Illinois blogger predicts they will beat Michigan on 10/12/19
Edit: Sorry if already posted
Robert (@aLionEye), longtime Illini blogger and who Brian once called "the world's most dedicated Illini fan," has been pumping one day that Illinois football will return to glory: October 12, 2019. That's the day he says Illinois will beat Michigan.
Of course, this piqued my interest, and I enjoy reading Big Ten blogs, so I thought I'd find out more about it. Well, turns out this gentlemen is pretty damn obsessed with the 2019 game against Michigan. (Should we really be that surprised?)
From what I can gather, it started from a mailbag post:
@ALionEye How long before College Game Day comes to Illinois.
— Kevin Butcher (@KevinAButcher) March 8, 2016
Pretty sure I have this one already picked out: Saturday, October 12, 2019 vs. Michigan.
Why so long in the future? Well, Gameday only goes to 12 spots every year and we're just not going to be that relevant yet. Perhaps it could happen in the 2018 season, but the home schedule that year (Kent State, WIU, South Florida, Penn State, Purdue, Minnesota, Iowa) doesn't really scream "big matchup that brings Gameday to town".
So get your tickets now for October 12, 2019. Illinois will be 5-0 (beat Akron, UConn, Eastern Michigan, Nebraska, and Minnesota). Michigan will be 5-0 (probably). Night game (I'll demand it). The demons of 2000 swirling around the stadium. And then...
Our Moment.
He has reiterated it again:
Instead, when we take the field on October 12, 2019 against Michigan and exorcise the demons of September 2000, Jamal Milan will take the field as the gigantic anchor in the center of the defense.
And again:
Which means I'm back to October 12, 2019. Our next game against Michigan. At home. At night (it better be at night). When New Illinois takes on Old Michigan.
Between this Michigan game and that Michigan game, we're going to see maybe 75 repairs. A freshman will start at some position next year, and then another new freshman will win that same spot in 2018. Lots of data points, no real turning points.
Until October 12, 2019, of course. Which I've already overhyped. But really, that's the moment.
October 12, 2019.
He repeats it all the time on his twitter feed, and says it every night before he goes to bed.
October 12, 2019. Now a scant 743 days away! https://t.co/kMMUaiaRpK
— Robert (@ALionEye) September 30, 2017
Save the date, I guess.
September 30th, 2017 at 4:28 AM ^
They have 742 days to get those away locker rooms ready for us
September 30th, 2017 at 7:44 AM ^
Rage on, Illinois. Rage on.
September 30th, 2017 at 11:40 AM ^
Seems kind of safe to predict it now. We'll see how he's talking in September, '19, if we're all still here.
September 30th, 2017 at 10:07 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 7:51 AM ^
I am too, he needs professional help.
September 30th, 2017 at 12:14 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 12:16 AM ^
Nonsense. Lovie was a terrible hire. A face-saving hire by an administration that favors "looking good" over winning. He is a washed up NFL coach who is making millions a year in retirement. He has zero incentive to win/do well at Illinois. He isn't getting back to the NFL and I doubt he wants to strive for a bigger program.
September 30th, 2017 at 12:25 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 1:47 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 9:16 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 9:29 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 11:05 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 11:58 AM ^
At least he's a "name" coach, would likely at least get a recruits attention. Maybe he will get it figured out soon, maybe not. College is a different animal than pro ball, success doesn't always translate.
September 30th, 2017 at 6:29 AM ^
Winning is its own incentive if you are a competitor. I can say with a reasonable amount of surety that Lovie is a competitor. Why would anyone not want to win and win big? Why take a job when you can retire with millions in the bank if you didnt plan on doing your absolute best? Your suppositions are complete nonsense.
September 30th, 2017 at 7:34 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 6:29 AM ^
Winning is its own incentive if you are a competitor. I can say with a reasonable amount of surety that Lovie is a competitor. Why would anyone not want to win and win big? Why take a job when you can retire with millions in the bank if you didnt plan on doing your absolute best? Your suppositions are complete nonsense.
September 30th, 2017 at 12:20 AM ^
... his dedication. He's not trolling M, he just overly optimistic about his team.
September 30th, 2017 at 9:22 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 10:20 AM ^
How do you know how those programs will be in 2019? That's a long way away dude.
September 30th, 2017 at 12:20 AM ^
Robert's a good dude and has experienced a ton of pain in service of Illinois football. If he wants to be optimistic, fine. Being a dick to him is kicking a puppy and says bad things about you.
September 30th, 2017 at 12:24 AM ^
And he's probably been through a lot. But one thing he'll never have to go through is the pain of giving up 65 points to Illinois.
September 30th, 2017 at 12:44 AM ^
No, but he had to go through the pain of scoring 65 points on Michigan. And losing.
September 30th, 2017 at 1:29 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 1:34 AM ^
It was a fun game to watch. Yet at the same time is was depressing.
September 30th, 2017 at 1:49 AM ^
Did you happen to do a lot of tailgating that day? Denard was knocked out of that game and Forcier had to come in.
I wouldn't say the defense was super fun to watch either.
September 30th, 2017 at 4:45 AM ^
I'm just glad that entire era of Michigan football is in the distant past.
September 30th, 2017 at 5:27 AM ^
Defense?
I was there with my girlfriend (her first game ever at the Big House, despite graduating from UM). The last play jailbreak blitz sack happened right in front of us. On the way back to the car, she asked me, "Are all games like that?" I answered, "Fortunately, no."
I still remember Tater was the last man off the field - like he didn't want his last moment of glory to end.
September 30th, 2017 at 6:26 AM ^
OP is not "being a dick" or "kicking a puppy". He's just being a fan same as the Illini blogger.
If this hard on for 10/12/19 had just come from some random Illini poster (not a blogger) and someone here called them out via a board post I doubt you would have jumped into the fracas.
You're just sticking up for your blogging buddie because he's your blogging buddie.
September 30th, 2017 at 11:13 AM ^
Agreed. The post was fine.
September 30th, 2017 at 8:20 AM ^
I went to that game with my wife - one of our first games together, in fact, since we had our kids in 2006 and 2007 respectively.
As we walked out, she asked me if I enjoyed it, and I shot back, "No, not really, not as someone who prefers a good defensive game......and shit, I'm out of whiskey."
We got some whiskey on the way home.
September 30th, 2017 at 10:26 AM ^
I respect your right to like whatever games you choose.. but for me that was one of the most embarassing games as a Michigan fan. Giving up 65 points is just disgraceful.
September 30th, 2017 at 11:04 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 11:35 AM ^
Very true.. but still no defense.
September 30th, 2017 at 7:27 AM ^
Predicting Gameday coming there was arguably crazier.
September 30th, 2017 at 9:49 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 12:50 PM ^
Muck Fichigan shirts.
September 30th, 2017 at 8:21 AM ^
Seems a bit harsh to call anybody a "dick" for this post. What is "dickish" about it?
September 30th, 2017 at 11:02 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 11:25 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 11:39 AM ^
I bet he is a good person.
However, if you are repeatedly making a prediction more than 2 years out about a "heated rivalry game" while talking of "revenge" from a game in the year 2000 - you should expect some good natured ribbing back. Otherwise it wouldn't be college football.
September 30th, 2017 at 12:20 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 12:21 AM ^
The Internet, where anybody can say anything. I wouldn't get too worked up about it.
September 30th, 2017 at 12:21 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 12:22 AM ^
September 30th, 2017 at 12:34 AM ^
Pick a new date for the apocolypse.
September 30th, 2017 at 9:24 AM ^
I have a strong feeling he'll be disappointed well before Oct 13.