Bob Zuppke
@BobZuppke
Followers
9K
Following
11K
Media
557
Statuses
15K
Mainly Illini Football and Recruiting. Some Illini Basketball.
Joined August 2016
Me when Illinois makes it to Indy and loses by nine touchdowns to Ohio State
37
114
2K
Coleman stuck with us the whole time and left us with an Elite Eight. Illini legend.
8
92
2K
Juwan Howard is on the phone with Kevin Warren right now seeing about postponing this second half.
9
117
1K
Ayo will be the story, but DaMonte hit the biggest shot of his life to tie it up.
21
31
1K
Trent and DaMonte showed up five years ago when we were at our lowest. They left us with this.
7
94
1K
May Luke Goode never lose to Indiana and may Brandon Podziemski never lose to Wisconsin.
10
26
1K
Illinois gets to send their entire staff out to recruit with a 6-1 record and all the momentum in the world.
4
51
1K
Kofi: “they didn’t want us to be champs so we just came in and took it.”.
4
60
1K
Horrible offense, tons of turnovers, best player can’t buy a bucket, six charges called against you, bad goaltend call late, all against the #2 team in the country at the Garden. Still find a way. That’s one hell of a win.
11
49
1K
Four years ago this week, we lost 45-7 to Wisconsin on our way to a 2-6 season and firing Lovie Smith. On Saturday, Memorial Stadium is sold out in a nationally-televised game where we have a chance to get to 6-1 and legitimately be in the playoff discussion. Bret Bielema.
16
55
1K
Brad Underwood has brought this program all the way back. I’m so happy for that guy.
10
44
1K
I’m trying to put into words how badly Damonte would beat the shit out of Fran’s kid and I can’t even do it.
11
68
901
Whoops I accidentally retweeted this.
9
98
911
Bielema walks into Camp Randall and curb stomps Wisconsin. This is the best day of my life.
10
51
905
We’ve stuck around through Beckman, Cubit, and Lovie. It’s finally paying off. And we deserve it.
13
66
897
Watching a once-proud program now arguing this should have been a penalty to erase their 4th and mile in overtime is perfect.
27
26
898
Loyola was good. Houston is good. But eventually we need to win tournament games we aren’t supposed to and stop with the “Illinois got screwed by the Committee” narrative.
53
22
871
Think back to how far in the gutter this program was just a handful of years ago. Incredible what Bielema has been able to do here. This is who we’ve been waiting for.
11
42
863
What’s preventing us from putting our own “Substitution Jesus” in the north endzone?
21
44
836
Elite Eight and a 10 win football season. Going to be hard to top 2024.
11
37
830
Underwood has struggled lately, in my opinion. I also think that if you believe Underwood is on the hot seat or that we’d be better off without him, you’re out of your mind.
43
28
831
An “Eric Gordon’s Pizzeria” banner at Assembly Hall while Illinois and Chester Frazier pound Indiana is just 🤌
14
32
794
Coleman Hawkins goes from the doghouse to the MVP of the game that wins the Big Ten.
9
8
774
We sit through the years and years of pain for the few moments like this. Love you all. I-L-L.
12
45
755
You just know Abraham Lincoln would have been so fucking pumped for Illinois football this season.
12
34
775
Nimari Burnett and Coleman Hawkins were high school teammates. Burnett was top 40. Hawkins was unranked. Burnett scored 4 points tonight and watched Hawkins come to town, win by 15, and put up 21-10-4-6.
11
27
752
We’re bowl eligible on October 15th and the favorite in the West. *collapses*.
9
41
719
Nebraska has no coach. Wisconsin has no coach. Iowa seems content without an offense for the foreseeable future. Northwestern is trash. Very encouraged by where Illinois currently sits.
12
27
712
I really, really hope Curbelo comes back next year. Melendez and Hawkins have crazy-high ceilings. Love the freshmen coming in and think you have a good chance to add a couple more high impact kids for next year. Oh yeah, and Kofi could come back.
