Raise Your Hand...

courtesy Getty Images


For those of you out there who remember old commercial jingles I give you this one that fits the Illini basketball team currently.

"Confidence!  Confidence!  Dry and secure!  Raise your hand, Raise your hand if your Sure!"

And the Illini are pretty darn sure of themselves right now.

This past week has potentially changed and saved the season the John Groce's first team at Illinois.  They have knocked off the #1 team in the country Indiana and now went on the road and beat #18 Minnesota in The Barn.  What a difference a week can make.

The Illini were sitting at 2-7 in the B1G Ten and were on the verge of looking NIT and not the NCAA's.  They were very eratic in their play and not hitting shots.  They were coming off yet another disappointing loss and showing against a very disciplined Wisconsin Bagders club in Champaign.

Then the hated Hoosiers came to town.  It looked like the downward spiral the Illini had been experiencing would continue until the shots started falling.

It seems simple to say but when the Illini make shots they have shown the tendency to play with and beat good competition.  Their mental makeup has been put into question and their ability to handle adversity.

The confidence to keep taking shots and believe you are going to make them even when you are in a horrible 0-22 slump from three-point-land like Tyler Griffey, pictured above on his teammates shoulders.  He had been nonexistent in the previous handful of games and when in the game had been hesitant to take shots.

Early in the year he was just catching and shooting.  Split second reaction.  Instinctive. 

Then the misses piled up and so his confidence faded.  But all it took was for one shot to fall against Indiana and maybe, just maybe, it is contagious.

Hey, Mr. D.J.  Raise your hands!

Tyler has caught the bug and it seems he has passed it along to D.J. Richardson.  The two of them have blossomed after that last few minutes against Indiana.  D.J. caught fire and a nuclear amount of confidence by making an 8 point stretch of shots to pull Illinois tied and then ultimately set the stage for Tyler's ultra easy game winner. 

This oozing of confidence can be seen on their faces.  They are playing like they did early in the year.  I have been critical of the talent on the roster due to the recruiting efforts before Groce landed on campus.  I still feel this way.  However, if your confidence is high then it makes your talents that much better.  Keep the mind out of the gutter, so to speak, and just play hoops.

The effort against Minnesota looked bleak early but they stayed the course.  Illinois couldn't buy a basket and they weathered that storm.  Groce has a tremendously positive attitude and shows love for the kids he coaches.  They are playing for each other and if you stay together the better off you will be when times are hard.

They had the confidence in their ability to stay within the system and fight through poor shooting to take a lead before halftime due to great defense and D.J. hitting a three point shot in the heart of Gopher fans.



Onions, baby!



They used that confidence and momentum into halftime and parlayed that into yet another upset and on the road no less with big shots from guys like Sam McLuarin and that dagger by Tracy Abrams.  Two guys that have struggled and yet felt confident in themselves to take threes and make them.     

This is still the same team that lost eight of eleven games but they finally started hitting some shots.  They need to continue this new found confidence and take care of business at home Wednesday against a Purdue team they have struggled to beat for years. 

No contest in Champaign should be as tough as the one they thwarted in dramatic fashion against Indiana.  If the Illini can continue upward on this roller coaster of a season they just might find themselves dancing in March. 

The depth of the B1G Ten this season should allow the Illini with the quality of their nonconference wins (at Gonzaga, Butler in Maui) and the quality wins they have accumulated in conference play (Indiana, Ohio State, at Minnesota) and it will probably take no less than 8 conference wins to secure a spot in the Big Dance. 

They have "winnable" games upcoming, if they stay confident and make shots, with the likes of Purdue, at Northwestern, Penn State, Nebraska, and potentially at Iowa.  That would put Illinois with the "losses" left on their schedule at Michigan, and at Ohio State.

Illinois could finish at the good end 9-9 and at the bad end of 8-10.  The power this conference has produced, like I mentioned before, gives a league team under .500 a good shot at securing a berth. 

The bottom line is the confidence picked up after winning games against Indiana and Minnesota can either gain momentum like a boulder rolling down a hill or can sink like the Titanic if they let it.   

It depends on how Coach Groce keeps this teams head held high and motivates them to stay humble and hungry. 

Raise your hand, Raise your hand if your Sure...

Right now the whole Illini team has raised their hand!

