IlliniHQ 2
General Category => Halas Hall Football Forum => Topic started by: ThePAMan on October 24, 2023, 10:25:00 AM
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So, to recap for the Board's Bielema Apologists. Since having 2 home games last year with a chance to wrap up the B1G West:
11/5/22 MSU @ home L 23-15 (MSU's only road win of the season)
11/12/22 Purdue @ home L 31-24 (Purdue coach fired, steals Illini DC)
11/19/22 Michigan L 19-17 (Michigan probably should have stole more signs)
11/26/22 NU W 41-3 (NU sucked ass)
1/2/23 Miss State L 19-10 (MSU's coach died before the game)
9/2/23 Toledo @home W 30-28 (scrapped by)
9/8/23 Kansas L 34-23 (got asses whipped on D)
9/16/23 Penn State @ home L 30-13 (IL a program even Franklin can beat)
9/23/23 Florida Atlantic @ home W 23-17 (underwhelming victory)
9/30/23 Purdue L 44-19 (embarrassing loss to an equally shit team)
10/6/23 Nebraska L 20-7 (was not as close as the score indicated)
10/14/23 Maryland W 27 -24 (Locksley proving his incompetency)
10/21/23 Wisconsin @ home 25-21 (WI has no QB and still wins)
Yes, Bielema has the program on the upswing. :o
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The year before Bielema came we weren’t even competitive in most games. We’ve had entire seasons we got worked over. Yeah this team has taken a bigger step back after losing tons of pro quality talent than what we wanted in year three, but let’s not forget where we came from either.
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The year before Bielema came we weren’t even competitive in most games. We’ve had entire seasons we got worked over. Yeah this team has taken a bigger step back after losing tons of pro quality talent than what we wanted in year three, but let’s not forget where we came from either.
We came from a January bowl game.
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We came from a January bowl game.
That one should leave a mark.
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The year before Bielema came we weren’t even competitive in most games. We’ve had entire seasons we got worked over. Yeah this team has taken a bigger step back after losing tons of pro quality talent than what we wanted in year three, but let’s not forget where we came from either.
This is post-Weber Underachiever level justification excuse making...Which is why Illinois never gets anywhere in any sport that matters.
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I don’t think you angrily typing on HQ2 is really holding the program or Bielema accountable. Illinois football is a coaching graveyard. Probably shouldn’t write a proven winner off after one disappointing season one year removed from easily our best season in 15 years.
And the team, despite not winning, has at least been competitive. That’s more than we can say for a lot of seasons of Illinois football.
If y’all want to live in some fantasy land where Illinois is magically going to shake off decades of bottom dwelling in a few short years, go right on ahead.
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I don’t think you angrily typing on HQ2 is really holding the program or Bielema accountable. Illinois football is a coaching graveyard. Probably shouldn’t write a proven winner off after one disappointing season one year removed from easily our best season in 15 years.
And the team, despite not winning, has at least been competitive. That’s more than we can say for a lot of seasons of Illinois football.
If y’all want to live in some fantasy land where Illinois is magically going to shake off decades of bottom dwelling in a few short years, go right on ahead.
The problem, as we have seen, is that there are far too many Illini fans who buy the same tripe you are peddling. We lived through the Weber crap for crying out loud. It is a graveyard because people just accept it.
How is he a proven winner? Aside from Wisconsin, which was and is still living off Barry Alvarez, he has not done much and got run out of Arkansas. He certainly has not looked like much of winner in the past 11 months, losing to Mel Tucker, who outcoached him while probably beating off on the sidelines....
It is year freakin' 3. The program has gone backwards with Lovie's guys leaving. And he is getting his assed whipped in recruiting, even by Purdue, despite the NIL money.
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That one should leave a mark.
He gets to brag about the rare successes, but still runs to the comfort of low expectations when things (as they so often do) don’t go well.
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“Proven winner” does seem like a stretch. Proven “mostly competent” sounds more accurate.
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The problem, as we have seen, is that there are far too many Illini fans who buy the same tripe you are peddling. We lived through the Weber crap for crying out loud. It is a graveyard because people just accept it.
How is he a proven winner? Aside from Wisconsin, which was and is still living off Barry Alvarez, he has not done much and got run out of Arkansas. He certainly has not looked like much of winner in the past 11 months, losing to Mel Tucker, who outcoached him while probably beating off on the sidelines....
