SIU Basketball: It's not over, but...

…it might be getting to that point.

The Indiana State University Sycamores 64-62 double overtime victory against the Southern Illinois University Salukis is a microcosm of the Salukis 2007-08 season. Tonight's loss puts SIU at 7-9 overall and 2-3 in Missouri Valley Conference play while putting the Salukis' six year NCAA tournament appearance streak firmly in jeopardy.

THREE UPS

• Bryan Mullins led the Salukis in scoring with 18 points, including a three-pointer that gave the Salukis a brief 62-61 lead.
• Matt Shaw added 16 points and 14 rebounds and looks to be coming out of his early season funk with solid play in recent games.
• Tyrone Green chipped in off the bench with 14 points and nine rebounds, seven of which were offensive boards.

THREE DOWNS

• The pre-season MVC player of the year Randal Falker struggled tonight, scoring only 4 points on 1-of-3 shooting.
• One game after Carlton Fay put up 11 points in 18 minutes in a victory over Bradley, Fay struggled in the loss against Indiana State, scoring 0 points in 11 minutes.
• SIU probably would have won had it shot better than 20.8% from three-point range. SIU only hit five three point shots (24 attempts)

SIU BY THE NUMBERS

• Tonight's loss keeps SIU winless in "true" road games (0-6), winless in games in which they score less than 63 points (0-9) and winless in games decided by less than 10 points (0-4)
• SIU averages 75.57 points per game in wins, but only 51 points per game in losses
• In wins, SIU beats their opponent by an average of 14.57 points
• In losses, SIU is beaten by an average of 10.78 points

Needless to say, SIU has its work cut out for them and will need to go on a lengthy winning streak to get themselves back in the hunt.

SIU is playing like a Jekyll and Hyde act with a 5-2 record at the SIU Arena and a 2-7 record away from Carbondale. SIU is 2-1 in games played on a neutral court.

To get back into NCAA tournament consideration, SIU will likely need to win out at home and find a way to finish with at least a .500 record on the road. If not, they will face the daunting task of having to win the MVC Tournament in St. Louis to punch a guaranteed ticket to the NCAA's.

The Salukis' next game will be on the road against the Purple Aces of Evansville University. Evansville sports a 0-5 record in MVC play and is 5-10 overall. If SIU can't beat the Aces on the road, they will take another significant step backwards.

An Open Letter To: Saluki Basketball

One of my favorite segments on the blog has been the “An Open Letter To…” series which began on June 4, 2007 when I wrote a letter to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo after he broke up with Carrie Underwood. I would later go on to write “open letters” to St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa and Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano.

Today’s open letter goes to a group near to my heart, the Southern Illinois Salukis men’s basketball team.

Dear Salukis,

I see that conference play is underway and that we currently sit at 1-2 in Missouri Valley Conference play and 6-8 overall and that is quite disappointing, and that is why I am writing this letter.

6-8 is unacceptable for a program that was preseason top 25. 1-2 in MVC play is unacceptable for the six-time defending MVC champions. And to be honest, I’m not sure where you have gone wrong.

You guys have Chris Lowery, the two-time MVC coach of the year leading the way. You have two seniors in the front court that should be leading the team in Matt Shaw and Randal Falker (who was the pre-season pick to win the MVC player of the year).

You have one of the most unselfish point guards in the country, Bryan Mullins who also is a lock down defender. You have Joshua Bone, a jump shot specialist who can light up the scoreboard in the blink of an eye.

And yet, we find ourselves here at 6-8 looking up at the MVC. But you know what guys, all is not lost. There are plenty of games to play.

If you can go 8-0 at home and 5-2 on the road in your remaining games, you can finish with 19 wins and would likely be crowned with another MVC regular season title. At this point, I’d just like to see some more points scored and for you guys to get on a bit of a hot street before Arch Madness in St. Louis.

In closing, this can be turned around. This is SIU…this is Floor Burn U. We don’t do NIT! We find ways to make the NCAA tournament. Remember two years ago when you guys won the MVC tourney with your backs against the wall and no one outside of Carbondale, Ill. had you guys in the tourney?

I do. I believed it could happen then, and I believe it can happen again.

Sincerely,

Luis C. Medina

(Speaking on behalf of Saluki Nation)

Unheralded NFL Prospect Alert, SIU's Nick Hill

People laughed at me when I suggested that the Chicago Bears should take a look at Southern Illinois running back Brandon Jacobs in the 2005 NFL Draft.