Chopped...Super Bowl Edition

courtesy of q13fox.com

For those of you who have ever watched the Food Network program Chopped you will know the contestants must use strange and unorthodox ingredients to prepare restaurant quality dishes. 

They have high pressure timed rounds and they go through three levels of courses. 

Appetizer.  Entree.  Dessert. 

This is not unlike the different levels of the NFL Playoffs and the course of the game the teams must go through to reach their ultimate goal.

Each one of the teams representing their respective leagues, Baltimore and San Fran, have used some strange and unorthodox methods to go through their levels of play.  Like Baltimore amazingly scoring the game tying touchdown with 31 seconds left  in regulation against Denver or San Francisco benching their starting quarterback after injury in favor of an inexperienced athlete named Colin Kaepernick to run the show.
No matter what road you traverse anyone who reaches the Super Bowl belongs to be there.   

It was way back on August 23rd when I gave my predictions on how this year would go in the NFL.  I made a few bold predictions, some went wrong, and if you haven't noticed I was pretty accurate on one tiny tidbit.

Baltimore versus San Francisco in the the Super Bowl. 

Please, please, enough with the applause.  It is just what I do.

I have to believe this Super Bowl will be one for the ages due in part by the off-into-the-sunset story of Ray Lewis and the historical value of brothers John and Jim Harbaugh coaching against one another.  It sets up to be a classic.

I chose the Ravens to be this years champion and I am not changing my pick at this time either.  I felt in the beginning of the year, after last years all-to-close AFC loss, they had their eye on the prize and that Joe Flacco would silence his critics.



Flacco has the Ravens flying high this postseason.

He has shown through the season to be solid once again in all facets of the game.  He is never going to be mistaken for Tom Brady or Peyton Manning but he knows who he is.  He is confident in his abilities and super confident in his abilities in the playoffs.
Flacco (5) has increased his quarterback rating (QBR) from 87.7 in the regular season to a playoff best 114.7.  He has out dueled Manning and Brady this playoffs and should feel very good about how he has gone about doing it.  He has thrown 8 tds and thrown no picks.  Turnovers are the name of the game in this business.

And he has been as secure as Fort Knox in that department. 

He and his main man RB Ray Rice are doing a good job keeping the ball in their hands and not in the opponents hands.  Rice leads all running backs in rushing yards during the playoffs (247) and this is key when winning games in the postseason.  You need to be able to run the ball and eat clock.

Ray Lewis is pure emotion on and off the field.

You can't overlook the experience factor the Ravens have also.  This team is riding the Ray Lewis retirement train and it is on a crash course with destiny.  Lewis is arguably the greatest middle linebacker in NFL history.  He is unquestioned when it comes to motivating his teammates and maximizing their potential.  He missed a huge chunk of this season with a Triceps injury and the team struggled a bit until he returned. 

He just makes a difference not only on the field, with fellow future Hall of Famer Ed Reed, but off the field as well.  I just don't see him being denied that storybook ending to his career by a kid who has started only 9 games in his NFL life.

This kid I speak of is obviously QB Colin Keapernick, as mentioned before.  The young juggernaut who has captured this sport by storm.  He runs like a gazelle, as evidenced by the 180 yards he ran on Green Bay, and he throws like a pitcher, which makes sense due to the Chicago Cubs drafting him a few years ago.

He doesn't seem rattled by what goes on around him.  He has a very calming way about him and almost seems like he is just sitting on his couch playing Madden rather than running away from guys like Ray Lewis.

His coach should take a great deal of credit for his confidence.  Jim Harbaugh saw something in this kid and benched their former #1 draft choice, Alex Smith, for what everyone felt was a crazy decision.  It takes huge guts to make a decision like that, especially when you are in a position to potential win a Super Bowl.



Coach Harbaugh & QB Kaepernick

This is what separates coaches from legendary coaches.  The ability to make tough decisions and stick with your gut feeling.  To this point Jim Harbaugh should be playing all state lotteries because he is coming up magical.

I do feel that magic has to end sometime.  As good as Kaepernick has been the magnitude of the moment has to get to him sooner or later.  This Baltimore team just feels like a team of destiny.  Things happen for a reason and you don't escape Denver with a win like that without a little divine intervention.  I just feel like the pressure of the Ravens defense will rattle Kaepernick early and when he runs, which can be tough to handle, he will get hit over and over.  How he responds to these repeated hits on the worlds greatest stage will determine how this game ends.

