IlliniKrush

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 09:09 PM) Hawks are stupid good this year. Might be their best team yet in this era. Not sure I'm going that far 5 games in, lest you forget the 2013 team that started the season unbeaten for 55 games.

QUOTE (He_Gawn @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 05:17 PM) Well isn't this ironic? No, it's not.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 03:25 PM) I have the most points scored against me in my league - 939, roughly 134 per week. Second most points scored against anyone else is 800, 114 per week. My team isn't very good, but I should absolutely be better than the 1-6 I've put up this year. Yeah, I hate fantasy football this year. We all know it's a weekly game, and half the fun is tracking just your team against one other set of guys, but I've long thought about trying to make it more fair. I wouldn't just do cumulative points for the year, but instead just have a cumulative record every week. So you still have to be consistent. Because sometimes points scored can be misleading, you could have the most points 3 weeks and the least amount of points (or close to it) 3 weeks and be 3-3. Yet a quick glance at points for would have someone up towards the top, thinking they should be better than 3 and 3 when they really shouldn't. In this scenario you'd "play" 9 teams every week, and you keep tally of your record the entire year. That would certainly level out some of the randomness (as if fantasy football isn't random enough as it is). In a way, it's almost like fan duel every week, just playing out the whole season. Your team is up against everyone else, not just one team.

QUOTE (He_Gawn @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 02:54 PM) I'm sure this is TIC, but it's no coincidence Illinois has been in on a lot of these type of recruits lately (Cliff, ET, Bragg, Coleman, etc...).. They either almost got them (or got them). Stansbury was the "bag man" for ET, and it's pretty obvious something went down with Cliff. Illinois playing the game nowadays. Pretty strong accusations without anything to back it up. Now we're about making assumptions because it's so unfathomable that Illinois could be on lists of some top recruits? GMAFB.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 01:59 PM) Lol, this kid is on his phone 24/7. He tweeted out for people to chill out because his announcement hasn't started yet. Also, as much as I like the 24/7 sports site and recruiting insight, those guys are kinda dickish for spoiling a kid's announcement. Even if it is being leaked to the 3% of fans that follow twitter by the minute before an announcement is made. I have zero issue with these announcements being "spoiled" before they happen, as I'm one of those guys that think these announcement events are ridiculous.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 01:54 PM) Ha yeah that was eerily similar. And Bragg we have no shot at. Not with Kentucky and Kansas calling. Relationships mean dick when you go visit those places and see the dorms and whatnot (oh, and the winning). AND THE BAGS AND BAGS OF MONEY THEY PUT IN YOUR CAR WHEN YOU LEAVE

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 01:47 PM) Well, except for Bragg, which I won't follow at all, this season's recruiting is done. A good class, not a great one, but got some much needed 4 star quality players. Assuming we get Paul back and he stays out of trouble, the arrow is still pointing up for Illinois. Now they have to get into the tournament and make a run so that recruits can also be sold on winning. As for Thomas, enjoy playing with your buddies and the 5,000 basketball fans that show up to TAM games. Get your eyes off my paper

Looks like A&M. Nothing like playing in front of 5K a night and winning? Wish we would have landed him, but being by far the furthest school probably hurt this one a lot, because it's not like we lost out to a better program. Well that and Gilder I guess. Win games this year, make the tournament, win a game or two, and it's going to be easier to get guys. Good class overall (maybe Paul is still in the mix next year), arrow pointing up, now let's have a good season. I'm still good with swinging big in recruiting. I don't love the whole "Illinois is the leader" thing twice, and don't believe it for a second. I think he had a bit too much fun with keeping the big school "in it" and trying to get as much interest as possible around the recruitment and announcement.

