Guenther's Folly Gets Even Worse

the game will be on ESPN360.com!!! Not on regular television!

As a poster noted on the illiniboard, Guenther really whiffed on this thing.

1. 90% of folks won't be able to watch it.

2. It's basically an "away" game in the state of the opposing team.

3. It's a team you are SUPPOSED to beat and of course they are having a surprisingly good year.

4. This debacle gave us only 6 home games in a year when the schedule was going to be particularly brutal and after spending millions on stadium renovations.

5. If we lose this game and end up not going to a bowl this will be the game that stuck the fork in this frustrating year.

GREAT JOB COACH GUENTHER!

Finally! A Media Member Questions Weber

Ok, it is rather mild, but it is a start. Good to see someone has noticed that the fans are questionsing our mid-major coach and are not just a bunch of "internet nuts."

Meantime, the attendance at the scrimmage shows how far men's basketball has fallen. Attendance used to be around 7000, but this year it was just 2500.

Big news is that Chester Frazier cut his hair. Any chance he can give Ron Guenther a new 'do?

Men's Basketball Season Is Near. Does Anyone Care?

It is truly sad that Bruce Almighty Weber, Coach Guenther's handpicked successor to Bill Self, took a Porsche and turned it into an Edsel. Three seasons removed from making the NCAA tournament title game, Illinois failed to make the postseason.

This season, the Fighting Illini planned on the legend of Jamar Smith carrying the team to the NCAA tournament. After giving the convicted felon a second chance (or multiple Steve Howe baseball last chances) the program finally booted him this summer after being arrested, accused of violating parole from the drunk driving accident that left teammate Brian Carlwell injured (he's now transferred to San Diego State).

So now, fate rests in the hands of Alex Legion, a Kentucky transfer. I expect him to take 20 shots a game and Illinois to fail to make the postseason yet again,in consecutive seasons. That has not happened since the 1990-91 & 1991-92 seasons. Even that is an anomaly, as UI woulda made it in 90-91 but for NCAA probation caused by Bruce Pearl being a turd.

Great job Saint Guenther in hiring a mope to ruin our once-proud men's basketball program! Would Northwestern AD Jim Phillips give a convicted felon a second chance? I think not.

Assembly Hall Renovation=A Pipe Dream?

Given the woeful state of the economy and the equally woeful state of the men's basketball program, what will Coach Guenther do with Assembly Hall, if anything?

Meantime, I blame Coach Guenther for last week's loss to Minnesota. Great pep speech, Coach Guenther!!! Next time, if you want the fans to make noise, give us more than 6 home games!

Maybe Ron Guenther Is Right

and the team should play all 12 games on the road, since the foootball team plays poorly at home. So next week's game at home vs. Indiana should be played in Evansville.

Low Attendance Expected for Detroit-SHOCKING!

We've previously discussed the Football Guy's stupidity for scheduling a game vs. Western Michigan in freaking Detroit. Great job Saint Guenther! 6 home games!

Now comes word that the ticket sales are rather, um....slow.

Good seats are available for Illinois-Western Michigan. Gobs of them. And
at a cheaper-than-Big-Ten-game price. On Tuesday night, tickets 30
rows up on the 40-yard line could be bought for $39 each. Tickets eight rows up
on the 15-yard line could be had for $29 each. And $22 tickets will get you in
the end zone seats in the lower level.

Ford Field holds 65,000 for football. Western Michigan is hoping for
half that. "We're probably projecting between 20-30,000," Western Michigan
ticket manager Don Beyer said.

So Illinois is going to play a trap game the week before the huge game vs. Ohio State in freaking Detroit, in an empty stadium. Hey Ron, with your ace negotiating skills, is the game also going to use MAC officials?

I wonder if this game in Detroit will outdraw the attendance for this outdoor basketball practice after the football game on Saturday. It probably will, given how far men's basketball has fallen with our dopey mid-major head coach who can't recruit.

Same Old Loren Tate

Loren Tate of the Champaign News-Gazette is as predictable as the Cubs choking in the playoffs. He annually writes an article before the season about how the team looks physically stronger (like Ron Turner, he likes the look in their eyes!) and the football team should do well.

Then, as a commentator points out, he turns on them once the season doesn't start right (an annual tradition under the Football Guy). Then, after the season, he'll whine about how Illinois can't compete with Michigan & Ohio State. Loren Tate & Ron Guenther needs to ride off into the sunset.