FanNation - The Republic of Sport

The crowd goes wild.  OOHHHHH!   OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  TEN SECOND CALL!!!!!!  DAAAAAMN!  And there is Eric Gordon, boy wonder no more, his palms up, his mouth open wide in shock and disbelief.  Did he just throw the game away?

Cause his nonchalance just got spanked.  Double-clutchin', granny-shifting . . guard down, mouthpiece danglin' - Indiana's Eric Gordon, the Illini's public enemy #1, so coolly tried to walk the ball up in an effort to shed the crowd's boos that - Illinois, without having to do a thing, got the ball back with 26 seconds left in double OT because the freshman was just a little too cool with his surroundings.  Awww, man - don't think you all that!  We know you hear us!  Don't think you can just waltz into Illini territory and just walk the ball up! 

That boy - look at him - mistake after brilliance after mistake after brilliance.  Dribbling out along the perimeter - he looses the ball off his foot - but it rolls right to teammate Jordan Crawford, who picks it up and immediately lets fly a 3.  Heh heh - thanks, man.  Then, at the end of regulation, with just seconds left on the possession, he steps back out 25 feet with Brock all over him to coolly knock down a triple, just banking it off the glass, to tie the game up.  3 seconds left - and he fouls Shaun Pruitt underneath the basket scrambling for the rebound to send the big fella to the line - thank God he can't hit the ocean 15 feet out, right? 

And now, now, with 26 seconds left in the second OT and Indiana up by a shaky 3 points, 79-76, he turns the ball over to give them a second chance, a second chance!! to the crowd that's been booing him all night, all because of a swimming desire to show that he ain't affected by nothing, that he ain't thin-skinned, that he ain't even heard them - mouthpiece dangling, arms down by his side, relaxed and casual and strolling, walking the ball upcourt.  My God, the noise when that mistake was called!!  Oh, the blood that the crowd's been calling for all night, finally spilled! 

But will it be fatal?  Will the Illini capitalize on this gift?  Welllllll . . . that's a whole ‘nother story.  But, hey Eric, ‘s ok - we all know it bothers you.  Heck, it bothers us the hell more than it bothers you.  That's obvious, right?  What was that blow-by from Chester Frazier in the pregame introductions, when he chest-bumped you all the way back to Bloomington?  What were those boos, those catcalls, raining down from the student section all night? 

But baby - those emotions - it's what makes this rivalry real.  What makes it special.  It's what fuels Duke - Carolina.  And now, with Demetri McCamey dribbling that gift possession into the ground trying to get it on the exchange with Meachem - it's what fuels Gordon as he puts unbelievable pressure on the ball, forcing McCamey to throw it out of bounds.  Take that, Illini!  OH, the howls!!!  Illinois suddenly has no choice but to foul - and then it's all over.  83-79.  And the kid survives, to fight another day.