Illya Harrell's Sportswriter Profile

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Illya Harrell

Joined 5 months ago

70 articles written
636 comments posted
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Illya's Bio

Illya Harrell is a retired grocery store bag boy.

He wishes that he had never quit little league baseball because he is confident that he would have been the next Billy Joe Robidoux. When not obsessing over what might have been, Illya enjoys watching baseball, thinking about baseball, reading baseball articles and books, writing baseball articles, playing fantasy league baseball, and replaying the 1986 baseball season on an obscure baseball board game.

Other hobbies include college football and drinking bubbly water.

Illya's Recent Articles

What the Cincinnati Reds Can Do with $8.5 Million

Published 1 day ago
78 reads 2 comments

LONDON - MARCH 19: Caretaker manager Stuart Pearce of Manchester City looks puzzled during the Barclays Premiership match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at White Hart Lane Stadium on March 19, 2005 in London. (Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images)

B/R, How Much Money Do I Owe You?

Published 1 day ago
25 reads 8 comments

KANSAS CITY - JUNE 12: Pitcher Matt Maloney #56 listens to catcher Ryan Hanigan #29 of the Cincinnati Reds during the game against the Kansas City Royals on June 12, 2009 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Cincinnati Reds' Offseason: So Far, So Good

Published 2 days ago
125 reads 0 comments

NEW YORK - APRIL 03: Chien-Ming Wang #40 of the New York Yankees pitches the first pitch of the game to Aaron Miles #7 of the Chicago Cubs during their game at Yankee Stadium on April 3, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Today's exhibition game is the first game to played in the new Yankee Stadium. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

New York Yankees: Bad for the Bronx, Bad for Baseball

Published about 1 month ago
642 reads 63 comments

See 66 more of Illya's articles »

Illya Writes About

MLB (61),
Baseball (54),
Louisville (51),
Cincinnati (51),
Cincinnati Reds (51),
Columbus OH (51),
Opinion (45),
NL Central (23)

TAB BAMFORD responded to a comment on Milton Bradley Moving? Chicago Cubs Heating Up the Hot Stove
TAB BAMFORD responded to a comment on Milton Bradley Moving? Chicago Cubs Heating Up the Hot Stove
BabyTate responded to a comment on College Football: Baby's Losers For November 14
BabyTate responded to a comment on College Football: Baby's Losers For November 14
Illya Harrell has picked The Best Money Can Buy: New York Yankees' 27th Title No Real Accomplishment as a favorite article
Illya Harrell commented on Congress' Resolution: Congratulating the Yankees on Their Title

The Short List What Illya thinks about sport's most pressing questions

Favorite Athletes

Riggo, Renee Montgomery, Junior, Eric Davis, Rickey Henderson, Sean Casey, Pennington & Leftwich & Moss, Skip Henderson, Barry Larkin, Art Monk, Patrick Patterson
Favorite Sports Teams

Reds, Redskins, and the Thundering Herd of Marshall University
Favorite Coaches

Rick Sweet, Joe Gibbs, Bobby Pruitt, Rick Huckabay
All Time Sports Moment

That Russian dude beating the U.S. men's team by shooting a length-of-the-courter in the '72 or '68 Olympics.
Most Memorable Game Attended

RFK Stadium with the bleachers literally bouncing up and down while watching Art Monk catch the pass that briefly gave him the all-time reception record. Some guy named Rice eventually ended up with more caught balls than Monk.
Most Unbreakable Sports Record

Throwing three no-hitters in a row seems impossible at the major league level. So I am going with Johnny Vander Meer's back-to-back no-no's. Someone may tie it someday. But to break that record would be super human.
Ruth or Mays?

I'd rather hang with Willie. Ruth wouldn't be very fun at this point.
Unitas or Montana?

Joe. Same reason as above.
Jordan or Russell?

Bill Russell -- NO DOUBT! Jordan would annoy the daylights out of me.
Gretzky or Orr?

The Gret One
Pele or Maradona?

Madonna. I can look past the fact that she dated A-Rod.
Federer or Sampras?

Federer
Tiger or Nicklaus?

Tiger
Petty or Earnhardt?