QUOTE (bmags @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 01:03 PM) I'm not implying that Q is calling the shots. I think "Stan signed Bickell when daddy wasn't looking over his shoulder" is cheap, and I think the rationale was overpaying for roster consistency. I'm not saying it was right to sign Bickell, but the idea Bowman signed him out of pure idiocy on his part is missing some drivers. Many of us were fearing a bloated contract for Bickell when he didn't think he was worth it. You can't afford to overpay just for roster consistency in today's NHL, so I don't agree with it. I also don't know if that was the exact rationale - they may have just thought holy s***, Bickell is a top 6 winger, and he's going to keep producing at this level. A guy like Bickell, IMO, was easily replaceable, and obviously still is.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 10:49 AM) We're desperate to get back to the top, landing ET is a huge step in that direction (most likely a top 5/10 class then). I don't think it happens, I still think Groce needs to go on a run and prove that he can get one of these players to the NBA before the 5 star players truly start eyeing Illinois as a legit destination. He's still selling a vision, not a reality, and that makes it a whole lot tougher. That said, I think we have a legit shot at the sweet sixteen and a top 4 Big Ten finish and that will go a long way to landing these guys. Good point on selling vision for reality...not only for the program, but he's literally selling a vision when it comes to the renovated SFC too. QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 11:50 AM) An Illinois bball national title is probably the one championship I want most out of all the teams I root for. But a long time ago, I decided to only worry about the kids who actually put on the Illini jersey and not a minute before that. (Probably around the time of the Eric Gordon stuff). I know how important recruiting is, but it just seems to better not spend the time & energy worrying about these decisions teenagers were making with all the BS going on around them. I can only imagine how much worse it is with social media nowadays. This is the one I want most now. I had the Hawks (2), I've had the Sox. Want them to win more titles obviously, but this is the elusive one now at the top of the list.

QUOTE (bmags @ Oct 21, 2014 -> 09:16 AM) I find it hard to believe others don't think Q has any say in roster input after Leddy was traded. Not what I said, we know he has input, but I think Bowman was responsible for the length and contract of Bickell. Is there a "want to keep Bicks around?" conversation that happens? Sure. But Q isn't the one calling the shots on the how and the what for contracts, and if it doesn't work it doesn't work. Bowman has to manage the roster and the cap.

QUOTE (bmags @ Oct 20, 2014 -> 01:37 PM) I think the reality is that it was probably about keeping Q happy. There two eras for Bowman, he worked masterfully when in intense cap restrictions. But that wears you down and probably wore the team down. The second era of success (cup) they were in much better shape. They should have remained disciplined, but Q has a say too, and I'm guessing there was an organizational push to reward the players who contributed (falsely, this time). It's tough to have so much turnover. We know that Q likes to rest his players. For him to do that, he needs players he trusts will put in the work without him dogging them. This likely played a factor. It doesn't mean it's not a mistake, but these are hard decisions, even if it's obvious from a production standpoint. This isn't Q resting his players, it's just Bickell being an admitted dog during the regular season. He doesn't put in the work, that's a problem with him. Which, that's terrible, but if he's a playoff hero, fine. But, he had one good postseason playing with 19 and 88 and then got a huge overpayment. There's always been an organizational push to reward players (read: overpay) who contributed. As I said at the time, Bickell's "just a guy" and easily replaceable and wasn't worth investing that much money in. I don't know how Q actually had a say in extending Bickell.

Thomas announcement is tomorrow. Still no idea where he's headed, and it's possible (though I don't think likely no matter what he says) that he doesn't know. I just can't see LSU winning, but I can see any of the other 4. So, I'll say 25% chance to Illinois. My gut says the distance thing is too much to overcome.

Remember, the Hawks "don't number lines" Versteeg up, awful. Bring back Zues and go Kane-Zues-Versteeg.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Oct 20, 2014 -> 08:33 AM) This is hilarious. It was the most obvious OPI possible. I was watching the game with two die-hard ND fans who are often irrational and they were extremely dejected afterwards because even they knew it was the correct call. I love that ND's gift opening TD goes unmentioned too. Phantom face mask call. Awful spot on 3rd down to give them a first. Phantom DPI in the end zone to set up first and goal. But forget all that, everyone is and was and always will be out to get ND. If it's the right call it shouldn't have been overlooked. Period. Good summary, however you forgot to add that on the play that went for the first TD, they ran a pick there that didn't get called. QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Oct 20, 2014 -> 10:06 AM) How is it blocking by the offensive player when the defensive player initiates contact? Yes, bull rushing the defender and running into him to block is "initiating contact." Either one of those guys could have been called for PI.