tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369008592011-12-09T12:43:14.117-05:00Dedicated to honoring the first fire<em>yourcoach</em>.com siteNot Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comBlogger1491100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-74404780903801897242011-11-27T21:33:00.001-05:002011-11-27T21:34:32.078-05:00

Illinois didn't play like it was trying to get embattled coach Ron Zook fired, it played like it wanted him arrested.That was from Phil Miller in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-91475974285857115262011-11-27T21:09:00.004-05:002011-11-27T21:27:49.653-05:00

So it took the University of Illinois more than twice as long to come to the realization that Ron Zook is not the answer to anything except a trivia question about the first successful fireyourcoach.com web site. Does that make them twice as dumb? No. I've come the realization that it was because the Illini faithful were twice as desperate. But alas facts are facts and a deaf-mute baboon

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-39229376773829650792011-11-26T22:01:00.005-05:002011-11-26T22:32:11.291-05:00

A Minnesota victory SHOULD guarantee a Zook canning, so let's go Golden Gophers!-Anonymous CommenterWell, his words about the game were prophetic, let's see what happens with Zook's job. In a collapse of Zookese proportions the Illini went 0-6 after starting the season undefeated at 6-0. Though technically bowl eligible it would be crime to all this team to travel anywhere as a "reward" unless

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-20186810656926293522011-11-26T21:51:00.003-05:002011-11-26T21:58:32.323-05:00

I was recently contacted via email by a journalist writing a story about the whole fireyourcoach.com web site phenomenon. He had a couple of questions about this blog, asking if I was the original webmaster of fireronzook.com. I told him the truth which was, no. As I clearly state in the first post of this blog, this is a tribute to the original fireronzook.com site. Anyway I exchanged a

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-9121629726795028652011-11-15T14:37:00.004-05:002011-11-15T14:52:48.530-05:00

It's been more than two years since I posted on this blog. The reason for that is simple. Real life intruded. I just didn't have the time to care about Ron Zook and his moronic ways. Remember, I'm not vested in the Illinois program. I'm a Florida Gator and our Zook nightmare ended a while back. I had my reasons for maintaining this blog which I've outlined in previous postings but it was

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-11555160967074412012009-11-01T15:50:00.002-05:002009-11-01T15:56:47.596-05:00

This is the level of intellect of the typical Ron Zook athletic supporter:Hey Dickhead what do you have to say about the game yesterday[?]Ron Zook for coach of the year. That's what I have to say. With that win coach Zook beats his first FBS opponent of the season. Way to go there Ron!Is one unlikely win per season, like the one against Florida State in his last season with Florida or the one

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com61tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-31110811015159463792009-10-26T22:56:00.003-04:002009-10-26T22:57:42.576-04:00

That's the name of the latest addition to the fireronzook movement. You'll find this new site in the sidebar or just click here.

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-75950288429648617802009-10-24T22:14:00.003-04:002009-10-24T22:19:37.602-04:00

And lays (another) egg.I was just looking at the Illini page on Yahoo Sports. This is too funny. At the top of the page it says:Illinois Fighting Illini1-6 (0-5), 11th Big TenThat's right Illini fans, you're 11th in the Big TEN!Guys, it's official. Ron Zook is the worst coach in the history of the game of football. He took a great Gator program and made it mediocre and he's taken a terrible

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-28185497318654895362009-10-23T17:42:00.003-04:002009-10-24T22:20:18.813-04:00

Too funny. Take a look at this fantastic piece of comedy posted at Daily Illini.com under the headline, "Zook, Illini attempt to emulate 2007 season."2007 is of course the high water mark for Zook's tenure at Illinois with a 9-3 record and a Rose Bowl appearance (thanks to Ohio State playing in the BCSCG) where the Illini were blown out. So the solution of course is to emulate what was done

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-69700990579850232722009-09-26T19:17:00.005-04:002009-09-26T19:30:01.299-04:00

Well folks, another Saturday and another Zooking loss for the Illini in the books. A 30-0 shut-out. Ouch. My heart really goes out to the fans and alums of the University of Illinois. It's now beginning to dawn on you that everything all of the Florida fans said was true. There have been some comments on of the other posts here about the Illinois' rightful place in the world of college

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-3463190599762239052009-09-07T15:04:00.002-04:002009-09-07T15:08:56.306-04:00

Hello all!I see that I'm being graced by hundreds of new readers. I'm sure you'll have many questions, like "Is this the original fireronzook.com?" or is this author beneath the bag the actual BAGHEAD that began fireronzook.com?". The answer to both is "no!"Check the sidebar and read about this blog, why it exists and will continue to exist. I could provide links here so that you don't have to

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-21537562172687594072009-09-07T10:28:00.004-04:002009-09-07T10:36:59.510-04:00

For a variety of reasons I have had ZERO time to follow Zook's incoherent rambling and the travails of Illinois football much less post anything to this blog but a recent flurry of visits and a few comment awoke me from my slumber. Zook and the boys shit the bed against Mizzou in the season opener. Perfect. But he recruited all of Florida's players, right?HahahahahahahaFeel free to vent in

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-17100480310892745042009-01-12T23:49:00.003-05:002009-01-13T00:21:46.044-05:00

