Yeah, like Zook and the University of Illinois' football program NEEDS Taylor Freakin' Bell. Ha, that's funny stuff.

funny how Taylor Bell always has an axe to grind. Someone, sometime in history made you , Taylor, very upset at your alma mater and honestly, thru all the ups and downs the football team has experienced through out the years, you only like to write about the negatives. My guess is Zook, like most people in the world, get a bit tired of the constant criticism. Everyone can take some, but not when it is 90% or 95% of the time. Lemmings love for ND is well documneted. You are Lemmings friend. hense the association whether you are pro ND or not. The Chicago media is and has been for some time, very anti - U Illinois.

Get over it. Face the fact that you dont like UI and they dont like you.

And remember, dont let the facts get in the way of a good story. And honestly, who reads the sun-times anymore? I saw your blog on InsideIllinois as I dont find your paper worthy of $.50, or wrapping up dead fish

Taylor,

"Suspended List", "never write anything positive about the Illini program, only negative issues", I'm not sure if I ever read anything positive you had to say about the university you attended and graduated from. I understand being positively critical but your views of UofI and its fans are insulting at times. It seems you and UofI are in need of marriage counciling because there seems to be deeper issues at hand.

I'm getting sick of reading the bickering within your message. I don't care to hear or read, what is being said behind your back. It sounds like a personal problem, so you should deal with it as so, not on a national blog or online news paper. Other wise, your views are coming off as childish to this reader.

Frankly this article makes no sense. Is there a point you are trying to make? Let me see if I've got this straight...

You got the scoop on an east coast recruit who cites a Tom Lemming blowup by an un-named assistant coach from the University of Illinois you've never heard of, and this is taken as a condemnation of how things are done in Champaign? You are a hack.

Then you make disjointed references to a delusional Illini fanbase full of conspiracy theories, just before you reveal a grand "suspended list" conspiracy subverting free journalism. Priceless...

Make an appointment with a psychiatrist. They are trained professionals who can do something about those voices in your head. You'll live a happier life. In the meantime, stop telling the world you are an Illinois alum in every article you write. You devalue my degree from that institution every time you do so.

Tinker my man...let it go allready. You're obsession with all things Illini is really sad/creepy. Do us all a favor and just retire. You're irrelvant and always have been.

GO ILLINI!!!!!!

You mean the same University of Michigan that had the greatest scandal (in monetary terms) in the history of the NCAA? Or the boxer Woody Hayes, Maurice Clarett, and Jim O'Brien?? Uh - no thanks. I will pass on that "same type of class."

yawn.. another day.. another riveting article..

Taylor, you really need professional help. You are a sad old man.

I thought this old hack retired years ago

Taylor bell is still pissed off since being passed over for the SID job at Illinois. Zook is absolutely right in not talking to a person who does nothing but portray the school in a negative light. One more thing, everyone in their right mind knows that Lemming has been on the Notre Dame bandwagon forever.....its no secret

Taylor you have had it out for Illinois ever since you got turned down for that job you wanted at the school.Taylor that has been years ago.Get over it.

Sorry article, from a sorry has been (or were you ever anything?)....

Taylor,

I guess I am being lumped in with the rest of the paranoid fans of Illini Nation because I happen to be, well, an Illini fan. I agree with you that many people that post things on the "internets" can be idiotic, delusional, and downright creepy. In fact, when it comes to message boards, the misinformation probably exceeds accurate information three-fold! (Am I being generous?) For some reason, I still find pleasure in reading the IlliniBoard, Scout.com, Rivals.com, The Drudge Report, Politico, and the SunTimes via the internet. I rarely post, but I do get a kick out of some of the humorous things that are posted.

The only problem that I have with your article is the comment about how classy Ohio State and Michigan's programs are. And that somehow because of their classiness; they have had on-the-field success.

First of all, haven't these programs had some "off-the-field" issues that probably would not be considered "classy?" Maurice Clarrett's problems and an ugly academic scandal come to mind along with NCAA sanctions and lowered banners at Michigan. Secondly, if your program is classy does that some how equate to success. I mean Bill Carmody's Northwestern Wildcats have been successful off the court but not so much on the court. They seem to be a pretty classy group but that didn't stop the Alumni and Media from calling for his head this past season.

We get that the Zooker and his Illinois program (and apparently its fanbase) are not a people that you are particularly fond of. (BTW, Some Gainesville, FL folks might be sympathetic with your viewpoint.) And I disagree with Coach Zook's apparent practice of keeping a Naughty and Nice list of sports reporters. (BTW, I would be curious to know who made the Naughty list?) But, Taylor, I struggle to believe that Illinois and Notre Dame are the only two programs that try to control what's written about them in the media.

Also, I think the only fair thing to do is to out the Illinois Assistant Coach that is apparently saying negative things about you and Tom Lemming. If you are going to print this information and paint Zook guilty by association, you should at least say his name and let Zook and the guilty assistant respond. I think if accusations were being made about me and how I run my business and if those things were printed publicly, I would want more specifics and the opportunity to respond. Fair or not?

Is that reasonable or is there some journalistic rule that you can allege something without saying anybody's name (the guilty asst., the source - father, the witness - the recruit) except Ron Zook who wasn't even present when this incident allegedly took place. Amazing! And its a wonder that the public continues to distrust the media at alarming rates.

