Illinois Fighting Illini

Illini football is in a really sad state right now. When you're double digit underdogs to the lowly Indiana Hoosiers, and you can't even cover that...ouch! Will Tim Beckman get fired? That's pretty much the only Illini football topic people want to discuss right now. How hot is Beckman's seat they ask. Well, it's complicated. Someone's head will roll for this, but who? … [Read more...] about Tim Beckman likely stays, so who loses their Illini football job?

As it stands right now Illini football coach Tim Beckman is on the hot seat; like Three Mile Island at meltdown level hot. However, there's plenty of time for him to fix that. I will present the case for terminating Tim Beckman today, and the case for retaining him tomorrow. I will present five points for dismissal and five points for retention. And then you can make up your … [Read more...] about Five reasons for Illinois to fire Coach Tim Beckman

Tim Beckman will likely return to the University of Illinois for 2014. Barring an epic collapse of going O-fer down the stretch here, Becks will get a third season leading the Illini. With five games remaining for the Illini, 2-3 or better guarantees Tim Beckman comes back to Champaign. 2-3 in the last 5 is also the best case scenario for Illinois, but 1-4 is also likely. At … [Read more...] about Five reasons the Illini will retain Tim Beckman

Illinois basketball had some issues tonight doing something that the 1996 and 2000 GOP Presidential primary fields handled with ease: stopping Steve Forbes.  A different Steve Forbes, this was a chubby IPFW big man with totally boss facial hair; not a flat tax promoting mega-rich publisher and CEO of a major wing of the business press. But eventually Illinois won 57-55. … [Read more...] about Illinois basketball BARELY escapes with ugliest win ever over IPFW

This is a transition time for Illini basketball. It's a rebuilding year until reinforcements arrive next year. Two great recruits are coming in while three important transfers become eligible in 2014-15. This Illini basketball season is one in which very much is not really expected. However, Tuesday's win at UNLV was exciting, and with it Illinois has now won its last eight … [Read more...] about Illini basketball has nation’s longest road non-conference win streak

Tonight the Illini basketball team played their first road game. They were 4.5 favorites at UNLV that was the first real test they've had. Yes, Bradley was previously undefeated before Illini basketball crushed them. But blowing out "Chicago's Missouri Valley Conference Team" taught us nothing about 2013-14 Illini basketball. Tonight, we learned a few more things. Illinois was … [Read more...] about Illini basketball gets EXCITING 61-59 preconference road W at UNLV

Illini football has won a Big Ten game! Tim Beckman has finally won a conference game! OMG OMG OMG! It's a Christmas miracle! 5 days before Thanksgiving! Tim Beckman has won a conference game. Before today, Illini football last won a conference game in October of 2011. It was so long ago that Dolphin Tale was the number one movie in the nation, and Grenade by Bruno Mars was … [Read more...] about Illini football FINALLY WINS A BIG TEN GAME OMG OMG OMG OMG

Tim Beckman vs Bill Cubit, on the Illini football sideline. Here's a GIF of the heated exchange, as the Illinois Head Coach had to be separated from his offensive coordinator by Illini assistants. Yes, that's what it's come to. Just in case my alma mater didn't absorb enough body blows (and blows to the head) in both college football and college basketball, we see this … [Read more...] about GIF: Tim Beckman vs Bill Cubit sideline altercation

Here's the synopsis of the two guys signed by Illini basketball today. At least the two future college basketball players whose signing is now made official. Welcome to Illini basketball Leron Black and Michael Finke. … [Read more...] about Illini basketball recruiting class synopsis