19
24
703
So incredibly cool that #6 got on a plane for this.
I am incredibly proud of @duvalpat3 for tying the @IlliniFootball single season touchdown record! PB is in the pantheon of #ILLINI greats. Now it's time to break the record in a big time bowl game on National TV! #LEGENDARY #ILL #ILLINOISFOOTBALL
2
12
741
Imagine being a casual basketball fan and watching Illinois for the first time in years and thinking Giorgi Bezhanishvili is the greatest player on the planet.
6
16
713
Isaiah Williams embracing the move to wide receiver and not immediately hitting the transfer portal (at a time when it’s never been easier to do so) makes him one of my all-time favorites.
8
19
687
“That’s just Big Ten basketball”. *calls handcheck next trip down*.
20
66
679
I just took a charge on my wife while she was trying to go in the other room I am so fucking locked in right now.
8
22
691
I really enjoyed Frischilla saying Jaylen Clark already has his vote for national defensive POY on November 18th then Shannon hanging 29 and 10 on Clark.
16
34
673
Beating Iowa on their senior night with their tournament bid on the line has got to be what doing heroin is like.
7
26
684
Not to sound like a boomer, but I do feel less “connected” to this Illini basketball team than any in my lifetime. I didn’t know who most of these guys were a few months ago and recent history suggests they won’t be Illini just a few months from now. Totally new era of fandom.
79
9
675
Move the horseshoe as close as is legally possible to the edge of the end zone. Upgrade the seating. Put a bar underneath it. Put a hall of fame underneath it. Put a beer garden at the very top of it.
17
31
662
We’ll never see another Kofi. Going to root like hell for him to make it to the league.
6
9
649
Whole lot of Illinois kids headed north to play for PJ and just got their asses kicked at home in year one by the orange and blue.
16
29
627
Remember 63-0? Remember lasagna? Remember “not a dagger to the heart of the program?”. 10 wins. We have our guy. Build the statue.
10
22
654
During the best run of basketball in the last 15+ years of our program, Andre Curbelo was our best player. It’s amazing how confident Illinois fans are that he’s so easily replaceable because of a down year that was riddled with injuries and other issues.
131
29
621
Illinois just went into Omaha and took an OL away from the Huskers. Not your father’s Illinois football.
13
27
636
If I’m a Michigan State fan, I leave that game thinking that Illinois beats us by double digits on a neutral court.
57
18
648
Your ninth player came in and changed the entire game. That’s depth.
6
14
619
Whitman: "We're still saving space for an additional statue of any head coach who can consistently win 7 freakin' games here.".
3
27
625
We’ve sat through years of good players from this state choosing to play for Fleck and Fitzgerald over Illinois. In year one, Bielema goes to Minneapolis and sinks the boat then dismantles Fitzee at home. Changes are coming.
7
52
599
We’re almost up by 30 and we’re still diving for loose balls, beating the defense down the court, and making unselfish plays. Brad Underwood has built another monster.
6
20
621
It’s way too early to be at the airport already but Illinois just beat the “hottest team in the SEC” and we return almost everyone next season. Happy new year love you all.
9
13
612
I’d crawl through broken glass to be glued to the piss floors at old Kam’s right now.
7
36
600
That Ryan Walters went from an assistant whose departure Missouri fans celebrated to the head coach of a Big Ten program in two years is a testament to Bret Bielema.
10
23
591
Ayo Dosunmu has made Illinois basketball cool again.
5
8
580
Tre White is such a good fit on this team. My Louisville friend watched the Oregon game and couldn’t believe what kind of player he’s become at Illinois.
4
11
609
This team just seems so susceptible to getting Loyola’d again.
32
18
565
If you’re scared of Chattanooga in the first round, your expectations aren’t high enough.
22
14
558
I don’t know how you Bears fans watch the Illini on Saturday and the Bears on Sunday every fall.