The Kool-Aid drinkers often ask me in the comments why I am obsessed with moRon Zook. After all, he has been gone for four years now and is someone else's problem now. There are three basic answers to that. They are:1. He made my life miserable for three years. Watching the football program at my alma mater begin to disintegrate was torture for me. When I entered the University of Florida as

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-86279591725791145172008-12-07T01:49:00.003-05:002008-12-07T01:57:29.341-05:00

I dare any one of you douchebags out there that wanted to give Ron Zook credit for Florida's 2006 BCS Championship team to come here and open your pieholes now. How many of the current Gator players were recruited by Zook? Ha, I actually had commenters come here and tell me that Meyer couldn't win with his own players. Well think again asswipes. Where is Ron Zook with all of "his" players at

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com72tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-6312263025993064092008-12-02T10:34:00.002-05:002008-12-02T10:38:55.241-05:00

An anonymous commenter submitted a link to this great article:Anatomy of a season gone wrongBy Bob AsmussenSunday, November 30, 2008 9:00 AM CDTRon Zook's 2008 Illini were expected to follow up a Rose Bowl season with a run toward a Big Ten title. Instead, Illinois never met expectations, losing four of its last five games to finish out of the bowl picture. What went wrong? Plenty, distractions

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-37593730897930256932008-11-22T18:11:00.006-05:002008-11-22T19:27:32.752-05:00

I have to admit it, I was wrong...I thought Zook and this team were good enough for six wins and a trip to Boise or some other equally undesirable December location. But no, moRon failed to live up to even my low expectations.As I've documented here all season long the Illini faithful have made this the year of the excuses. It's Locksley's fault, it's the two-coordinator system on defense, it's

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-26726476356118231522008-11-21T22:31:00.002-05:002008-11-21T22:35:18.813-05:00

You all are a bunch of thin-skinned fuckheads. Apparently one of your members posted a link to this humble blog and you kool-aid drinkers decided that that could not stand. Well guess what, just because you pretend that this blog doesn't exist it isn't going to make moRon a better coach. Last laugh will be on you. Douchebags.

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-36195299479693819322008-11-18T00:50:00.002-05:002008-11-18T00:56:57.183-05:00

Just win baby.Remember in 2006 when all of the fucking apologists for moRon in the sports media couldn't stop mentioning how many of Florida's starters were recruited by Zook? Where are all those assholes today? As I mentioned about last year's Illini squad, more than a few of the key players weren't recruited by Zook but instead by his much-maligned predecessor, Ron Turner.Now we see that Zook,

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-33495275431343793082008-11-16T22:27:00.002-05:002008-11-16T22:54:55.083-05:00

Nobody is surprised that Illinois went down again, this time to Ohio State. Nevertheless here's some of the best material from the Illini message boards:Something has happened to Juice since WiskyYeah, he remembered he was Juice Williams.Ron Zook has to go!, underachieving team. The Illinois football team could very well end its season missing a bowl game and under .500. Zook has had discipline

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-8043155587453788752008-11-08T20:44:00.003-05:002008-11-08T21:32:42.164-05:00

Well, after losing to Western Michigan the Illinois message boards are lit up like a Christmas tree. The Illini fans are hot and throwing blame around everywhere. Curiously, the big target of the hate is Ron Guenther, the athletic director. But not for hiring a moRon but for agreeing to a game against a MAC team in Detroit.Anyway let's get to the action: Typical trap game right before

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-78665347098456311862008-11-08T18:51:00.002-05:002008-11-08T19:02:19.319-05:00

I want to welcome all of the new readers that are sure to visit this week. That feeling that you're feeling right now is what I suspect many Americans will be feeling after of a few years of Obamunist rule. But let's talk football. Ron Zook is simply not a good football coach. There is no doubt about it. He is what I have always called an "excitable meathead". He talks a big game but he

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-73266771312595678272008-10-26T22:34:00.003-04:002008-10-26T22:43:06.048-04:00

Ron Turner:1997: 0-111998: 3-81999: 8-42000: 5-6Through four seasons: 16-29Ron Zook:2005: 2-92006: 2-102007: 9-42008 (to date): 4-4Through 3+ seasons: 17-27Ron Turner's Illini won the Big Ten in 2001. Will Zook win the Big Ten in 2009?Hahahaha.

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-11389542394925992582008-10-26T22:26:00.003-04:002008-10-26T22:29:09.901-04:00

One poster at an Illinois message board had this to say about Zook:...when he thinks, his team suffers.That's going to be the new slogan of this blog.Also catch this column by Mark Tupper. Money quote:Do they bring in good players and generate some real excitement? Yes. Do they win some games that really give you hope? Yes.But Illinois also loses too many games it should win, repeats mistakes

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-80564904388131379762008-10-25T18:35:00.002-04:002008-10-25T18:40:36.228-04:00

Exactly four years ago Ron Zook was fired as head coach of the University of Florida's Fightin' Gators. This column written by Pat Forde gives a brief overview of moRon's tenure in Gainesville from the disbelief that a top program was being turned over to an overrated motormouth assistant coach to embarrassment as he ultimately took on the student body. As to Forde's question of what to do with

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-67568270312156145622008-10-25T16:08:00.002-04:002008-10-25T16:28:24.730-04:00

