Illinois vs. NU

Illinois vs. Northwestern
Today @ 11 a.m.

When I got to work on Monday morning, I had 6 e-mails bursting at the seams ready to taunt me after my alma mater came w/in 6 seconds of a perfect season. The first email read:

O-H

And the second email read:

I-O

The third was from my boss's boss, who went to tOSU, and claimed that I owed him lunch - we didn't even bet on the game!

A Wisky alum sent the fourth email. "How about them Buckeye's?" He asked. This was well deserved because after each Illini win over Wisconsin, I pinned fresh news clippings to his bulletin board.

The fifth was from a converted Illini fan in Chicago who just wanted a reply message to make sure I was still upright.

And the sixth was from mom, telling me that 'Everything was going to be alright.'

After reading these emails, my first thought was REVENGE, but my second thought was 'WWDD'.

What Would Dee Do? Would Dee respond to this trash talking by blowing his cool? No. Would Dee pout at the end of the bench? No. Would Dee send a virus to those who mocked him? No, again. Dee would be patient. He would wait until the moment was right - when the other team was helpless to respond. He would make a steal or two. He would swish a few threes. He would turn into the One-Man-Fast-Break, crushing his opponents w/a sweet finger roll at full speed. Then, after his steal(s), or three(s), or fast-break(s) he would make one defining on-court gesture to send the Illini fans into a frenzy or demoralize the enemy crowd into a boiling silence. It might be a flying chest bump w/6'10" James Augustine, or it might be a muscle tightening scream thru his orange mouth guard. But hopefully, it would be the gesture that made the cover of Sports Illustrated this past week. The one where he lifts his jersey up w/both hands to show everyone what is written across his chest. ILLINOIS

Preview

OK. You all know Northwestern's scouting report, but I'll give you the cliff notes version in case you don't remember.

Head Coach: Bill Carmody - former Princeton Coach. He loves the backdoor (wink, wink).
Defense: Match-up zone. Attack the gaps, reverse the ball quickly, and hit the open shots.
Offense: Don't let anyone w/a funny sounding name shoot the three ball.

We smoked 'em last time at Assembly Hall. We'll smoke 'em this time at the UC.

One of my coworkers is trying to tell me that Illinois' confidence is at a season low. He prophesizes that if we don't win the Big10 tourney, then we will limp into March Madness like a wounded animal. He's a Mizzou fan. So I smile, I nod, and I say, "Have fun at the N.I.T."

If you think that Illinois will come out tentative after their loss on Sunday, then you have not been watching this team. They won 29 straight games, and they are on a quest to win 9 more. The Illini are filled to the brim w/playmakers. From 6'10" Jack Ingram to Dee Brown even to Head Coach Bruce Weber. I have no doubts that they are ready to tear the Mildcats apart.

We may be a little over-aggressive to start; and although most of you will be watching your ESPN ticker instead of the game itself, we'll probably be fast breaking at every opportunity. Deron and Luther will penetrate more than usual in this game. Attacking the basket will give Dee more room to hoist up wide open threes. Our backcourt trio will see to it that we end this game early.

Illinois - 84
NU - 60


Sincerely,

Bob Bowlsby


PS - I never did tell you how I responded to that hate mail. In my defining Dee gesture, I waited until mid-afternoon when IGP Editor Matt Spitz emailed me the new AP Poll. Illinois was still number 1. So I raised my left hand and held up my index finger high. I started humming Three-And-One (the Chief's song), and I clicked send - forwarding the new AP Poll to all of our detractors. Bring on NU. Bring on MSU. Bring on Duke, UNC, and Kansas. I'm ready for them all. I'm ready to take on the world...And so are the Illini.