Embrace it, don't shrink from the fact that "wherever you go there you are." We are a middling Big Ten squad that currently has one victory and two losses against its mid-tier competition, Northwestern and Minnesota. A stopped clock is correct twice a day and two victories against a Lucasless MSU and Luerless Wisconsin is proof of that.
We are what we are and that appears to be a team with enough talent to be dangerous, but one that is clearly lacking in consistency of effort and concentration. Our Coach is competent yet overly conservative and I'm not buying the argument that we lack sufficient depth to implement a press or impose our will on others.
Don't agonize over what might have been when we can all enjoy a season and a moment, more reminiscent of Mr. Toads Wild Ride than anything we’ve experienced heretofore. I found myself remarkably calm during Illinois' frenzied 26-8 run against Minny that ended with the losing trifecta entry featuring McCamey's leaping errant pass, his fifth foul and DJ's final confidence cramp in the waning seconds. Toss in Bruce's empty “time out drawer” and the confluence of comedy and tragedy was not lost on the most avid and passionate observers.
While buoyed by the influx of talent and the optimism that it breeds; I am plagued by doubts that emanate from the prospect of one of America's preeminent basketball institutions, located in fertile and talent-rich basketball country, missing the Tourney of the second time in three years. Yes, it could be worse as our neighbors and mortal enemies at IU have come to realize; but ours is not a situation bourne out of scandal or coaching turnover. Our woes, to the contrary come most disturbingly on the heels of an eight year tournament run ending in 2007 that featured more victories than any similar period in Illini Basketball history.
Take a deep breath and be mindful that the world is a scary place and perhaps happiness truly is the "new wealth." So here we are, perched on the edge, fighting for life and living in the moment; it's really all good. We are experiencing pain, joy, agony, ecstacy and every other cliqued emotion under the sun and I for one am glad to be in the middle of it. Breath it in and blow it out and know that we are alive and well and fully capable of virtually anything. We can take a punch and keep on fighting or in the words of Robert Montgomery Knight, "we can sit back and enjoy the assault." I for one choose to feel and observe what I cannot control and try like hell to do all that I can to make our world a better place. I'm not angry, I'm not sad, I'm just all in for the Illini and trying to enjoy the ride.
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