A fond SoP welcome to SBN's new Illinois blog, The Champaign Room

SB Nation's Big Ten set is once again complete, as we have a new pal: The Champaign Room, covering University of Illinois, uh, sports.

There's a hell of a lot to like about The Champaign Room. For starters, it's run by the brilliant Tom Fornelli, who you might know from CBS, or covering college football on the internets since like 2002. I look forward to him having to tip his hat to fellow person of Italian descent Alex Marcotullio when he drains three after three against Illinois.

Secondly, it's named after arguably my favorite Chris Rock novelty single, a song that incidentally describes my life regardless of whether or not I find myself in the champagne room:

Thirdly, and most importantly, it finally provides us with a foil for our sorta rivalry with that silly orange-clad school from downstate. As we all know, Tim Beckman has made a point of INSISTING THAT NORTHWESTERN AND ILLINOIS ARE BITTER ENEMIES thus far in his tenure at Illinois, and he's followed up on that message by promptly trying to even the playing field with NU by simulating Northwestern's performances from 1970-1995 by losing as many games in as little time as possible.

Fornelli has already gotten the bad blood flowing by choosing to troll NU in one of his first posts in the Champaign Room. If he's half as excited about this year's thrilling battle for the LoL Trophy as we are, he's damn near comatose.

Anyway, go over and remember to check out our in-state rivals' new home on the network.

L-O-L! I-N-I!