CHAMPAIGN — A warm August day, with nary a cloud in the sky, still stands out in my mind. Another practice at Camp Rantoul, the former home of Illinois football training camp on the grounds of the old Chanute Air Force Base, was happening a decade ago in 2014. Then, like a blur, an unknown Illinois wide receiver at the time, Mikey Dudek, reached in the air, snagged a pass from quarterback Wes Lunt with one hand and held on while basically twisting and turning in mid-air.
It was a sight to see. Greatest catch ever, one of the dozens of fans in attendance threw out there? Maybe. Maybe not.
That’s the beauty of sports. Debates about the greatest, the best ever, rage on to this day. From the barstools at the Esquire Lounge to the social media accounts of sports fans anywhere to the pages of The News-Gazette, it’s hard to quantify what we see with our own eyes and compare it to the illustrious past of a particular sport.
Take Illinois football, for instance. The highs and lows of each Illini season shape the vibe of Champaign-Urbana every fall. Have a successful season, like what the Illini accomplished in 2022? Focus on how Illinois can improve its bowl stock entering Memorial Stadium on a crisp, October afternoon with the leaves changing.
Have a disappointing season, like what the Illini went through in 2023 and in so many seasons before? Focus on what the Illinois men’s basketball starting lineup will look like on a crisp, October afternoon with the leaves changing. Pla.