Interview with myself–Illini Basketball Edition

Dad requested that I start blogging again. . . I will post this entry I’ve been working on, as I think he will enjoy the videos. . .During football season, I will have to do a football edition!

My dad 🙂

You’re obviously a huge Illini fan. . . what’s that all about?

*little* illini_girl

My family had season tickets to games. . . my grandparents had season tickets to games. . . and I went to lots and lots and lots of games. . . starting in kindergarten.  I still remember my first game day.  I have really good memories of all the players going back to ’84.  My mom worked in athletics, and we traveled for games, too.  It was very fun and exciting for me.

What is your favorite Illini memory as a kid?

Me at the Regional Finals in Minneapolis!

Definitely going to the Regional Finals in ’89.  Staying in the same hotel as all my favorite players and running into them and getting autographs.  (Mom and my grandma saw one of my favs, P.J. Bowman, in the hotel lobby and told him that he was my favorite. . . and HE CAME TO OUR ROOM TO GIVE ME HIS AUTOGRAPH!!!  When there was a knock on our door, I assumed it was Mom and Gma coming back. . . but nope!  It was P.J.!  Awesome thing for him to do. . . ).  One night we went to dinner with some people, and one of the girls we were out with was in college and friends with the players.  She took me to their room, and they took my press guide inside and got everyone in the room to sign it.  I was on CLOUD NINE.  🙂

The funny thing is, I was only in 4th grade, but I remember being SO NERVOUS during those games.  The games were really close, and I remember going to the bathroom a ton because I couldn’t stand to watch because I was so nervous!  (Yes, not the point of going to watch a basketball game, I know!)

Is it true that you and Kim B. memorized the Illini Rap that the players made in ’89?

ABSOLUTELY!. . . I can still recite parts of it! . . . because I’m *that* cool.  Kim and I taped it off the radio and listened to it ONE MILLION times and wrote down all the words.  🙂

Who is your favorite all-time Illini?

Seriously.  I cannot answer that.  There are way too many for different reasons whether it be their playing style, their personalities, or funny interactions that we had on trips.  ( I just tried to name my favorites, but it was a ridiculously long and rambling list. . . so I deleted it. )

What’s your favorite Illini basketball trip memory with your sister?

I actually have a lot. . . This one technically doesn’t have anything to do with a game. . . but I think my favorite was when we skipped our college classes on a Thursday and Friday one year and went to the Big Ten Tourney.  Mom and Christine had to work on Thursday, but Illinois had a bye. . . so Sar and I played in Chicago.  We were poor college kids and didn’t want to spend much money and had time to kill.  We ended up going to Disney Zone (was that what it was called?). . . like a Disney Dave and Buster’s. . . we had so much fun!  There is lots of strange and funny stuff from that trip that my sister and I reminisce about.  I think that’s the trip we moved the roll-away around the hotel. . . and that is the trip we slept with GLOVES, SCARVES, and HATS.  Long story.

My sis waiting for the shuttle! I can see why people think we look alike in this pic!

What’s your favorite basketball memory from a game you watched as a kid on TV?

I’m pretty sure it was this one. . . I might have the details wrong, but I swear that a big snow storm was getting ready to hit Illinois, and they announced a snow day for the next day DURING this game. . . so I got to stay up late and watch it. . . so awesome.  This video brings back SO MANY fun memories. . . LOVED this team:

What is your favorite recent game?

Come on. . . Do you have to ask?

Yes, I took this picture! 🙂

Are you superstitious at all when it comes to games?

Yes.  Sometimes I am certain that my involvement in the game and whether or not I watch the game does affect the outcome.  (I realize this does not make sense, but that’s me. . . )

Please tell me you don’t wear orange and blue underwear on game days. . .

Alright, I can tell you that I don’t. . . but I usually do.

What’s that about???

Okay, I don’t make a concious effort or anything. . . but when I’m getting dressed on a game day, and I have orange or blue underwear available. . . then, of course, I wear them. . . HELLO?  WHO WOULDN’T???

Go Illini. . . BTT and MM, here we come!