Illini Win South Padre Invitational

I didn't see either game over the weekend but the Illini won two rugged victories over Kent St. and Tulsa to take the title in the South Padre Invitational. The Kent St. game went to OT and the Tulsa final was 48-44, and in both contests Mike "The" Tisdale came up huge with some late baskets.

Well done, Mike. I'm happy to hear it.

Now back to Champaign for a little game against Clemson in a little contest called the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.

Happy Thanksgiving!

All Quiet ... For Now

This is the cover of perhaps my favorite novel: All Quiet on the Western Front (I don't mean to upset my friend Hemingway and his stellar novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls, but All Quiet may edge it out).

I mention this only as a lead in to my point for the day: things are quiet right now for all four teams this blog covers. The Padres are waiting on the Jake Peavy trade talks to heat up again. The Chargers are lying low, disappointed they lost to the Colts but hopeful because Denver choked against the Raiduhs. The Fighting Illini football team is done for the year, free to do absolutely nothing. And the Fighting Illini hoops team is in South Padre (or will be soon) for a Thanksgiving weekend tournament.

I suppose this is how it should be on Thanksgiving Eve. All quiet and all (relatively speaking) well. Sure, I'd like to see all four teams in a little better spot right now, but when all is said and done, I'm just darn thankful that I have these four teams to root for.

Other than being a lot better at my job and a lot more attentive husband, I honestly don't know what I would do without these teams.

Blinders

The Illini rolled to a nice win over Jackson St. on Sunday. According to reports they played a near flawless game: they passed the ball well, were running up and down the court and shot lights out.

As far as I know they were the only team this blog follows that played over the weekend. The Bolts did not play the Colts and the Illini football team did not play Northwestern.

Nope. Didn't happen.

Must Win

She wants the Chargers to win tonight against the Colts.

And so do I.

Zook: Please, Please Beat Northwestern

Zook,

Big game today against NU.

Please win this game.

I'll be watching from Blondie's on 79th Street in Manhattan.

Don't let me down.

Best,
Bevormo

How 'Bout Dem Illini!

The Illini gutted out a victory against Vanderbilt last night, at Vandy. I followed the game from my blackberry while standing at the bar at Bourbon St. on Amsterdam Avenue. The sports bars were crowded with Stillers fans watching the Stillers-Bungles game and I couldn't find a bar on the UWS showing the Illini game.

No mattter. I'll take the win.

How The Padres Will Be Good in '09

Here is what needs to happen for the Padres to be good in 2009:

1. One of the young players (Venable, Headley, Antonelli) needs to step up and become a feared beast at the plate. Let's take Headley because he seemingly has the most potential, and is the furthest along. Headley needs to hit about .300 24 100.

2. Khalil needs a comeback season. He needs to hit like he did in 2007 or, at a minimum, somewhere between how he hit in 2007 and how he hit from 2004 - 2006.

3. Jody Gerut needs to put up the same numbers he did last season, except this time not get injured and miss the final month.

4. Peavy and CY need to both pitch like aces, and CY can't get injured.

5. Heath Bell needs to be a legit closer and at least one other guy has to emerge from the bullpen as a reliable stopper.

6. A-Gon, Kouz and Giles need to have similar seasons as they did in '08.

And there you have it. The Padres could also use some help from their 3-5 starters, a few more reliable bullpen arms, a decent hitting second baseman and a catcher who can throw guys out and hit over .200, but let's not get greedy. I'm not telling you what the Padres need to win a World Series, I'm just telling you what they need to be good.

Of course this post assumes Peavy, Khalil, Giles, etc. will be Padres come April. And that's a big assumption.

: (

Shawne,

I miss you.

Bevormo

That May Be The Season

I'm not even mad the Bolts lost yesterday to the Stillers. I'm upset, sure, because they could have won the game. But let's be honest, to have expected the Chargers to roll into the 'Burgh, a city they've never won in during the regular season, and beat the Stillers in a snowstorm, would have been courting complete fantasy. As a fan that's a game you put in the probable loss column and then root like heck for a surprise victory. The Bolts had a chance to deliver on that surprise but didn't get the job done, mostly due to a few great plays by Troy Polamalu (like the one pictured above) and a few extremely dicey plays by Phil Rivers.

What really gets my goat about yesterday was the Broncs' win in Atlanta. Are you kidding me? Really, Atlanta? You can't beat a gimpy Denver team on its fifth string running back on your home turf? Unacceptable. Same to you Cleveland for blowing that game last week. Just a disaster. There are many reasons why the Bolts likely aren't making the playoffs this season, but two of the biggest reasons may end up being the failures of Cleveland and Atlanta to win home games against the Broncos.

