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I became an Illini fan the day I walked onto this campus. During my four undergraduate years at the U of I, I
missed a grand total of two home football games (the Northwestern game my sophomore and senior years). I've also
been lucky enough to see the Illini on the road a number of times -- at Indiana in 1999, at Purdue in 2001, and
and at the Sugar Bowl in 2002.
I also started buying basketball season tickets during my senior year of college. I held basketball tickets for
three years -- Bill Self's last two years and then Bruce Weber's first year as coach. As luck would have it, my
first year out of school, the Illini won their first 29 games of the season, only to lose the regular season closer
to Ohio State. Then they marched onwards to the National Championship game, where they ultimately fell to the
North Carolina Tarheels.
As an Illini basketball fan, I've been lucky enough to see them play in San Antonio for the 2001 Sweet Sixteen and
Elite Eight, in Washington DC against the Georgetown Hoyas in 2004, in Indianapolis for the 2005 NCAA 2nd roung,
in St. Louis for the 2006 National Championship, in Chicago against Xavier University in 2005, in Columbus, OH
against Ohio State in 2006, in Ann Arbor, MI against Michigan in 2006, and in East Lansing, MI against Michigan
State in 2006. In all, I've seen Illini basketball in nine different venues.
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Wide Receiver Brandon Lloyd breaks away from a Virginia defender during the 2000 MicronPC.com Bowl. The Illini won, 63-21. Brandon Lloyd went on to be a star wide receiver with the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins. |
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Dee Brown was the posterboy of the 2004-05 Illini basketball team that won its first 29 games of the season and went to the national championship game. |
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Here are some of my most memorable Illini moments:
- August 31, 1996 - Michigan 20, Illinois 8
I attended my first college football game during move-in weekend of my sister's last year at Michigan. The Michigan Wolverines took on the Illini in Lou Tepper's final season at Illinois. In the end, the Wolverines were the victors, and I had no idea, but I had just spent the entire afternoon cheering for the wrong team, for I had no idea that I was to spend six years of my life in Champaign.
- September 12, 1998 - Illinois 48, Middle Tennessee State 20
In my 2nd Illini game ever, the Illini fell behind by 20 points only to come back and win HUGE. The Illini snapped an 18-game losing streak and head coach Ron Turner wins his first game at Illinois. The big hero is running back Rocky Harvey.
- October 23, 1999 - Illinois 35, Michigan 29
The Illini go to the unfriendly confines of 'The Big House' and stun the Michigan Wolverines 35-29. They do so in an incredible fashion, overcoming a 20-point deficit to win.
- December 30, 1999 - Illinois 63, Virginia 21
The Illini march into Miami's Pro Player stadium and defeat the Virginia Cavaliers 63-21. The game becomes such a blowout that at one point, quarterback Kurt Kittner ends up on the receiving end of a touchdown pass from wide receiver Brandon Lloyd.
- December 1, 2004 - Illinois 91, Wake Forest 73
The #1 Demon Deacons march into Assembly Hall as part of the ACC-Big Ten challenge. The Illini lead by as many as 37 points in one point during the game before winning by a final margin that is much more reasonable. When the polls come out the following Monday, the Illini are #1 on both the AP and Coaches polls.
- January 25, 2005 - Illinois 75, Wisconsin 65
The Illini march into Madison with a 19-0 record. The Badger's have won 38 consecutive games at home. "Something's Gotta Give!" proclaim all of the newspapers. The Wisconsin Badgers lead comfortably halfway through the 2nd half and defeat seems imminent for the Illini, until 6th man Jack Ingram steps up and hits two consecutive three-pointers to bring the Illini back to life. The Illini's streak stays intact.
- March 26, 2005 - Illinois 90, Arizona 89
It's the elite eight and the Illini are playing the Arizona Wildcats in a staunchly pro-Illini crowd in Rosemont, Illinois' Allstate Arena. The Wildcats slowly build up a 75-60 lead with four minutes of basketball left. What ensues is probably the greatest four minutes of basketball I've ever witnessed. The Illini start hitting just about everything to get back into the game. With roughly 40 seconds left, Jack Ingram steals an inbounds pass and passes it to Luther Head who in turn passes it Deron Williams. With Jack Ingram setting a brilliant pick, Williams is left open for a three point shot, which he hits. This ties the game at 80 point apiece and the game eventually goes to overtime, where the emotionally and physically drained Wildcats give way for the Illini to head to the Final Four.
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