry and Joanna Jones
Former Illini pro-bowler Henry Jones is now coaching 8th grade at Greater Atlanta Christian. His wife Joanna distinguishes her company, J Marie Interiors of Atlanta, from the one in Moline. I assured her that Illini fans need show now fealty to Moline (Acie Earl). But we sure do love Rock Island, Chasson.
Keeping up with the Joneses were fellow Illini/NFL D-back Chris Green and his wife Tanya, a radiologist at Atlanta's Northside Hospital. Their bundle of joy, Carys, is now 7 months old.
Behind the wives, CNN Sports anchor Larry Smith — a longtime Illini fan and Mattoon native — watched the game with his wife Rita, daughter Jaylen (8) and son Elijah (6).
InsideIllini.com regular IStillLikeHarv trekked down south with Mrs. IStillLikeHarv. She's French.
Illini wheelchair basketball letter winners Scot Hollonbeck and Steve von Nordheim had great seats, and remained sunny and optimistic even after the game clock expired.
Most Recent Sports Comments
Jamie, you gave me goosebumps talking about the race with Rachel Alexandra and Life at Ten, wish I could be there!! Go Rachel!!!!!
Hope for the best, expect the worst. 81-126-2 FIRE RON GUENTHER
Beat Missouri and there is validity here, but until this team wins a game it should not, it is all speculation.
Gret pix, Jamie!
I think any conversation about the limits of the human body are innately limiting. As a non-yoga guy, seeing a skilled yoga person twist his or her body in unthinkable ways challenges my ideas of what the body can and cannot do. Heck, seeing George Clooney double over and…
But couldn’t you receive the same benefits (balance, muscle strength, etc.) from doing yoga barfeoot? From everything I’ve read, the Vibram Five Fingers seem to limit the distance you are able to run, and I am not convinced that is such a good tradeoff. Heck, Pheidippides…
The thing people don’t realize about barefoot running/ five fingers before they try it is that they have been completely isolated from their environment by their shoes. For example saying that hard surfaces like concrete are a recent invention., In the summer trails with a lot of…
Rob, Zola asks you to read further: “I no longer run barefoot,“ she said. “As I got older I had injuries to my hamstring. I found that wearing shoes gives me more support and protection from injuries.“ http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/aug/10/southafrica.past1
Many people, including myself, run barefoot on concrete, asphalt, grass, and dirt. No problems. You actually end up with LESS impact than if you were shod in crazy cushioned/supportive shoes. Your body adapts and you land with less force. Think short, quick strides with bent knees. I…
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Illinois has simply had no luck at all in these Mizzou games. None. I think maybe we’re do for a couple of bounces to go our way. If we get one or two (or sever or eight) breaks, I think it’s a win.
Jason, Savoy could easily join the CPL tax district, which is probably closer to most Savoy residents than the Tolono library is. But my impression is that Savoy residents as a whole don’t want to pay the cost of the CPL (Tolono’s library taxes are cheaper), even…
Sorry, but I am lagging behind on updates to the map. Also, some construction projects were delayed from their original start date. On a more positive note, I am putting together a map of haunted houses in Central Illinois. I have a few plotted already, and I…
I’ve never gotten the privilege of all the services CPL cardholders get. I just want to be able to go out of my way to drive to the CPL to check out books, pay fines, maybe buy some coffee, and enjoy the library. None of those activities…
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(speaking as a Savoy resident) By paying taxes to support a member of the LTLS, we are paying our “fair share” to use any LTLS library—Tolono, Champaign, Urbana, etc. This is how library systems work. The 6% of CPL’s circulation represented by Tolono users is NOT significant…
I read Timbo’s argument. I think the key word is “speculating.“
I would be interested to hear more about the “word on the street”—how are individual hauling companies fulfilling their promise to recycle?
Timbo makes a smart, sound argument. Reread it.
I joined on 09-09-09 after living here over a year, and having to listen to my dad tell me how his best friend is, like, #27 or something crazy like that, and how said friend never lived further than 50 feet from the Illini Inn while going…
And, I might add, no one is being prevented from using the Champaign library. They are just being asked to pay their fair share if they are going to use it as their primary library.
The equation is pretty simple here. If you want social services, then pay the taxes required to run those social services. These things only work if everyone puts in their fair share. As a heavy user of the Champaign Library, I say bravo to this new policy.
Curtis Orchard is always good for an hour or three, especially if you have rugrats.
What is the increased marginal cost of serving a resident of Savoy or Mahomet? I suspect negligible. What is the increased revenue to be realized by this new policy? I suspect very little. Aside from these financial aspects, what are the most probable results from this new…
Looks like you are also all members of the killer sideburns club.
Thanks for the article, Ben. I was not familiar with this band until now and even though I won’t be able to attend the show on Friday they are now on my radar. A *good* jam band is hard to find, and these folks appear to fill…
Nice article, love the Dead quote in the beginning. If they can get down here to Central FL I’ll definitely be heading out to the show. Some of my friends have finally stopped wincing when I say “jam band.“ I’ve now tried my best at more descriptive…
@Annie: Yeah, my bad. That was the best part! Drinking + memory exercises = fun @Rob: According to Ask the English Teacher, “My dictionary says ‘drunk’ is an archaic past tense of ‘drink.‘“ We’re all about the new grammar around here.
Katie, have the residents of Savoy and Tolono thought about having their taxes raised a little to help their public library expand? That’s a possibility for them. And then everybody wins.
good call on that Herring recording, Josh. Love that version of Exit Music….here’s a clip of the Cinco de Mayo show (from about six months prior). As I recall, this Shakedown went on for roughly a half hour, while getting into the Trampled Underfoot jam in the…
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Illinois has simply had no luck at all in these Mizzou games. None. I think maybe we’re do for a couple of bounces to go our way. If we get one or two (or sever or eight) breaks, I think it’s a win.