We Love No Other 6.5 - Illini Basketball 2003~2007
This isn't even a length warning. This is an "I'm so stupid that I recorded a three hour and nine minute podcast episode" warning.
It's like the Duffer brothers saying there were two more episodes to this Stranger Things season (being released on July 1st) and then making those two episodes 1 hour & 27 minutes + 2 hours & 22 minutes. That's not "two more episodes." That's two movies to wrap up the fourth season. Season One of Stranger Things: 6 hours and 45 minutes across eight episodes. Just these final two episodes of Stranger Things Season Four: 3 hours and 49 minutes. Duffer brothers, we really need to discuss what "episode" means.
Just like I really need to revisit what "podcast episode" means. This one is THREE HOURS AND NINE MINUTES LONG. I'm joined by my friend {name redacted} who you know on Twitter as @WhityRemarks. Yes, years ago it was a Josh Whitman parody account. But under {name redacted}'s ownership, it's just... witty Illini remarks.
And as I mention in the podcast notes, this one is really three episodes in one: the climb up to 2005, then 2005, then the tumble after 2005. All covered in a short three hour and nine minute podcast episode. On Apple Podcasts here, on Spotify here, available WYGYP if you just search for We Love No Other, and, in the immortal words of Jesus Jones, available right here, right now:
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Epic photo. I was there.
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I was as well
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If you made a 6 hour podcast, I would be here for every minute of it.
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We watched that IL-Cincy tournament game in 04 at the Acapulco Hooters cause we were on spring break. There was a table of Cincy guys that talked a lot of crap pregame and we’re really feeling themselves when Mr Cincy himself (Nick Lachey) walked in. Needless to say we let them have it from the tip and they left midway through the 2nd half.
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Hey Robert: I finished the podcast. When do I get my free shirt?
In all honesty, my daily one hour workouts flew by as I split the pod into three one hour listens. Fantastic!
Hard to believe that 2005 was 17 years ago, but like with you and Witty, the podcast brought memories back like it was yesterday. Truthfully, the last 3 years of Illini hoops made listening to this timeframe much more enjoyable. Had Underwood not rebuilt this once-proud program back up, I don't even know if I could have listened to this podcast had it been made in the years 2010-2019.
Some other thoughts:
How good was the 2000-2006 run? The take way from me was the bookend 71-6 record we had from IU 2004 until Penn State 2006 that Witty mentioned. 71-6.
I attended the 2006 Penn State basketball game with my football tailgate group that would gather for one basketball game per season. The plan was: pre-game dinner, watch us easily beat PSU, and have a nice evening afterwards. Pre-game dinner was nice. The game kept morphing into the disaster that it became (screaming: "Ed DeChellis??!!). Then, it was a long, cold, angry walk back to the Illini Union where we were staying and we immediately retired for the evening with a restless night of sleep. Next morning's breakfast wasn't any better. The common theme: what is happening here?
Today's political wars fought on Twitter and other aspects of social media: I have seen this movie before. The daily wars on Illinois message boards circa 2003-2006 between the pro-Weber versus the anti-Weber factions have nothing on what we are experiencing today between the D's and the R's.
Lastly, every college administrator should listen to Witty's recollections from this podcast. Why is having a strong athletic program so necessary? Look at all of the wonderful experiences that Witty had as a student due to this basketball program. Athletics can and should be an anchor for many students and their college experiences. Think of the experiences lost by UI students for having such a (mostly) moribund football product since 1992, and what Illinois Basketball was from 2008-2019. Not speaking for Witty, but I'd bet a lot of money that his strong connection that he has until this day to the UI, much (most?) of that was cultivated by these experiences and memories from the basketball program.
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Other topics from 2002-2003 worth discussion.
It was reported that Jerrance Howard called a players-only meeting and convinced his teammates to buy into Weber's system. It was the beginning of the turn-around.
Feb 18, 2003 MSU visited Assembly Hall. The Spartans absolutely bullied Brian Cook (like Tom Coverdale and Dane Fife bullied Frank, but that is another story). Cook scored only 4 points in 15 minutes. Dee & Deron took over, and the Illini won 70-40. The crowd was electric.
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