NeifiIsMyHomeBoy

Well that might be one of the best rotations ever. Holy crap.

Maybe. However Iowa was actually a pretty good team, albeit one who was clearly struggling at the time. Illinois is an average team, but the fans probably thought the team was better than they were at the time, which is what made the loss so stunning (if it wasn't stunning enough to be the first d1a team to lose to Minnesota all season). Of course, that's hardly the first Zook-like loss in the tenure... 2009: Beaten easily by a terrible Indiana team for IU's only win in 2 years (until the PU win this year) 2007: Home loss to average Iowa team prevents Illinois from winning Big Ten (this is the year they won at Ohio State to prevent them from being in the National Championship game). 2005: Losing 61-14 to a 2-6 MSU squad to kick off the Zook regime. 2007: I'm almost positive that game was at Iowa. And if I recall correctly the would be winning TD was called back on a penalty. That whole season was inexplicable in a good way. We also could have beat Michigan at home, but Kyle Hudson had something to say about that.

Backup QB is overrated, especially in a league where star QBs make all the difference. It just doesn't make a ton of sense to invest heavily in backup QB for guys like Rodgers/Brady/Manning. Right, until they get injured. Its not like Rodgers has had a clean bill of health his entire career. He took a lot of hits last year, and the line play has not been great in front of him. There's better options out there then Matt Flynn. Who Todd Collins? Shaun Hill, David Carr, Jim Sorgi all come to mind.

Backup QB is overrated, especially in a league where star QBs make all the difference. It just doesn't make a ton of sense to invest heavily in backup QB for guys like Rodgers/Brady/Manning. Right, until they get injured. Its not like Rodgers has had a clean bill of health his entire career. He took a lot of hits last year, and the line play has not been great in front of him. There's better options out there then Matt Flynn.

I agree Jersey, we aren't beating NE without Rodgers, but I think a better backup could have won us the Detroit game. That's why I'm frustrated with Thompson.

I can't comment medically, but I think he needs to do whatever is best for his health. If he doesn't want to or cannot play then so be it. If Ted Thompson had signed a better backup QB in the offseason, this injury wouldn't nearly have the sting it currently does.

Naming every trophy after two people is annoying and unnecessary. I can't wait to hoist the Grange-Paterno Championship Trophy. Jesus, how politically correct did they need to be with this thing? Would anyone really get their panties in that big of a wad if it was just the Grange Trophy or the Paterno Trophy?

BUT MICHIGAN AND PENN STATE WIN 10 GAMES EVERY YEAR!!! Plus you have to split Indiana and Purdue up since they are historically the two best basketball schools in the Big Ten. Please tell me this crap doesnt carry over to basketball. I could have sworn there were no divisions in basketball. I don't think they do, but I wanted to rehash that old comedy gem. That was a classic. These logos are awful, they are the color of what I would expect a tissue or tampon box to be.

BUT MICHIGAN AND PENN STATE WIN 10 GAMES EVERY YEAR!!! Plus you have to split Indiana and Purdue up since they are historically the two best basketball schools in the Big Ten. Please tell me this crap doesnt carry over to basketball. I could have sworn there were no divisions in basketball.

/facepalm.

Don't you get it? The logo can say B10 or BIG or BIGTEN or B10TEN I hate the color. I feel dirty looking at that thing.

I love having the network, but it really could be som much more than it really is. Why don't they have more concentration on recruiting? Why don't they have some stat guys on there that can really talk about the players and the teams, not just old players who are clearly biased towards their old schools? I hope it gets better. I'd settle with some new advertisers. Rotel chili and velveeta has to go.

Go Vikings.

He lost his all pro Tight end. His 1200 yard rusher. Driver has been battling injuries as well, and today he lost his all pro QB. He does struggle at times at play calling but come on. He's way too predictable. When I as an average NFL fan can sit in a bar, read the formation, and know what play is called you are too predictable. Secondly, I am not criticizing the play calls with Flynn in the game, the offense was awful in the first half as well. He's had an entire year to adjust to Grant being gone (I can't remember what week Finley got injured but it was also early), and Driver is not as important as he once was. Lastly, we just choked away any chance at the division by scoring three points against the Lions. The [expletive] Lions. Quit defending this boob.

McCarthy's play calling has and will always be rubbish. Its time for a change, he's had plenty of time to get this team where it can go, and has failed miserably.

As I said after the Falcons game, leave the rest of the staff and bring in Gruden. With Grant and Finley coming back there's no reason we can't win the Super Bowl next year. This year has been a disaster on so many levels, hopefully Rodgers' concussion is not severe, but this is the second one this year. I'm starting to worry about his durability long term.

This sucks. No playoffs. This is easy to pin on the Rodger's injury but the first half was pitiful. Please can McCarthy, we weren't ready to play against an inferior opponent in a must win game.

Should be interesting to see how Wilf uses this to argue for the new stadium.

Yeah, sounds like they're leaning that way. They have all the essential personnel in place for the Packers/Lions game today, and sounds like they'll just keep them in place one more day for the game tomorrow night. My money is on the game being played in Detroit. So, whats the attendance going to be at this game? I'd guess somewhere around 15K.

1. I hope no one was hurt. 2. I'm going to make the assumption that they wont be playing there tomorrow night, so where does the game get moved to? Chicago? Green Bay? St. Louis?

The Langford commitment has me geeked out. Do we go after Steve Taylor out of Simeon now for 2012? Either way, I think our best chance for our next commitment is Mr. Hamilton in 2013. Or at least I hope he'll pull the trigger soon.

Devin Langford is officially committed to Illinois. Sweet.

I sat Garcon as well. I feel your pain.

Wait, are you serious? What he did to the program? Yeah, getting to the national championship was a black eye for the program. Oh you know, not winning a tournament game in 5 years. Acting like a total ass bag cry baby over the Eric Gordon situation. Allowing Jamar Smith to remain on the team. Bruce has done PLENTY to give the program a bad name. His tenure has been troubled and controversial to say the least. Its about wins and losses and if he doesn't start winning soon, he needs to be gone. The Gordon situation was crap. Gordon screwed the program in 07-08. Jamar Smith got booted from the team soon after Bruce gave him a last chance. Bruce has done PLENTY to give the program a fantastic name, and is now recruiting as well or better than practically anyone before him, especially from Chicago. His tenure has only been troubled and controversial if you completely ignore 2005, the coaching he did with little talent from 2007-2009, and the talent he's been able to bring in since. Its the same argument over and over. If you want to talk about his coaching job in 2007-2009 you have to recognize that it was his own doing. We've missed the tourney in two of the past three years. Bruce only won a tournament game in the first three years of his tenure. Tell me that is not a failure at Illinois. I like what he's put together now, and I support him (presently) but he's got to produce.

I'm not advocating firing him, at this point it would be dumb. I just think we need to look at his tenure and recognize the good with the bad. Things are looking up now, but he needs to come up with results.