It might have been the “homer” thing to say at the time, but when I saw Jacobs play during my freshman year at SIU in the fall of 2004, I believed that I was seeing something special. Jacobs shredded Div. 1-AA defenses while on offense and on special teams as a kick returner.

This season Jacobs became the New York Giants feature back after Tiki Barber retired after the 2006-07 season. He capitalized on his opportunity, rushing for over 1,000 yards and six total touchdowns (4 rushing, 2 receiving).

In Sunday’s 24-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacobs scored two touchdowns helping the Giants win their first playoff game under Coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning.

And when the 2008 NFL Draft rolls around, I’ll be leading the charge for the Bears to take a look at SIU quarterback Nick Hill.

If Hill isn’t granted another year of eligibility at SIU, his career as a Saluki is over and he will be eligible for the NFL Draft. By no means is Hill a blue-chip prospect, but he is a player that should be given serious consideration to make an NFL roster.

I won’t go as far as to suggest that Hill is the next Tony Romo, a product of Div. 1-AA Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Ill. who made good as an undrafted free-agent with the Dallas Cowboys. But Hill could be the type of quarterback that could manage a game and lead winning teams like Brad Johnson or Jeff Garcia.

Hill stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 210 pounds, and in 2007 he lead the Salukis to a 12-2 record and an appearance in the semi-finals of the FCS (formerly Div. 1-AA) against the University of Delaware. He had a terrific year, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns and gained over 350 yards in the ground game with four rushing touchdowns.

Two other things that make Hill appealing to NFL scouts are his accuracy and his ability to protect the football. In 2007, he completed over 71% of his passing, while only throwing 7 interceptions (3 of which came in a 30-24 loss to then No. 1 Northern Iowa).

The FCS quarterback that will likely get the most attention is Delaware’s Joe Flacco. Flacco looks like your prototypical NFL quarterback, he stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 220 pounds. In 2007, he passed for over 4,000 yards with 23 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He is projected to be a second or third round pick and could be the steal for the right team.

There’s plenty of time between now and the NFL Draft, but if Presidential campaigning has taught me anything, it’s that it’s never too early to throw a quality candidate out there for the people.

My Teams 2007 Review, 2008 Preview

CHICAGO CUBS: (2007: 85-77, NL Central Champions. Lost to ARZ 3-0 in NLDS)

My favorite moment of the 2007 Cubs season was Lou Piniella's dirt-kicking tirade on June 2. In an attempt to deflect attention from the "Slugout in the Dugout", Piniella picked a fight with third base umpire Mark Wegner after a close play at third base. After that, the Cubs had one of the best records in the NL and went on to win the NL Central for the first time since 2003.

My least favorite moment was when the Cubs were swept in Florida in the second to last series of the season. It looked like it was going to be another classic Cubs collapse at the hand of the lowly Florida Marlins, which would have only been fitting, seeing that it was the Marlins who did you know what to you know who in 2003. The Cubs would go on to win the NL Central in the first game of the next series against the Reds.

Storylines to follow in 2008:

· The 100 Year Anniversary and the questions and stories that will follow.

· Will the Cubs have a new owner in 2008? Sam Zell says it could happen before Opening Day.

· On the field, the story to follow will be right fielder Kosuke Fukudome's transition to big league ball.

CHICAGO BEARS: (2006-07: 13-3, NFC Champions. 2007-08: 7-9, missed playoffs)

My favorite moment was Devin Hester's return of the opening kick in Super Bowl XLI. Since then, it's been all downhill for the Bears who went from NFC Champs to chumps in the blink of an eye. Hester's ability gives Bears fans a glimmer of hope, no matter what the situation.

My least favorite moment was when the Bears gave up 34 points in the fourth quarter in a loss to the Detroit Lions. That was one of two losses to the Lions, who played like world beaters against the Bears.

Storylines to follow in 2008:

· How will the Bears improve their offense? The Bears have a tendency not to spend money in the off-season, which is a shame seeing that they need a quarterback, a running back and a big play wide receiver.

· Will Lance Briggs get that contract extension he craves? In a sense, he does deserve it because he's been one of the best players on the team. However, the Bears have a quality replacement in Jamar Williams and probably could put that $7.2 million into a need area.