It is year freakin' 3. The program has gone backwards with Lovie's guys leaving. And he is getting his assed whipped in recruiting, even by Purdue, despite the NIL money.
Probably no one is living off the legacy of Barry Alvarez more than Bret Bielema. Might not be a stretch to say he’s the Rudy Giuliani/Mayor of 9/11 coach of college football.
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Which B1G coaches have the most B1G titles? Beliema’s all came years after Alvarez retired from coaching. Did he benefit from Barry? Of course he did.
Illinois’ lack of success in football has nothing to do with fans accepting mediocrity. It’s literally one of the dumbest sports takes of all time.
When Illinois is bad, fans don’t show up, donors threaten to quit donating and end up ponying up money to buy out bad coaches like Weber, Groce, Lovie, etc. Donors (fans!) have stepped up to pay top 10 salary for the basketball staff and very respectable football salaries relative to our standing.
What Illinois really needs to be successful is giant bags of NIL money, so get aligned with ICON and start donating early and often.
And to Tempo’s point, yes, Illinois revenue athletics over the last few years have been and are in a MUCH better place than the Chicago Bears. Golf, tennis, VB, and now women’s BB are pretty solid, too. If there’s anyone here with low expectations, it’s Tempo.
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I don’t think you angrily typing on HQ2 is really holding the program or Bielema accountable. Illinois football is a coaching graveyard. Probably shouldn’t write a proven winner off after one disappointing season one year removed from easily our best season in 15 years.
And the team, despite not winning, has at least been competitive. That’s more than we can say for a lot of seasons of Illinois football.
If y’all want to live in some fantasy land where Illinois is magically going to shake off decades of bottom dwelling in a few short years, go right on ahead.
I’m gonna have to disagree with you there.
Kansas (Let’s not pretend the final score was indicative of a close game)
Purdue (2nd half was a dumpster fire)
Penn St (Again not a particularly close one)
Nebraska (Never really felt like they had a chance after the goal line fail despite all the Nebraska miscues)
Even their wins against cupcakes felt like going in for a root canal.
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I’m gonna have to disagree with you there.
Kansas(Let’s not pretend the final score was indicative of a close game)
11 point game (and what appeared to be some momentum) with 8 mins left?
Purdue (2nd half was a dumpster fire)
Yes
Penn St (Again not a particularly close one)
One score game late in first half (16-7 going into half) with defense playing their asses off to offset the terrible turnovers in our own territory against a legit top 10 team is a relatively good spot for Illinois football. Defense wore down in second half when O couldn’t stay on the field.
Nebraska (Never really felt like they had a chance after the goal line fail despite all the Nebraska miscues)
For Illinois, losing by two scores or less is pretty competitive in my book, as is only giving up 20 points. I still clearly remember losing 63-0 to Iowa at home (and many others like it) so I try to have some perspective.
Even their wins against cupcakes felt like going in for a root canal.
Without a doubt.
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It’s true, when it comes to Illinois athletics, I do have low expectations. Virtually no expectations, really.
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Illinois athletics have been much less aggravating since I’ve taken the “no expectations” approach.
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Illinois athletics have been much less aggravating since I’ve taken the “no expectations” approach.
So why that way with Illinois athletics, but not the Bears?
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So why that way with Illinois athletics, but not the Bears?
Dunno.
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I probably just like the NFL product more than I like college athletics these days.
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Which B1G coaches have the most B1G titles? Beliema’s all came years after Alvarez retired from coaching. Did he benefit from Barry? Of course he did.
Illinois’ lack of success in football has nothing to do with fans accepting mediocrity. It’s literally one of the dumbest sports takes of all time.
When Illinois is bad, fans don’t show up, donors threaten to quit donating and end up ponying up money to buy out bad coaches like Weber, Groce, Lovie, etc. Donors (fans!) have stepped up to pay top 10 salary for the basketball staff and very respectable football salaries relative to our standing.
What Illinois really needs to be successful is giant bags of NIL money, so get aligned with ICON and start donating early and often.
And to Tempo’s point, yes, Illinois revenue athletics over the last few years have been and are in a MUCH better place than the Chicago Bears. Golf, tennis, VB, and now women’s BB are pretty solid, too. If there’s anyone here with low expectations, it’s Tempo.
