Former Illinois Athletic Director Mike Thomas didn’t get a whole lot right, but he certainly came correct on the Assembly Hall renovation. Thomas made complete disaster head coaching hires in both University of Illinois revenue producing sports, no question about it.
However, he did do a phenomenal job in revamping and revolutionizing the basketball arena, now known as State Farm Center, or “The Farm.”
While Illini basketball fans don’t have a very valuable product to observe on the hardwood the rest of this season, they should still come and check out a game at the new pad.
Thomas had a ton of acumen for both fundraising and greasing corporate donors. Too bad he didn’t have even a tiny fraction of that knowledge when it came to hiring football and basketball coaches. He’s truly left a ton of carnage in his wake for current Athletic Director Josh Whitman to clean up.
The basketball arena though…that’s not a problem area at all. It’s on par with Michigan State’s Breslin Center and Wisconsin’s Kohl Center among the best in the league. Purdue’s Mackey Arena is another venue that should be extremely high up on your college hoops to do list. When you put State Farm Center up against Northwestern’s Welsh-Ryan Arena, it’s like a laser guided missile versus a bow-and-arrow.
The new arena (which never really had a “new unveiling” as it’s “grand opening” occurred before the renovations were complete, so hence it’s still “new”) is elite, but it’s not a transcendent game day experience like Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Then again, so few places are like Hinkle, a Camden Yards or Fenway Park of basketball.
Hoops havens aren’t like baseball parks, which are traditionally more unique and original in nature. Most arenas are much more homogenized. There are only four Illini basketball home games left this season for you to come see the now completely renovated arena, in all it’s prairie school architectural glory, and tour the (new this season) hall of the fame. Come be a real life Al Bundy and re-live the glory days. Also you can possibly get the chance to say goodbye to Illini basketball coach John Groce, and do it in style.
Groce could be dismissed by the end of the season, meaning March 1st 2017, versus Michigan State, might be his final game before the home crowd.
Most importantly, make sure to visit the Illini basketball Hall of Fame, right by the main entrance to SFC, and remember the power and the glory that this program once had.
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Yes, indeed the 1914-1915 Illini basketball team were NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!! Something I had never actually even heard of until I saw the banner at The Farm.
Here’s a link to more on that team,
In addition to the TwitPics, here are some more Illini basketball Instagrams for you to peruse.
You’ve got the abode Illini basketball; the digs, the domicile, it’s the House of ‘Paign! Now Whitman just needs to go out and get a real coach who knows what he’s doing, who will then build a legitimate team to complement the top notch facility.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times and Bold, contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication, CGTN America, WGN CLTV News and KOZN.
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