With the final game of the regular season upon us, I was trying to think of something to write here that might sum up the season, or just something that would be original. I was reflecting on the year as a whole and kept thinking of little memories from throughout the season that made it great, even if the team wasn’t finishing the way that it is.

I came back to Champaign halfway through break because my summer job of serving people at a country club got mind-numbingly repetitive. I was lucky enough to have things fall my way and got this tackle football column gig. I thought, stupidly so, that it would be smooth sailing.

The first obstacle that knocked me on my rear was Big Ten Media Day in Chicago.

Fellow writer Jason Grodsky and I went up to the Windy City to cover the event. I had reported before, but it wasn’t quite the same as sitting down next to Joe Pa and the oddly short Jim Tressel.

(Say what you want about the aging Paterno, but listening to him ramble on in his Italian-slash-Brooklyn accent is something I’m glad I got to experience.)

I think the best part of the weekend was seeing the freakishly tan Kirk Herbstreit. I only got to speak briefly with the pretty boy, but it was surreal to see him outside of the “College GameDay” setting. When we were served our gourmet pre-wrapped sandwiches and cookies that could have easily passed for leftovers from eCHOMPS, Mr. Herbstreit wasn’t above the rest of the crowd. I stopped counting after he had gone through three plates.

The first game of the season against Missouri, I think I had about as little idea of what to expect as everyone else. The Illini started well enough, but as you likely know, Juice got hurt and Eddie came in and laid an egg. I had just about finished my painfully pessimistic column when the team started to come back. After a lot of swearing, I re-started my column when McGee found Hudson in the end zone with a feathery touch pass.

If I have to take one thing away from that experience, it would be seeing a former ESPN personality at the game who was sitting next to our group of Daily Illini writers. I’ll never be sure, but from his formidable scent and slightly bizarre speech, I’m fairly certain that he was taking part in some “pregame festivities.” He also stole my pen.

The Penn State and Wisconsin victories kind of ran together, both huge wins that really restored my confidence in Illinois football. The best part of those two games was getting to meet my – and likely most every other man’s – crush, Erin Andrews. If you have had the misfortune of meeting me or ever seeing my Facebook picture, you know I have an affinity for the lovely EA.

Then Iowa. Those dirty Hawkeyes and their Kinnick Stadium. I have grown an even deeper hatred for Iowa because of that game and what it cost us, likely a BCS bid, if everything else fell the way it did.

Michigan didn’t help either. I was about 25 feet away from Kyle Hudson waiting to return a punt when I remember thinking how screwed the team would be if he dropped the ball. I don’t think I need to go on further.

I’ve all but blocked that Ball State game out of my memory; the Minnesota game is still going strong though. It was great to see Jeff Cumberland make plays and the defense continue to dominate.

The most recent and likely most lasting game will be Ohio State. I wasn’t able to go, but I got to do the next best thing: stop traffic on Green Street with a mob of 500 people. Something I hope everyone gets to experience in their time here.

Assuming all goes well this weekend, I can safely say that we will be playing Florida in the Capital One Bowl. Yes, it might be contrived. Yes, it might get old hearing the Zook-Florida talk leading up to the game. But even so, short of the BCS, I don’t think too many people would have it any other way.

Daniel Johnson is a junior in Communications. He can be reached at [email protected]