Here's some of the post game commentary from the Illini boards:i am begging someone to explain how and why zook should be a coach at a division I program?Yeah, me too. He's been around the game of football as a player and coach for more than 30 years and still his failure to understand the fundamental concepts of the game astounds.because he can recruit. Other than that...I'm with ya.He

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-71363983520306720722008-10-25T15:55:00.003-04:002008-10-26T02:57:01.142-04:00

A warm welcome to those of you visiting thanks to someone who posted a link at the illinihq.com forum. Before you judge me, read the archives. What you need to know is that the frustration that you currently feel with your coach is the same exact thing we dealt with. Some of you are questioning my motives. Well the motives are simple. To say "we told you so". When you guys first hired the

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-6148060269819325922008-10-15T22:50:00.002-04:002008-10-15T23:00:10.441-04:00

Here's some items that I find very funny. First there's this:Illinois backup quarterback Eddie McGee is free following his weekend arrest on suspicion of knocking a woman to the floor during a dance...They say McGee was somehow poked in the eye during a dance-floor fight and he allegedly reacted by pushing a 19-year-old woman. After she pushed back, authorities say McGee knocked her to the floor

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-39586342789546770992008-10-12T00:14:00.002-04:002008-10-12T00:30:53.929-04:00

Gotta love these from the Illinihq forum:i was very disappointed in coach brewster. i expected a little more class from his players.And I was expecting capitalization in your sentences. Seriously, I love it when fans play the "class" card after an embarrassing loss. At least you still have your class, losers.And more class by Brewster himself. He dropped a ton of "F bombs" on the ref that was

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-65798354295368666212008-10-11T21:44:00.003-04:002008-10-25T16:06:18.510-04:00

Well it's taken 3+ seasons but the blinders are starting to come off some the fans in Illiniland. Today's homecoming loss to Minnesota has been a sobering experience for many who have been drunk on the Kool-aid for the last few years. Here's some quotes from an appropriately named thread at one of the Illini message boards:The book on Zook1-2 unexplainable losses EVERY season. He is now doing

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-49032029189579243132008-10-03T02:06:00.002-04:002008-10-03T02:08:51.918-04:00

Decatur HeraldIllinois ranks last in the Big Ten in scoring defense (32.0 ppg), 10th in rushing defense (182.5 ypg) and 10th in total defense (384 ypg). Illinois is also last in defending on third down and 10th in turnover margin.Zook's background is coaching defense. It shows.

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-84854419131260323472008-09-27T23:28:00.001-04:002008-09-27T23:31:00.852-04:00

with chocolate sprinkles on top. Dinner sucked but dessert was delicious.

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-18884068740106378832008-09-17T22:38:00.002-04:002008-09-17T22:42:23.831-04:00

Zook needs to explain to them the objective is to go from end zone to end zone.Zook seems to think that you win games with athleticism and emotion alone. He doesn't allow for the possibility of strategy and technique and adjustments. Everything of course is correctable, except he doesn't say what needs to be corrected or how it will be corrected. Typical Zookese bullshit. He even forgot he's

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-68307589544120784502008-09-16T22:00:00.003-04:002008-09-16T22:04:16.840-04:00

There's a lot of things that Zook doesn't understand. This is just one of them.Here's a clue moRon, your team didn't almost choke against a far inferior opponent because of "emotion". Your team was ill prepared to play the game and your staff didn't help with its dumb play calling. UL-L should have no business being on the field with the Illini but you make any game with a third rate opponent

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-90232899784228216212008-09-13T20:10:00.006-04:002008-09-13T21:09:22.526-04:00

One of the best things about maintaining this blog is reading the reactions of Illini fans as they try figure out why their team is underperforming.  Some blame the assistant coaches, mainly the offensive coordinator, some blame the players, but very few blame the man who is responsible for all of it.  Zook has recruited some talented players, of that there is no doubt.  But to my mind talent

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-20312907764224733202008-09-13T15:30:00.005-04:002008-09-15T19:00:29.594-04:00

The Ragin' Cajuns? The Zookies should have lost that game with the horseshit way they played. Be afraid Kool-Aid drinkers, be very afraid. The game was pure Zook, playing down to the level of inferior competition. Best moment was Zook getting in the face of his defensive player that got flagged for a marginal late hit. All class, but what do you expect from Mr. Trick Elbow himself?I bet Penn

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-73406688479490701582008-09-12T01:16:00.001-04:002008-09-12T01:25:04.374-04:00

The best thing that could have happened. Yeah 0-1. Awesome.In this next clip I love how Zook says that what happened "was exactly what we said was going to happen." He's always been full of this horseshit, like everything is part of his big plan when it's obvious that he's making this shit up as he goes along.Zook blames the loss on players running their mouths. No, he doesn't take any of the

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-25389391030271750332008-09-04T23:47:00.004-04:002008-09-11T00:15:07.870-04:00

to nowhere.Just caught the replay of the Ron Zook reality show. Of course it's a well-produced piece of propaganda and everything is hunky dory because it was shot before the first game. The Illini were still undefeated.Zook doesn't come across as big of a dope as he really is, but it's early still. There was a part in of the show where a player tells an anecdote about Zook and how he demands

