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Illinois Fighting Illini (you'll see)

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Hey O-Roughy, I just wanted to pass along a tidbit for you that I heard today to bolster your love for R. Turners recruiting. As told by Rich Eisen or somebody today on serius 124 when discussing the Cutler trade to the Bears. It seems as an Indiana hs qb Illinois was always Cutlers favorite, and he really wanted to play at Ill. Turner supposedly told Cutler that he wasn't good enough to play at Ill, and that they wouldn't be offering him. On down to Vandy he went. As a note, just who was it that played Qb for Ill. those 4 years, when you could have had Cutler?
Joking aside, every program misses on players. It will be interesting with this trade to see if Cutler and Turner can have a happy marriage in their second chance at being partners?
 
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MONTbigBuck;1442818; said:
Hey O-Roughy, I just wanted to pass along a tidbit for you that I heard today to bolster your love for R. Turners recruiting. As told by Rich Eisen or somebody today on serius 124 when discussing the Cutler trade to the Bears. It seems as an Indiana hs qb Illinois was always Cutlers favorite, and he really wanted to play at Ill. Turner supposedly told Cutler that he wasn't good enough to play at Ill, and that they wouldn't be offering him. On down to Vandy he went. As a note, just who was it that played Qb for Ill. those 4 years, when you could have had Cutler?
Joking aside, every program misses on players. It will be interesting with this trade to see if Cutler and Turner can have a happy marriage in their second chance at being partners?
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As one of possibly 4 Illini football fans that has obsessively followed recruiting for 20 years, I am more than familiar with the Jay Cutler/Ron Turner story, unfortunately.

The way I remember it, Cutler's uncle played baseball at Illinois or something, so he was excited to camp in Champaign before his senior season. We became his first offer, and he was on board. But Turner became obsessed with a QB from California named Matt Dlugolecki (who? exactly.) and yanked the offer from Cutler.

Dlugolecki ended up transferring to San Diego State after Jon Beutjer transferred in from Iowa and won the starting job. Beutjer was decent in '02 and '03, but Turner could have possibly saved his job if he had Jay Cutler coming in to throw to maybe a Jason Avant or a Marquis Johnson in '04. Instead it was Chris Pazan and Brad Bower throwing to Lonnie Hurst and Franklin Payne, and, well, you know how that turned out.
 
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OrangeRoughy;1445476; said:
As one of possibly 4 Illini football fans that has obsessively followed recruiting for 20 years, I am more than familiar with the Jay Cutler/Ron Turner story, unfortunately.

The way I remember it, Cutler's uncle played baseball at Illinois or something, so he was excited to camp in Champaign before his senior season. We became his first offer, and he was on board. But Turner became obsessed with a QB from California named Matt Dlugolecki (who? exactly.) and yanked the offer from Cutler.

Dlugolecki ended up transferring to San Diego State after Jon Beutjer transferred in from Iowa and won the starting job. Beutjer was decent in '02 and '03, but Turner could have possibly saved his job if he had Jay Cutler coming in to throw to maybe a Jason Avant or a Marquis Johnson in '04. Instead it was Chris Pazan and Brad Bower throwing to Lonnie Hurst and Franklin Payne, and, well, you know how that turned out.
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OSU fans should probably remember Dlugolecki from the nail-biter of a win over SDSU in 2003. OSU won 16-13 with the only Buckeye touchdown being Will Allen's 100 yard interception return of a Dlugolecki pass.
 
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OrangeRoughy;1445476; said:
As one of possibly 4 Illini football fans that has obsessively followed recruiting for 20 years, I am more than familiar with the Jay Cutler/Ron Turner story, unfortunately.

The way I remember it, Cutler's uncle played baseball at Illinois or something, so he was excited to camp in Champaign before his senior season. We became his first offer, and he was on board. But Turner became obsessed with a QB from California named Matt Dlugolecki (who? exactly.) and yanked the offer from Cutler.