I realize the 49ers defense, led by super stud Patrick Willis, has been tremendous.  They have a solid unit and have been good all year but I just feel it just isn't their time yet.  Their defensive front is great but their secondary is their weakest point.

Flacco has one of the strongest arms and prettiest deep balls in the game.  He should be able to stretch the defense and force San Fran to open up and this will allow Ray Rice to gain valuable yardage and move chains. 

The Harbaugh family will be celebrating a Super Bowl championship this Sunday after one of their sons will be chopped. 

The Ravens have the ingredients for the appetizer of throwing the ball deep to clear space.

The Ravens have the ingredients for the entree of running the ball to milk the clock. 

And finally the Ravens have the ingredients for the sweet dessert of claiming the Super Bowl Trophy.

Ravens 29 - 49ers- 26

MVP - Ray Lewis - 15 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception

   

 

Old Mother Hubbard...

Since the college basketball season is now a few weeks into the conference schedule we are beginning to know who are contenders and who are pretenders.  The success some teams have had early are not necessarily paying off during conference play. 

One of those teams, unfortunately, is Illinois.

It looked like this team was starting to put the fight back in Fighting Illini. 

They had started the season with a Maui Invitational championship by beating a Butler Bulldogs team that has taken out Marquette, Indiana, and now Gonzaga after last nights miracle in Hinkle Fieldhouse.

This current Illini team also beat Gonzaga in a place where they haven't surrendered many wins in coach Mark Few's tenure. 

Coach John Groce seemed to be pushing all the right buttons in what was a 12-0 start and national ranking for his first team at Illinois.  The praise was being delivered not only from fans but from national media from across the country. 

The future looked bright and all seemed well. 

The problem was a false sense of hope and not truly analyzing the current roster of players for the long haul.  Teams need toughness and togetherness to accomplish their goals.  Coach Groce was correct after winning the Maui that they weren't done improving and had better not be complacent with their early success.

This team was able to pull out a few games that I still believe last years team would have lost like Tyler Griffey's winner against Gardener-Webb, right.  The three point shots were falling then and now they are not.  Non conference games are different than conference games.  Teams in your conference know your tendencies, what you are capable of, and just aren't surprised by "new" wrinkles in your game.  

So it gets doubly tough to be successful in conference and you need to be that more mentally tough to persevere.   This current group of Illini are totally lacking in this aspect. 

This mental deficit is what has eventually killed last season's squad and is currently killing this seasons team. 

When the going gets tough the tough get going to quote Billie Ocean.  This team, though, when the going gets tough they just collapse. 

This isn't an indictment on John Groce's coaching ability it is more an indictment on Bruce Weber's recruiting ability and the players he had brought into this university. 

The current group of Illini have shown now for two seasons to be incapable of handling adversity in the toughest of situations in Big Ten play.  They came into league play and laid a stinker of a egg with an opening loss at (6-6) Purdue. 

You felt a bit better after that with a drubbing of nationally ranked Ohio State at the Assembly Hall but followed that up with losses now to Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Northwestern (left).  And you looked horribly bad in the last two losses.  

John Groce can "lead" his team into battle but it ultimately comes down to the players executing the game plan.  Players are recruited by coaches and the players make coaches who they are.  

Lets call a spade a spade and say Bruce Weber left the cupboard bare.  John Groce has gone to the cupboard to get his dogs a bone and his poor little doggies had none. 

In the past three coaching changes the cupboards have not been as bare as they are for John Groce's first go around.  Lon Kruger was hired and had done such a great job building the program back up from when Lou Henson left it that he was hired by the NBA's Atlanta Hawks.  He in turn left a team with great talent that Bill Self was able to build on and bring in the crop of talent that Mr. Weber was lucky enough to have fall in his lap.  Similar to Weber's current situation at Kansas State.  Frank Martin, a fearless recruiter, left him well stocked with veteran talent from last years team.  That is how it works at times.   

So lets not kid ourselves and think for a sec. that if Deron Williams (5), Dee Brown (11), Luther Head, and company weren't brought in by Bill Self that Bruce Weber would have lasted 9 years in Champaign.  There is a reason that each one of the coaches listed have players who THEY RECRUITED and are currently having their jersey hanging in the Assembly Hall rafters.