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-780967132956790032008-09-04T21:58:00.005-04:002008-09-05T00:04:08.988-04:00

gatorff at Zook Free Zone has brought my attention to this great post on the Illini forum at Scout.com. In it he discusses Ron Zook's press conference after the loss to Missouri:Frankly, I find the guy hard to follow. I'm sure he knows what he means but I bet a lot of people listening to him are often lost.Some examples:"Number two, we may have defensively done a little bit too much. We may

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-21090765548648147842008-08-31T00:27:00.003-04:002008-08-31T00:46:16.838-04:00

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

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-74508337579696557352008-08-30T00:47:00.001-04:002008-08-30T00:48:57.283-04:00

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-300991118514777612008-08-22T16:10:00.001-04:002008-08-22T16:10:39.762-04:00

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-46689315588153236132008-08-16T21:25:00.003-04:002008-08-31T00:27:09.278-04:00

Football is almost here. I can't wait. Ever since Florida canned Zook I follow two teams. I root for one and against the other. Nothing better than watching Zook melt down on someone else's sideline. And this season promises to be a good one for meltdowns. Less than last year's 9 wins is going to be a disappointment for Illinois. I have no doubt they will not repeat that. The question is

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-88909910230656330602008-06-29T18:28:00.003-04:002008-06-29T18:48:42.913-04:00

Well it seems that moRon Zook has agreed to have his Fighting Illini featured in a reality TV show on the Big Ten Network:Mention ‘‘Big Brother,’’ and [Zook] will assume you’re talking about his older sibling, Bob.But the former Gator head coach is prepared to go in front of the cameras with his coaches and players for a Big Ten Network series called ‘‘The Journey.’’The BTN also looked into

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-77658781673772993332008-06-19T01:16:00.002-04:002008-06-19T01:23:42.046-04:00

RASHARD MENDENHALL RIPS RON ZOOKRahula Strohl at 4:36 p.m.The Champaign News-Gazette reports, via Deadspin and Foul Balls, that Rashard Mendenhall is not the biggest fan of Ron Zook.The silver bullet quote: "To tell you the truth, as long as Ron Zook is there it will be hard for me to support the University of Illinois football team."Mendenhall said that it had less to do with his brother, Walter

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-40863907930637556362008-06-03T23:55:00.001-04:002008-06-03T23:57:55.783-04:00

Take a listen to this abomination:Did you notice him glancing down, probably at the lyrics. Fucking clown. I remember the day he had his firs press conference at Illinois. He called it Illinoize.

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-91312887278540908212008-05-27T23:37:00.003-04:002008-05-29T22:37:07.492-04:00

I love looking at the site meter stats for this blog and checking the search terms people are using to find it. Here's some of my recent favorites:loser mentalityZook sucksRashard Mendenhall's GPAjim delany douchebag bcsAnd my favorite:urban meyer terrible coachLast guy, step away from the crack pipe. Urban Meyer has a winning percentage of .814 which puts him at number 7 among active coaches

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-92037318367421661112008-05-07T00:00:00.003-04:002008-05-07T00:04:02.788-04:00

The NCAA Academic Progress report is out. Where do the flying Zookies rate?Tied for 134th out of 239.The Gators?Tied for 41st (with the U.S. Military academy at West Point).I predict next year the Illini rent-a-playa$ will have an even lower score.

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-2759775133975966212008-05-05T19:31:00.001-04:002008-05-05T19:56:13.219-04:00

I've been searching high and low for the article below and finally found it. Reading this article is what began to turn me against Ron Zook when he was at Florida. I referred to this article in my very first post on this blog. To me it's the definitive Ron Zook article. I'm publishing it here in its entirety for posterity. Comments after the article. The underlining is mine.Role reversal:

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-37635382337793649942008-05-05T15:32:00.003-04:002008-05-05T16:06:54.461-04:00

I was bummed that the original fireronzook.com web site had been taken down so I decided to rescue as much material as I could from there. Thanks to google cache and the guys at Zook Free Zone I was able to gather much of the original material from the site. I have posted it under the label "From the FRZ Archives". You can click the link in the sidebar and read that stuff.I have posted the "

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-13445493257314873072008-05-04T10:19:00.001-04:002008-05-04T10:22:39.617-04:00

Use them and dispose of them:No. 1 pick unhappyRookie halfback Rashard Mendenhall expressed some dismay over what happened to his brother, Walter, who left the University of Illinois football team recently.Walter Mendenhall got a scholarship to Illinois in 2004 in what was regarded at the time as a package deal to get his younger brother the following year, and it worked."Yeah, they did not want

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-21939130193433900822008-04-25T00:24:00.003-04:002008-04-25T00:32:47.969-04:00

Hey Kool-Aid drinkers,Your cult leader, Ron Zook has his panties in a wad because of a new NCAA rule regarding head coach contact with recruits. Well Rivals.com takes issue with the Zooker. It's just a matter of time before Zook runs afoul of the NCAA. Mark my words.Here's the entire text of the column written by Bobby Burton:Hey, Ron Zook, are you joking?You need to remove yourself from the

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-2288479501200184262008-04-22T22:25:00.002-04:002008-04-22T22:29:01.304-04:00

Well it finally happened. Someone pulled the plug on the original fireronzook.com web site. But cheer up Zookies you still have me. And although I'm not the original baghead I do enjoy wearing it. And guess what, you can get all of your Zook-free commentary about the Gators and the Illini at Zook Free Zone. Have fun.