Dlugolecki ended up transferring to San Diego State after Jon Beutjer transferred in from Iowa and won the starting job. Beutjer was decent in '02 and '03, but Turner could have possibly saved his job if he had Jay Cutler coming in to throw to maybe a Jason Avant or a Marquis Johnson in '04. Instead it was Chris Pazan and Brad Bower throwing to Lonnie Hurst and Franklin Payne, and, well, you know how that turned out.
Click to expand...
Nice to hear the full version, as I'm sure the version I heard on the NFL network was homogonized to fit the moment. Still, it can't feel good as an Illinois fan to have a great one slip through your fingers. Maybe Turner will bring Dlugo.. into Bears camp this summer to compete for the starting job, to get that nostalgic feeling?
 
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OrangeRoughy;1411197; said:
Fun fact that you guys may no know: ThaKid first appeared on the Illinois boards pimping himself as a high school linebacking sophomore. He linked an altered article from a Chicago newspaper listing himself as "the top sophomore in the state" who will garner "multiple high major offers in both football and basketball".

In 2006, he moved to a different school (Zion-Benton - the school you guys are getting hoops recruit Lenzelle Smith from). He predicted a state championship, and if memory serves, they finished 1-8. And he failed to make the varsity team.
Click to expand...


Well I guess you guys are probably surprised to see me back...lol. I'm still an Illinois homer and I see some recent activity I posted on the Illinois board is on here...but I told you guys when all this went down I would be back regardless. Well I'm here to eat crow and to reply to this gem...

I pimped myself on the board, yes, but I didn't alter any piece and it wasn't even from a newspaper. My cousin wrote that for me. It was a long little scouting report and honestly not that much wasn't true. I had buzz in Chicago at Dunbar and was being talked about among some of the best freshmen in the city (In a class with Jack Ramsey and Brandon Green).

Well flash forward to moving to Zion and I'm ruled ineligible my sophomore year (Transcript issues) all the while doing nothing but eating and blowing up to around 260 pounds (I was about 190 when I got there) going into my junior year. I had the talent no doubt, even at around 260 pounds (Playing LB/FB) but I was lazy and that's an understatement. I missed many practices, only got a little PT, and was kicked off the team later in the season. I'm pretty sure that wasn't the year I predicted a state title.

My "senior" year was the year I predicted a state title. I sacrificed and played nose guard, a position I never played, since we didn't have a capable one and was a starter. I was improving but I still had problems with missing practice, etc. I missed 3 games (Missing two practices in one week equals no game that Friday). I would've made all conference if I had played every game. I would hardly call that not making the team I actually posted a few pictures if you don't believe me about the team:). It's a lack of discipline, a lack of a lot of things. Ultimately, it was the same for the team as a whole because we had talent...maybe not state championship talent but as you can see on here I can be pretty optimistic.:)

I'm getting ready to go to a junior college for academic mishaps I have made but now I'm working hard on and (More important) off the field to make a impact in college next year. I've lost the weight (Still could bring the body fat down but all that will come with a college training program) and I've started doing what I should've been doing: training. I'm way stronger, way more explosive, way more everything.

I'm not bad or anything, I've just made stupid decisions after stupid decision. I know I will get toasted on here and this story probably means very little if anything to you guys but I just thought I'd clear it up. It's not too far off from what Roughy posted but again I just thought I'd clear it up. It's still worth a laugh if you saw what was being posted. But I will say this...you will hear about me at some point playing football.


Now...back to Illinois recruiting...things are looking good but the only thing I hate is that there are limited scholarships.
 
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ThaKid101;1108967; said:
-Illinois is going to start churning out a lot of pro prospects...very Miami esque. Starting with the 2009 NFL Draft. Vontae Davis, "barring injury or just a horrible campaign is a 1st round pick", Will Davis (Could be another with the really big year some are expecting), Xavier Fulton (Tons of upside...just starting playing LT last year...), etc. are just some of the names for next year. It REALLY takes off with the 2010 NFL Draft (Benn, Wilson, etc.) and after.

