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Headin’
south
Illini prepare for battle with Kansas
By
Jeff Mayfield
[MARCH
21, 2001]
Not
only are the Illini through the first weekend but part of their
reward is a trip to a warmer climate. Since the players probably won’t
be getting a spring break this year, maybe they can make up for it
by having a swingin’ time in San Antonio, Texas.
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On
the other hand, maybe they shouldn’t even go to Texas. I mean
basketball experts like Dick Vitale, Tim Brando, Rick Pitino and
Digger Phelps say that Illinois will get upset and not make it to the
Final Four.
Of
course the LDN would like to point out that if we listened to those
geniuses all season, we would’ve never won 20 games, won the Big Ten
championship or received a No. 1 seed! I guess we here at the LDN will
be content to play our role as the corn-fed team right off the farm.
You
know, those high-IQ basketball personalities are surely right. To hear
them talk, they’ve been right for years. They talk about how Kansas
comes in with rich tradition and how they are due. And they seem to be
in love with Arizona, the preseason No. 1.
The
LDN would just like to say to these characters that the game won’t
be decided in the ivory tower of their broadcasting booth. Illinois’
game with Kansas that is now scheduled for Friday night at
approximately 9:15 p.m. will STILL have to be played.
Although
no one seems to think that the Illini can win, the LDN is betting the
farm that coach Self and his players will STILL show up sometime
around game time.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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Kansas
is a very good team. They are big, huge and gigantic...and any other words
that describe larger-than-life players. They also possess excellent guard
play and probably have two of the nation’s best players in Nick Collison
and Kenny Gregory. They are extremely well-coached. Roy Williams is as
fine a coach as there is in the business and is one of the true class acts
in the entire coaching profession. The Big 12 conference has played some
great ball the last few years, and we know how good their teams are just
by having played Missouri every year.
So,
maybe those know-it-alls are right. Perhaps the Illini don’t have a
chance in the world...but just maybe, as they have done all year, they
will fight...and claw...and come back...and defend...and execute...and
somehow find a way to survive...and live on for another day.
The LDN
says good luck to Brian Cook and to the Illini...WE BELIEVE!!!
(Stay
tuned all week, as the LDN plans to be Illinois’ NCAA Tournament
HEADQUARTERS! COMING SOON...LDN'S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BRIAN COOK.)
[Jeff
Mayfield]
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