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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2015 22:21:07 GMT -5
Maybe they are better than the 2011 team, maybe not. 2011 was a down year anyway. Neither UCLA nor Illinois of 2011 could have beaten any of the Final Four teams of 2008 and probably none of the Final Four teams from 2009 either. It depends on the day. The NFL's 2007-2008 Patriots were unstoppable. Not many teams in NFL history could come close to matching their offensive firepower. They beat the NY Giants in their last match of the regular season, then in the Super Bowl, well, this happened...
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Post by Illinifan4life on Aug 31, 2015 1:18:58 GMT -5
Let's not be crazy. This years team is only better at two of the seven positions, with at best ties in a couple of the others, than the 2011 team. This year has a better setter and libero, but the runner-up team had advantages at pretty much every other place. You're right - let's not be crazy This years team has a better setter, libero,middle,and an OH that will most likely beat the school record for kills.. So possibly not comparable piece by piece but as a whole might just possibly be better. I'm not going to get ahead of myself though, perhaps next weekend will give us a better indication with some stiffer competition. This team has a better setter, but Donnelly already better than Jennifer Beltran? I know it's very close, but Beltran had such soul for playing this game. She never took any point off and was all out all the time. Plus Feldman > Davis in the back row as it sits currently. As for middles, EJ and Dorn were both very good attackers and could finish balls during that 2011 run (both hit approx. .330; Stadick hit .277 last year). Dorn was an incredibly good block, as is Stadick. But last year's team was missing that punch from the middles, which is something the 2011 team had. Also, why do I feel like the contributions Bartsch and Ward made are being grossly overlooked? INCREDIBLY TOUGH players who did what was necessary to win, something that I feel our outsides (namely Joc) lack at times. Their mental games and ability to play all 6 rotations were spectacular. Bartsch could play back row, Ward could play back row and then both could get kills when necessary. And anything on the RS in 2011 > anything the 2015 Illini can put out there. Bartsch and McMahon please! That 2011 team played with so much mental toughness and heart and did anything it could to win. That is something that is yet to be seen with the 2015 Illini, but obviously there is still time. Go Illini!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2015 14:04:13 GMT -5
You're right - let's not be crazy This years team has a better setter, libero,middle,and an OH that will most likely beat the school record for kills.. So possibly not comparable piece by piece but as a whole might just possibly be better. I'm not going to get ahead of myself though, perhaps next weekend will give us a better indication with some stiffer competition. This team has a better setter, but Donnelly already better than Jennifer Beltran? I know it's very close, but Beltran had such soul for playing this game. She never took any point off and was all out all the time. Plus Feldman > Davis in the back row as it sits currently. As for middles, EJ and Dorn were both very good attackers and could finish balls during that 2011 run (both hit approx. .330; Stadick hit .277 last year). Dorn was an incredibly good block, as is Stadick. But last year's team was missing that punch from the middles, which is something the 2011 team had. Also, why do I feel like the contributions Bartsch and Ward made are being grossly overlooked? INCREDIBLY TOUGH players who did what was necessary to win, something that I feel our outsides (namely Joc) lack at times. Their mental games and ability to play all 6 rotations were spectacular. Bartsch could play back row, Ward could play back row and then both could get kills when necessary. And anything on the RS in 2011 > anything the 2015 Illini can put out there. Bartsch and McMahon please! That 2011 team played with so much mental toughness and heart and did anything it could to win. That is something that is yet to be seen with the 2015 Illini, but obviously there is still time. Go Illini! Spikesquaddittle - I really don't post much because I find it extremely cowardly to hide behind a fake name on a blog or these kind of sites . If a friend didn't just message me about this It most likely would have gone unnoticed by me because during the season I have a difficult time with all these " experts" on here. Your statement regarding Jocelynn sounds like a angry parent or someone who clearly knows absolutely nothing about my daughter. Mental toughness ? - lmao, you don't even expose who you are, come on here and try trash a young girls reputation and then discuss mental toughness ?! LOL Come on. Brandi and Katie are amazing players in their own right and comparing them in a negative fashion speaks of your character. The fan who posted POSITIVE things about our team - is just that a positive supportive fan . You might want to try that sometime..,.. That 2011 team was phenomenal,no question, but a fan getting excited prompts you degrade this years team? Have a great day and try to enjoy the season. I'm at all the games if you ever want to chat
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Post by jaypak on Sept 6, 2015 16:53:59 GMT -5
Last week Creighton's Coach Booth was interviewed on radio about the Illini Classic. She said she wasn't disappointed with how the Jays played against Illinois but that the Illini showed that Creighton's block needs to improve and that Creighton attacked tentatively and needs to swing more aggressively. She complimented Illinois as a talented team that limits mistakes and won't beat themselves.
As a fan, I appreciated the quality of the free webcast that Illinois provided for the tournament and that the webcast covered the non-Illinois games, too. The quality of the teams in the tournament was excellent as well.
