–I have not read much about Illinois football team this year. Are they going to be good?–
No. They are very young and the realistic goal for this year would be 1-2 more wins and looking competitive. 6 wins and a minor bowl game would be a major step forward.
There is an Illinois connection to the best selling book “The President is Missing”. Springfield-born and Chicago-based computer scientist James Wagner is listed in the “Acknowledgments” section.
Sorry to hear that Illini still going to be bad. I was hoping the big name coach could change things.
Since this a political site I should have asked, do you think it would be a wise choice for Rauner to try and make amends by going to an Illini football game?
Summer Read, there’s another IL connection in that book. Madigan alum, author, and appellate judge David Ellis did a lot of the detail work and fact-checking as I understand it.
–I was hoping the big name coach could change things.–
He still has a chance to do that, but he’s only really had 2 recruiting classes and was left with a smoking crater of poor coaching and subpar talent for a Big 10 school. If things don’t improve over the next 2 years then yes, the Lovie experiment will have failed.
AA,
=Summer Read, there’s another IL connection in that book. Madigan alum, author, and appellate judge David Ellis did a lot of the detail work and fact-checking as I understand it.=
I heard he may have been involved, but didn’t know his role until now. - cool.
Arch. I need too much time on the Dan Ryan, going,coming and crossing to have been able to avoid. My ignorance of navigating in and around Chicago is great. Hence the cancellation.
Awesome thing called smart phones would have eliminated any serious issue, but the entire event was only from 10 AM to 12:30 with fully blocked traffic only about an hour or so of that.
A bigger mess on Chicago Area expressways was the helicopter crash just missing the I-57 ramp from the Bishop Ford. Traffic abruptly backed up for a mile.
Drove through Raymond and Hillsboro today and noticed lots of Dillon Clark signs. I know signs don’t vote, but I didn’t see one with Bourne’s name on it.
Everybody cheered his departure, but nobody can say that the U of I football team would not be better today if Ron Zook has been allowed to finish the job he started. He had three recruiting seasons, and on his 3rd year three different seniors went to the NFL.
Lovie is landing good talent in the ‘19 class. He is attracting players from Texas and Florida, which he needs to do to be successful. Illinois high school football is average at best. Someone posted that the top 100 players in Texas are better than the top 10 in Illinois. Likely true.
I agree on Zook to a point, but he did some goofy stuff and I wasn’t sad to see him go at the time. He lost his last 6 games and was 17 under .500 for his tenure. The fact that they brought in a total doofus to replace him makes him look better in hindsight, though.
Just saw Rock Island might tear down its courthouse. I’m sure it’s a challenge to make it 21st Century functional, but it would be a shame. It’s a real gem among the 19th Century courthouses in the state.
–Arch. I need too much time on the Dan Ryan, going,coming and crossing to have been able to avoid. My ignorance of navigating in and around Chicago is great. –
Can’t read a map? If you can’t figure out how to hit Chicago without taking the Ryan, maybe it’s time to hand over the keys, as a public service.
- Grand Avenue - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 1:12 pm:
Will Kelly is on board with Pat Quinn’s term limit petition.
- I Miss Bentohs - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 1:16 pm:
not political but ….
I have not read much about Illinois football team this year. Are they going to be good?
- Ron Burgundy - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 1:23 pm:
–I have not read much about Illinois football team this year. Are they going to be good?–
No. They are very young and the realistic goal for this year would be 1-2 more wins and looking competitive. 6 wins and a minor bowl game would be a major step forward.
- Summer Read - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 1:36 pm:
There is an Illinois connection to the best selling book “The President is Missing”. Springfield-born and Chicago-based computer scientist James Wagner is listed in the “Acknowledgments” section.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 1:40 pm:
Predicting 5-6 wins for the Fighting Illini this year
- I Miss Bentohs - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 2:03 pm:
Sorry to hear that Illini still going to be bad. I was hoping the big name coach could change things.
Since this a political site I should have asked, do you think it would be a wise choice for Rauner to try and make amends by going to an Illini football game?
- SameolG - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 2:33 pm:
Benthos- only if he dresses as Chief Illiniwek.
