Eureka
Posted by Ben on January 18th, 2005
Following up on my last post…
NEWS FLASH! Dick Vitale speaks well of the Illini (finally!).
I don’t think it’s any secret that the best team has been the Fighting Illini. There is no doubt that Illinois has had a fantastic start, and the fans in Champaign should be jumping with joy.
Coach Bruce Weber’s team has a dynamite backcourt, Deron Williams and Dee Brown. When you play that efficiently on the perimeter, you always have a chance to win. Just look at how good Wake Forest is, but the Illini won a mismatch, a no-contest 91-73 victory over the then-No. 1 Demon Deacons on Dec. 1.
Illinois also dominated Cincinnati 67-45 on a neutral court in Las Vegas. Those wins say a lot about the Flyin’ Illini. That’s right, I remember when the Flyin’ Illini reached the Final Four in 1989. Coach Lou Henson was on the sidelines. This year’s Illini also have the potential for special things.
Coach of the Midseason — Bruce Weber, Illinois
A Big Ten lifer and a Midwesterner at heart, Weber has done an outstanding job getting his team to blend into a unit. The Illini have played sensational basketball.
Man…if Dickie V keeps talking nice, I may have to reassess my world-view. 
Oh wait…he still has Kansas as #1 (Illinois #2) in his Sensational 16. Bad Dickie V…no soup for you!