Respect is earned, not given for Illinois

TCR Contributor CJ Jackson is a former member of the Illinois Basketball team, playing for the Illini from 2005-09.

After being dropped out of the Top 25 after just one loss to the then-No. 4 team in the country, we should have a clear understanding of what is going to be the Illini’s story this year. “Prove it!”

If you go back in the very recent years we’ve have some really good teams. Unfortunately not good enough to make a deep tourney run after getting the coveted No. 1 seed in the big dance. Even with beating the No 1 team in the nation (Kansas) in an exhibition match and going down to the wire with the No. 4 team (Marquette), Illinois STILL has a lot to prove. We have to MAKE the nation respect us. Simple as that.

How do we earn respect?

We’re going to have to under promise and over deliver all season long. We have to keep the mindset that we are not the top feared competitor for the Big Ten title, while simultaneously playing with a chip on our shoulder as if…