 

Bruce Weber coached those players but not one single player that he recruited will hang their jersey in the Assembly Hall.  Hell, his 2010 highly regarded class that included Jereme Richmond, Myers Leonard, and Crandell Head has not one, not one of those players still on campus. 

So lets not be so quick to chastise John Groce for his current team.  He is currently making C.O.C. basketball.  Clean Out the Cupboard Basketball. 

He is in the process of bringing in his own talent that fits his system.  Bill Parcells used to say, ""If I'm going to be asked to cook the meal, I'd like to be able to pick the groceries."

Different sport but same concept. 

I have mentioned before that in the short amount of time Groce has been on campus he made serious gains in recruiting.  You have to have a foundation recruiting class in any coaches start to a program.  He did that at Ohio University by grabbing D.J. Cooper out of Chicago to start his career there.
 

 He is doing the same at Illinois by getting Kendrick Nunn, left, and Jaylon Tate out of Chicago Simeon.  You have to start somewhere and he is showing an ability to do so.  The future will be told but right now his current team needs an attitude adjustment.

That adjustment just might be playing the younger kids on the team and showing them the future is now.  These kids have been given scholarships to play basketball at the University of Illinois.  These scholarships are renewable after each year.  This is what a new coach will look at after the seasons end. 

If there are players in the upcoming recruiting classes they feel better fit their system and a current player who they had not brought in doesn't fit then he could have his scholarship not renewed.  Players transfer every year.  This is were the current roster of players on this Illini team need to look in the mirror and decide if they are going to be here in the future.

Because when you go to the cupboard to get your dogs a bone you want to know you have it well stocked.

And well stocked with the type of bones you crave.   

  

BEAUTY, EH?

Coo loo coo coo, coo coo coo coo!
 
I can hear Bob and Doug McKenzie, of Strange Brew/SCTV fame, chanting that right now as one of their adopted sons in the Great White North has just accepted the coaching position with the Chicago Bears.

You have made a run for the border once again, Marc Trestman.  Say goodbye to the extra large field of Canadian Football League and hello to the National Football League.

The Bears took the long road to finding a replacement to the fired Lovie Smith.  They seemed to be taking the American Idol approach and just having everyone come in for an audition and then decide if they were worthy of going through to the next round. 

I have to give Phil Emery credit.  He was obviously thorough in his search.  I have to admit my confidence in him was waining when the list crept over to 13 and it didn't look like he had a clue what he was doing. 

The vision he obviously had was well focused, though, on the offensive side of the ball.  The Chicago Bears.  The Monsters of the Midway.  All that crap.  They have hung their collective hats on defense for sooooo long that there group of quarterbacks are still compared to Sid Luckman, right.  For those of you old enough or lucky enough to have family who tell great stories of past players exploits. 

Emery wanted an offensive minded coach.  Not only to turn this sorry bunch of offensive talent into a production unit.  But they needed someone who was successful with working, not just well, but tremendously with quarterbacks in their experience. 

Marc Trestman fits the bill.  He has worked with a long list of quarterbacks ranging from Steve Young, Rich Gannon (MVP with him in 2001), to Jay Cutler coming out of college. 

Trestman is known as a "Quarterback Guru", pictured below.



This is what this team needs.  I have written before that Jay Cutler is the best qb the Bears have had in ages.  I realize he has his faults but with the amount of chaos he has endured over the past three seasons he needs someone on his side and with knowledge of the position that has been lacking in Halas Hall.

Cutler was asked about his feelings on the hire and his experience when working with him before his draft year and he was quoted as saying, "you could just tell how knowledgeable he was about the quarterback position and offense in general...It's a great hire. I couldn't be more excited. He's been successful wherever he's been..."

It isn't the end all be all of getting Cutler's approval for the Bears hiring Trestman, but it doesn't hurt matters.  I am excited to have Trestman's knowledge and his experience having been very successful with quarterbacks in the past.  Hopefully Jay and Brandon will continue to be be all smiles with Trestans ability to teach the quarterback position so well.

Not only having Trestman in the fold but with the addition of former New Orleans Saints interim head coach Aaron Kromer as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach will no doubt create positive offensive production. 

There aren't to many more exciting offenses in the NFL than what the Saints have been able to produce with their pass happy scheme. 