· Will the coordinators return? Bob Babich is a Lovie Smith guy and he will likely return. Ron Turner could return only if he burns the John Shoop playbook he used for most of the season.

CHICAGO BULLS: (2006-07: 49-33; lost in Eastern Conf. semis. 2007: 11-17)

My favorite moment from the Bulls was when they swept the defending NBA champion Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. At that time, it looked like the Bulls were ready to take the next step in the post-Jordan era with rising stars Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and Luol Deng.

My least favorite moment from the Bulls was the NBA Draft. It would have been easy to pick one of the bad losses or the firing of Scott Skiles, but I was not a happy man on draft night. The Bulls could have (hypothetically) used a combination of youngsters and their first round pick to acquire a bonafide star like Kevin Garnett or Kobe Bryant. Instead, they drafted Joakim Noah—who is playing like Tyson Chandler, circa 2004.

Storylines to follow in 2008:

· Who is going to be coach in the future? Will Jim Boylan get the job full-time after his stint as the interim head coach? Will the Bulls bring in a high-profile guy like Larry Brown? Will Scottie Pippen get a chance to coach in the NBA?

· Will the Bulls acquire a low-post scorer or the type of go-to-guy they desperately need?

· Will the Bulls make the proper adjustments and make a run at a playoff spot again?

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SAUKIS FOOTBALL (2007: 12-2; lost in FCS semi-final)

My favorite moment from Saluki football was the 34-31 come from behind victory against in-state rival Northern Illinois University. It was the second straight year that SIU came from behind to beat a FBS (formerly Division 1-A) school (they beat Indiana University in 2006). Down 21, the SIU comeback began with an interception returned for a touchdown and two touchdown passes from Nick Hill.

That prompted a phone call to my friend at NIU who taunted me prior to the game. The message was simple: "Earlier you asked 'What's a Saluki?' Well, it just kicked your ass!"

My least favorite moments from the year were SIU's two losses. The loss to the then No. 1 ranked University of Northern Iowa was a tough loss, especially since SIU fell six-yards short from what could have been a game winning touchdown. The loss to Delaware in the FCS semi-final was more painful, having to be there.

Storylines to follow in 2008:

· Will QB Nick Hill be given another year of eligibility by the NCAA?

· How will new head coach Dale Lennon implement his system at SIU?

· How will SIU do in the new look Gateway Football Conference?

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY MEN'S BASKETBALL (2006-07: 29-7, MVC champs, Sweet 16; 2007-08: 6-6)

My favorite SIU hoops moment was Senior Night at the SIU Arena. SIU's 76-69 victory over Evansville served as a great sendoff for senior leaders Jamaal Tatum and Tony Young. Young scored 17 and Tatum added 15, including his first dunk in front of the Saluki faithful. Junior forward Randal Falker provided the oxymoron of the year, quietly pouring in 30 points.

I have three least favorite moments; two of them involve road trips that ended in SIU losses against Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind. and Creighton University in the MVC tourney championship game in St. Louis. The other was the heartbreaking loss in the Sweet 16 against Kansas University. Coming up a distant fourth was SIU's loss to Indiana University on Super Saturday in Carbondale.

Storylines to follow in 2008:

· Can SIU shake off an early 6-6 start to come back and win another Missouri Valley title and make another NCAA tourney appearance?

· Will seniors Randal Falker and Matt Shaw lead SIU the way that SIU combos Tatum and Young and Darren Brooks and Stetson Hairston have in recent years?

· Will SIU find consistent guard play with Bryan Mullins, Joshua Bone & company.

Year/Semester In Review (Fall 2007)

On the long drive back from SIU’s game against Indiana University in December 2006, I decided to write down a list of things I learned during the fall semester and decided to put it on my blog. In addition, I decided to note highlights, lowlights and other year-in-review stuff.

With that said, it’s that time of year. Let’s take a look at the lessons I learned in the fall semester 2007.

