This just in… Students are to receive FREE Zook Zone towels at the football game on Saturday. Here is the email from the Illinois Athletic Ticket Office:

GRAB A TOWEL. WAVE A TOWEL.

Students: We are giving every student a FREE Zook Zone Towel before the Homecoming football game this Saturday. Get to Memorial Stadium early and start the energy. We need you to wave it loud and wave it proud during every single Minnesota offensive possession. The student voice must be heard across Memorial Stadium.

IT’S OUR ROCK THE HOUSE GAME…AND IT’S PERSONAL.

THE ENERGY STARTS WITH YOU, THE STUDENTS… AND YOUR ZOOK ZONE TOWEL

Illinois Encourages Fans To `Rock the House’ This Saturday

I overheard some chatter today about Homecoming. The students were wondering why we have this event and if it’s really worth making a big deal about. I mean… What’s the deal with Homecoming?

The purpose of this celebration is to welcome alumni and students back to campus. To bring together old and new Illini during a week of spirit filled events. It gives us all a chance to “fall into nostalgia” as Chancellor Herman put it. This week should be seen as an opportunity to celebrate the past and dream about the future. The Illini pride is splashed across campus like the explosion of a giant orange and blue Stay-Puff marshmallow. It should be embraced by students and alumni alike. If you are not in the spirit yet… hurry up. It is already Wednesday.

There is a lot of Homecoming left, however. Some of the best events are yet to come. Be sure to check out the parade and pep rally on Friday, the football game and world’s basketball practice on Saturday. That’s right, world’s largest basketball practice. Following the football game, stay in your seats. Just after the final buzzer, construction will begin on a basketball court built on top of the field turf (an engineering feat so daring it can only be accomplished at UIUC). Upon completion, Coach Bruce Weber will lead the rest of the Illini basketball team in a large outdoor practice. Be there.

Check out the full schedule of events for details.

So come on… wear orange… feel the ‘nois… and go Illini!

Illinois Soccer games are some of the best sports events on campus – games are free for Illinois students, we have an amazing team, and soccer one of the most exciting sports in the world. We’re about halfway through the season with only four more home games this year. Show up a represent!

Sunday, October 5 – SOCCERFEST at 11:30 (free food and games), kickoff at 1:00 pm
Friday, October 24 – vs. Penn State – 7:00 pm
Sunday, October 26 – vs. Ohio State – 1:00 pm
Friday, October 31 – vs. Purdue – 7:00 pm
All home games at the Illinois Soccer Stadium

Full Soccer Schedule
“Corner Kicks” Video

This is the fourth part of a four part series outlining Illini student football traditions.

After an exciting two quarters, it is half-time. This is the only time where Illinois students sit in their seats. Sometimes the opposing band will perform, but usually the MI has a show ready to perform. This makes for a great time to go to the bathroom, get something to eat, or just take a break from the baking sun (or freezing temperatures). The end of the MI’s show is always the same. The students get back up and join in. The performance is known as the “Three-In-One” and used to feature Chief Illiniwek. The tradition was for the students to mimic the Chief’s motions, and you may still see some students doing this even though the Chief has been officially retired. The show includes a lot of clapping and the singing of the Alma Mater.

At Illinois, the Alma Mater is a uniting piece where all students put their arms around each other, and sway back and forth as they sing. It is vital as an Illinois student that you know the words:
Hail to the Orange.
Hail to the Blue.
Hail Alma Mater,
Ever so true.
We love no other,
So let our motto be
Victory, Illinois, Varsity.

The second half plays out much like the first, hopefully with the Illini winning.
At the end of the game, the football team likes to climb the stairs of the north bleachers and celebrate amongst the band and students. After playing the fight song “Illinois Loyalty”, the students, band members and players jump into the A cappella version of the Alma Mater. This singing tradition is one that is carried throughout all Illinois sporting events. Following the game, the MI performs a short concert on the steps of the Education Building for all those interested. The celebration does not end there however. In Champaign-Urbana, the party continues long into the night. Enjoy yourself, but be careful.

If you cannot make it to the game, or were not able to get tickets, you can still enjoy the festivities. Find a fun tailgate, or tune in on radio/TV to follow the Illini. Check out The Quad’s Illini Football Media Coverage guide for details of how to follow the game. So no matter how you do it, support Illinois and enjoy the game.

