Finding ways to lose
Meyers “Miles” Leonard is remarkably lackadaisical. He plays like someone recovering from the flu: he can marshal his resources for a rebound or a big dunk, but mostly he’d just like to go back to bed. Of course, if Illinois had won its past two games, he would probably be called, instead, unflappable. But losing – even by a little – has its consequences, and one of them is this.
I thought Frank Williams, the non plus ultra of Illinois languor, would remain forever unsurpassed in his “I-don’t-give-a-shit-ness.” Sure, there was a brief scare with the arrival of Tyler Griffey — a man custom made to knock ol’ Frank off his seated perch. But Griffey is likable and — contradiction alert — seems to be a genuinely hard worker. He’s just by nature super-chill, like Snoop Dog.
It’s Leonard that has that Williams-junior-year attitude. Bill Self (like many facts involving him at Illinois, this one has been scrubbed) was not good at getting the best from his players. Coach Weber has always seemed dead set against making this same mistake, a fact he mostly demonstrates by yelling. “Get your ass in gear and guard people,” he explained to Leonard early in the game. This worked for a while. Telling Tracy Abrams, shooting a bonus free throw after a made basket, to “finish it, breathe!” did not.
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Coach Weber, it should be noted, attends to the referees with equal vigor — presumably to get the best out of them, too. I’m not sure it works as well. Twice in a four minute period near the end of the game he counseled the refs to “check the monitor” for a flagrant foul. This is, at best, an ill-considered strategy. Even if they do find a flagrant foul, if play has resumed (as it had in one instance) there is nothing they can do about it. They’ll simply have it pointed out that they missed a flagrant foul — the very definition of which means it was obvious to see.
At worst, telling refs to check the monitor sounds passive-aggressive. Or, in Weber’s case, aggressive-passive-aggressive. In any event, the referees were entirely satisfactory this game. They let both teams play, which is as much as two defense-minded teams can ask for.
This Illinois squad is good. They are (mostly) hard-working, tough defenders. And while there was no excuse for losing to Penn State, there was a good one against Wisconsin: the Badgers had five different players hit at least one three pointer. Three of their players hit more than one. Their center, Jared Berggren, hit three – this tied the entire Illini output from long range.
Bo Ryan — as curmudgeonly in the post-game presser as he looks like he would be — deadpanned, “I like when you score three on a possession.” Pause. “Because it is sometimes hard to score.”
Yes. Pause. It is. Except when your center shoots 50% from beyond the arc.
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M@
Did it look like they were having fun? If you’re playing a game and you’re not having fun then regardless of whether you’re winning or losing then you’re not doing it right.
When the Indiana fans stormed the court against NorthWestern, as asinine as it may’ve seemed to everybody else in the BigTen (because, well, it was NorthWestern!)—they and their fans were having F-U-N.
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Oh, by the way, the “Champaign County YMCA” no longer exists. The official name is now the “Stephens Family YMCA” (the website has not been updated, but check out the latest program guide). And no, it’s not just the name of the building. It’s the name of the organization.
Very inspired Photochops as well….
Props on the new YMCA dig. I think it’s a terrible spot for it, but then again, I’m not well-to-do and I’m not willing to drive 15 minutes at $4/gallon to exercise for an hour.
http://motorcycle-intelligence.com/do-loud-pipes-save-lives/1119/ Are you a smoker, too? I feel like I’m just getting recycled arguments.
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/streetsurvival/dangerous_motorcycle_safety_myths/index.html “Myth 2: Loud Pipes Save Lives”
Yes, I also love the idea of the downtown! However, the “turds” that ride Harley’s or any other motorcycle have the right to ride their motorcycles regardless of the “loudness” anywhere they want. They are buying gas, hence they are contributing to the motor fuel tax that…
Yup, this was the year I realized there’s no way this is my last CU marathon, even though I’m gradumacating next week.Where else am I gonna get cheered on by 70+ year old heart-of-gold volunteers who smile at me so genuinely I could believe I’m their granddaughter?…
I always have a good, but disappointed, laugh when marathon time creeps up and I start seeing posts on the WCIA Facebook page lamenting race day and how difficult it is to get around town that day. One this year said, “can’t they just go run in…
Reminds me of Total Football (soccer) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Football
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I don’t know about Gerard and a random police sargeant. My (mild) outrage is based on this: “...he worked closely with Champaign City Clerk Marilyn Banks to make sure he was licensed properly as a transient food peddler, filling out the necessary paperwork and paying a $225…
Local Yocal pretty much nails it here. I suspect there will be merchants who oppose food trucks because they arguably don’t pay their fair share to locate their trucks in high traffic (high rent) areas. The food trucks take away business from rent payers, park in city…
Oh nice! I’d totally vote for Matt Campbell!
“Smile Politely sports writer announces candidacy for city government.”
I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.
The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!
Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.
represent, Matt.
Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…
Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…
I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.
This makes me so sad. (Happy to live in Urbana, though!) Crave Truck has been a GREAT addition to the food choices in C-U, and it’d be a travesty to chase them away. This town should be supporting small businesses. I’m glad to hear that they’ll still…
*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…
Actually, it’s kind of nice, the quiet. John Heoffleur’s engaging commentary/dialogue is sorely missed, however. In lieu of someone intelligent saying something, I’ve compiled a list of Honourable Mentions: BEST ROCK BAND: Take Care ::these gentlemen have four completely different sets at their disposal right now (which…
What? Echo! (Echo!) Where’s the dischord and dissent?
This weekend will mark the first appearance of Kayla Brown’s Fire Doll Candle booth at the Market. Check it: http://www.facebook.com/firedollcandles
And without bloodshed. Sounds like the Savoy trustees aren’t as narrow-minded as some of their whiny pants constituents. Do you think quack Snell is already planning an asinine counterattack or is he still laying low after those “threats” against his person?
hey, if hair ain’t gon’ be over your head, my jokes may as well be.
Okay, almost 24 hours later and I finally got Issac’s Summer joke. I’m an idiot.
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@Dan - Wow. Unfortunately, I have to refrain from further comment due to a previous employment relationship. But with that brief context you might be able to imagine possible comments or responses I could have.