The start of of a new school year at the University of Illinois is always cause for excitement on campus.  Thousands of new students pouring into town and joining all the other returning students in the quest for knowledge... and the start of a new phase of their lives.

But there have been some other exciting things going on this past week in Champaign-Urbana as well.

Last Thursday  I got a call from Illini golf coach Mike Small who wanted to discuss the upcoming weekend's Steve Stricker Gala Event at Memorial Stadium.  I was asked to be the MC for the event to be held on Sunday night and he wanted to go over some of the details.  I arrived at his office a few minutes early and noticed that  sitting on his desk was a trophy about the size of a desk lamp.   I figured it was probably one of the many trophies that Coach Small or his team have won in recent years.  Turned out it was the Ryder Cup.  Yep...THE Ryder Cup.  The one that the best U.S. and European golfers in the world battle for every two years.  

To say the least...I took a couple of pictures.

Part of the reason it was in Small's office was because 2008 and 2010 Ryder Cup member Steve Stricker was going to be in town that weekend and since he and Mike Small are close friends...the trophy came to Champaign. That trophy and the Big Ten championship trophies from the last two years ...as well as the NCAA Championship trophy won by Scott Langley... were all on display in front of hundreds of fans at the event that helped raise thousands of dollars for the golf program.

Of course I have been following Steve Stricker's career down through the years but had not met him personally until this last Sunday night.  He was as cordial and pleasant as everyone told me he would be.  You don't get to visit  with the #4 golfer in the world very often. 

On Wednesday night the Rebounders hosted a basketball preview event.  I also was pleased to MC that event  and got to hear Bruce Weber talk about his 2010-2011 squad in front of 400+ orange-clad fans.  The  room was crackling with excitement and in anticipation of an outstanding basketball season.  Of course...as coaches know all too well...great expectations can cut both ways...but I think everyone is looking forward to Midnight Madness in about 50 days.

As we approach football game week starting next Monday....hopefully Ron Zook's team can get off to a good start against Missouri next Saturday in St.Louis. That would add to the excitement on campus.