 1. The Lincoln Railers had a great start to 2008 -- If you
are a fan of our local high school hoops team, you know that
November and December didn't go exactly according to plan. The
Railers had more losses in November and December than they did over
the span of a couple of seasons in recent history. But, despite
playing a ton of young players, LCHS is starting to round into form.
After back-to-back double-digit wins against SH-G and Jerseyville,
Lincoln now travels to Lanphier looking for a three-game winning
streak.2. Illinois basketball has gone from bad to worse
-- It's one thing to lose to teams like Duke and Arizona. And it's
another to lose to mid-majors like Miami of Ohio and Tennessee
State. But last week the Illini lost back-to-back home conference
games for the first time in almost a decade, against Ohio State and
Penn State. Illinois is now just 8-7 on the year and looks to be in
for "one of those years." Don't forget, as fans we've just witnessed
one of the greatest decades of Illini basketball ever -- and this
year it looks like we are in a "Northwestern type" of season. My
advice? Play the kids -- I want to see lots of McCamey and Davis and
Tisdale as the season unfolds.
3. Illinois football did a pretty good 1984 Rose Bowl impression
-- Do you remember the disaster that was UCLA 45 and Illinois 9? I
do, and I thought for a while I was watching a rerun on Jan. 1. Now,
granted, USC might actually be the best team in college football
(I'm still trying to figure our how Stanford beat them back in
October), but Illinois' 49-17 loss was one Illini fans will not
forget for quite some time. What is most frustrating for me as a fan
is this: Illinois was just a couple of plays from making this an
actual game, and history will never let that story be told. All in
all, however, we must remember the joys of the 2007 season -- the
nine wins, the victory at No. 1 Ohio State -- and get ready for a
Zook-like encore this fall.
4. Roger Clemens says it's all one big misunderstanding --
Some of you have wondered where I've been on the steroid issue and
especially the release of the Mitchell Report in mid-December. And
my answer was really one of indifference. However, Clemens has
finally gone on the record and said he is innocent and will pursue
legal action against his accusers -- he has not taken steroids or
HGH -- and I hope an actual legal investigation either convicts or
exonerates him. What do you think? No big deal -- everyone is doing
it? Or it's time for some tough rules and enforcement? I'd love to
hear your thoughts.
5. Obama and Huckabee strike a blow for the Newcomer -- The
Iowa Caucus last Thursday brought surprise with both the Donkeys and
the Elephants. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama soundly defeated Hillary
Clinton (despite the Clinton name and her resources), and former
Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee soundly defeated, among others, former
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (even though Romney outspent him
20-to-1 in Iowa). What does all of this mean? I'm not sure -- other
than both Huckabee and Obama seem to be "newcomers" to the
traditional Democratic and Republican bases. Tonight is the New
Hampshire primary (and FYI -- I love the state of New Hampshire),
and conventional wisdom seems to be that Obama might just win again.
It sure could be an interesting 2008 presidential nomination
process.
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6. The Cardinals sign Matt Clement -- Secure your 2008 World
Series tickets now! Matt Clement, of Cub and Red Sox fame, is coming
to the city by the River. The only question now involves whether the
2008 version of Clement is anywhere close to the 2003-2005 version.
But at least the Cardinals are doing something -- I was beginning to
wonder if anyone new was coming to St. Louis for 2008.
7. The Chicago Bulls are showing signs of life -- John Paxson
didn't send his coach Scott Skiles a Christmas present -- instead,
on Christmas Eve, he fired him. Wow -- now that is about as bad as
it gets. But the Bulls have seemed to respond positively to the
dismissal and are playing pretty good basketball under new coach Jim
Boylan. Even their losses have been close and intense. Ben Gordon is
scoring with confidence again, and Boylan is starting to give the
kids like Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah serious minutes. And maybe,
just maybe, the Bulls can salvage their 2007-08 season after all.
8. Warrensburg-Latham looks poised to make a state title run
-- We have really been spoiled in central Illinois with excellence
from our high school sports teams. From Mount Pulaski and Hartem
volleyball to Lincoln High School basketball to Maroa-Forsyth
football, we've been blessed to watch as several area teams made
some deep playoff runs. And I'm excited about what coach Vic Binkley
is doing just down Route 121 at WLHS. The Cardinals (which is my
lovely wife's alma mater) might be the best small-school team in all
of central Illinois and could be the next Logan County team (Latham
is in Logan County) to make us proud with a state title run.
9. The NFL playoffs are ready for some great second weekend
matchups -- Here is your rundown for this: In the AFC, it's San
Diego at Indianapolis and Jacksonville at New England. In the NFC,
it's the New York Giants at Dallas and Seattle at Green Bay. I
really love the story lines -- from the great Jacksonville defense
going up against the perfect Patriots to former Packer coach Mike
Holmgren heading on the road to face Green Bay on the frozen tundra.
And who will win these games? you might ask. I'm taking Indy and New
England in the AFC and Dallas and Seattle in the NFC.
10. Congratulations to the LSU Tigers in their win over Ohio
State Buckeyes for the BCS national title -- However, if I had a
vote, it would go to the Southern California Trojans because they
are the best team in the land on Jan. 8.
LSU Sends Ohio
State to Another BCS Loss
NEW ORLEANS (AP) --
Les Miles unleashed an ear-piercing whoop, then leaned back and
exhaled as if he had been holding his breath all night. "I just had
to do that," the LSU coach said. Easy for him to say, now that he
has the BCS national championship trophy.
The second-ranked
Tigers danced, dodged and darted their way into the end zone Monday
night for a 38-24 victory, turning the title game into a horrible
replay for No. 1 Ohio State.
Have a great week, and we'll check in again on next Tuesday.
[By GREG TAYLOR]
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