Every now and then, I record a podcast. More often than not, the podcast is with The Braintrust – the guys I surround myself with to shape my opinions. Almost always it’s entertaining. On occasion it’s informative. Very rarely do I not screw something up. Here’s the Braintrust on the 2016 season:

Listening time: 51 minutes

I had a chance to sit down one-on-one with Lovie Smith on Thursday evening. Many of you requested after the Josh Whitman interview that I upload these as full podcasts (available on iTunes), so that’s what I’ll try to do with these from now on. There’s a link inside to listen on the site or you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

Listening time: 19 minutes.

It’s been way too long since I did a full-blown podcast (you know, the ones you can download on iTunes and such). But an occasion like this calls for an hour and 20 minutes of Martin, Craig, Steve, and I discussing all things Lovie Smith. What a time to be alive.

Listening time: 80 minutes.

Tyler and I recorded this Sunday night, gleefully discussing this Illini offense and how we pitied the fools who might try to stand in its way. Then, we trailed Brown at halftime last night and I felt like this podcast might sound silly.  Then we maybe played our best half of the year and I was ready to pity fools again.

I’m woefully behind on all of the IlliniBoard series’ right now, and with Thanksgiving approaching, three basketball games in the next seven days, the LOL Bowl, Check The Tape… I’m not going to be able to get to everything.  So I’ll do my best to crank out content over what might be a pretty great Illini weekend.  Postgame post for Brown?  Don’t have the time.  But hey, here’s Tyler and I discussing the 2014/15 Illini basketball team for an hour!

It’s so impossible to keep up with the schedule I set for myself. Travel to games, podcasts, Check The Tape, basketball preview (coming tomorrow!) – I think that I can do it and then I can’t do it all. But three final football games means one thing: time to get my Braintrust back together for a podcast. Seven weeks between podcasts is too long.

As I mentioned yesterday, my football thoughts here are enhanced by the brilliant minds of three dudes: Steve, Craig, and Martin. So why not get them all together on one podcast to figure out if two more wins are possible?

I’ll warn you – we go long. This is 75 minutes of the four of us breaking down Illini football. But if you’re one of the remaining 13, you might enjoy it. Possibly. 60% chance.

Calling all members of The Seventeen. If you’ve never listened to a podcast before, listen to this one. Why? Because I rounded up three of The 17 Illini Fans Who Care More About Football Than Basketball to discuss the season so far: Steve (Back-and-Forth), Craig (Craig Has The Scout), and Martin (O’Donnell, the only First Team All American on the panel).

The topic: what have we seen so far in these four games, and what will we see in the next eight? Is 3-5 in the B1G and a bowl game possible? Is this yet another five win season? Worse? I talked to the three smartest guys I know to get the answers.

Listening Time: like, a little over an hour.

Maybe Greenberg and I should just have our own podcast.  I’m a hack because I’m a Beckman and Groce-loving sycophant!  He’s a hack because he hates Illinois and wants to see Champaign burn!  Join The Two Hacks as they delve into the topic of the day here on… Hack Attack?  I’ll Be Your Hackleberry?  No – I’ve got it.  Hack Need.  Come join Steve and I on the next episode of Hack Need….

Topics covered: College football atmospheres, the Big Ten’s ineptitude, and the infamous Beckman “quote”.

Listening time: 47 minutes.

The return of We Love No Other!  After taking the summer off, the podcast returns with a very special episode.  Don’t worry, my recording issues, the volume changes, and the parts where I sound like I’m speaking from a cave – they’re all still there.  It’s a special episode because I have five guests, and they’re here to tell you about the best job on campus: student manager for the football team.

I made this recording in Rantoul. It’s very rough – Ira Glass might want to borrow the audio – and within the first five minutes someone from the sports nutrition staff joins the fun by removing drinks from an ice cooler, so that’s pretty much all you’ll hear for three minutes. But overall, I’m thrilled with how this discussion went. These guys are PAID to attend Camp Rantoul and they’re on the field, in the locker room, and, for some, even on the team plane. It’s pretty much a dream job for me. Do I have any eligibility left?

I’ll get back to the one-on-one interviews next week, but for now, here’s A Very Special We Love No Other: The Best Job On Campus.

Ooh, one more note: the home office, where recordings sound best, is currently being painted. So I recorded this one in the sitting room on the piano bench. Or, as I like to call it, the echoiest sound cave imaginable. Don’t worry – by 2017 I’ll totally have the audio issues ironed out.

Listening time: 40 minutes

I’m really trying to answer every mailbag question.  I have 26 more to go.  So I decided to try something different: mailbag podcast.  I’ll answer some of the questions with audio instead of text.

Originally, I had this idea to make my 7 year-old nephew my guest.  Or at least have him read all of the questions.  I thought little Noah trying to pronounce Simon Cvijanovic would be priceless podcasting.  But transporting my 7 year-old nephew 100 miles just to get him to record some written questions seemed like a waste of resources.  Perhaps another time.

So this podcast is just me.  I read your questions, and then I answer them.  And that’s it.  12 questions, 45 minutes, done and done.

With the Gabe Megginson verbal fresh in my mind, I asked Martin O’Donnell to come back on the podcast to discuss recruiting.  What’s it like to find yourself not only the top offensive lineman in the state, but also the country?  Are there any pressures when you pick the home state school?  I wanted some insight on what happens behind the scenes when a big-time in-state recruit stays home.

So Martin and I talk about the entire process.  What’s it like to find out you’re good enough to play Division I football?  What’s it like when all these coaches start calling?  What are official visits like?  What about unofficial visits?  There’s a lot I wanted to know about recruiting, and Martin had some great answers.

Also, I called him a farce.