Rod Shilts

Sports - Dogs - Music. Not necessarily in that order

[Rod Shilts @RodShilts]

This is just crazy

[Trost @TrustTrost]

We can all agree the IHSA isn't trying to hurt kids.

But it’s very fair to ask whether it fully considers the long-term impact of some of its decisions.

The latest example? Girls flag football.

Today, I’m going to remind you what most people never think about: The lower-level impact.

For those just catching up: The IHSA has effectively compressed the regular season into 36 days. Take out the five Sundays during that window - when most schools don't play - and you're down to 31 days. Remove Rosh Hashanah, when many schools also won’t play, and you're looking at 29 days.

That isn’t a typo: 29 days for a high school regular season.

At a time when research continues to show girls drop out of sports at roughly twice the rate of boys by age 14, the IHSA isn’t shortening boys football.

It’s expanding it.

When it comes to participation, Illinois is one of largest girls flag football states in the U.S. Schools have added freshman, JV and varsity opportunities.

And what about the lower levels that don’t have a postseason? They're now forced to squeeze games into a 29-day window because there’s nowhere else for those contests to go.

Where’s the health and safety?

College opportunities are growing nationally, with more universities offering women’s flag football programs and scholarships. High school sports provide equal access for student athletes, as financial costs and transportation are handled by schools vs a family with youth sports.

Those are the two biggest barriers.

Compare the IHSA’s 29-day regular season to that of other states: Alabama (72 days), California (68 days), Colorado (66 days), Georgia (61 days), Arizona (58 days) and Alaska (52 days).

The response from IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson to coaches?

“There has not been a change in the length of the season...”

The explanation then points out teams could technically play games beyond the IHSA State Series and all the way until the boys football season concludes on Nov. 28.

Hu? Let’s be serious.

Does anyone believe athletic directors are scheduling one-off girls flag football games during the IHSA state tournament? What about after the IHSA has already crowned its state champion at Willowbrook on Oct. 17?

It’s a technical AND legal answer to a practical problem.

If the goal is creating more opportunities for girls, how does a 29-day regular season accomplish that?

What are we doing?

#MoreThanJUSTGames #IHSA

[Rod Shilts @RodShilts]

@JayRBP Nobody cares.....been a Reds fan all my life. Tgis ownership will never win

[Rod Shilts @RodShilts]

@ctrent @Ken_Rosenthal The gentle IL stint before being DFA tag

[News-Gazette Preps @ngpreps]

Hot off the press

@mshsathletics star does it again

[Rob Ledin @CoachLedin]

Marco Casillas 190 placed 5th in Freestyle at the Northern Plains Regional! After placing 3rd in the Illinois Freestyle State Tournament and this 5th place finish, Marco has qualified for the USA Nationals in both Greco and Freestyle!

[M-SHS Athletics @mshsathletics]

Another new Apollo record for the Bulldogs Girls Track squad:

NEW RECORD:
Girls 4x400
Mahomet
3:59.80
(Hillard, Tilton, Marx, Huff)

OLD RECORD:
2024 Season
Effingham
4:06.41

[M-SHS Athletics @mshsathletics]

Marx is 3 for 3 as a medalist and 3 for 3 in setting new Apollo Conference records.

NEW RECORD:
Girls 200m
Madalyn Marx
Mahomet
24.48

OLD RECORD:
2024 Season
Madalyn Marx
Mahomet
25.52

[M-SHS Athletics @mshsathletics]

NEW RECORD:
Girls 400m
Madalyn Marx
Mahomet
54.27

OLD RECORD:
2018 Season
Jessica Franklin
Mahomet
57.02

Marx sets a 2nd Apollo Conference record

[Armchair Illinois @ArmchairIllini]

Terrence Shannon Jr rocking the #illini on his way to San Antonio

[Mike Netter @nettermike]

JetBlue just pulled the ultimate power move. Hours after Spirit Airlines went dark, JetBlue swooped into South Florida with a full-blown rescue mission—and they're not playing small.

Here's the breakdown: $99 rescue fares for anyone holding a valid Spirit ticket. Same route, same dates, just call 1-800-JETBLUE. Flying Fort Lauderdale to San Juan? Blue Basic is capped at $299 through May 8.

But that's just the warm-up. JetBlue is exploding at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International—adding 11 brand new cities, extra flights on existing routes, and pushing nearly 130 daily departures this summer. That's a 75%+ jump from last year and their biggest FLL operation EVER.
CEO Joanna Geraghty put it plainly: "South Florida is a key market... we're stepping up, adding service, and keeping fares competitive." (Translation: we're taking over.)
Fun fact? Fort Lauderdale was JetBlue's very first destination back in 2000. Now they're reclaiming it after Spirit held 27% of that market.
Oh, and they're not leaving Spirit's crew behind either—jumpseat access for two weeks and job interviews for qualified staff.
This is how you turn a market collapse into a masterclass. 👇

[Rod Shilts @RodShilts]

This is a great class for the Reds

[Cincinnati Reds @Reds]

Gentlemen, welcome to the Reds Hall of Fame.

[Jen @IlliniJen]

While Pritzker’s SAFE-T Act lets repeat criminals walk free, with nearly 20% of Chicago felony arrests now involving repeat offenders already on pretrial release, Illinois prisons are riddled with deadly drugs and violence.

An approved vendor smuggled $500,000 worth of drugs hidden inside a children’s book into Robinson Correctional Center.

One inmate died from fentanyl. Three guards were stabbed.

Senator Chapin Rose just eviscerated the Pritzker administration in committee. A state audit exposed over 40 major failures at the Department of Corrections.

This broken system endangers staff and inmates inside, while leaving Illinois families unsafe on our streets.

The deadly incompetence ends now.

[Rod Shilts @RodShilts]

@lawyer4SMBs Mow your own damn grass. Seriously

[Rod Shilts @RodShilts]

Keep putting em in the League and building the Brand. I L L

[Jeremy Werner @JWerner247]

NEWS: #illini guard Keaton Wagler unsurprisingly declares for the NBA Draft after his epic freshman season

What it means: https://t.co/9dEhh9nFMz

[Jeff Goodman @GoodmanHoops]

One high-major head coach to me:

“This has become a joke. We got guys who averaged 3 points a game asking for a million dollars. It’s completely out of control.”

[Rod Shilts @RodShilts]

Unbelievable....

[Barstool Illini @BarstoolILL]

This was ruled “clean” 🤣🤣🤣

[Rod Shilts @RodShilts]

I do not and WILL NOT listen to that lying piece of shit Bruce Pearl on television. No time , no way

[Rod Shilts @RodShilts]

@JWerner247 The Show Cause twins!

[Hurricane Hunters @53rdWRS]

On National K9 Veterans Day, we honor the brave military and working dogs who have served alongside our service members—past and present. 🐾 Their service often comes at great risk. Today, we recognize and thank these four-legged heroes for their service and sacrifice.

[Rod Shilts @RodShilts]

@TheFieldOf68 @wilxTV Tom is not doing his legacy any favors.... . The shit is clear as day