4 THINGS I LEARNED

1. It’s okay to expand your horizons. This semester, I broke one of my golden rules of writing (write what you know), but because of that I feel that my writing is better. I got an ‘A’ in my news writing/reporting class without writing one sports story and an ‘A’ on my poetry portfolio (which you can read online) by writing a majority of my poems about topics other than being a heartbroken college student. That’s impressive if you ask me!
2. Be careful who you fall in love with. There is no escaping the topic of love in my blogs. Consider this lesson learned a public service announcement. Be careful who you fall in love with, because if they don’t love you back then you’re going to be stuck in a situation you do not want to be in, plain and simple. Maybe it’s better just to not fall in love at all; it’d probably eliminate a lot of sleepless nights and other symptoms that come with unrequited love.
3. Money can’t buy me love, but it can buy beer…and that’s good enough. And when unrequited love is just that, there isn’t a better remedy than a cold one. Whether it be Miller, Bud, Coors or other—a six-pack of your favorite brew can solve your problems (at least for one night).
4. Hot, blonde, southern…and usually dumb. Referencing one of my most infamous quotes “Hot, blonde and southern, that’s the way I like ‘em”, I’ve come to the conclusion that “dumb” is the word that should come next in that correlation. For example, Jessica Simpson’s presence caused her boyfriend (Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo) to have his worst game of the year against the Eagles, the Cowboys’ arch-rival. Former hot and blonde southern chick Britney Spears spent most of her summer flashing her cooch to whoever was willing to look. Her little sister, who would have fallen into the category (if she was of age), got herself pregnant at 16!!! And don’t even get me started on Carrie Underwood, who is rumored to be romantically involved with Bears kicker Robbie Gould.
   

3 UP, 3 DOWN (THREE HIGHLIGHTS & THREE LOWLIGHTS OF 2007)

3 UP:

1. The success of my favorite sports teams. SIU’s men’s basketball team won another Missouri Valley Conference title and made its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2002. SIU’s football team made it to the semi-final of the 1-AA playoffs. The Bears kicked off 2007 by beating the New Orleans Saints, clinching their first Super Bowl berth since 1985. The Bulls swept the defending NBA champion Miami Heat out of the playoffs. After a $300 million spending spree which netted a new manager (Lou Piniella) and superstar (Alfonso Soriano), the icing on my 2007 in sports was the Cubs winning the NL Central.
2. Good grades. Finally, I’ve got my priorities in check—and my rising GPA is proof of that. Two A’s, two B’s and one C this semester is the way to kick off my “senior year”.
3. Turning 21. Turning 21 was the overall highlight of 2007. 5 days in Vegas drinking and making it rain with my friends and family was the best thing to happen to me (probably in my life, to this point.)

3 DOWN:

1. When sports teams lose. SIU’s men’s basketball team lost in the MVC championship game to Creighton and lost to Kansas in the Sweet 16 game. SIU’s football team lost in the semi-final game to Delaware. The Bears lost to the Colts in the Super Bowl. The Bulls lost to the Pistons in the second round, and have gotten off to a 9-17 start which has resulted in them firing head coach Scott Skiles. The Cubs were swept by the Diamondbacks in the playoffs.
2. Still single. Despite all of the highlights that occurred in 2007, I’m still single and it’s still a soft spot. I’m not happy being single, but at this point grades are my no. 1 priority and if the right girl happens to come by (again) then I’ll make sure to jump on the opportunity this time.
3. Still jobless. Well, when it comes to writing for a publication at least. Though I do write for the fan site armchairgm.com, I’d like to write for the Daily Egyptian before I graduate SIU.

FAVORITES

QUOTES:

• “Plies is a useful tool…” In an interview with Vibe magazine, rapper Plies explained his intriguing nickname by allegedly saying, “Plies is a tool. You can use it to put the squeeze on things, like I'm doing to these niggas in the rap game. I got the squeeze on them real tight, they feeling the pressure, or you can use it to pull things out….It also a word you can use in terms of things goin' on in yo life, ya dig. You may hear something I say and say that it plies to me. Plies straight to me."
• “I’m a man, I’m 40.” In response to a newspaper article, Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy went on a tirade in defense of the student-athlete featured in the said article. Enjoy one of the best sports tirades of 2007.
• 
  
• “Love is blind, and she’s retarded.” That quote comes from my roommate Steve, and if there’s one thing I learned this semester (that I didn’t mention above) is that you have to attribute your sources (ask SIU President Glenn Poshard). And really, there is no need to explain this quote because it can stand on its own (and because I don’t remember the reference behind it).