Continue to monitor The Quad for its complete coverage of Illinois football.

Go Illini!

This is the third part of a four part series outlining Illini student football traditions.

During game-time, the Illinois fans help play as the “12th man” on the team. This is done through a series of cheers, chants, and dances. Most cheers are lead by the Marching Illini. The new student section makes it difficult for the students to hear the band, so following along is rather difficult. There are too many cheers to count, so I am going to mention just a few important ones.

At each Illinois kick-off, the students add their own sound effect by holding up and shaking their keys. Whether you have keys with you or not, you need to be shaking something and making noise during the kick-off.

The William Tell Overture is a staple in any Illinois arena. The driving beat encourages students to join one another in the most patented dance on campus. Clapping at the beginning of the song leads to the bridge section where student put their arms around each other’s shoulders and trot, first “to the left”, then reverse. After the hopping, comes a rhythmic beat played on the bleacher beneath you and full body spin. Finally, sixteenth note air-drums with your hands and finish with a “Hey!” It is not as hard as it sounds. For the first time, just grab the person next to you and hold on for the ride.

The Imperial March is played on each opposing team’s fourth downs. This is followed by the students with a somewhat fist pump.

The Hey Song and Hey Baby are two classic cheers you should be able to sing along to.

In the past few years, the MI has enjoyed playing mainstream music. Depending on the student’s reaction to these renditions, they will most likely play them again in future year. Some of these songs include Green Day’s “Holiday” and Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer.” Students particularly enjoy singing along to these songs.

At every Illinois first down, the students hold up their hands and flex their fingers until the stadium announcer says “First Down Illinois,” at that point they throw their hands in the direction of the first down and point.

Another fan favorite is the I-L-L-I-N-I cheer. This has some difficulties with the location of the new student section, but the basic concept is still there. One side of the stadium (usually the students) will chant I-L-L, and the other half will respond with I-N-I. The cheer can last a pretty long time, but not as long as the wave; which can hold up pretty well in Memorial Stadium.

One of the newest cheers is for the Illinois quarterback Juice Williams. It is pretty simple, everybody yells “Juuuuuuuuice!” holding out the “u” of course. It almost sounds like booing, but it is not.

Some of the best cheers, however, are the impromptu student chants calling upon another fan or an incredible play on the field. Some of these include “kick him out”, “bull-shit”, and even “let him stay!”

Continue to monitor The Quad for the next part of this story and its complete coverage of Illinois football.

This is the second part of a four part series outlining Illini student football traditions.

The 2008 season is a very special one for the UI Football program with the completion of the Renaissance renovation program at Memorial Stadium. As you enjoy the pre-game celebration outside of the stadium, I encourage you to walk around and check out the new features. For details of the renovation project, check out Memorial Stadium Renaissance project website. Before you enter that stadium, make sure that you have a valid ticket. Check out The Quad’s Student Ticket guide for information about how to purchase and redeem student tickets.

Getting into the stadium early will give you the opportunity to find the best seat. You may notice that there seems to be a lot of empty seats and not many students are coming to the game. Do not be fooled. Most students show up during the first ten minutes of the game and by the time the first William Tell is played, you will be surrounded by fellow Illini trotting “to the left.” During game-time, it is a student tradition to stand during the game…yes, during the entire game. With all the jumping around, clapping and dancing, it isn’t as bad as it seems. The most important thing you need to know is that you must stand on your own seat. The section makes it easy to step forward and stand on the seat in front of you, but this will cause a problem with those in the first row, so the only way to make it work, is to step back and stand on the seat you would normally sit in.

Before the start of the game, the Marching Illini will perform their pregame show. This exhibition showcases the traditional numbers including God Bless America, the Star Spangled Banner, and Illinois Loyalty. The band also has a tradition of playing the opposing school’s fighting song. In the student section, it is normally difficult to hear this because of the constant booing. Most students feel the need to face their backs to the field at this point. As mentioned, the band will proceed into the Illinois Loyalty at which the students erupt. Illinois loyalty is employed by students with a specific clapping rhythm. I cannot explain it in words, just start clapping on the beat, and when you hear a break or change in beat, follow along. Select band members then form a tunnel from the Illinois locker room (the northeast corner of the stadium) where the team will soon enter the field. The team is lead by the flag of the state of Illinois, the United States flag, and their head coach Ron Zook. It is customary for team members to touch the Grange Rock when entering the field. The coin-toss will soon follow, and the game will begin.