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-12502740899610357832008-04-18T22:53:00.003-04:002008-04-18T23:09:31.659-04:00

Well Illini fans, the Sporting News is reporting that Illinois football players just held their first players-only meeting in response to Ron Zook's spring program:Illinois football coach Ron Zook says he and the other Illini coaches have pushed their players hard this spring, maybe a little too hard.Zook says the team had a players-only meeting week before last, something that isn't always a

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-17726180594001652772008-03-27T21:16:00.003-04:002008-04-18T23:14:38.834-04:00

CHAMPAIGN – Illinois football coach Ron Zook said today that five players will miss spring practice to concentrate on academics.Defensive end Jerry Brown, receiver Brian Gamble, cornerback Marcus Thomas and offensive linemen Mark Jackson and Brandon Jordan will not participate in drills that start Wednesday."This isn't about eligibility, but we need to make sure our players understand the

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-63923037432438344672008-03-21T00:06:00.002-04:002008-03-21T00:11:20.417-04:00

Drew Miller, Gators offensive lineman tells GatorBait.net about the differences between Zook and Meyer:GatorBait.net: You were a freshman during Zook's final season - what was your reaction when he was dismissed during your freshman year?Drew Miller: "I was like everyone else, I was shocked. We were given the impression when we signed that he was going to be given time [to turn it around], that

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-82562117360703350192008-01-08T01:15:00.000-05:002008-01-21T02:00:15.197-05:00

Hey Zookies,Take a look at the grades that the Gator football team has achieved ever since we got rid of moRon Zook:Spring 2005 2.45Fall 2005 2.65Spring 2006 2.68Fall 2006 2.72Spring 2007 2.77Fall 2007 2.81Watch Zook turn your program into a profe$$ional football team of thugs.

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-29713980328996117052008-01-05T12:52:00.000-05:002008-01-21T01:58:36.816-05:00

Or does he?"I don't think there's any question we'll be a better football team next year," Zook said. "Everyone wants to know: What does that mean?"I said the second year we'd be a better team than the first and we were, but the record was the same (2-9 in '05, 2-10 in '06). So we will be a better team.God, it's hard to take anything this moRon says seriously. But let's dissect. He promises the

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-19668225865950818892008-01-02T21:27:00.000-05:002008-01-21T02:01:02.730-05:00

I was in a lousy mood because of the Capital One Bowl debacle so I decided to cheer myself up by reading the Rose Bowl game thread over at Illiniboard.com. Boy those moRons didn't disappoint. I just went over there though to copy and paste some of the best (worst) of it but they deleted it. Damn. The general sentiments fell into these categories:It was a great season anyway. Indicative of

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-59438402312105751522008-01-02T08:09:00.000-05:002008-01-02T08:14:13.219-05:00

I suppose that Illinois fans might be enjoying a bit of Schadenfreude at Florida's expense too. And that's fine. In the end however the Gators have Tim Tebow, the Heisman trophy winner, returning. They will also have Percy Harvin returning. The team which was low on upperclassmen (thanks Zook) will be more experienced and most of all we'll still have Urban Meyer. Meanwhile Illinois will

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-40842806319859081132008-01-02T00:11:00.001-05:002008-05-05T19:06:27.792-04:00

Basking in the misery of others helps forget one's own misery. The Gators defense, which has been its Achilles heel all season was once again porous and Lloyd Carr goes out a winner in a game I attended. Congrats to Michigan and their fans. You played a better game and deserved to win.Now, on the business at hand. As I predicted Illinois had the look of a team that was just happy to be there

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-50419268889626682512007-12-16T23:17:00.000-05:002007-12-16T23:23:44.805-05:00

The thing I hate about college football is the dead period between the end of the regular season and the bowl games. We're now two weeks away from the unmasking of the biggest fraud in college football this year. Although I think USC is perennially overrated, the Illini are going to face their first really good opponent all season. I'd say that IIllinois' chances of winning are Slim to none,

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-21804499560825325702007-12-02T23:10:00.000-05:002007-12-02T23:33:02.664-05:00

You managed to back into the Grandaddy of them all, where you would have rightfully been playing if Zook only knew when to decline a penalty. OSU has slipped into the national championship game by default where it will take another epic beating at the hands of an SEC team. The Buckeyes are 0-9 against the SEC.Likewise the Illini face a USC Trojans team that will finally be healthy and has been

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-13481271897215073332007-11-17T20:34:00.000-05:002007-11-17T21:36:23.428-05:00

Brilliant ramblings of a loser from Illini BoardI'm going to call this a 2nd place finishI know this season is going to go down as a third place finish in the Big Ten because we lose the tiebreaker to Michigan, but I'm going to go ahead and call it a 2nd place finish and challenge anyone (read: Michigan fans) who says otherwise. Lets compare Illini/Wolverine seasons:-Illinois lost three games

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-34361458408942874252007-11-17T11:06:00.000-05:002007-11-17T15:46:46.077-05:00

Illini fans are happy. They should be, after going 4-19 in Zook's first two seasons the Illini are 8-3 overall and 5-2 in the Big 10. But the reality is that as nice as this season has been for them the Illini missed an opportunity for something even bigger. The two conference losses came at the hands of Iowa and Michigan, both games where there were plenty of questionable coaching

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-24085249381818558992007-11-10T19:00:00.000-05:002007-11-10T19:06:03.960-05:00

While I would have taken great pleasure in watching another Zookian meltdown today, I suppose I do owe Illinois a debt of gratitude for sparing the football watching public from having to see Ohio State get blown out in the national championship game again. The fighting Zooks unmasked OSU for the pretenders that they were. So there you go. Thanks.