Brandon Marshall should be salivating at the chance of catching more passes this next season.  However, I actually hope he has less catches and yards only because it means someone else has emerged as a viable target for Cutler.  Maybe Alshon Jeffrey?  Just as long as he learns to no push off on defensive backs to create space.

The Bears upper management have clearly sent a message to the entire team they wanted change in the Windy City. 

If Trestman can convince Rod Marinelli to stay as defensive coordinator and have some continuity with the current defensive roster then it could bode well for them going forward. 

You put your focus on bringing in an offensive mind and you don't want to lose sight of the defensive side of the ball.  You don't want to patch a hole and then create another one in the process.

He will want to build up the offense into what all Bears fans envision it to be.  He will also want to build upon the current veteran defensive players who have been carrying this team for years. 

What you want is a balance on your team and not have one aspect that overshadows the other.  This is why Lovie lost his job and Marc now has his first NFL head coaching gig.  

Trestman has made his living in the CFL since 2008 and has guided the Montreal Allouettes to three Grey Cups with wins in 2009 and 2010.  He was awarded CFL coach of the year in 2009.

He obviously has shown an ability to be successful in his endeavors.  There have been some former players (wide receivers) who have been vocal in their negative experiences with him as a coach.  Former player Tim Brown, while with the Oakland Raiders, was vocal in that he didn't feel Trestman was head coach material in so many words. 

I don't put much stock in his ramblings, as he was still productive, played along side Jerry Rice added to their offense that year, and they made it to the Super Bowl as one of the best offenses that year with QB Rich Gannon, under Trestmans tutelage, won MVP honors.  Wideouts have egos larger than anyone and when they don't get the ball ALL THE TIME they complain and whine.

See Terrell Owens, Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson, and especially former player and author of Just Give me the damn ball, Keyshawn Johnson, pictured at left.    

Trestman has worked with NFL teams in the past and has a well documented career of success.

I think the meticulous nature of Phil Emery's interview process should pay dividends in the Bears not to distant future.

So as Bob and Doug McKenzie would say to any of his doubters out there...

"Take off, you hoser!"

And to the Chicago Bears nation of followers...

"Beauty, eh?"

Roll Tide Roll

courtesy sports.yahoo.com

The BCS championship concluded last night and it went about how I expected it to go. 

Alabama ended any speculation that Notre Dame would be a national champion with the first drive of the night. 

After Notre Dame won the coin toss and deferred.  They decided to send their "vaunted" defense out there against Alabama's incredibly hulking offense to obviously try and send a message.

The message was received.  Only the one getting the message was Notre Dame. 

They were pushing out their chests and only had Alabama push harder.  Notre Dame had only just realized the game had started when Alabama was smashing the football down their throats. 

5 plays, 82 yards, and 2:57 off the clock.  Touchdown.  This game was basically over.  You could see it on the face of Manti Te'o.  Another 5 plays and a punt for Notre Dame and Alabama marched right back over the top of the Irish. 

10 plays, 61 yards, and 4:49 off the clock.  Touchdown.  Alabama had just went past what Notre Dame was averaging giving up for an entire game.

Notre Dame looked shell shocked.      

To take more words from Kansas' wonderful song it was like this:

"Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion..."

The illusion being Notre Dame's worthiness of being in this game at all.  It was a paper champion all year in  comparison to the SEC and superpower Alabama.  Notre Dame had close game after close game, to their credit, found ways to win them with senior leadership, but you can't tell me had Pitt not had a decent field goal kicker Notre Dame is never even in this game.  Sorry any-other-team-in-BCS fans.

There is a reason Alabama has won 3 of 4 BCS national championship games and Notre Dame is still looking for their first BCS win (0-4).  Alabama has established themselves as the benchmark for college football success.

This game showed real NFL talent plays SEC football and hard working, been with the program, rebuilding talent plays at Notre Dame. 

I don't care that Alabama lost a game this year to Texas A&M and Heisman winner Johnny Manziel.  I can justify that with showing they play the best teams in the country in obviously the best conference in the country the SEC.  There is a reason the SEC has won 7 straight BCS championships.

No other conference coach has felt the Gatorade on his back since Vince Young led Texas past Matt Lienart and USC.  Nick Saban is getting used to it, right. 

The SEC is just flat out better.  And we better all get used to it. 

