The Illini football program just seems allergic to consistent success. The last time Illinois went to back-to-back bowl games was 2010-2011, and that was with two six-win regular seasons. The last time Illini football went bowling to consecutive years before that was 1991-1992, and again, it was with two six-win regular seasons. So there have been times when Illini Football … [Read more...] about Illini Football Replaying Their Unfortunate History
Bret Bielema
2023 Illini Football: Brutally Honest Season Preview
You, the Illinois Fighting Illini football fan, are unfortunately, quite familiar with a certain phenomenon within this program's history. The miserably disappointing season that immediately follows a breakthrough campaign. Illini football broke out of the doldrums in 1999 to finish 8-4. The next campaign saw Illinois go 5-6. The 2001 10-2 Sugar Bowl, Big Ten champions preluded … [Read more...] about 2023 Illini Football: Brutally Honest Season Preview
Philadelphia Eagles Coach Chip Kelly quasi-endorses The Sports Bank
For the 2011-12 holidays I was in sunny Pasadena, enjoying the absolutely first rate hospitality a media member receives when covering the Rose Bowl; the greatest bowl game of them all. And to top it all off: I'm told by the winning coach of a BCS game (Oregon Ducks' Chip Kelly) that my business and marketing ideas are superb! In a crowded room full of my media peers no … [Read more...] about Philadelphia Eagles Coach Chip Kelly quasi-endorses The Sports Bank
Bret Bielema’s slight shot at Wisconsin is telling for the school and the Big Ten
Arkansas' new head coach, Bret Bielema, has been anything but shy in regards to expressing his feelings on almost anything via twitter. The former Wisconsin Badgers head coach has increased his online activity ten-fold since moving to Fayetteville and doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. It's obvious that Bielema hasn't completely moved on from his former job, … [Read more...] about Bret Bielema’s slight shot at Wisconsin is telling for the school and the Big Ten
Can the Wisconsin Badgers pull off the ultimate upset in Pasadena?
Story-lines run thick in the 99th installment of the Rose Bowl between the #8 Stanford Cardinal and Wisconsin Badgers. The Badgers are playing in their third straight Rose Bowl and look to hall-of-fame coach Barry Alvarez to improve upon his perfect 3-0 record in Pasasdena. Stanford enters the game on a three-game streak in BCS Bowls (Fiesta in 2011 and Orange in 2010) as … [Read more...] about Can the Wisconsin Badgers pull off the ultimate upset in Pasadena?
Reviewing the Wisconsin Badgers search for a head coach
A whirlwind of rumors and speculation have hit Madison since former Wisconsin Badgers head coach Bret Bielema left for the Arkansas job. With all the uncertainty behind Barry Alvarez's search for the next coach, almost all of the assistants have decided to leave the program. Here's a recap of what has went down so far: … [Read more...] about Reviewing the Wisconsin Badgers search for a head coach
Bielema to Arkansas puts the cherry on top of a bizarre year for Wisconsin
If it wasn't weird enough to see a five loss Wisconsin Badgers team go to the Rose Bowl, Bret Bielema has shocked the college football community in taking the Arkansas Razorbacks' vacant head coaching job. Was it all about the money? Probably so, but let's not discount Bielema's urge to win a National Championship and we all know the SEC is ten times better equipped to do … [Read more...] about Bielema to Arkansas puts the cherry on top of a bizarre year for Wisconsin
Wisconsin is going back to Cali for a third straight Rose Bowl
With credit to the late Notorious B.I.G., the Wisconsin Badgers are going, going, back, back to Cali after demolishing the Nebraska Cornhuskers 70-31 in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The 70 points the Badgers (8-5) scored are tied for the second most in the modern era in school-history and tied for the most ever in a conference championship … [Read more...] about Wisconsin is going back to Cali for a third straight Rose Bowl