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-50947894404040747182007-11-10T18:36:00.000-05:002007-11-10T18:38:33.022-05:00

Illinois is that tallest person at the midget convention that is the Big 10 this year. Just think where they'd be if Zook knew when to decline a penalty.

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-74005893505677540502007-10-28T00:20:00.000-04:002007-10-28T19:37:58.426-04:00

Illinois is bowl eligible. Woopee! Enjoy it. Already some Zookheads have dropped by claiming that this is proof that Zook is a better coach than Urban Meyer. After all the Illini have already clinched bowl eligibility while the Gators are still one win away. What those geniuses won't tell you is that the Gators have played one less game to date.The next argument is that Meyer can't win

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-23549267116213259412007-10-26T21:06:00.000-04:002007-10-26T21:16:46.481-04:00

Was just checking out the predictions for the Illini's Ball State game over at Illiniboard.com. They range from one brave soul who predicts a Ball State upset 28-27 to the guy who predicts a 59-10 romp for the Illini.I took an average of the 22 predictions I saw and the consensus is 36-21, Illinois. They are predicting Illinois to score 10 more points than their average and Ball State to score

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-77441073488209903052007-10-25T17:13:00.000-04:002007-10-25T17:19:15.781-04:00

Daily Illini columnist Kevin Olsen explains why coaching has been the reason the Illini aren't better than their 5-3 record.Some excerpts:Poor decisions seal Illini fate against Big Ten opponents...I can't help but wonder what may have happened if Ron Zook and his coaching staff knew how to coach a college football game. And it didn't help that there were obvious breakdowns by players on key

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-79663696537968959362007-10-24T00:34:00.000-04:002007-10-24T08:25:26.893-04:00

I think this is a game that most Illini fans are taking for granted. Maybe I'm wrong. But I think Illini fans, at this point see this game and the Minnesota game as the two that will give the Illini a minimum of 7 wins this year. The 7 win number is big because It will be a winning year rather than merely .500. 6 means bowl eligibility but Illini fans are craving respectability. The Illini

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-20654816552026645892007-10-24T00:16:00.000-04:002007-10-24T00:23:09.684-04:00

And he wants his lyrics back:...on Ball State's quarterback "He is a thrower, a winger, a slinger and he can run the ball. He's a tough guy that will block on reverses. He's got people hanging all over him and an unbelievably quick release. He reminds me of a more athletic quarterback then the guy that we faced in the first game with his release and accuracy. He is another perfect example of

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-57791108175861065152007-10-21T17:08:00.000-04:002007-10-22T09:07:32.594-04:00

Some feedback about last night's game from around the internets. First up DJ Magnificent gives a great wrap up:Poor old Zook may be the worst head coach in the history of Big Ten football. The poor bastard has no control over his players and as a game manager he is simply horrible.For a man who was a special teams coach in the NFL and at Florida, Illinois' special teams were horrendous tonight,

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-59156486007814230022007-10-21T15:32:00.001-04:002007-10-21T19:47:20.357-04:00

I was just perusing some of the old content at the original fireronzook.com web site. The reason is that just like the bible you can always find something there that seems to suit the present situation. History repeats itself, you see. Anyway, a regular feature of FRZ was the sermons given by "Mike in NYC". Here's a few excerpts from a sermon after a home loss to Tennessee back in 2003.

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-25169840353341351512007-10-21T11:07:00.000-04:002007-10-21T11:17:37.169-04:00

If you ever wanted to see thinking the pervades in the minds of the fans of a losing program, then you must read this thread at Illiniboard. The overwhelming sentiment is that even though Illinois has lost two very winnable games, they are "ahead of schedule". If you had high expectations this season "it's your problem." Many are "happy to be 5-3" despite the fact that the team probably has

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-30984985431565223352007-10-20T19:53:00.000-04:002007-10-20T23:26:33.785-04:00

7:55 Saturday night, Network Television, an opponent that is a historical power. All of the makings of a meltdown of Zookian proportions. Then again Zook has in the past pulled rabbits out of his hat so beating the Wolverines and losing to Ball State is not beyond the realm of possibility.8:34A good special teams play and a bad special teams play by the Illini so far. No Zookian mistakes yet.

