S7 Ep9: Illini Football 2019~2022 w/ Martin O'Donnell
We've reached the end! The complete history of Illini football from 1991 to present - with a first bonus episode covering the decade of the 80's - is now complete. In this final episode, Martin O'Donnell and I discuss the last four years of Illini football. Here's everything you needed to know about 2019 through 2022. Presenting sponsor for this podcast series: U of I Community Credit Union (h...
3hr 7m Aug 03, 2023
3hr 7m
S7 Ep8: Illini Football 2015~2018 w/ Jonny
In the second-to-last episode of this series, Jonny from The BoardRoom (our basketball podcast) joins me to discuss 2015 through 2018. We start with the Bill Cubit interim year and end with the third year of the Lovie regime. Not the best era of Illini football, but there was still a lot to talk about. This Illini Football history class series is being presented by UofI Community Credit Union ...
3hr 4m Jul 27, 2023
3hr 4m
S7 Ep7: Illini Football 2011~2014 w/ Derek Neal
Former Illini Football SID Derek Neal joins me for 3+ hours (yes, this episode is 3 hours and 5 minutes) of talk about Illini Football from 2011 to 2014. It starts with the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl season and ends with the Zaxby's Heart Of Dallas Bowl. Well, this episode actually ends in the spring and summer of 2015 with the Beckman investigation. We basically take it right up to the start of ...
3hr 5m Jul 21, 2023
3hr 5m
S7 Ep6: Illini Football 2007~2010 w/ @BobZuppke
Last week took us down. This week takes us back up. 2007~2010 was a great time to be an Illini football fan. As a freshman on campus in 2007, @BobZuppke got to see a Rose Bowl his freshman year and a Texas Bowl his senior year. So this episode is Bob & I talking about some good seasons. Well, and a frustrating season in 2008. Ok, yes, and a maddening season in 2009. But it's still bookended wi...
2hr 44m Jul 14, 2023
2hr 44m
S7 Ep5: Illini Football 2003~2006 w/ Nathan
We went a different direction with this one. These four seasons saw eight total wins - only two of them Big Ten wins - so a game-by-game breakdown of each season would be too depressing. So Nathan and I talk some about the seasons but more about the journey of the Illini football fan through such low points. Also discussed: how to survive academic probation. A big thanks to the sponsor for thi...
2hr 24m Jul 06, 2023
2hr 24m
S7 Ep4: Illini Football 1999~2002 w/ Erik
The last episode: 10 wins and a tie (over four seasons). The next episode: 8 wins in four years. This episode? 28 wins. Erik (The Stats!) joins me to talk Illini football from 1999 to 2002. This summer podcast series is being brought to you by U of I Community Credit Union (https://www.uoficreditunion.org) .
2hr 34m Jun 28, 2023
2hr 34m
S7 Ep3: Illini Football 1995~1998 w/ Craig
Next up: 1995~1998. And I'm gonna warn you right now - that means we'll discuss 10 total wins and one tie across four seasons. But that's the fun of a series like this, right? Craig is my guest for (he was a freshman in 1996), so he remembers a lot about these difficult seasons. They were eventually building to something. We just won't get to that until next week. Once again a big thank you to...
2hr 38m Jun 21, 2023
2hr 38m
S7 Ep2: Illini Football 1991~1994 w/ Detlef
Next up in this summer podcast series (published every Wednesday): 1991~1994. I was a freshman in 1991, and my guest, Detlef, was a sophomore, so this episode is filled with memories from the student section. A big thank you to the sponsor for this podcast series, UofI Community Credit Union (https://www.uoficreditunion.org) . If you'd like to see the credit card with the orange Block I that w...
2hr 51m Jun 14, 2023
2hr 51m
S7 Ep1: Illini Football History - The 1980's w/ Loren Tate
We're back! Last summer it was the complete history of Illini Basketball, 1980 to present. This summer, over the next nine weeks, we'll be going through the complete Illini Football history, 1980 to present. We will begin our deep exploration of each season starting next week with 1991~1994 (which starts with my freshman year at Illinois). For this episode, Loren Tate joins me to go through th...
1hr 53m Jun 07, 2023
1hr 53m
S6 Ep24: NCAA Golf - First Three Days
Interviews from the first three days at the NCAA Golf Championships in Scottsdale including Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Jackson Buchanan, and Head Coach Mike Small. Plus some of my thoughts on the trip so far.
36m May 29, 2023
36m
Coach Small After Round 2
Here's another "bonus" episode - a five minute chat with head coach Mike Small after the second round at the NCAA's where the Illini surged into the lead.
5m May 27, 2023
5m
From The (Grand)Stands - Round One at NCAA's
This is a very short bonus episode. It's my quick thoughts after the first round of the NCAA Golf Championship followed by a quick interview with Illini coach Mike Small and another quick interview with senior Tommy Kuhl.