Continue to monitor The Quad for the next part of this story and its complete coverage of Illinois football.

This is the first part of a four part series outlining Illini student football traditions.

Rule number 1 is to wear orange. As a student sitting (or standing) in the student section, it is your responsibility to represent your school. I know what you’re thinking… “But my white Illinois shirt represents my school!” or “My blue shirt matches my shoes!” I don’t care. Illinois nation doesn’t care. The advantage of playing at Memorial Stadium is the home-field advantage. The “12th man” is what helps win games. When visitors come to Illinois we want them to have to wear sunglasses from all the orange. It’s the “sea of orange” that represents the pride that we have, and the school that we stand for. So, if you don’t already have one, buy an orange shirt, and wear it to the football game. Also remember that when it gets cold, your purple coat will stick out like a sore thumb, so try to get some orange winter-wear, if possible.

One of the greatest traditions in all of college football is the pre-game festivities. It is no longer just a three hour game, but an entire day celebration. The festivities in Champaign begin very early in the morning. The University of Illinois offers many locations for individuals to celebrate before and after the game. The tradition of tailgating is deeply rooted at the U of I. The people participating in tailgate celebrations range from young college coeds in the back of a pick-up to seasoned veterans with a decked out orange and blue motor home. You can find these celebrations in the parking lots surrounding the stadium, Assembly Hall, and lining Florida Ave. Local businesses also take part in the festivities offering entertainment, food, beverages, and souvenirs.

The Marching Illini performs a short parade as they march from the Band building (next to the Armory) to the stadium. They stop at the official tailgating bandstand, on Kirby, and perform a short concert for awaiting fans, before heading into the stadium.

As students, alumni, or simply just fans, I encourage you all to take part in this tradition of celebration. If you plan to host your own tailgate party, check out The Quad’s Tailgating guide for locations, rules, and regulations. Most people don’t know that by contacting the MI, you can have a small band perform for you at your tailgate party. See the benefits from reading this blog?!

Continue to monitor The Quad for the next part of this story and its complete coverage of Illinois football.

Google is once again offering the “International Model Your Campus Competition” this year. The contest involves using Google SketchUp, a 3-D modeling software, to model your university campus. The intention is to model the buildings in SketchUp, reference them in Google Earth, and upload them to the Google Warehouse so others can download your model. This is part of Google’s campaign to create 3-D buildings for interactive use in Google Earth.

From the official Google blog:
The Google 2008 International Model Your Campus Competition is now live! Here’s another opportunity for you to show off your 3D modeling skills, and this time students around the world can compete. You can team up with other students, or take the project on yourself. Just model your school’s campus buildings in Google SketchUp, geo-reference them in Google Earth and submit them by uploading to the Google 3D Warehouse. You may enter this competition if you’re a student at a higher education institution almost anywhere in the world.

Entries are due by June 1st, 2008. Check out what last year’s winners modeled to get inspired, then visit the competition site to register. Good luck and happy modeling.

When this contest was offered last year, I fell right into it. I thought it would be easy to model the campus and I figured I could get it done in my free time and win first place. Needless to say, I got as far as a full model of Foellinger and a partial version of Engineering Hall and Assembly Hall. The process is more time consuming than expected. Besides the actual structure of the building, you have to decorate the wall surface of each of the buildings. I tried this by taking a picture of each outer wall face and overlaying the image onto the 3-D model. The problem with this method is that in order for the building to look like just a building, you have to remove anything that is not part of it from the picture. This took a lot of photo editing to remove a lot of trees. This is not to say that the job in impossible, it just takes a lot of time.

I encourage any of you who are interested in design, especially 3-D, to attempt this feat. Be sure to find some friends to help, at least with the dirty work. The fact is, as one of the nation’s premier academic institutions, there is no reason that the University of Illinois cannot create a 3-D model of our campus. For the sake of Illini pride, let’s win this contest!