You also give Nick Saban 45 days to come  up with a game plan and more often than not the better team will be prepared and dominate.

This game really gives credence to needing the playoff system.  It is great to know this will finally get settled on the field with semifinal games and and a true championship game.

Now I would still like to see a true playoff system with 8-16 teams in a bracket setting but you have to take baby steps with this sorry BCS system.

It just is really sad to wait that amount of time between final regular season game and the major bowl games.  It ruins the flow of the year and it causes teams to not play to their potential at times.

You have teams like Georgia, Oregon, Kansas State, Florida, Ohio State (if eligible), etc playing in a playoff system it would be out of this world.

Notre Dame is building with Brian Kelly and they will still be a thorn in all other conference teams sides as they will be in the BCS mix as long as they continue to win the majority of their games.  It will be harder though since they will be playing a majority of their non conference tilts with ACC competition.

And they haven't been burning up the college football world lately (Florida State BCS champs in 2000).

I just don't see Notre Dame or anyone else for that matter matching what Alabama and the rest of the SEC can produce on the field  at this time.  They are getting NFL caliber talent year in and year out. 

I don't like to throw around the word dynasty because it seems to be used loosely these days, but in the age of football we have today Alabama really is.

 Give credit to Alabama and what they have accomplished.  A.J. McCarron, left, is the only quarterback to go back-to-back with wins in the BCS system.  He will be trying for a three-peat next season. 

Kansas's tune states:
"I was soaring ever higher
But I flew too high..."



At this point they are soaring but I don't think they have flown to their greatest height.


 

CHRISTMAS WISH LIST

Courtesy examiner.com

Tis the season sports fans to be making your Christmas lists.  Fill it with all the things that would make you jollier than Ole Saint Nick himself. 

I'm not any different than anyone else in the world in having a Christmas wish list.  The only real difference between me and you is I won't be sitting on Santa's lap to give him my ultimate Christmas sports wishes. 

My list isn't a long one but it can be seen as a very involved one. 

I don't rank them in any sort of order as they are all equally important and special to me as a sports fan.  I just know I want them really, really, really bad. 

Wish List Item #1.

BUSCH BRAGGIN RIGHTS GAME

This Saturday, December 22nd the Maui Invitational Champion Illinois Fighting Illini will be taking on their toughest opponent to date in the Missouri Tigers.  This match-up is pitting two ranked teams and will really test these newly charged Illini to show what they are made of.

There has been quite a bit of chatter back and forth regarding the Illini's current record and legitimacy of their status in the AP top ten.  They are currently sitting at #10.  I am realistic in having watched them this season to know what they are capable of but they still seem to need to prove it to everyone out there the Illini are for real.

They went out and won the Maui invitational, they went to one of the toughest places to get a "W" in Gonzaga's Kennel, and have played their way to 12-0 and sitting with an opportunity to make a real national statement with a win against a very good Missouri team.

The past three Christmases have been a little less cheery around my household as the Tigers have come away with victories in the annual contest.  I liked it a great deal better when Illinois was winning year in and year out.  9 straight times to be exact.  What memories!

If the Illini can continue this current attitude of proving nay sayer's wrong and keep the trifectas flowing like the Bush Beer fans will be pouring in the stands then I like Illinois chances. 

The game will most likely be close but hopefully Brandon Paul will use a little of Frosty's magic and get me and every other Illini fan a nice Christmas gift this year and Thumpity Thump Thump those Missouri Tigers!

Wish List Item #2

ILLINI BASKETBALL RECRUITING

The start to this season couldn't have gone better for Illini coach John Groce.  His style of play is very appealing to potential recruits and it is paying off in the short term as he has landed players from not only the state of Illinois but on the East Coast as well.  He is showing his worth on the recruiting trail and looks good long term. 

He just recently added his first player from the class of 2014 in Champaign's own Michael Finke.  He is a great addition to the type of team Groce is trying to build.  He is a perfect example of  a player who is getting better as the years go on and it shows by the offers he was getting from other Big Ten Schools.

I am so glad he accepted the offer from Illinois as Wisconsin was looking at luring him to Madison.  He is the ideal type of player that Bo Ryan would have used to kill us every time out.  So kudos to the coaching staff on keeping an extremely talented local product home and seeing the value in his ability.  I also am glad to have him on board as he would have probably been another Brian Cardinal catastrophe and we probably wouldn't have beat him in 9 tries either.

