Wednesday night brings the first of the two annual basketball versions of the Land of Lincoln Trophy game as the #16 Illinois Fighting Illini basketball team (13-5, 4-1) visits the Northwestern Wildcats (8-8, 0-5). The Illini haven't been as dominant at Welsh-Ryan Arena in recent years, as you might think, given the disparity in historical success of the two in-state Big Ten … [Read more...] about #16 Illini Basketball at Northwestern Wildcats Preview, Prediction, FYIs
College Football
Chris Collins Admires Tom Izzo’s Quest to Preserve College Basketball Norms
No matter where his career heads in the future, Northwestern basketball coach Chris Collins will always be "the guy that did the thing." He led the program to their first three NCAA Tournament berths. Priot to his arrival, Northwestern basketball was regarded to be a program with very little, some would even say no, real history, and Collins changed all that. This season may … [Read more...] about Chris Collins Admires Tom Izzo’s Quest to Preserve College Basketball Norms
Kirk Herbstreit Perfectly Articulates the Transcendent Rose Bowl Setting
When the time came to choose a setting to paint in my intro to oil painting class at the Art Institute of Chicago, the choice was obvious. I selected the most cinematic scene in all of sports, "the end of the yellow brick road" as the legendary broadcaster Keith Jackson used to call it: The Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. The iconic stadium and the game affectionately known as … [Read more...] about Kirk Herbstreit Perfectly Articulates the Transcendent Rose Bowl Setting
How the Rose Bowl Can Restore Big Ten vs Pac 10 Tradition
The Rose Bowl seems to be the only college football entity unapologetically trying to stick to tradition these days, while the rest of the sport sells out to corporate interests. Obviously, this is not an absolute truth, 100%, but in general this is the way that the wind is currently blowing. However, more traditions are at immediate risk of being lost. … [Read more...] about How the Rose Bowl Can Restore Big Ten vs Pac 10 Tradition
Real Reason that College Football Bowl Games were Created
Have you ever wondered how we got to the point- where there is at least one college football game on television every single day for three weeks from mid-December to early January? Why and how are we living in times when college football bowl games are so abundant that now multiple cities (New Orleans, Tampa, Miami, Phoenix among others) have both a real bowl game after … [Read more...] about Real Reason that College Football Bowl Games were Created
Chip Kelly the New Northwestern Offensive Coordinator; Wildcats Make Splash Hire
Big news today in Evanston, as the Northwestern Wildcats announced a splash hire at Offensive Coordinator. Chip Kelly, who most recently held the same position with the Las Vegas Raiders, will now take over the NU offense. A change was certainly needed, given how much the offense has sputtered in the past two seasons. Quarterback Preston Stone flourished at SMU, but flopped in … [Read more...] about Chip Kelly the New Northwestern Offensive Coordinator; Wildcats Make Splash Hire
Northwestern Football Preview: GameAbove Sports Bowl vs Central Michigan
There is one more Northwestern football game left to play this season- the GameAbove Sports Bowl against Central Michigan. It's the second year of this specific branding for the Detroit bowl game, which began its life at the Motor City Bowl in 1997. It was renamed the Pizza Bowl for 2009-2013 (they shoud have kept this, it's by far the best name that this bowl has ever had) … [Read more...] about Northwestern Football Preview: GameAbove Sports Bowl vs Central Michigan
In Die Hard, What Christmas Eve Bowl Game has Notre Dame vs USC?
The next edition of the Notre Dame vs USC rivalry will be upon us this weekend, and with it, we have to ask a very burning question. That question being- what bowl game are these two teams playing in the classic Christmas film " Die Hard ?" Genuinely desirable bowl games, you know, the REAL bowl games, take place in or around New Year's. Thus, one truly wonders how the Notre … [Read more...] about In Die Hard, What Christmas Eve Bowl Game has Notre Dame vs USC?
RG3 Calls Out CFP for SEC Bias with Alabama Selection
Kudos to Robert Griffin III, RG III, or RG3, for saying what we're all thinking. The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner, who played eight seasons in the NFL with three different teams, is now with FOX Sports, where he is one astute announcer. While calling a game, RG3 even referred to the execution of a fake punt as "a dimepiece." Griffin also called out the College Football Playoff … [Read more...] about RG3 Calls Out CFP for SEC Bias with Alabama Selection
Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua Plays the Victim Card Against ACC
If you want to learn what the words "targeted," "permanent damage" and "attacked" mean, then stay away from the press conference held by Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua today. Words have actual meaning, and you can't just go around making up new definitions for words, in a way that simply suits your own interests. A classic example would be the idiots who reach … [Read more...] about Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua Plays the Victim Card Against ACC