-Illinois will win the B10 and go to a BCS this year, setting up a HUGE 2009 when they win it again and win a NC. I can also see them not winning the B10 this year, but I doubt it. I think Illinois will just be too fast, too hungry (ESPECIALLY after that Rose Bowl...a lot of players are as hungry as you can imagine), too tough, too aggressive as well as disciplined for a lot of teams. Any game where they could be unusually undisciplined, they can win just by talent and hunger IMO. I definitely have them winning the B10 and NC (Well I should change that and just say I think they will be undefeated in 2009...you never know how things could go in the BCS...).

-Illinois will become a national power in the next 5-10 years.

That is basically the sum of what I think...
Click to expand...

Still?
 
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ThaKid101;1462636; said:
Well I guess you guys are probably surprised to see me back...lol. I'm still an Illinois homer and I see some recent activity I posted on the Illinois board is on here...but I told you guys when all this went down I would be back regardless. Well I'm here to eat crow and to reply to this gem...

I pimped myself on the board, yes, but I didn't alter any piece and it wasn't even from a newspaper. My cousin wrote that for me. It was a long little scouting report and honestly not that much wasn't true. I had buzz in Chicago at Dunbar and was being talked about among some of the best freshmen in the city (In a class with Jack Ramsey and Brandon Green).

Well flash forward to moving to Zion and I'm ruled ineligible my sophomore year (Transcript issues) all the while doing nothing but eating and blowing up to around 260 pounds (I was about 190 when I got there) going into my junior year. I had the talent no doubt, even at around 260 pounds (Playing LB/FB) but I was lazy and that's an understatement. I missed many practices, only got a little PT, and was kicked off the team later in the season. I'm pretty sure that wasn't the year I predicted a state title.

My "senior" year was the year I predicted a state title. I sacrificed and played nose guard since we didn't have a capable one and was a starter. I was improving but I still had problems with missing practice, etc. I missed 3 games (Missing two practices in one week equals no game that Friday). I would've made all conference if I had played every game. I would hardly call that not making the team I actually posted a few pictures if you don't believe me about the team:). It's a lack of discipline, a lack of a lot of things. Ultimately, it was the same for the team as a whole because we had talent...maybe not state championship talent but as you can see on here I can be pretty optimistic.:)

I'm getting ready to go to a junior college for academic mishaps I have made but now I'm working hard on and (More important) off the field to make a impact in college next year. I've lost the weight (Still could bring the body fat down but all that will come with a college training program) and I've started doing what I should've been doing: training. I'm way stronger, way more explosive, way more everything.

I'm not bad or anything, I've just made stupid decisions after stupid decision. I know I will get toasted on here and this story probably means very little if anything to you guys but I just thought I'd clear it up. It's not too far off from what Roughy posted but again I just thought I'd clear it up. It's still worth a laugh if you saw what was being posted. But I will say this...you will hear about me at some point playing football.


Now...back to Illinois recruiting...things are looking good but the only thing I hate is that there are limited scholarships.
Click to expand...

So in short....you're kind of a douche.
 
Upvote 0
ThaKid101;1462636; said:
Well I guess you guys are probably surprised to see me back...lol. I'm still an Illinois homer and I see some recent activity I posted on the Illinois board is on here...but I told you guys when all this went down I would be back regardless. Well I'm here to eat crow and to reply to this gem...

I pimped myself on the board, yes, but I didn't alter any piece and it wasn't even from a newspaper. My cousin wrote that for me. It was a long little scouting report and honestly not that much wasn't true. I had buzz in Chicago at Dunbar and was being talked about among some of the best freshmen in the city (In a class with Jack Ramsey and Brandon Green).

Well flash forward to moving to Zion and I'm ruled ineligible my sophomore year (Transcript issues) all the while doing nothing but eating and blowing up to around 260 pounds (I was about 190 when I got there) going into my junior year. I had the talent no doubt, even at around 260 pounds (Playing LB/FB) but I was lazy and that's an understatement. I missed many practices, only got a little PT, and was kicked off the team later in the season. I'm pretty sure that wasn't the year I predicted a state title.