Also, if you check into the "Tom Lemming is pro-Notre Dame" assertion. You would find that that allegation has been expressed by many different fan bases and programs across the nation via ESPN sportsboards, coaches, and newspapers. Not saying its true, just saying that its not exclusive to Illini fans.

P.S. U of I sports fans are not all bad. There are some really good folks down here that enjoy reading your columns and books and happen to also root for Ron Zook and Bruce Weber's athletic programs. Just so you know.

What was the point of this article? It sounded to me like you were just complaining about not getting enough interviews. If you were a good journalist you would find a real story instead of whining about some personal vendetta against you.

Tom Lemming isn't pro Notre Dame? You mean he didn't pick the 18 players in the last All-star game that signed LOI's with "significant offensive advantage" Weis? Who did then? Touchdown Jesus? You mean Ohio State (Troy Smith, Maurice Clarett, Woody Hayes, Jim O'Brien) and Michigan (Rich Rodriguez, Lloyd Carr, Bo, Steve Fischer, Chris Webber and the rest of the Fab Five) are the standard for class amongst universities? I guess Ron Zook and Bruce Weber really should quit now then. They will never achieve those "high standards."

Wow, talk about pot and kettle Taylor. You don't print the name of the assistant coach you make allegations against or the source of the story. Could be a true story, could be totally false, or somewhere in between. Sounds just like something a common internet poster and "the misconceptions, erroneous facts, anonymous rants and unsubstantiated accusations." you accuse them of committing.

Wow...what a shocker this is. Another well written piece of trash from Taylor "Tinker" Bell. You really need to let it go Tinky. You are losing what little credibility you had by writing piece of crap articles like this. Seriously, what is wrong with you?

This is funny stuff. Mr. Lemming is a known hack. Ask any coach or fanbase outside of the schools he pimps for and you'll get the same answer. He's well known for shading his comments to teams that he has good relationships (or a nice "subscriber" base) with.

And Mr. Bell, I don't know what world you are living in. As a journalist, you put yourself on the record with everything you wright. At least 2 out of 3 pieces of yours that reference Illinois come off as some type of hit piece or at a minimum attempt to paint UI, it's coaches or players in a negative light. You are on the record. As proof - I ask you to show me within the last 6 months the number of positive articles you have written about Illinois.

If I were Zook, I wouldn't give you the time of day either. You reap what you sow, and your history in print shows that you are can't be relied on to print anything positive about UI. Clinton had CNN, Bush has Fox News, and Ron Zook has anyone but you.

I'd love for you to prove me wrong. Why don't you post some links of some positive stories about UI that you have written? Oh, I'm sure they are out there, but the number of hatchet jobs outweighs them in a landslide.

Why would RZ talk to you about anything with that kind of history in print? Stop whining and lay in the bed that you made for yourself.

Hey: Have you ever liked anything about Illlinois since you "graduated" from there.

Your articles on both high school sports and college sports reek of someone "who was a wanna be but never was."

And anytime you think that Lemming isn't PRO Notre Dame you should be compeLled to have listern to him rant about ND constantly. Then maybe you do.

It is very obvuious that the Chicago press is basis against ILLINOIS and you seem to spearhead this faction quite often! MY QUESTION IS WHY!!!!

GO ILLINI!

I love all these unnamed sources...nice work for a 'journalist'.

Sounds like someone is just a little jealous they didn't get the exclusive interview from zook. give me a break. You don't deserve to wear the orange and blue.

You are anti U of I, I can't remmember a positive article you have ever written about the Alma Matter. How much of a guru are if you don't know the staff at U of I. The staff has not had a major turnover.

I guess writers like you get off on making people upset with your hate speak on schools or programs. So don't get upset when people call you out for who you are Tinker Bell

I would say that most of the comments for this article were written by Zook himself, but I'm pretty sure Zook can't read or write. So they're probably from somebody on his staff.

Regardless, Taylor Bell's piece is dead-on. Zook has been spinning so much disinformation and revisionist history that he really ought to run for Congress.

This is how washed up writers try to make themselves relevant. You are pathetic Taylor. Maybe you should jump a shark on water skis for your next act.

Taylor, you talk about paranoia, but go back and look at what you wrote. Who is paranoid, Taylor? It is unfortunate that you've painted all Illinois fans with the same brush, but that really underscores the criticism that many Illinois fans have of you -- that you look for any reason to blast Illinois. Your rant was unbecoming of you as a professional journalist. It kind of reminds me of a pro athlete giving the hometown fans the finger because there are some boos from the stands. Both are highly unprofessional and only further strain the relationship.

My only wish is that you would have actually roomed in Barton Hall in the fall semester in 1959. You were set to be a roommate of a friend of mine. Then I'd know for sure what a jerk you really are.

You're 67 or 68. Give it up. Find something else to do. Your anti-UI rants are really stale.

Nice journalistic integrity by the way, anonymous sources. I'm sure you didn't learn that in J-school.

Taylor,
Are you embarassed that not a single person has spoken on your behalf following this article. You're an embarassment to the University of Illinois and the The Chicago Sun-Times (And nobody respects the Sun-Times). Find some journalistic ethics and find some friends. You're pathetic.
-Sports Fans everywhere