15m May 27, 2023
15m
S6 Ep23: Kevin's Basketball Travels
Kevin had a few months off. What to do? Follow his favorite band on tour? Backpack through Europe? He chose to spend his winter following Illini basketball around the country. In this episode, we talk about his travels.
1hr 6m May 19, 2023
1hr 6m
S6 Ep22: Illini Golf (and BB and FB) w/ Andy Johnson
Andy Johnson of The Fried Egg joins me to discuss Mike Small's golf program. And we can't help but talk a little Illini football and a lot of Illini basketball.
1hr 47m Apr 26, 2023
1hr 47m
S6 Ep21: Dinner With Coach Bielema
Coach Bielema and I went to dinner last night and talked football (and life). This is that conversation.
1hr 8m Apr 14, 2023
1hr 8m
S6 Ep20: Spring Scrimmage Talk w/ Carmen
Carmen and I attended the open practice and then immediately sat down to record our thoughts.
1hr 12m Apr 02, 2023
1hr 12m
S6 Ep19: Postseason Postmortem w/ Tyler
Tyler (Walkon) and I discuss the 2023 Illini season while Tyler watches UCLA-Gonzaga in the background and I pretend like the Tournament ended last Thursday.
1hr 16m Mar 24, 2023
1hr 16m
S6 Ep18: The Big Ten Stretch Run w/ John Gasaway
I chat with ESPN's John Gasaway about the Big Ten race entering the stretch run. And we might talk a little bit about dream scenarios for our Illini.
55m Feb 10, 2023
55m
S6 Ep17: 20 Games In w/ Tyler
Illini basketball has reached the 20 game mark at 14-6. So Tyler and I discuss what's happened so far and what's to come.
1hr 4m Jan 26, 2023
1hr 4m
S6 Ep16: Highway Q&A - January 2023
Warning: long pod. I had a 7.5 hour drive from Champaign to Lincoln today, so I took 2.5 of those hours and talked to myself. You sent in questions, I answered them while driving down the highway. Yes, it's seriously 2.5 hours long.
2hr 35m Jan 10, 2023
2hr 35m
From The Stands - ReliaQuest Bowl
I'm always honest in these, right? Well, this is how I felt immediately after this loss.
13m Jan 02, 2023
13m
S6 Ep15: Bob Zuppke
@BobZuppke and I discuss the thing we've all been discussing this season. The line between "in no way could I ever be angry about an 8-4 football season" vs. "oh man we were inches from 10-2 or 11-1." And then, an hour in, with a simple question from Bob, we land on a stat that dwarfs everything.
1hr 17m Dec 01, 2022
1hr 17m
From The Stands - Northwestern 2022
My mood is 10 times better than I thought it would be. 8-4 Illini football is the stuff of dreams for me, and I'm so content inside that dream. Here's my thoughts from the field right after the game.
13m Nov 27, 2022
13m
From The Stands - Michigan 2022
This one is less than eight minutes long. I finally found a place out of the wind and recorded some thoughts.
7m Nov 20, 2022
7m
From The Stands - Purdue 2022
I'm only posting this because I've posted a From The Stands after every game since 2010. So I feel obligated. But this is just 26 minutes of a devastated guy processing emotions and making everything all about how bad he feels. I already hate every second of it. But I promised to make these as raw as possible, and this is me being raw immediately after the game. This one HURTS.
27m Nov 13, 2022
27m
From The Stands - Michigan State 2022
Ouch.
18m Nov 05, 2022
18m
S6 Ep14: 7-1 Illini Football w/ Nathan Grimm
Nathan (who writes the Postscript article every Monday on the site) and I discuss the 7-1 Illini. I want to type that again. Nathan and I discuss The University Of Illinois Fighting Illini, a football team with a 7-1 record on the season. 7-1.
1hr 5m Nov 04, 2022
1hr 5m
From The Stands - Nebraska 2022
This is what we’ve been waiting for.
16m Oct 29, 2022
16m
From The Highway With My Youngest Son
Now, when I say "youngest son", he's 27. So don't get to thinking this is me recording a podcast episode with a nine year-old. But we're driving from Idaho to Lincoln, Nebraska today. So we decided to hit record.
52m Oct 29, 2022
52m
From The Stands - Minnesota 2022
Me losing my mind in the northwest stair tower immediately after the game.
17m Oct 15, 2022
17m
S6 Ep13: Martin O'Donnell on YOUR #24 Fighting Illini
Martin and I have had so many conversations after games as I would drive back to St. Louis after yet another loss. So this one flips the script. He's driving this time, and we're talking about the #24 Illini.
59m Oct 14, 2022
59m
From The Stands - Iowa 2022
Bonus Content
10m Oct 09, 2022
10m
S6 Ep12: Suddenly Dominant Illini Football w/ @BobZuppke
This is basically an hour and 12 minutes of Robert & Bob trying to sort through what it's like to cheer for a team that has a chance to win the Big Ten West.
