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Cook's Illini career is over
By Jeff Mayfield
[MARCH
24, 2003]
Of
all the scripts Lincoln's Brian Cook has authored through the years,
none were even close to what actually materialized Saturday in the
stinkin' RCA Dome. Who ever heard of a team nailing 11 3-point shots
in a first half? Much less the team being a basketball team from
Notre Dame! I've heard the phrase "luck of the Irish," but that was
ridiculous! But give ND some credit; they came out and played the
game of their lives, when Illinois wouldn't have hit water if they
had fallen out of a boat.
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Too bad it was at the expense of one of
our favorite sons, Brian Cook. When Cook's shots failed to drop he
tried to will his team to victory. Especially judging by a
career-high 16 rebounds.
And while the SCORE, especially most of
their nut-case callers, and several other distraught fans throughout
Illini nation want to blame this loss on one scapegoat, believe me,
there's plenty of blame to go around for the entire team. I will say
that you're not going to beat many people when they convert 13
treys. In fact, why don't I just go to the summation right now:
Notre Dame hit their shots, Illinois didn't… end of story!
Stray
arrows (boy, does that sum up the game or what?)
--Cook became the third highest point
scorer in Illini history with his 19 versus the Irish. He finishes
with 1,748 points.
--He's also fifth all-time on rebounds
with 815 and fourth in blocked shots with 136.
--He and his teammates went 51-2 in the
Hall during his four years -- an all-time record and the best home
record in the country over that four-year span.
--He and his mates were one win away
from advancing to the Sweet Sixteen for an unprecedented third
straight time.
--I still think he will be a top 15
pick in the NBA draft and maybe even a lottery pick.
[to top of second column in this
article] |
[photo by Tom Seggelke]
--The Big Ten still has two teams alive
in the final 16. Not bad for a weak, soft conference in supposedly a
down year!
--Bracket busters… I've still got three
Final Four teams left, but I'm not winning any bracketology awards.
Congratulations to:
--The Lincoln Railers for having the
most wins in the state of Illinois! Did you notice that Peoria
Central and Thornwood just happened to be two of the teams that were
able to upset Lincoln this year?
--The Lincoln College Lynx for
finishing seventh at the national juco tournament in Danville with a
thrilling 95-73 victory over Bevill State Community College from
Louisiana. The Lynx lost a heartbreaker by two on opening night or,
who knows, Lincoln might have won it all!
--Hartsburg-Emden, the 7A state
volleyball champions!
--In 8A action, Hartem and Mount
Pulaski have advanced to the Final Four round!
If you're going to disappoint me,
disappoint me when the weather's like this and we can all enjoy
being outside… Are there even any basketball games left???
We'll sort it all out on "FANdamonium"
tonight at 6 on the LDN live
link, CITV Channel 5 and FIX 96.3 FM radio.
Have a great
week, everybody!!!
[Jeff
Mayfield] |
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[MARCH
6, 2003]
The Lincoln PONY Association
will have its annual spring sign-up this year beginning March 9 and
running until March 29. Sign-up sheets can be obtained at the front
desk of the Lincoln Rec Center. On Saturday, March 29,
representatives of Lincoln PONY will be on hand to assist with
signups.
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Lincoln PONY ball is for both boys
baseball and girls softball, ages 8 through 14.
Additional
information can be obtained at the Lincoln PONY
website and
at http://www.pony.org/.
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