My "senior" year was the year I predicted a state title. I sacrificed and played nose guard since we didn't have a capable one and was a starter. I was improving but I still had problems with missing practice, etc. I missed 3 games (Missing two practices in one week equals no game that Friday). I would've made all conference if I had played every game. I would hardly call that not making the team I actually posted a few pictures if you don't believe me about the team:). It's a lack of discipline, a lack of a lot of things. Ultimately, it was the same for the team as a whole because we had talent...maybe not state championship talent but as you can see on here I can be pretty optimistic.:)

I'm getting ready to go to a junior college for academic mishaps I have made but now I'm working hard on and (More important) off the field to make a impact in college next year. I've lost the weight (Still could bring the body fat down but all that will come with a college training program) and I've started doing what I should've been doing: training. I'm way stronger, way more explosive, way more everything.

I'm not bad or anything, I've just made stupid decisions after stupid decision. I know I will get toasted on here and this story probably means very little if anything to you guys but I just thought I'd clear it up. It's not too far off from what Roughy posted but again I just thought I'd clear it up. It's still worth a laugh if you saw what was being posted. But I will say this...you will hear about me at some point playing football.


Now...back to Illinois recruiting...things are looking good but the only thing I hate is that there are limited scholarships.
Click to expand...

In all seriousness, best of luck in getting back on track in your personal life.



Now, since this is the internet.....Go fuck yourslef, c*ckhole. :p
 
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ThaKid101;1462636; said:
I'm not bad or anything, I've just made stupid decisions after stupid decision. I know I will get toasted on here and this story probably means very little if anything to you guys but I just thought I'd clear it up. It's not too far off from what Roughy posted but again I just thought I'd clear it up. It's still worth a laugh if you saw what was being posted. But I will say this...you will hear about me at some point playing football.
Click to expand...

This post really makes me happy, Kid. Seriously. It's the first time I can remember you owning up to all of your talk (mostly). The first step is admitting you were a knucklehead. The second step is preventing a relapse.

A word of advice? Try to mix in some negatives with the thousands of positive vibes you feel towards our Illini tacklers. You got a huge rush out of predicting a big bowl game in 2007 (and you were spot on), and you reinvested that adrenaline into even bigger and better predictions for 2008. Now that those fell flat, learn the lesson.

If 5-7 taught you anything last year, it's this: turning 100 year of mostly misery into a consistent winning program is effing hard work. And there are still dozens of bumps in the road ahead. Realize that Reggie Ellis' arms might just be too short to make a solid, Big Ten D-tackle. That sometimes, a solid 4-star receiver recruit just never pans out (like Marques Wilkins). That as much as we'd love to tout our "sleepers" like Walt Aikens, fans of Iowa and New Mexico State and Baylor and Akron are doing the same thing. With the same 10% success rate.

Whenever I feel my britches getting to big, I do this: I go read an obscure football message board for a smaller program like North Texas or Toledo. And when I read things like "you know, if Henson comes back from his injury 100% and Parker shows the ability that led Iowa State and South Carolina to offer him a scholarship, we might have the top linebacking corps in the conference, if not the country!", I realize that we're all out here in the message board universe doing the same thing: offering each other hope. Sad thing is, the number of games lost by D-I football programs is still hovering right at 50%. Most of the time, as a fan, you have to take your lumps, knowing that the possibilities for that glorious season are few and far between.

That said, 10 wins in 2009, baby! Four-year-starter Juice to 5-star Benn, 5-star Fayson, and 7 other 4-star wideouts! Road games at Purdue, Indiana, and Minnesota? Skipping Iowa and Wisconsin on the schedule? THIS IS OUR YEAR.

I've had enough of the far between. It's time for the few.
 
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Tlangs;1463037; said:
So in short....you're kind of a douche.
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Nah I wouldn't say that...I'm not a bad person to anybody personally, don't make fun of people, etc. I would say I was a bad teammate because I let myself, my teammates and my coaches down as far as being there, playing to my ability, etc.
 
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