MUSIC ARTIST: Rappers Lil’ Wayne and Andre 3000 get some consideration, mostly because of their hot verses in guest roles (see Wayne’s verse in DJ Khaled’s ‘We Takin’ Over’ and Fat Joe’s ‘Make It Rain Remix’ and Andre’s verses in Lloyd’s ‘You Remix’, DJ Unk’s ‘Walk it Out Remix’, Rich Boy’s ‘Throw Some D’s Remix’ and Outkast’s newest song ‘The Art of Storytellin’ Pt. 4).

However, the artist of the year goes to T-Pain. Pain’s vocals (enhanced with a vocoder) were found on a slew of hit singles, including two off his best-selling album “Epiphany.” His guest spots on Chris Brown’s “Kiss Kiss”, Baby Bash’s “Cyclone”, DJ Khaled’s “I’m So Hood”, Plies’ “Shawty”, DJ Unk’s “2 Step Remix”, Flo-Rida’s “Low (Apple Bottom Jeans)” and Kanye West’s “Good Life” made those songs hits and guaranteed that you would hear his voice at least once whenever you went to the club.

And, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that his use of the vocoder inspired Snoop Dogg to use it in his new single “Sensual Seduction” and Lil’ Wayne to use it in his verse on Shawty Lo’s “Dey Know Remix”.

ALBUMS: Jay-Z’s “American Gangster”, Kanye West’s “Graduation”, Timbaland’s “Timbaland Presents: Shock Value”, DJ Khaled’s “We The Best”, Maroon 5’s “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long” and Chamillionaire’s “Ultimate Victory.”

MOVIE: The Simpson’s Movie

SONGS: Rihanna/Ne-yo’s “Hate That I Love You” gets half of my vote because it just sums up so much. The other half of my vote goes to Kanye West’s “Can’t Tell Me Nothing”, which I think is word-for-word, the best rap song of 2007. One punch-line after another, Kanye puts his best foot forward in this piece which tackles so many topics; you have to listen to it for yourself just to get a grasp of the concept.

UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE YEAR: “What is Britney doing with her life?” –Mike Patrick, ESPN.

After Alabama kicked a field goal to get a lead in overtime, ESPN’s Mike Patrick decided to ask the fateful question “What is Britney doing with her life?” Check out the whole thing here.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

That's it for 2007. It was a great year (minus the failures) and I have a good feeling (stop me if you've heard this before) that bigger and better things are to come next year.

I'd like to close with this: Dear Carrie....DATE ME!!!!!!!!!

;-)

:-)

If I Could Be Santa

I was inspired by this piece and thought to myself, "If I could be Santa, what would I get for my friends and family?" It's Christmas Day, so it's time to answer my own question.

First, please do not be offended if I do not mention you by name, I don't know what I'd get for each of you individually. For those of you who I don't mention by name, I wish that I could give you all that you want, and $1,000 cash for the holiday season.

FOR MY FRIENDS:

I wish I could get my roommate Steven an endless supply of milk, so he can have his own endless supply while the rest of the apartment splits the normal gallon that we get.

I wish I could give my other roommate Marcus all of my knowledge of sports video games. That includes (but is not limited to) recruiting for NCAA College Basketball games, trades for MLB games and how to blow out opponents by 10 or more runs in MLB The Show.

I wish I could give Kristin and her baby Leium the gift of a healthy and happy holiday season, and beyond.

I wish I could give my buddy Mike Carter the Chicago Bulls play-by-play job. Mike has been a great friend to me and deserves to land his dream job.

I wish I could give Steve Schucker the gift of being Mr. Carter's partner as his color commentator, if only just because I know it'd be the most entertaining broadcast in sports.

I wish I could give my cousin Tony enough time off to take a trip to Carbondale and make his yearly visit. In fact, I wish I could do that for all of my friends.

And finally, I wish I could give all of my friends in college their diplomas and a high-paying job as soon as they graduate.

FOR MY FAMILY:

I wish I could give my mother the pay raise she rightfully deserves. There is no one that does more with less and she deserves more than I can give.

I wish I could give my father a sample of all that I have written this semester, so he can maybe comprehend all of the work I'm doing at SIU.

I wish I could give Roy an endless supply of Coca-Cola, so we don't run out of it when we're getting "All Jacked up!"

I wish I could have two clones. One to spend time with each of my grandmothers, each of whom adore me.