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 2:38 pm:
Summer Read, there’s another IL connection in that book. Madigan alum, author, and appellate judge David Ellis did a lot of the detail work and fact-checking as I understand it.
- Ron Burgundy - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 2:49 pm:
–I was hoping the big name coach could change things.–
He still has a chance to do that, but he’s only really had 2 recruiting classes and was left with a smoking crater of poor coaching and subpar talent for a Big 10 school. If things don’t improve over the next 2 years then yes, the Lovie experiment will have failed.
- Robert the Bruce - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 3:13 pm:
I thought Lovie was a good hire because I figured he’d have a good chance at attracting local talent.
But….the Illini has the worst 2018 recruiting class in the Big Ten, per scout.com.
- BlueDogDem - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 3:13 pm:
Wife and I were headed to Chicago this past weekend to visit family. Glad I cancelled.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 3:14 pm:
===Glad I cancelled.===
Me too.
- Ron Burgundy - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 3:37 pm:
–But….the Illini has the worst 2018 recruiting class in the Big Ten, per scout.com.–
Yes. It’s early but the 2019 class is better and has 2 blue-chippers in it at QB and likely WR. Still bottom half of the B10 though.
- Angel's Sword - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 3:39 pm:
Sean Casten raised $650K.
- A State Employee Guy - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 3:41 pm:
Univision is downsizing The Onion. Not Illinois centric but a stone cold bummer nonetheless.
- Archpundit - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 3:42 pm:
===Wife and I were headed to Chicago this past weekend to visit family. Glad I cancelled.
Why?
- Summer Read - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 4:03 pm:
AA,
=Summer Read, there’s another IL connection in that book. Madigan alum, author, and appellate judge David Ellis did a lot of the detail work and fact-checking as I understand it.=
I heard he may have been involved, but didn’t know his role until now. - cool.
- BlueDogDem - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 4:04 pm:
Arch. I need too much time on the Dan Ryan, going,coming and crossing to have been able to avoid. My ignorance of navigating in and around Chicago is great. Hence the cancellation.
- a drop in - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 4:19 pm:
“Univision is downsizing The Onion.”
Can’t compete with current reality.
- Archpundit - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 4:21 pm:
===I need too much time on the Dan Ryan,
Awesome thing called smart phones would have eliminated any serious issue, but the entire event was only from 10 AM to 12:30 with fully blocked traffic only about an hour or so of that.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 4:54 pm:
Arch. Smart is the keyword there.
- Dunkin Doe/Nuts - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 5:55 pm:
A bigger mess on Chicago Area expressways was the helicopter crash just missing the I-57 ramp from the Bishop Ford. Traffic abruptly backed up for a mile.
- McLincoln - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 7:52 pm:
Drove through Raymond and Hillsboro today and noticed lots of Dillon Clark signs. I know signs don’t vote, but I didn’t see one with Bourne’s name on it.
- Not It - Monday, Jul 9, 18 @ 10:23 pm:
Everybody cheered his departure, but nobody can say that the U of I football team would not be better today if Ron Zook has been allowed to finish the job he started. He had three recruiting seasons, and on his 3rd year three different seniors went to the NFL.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jul 10, 18 @ 7:29 am:
Lovie is landing good talent in the ‘19 class. He is attracting players from Texas and Florida, which he needs to do to be successful. Illinois high school football is average at best. Someone posted that the top 100 players in Texas are better than the top 10 in Illinois. Likely true.
- Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, Jul 10, 18 @ 8:52 am:
I agree on Zook to a point, but he did some goofy stuff and I wasn’t sad to see him go at the time. He lost his last 6 games and was 17 under .500 for his tenure. The fact that they brought in a total doofus to replace him makes him look better in hindsight, though.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 10, 18 @ 9:37 am:
Just saw Rock Island might tear down its courthouse. I’m sure it’s a challenge to make it 21st Century functional, but it would be a shame. It’s a real gem among the 19th Century courthouses in the state.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 10, 18 @ 9:39 am:
–Arch. I need too much time on the Dan Ryan, going,coming and crossing to have been able to avoid. My ignorance of navigating in and around Chicago is great. –
Can’t read a map? If you can’t figure out how to hit Chicago without taking the Ryan, maybe it’s time to hand over the keys, as a public service.