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. 

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. 

Coach Bielema and I went to dinner last night and talked football (and life). This is that conversation. 

Carmen and I attended the open practice and then immediately sat down to record our thoughts. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

I'm always honest in these, right? Well, this is how I felt immediately after this loss. 

@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.