Sunday, August 31, 2008

0-1

Well the Illini made it look closer than it really was but an L is an L. You know it's interesting that the search terms used most often to find this blog are "fireronzook.com" and "Fire Ron Zook". During the game there was a sudden spike in traffic. People are trying to find a place to commiserate. I expect traffic to increase as the season progresses, time to start making money off this thing and serve some advertising. As for Illini reaction to the game here's some courtesy of Illinois' Scout.com message board:

Ill-prepared, poor play calling, lack of adjustments. Team continued to play hard but got no help from their coaches. Maybe only the ESPN coverage was worse.
Yeah, blame the network on the fact that your coach is a moRon and your defense sucks.
Definitely not a stellar performance by coaches or players tonight, very poor tackling all night.
I thought Zook was a defensive guru.
The fact that it took us so long to throw downfield was far too reminiscent of the Rose Bowl. We are predictable, unoriginal, and unwilling to keep going to the well when things are working.
Other than that, how did you enjoy the play Mrs. Lincoln?
agreed. poor tackling all nite. but we were clearly outcoached. 
Get used to it buddy.
This isn't the first time (or the second time) that we have come out with a very conservative passing game and the offense has struggled to move the ball. Then, after we fall behind, we finally start to open it up in the second half and suddenly start putting up points.
No killer instinct in Ron Zook pal. See Gators at Hurricanes in 2003.

My favorite quote however comes from Illinihq:
I'll look forward to smashing Mizzou next year when they suck again.
As if Illinois had this long and distinguished history of winning.  Illinois is now 7-15 against Mizzou all-time.  

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad to see you turned the comments back on. I'll look forward to you turning them back off when Illinois wins again this season.

A couple of notes:

a) Nobody blamed the loss on ESPN. They just pointed out ESPN's coverage sucked. Which it did.

b) Illinois' all-time record against Missouri has no bearing on next year. Missouri loses a majority of its starters. Illinois gets a majority of its starters back. Missouri will suck next year, and Illinois will beat them.

c) I'll freely admit there were some problems. I'll also freely admit that this is probably the best team not named Ohio State that Illinois will face this year.

Not Baghead said...

ESPN's coverage sucked why? Because Mark Jones didn't blow Zook on the 50 yard line? They did, of course not fail to mention the 19 of 22 starters on Urban Meyer's championship anecdote.

Next year has no bearing on this year and the person who wrote that wrote it as if Illinois were some all-time football power and Mizzou is a fluke. Mizzou may suck again next year, but so may Illinois.

6-6

Anonymous said...

It doesnt take a genius or ESPN to see that,as usual,Defense and Special Teams suck under Zook.They might be able to handle the little 10 patsies,but the last 2 games against real talent they gave up 101 points.
It is Zook's 4th season...where is all that talent he recruited?

Anonymous said...

It had nothing to do with whether the accouncers were pro-Illinois or pro-Missouri. I thought they were very impartial.

The coverage sucked because there were virtually no replays to see what happened. There several instances where there were penalties and no explanation of what the penalty was for, or a replay to show what happened and why it was called. Several times players for both Missouri and Illinois left the field and went to the locker room and they didn't even let us know. The only injury they talked about was Maclin. The annoucners routinely called players wrong names for both teams.

It was a terrible production all around.

And no, Illinois is not going 6-6.

Anonymous said...

WOW......as usual,it has to be someone else's fault.Cant be that Zook did not have his team ready,or that QB hasn't developed a lick since he has been there,or an invisible defense that gives up 52 points.
Missouri is not that great...they gave up a ton of yards and 42 points...that isnt a championship team.

Anonymous said...

How can you possibly say that Juice Williams hasn't improved a lick when he just put up one of the top-3 statistical performances in Illinois history?

And Missouri IS that good, sorry to inform you.

Not Baghead said...

the numbers are inflated based on the fact illinois was behind the whole game. the score doesn't reflect the ass-kicking you zookholes got.

Not Baghead said...

Juice Williams had a completion percentage of 61.9% which is PHENOMENAL... for him.

But he was sacked five times and threw 2 interceptions along with his five TDs one of which was thrown with literally no time left. GARBAGE TIME.

Anonymous said...

Top 3 statistical performances....statistics are for losers and coordinators.
By the way...Mizzou IS NOT that good. You guys put 42 points on them..that says alot.