1. You have old man Tate, the Dean of ECI, always talking shit about how Illinois will never win squat. If he is the Dean, you are accepting mediocrity.
2. You had the reign of Guenther, where the goal was not to win, but to turn a profit and facilities and everything went to further shit. Guenther was the epitome of mediocrity (who would not pay Self). Now we have his minion in charge. He's spending cash on Lovie, Bielema, and Underfuckingachiever, who can't win in the 1st weekend of The Tournament with 2 All Americans (but yay, B1G Championships, golf, tennis, stuff only those who want to overlook the shit Tournament coaching love to focus on!).
3. You have an admin who can't figure out why funding isn't coming in so they turn to fucking China for cash. Well, idiots, maybe a little focus on having winning teams and less on maintaining higher standards than the NCAA requires for athletes (another Self issue) and you will be swimming in more cash and less Asian butthole.
Wash, rinse, repeat.
Wisconsin made sports a focus after being suck ass for many years. It has helped lift them up to where they are now considered an equal academically, and superior in sports and name brand. But hey, the people South of I-80 are satisfied.
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The fact that there is never any active pushback at Illonois by the "fanbase", not going to games or donating is not the active pushback you see at other schools, proves the point.
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The fact that there is never any active pushback at Illonois by the "fanbase", not going to games or donating is not the active pushback you see at other schools, proves the point.
When I posted pre-season that 6-6 would be a good year the inference was that 5-7 or 4-8 was a distinct possibility. The Nebraska home loss probably hurts us the most but if we do beat Indiana and NU we get to 5-7.
If we can sneak into a win at the gofs or xxxx we get to 6-6.
A healthy McCray, Love or Matthew Bailey could have helped but then every team has injuries.
You agreed that 6-6 would be a good year, which I took to mean 5-7 was a distinct possibility.
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When I posted pre-season that 6-6 would be a good year the inference was that 5-7 or 4-8 was a distinct possibility. The Nebraska home loss probably hurts us the most but if we do beat Indiana and NU we get to 5-7.
If we can sneak into a win at the gofs or xxxx we get to 6-6.
A healthy McCray, Love or Matthew Bailey could have helped but then every team has injuries.
You agreed that 6-6 would be a good year, which I took to mean 5-7 was a distinct possibility.
Yes. Because I was being realistic that, despite it being year 3, Bielema does not have his shit together.
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It is Year 3, guys.
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Yes. Because I was being realistic that, despite it being year 3, Bielema does not have his shit together.
Nice after thought. ;D
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11 point game (and what appeared to be some momentum) with 8 mins left?
It still had the feel of a John Groce false comeback
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It still had the feel of a John Groce false comeback
Thems were good times.
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It still had the feel of a John Groce false comeback
Certainly did.
I applaud those who want to have hope, but this year has been a hope snuff film so far. Even if they somehow get to 6-6, Bielema needs to make a lot of changes in how things are done.
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Thems were good times.
TNT baby!
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TNT baby!
Still wear my TNT bracelet every day!
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/10/27/23935150/illinois-illini-bret-bielema-josh-whitman-college-football
Is it really so hard to sustain football success at Illinois? Former Illini standouts weigh in
Anyone who has spent more than a little time steeped in Illinois football has been subjected to a drumbeat of doubt.
Interesting article....Plenty of guys who are positive...a couple, not so much....
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One former star needs more convincing.
“I think he’s a good coach,” he said, “but three wins and five losses? And we’re about to get more monsters in our conference [Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA from the Pac-12]. Those dudes can coach, too, and they’ll all be recruiting Chicago and Big Ten country.”
Another former standout player asked, “That eight-win team we had last year, were we really good or was our schedule that good? Anybody who could score points could beat us, and now we’re kind of back to it.”
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Another former standout player asked, “That eight-win team we had last year, were we really good or was our schedule that good? Anybody who could score points could beat us, and now we’re kind of back to it.”
doesn't sound like this player watched the team last year
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doesn't sound like this player watched the team last year
I think last year that Illinois did not win any game where it gave up 17 or more points (or some other ridiculously low number).
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I think last year that Illinois did not win any game where it gave up 17 or more points (or some other ridiculously low number).
I would believe that. The defense was so good, they didn't usually give up large numbers. Masked a mediocre to average at best offense. Although our guy Danny was pretty good.
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Indiana hasn’t won a bowl game since 1991 lol. Could always be worse!