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Post by Illinifan4life on Oct 11, 2015 15:55:32 GMT -5
Sooo is this team still better than the 2011 team?
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Post by bigfanofbigfan on Oct 11, 2015 16:12:22 GMT -5
Sooo is this team still better than the 2011 team? Will have to wait till December to know..
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Post by SuperSpike on Oct 11, 2015 16:12:55 GMT -5
They are a better TEAM because they set more than the two ridiculously good 2011 outsides. They are a worse team because they don't have two ridiculously good pins.
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Post by Victory At Hand on Oct 11, 2015 18:25:25 GMT -5
They are not even close to the 2011 Runner-up team, not even half as good!
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Post by Illinifan4life on Oct 11, 2015 22:40:11 GMT -5
They are a better TEAM because they set more than the two ridiculously good 2011 outsides. They are a worse team because they don't have two ridiculously good pins. Have you seen this year's team lately? Set to Birks, set to Birks, set to Strizak, set to Strizak, set to Birks. It's like clockwork recently.
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Post by mplssetter on Oct 11, 2015 23:05:44 GMT -5
This is why starting a thread like this is a bad idea.
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Post by SuperSpike on Oct 11, 2015 23:17:24 GMT -5
True, they do default left to win when down or passing poorly, but I think they know the 2011 OH distribution won't work the same without those two. And this year they have the setter/RH/MB to get a good enough spread to do post-season damage. I'm assuming that's the plan when passing stabilizes.
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Post by 2muchbs on Oct 11, 2015 23:55:22 GMT -5
They are a better TEAM because they set more than the two ridiculously good 2011 outsides. They are a worse team because they don't have two ridiculously good pins. Have you seen this year's team lately? Set to Birks, set to Birks, set to Strizak, set to Strizak, set to Birks. It's like clockwork recently. IF you've actually watched and comprehend what's going on you'll know that she attempts to get the OP and the middles going . Specifically in the Penn State game she avoided the OH to start By the third set she had no choice but to set them or be swept. Strizak started the ralley and then Birks smashed through the block over the block and around the block to catch them up and they ended up taking that set and almost the 4th. Poulter knows how to move it around so one can assume they haven't connected yet enough to produce or they can't. Either way if they would have started setting the OH they might have won. Maybe off topic why do you call yourself "illinifan" Or is it just this team in particular that you don't care for. It's just so odd that you argue to discredit your own team.
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Post by Illinifan4life on Oct 12, 2015 0:51:22 GMT -5
Have you seen this year's team lately? Set to Birks, set to Birks, set to Strizak, set to Strizak, set to Birks. It's like clockwork recently. IF you've actually watched and comprehend what's going on you'll know that she attempts to get the OP and the middles going . Specifically in the Penn State game she avoided the OH to start By the third set she had no choice but to set them or be swept. Strizak started the ralley and then Birks smashed through the block over the block and around the block to catch them up and they ended up taking that set and almost the 4th. Poulter knows how to move it around so one can assume they haven't connected yet enough to produce or they can't. Either way if they would have started setting the OH they might have won. Maybe off topic why do you call yourself "illinifan" Or is it just this team in particular that you don't care for. It's just so odd that you argue to discredit your own team. I am an Illini fan through and through, and I will be forever. I care so much for this team, this is Jocelynn's last season so I think this is one of the last shots we have at getting back to the Final Four. It's just discouraging to watch a team with so much talent not take advantage of it. We could be great, but terrible communication, shaky defense, and a decently consistent attack have plagued this team. I watch every match and I do comprehend what happens. I understand that Poulter attempts to get the RS and middles involved, but towards the end of sets when they try to close them out it's all OH, OH, OH, OH. My biggest thing is predictability. It's what destroyed any hope at the 2012 season. I believe that predictability (or lack thereof) plays an incredible role in determining success of a team. When there is a long rally going, Poulter keeps going to the outsides 5, 6, or 7 times. When blocks of OSU or PSU can set up and get the proper angle, our success is going to be very limited. I have confidence in our middles and decent confidence in our RS that they could put one down in a change of pace situation to catch the opposing defense in putting everyone to stop our OHs. That's all I want. I trust Jordyn, but I do think her decision-making needs to be a bit better for us to find success as we finish the season.
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Post by Victory At Hand on Oct 12, 2015 0:51:38 GMT -5
Give them another Bartsch and Ward and then maybe!
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trojansc
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All-VolleyTalk 1st Team (2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017), All-VolleyTalk 2nd Team (2016), 2021, 2019 Fantasy League Champion, 2020 Fantasy League Runner Up, 2022 2nd Runner Up
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Post by trojansc on Oct 12, 2015 2:00:23 GMT -5
Give them another Bartsch and Ward and then maybe! Ughh... Bartsch and Ward still give me nightmares.
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