WAKE UP!

Yesterday was a clarion call for democracy, LGBTQ+ support, immigration reform, refugee support, clean energy support, environmental support, and anti-racism (including indigenous peoples support). 

Yesterday I did a very small part by voting. Today I’m going to do another very small part with this blog that no one reads, I’m going to change the logo.

A while ago, I found out about a movement to adopt the female belted kingfisher as the mascot for the University of Illinois (my and Mrs. Prop’s alma mater). At that time I found a logo made by mickgee2k14 (the artist said I can use it if I attribute it) on reddit that harkens back to the old chief logo, but for the new mascot.
 

In case you didn’t know, the old mascot of the University of Illinois Fighting Illini was Chief Illiniwek. The NCAA required UofI to remove that mascot in 2007 and it's about damn time I do it too.

I'm going to clean this old blog up and try to include support for those issues I mentioned above, because we need to work harder than ever and I'm making a commitment today.

I also feel that fiction can explore possibilities and good or bad, I can't help myself and I write. I plan to post more of my fiction while some old stories and posts are going to go away. 

I hope I can spark some discussion and raise awareness where and when I can. If not, and this blog continues to be unread, I will be doing other things, as I said this is one very small part.

ILL -

Illini Beat Penn State

Funny thing happened while I was watching the Fighting Illini pound the Nittany Lions yesterday, 33-13.

No it wasn't that Joe Paterno looks like a Great Old One.  No, this was even more disturbing than that.

While I was watching, and enjoying the game they showed a highlight of the Texas game.  Apparently they have the world's largest scoreboard there.

Anyway, it was showing the game and suddenly it flashed to what you see in the picture.

What can this mean?  Are we all doomed?

More Orange and Blue Koolaid to Drown My Sorrows

I've found the perfect cup from which to drink my orange and blue koolaid.  The potasium cynaide will go down so much smoother in this beautifully etched crystal.

And I'll be needing it.

The Ilini made a good showing for themselves and I thought they might pull it off until the 4th quarter when they kept making penalties.  Still, it was better than 30-0 which was what they got against Ohio State last year.  It was a fun game to watch too.

The Bears are another story, too TOO painful to watch.  This was definitely a put-your-hands-over-your-ears-and-go-la-la-la-la game.

OMG!  What the heck happened?

I could have sworn this thing had wheels yesterday, but today they seem to have fallen off.

Orange and Blue - Who's Fault

The Fighting Illini Football team were off this week, but Mikel LeShoure got a full page in the Chicago Tribune this Sunday.  I love when Chicago actually acknowledges the Illini.

Bears beat the Packers (curse you Greenbay Packerpus) 20-17 last night.  Unfortunately I couldn't watch, but I listened as long as I could and it sounded non too good at first.

This morning I got right on the highlights on the web and I see Packers fans saying in the same breath, the Bears had no business on the field with the Packers who are the only true Superbowl caliber team in the NFC, while they also say that the Packers gave the game away on penalties.

Excuse me, but Superbowl caliber teams don't GIVE games away and Superbowl caliber teams don't commit three miles of penalties.

But, still they say, the Bears didn't win that game.

Well, if the Bears didn't win it, and the Packers didn't lose it, who is responsible.  Aaron Rodgers gives the Soldier Field crowd credit.  Ok, we'll take that, Chicago won.

Orange and Blue Kool-Aid Time

I suppose a lot of people stumble upon this site (or google upon it) looking for Fighting Illini content. Up until now all those people went away with nothing. I say, "up until now" because from now on I'm going to have some Illini content.


I realized, after an abysmal preseason, that my beloved Bears were going to disappoint me this year, and maybe even match last year when they failed to retool the entire coaching staff. They proved me right yesterday by doing everything they possibly could to lose that game. I guess Detroit is just better at losing than the Bears.

I bleed orange and blue, from when I was a youngster hoping to run like Walter. When I attended the University of Illinois I managed to make only one football game because I was always playing Rugby on Saturdays. After school I could never find the Illini on TV in the Chicago area, I could never find them on the radio either. College football baffled me any way with 10,000 schools and 176 conferences.

I wanted to follow the Illini, don't get me wrong, it was just too difficult. This year I found the Big 10 Network is FREE on my Dish subscription, and WIND AM560 carries the games.

I saw, and heard my first game last Saturday. Oh my. I know it was SIU and not another Big 10 team, but the sights, the Marching Illini, the end zones emblazoned in orange, Block I, the history, the memories. Why had I not tried to do this earlier? Why had I not gone to basketball games when I was at school?

I'm embarrassed that I don't know the words to Oskee Wow Wow, that I don't really know the traditions of the Chief, that I learned the Illinois Loyalty song only while deployed in Afghanistan (in 2004-2005 when they were Number 1 for most of the season). I can't go back and fix that, but I will share my experiences of this season with you if you'd like.

One time while we are being rocketed in Afghanistan I was in a bunker with the DIVARTY Command Sergeant Major. He was from the 25 Infantry Division out of Hawaii, and hadn't been in country long. I had been in Afghanistan for six months by then and these attacks were old hat. I was on the radio working on part of the defense of the base, being the Base Operations Commander, and he seemed to notice our unit's call sign for the first time.

"Illini? That's hard to say. You know, you should be Bobcat, or Badger, something easy to say."

I looked at him square in the eye and said, "We're Illini, Sergeant Major."