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Congratulations, Mount Pulaski! The LDN
tips our cap to coach Donna Dulle and the Toppers of Mount Pulaski
High School for their runner-up showing at the Class A state
volleyball tournament. Mount P. has been great all season long, and
we just want them all to know how proud we are of them! Nice going,
ladies! [See game stats]
Illini’s
upset train derailed
For most of Saturday’s supposed
mismatch between the BCS No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes and the lightly
regarded Illinois Fighting Illini, it appeared from our vantage
point that the Illini were the better team.
But don’t be fooled by those fans who
want to tell you that the refs or some other force intervened to
take the game away. When you’re in a heavyweight bout against the
champ, you have to knock them out! And Illinois had such a chance
when OSU faced a crucial third down-and-10 starting the overtime
cycle. Their QB, Craig Krenzel, executed yet another amazing 14-yard
scramble that led to a 9-yard TD scamper by Maurice Hall, and the
Bucks had the Illini’s backs against the wall.
[Photos by Tom Seggelke]
[Buckeye fans]
But unlike Illinois’ El Foldo
performances over most of the last 2½ months, their pride and
character rose to the surface. Two well-timed and well-aimed passes
by Illini QB Jon Buetjer just missed tying the game and sending it
to a much-deserved second overtime period!
The first one, to Aaron Moorehead, was
well-thrown, but the OSU defense pushed him out while he was in the
air, which is a legal and great defensive play. On the ensuing down,
Buetjer found Walter Young in the other corner of the end zone, but
the refs ruled that Young did not have control of the ball WHILE he
was inbounds. The guys on 670-AM The Score say he caught it and it
was a touchdown.
Believe me when I say that there are
few bigger Illini fans in the world than I am, and I’m not so sure
that it was TD. Why ANYone would not want instant replay is totally
beyond the LDN’s ability to explain.
I was, however, very impressed with the
gritty, gutsy performance of this Illinois team on this day. Had
they played like this all year, I could be packing my bags and
heading for a warm-weather climate somewhere. Instead I’ll be
spending the holidays in a little-known garden spot called Indiana
with in-laws, outlaws, and dogs and cats… Thanks, fellas!
Seriously, I was very proud of our
team, and I hope that recruits across the country (especially the
ones who usually enroll at schools like Miami) will give Illinois
another look (and realize with one more look-see that if they and a
dozen or so of their friends came to Illinois, what a grand world it
would be) before signing all those letters of intent!
Speaking of Miami…
I saw them earlier in the season, and
they are so much better than everyone else that it’s not even funny!
No offense to OSU… They came into Champaign and did what they had to
do, but I don’t think they, Oklahoma or anyone can knock out this
Miami ballclub. Heck, they may be better than three NFL teams!!!
Don’t worry… I won’t NAME those teams!
Proud
of our crowd…
I’ve been pretty harsh on our Illini
crowds the last two years in all sports, but I must compliment them
on Saturday’s performance. I thought they were classy and REALLY
supported our team when we needed a lift. I’ll never forget the roar
that went up when Jon Gockman nailed the 48-yard field goal to send
the game to OT. (By the way… someone asked me how eight seconds went
off the clock on that kick. The answer —outstanding home clockwork
by assistant Pontiac basketball coach Gary Brunner! Well done, my
friend. Brunner has been a longtime friend and clock operator at
Memorial Stadium.) But again, our fans were great!
[to top of second column in this
article] |
Many fans don’t seem to realize how
important their role is. When you get inside the game and begin to
realize how hard it is to win ANY game on the road, you begin to
understand how much the home support can mean to your team and
program. IF you don’t believe me, talk to anyone who tries their
luck betting on sports and goes through a bookie. They can ALL tell
you how much the home field and the home court is worth in any and
all contests. That’s why I love it when our crowds show up and do
their best. Many times it is the difference in the contest… for good
or for bad. Energy can be transferred, and when the fans’ energy
gets inside a player or a team, great and unbelievable things can
happen and get accomplished.
This game Saturday was a prime example
of my point. Our crowd almost willed us to victory. It was a sight
to behold… AND I’d like to see a LOT more of it!!!
Loyalty and friendship comes first…
I have, or should say had, a ticket to
tonight’s Bears-Rams game on MNF, but other priorities must come
first. So, I’m letting my good friend Tom Seggelke go in my place
(he says he’s glad he knows me… at times like this). My wife has
something for my son and me to do, AND tonight is our BIG basketball
show on "FANdamonium." Don’t you hate it when responsibilities get
in the way of fun?!!!
Speaking of "FANdamonium…"
TONIGHT is a very special night indeed!
This will serve as our BIG showcase for men’s basketball. In the
studios tonight will be Lincoln College Lynx head coach B.J.
McCullum, Lincoln Christian College head coach Randy Kirk and the
head coach of YOUR Lincoln Railers, Neil Alexander. Greg and I are
thrilled to have such an awesome lineup.
Since we won’t have much time, we will
NOT be accepting any calls tonight, and that will give us more time
to gather more give-away stuff for next week. So, at 6 o’clock
tonight click on the LDN’s
LIVE link, or listen at FIX 96.3 or set your TV dial to Channel
5, and we’ll try to showcase three awesome basketball programs from
right here in beautiful downtown Lincoln!
Speaking of basketball…
The LDN would like to extend our
sympathies to former ISU Redbird star and former LCC development
guru Dale White on the passing of his father Don White. Those of you
who follow Indiana High School basketball have known of Mr. White’s
many contributions to gathering the history of basketball in that
state and all the many contacts he had in virtually every sport over
there. IF the long, standing-room-only line in the church yesterday
was any indication, this man was loved by all! We send out our
condolences to Dale and his family!
The LDN would also like to send out a
congratulatory salute to LCC Angel basketball coaches Amanda and
Donnie Bowman. The Bowmans were blessed early Saturday morning with
the birth of their first child, Karissa Jo Bowman. Mother and child
are said to be doing fine. I say, put a uniform on that girl and get
her into the lineup quick! IF she’s as good as her mom and dad were,
the basketball world will soon have another REALLY special player!
CONGRATULATIONS, Bowmans!!!
HAVE a GREAT
week, everybody!
[Jeff
Mayfield]
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