39
32
566
If you say this team is better without Andre Curbelo, you are an absolute moron.
27
26
558
If I was the Illini coach, I would have the greatest walk-on program. Just always two or three spot-shooting bruisers from Class A programs. Tell me with a straight face that you wouldn’t love to see some 6’4 fat kid from T-Town out there setting screens and just wrecking shit.
30
52
557
Pretty cool that the two active NBA players from Illinois are Ayo and Malcolm Hill - easily two of the most likeable players to ever play for us. I’ll be rooting like hell for Malcolm to stick.
7
18
552
Tournaments are weird. I’m as disappointed as anyone but we’ve been the best Big Ten team over the last three years and just won the league. We’ll be fine.
22
32
537
One of the most enjoyable Illini regular seasons of my entire life. The future is so, so bright.
10
24
542
That’s a game Illinois loses without Damonte Williams. That kid has worked his ass off and become a pretty nice player. Knows his role and fills it so well.
8
12
546
Marquez Beason loved Illinois football as much as we do and chose us when he had far better options on the table. I will always root for that kid.
8
18
517
Cowardly offensive playcalling with a chance to ice the game. Devito is one of the most efficient passers in the country, so passing probably keeps the clock moving. Such a heartbreaker.
42
28
516
The premier conference in college athletics allows the product to be destroyed by running out a bunch of clowns to officiate every game. It’s pathetic.
17
41
539
It’s pretty simple. No one really cares about the BTT win last year because of Loyola. No one will care about the BTT loss this year if we avoid another Loyola.
13
17
523
Big win for Mizzou and their fans. They were tougher and better coached. This Illinois team is far too talented to come out and get waxed like this. Underwood needs to take a long look in the mirror. I’m sick of the hype, the hashtags, the dancing - go win some damn games.
24
52
513
The unsung hero of this season has been Josh McCray. He’s stepped up and provided so much stability in the run game and in pass protection. Easily could have quit or transferred after a couple injury-riddled, down seasons.
10
11
533
Illini basketball starts on Friday in a season where they’re expected to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012-2013. On Saturday, Illini football has a chance to win three straight Big Ten games for the first time since 2007. Progress.
6
44
513
Just pulled onto the highway in Colorado behind this guy. UConn might be cooked.
3
9
510
What a shitshow of a situation. Go light it up in the NBA, Terrence.
0
9
506
Use this momentum to leverage stadium renovations. Memorial Stadium is a gem and we should invest in it accordingly. There have been missteps, but nothing that can’t be corrected. Money can buy big programs all the new bells and whistles, but no amount of money can buy history.
17
25
510
Isaiah Williams is an all-time Illini and should be First Team All-Big Ten.
9
11
511
Who tests for concussions at Illinois? Curbelo played with one against Marquette and others, Kofi played with one against Purdue, Lovie Smith coached with one for five straight seasons. Seems like an issue.
12
18
500
I don’t remember a season where Illini football rookies are the subject of so much national media attention. Love seeing all the Spoon, DeVito, and now Chase Brown attention.
6
17
499
I hope Underwood and Whitman are working on their presentation to Kofi about his own potential NPOY candidacy next year.
9
10
500
Now we get to watch an offseason of recruiting with a head coach who actually gives a shit, knows what he’s doing, and has something to sell.
8
11
495
Wife: can we maybe not be so dramatic for the tournament this year?. Me: yes. *2 minutes later BYU loses*. Me: if Illinois doesn’t make the sweet 16 this year I’m going to go away for a while.
3
19
499
Underwood’s staff is so well-balanced. Antigua as a national and even international recruiter with a demonstrated ability to develop bigs. Chin with the deep Chicago/AAU connections. Gentry with analytics and familiarity with Underwood’s system. Credit BU for putting it together.
10
13
495
Just sat at the pool and saw a South Carolina fan put down seven beers in under an hour and I haven’t been worried about this game until right now.
14
5
506