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-9259850832998930072007-10-19T00:13:00.000-04:002007-10-19T00:28:40.494-04:00

Last week I asked if Iowa might be the team to bring the real Zook out for the first time this season. I have to be honest, I hedged. But my suspicions were correct. In a grudge match rivalry game when the pressure was on Zook folded like a bad hand in Texas Hold 'em. It's interesting that none of the 1500 readers that stopped by courtesy of the Illinois message boards came back to tell me

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-81760051044803701442007-10-16T00:59:00.002-04:002008-09-15T19:01:24.068-04:00

Look at how he reacts to losing. Nice.Almost as good as the way he handles his players.

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-50550560724319604032007-10-16T00:42:00.000-04:002007-10-16T00:47:02.401-04:00

Why don't I just let it go, some of you ask. This is why:“Coaches get very dumb in a week’s time,’’ Zook said. “We’ve raised the level of expectation. Now all of a sudden, I get a few e-mails. I told my wife, ‘Gosh, we must be back in Florida.’ That’s the nature of the business. All we can do is go back to work. Look asshole, all Florida did was give you the chance of a lifetime to coach a

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-61648147092872750052007-10-15T16:12:00.000-04:002007-10-15T16:23:57.101-04:00

A few items lifted from my favorite Illini forum in thread entitled Iowa's sideline has a laugh on Zook:To be honest, I think Zook has trouble figuring out nuanced decisions on the spot. It is almost like he needs an Angel saying, "Ron, you really don't want to to that in this situation." Regardless, at the rate he is bringing talent in, before long the team will be able to succeed in spite of

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-70583350041631763862007-10-14T15:08:00.000-04:002007-10-14T15:19:50.619-04:00

One media postmortem on Zook's decision making:With Illinois leading 6-3 late in the third quarter, Iowa committed its own illegal formation on a third-and-2 from the Illini 15. Rather than decline the penalty and force Iowa to attempt a 32-yard field goal—or go for it on a fourth-and-2—Zook gave Iowa another shot on third-and-7.Christensen actually jogged off the field, assuming the penalty

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-67566687002979669342007-10-13T16:43:00.000-04:002007-10-13T16:47:59.616-04:00

Just like Tom Emanski teaches baseball fundamentals, Ron Zook has his own video series for the aspiring coach. We'll be bringing you more titles in the days and weeks to come. Today's selection is:Pondering Penalties - This handy video will show the aspiring coach which penalties to accept and which to decline. Why make the opponent bring out their punter or kicker when you can make the game

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-44990021867369626052007-10-13T15:35:00.000-04:002007-10-13T16:15:37.683-04:00

I was just watching Zook's presser and they asked about a penalty which negated the go-ahead touchdown for Illinois in the 4th quarter. The wide receiver covered the tight end up, he wasn't a yard off of the ball, which is an illegal formation. He mumbled some nonsense about players on the field that normally wouldn't be there and finished by going to his canned response that they need to

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-87314511074107128212007-10-13T15:03:00.000-04:002007-10-13T15:10:37.183-04:00

The message board Nazi's are on patrol at illiniboard.com. They don't like "negative" comments particularly about the coaching staff. Already there are two locked threads. One is entitled "Loss is on the staff"Play calling and decisions cost us this game. We should have rode Rashard a lot mor, especially near the goal line. Does the staff watch tapes of him wanting to score down there? Bad,

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-55178529951710838672007-10-13T14:24:00.000-04:002007-10-13T16:42:18.663-04:00

or lack of brain matter?Apologists for Ron Zook have said that his troubles at Florida came from lack of experience. In fact that's exactly what one commenter said here just a few days ago:Illinois is Zook's second time as a head coach. Isn't it fair to say that his trouble at Florida stemmed more from inexperience than him being a bad coach?I explained that a guy who's in his fifties and that

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-24859242845103854522007-10-13T13:39:00.000-04:002007-10-13T13:41:04.344-04:00

I sense some sphincters beginning to tighten in the Champaign-Urbana area.

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-60439982948625459022007-10-11T21:42:00.000-04:002007-10-13T15:25:41.488-04:00

Could this Saturday's game against Iowa be the one where the good old Zook that us longtime observers have come to know shows up? Will he attempt a rugby punt that is shanked and returned for a touchdown? Does he inexplicably go for two in the first half and end up losing by 1? Does his game of musical QBs finally come to a tragic end?I'm not predicting an Iowa win, but I will say that a loss

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-51749145021356312852007-10-10T21:20:00.001-04:002007-10-10T21:23:53.295-04:00

Just like Tom Emanski teaches baseball fundamentals, Ron Zook has his own video series for the aspiring coach. We'll be bringing you more titles in the days and weeks to come. Today's selection is:Mastering Post-Game Press Conferences - A must for any coach who has to deal with the news media. The phrase "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit" describes this volume

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-4614000496925217572007-10-09T23:34:00.001-04:002011-01-28T17:11:30.651-05:00

I want thank all of the Illini faithful who stopped by over the past couple of days with expressions of concern about me. Whether it was that I have "too much time on my hands" or that I have an "unhealthy obsession" or even that perhaps I have an unsatisfactory "penis size" it has all been very touching. I realize that there's a lot questions about me so I've decided I'd pull back the curtain

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-49661237062509292822007-10-08T22:47:00.000-04:002007-10-10T21:20:38.360-04:00

