clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

#AskTCR: Happy Dingdanged Holidays!

YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, WE HAVE ANSWERS. THOUGH NOT ALL ANSWERS MAY BE TO THE QUESTIONS YOU WERE ASKING.

By Mark Primiano
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to the penultimate mailbag of the year! I can't believe I've been in charge of these for almost an entire year now (R.I.P. Fornelli). It's always a blast writing these, so thank you for sending them in. Most importantly though: happy holidays! Hopefully you get out before your family drives you completely insane.

There are two ways to ask The Champaign Room your questions. You can tweet them at us on Twitter using the hashtag #AskTCR -- it just makes it easier to keep track -- or you can email them to us at mprimia2@gmail.com. And if you've got a personal question and you're worried about your privacy, just tell us. We'll change your name to Tom Crean when we publish it on the site. And remember, you can ask us ANYTHING. It doesn't have to be about Illinois or even sports.

*******

It's not exactly ideal, but it's hardly a death knell for the program. Kansas State seems to do pretty well every year and they import more JUCOs than any other Power 5 team. Tim Beckman isn't Bill Snyder, but it doesn't really worry me. It would be nice if we didn't need the transfers, but the depth issues still aren't completely resolved (especially on the offensive line). If some of them can come in and make the type of impact Geronimo Allison made this year, that would be lovely.

*******

A fine question. Similar facial structures, both have decent touch when throwing a football. I can see where you're coming from. Brad would never do such ridiculous things with his hair nor ride in a stretch Hummer.

*******

If we're only using his off-field issues, he strikes me very much as a Raider. I hope for his own sake he doesn't wind up with the Jets. Him plus the New York media cycle? Not a good combination for anyone. I think he ends up with the Titans though. They'll have a top 3 pick and are in dire need of a quarterback. It seems like as good a match as any.

*******

An email from WilliamsForThreeeeeee-

What is the best Illini buzzer beater? The four that come to mind are Anderson (’89), Kaufman (’93), Griffey (’13), Rice (past weekend).

For me, it has to be the Tyler Griffey Indiana Killshot. Mostly because I'm too young to have memories of Anderson or Kaufman and because Mizzou is terrible this year, which makes Rice's less fun. Griffey sneaking towards the hoop completely unmolested will never not make me happy and I'm pretty sure I scared the hell out of all my neighbors when I started screaming like a madman in my apartment.

*******

Out of the old Rankin/Bass specials, it's definitely the Bumble. Second place would probably be the Snow Miser from the Year Without a Santa Claus. Snow Miser>>>>>>>>Heat Miser and his strange potbelly.

Tangent question though for everyone in the comments section: what's your favorite depiction of Scrooge? With A Christmas Carol being public domain, there is zero shortage of options. My top two are Michael Caine in A Muppet Christmas Carol (currently on in the background as I type this) and Bill Murray in Scrooged.

*******

For whatever reason, your question from last week did not (and does not) appear when I do a simple Twitter search of #AskTCR. Not really sure why it doesn't, but that would be why it wasn't seen last week. No conspiracy, no judgments. Just an odd internet mishap.

Tim Beckman, Kevin Wilson, and Darrell Hazell all received the gift of at least one more year as the head coach of a major program.

Randy Edsall gets a week of not hearing Maryland fans call for his head.

Paul Chryst and Mike Riley both get better jobs, which is a wonderful gift.

Kyle Flood gets to leave New Jersey for a few days.

Michigan gets nothing, because they still somehow haven't hired a new coach.

Mark Dantonio will find a new defensive coordinator under the tree, a gift that makes all us Illini fans extremely jealous.

Urban Meyer gets an entire crate of rabbit feet and horseshoes. He's going to need a lot of luck next week.

Kirk Ferentz now owns both Bettendorf AND Davenport. It's in his contract.

Jerry Kill gets some of those gnawing sticks you buy for your pet hamster. Can't have those incisors overgrowing and get malocludded.

James Franklin and Pat Fitzgerald get coal.

*******

It certainly seems to be. I'm not looking forward to life without Nnanna Egwu next year.

*******

He won't. Michigan has painted themselves into a corner and now have to get Harbaugh. The McCaskey's are a clan of skinflints and won't engage in a bidding war with a college team because that would somehow be beneath them. We cheer for a terribly run professional football team.

*******

Not only will he have a chance, he's got the inside edge. Aaron Bailey will need to have one hell of an offseason to overcome Lunt. I don't see Crouch jumping ahead of both on the depth chart, so it's pretty much Wes' gig to lose.

Follow The Champaign Room on Twitter at @Champaign_Room and Like us on Facebook. You can follow Mark Primiano on Twitter at @SBN_UGod.