Microcosm

Somebody said it. Maybe it was Andre Ware, or maybe Mark Tupper wrote it. But yesterday's loss to the Buckeyes was a microcosm of the Illini season. Some big plays, obvious talent, but some critical mistakes. Just coming up short.

Now a bowl game is in doubt even with a win next week against Northwestern.

Utter disaster.

Illini Win Opener Against Eastern Washington

The Illini played a strong second half last night to pull away from Eastern Washington and win their 2008-2009 season opener. Trent Meacham hit three threes on his way to 18 points and Chet Frazier added 13 points. Those may end up as single game point highs for those two guys all season. (Ouch! So cynical these days are Illini hoop fans!)

The sellout streak at Assembly Hall ended last night, but there is some optimism around the program after last Wednesday's big signing day. Also I get a sense this season's team, in stark contrast to the Shaun Pruitt-Brian Randle led team of the last two years, might have the type of heart and staying power to close games out. That would be nice.

Oh, by the way, the Illini are currently down 23-13 to Ohio St. at the half. But for two Juice turnovers the Illini may be winning this game. Matty Eller has boomed two big field goals to get the game to within 10. Let's see if Juicer can work some magic in the second half.

Bolts Sign Bennett

A.J. signed Michael Bennett yesterday, adding depth to the Bolts' running back position and insuring against an injury to LT and/or Sproles. It also would seem to indicate that Jacob Hester is not very good at all. Or at least has fallen a bit in the estimation of the Chargers brass.

Be that as it may, I welcome Bennett to the Bolts. Michael, I see from my exhaustive research (I just looked you up on pro-football-reference.com) that you have amassed 3627 yards in your career at a 4.4 yard-per-carry clip. Your best season was in 2002 when, as a Viking, you rushed for 1296 yards and scored five touchdowns, including an 85-yarder. Not too shabby. More recently you had a 4.6 yard-per-carry average for Tampa last season in limited action. I would be pleased if you performed similarly for the Bolts over the final seven games of this season.

Welcome, and good luck. Now get to work.

Your All Signsed Up, Your All Signsed Up

D.J. Richardson, formerly of Peoria Central, currently of Findlay Prep in Las Vegas, was one of four recruits today to sign their letters of intent to play for the Illini. He joins Tyler Griffey, Joseph Bertrand and Brandon Paul as the newest group to commit to Illinois.

On behalf of this fine, if widely unknown blog, D.J., I welcome you to the Illini. Here's to hoping you join your three fellow 2009 recruits and lead the Illini to a new era of dominance.

I can't wait.

Now then, query Chris Colvin. What's he going to do?

S-S-S-S Signing Day!

It's signing day in the world of college hoops. The Illini are slated to sign Bertrand, Paul, Griffey and Richardson, all rated with four stars at Scout.com (well, Bertrand only has tres estrellas, but that's an oversight by those doing the rankings). Bruce has a press conference this afternoon to announce the signings.

Ger r dun, Bruce!

Trevor

Tonight I learned that the Padres rescinded their contract offer to Trevor Hoffman.

It seems now that Trevor's 16-year run with the Padres is at an end.

You've been a beast, Trev. A pure beast.

Western Michigan ... F

Western Michigan beat the Illini 23-17 last Saturday at Ford Field in Detroit. I didn't see one second of the game because I was out in San Diego for the weekend and didn't take the time to find a sports bar with the broadcast. During breakfast at The Tractor Room on Fifth Avenue and Pennsylvania in Hillcrest, I caught a few updates and saw the Illini were down 20-3, then 20-10, then 23-10 and, finally, 23-17.

Later I learned they had a chance to score the go-ahead touchdown late but couldn't get the job done.

Illini Do Iowa

The Illini held on and beat Iowa last Saturday. That was a good thing because Iowa had been a spoiler for the Illini of late, and also because Iowa is inferior to Illinois just as a general matter.

I kid the Iowans. Great state over there. Always enjoy visiting Iowa City and I had a friend growing up who was from Bettendorf. One of my other friends married a Hawkeye graduate. Also my sister once got caught using someone else's credit card in Iowa so, you know, it's good to know the Iowa police are on top of things.

One thing I liked about Saturday's game was the use of Eddie McGee as a slot receiver. He is tall and athletic and, according to T.V. reports, Zooker rewarded him for being one of the players who cares most about the team. I believe Illini football will be in good hands two seasons from now when Juice is playing in the CFL and Eddie is quarterbacking the squad.