Tis' the Season

I don't know what to tell you, Mike. When people berated you for looking like a monkey, and thus argued that an actual marcupial could better defend the posts of the Big 10, I defiantly stood in your corner draped in one of those ornate, silk robes and squirted water down your threat like I was Dickie Eklund (minus the meth, of course). When people wrote you off as a 7-foot slug who would tie down Illinois' season in 2011, I argued that despite a body mass index that was comparable to Adrien Brody, your baby-hooks and delicate touch from 15 ft. could serve Bruce Weber well throughout the year. And even if it didn't, who the hell were we going to play instead? Meyers Leonard? Get real. We all know that any big who graduates high school in a city geographically lower than Peoria won't come on until at least mid-way through his Junior season (also known as the 'Champaign Supernova' rule). But why did we expect something different from Tisdale? Perhaps because we have seen his gangly wingspan swinging aimlessly around the painted area in Assembly Hall since early in his career? Because we have been witnesses of his imperfect posture and foul-prone post D for 3 years now? If nothing else, we thought that after 3 years of learning the hard way, maybe Tisdale would be able to take care of the rock in the final minutes of crucial conference games.

Last night, for the third time this season--Missouri, Ohio St., and now Indiana--Tisdale fumbled the basketball on a crucial Illinois possession in the 2nd half that led to his team's demise. In the Ohio State game, with an upset bid there for the taking, the Illini needed a 3. Somehow lost in the translation of the desgined play, Tizzy ended up with the ball and kicked it off the toe of his size 18 right into the first row. Last night, with the Illini trailing by a single point with less than :20 to go, Tisdale again proceeded to forfeit the basketball to the opposition. Why didn't McCamey have the pill in his hands looking to penetrate? I don't know. How did it end up in the mits of a guy who shot 2-10 and committed 4 personals on the night? Again, I'm speechless...I am without speech. If this sounds to you like a break-up between me and the Jungle Lover from Riverton, IL, you're right, that's exactly what it is.

In all fairness, you cannot shoulder this loss squarely on the gawky shoulders of Tisdale. Any time you lose to a team that is in the bottom 3 of the Big 10, it's not that just one guy that didn't show up--nobody did. McCamey, a supposed Natinal POY contender, had as many points (6) on Thursday as he will get phone numbers tonight at Firehouse. Bruce looked confused at times shuffling in questionable lineups and continuously leaving IU's shooters open for triples? That one dude is like 5'11', what did you think was the strength of his game? As a team, the Orange and Blue failed to reach the 50 point plateau against a beaten down Indiana squad! Yes, the same Hoosier team that gave up 91 points to Iowa! These bad road losses (Penn St., Indiana) are starting to back Illinois into a corner as they are now just 4-4 in the Big 10, a record good enough for a share of 5th place in the league. Even with the unveiling of their new unis, which is always a good mid-season morale boost, the Illini have yet to win in them. "I bet they hate the way they look, I guarantee it." Sorry, Men's Warehouse.

As for Pick of the Day, the Pulse Man is going after a player prop in the Bulls/Magic tilt to garner his 50th career win as a part of Chicago Sports Noise. For tongiht, the Pulse man likes Carlos Boozer's OVER in total points and rebounds, which is set at 28.5.

Pick of the Day: Carlos Boozer-TOTAL POINTS and REBOUNDS, 28.5- OVER

Record:(49-35-0)

Now I'm done. Rack me

Frost