1hr 13m Oct 05, 2022
1hr 13m
From The Stands - Wisconsin 2022
This is probably different from any From The Stands you've listened to. Because my feeling after this win is different than any game I've watched.
9m Oct 01, 2022
9m
S6 Ep11: Seventeen Questions with Josh and Jonny
Josh & Jonny from The BoardRoom ask me 17 Illini football questions. Apologies for getting so excited near the end that I slam the table and accidentally unplug Josh's mic for the final 10 minutes. But you can kind of still hear him in the background? Kind of? Maybe?
1hr 20m Sep 28, 2022
1hr 20m
From The Stands - Chattanooga
Thoughts from the field after a shutout.
11m Sep 23, 2022
11m
From The Stands - Virginia 2022
I got a little excited here. And I rambled a little too much. But I don't care. I'm as excited as I've been in a long time.
13m Sep 10, 2022
13m
From The Stands - Indiana 2022
There's not much to this one. 7 minutes and 41 seconds of me trying to come up with words and failing. All I know: this is painful.
8m Sep 03, 2022
8m
From The Stands - Wyoming
Bonus content - not a full episode.
9m Aug 28, 2022
9m
S6 Ep10: Choosing Our Guys - 2022
Craig and I have done this since 2014. Before the football season starts, we choose our guys. Who are the stars? Who are the breakout players? Walkons to watch. Freshmen to keep an eye on. This episode: our guys for 2022.
57m Aug 19, 2022
57m
S6 Ep9: Discussing Fall Camp with Coach P
I chat with my Camp Rantoul buddy Coach P after we got to see a full practice on Saturday. We take an hour and a half to go through the depth chart position by position.
1hr 32m Aug 09, 2022
1hr 32m
S6 Ep8: Illini Basketball 2018~2022 with Brandon Indianapolis
We have reached the end. For this episode, my friend Brandon joins me to discuss the Underwood era. Yes, we were there in Indy for the Loyola loss and we were there in Pittsburgh for the Houston loss, but there's a lot more to this era than just those two losses. No, really, there is. 
2hr 52m Jul 26, 2022
2hr 52m
S6 Ep7: Illini Basketball 2013~2017 with Jonny from The BoardRoom
This entire series was his idea. And these were his years in school. So Jonny from The BoardRoom (our basketball podcast) joins me to discuss the next five years in our journey: the five John Groce years. Year one? Pretty great. Years 2-3-4-5? Not so much. 
2hr 23m Jul 19, 2022
2hr 23m
S6 Ep6: Illini Basketball 2008~2012 with @BobZuppke
Bob Zuppke (not his real name) joins me to discuss the end of the Bruce Weber era. It was working until it wasn't. We had fixed recruiting until we didn't. And the end was very, very bad.
2hr 19m Jul 12, 2022
2hr 19m
S6 Ep5: Illini Basketball 2003~2007 with @WhityRemarks
Length warning of all length warnings: this episode is three hours and nine minutes long. It's three episodes, really. The build-up to 2005, 2005, and then the tumble from 2005.  But mostly 2005. 
3hr 9m Jul 05, 2022
3hr 9m
S6 Ep4: Illini Basketball 1998~2002 with Erik (The Stats)
My friend Erik (who maintains The Stats) and I recap the years 1998 through 2002. Three Big Ten titles in five years. Not too shabby. 
2hr 31m Jun 27, 2022
2hr 31m
S6 Ep3: Illini Basketball 1993~1997 with Will Leitch
Part III of this series covers 1993 (NCAA Tournament win over Long Beach State followed by the R32 loss to Vandy) through 1997 (NCAA Tournament win over USC followed by the R32 loss to Chattanooga). My guest: Daily Illini writer/editor at the time (and he's done a *few* more things since then), Will Leitch. 
1hr 40m Jun 20, 2022
1hr 40m
S6 Ep2: Illini Basketball 1988~1992 With Tyler Cottingham
Part II of my summer series reviewing the last 40 years of Illini basketball. Because it includes 1989, this one goes long. 2.5 hours long. 
2hr 34m Jun 13, 2022
2hr 34m
S6 Ep1: Illini Basketball 1983~1987 with Loren Tate
Episode 1 of my summer series going through the last 40 years of Illini Basketball. Loren Tate is my guest as we cover the 1982-83 season through the 1986-87 season. From the arrival of Douglas and Winters to the NCAA Tournament loss to Austin Peay (and everything in between). 
1hr 22m Jun 06, 2022
1hr 22m
S5 Ep22: Marc Davidson
I talk to Marc Davidson about his two seasons at Illinois, his professional career playing in France, his years as a high school coach, and his current cancer battle. His honesty, openness, and faith are quite inspiring. 
56m Mar 31, 2022
56m