Mac On Sports

    They say timing is everything which it is in the newspaper business and that certainly is true this week with what happened today (Thursday).      A day after my Irish Stew appeared touting the good news that prep football contact work was beginning, along came this afternoon’s (Thursday, July 9th) announcement from the Illinois…

      Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the positive tests from member universities, the Big Ten just announced it is cancelling all non-conference games for 2020.     That means Illinois State will not play Illinois in Memorial Stadium Friday night of Labor Day weekend.     Here’s the Big Ten statement, I just received Thursday…

    The 22nd Annual USTA/Ursula Beck Pro Tennis Classic has been postponed until 2021.     “Due to the ongoing situation surrounding COVID-19, the United States Tennis Association has cancelled all five ITF World Tennis Tour events taking place in the U.S. in August,” Director Chuck Kuhle announced this morning (Tuesday, July 7).     “This decision…

           Good news prep football practices resume Monday.      Maroa-Forsyth’s Josh Jostes was the first to respond the Decatur Tribune request of the coaches it covers for comment, writing, “Next much needed step for return in Fall. Can’t wait to start Monday.” He concluded, “Stay Positive.”      The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) announced late…

    “A good solid class” is the way Greg Collingwood described the most recent District 61 Hall of Fame Class that the committee he chairs selected at its Monday (June 29) meeting which was well-attended with some members personally convening in a third floor Keil Building conference room and others participating virtually through zoom. Eisenhower’s 1992…

    MacArthur Athletics Director Jason Crutcher advised this morning (Tuesday, June 23rd), that Brylan Phillips has registered there.     My column this week covers he, Karon Shelley’s and Caleb Patton’s transfers there and at the time of deadline neither Phillips nor Shelley had registered at MacArthur after transferring from Eisenhower.     Phillips now has.  Patton…

The 22nd Annual USTA/Ursula Beck Pro Tennis Classic will help reopen men’s professional tennis in the United States August 17th -23rd at the Fairview Tennis Center in Decatur, IL. The Beck family has once again agreed to sponsor the USTA Pro Circuit Event. This is the twenty-second year of the tournament as well as the…

     The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) voted this morning that the IHSA Boys Basketball State Finals, known to fans throughout the Land of Lincoln as America’s Original March Madness, will return to the campus of the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, beginning with the 2021 state tournament.    The event was previously held in Champaign-Urbana from…

   Tim Gould is the new Eisenhower athletic director.    The Decatur Board of Education Tuesday night approved Gould to succeed Steve Thompson, who is giving up his dual role as the Panthers AD and football head coach.  Thompson is going to concentrate on coaching Panthers football and to watch his daughter, Kaylee, play softball. …

The IHSA Board of Directors will vote on state basketball hosting bids when they meet next Monday, June 15.     The Peoria Civic Center and Redbird Arena have submitted bids to host the girls tournaments with the Peoria Civic Center and State Farm Center bidding on the boys tournaments.    The Peoria Civic Center…