The reason I added the recruiting to my wish list because there are some real heavy targets on the Illini radar who would look very good in Orange and Blue.  I realize the Illini lost out on Jabari Parker but that was without having Groce on campus for only a few short months. 

I like the strides he has made though in that amount of time.  I want to see him with a full court press of sorts and having his guys on campus and using full-time work in targeting a prospect and sealing the deal.

I would like to see him continue to recruit and build a quality relationship with Jahlil Okafor (22).  Groce has shown ability to recruit Chicago as he landed the Simeon duo of Kendrick Nunn and Jaylon Tate.  Jahlil has been quoted by ESPN as saying, "I love the new coach," he said. "I talk to Kendrick and Jaylon and they haven't said anything but positive things. I'm really looking at Illinois. I like them."

Hearing that gets your Orange Krush juices flowing.  He is on my Christmas List and John Groces as well as every other elite program out there.  He is 7 feet tall and 265 lbs of true athleticism. 

He also wants to play with his good friend and point guard Tyus Jones who just happens to be the #1 ranked player in the junior class.  Not to say it is possible but stranger things have happened. 

By the way, I would love to see their Reindeer games going up and down the court!  One can wish right?

Wish List Item #3

CHICAGO BULLS HEALTH

I have to switch gears a bit with my current list.  It still revolves around basketball but it goes up in competition level by wanting the best for my beloved Chicago Bulls.  They have arguably the leagues best coach (Coach Thibs) and arguably one of the best players in Derrick Rose.  When he was healthy.

This is what I want for my Derrick Rose stocking stuffer.  I want him to recover and have that same exact explosiveness and sheer killer instinct that made him the leagues youngest MVP.  He is a difference maker and single handily made the Bulls the leagues best team.  They had the pieces, with Derrick, to contend for leagues best record and make a run at the NBA Finals. 

They need a healthy Derrick in order for that to even be possible again.  I feel confident in the doctors and rehab professionals that he will regain his former form and dominate. 

The knee injuries of the past are just that ancient.  Players like the Chicago Bears Gale Sayers ended their careers with knee injuries and were never given another chance to shine.  If only the technology was there then who know what he could have done.  My point is that you see what players in all sports are able to do after suffering horrific knee injuries. 

Anyone watched a Minnesota Vikings football game this season.  Adrian Peterson destroyed his knee last season and now is running like the Bionic Man and flirting with setting an all-time rushing record for a season. 

This makes me very optimistic for Derrick to return and have his same ability.  Are you listening Santa?

Wish List Item #4

CHICAGO BULLS TRADE

With the Christmas season also comes Christmas greed.  Not only do I want Derrick to come back 100% healthy but I want the Bulls to pull the trigger on a potential blockbuster trade.  They need to give the fans some Love.

And by Love, I mean, Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

He is a tremendous talent.  The All-Star forward recently was quoted by Yahoo Sports about his current situation and he didn't sound all that happy in Minnesota or with management.  He said, "I don't know who labels people stars, but even [T'wolves owner] Glen Taylor said: I don't think Kevin Love is a star, because he hasn't led us to the playoffs. I mean, it's not like I had much support out there." 

This logic is absurd to think this guy isn't a star.  That same philosophy on not leading a team the playoffs would have been similar to Kevin Garnett.  He led the team to the playoffs but  had to get out of the frigid North Pole too as he knew the road to success was cold and grey. 

The Bulls need to put together a scenario that would work financially under league contractual rules and let them grab this Great White Hope.

They could send Luol Deng as a significant piece or Joakim Noah as the main cog in the trade.  I really don't care just put something together and put Kevin Love under the United Centers Christmas Tree.  What ever you give up to get him will hurt initially but he and Derrick Rose are so young you can add pieces as the years go on and build a championship caliber team. 

This is what you have to do to win in the NBA these days.  You put teams together that have multiple stars and pray to the Christmas Star it works out.

Wish List Item #5

PEACE ON EARTH AND GOOD WILL TO MEN 

Last but certainly not least I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  I will be taking a break until after the holidays to celebrate Christmas with my wife and kids.  I am passionate about sports and the teams I root for.  But I am over the moon passionate and filled with love when it comes to my family. 

