Talk About Loyalty
“We're loyal to you, Illinois”
--The University of Illinois Fight Song.
Wow. Talk about loyalty, I experience it.
You want to see some kinda pissed off fans, look no further than 50 minutes from Bloomington Normal southeast at the University of Illinois and their Fighting Illini teams.
Now as an ISU grad (Go Redbirds), I can honestly say that the majority of us ISU alums really do not follow their athletic programs. We cheer when they win, we encourage positive attitude, and personally I send my brother a headline on the rare chance that ISU beats Bradley in basketball, but realistically: it does not matter.
Those Champaign-Urbana people bleed orange and blue: and we are not talking about the Chicago Bears here, either.
I went to the Spring Scrimmage yesterday and had a great time. I really do not understand the Spring Scrimmage Orange and Blue Game point system; but basically the first and second and briefly third string Offense plays the first, second, and briefly third string Defense. The seniors play a final tribute on their field; there is a half-time program that awards most improved, best attitude—that kind of thing—for the players; they run new plays and give the players a practice before finals and they go off to their summer lives.
At then end of the game, everyone cheers, parents wave to their kids who played (kind of like high school), and the coaches meet with the media.
All is well and good at the University of Illinois except for one thing. You take away their Chief Illini symbol and those people will gang up and beat the hell out of you.
I mean it, too; I have never heard such a collective slew of angry fans in my life. They had “official” U of I merchandise available at discount prices and the fans wanted not much to do with it. I think the majority would rather wear a ripped up, tethered, and moldy Chief Illiniwek shirt that had been washed 100 times and was showing a faded peach color instead of orange than to ever consider wearing a bright, vibrant, Florida-orange colored, new shirt.
My God; how insane. Oh and mention how the University of Illinois might have been a bit demeaning to Indians and you may just have a reenactment of the Battle of Little Big Horn all over your ass.
So Jen and I went: she wore her U of I sweatshirt; I wore an orange fleece I had (our tickets said “wear orange”) and a blue U of I hat that I had acquired over the years; and we had fun.
I really do not understand their fans in another area as well. In our section, people were commenting negatively about an early lack of production by the offense, but I was cheering on the defense. Why don’t they understand: DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS. Their offense can be great, but if the defense blows; so does the team. Behind us sat some U of I coaches in residence as they commented on every play. Yawn…experts like that bore me (complete irony on my commentary on the Chicago Bears over the years is noted).
After the game, we went to Radio Maria’s (28 beers on tap) for a glass of wine for Jen and an IPA for me; and then we ducked across the street to the Blind Pig (incredible 28 beers on tap--go here to see this very cool dive: http://blindpigco.com and I say dive in the best way because this is a place I would visit every chance I could if it were here in Normal—they have 28 beers on tap as well) where I imbibed in a delicious Delirium Tremens and another Belgium Strong ale. Dan’s influence on me, I suppose as he recommended us to the bars. Can you image 56 beers (some are repeated as both have Pabst Blue Ribbon: PBR for the novices out there) in the same block.
--The University of Illinois Fight Song.
Wow. Talk about loyalty, I experience it.
You want to see some kinda pissed off fans, look no further than 50 minutes from Bloomington Normal southeast at the University of Illinois and their Fighting Illini teams.
Now as an ISU grad (Go Redbirds), I can honestly say that the majority of us ISU alums really do not follow their athletic programs. We cheer when they win, we encourage positive attitude, and personally I send my brother a headline on the rare chance that ISU beats Bradley in basketball, but realistically: it does not matter.
Those Champaign-Urbana people bleed orange and blue: and we are not talking about the Chicago Bears here, either.
I went to the Spring Scrimmage yesterday and had a great time. I really do not understand the Spring Scrimmage Orange and Blue Game point system; but basically the first and second and briefly third string Offense plays the first, second, and briefly third string Defense. The seniors play a final tribute on their field; there is a half-time program that awards most improved, best attitude—that kind of thing—for the players; they run new plays and give the players a practice before finals and they go off to their summer lives.
At then end of the game, everyone cheers, parents wave to their kids who played (kind of like high school), and the coaches meet with the media.
All is well and good at the University of Illinois except for one thing. You take away their Chief Illini symbol and those people will gang up and beat the hell out of you.
I mean it, too; I have never heard such a collective slew of angry fans in my life. They had “official” U of I merchandise available at discount prices and the fans wanted not much to do with it. I think the majority would rather wear a ripped up, tethered, and moldy Chief Illiniwek shirt that had been washed 100 times and was showing a faded peach color instead of orange than to ever consider wearing a bright, vibrant, Florida-orange colored, new shirt.
My God; how insane. Oh and mention how the University of Illinois might have been a bit demeaning to Indians and you may just have a reenactment of the Battle of Little Big Horn all over your ass.
So Jen and I went: she wore her U of I sweatshirt; I wore an orange fleece I had (our tickets said “wear orange”) and a blue U of I hat that I had acquired over the years; and we had fun.
I really do not understand their fans in another area as well. In our section, people were commenting negatively about an early lack of production by the offense, but I was cheering on the defense. Why don’t they understand: DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS. Their offense can be great, but if the defense blows; so does the team. Behind us sat some U of I coaches in residence as they commented on every play. Yawn…experts like that bore me (complete irony on my commentary on the Chicago Bears over the years is noted).
After the game, we went to Radio Maria’s (28 beers on tap) for a glass of wine for Jen and an IPA for me; and then we ducked across the street to the Blind Pig (incredible 28 beers on tap--go here to see this very cool dive: http://blindpigco.com and I say dive in the best way because this is a place I would visit every chance I could if it were here in Normal—they have 28 beers on tap as well) where I imbibed in a delicious Delirium Tremens and another Belgium Strong ale. Dan’s influence on me, I suppose as he recommended us to the bars. Can you image 56 beers (some are repeated as both have Pabst Blue Ribbon: PBR for the novices out there) in the same block.
“Heaven, I’m in heaven…”
Oh and by the way, before you rip on it; PBR is very good cheesy, cheap beer.
After watching the game, I think U of I has a good team albeit a small quarterback who is only a sophomore and an equally small back-up QB who is a freshman. Jen reminded me that in her opinion both are better than Grossman. Yikes! I watched a defensive end--#92--who is a stud and a half. Their corners are good as well, and their kick returner ran one back, ala Hester. They also had a great punter, which I mentioned to Jen (apparently too loudly) that they will need because of their lack of a running game; I seemed to feel some anger from those U of I fans near us.
Good thing I never mentioned the Indian symbol.
After watching the game, I think U of I has a good team albeit a small quarterback who is only a sophomore and an equally small back-up QB who is a freshman. Jen reminded me that in her opinion both are better than Grossman. Yikes! I watched a defensive end--#92--who is a stud and a half. Their corners are good as well, and their kick returner ran one back, ala Hester. They also had a great punter, which I mentioned to Jen (apparently too loudly) that they will need because of their lack of a running game; I seemed to feel some anger from those U of I fans near us.
Good thing I never mentioned the Indian symbol.
posted by Eric Sweetwood at 10:11 AM
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