ISU vs. U of I
“You gotta be true to your school,
Like you are to your girl…”
--Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, 1965.
Jen and I had some fun at the Illini vs. ISU game Saturday Night.
ISU was pounded, and to be frank, both teams were inept. ISU’s line cannot block, but they can certainly hold. Jen’s Illini cannot pass; they can run with the best of them, as their quarterback reminds me of when I was a kid, watching Bobby Douglass of the Bears run the ball rather than throw it.
The Illini lost their starting quarterback on the first offensive series, as he pulled up hard with what looked like a damaged leg after a twenty plus yard scamper. Not a good deal, considering this was a meaningless game for the Illini. Everyone knew who was going to win (Come on, a Big Ten School vs. the Missouri Valley Conference school—let’s be serious).
What I admired about ISU was how they continued to fight and continued to play. Even after being down 24 to nothing in the first half, they came back in the third quarter and scored 10 unanswered points. Then the Illini took control again, but even in the last ten minute, ISU set up an excellent scoring drive. Granted this was ISU’s Super Bowl, to speak, it was also their Little Big Horn or their Waterloo, so to speak. They knew they were not going to come close to winning, but they fought hard and vaulted their ambitions to play with a degree of seriousness.
The University of Illinois and Northwestern, along with Illinois Wesleyan, are the cream of the crop higher education schools in the state. ISU, being the first public University in the State and the teacher Mecca of the Midwest, has little athletically to prove with U of I. They have even less to prove academically (although I will plug my program here to note that U of I has no Masters program in History, yet ISU has a multi-award winning one—my degree, and I thank you very much for it). I went to school with many former U of I guys when pursing my Masters and the 44 hours beyond in History. My colleagues and Bachelor Degrees alums from U of I were impressed with the facilities and the quality of the Professors Illinois State University had to offer in History.
Like you are to your girl…”
--Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, 1965.
Jen and I had some fun at the Illini vs. ISU game Saturday Night.
ISU was pounded, and to be frank, both teams were inept. ISU’s line cannot block, but they can certainly hold. Jen’s Illini cannot pass; they can run with the best of them, as their quarterback reminds me of when I was a kid, watching Bobby Douglass of the Bears run the ball rather than throw it.
The Illini lost their starting quarterback on the first offensive series, as he pulled up hard with what looked like a damaged leg after a twenty plus yard scamper. Not a good deal, considering this was a meaningless game for the Illini. Everyone knew who was going to win (Come on, a Big Ten School vs. the Missouri Valley Conference school—let’s be serious).
What I admired about ISU was how they continued to fight and continued to play. Even after being down 24 to nothing in the first half, they came back in the third quarter and scored 10 unanswered points. Then the Illini took control again, but even in the last ten minute, ISU set up an excellent scoring drive. Granted this was ISU’s Super Bowl, to speak, it was also their Little Big Horn or their Waterloo, so to speak. They knew they were not going to come close to winning, but they fought hard and vaulted their ambitions to play with a degree of seriousness.
The University of Illinois and Northwestern, along with Illinois Wesleyan, are the cream of the crop higher education schools in the state. ISU, being the first public University in the State and the teacher Mecca of the Midwest, has little athletically to prove with U of I. They have even less to prove academically (although I will plug my program here to note that U of I has no Masters program in History, yet ISU has a multi-award winning one—my degree, and I thank you very much for it). I went to school with many former U of I guys when pursing my Masters and the 44 hours beyond in History. My colleagues and Bachelor Degrees alums from U of I were impressed with the facilities and the quality of the Professors Illinois State University had to offer in History.
Even though many ISU fans would like to erase the game Saturday evening from the annals of recorded history, I was proud of the Redbirds. It takes character to go into a fight as a severe underdog, and even after taking a beating, to come up swinging. I was proud to be an alum of THE Illinois State University.
As for Jen, she spotted me 14 points, and I still owe her a steak dinner. Oh well, if you are going to lose, at least enjoy what you bet. A steak dinner for two that normally I would have paid for is not so bad. If I had won, I would have saved money. Otherwise, it would business as usual.
Oh and as long as Jen was with me, I am the true winner.
As for Jen, she spotted me 14 points, and I still owe her a steak dinner. Oh well, if you are going to lose, at least enjoy what you bet. A steak dinner for two that normally I would have paid for is not so bad. If I had won, I would have saved money. Otherwise, it would business as usual.
Oh and as long as Jen was with me, I am the true winner.
posted by Eric Sweetwood at 10:13 PM
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