Illinois vs. I.O.W.A.

Illinois vs. Iowa
Tonight @ 6 p.m.

Midseason Observations

We've passed the halfway point for the 100th Year of Illini basketball, and I have a few observations that I'd like to share with you all.

Illini Observation #1. Dee Brown ditched the knee highs. Apparently, an Illini trainer pointed out that his Nike tube socks could be hurting his blood circulation and causing muscle cramps.

Illini Observation #2. Roger Powell has no neck, and it might prevent him from being drafted. If Powell had a 2" neck like most normal people, then he would be listed as 6'8" and a lock for the late 2nd round.

Illini Observation #3. Bruce Weber has some priceless facial expressions during the game. His jaw drops so low that I've seen flies enter during the first quarter and exit during the third. Most coaches have a hateful glare at the refs that says, "Wipe that sh!t out of your eyes and you might not have missed that last call." Weber's stare says, "I can't believe you actually have sh!t in your eyes ref!"

Illini Observation #4. Even the Illini fans are getting media attention. Here is an email forwarded to me by loyal reader Brad Cohen whose sister is a member of Orange Krush:

...Plus, EA Sports will be at the Assembly Hall Thursday to
shoot some footage for NCAA March Madness 2006, the popular
college basketball video game. Sometime before the Iowa
game, they plan to take video footage of Krush for the
cameos that are played when you first turn the video game
on. The crazier you dress, and the more creative you are,
the better chance YOUR face will be locked in a video game.

Illini Observation #5. We still run a few plays from the Bill $elf Era. We've scored sparingly this season off a 1-4 set (pg at top and 4 players spread across the court along the free-throw goal line) where Deron Williams passes the ball to a big man at the elbow (left or right of the free throw line) and Dee or Luther Head break back door for an easy lay-up. Last year we ran some hi-low, but I haven't noticed it at all this year.

Illini Observation #6. Orange is our new home and away color. It seems like we wear orange whenever we can. I love it! I don't think that we've worn blue the entire season.

Illini Observation #7. Coach Wayne McClain is a PIMP.

Illini Observation #8. Illinois fast breaks on made baskets just as well as they do on misses. It's like a dagger to the chest when the opposition scores a seemingly big basket, and Dee or Deron pushes the ball to answer back in 2 seconds.

I.O.W.A. (Idiots Out Wandering Around)

Iowa starts a 3-guard backcourt that is more than excited to benchmark their skills against the #1 team in the nation. Junior Jeff Horner runs the point for the Hawkeyes and he plays a steady all around game. He is 2nd in the Big 10 behind Deron Williams in assists w/5.75 apg, and he scores 14ppg. Adam Haluska is a 6'5" transfer from Iowa State. Haluska holds numerous track records in the state of Iowa, and he can shoot the 3. Pierre Pierce is probably the scariest of all three (He had a run in w/the as a freshman year and was suspended for the year. Though he took a red-shirt and the punishment for his crime has turned out to be a blessing for his game.) Pierce averages 18 ppg, but he only shoots 52% from the charity strip, and he turns the ball over four times a game. Pierce dropped 26 on us last year in their win at Carver-Hawkeye, so I anticipate Deron or Luther playing particularly close attention to this slasher.

Warning: If the commentators start talking about Steve Alford's wife, avert your eyes from the television screen. She brings ugly to a new level.

Illinois

Every week it gets harder and harder to pick my Prime Performer because everyone is playing so well…I even picked Coach Weber as my Prime Performer last week because I couldn't decide. the papers are confused as well; USA today had a picture of each of our stellar guards on the cover of today's sports. I'll go w/the Rev tonight because I don't think Iowa's big men, though tall, have the heart to hang w/Powell. He'll score most of his hoops on second chance opportunities, but I'd like to see him get more touches in the post than he's been getting.

U of I - 75
U of I - 65

I think you all know which one is the Illini.


Sincerely,

Dee's Old Tube Socks

P.S. I hate Steve Alford!