There have been some really tragic events happen this year, most recently the horrific occurrence in Newtown, CT. 

My heart goes out to all those who lost loved ones in this tragedy.  I wish you peace and love.   

So when you get up in the morning kiss your wife or husband and hug and squeeze your kids tight.  Then look in the mirror and ask yourself what can I do today make the world a better place for tomorrow.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

 

 



 






 

Johnny Football

courtesy bostonherald.com

The college football regular season has finally come to a close and it has been an interesting season with some very huge surprises. 

The number one team in the nation, right now, is Notre Dame.  12-0 and hearkening back memories of 1988 and showing everyone that defense ultimately wins championships.  Their success has been driven by pressure defense and no one represented this better than their team and emotional leader Manti Te'o.

What a season he and the Irish had.  On a usual year he would be the overwhelming story and could have been the first defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy.

This, though, has not been a typical season.

This season was highlighted by a redshirt freshman quarterback from Texas A&M named Johnny Manziel. 

A.K.A.  Johnny Football. 

The season's "best player" was crowned as the Heisman Trophy winner Saturday evening and became the first freshman to be named to such an honor.  This is the first of what could be a plethora of collegiate awards for this very talented young man.

During his speech he thanked all the right people and even cracked a few jokes to his grandparents.  He was very personable and seemed mature beyond his years.  The very qualities he used to out gain every other player in the SEC, arguably the countries toughest conference.

This was his first year starting as a quarterback in college.  This was Texas A&M's first go around in the murderer's row of the SEC.  This was the first season for Coach Sumlin in a new conference.

It was a season of questions.  And Johnny Football had all the answers.

He is not the biggest quarterback to grace a backfield.  He just over six feet tall and listed at 200 pounds.  He reminds me a lot of Doug Flutie, a fellow Heisman winner.   What he lacks in stature he makes up for in heart.  The firey kid never gives up.   

He came into this season with something to prove.  He had to prove to himself he could play at the highest level.  He had to prove to his teammates he was able to be a leader at such a young age.  He had to prove to the rest of the SEC that A&M football is going to be heard from right out of the gate.

He was able to do just that.

This season he gained over 4500 yards of total offense and broke, current Carolina Panther QB, Cam Newton's record for which he used as his basis for winning the Heisman trophy just two years ago.

His combination of a powerfully accurate arm and elusive legs made him treat defenses like children.  Even though he looks like a child himself.  The age and experience of this young man doesn't matter in today's game.  Players are taking the reigns of programs and having great success like never before.

You have seen this, obviously, with Johnny Football in college and also this season in the NFL.  Quarterbacks like Andrew Luck, RGIII, Russell Wilson, and Colin Kaepernick are poised, confident, and ready to take your heart and show it to your face.

They are the new breed.  The New World Order, if you will.

Johnny Football is only a freshman and was just awarded the most prestigious award in college football.  The scary thought is he has potentially three more years to show the world what he has to offer.

Only Ohio State's Archie Griffin, left, has won the Heisman Trophy twice.  Who knows if there is room on the mantle for another one or two or three for good ol' Johnny Football.  

If he can produce stats and wins similar to his signature moment this year against Alabama the possibilities are endless.  The consensus of college football experts felt Alabama was close to invincible and he slayed that dragon.  You better get used to this young man and his nickname because you are going to be hearing it alot for the next few years.

You thought people were enamored and or sick of hearing about Tim Tebow.  This kid could surpass him by leaps and bounds.

If he is able to continue Texas A&M's rise in the SEC and if he is able to produce a national championship for the Aggies he will become a Texas State Icon.

This kid from Kerrville, Texas is on a path to potentially be considered one of the greatest college football players of all time.  This is the road he is on after winning an award like the Heisman at such an early age.

Hopefully he remains grounded and keeps his head straight.  If he can keep his eye on the prize we could be witnessing a very special time in college athletics.  He may very well be on the verge of dominating the sport and adding to his legacy.

Unless...

There is some High School kid out there reading all of Johnny Football's press clippings and is just dying to show the world what he can do. 

And that is the beauty of sports.  And the beauty of the age of sport we live in today.

Just when you think who have the best player out there on the field.  There is another player stepping up to the challenge.  

There is always someone coming up just itching for an opportunity to knock the king off the mountain.

Who knows?

It just might be you!