FOR MY FAVORITE SPORTS TEAMS:

I wish I could give the Chicago Cubs the gift of a new owner that would be accountable for the team and would do anything to bring a winner to a fan base dying for a championship. Enter stage left, Mark Cuban.

I wish I could give the Chicago Bears an offense that puts points on the board. That includes a game-breaking running back, a big play wide receiver, an offensive line that isn't offensive and a quarterback with Brett Favre's rocket arm, Peyton Manning's accuracy and Tom Brady's smarts. Ooh, and an offensive coordinator that isn't stuck in the mid '90s.

I wish I could give the Chicago Bulls a new coach and an elite player—unfortunately, the duo that I have in mind for that gift are in Los Angeles.

I wish I could give the Southern Illinois Salukis football team a coach that will carry on the tradition that Jerry Kill started.

I wish I could give the Southern Illinois Salukis basketball team the ultimate motivational speech so they can turn around this 5-5 start and turn it into another Missouri Valley Conference championship and another trip to the NCAA Tournament.

That's all for tonight, folks. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Welcome to the enemies list, NIU

After hiring Southern Illinois University’s football coach Jerry Kill to the same position, Northern Illinois University joins my enemies list (university edition).

This comes less than a week after Kill lead the Salukis to the FCS semifinals and within three points of the championship game. Kill will inherit a mess at NIU. The Huskies are coming off a 10 loss season; of course one of their losses came at the hands of Kill and the Salukis.

All is not lost for Kill who will get a substantial raise at NIU, not to mention the top-notch facilities that come with a D-1 football program (including a new stadium). Coach Kill will also receive some great health benefits, which SIU fans can appreciate especially knowing about his health history.

Coach Kill will also get the (well deserved) full attention of the athletics department because NIU is definitely a football school unlike SIU, which is considered to be a basketball school.

Still, it doesn’t stop me from putting NIU on the list. They were already on my “un-happy list” for putting me on a waiting list for entrance to their university, which is fine by me because SIU has much more going on in the journalism department than NIU ever will.

And honestly, if it wasn’t for its proximity to the Chicagoland area, NIU would be nothing but cement in the middle of a cornfield. And don’t even think about saying Carbondale is the same because technically, SIU is in the middle of a national forest.

There are so many reasons that coach Kill should have stayed a Saluki. He built this program into a perennial championship contender that has produced productive NFL players such as Baltimore Ravens linebacker Bart Scott and New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs.

At one point, the SIU football program was on the brink of being eliminated before Kill came to town and turned around the Saluki football program.

I have two concerns about Kill’s hiring at NIU.

My primary concern is the Salukis. Where do they go from there? Athletic director Mario Moccia said that there will be a nationwide search for Kill’s replacement, though I have no clue where SIU would start. It was a much easier transition for the basketball team when Bruce Weber’s top assistants Matt Painter (who since has moved on to Purdue) and Chris Lowery stepped in after Weber left for the University of Illinois.

The basketball program has one of the nation’s most notable coaching trees which starts with Weber and branches off with Painter and Lowery. It is a coaching tree that could branch out more if top-notch assistants Rodney Watson and former Saluki star Brad Korn are offered D-1 jobs.

I digress. Next concern.

What if he is unable to revitalize the Huskies? I don’t doubt that he can, his body of work at SIU can speak for itself. However, it’s a different ballgame recruiting D-1 talent, especially up north where he will be battling Ron Zook and the Fighting Illini for the top recruits. What if his health gets in the way of his coaching or recruiting?

If somehow Kill fails, all you will hear from the pundits up north is that Kill was a terrible hire who was out of his league at a D-1 school. However, all of southern Illinois will know about how coach Kill saved a program that was nearly wiped off the map.

And really, why leave SIU? The Salukis lost two games in 2007. The Huskies won two. Besides, the Saluki is a much cooler dog than a Huskie.

For your entertainment, the enemies list (university edition):

1. Duke University men’s basketball. I’m a big North Carolina fan. Had it not been for cost, I would have attended UNC-Chapel Hill instead of SIU. Both have top journalism programs.
2. Ohio State University football. I’m also a big fan of Michigan football, mostly because it seemed like they were on TV every week and winning big games. It’s called a rivalry, and they’re at the top of the list.
3. University of Illinois basketball. They took Bruce Weber from SIU, which started three consecutive years of SIU having a different head coach. They also will not play SIU’s men’s team, and really have no reason not to.