Just like Tom Emanski teaches baseball fundamentals, Ron Zook has his own video series for the aspiring coach. We'll be bringing you more titles in the days and weeks to come. Today's selection is:How to Store Your Only Suit - In this video coach Zook will teach you how to store your "Sunday best" in a cedar lined trunk with moth balls. It will protect the fabric to ensure that it's ready to go

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-29316771612320789042007-10-08T20:34:00.000-04:002007-10-08T20:57:08.689-04:00

Hey, I want to thank all of you who stopped by today. Thanks to a posting on an Illini message board, I've more than doubled the lifetime readership of this blog. Oh I know a lot of you are angry and you are taking out your anger on me. That's fine. I didn't start this blog to make friends. I've got plenty, despite what some of you may think. I won't address the personal remarks because

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-40862274998662057792007-10-05T00:57:00.000-04:002007-10-05T08:31:13.752-04:00

While the pundits heap praise upon Ron Zook for the success the Illini are having (against a very weak schedule thus far), a story is developing far away from Champaign-Urbana. It's the unraveling of the empty cupboard myth that Ron Zook and his supporters created at Florida. But the unraveling is not happening in Gainesville, it's happening in Columbia, South Carolina. Confused yet? Well let

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-15030290244423353922006-12-22T15:05:00.000-05:002006-12-22T15:10:12.362-05:00

Since I received an angry comment from a reader about Zook's recruiting prowess I thought I'd stir the pot and present this week's selection from "The Ron Zook Better Football Video Series." That's right, just like Tom Emanski teaches baseball fundamentals, Ron Zook has his own video series for the aspiring coach. My selection for the week is:Talent Squandering: Learn new and innovative ways to

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-67865016870259123662006-12-13T23:50:00.000-05:002006-12-13T23:55:14.304-05:00

Found this great article that summarizes Ron Zook's recruiting history at Florida. I'm posting it in its entirety because I don't know how long the link will be active and I have a feeling that some Illini fans are going to want to read this as next season unfolds.Was Zook an Ace Recruiter?By Marty Cohen, GatorBait.net Publisher – Rivals.comIt was generous of Urban Meyer to give some recognition

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-60901723362370969062006-12-08T00:41:00.000-05:002007-10-20T22:45:43.479-04:00

Back when Zook got hired by Illinois, I wrote this piece. It's a fictional account about how Zook will find out he's been fired by Illinois. In my imagination MojaveGator, a fellow moderator at Zook Free Zone (and former moderator at the fireronzook.com message board), calls him in the middle of the night. Those familiar with Zook will find understand why my fellow ZFZers found this hilarious.

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-1165342057607227372006-12-05T12:53:00.000-05:002007-10-10T21:28:31.763-04:00

Zookism is a cult. In order to belong to the cult you have to drink the Kool-Aid. Like any cult, there is a mythology surrounding it. In Zookism's case a big part of the mythology surrounds the proverbial cupboard.You see there once was a house in Gainesville and when Ron Zook moved in the cupboard was bare. Ron worked hard, very hard in fact he hardly got any sleep, to buy the groceries (and

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-1165029807971193412006-12-01T22:19:00.000-05:002007-10-10T21:27:40.902-04:00

Click on the image to enlarge. Notice the following:1. The look on Albert the Alligator's face when Zook takes over at the entrance to "the tunnel of losing".2. Zook looking for a brawl on the front lawn of the Pi Kap house.3. The state of Mississippi: 3, Zook: 0

Henry Louis Gomeznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-79716426663011310132006-11-20T17:25:00.001-05:002007-10-14T15:42:07.903-04:00

Just like Tom Emanski teaches baseball fundamentals, Ron Zook has his own video series for the aspiring coach.Today's selection from the RZBFVS vault is appropriate because of the Fighting Illini's 27-16 loss to 4-8 Northwestern this past Saturday, ending Zook's second season at 2-10.Playing Down to Your Competition - Learn what it takes to be a master egg-layer. This video will give you all the

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-46039241228402452702006-11-18T01:59:00.000-05:002007-10-13T21:46:45.571-04:00

Just like Tom Emanski teaches baseball fundamentals, Ron Zook has his own video series for the aspiring coach. We'll be bringing you more titles in the days and weeks to come. Today's selection is:Who Needs the Second Half? - Learn how to coast in the third and fourth quarters with less effort and none of those nasty in-game adjustments that tax your brain. Includes segments on "claiming moral

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-44254275398140053812006-11-16T16:47:00.002-05:002008-04-22T22:32:20.646-04:00

No, I'm NOT the real "Baghead". He disappeared immediately after Ron Zook got canned at Florida. I guess since this is the first post I should give some sort of explanation about what this is all about. I'm a UF alum (class of 1991) and a huge Gator fan. Like a lot of us Gators I was bewildered about the decision to hire Ron Zook as our head coach back before the 2002 season. Zook has been an

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36900859.post-84688978393383950222004-12-08T00:01:00.001-05:002008-05-05T16:15:24.290-04:00

Since fireronzook.com has been taken down I thought it would be appropriate to post as much material from that site here as possible. The posts are dated by original publication date. -------Believe it or not, I'm sitting on a train between Brussels and Amsterdam right now, writing my final Editor's note. It's rather appropriate given the fact that during the past 3 years I've felt pretty

Not Bagheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03588473849199429461noreply@blogger.com