On Thursday, I struggled through the Fighting Illini's third consecutive 14+ point loss, a defeat that will likely knock formerly #10 Illinois out of the season's Top 25 for good. The hopeful streak to start the season has been shot down once Big Ten play hits for the third time in four seasons for U of I's major programs - 2011 football: 6-0 to 6-6 and fired Zook; 2011-12 basketball: 15-1 to 17-15 and fired Weber; 2012-13 basketball: 12-0 start to 14-5 and dropping. That was only interrupted by an unsightly 2-10 season from first year football coach Tim Beckman, a year that the glimmer of hope from a first week win over the mighty Western Michigan Broncos was quickly shot dead in the desert by the Sun Devils. That glimmer of Illini hope slowly building only to be strangled by a heartless play and underprepared staff in the conference season has shown itself to be the theme of Illini athletics over the last 8+ years.
I cannot fault the 2012 Cubs for these same peaks and valleys - for the first season in a decade, there was little short-term hope on opening day at Wrigley. While Theo's front office takes stabs at every veteran pitcher bargain on the market and Dale Sveum auditions young guns in the lineup daily, much of the excitement for 2013 will happen forty miles west at Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva as potential stars Albert Almora, Pierce Johnson and Jeimer Candelario take aim at Low-A ball.
Beyond the Illini and Cubs, there are spots for hope in the state of Illinois this year. Much of it rests with talent sown north of the border in the Great White North, while the other is dependent on the recovery of a 10 millimeter wide ligament behind a hometown hero's left leg.
