Lack of Chicago Advertising Reaches New Low

For years since Guenther became AD, Illinois has failed to properly advertise its athletic department in the Chicago media. It's like the DIA only focuses on people who live within a 1 hour drive of Champaign-Urbana. Um, hey, Chicagoland is only the biggest market in the state, not to mention one of the biggest markets in the country....

Well people, today Illinois has reached a new low. It hardly advertised the upcoming football season in Champaign (Guenther's brilliant decision to play only 1 of the first 4 games in Champaign might be a factor) and I doubt it will do much advertising of men's basketball (yeah we are gonna be bad, but hey, that game at the United Center is marketing).

iowa (yes, freaking iowa) has an ad in today's Chicago Tribune hyping its game at Soldier Field. I can't even recall the last ad in a Chicago newspaper for Illinois football.

Why is Guenther So Worried About the Big 10 Network?

I received an e-mail from the best AD in the country today.

As of today, the Big Ten Network has national agreements with DIRECTV and
AT&T U-Verse and completed deals with nearly 100 cable companies across the
Midwest. However, some large cable providers have not yet agreed to make the Big
Ten Network available on expanded basic cable.

Conversations in the last few weeks with some of the nation's largest cable providers have been productive.

The negotiations with Comcast/Insight are the notable exception to that trend.

Hey Ron, stop worrying about the Big 10 Network and start worrying about the bad state of the football program and the awful attempts at recruiting by Bruce Weber!

Tickets to Missouri Game Not Selling-SHOCKING!

It is bad enough that Coach Guenther decided to forego a home game against Buffalo, Temple or Utah State (which Illinois should win, thus getting a win at home, fire up the home fans, get a win towards the six needed for bowl eligibility) for a game in "neutral" St. Louis against Missouri for the next 4 years....

Well now comes word that over 16,000 tickets remain unsold for the game. In fact, things are so bad that now the Decatur Herald-Review is giving away tickets!! Hey Ron, here is an idea. Play a home game over Labor Day against Louisiana-Monroe in Champaign instead of thinking people want to go to St. Louis. Sheesh.

Coach Guenther, Tough on Crime!

Remember when Orange Krush made fun of Zach Randolph with the "No Felons in Big 10 Athletics" t-shirts for his criminal charges? Well folks, Illinois may now be a renegade program. Jamar Smith, convicted of a felony DUI in which his teammate Brian Carlwell got injured, will redshirt this season, and may play next season.

So Bruce Weber, ace recruiter, has taken Illinois from the national championship game in 2005 to this. Why is Illinois even considering allowing a convicted felon to wear the orange & blue? This would be a first. I weep for my alma mater. Thanks a lot Coach Guenther!

Are You Excited for Football Season?

I am always excited, even when I know Illinois is going to be bad (which is most seasons under the "leadership" of the "Football Guy"). Nothing better than driving from my home north of Interstate 80 down to Champaign, listening to old blue-haired ladies from Bement call to Saturday Morning Sports Line to complain about the lack of benches in the Great Hall of the West Stand. Or listening to Loren Tate tell us on SMSL that the freshmen are "bigger, faster, stronger." Or that Illinois just can't compete with Michigan & Ohio State & Penn State. Champaign gets the juices flowing and reminds me of why I miss college.

Anyhow, next week would be the first home game. But the best AD in the country decided to give up a home game against Little Sisters of the Poor so Illinois could play Missouri (a bowl team last year) in St. Louis! Unbelievable!

Basketball Recruiting=Lost Cause?

Back in 2003 when Bill Self left Illinois, Ron Guenther went into "reflexive hiring mode." This means that the guy he hired had the qualities that the previous coach lacked. In this case, Coach Guenther's main concern was hiring someone who would be "loyal." Well he hired Bruce Weber. Bruce is pretty good with Xs & Os and his "loyalty" has never been questioned.

What is in question is his ability (or lack thereof) to recruit top quality talent to Illinois. As of now, Illinois has ZERO recruits for 2008. Shut out of the Chicago Public League. I fear Illinois is going down a slippery slope towards becoming Purdue West.

Talent wins more often that not. In college sports, this means being a good recruiter. Guenther saw that when he hired Ron Zook. Football is on the way up. Men's basketball???????

An Illini Football Tradition Continues!!

No smart alecks, I am not talking about "losing." I am talking about Loren Tate of the Champaign News-Gazette with his annual "the players are bigger & faster & stronger" article that appears before every football season. Then, during the season, there is his "Illinois can't compete with Michigan and Ohio State" article. Then, at the end of the season, there is his "all freshmen should redshirt" article.

Loren Tate, please retire. He is the one guy in the media (other than maybe Mark Tupper) who thinks Ron Guenther is a great athletic director and deserves every penny of his fat salary.

2-30!!!!

That is the record of the Illinois football team in Big 10 games since 2003. Take a bow, Coach Guenther! Did I mention 64-106-2?

Hopefully this garbage ends permanently starting this year under Ron Zook.