Tate: Gill continues to give back

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SAVOY – Most Illini athletes are recruited from distant locations and, though providing entertainment locally, never become deeply involved in the community. They usually find jobs elsewhere and return occasionally for reunions.

Not so Kendall Gill. He has continued to give back and stay connected. Monday's benefit golf outing at Savoy for Cunningham Children's Home marked the 20th annual event for the former Flyin' Illini and NBA star.

"We've had great weather every year," Gill said Monday. "Sam Banks (former Cunningham director) got me started, and I'm happy to be a part of it. This is my second home. This is where I got my start."

With Gill's commitment serving as a continuing attraction, the event has in recent years brought in about $20,000 in annual contributions. But, according to Cunningham's Cloydia Hill Larimore, Gill's involvement is more than the money.

"More than the name, it is his passion to help us provide a program to help change lives," she said. The home deals with perhaps 167 youths on a given day, with 48 residing on the campus in Urbana and eight living in the Kendall Gill home.

Now that his playing days are over – "I still think about a comeback," he cautioned – we'll see more of him on TV. Having done mostly studio work after Bulls games and for the Big Ten Network, he'll be on site more this year.

"I was an analyst for the Illinois-Iowa game last season, and that was the only Big Ten game I actually attended," Gill said. "I expect an increase in the 13 games I did on the Big Ten Network."

With Stephen Bardo moving up the ladder for ESPN, the UI has two strong voices on the collegiate scene.

"It's great that we could transition into this side of the business," Gill said. "Steve sees more games than I do, and I lean on him for information. We break down players and coaches, and we talk about how we can get better."

Diehl stays connected, too

Kurt Kittner led 2001 Big Ten champion Illinois to the Sugar Bowl. Tony Pashos was a two-time all-conference tackle. Brandon Lloyd led a core of highly touted Illini receivers.

But of all the UI's offensive stars at the turn of the century, the best of the bunch turned out to be Dave Diehl, a late developer from Brother Rice. Diehl redshirted in 1998 and in his fourth season was still a sub, starting in the Sugar Bowl when Bucky Babcock was injured, having served behind Pashos and Sean Bubin at the tackles and Jay Kulaga and Babcock at the guards. He finally won a starting position in 2002 and earned second-team all-conference honors.

Thanks to that redshirt season, he started his last 13 games for Illinois. Now 28 years old and checking in at 6-foot-6 and 313 pounds, he has started 103 straight for the New York Giants, holds a Super Bowl ring, has a contract extension through 2012 (originally worth $31 million) and is the UI's best NFL offensive product of this decade.

"Playing all those positions at Illinois helped because I've been at every line position except center with the Giants," Diehl said Monday. "I've been a left tackle the last two years."

Like Gill, Diehl has stayed connected. He follows Ron Zook's Illini closely and contributed $350,000 toward the state-of-art, personal performance center underneath the stadium's north bleachers. He made his third appearance in the Cunningham golf outing, showing support for Jennifer Shelby, who continued the role of her late husband (Mike) in underwriting Monday's food and green fees. This allows all the other gifts to go directly to the Cunningham Home.

"It's all about doing what's right," Diehl said. "I'll always come back."

Diehl will report to camp Aug. 2. He said: "Our chances are good because we have a great group of veterans and returning starters. We have a hungry group of guys."

Keady, Henson grow closer

After all those heated exchanges on the basketball court – Gene Keady was famous for tossing his coat – guess who's getting together for a friendly golf outing Aug. 12 in Indiana?

None other than Purdue's Keady and former Illini coach Lou Henson. Retirement has turned them into "old buddies."

Henson, 77, spends half the year in Las Cruces, N.M., and the other half here. He returned this past weekend from his annual checkup in Houston with a clean bill of health. He continues to play golf three to five days a week at Savoy (at times so early that he is done by 9:30 a.m.), and served as a greeter and celebrity putter on Savoy's ninth hole during Monday's Cunningham Homes event.

Two years ago, Henson and wife Mary joined Gill in kicking off a Cunningham fundraiser geared to construct a recreation complex. Even in these difficult economic times, about $1.5 million has been raised toward a goal of $2 million.

Loren Tate writes for The News-Gazette. He can be reached at ltate@news-gazette.com.

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