Lori Petty was awesome in 'Tank Girl'.
Schumacher or Senna?

Schumacher, I've never heard of the other jockey.
Pac 10, Big 12, Big 10, SEC, ACC, or Big East?

SEC (Baseball & Football), Big East (Basketball)

Bulletin Board (239) Post a note »

by BabyTate
1 day ago

Illya, only two people did better than 5-4 last week, we need your expertise!

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/286888-college-football-babys-losers-for-the-second-week-of-november

Baby Tate
by JW
2 days ago

here is a story of another NFL Legend who has yet to get his deserved respect :

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/286573-crazy-canton-cuts-ed-meador
by Hotnuke
3 days ago

Illya,

I thought you might like this piece. It’s not just your standard “breaking news” piece about a trade, although it does note the trade of Jeremy Hermida from the Florida Marlins to the Boston Red Sox. Let me know what you think in the comments section.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/285981-unrealized-potential-florida-marlins-trade-jeremy-hermida-to-boston

Thanks,

Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke
by Kevin H.
3 days ago

For all of those out there who say baseball should have a salary cap, prepare to have some knowledge dropped on you.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/285772-bustin-the-cap-why-a-salary-cap-would-do-nothing-for-baseball
by Hotnuke
5 days ago

Illya,

I thought you might like this piece on the Yankees World Series victory. Let me know what you think of it in the comments section, and if you enjoy the article, for God’s sake give it a vote…lol

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/284635-best-money-can-buy-new-york-yankees-27th-title-no-real-accomplishment

Thanks,

Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke
by Suzette
20 days ago

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/276131-a-second-helping-of-saints-gumbo

dinner time
by J.C.
21 days ago

For the dozen or so of you wondering what it would take to drag JC off the IR and post something new, here is the answer:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/275645-jcs-dodger-line-drives-oct-20-dodgers-extend-gm-collettis-deal
by Joseph
22 days ago

If your ever bored, I really enjoy debating opposing views in just about every subject under the sun.

I am usually very Intellectually sincere most of the time, so I would probably agree with your opinions if their fundamentally true.

You seem like an interesting fellow, I find enlightenment in the most unusual places.

Lets start with this...Do you believe this country is imperialistic?

And if so, is the president of the United States an Emperor?

Are rich people evil?

Can a poor person be evil in the same sense?
by Suzette
23 days ago

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/274119-saints-fans-saysorry-eli-not-this-time

what up Illya???
by Lou
25 days ago

Here's how we all voted. Thanks so much for the help. Enjoy.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/273191-the-2009-bleacher-report-featured-columnist-baseball-awards
by Keith
27 days ago

In wake of the ALCS, please check out my interview with the former Yankee and Angel, the truly inspirational, Jim Abbott!

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/272194-inspirational-words-from-former-yank-and-angel
by Jonathan
about 1 month ago

Hi Illya, check this out, thanks!

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/268865-niners-hit-jackpot-with-crabtree-after-all-a-needed-attraction
by Blaine
about 1 month ago

At long last the second part of the 49ers All "No" team is here:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/268746-the-san-francisco-49ers-all-no-team-pt-2-the-linemen
by Suzette
about 1 month ago

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/266240-do-you-part-save-the-tatas

latest and quite funny for a serious topic!
by Leroy
about 1 month ago

Illya - how are you, my man?

Thanks again for the encouragement and support. You really helped me stay upbeat at a difficult time for me. Any time you need a little pick-me-up, you know where to find me!

To celebrate my return to writing, I composed a little prayer that Dodger fans can offer up for our struggling team:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/265606-prayer-for-a-los-angeles-dodgers-fan

If you get a moment, drop by and let me know what you think!

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Illya Harrell

Illya's Fans (55)

Illya's Lineup

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Illya's Bio

Illya's Recent Articles

What the Cincinnati Reds Can Do with $8.5 Million

B/R, How Much Money Do I Owe You?

Cincinnati Reds' Offseason: So Far, So Good

New York Yankees: Bad for the Bronx, Bad for Baseball

Illya Writes About

The Short List What Illya thinks about sport's most pressing questions

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