Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular and Big Sports Radio

February 4, 2025

Another jam-packed week:

• Illinois basketball goes from the low of losing to a weak Nebraska team to Ivisic’s return in a thrilling come-from-behind victory against Ohio State.
• Illinois football lands a commitment from the highest ranked recruit in the Bielema era with 5-star cornerback Victor Singleton.
• Illini women’s basketball keeps winning after beating #14 Maryland on the road, despite having 3 players out with season ending injuries.
• Luca Doncic trade shocks the world. Talk about settling.

Let’s take a deeper dive into a few subjects…

Heat Check #1 – Ivisic Returns and the Illini Fly High

The Illini got a needed shot of adrenaline in the form of Tomislav Ivišić returning from a bout of mono. Make no mistake, the Illini’s best player game in and game out is most likely Kasparas Jakucionis, but the team’s most valuable player (or it’s glue guy) is Ivišić.

• Tomislav allows the Illini to spread the floor offensively.
• Tomislav provides two players that can protect the rim (along with Morez Johnson, Jr.).
• Tomislav has excellent court vision, and it powers his lethal passing game.
• Tomislav allows the Illini depth in the frontcourt which is the thinnest part of the team.

It was a lift to get Ivišić back and though it took the Illini a half to hit their stride, this was the first time we’ve seen the Illini play up to their potential since Jakucionis was injured. And he hasn’t gotten his rhythm back since that injury. When KJ does, this Illini team could elevate even higher.

Hail Mary #1 – Victor Singleton 5-Star Cornerback Commits to Illinois

Bret Bielema and his staff went into the heart of Ohio and came out with the highest ranked commitment since the Ron Zook era. Victor Singleton was expected to select Michigan but instead committed to the Fighting Illini. This is a huge win of a huge talent over huge competition.

The Illini have gained the services of a true cover corner. A player who according to IlliniGuys Football Analyst Steve Sturm, “is already advanced enough that he could play for a mid-major right now”. This is high praise for an analyst who never attacks players, but he doesn’t throw around superlatives lightly, either.

For the Illini to land such a highly respected player is not unheard of, but it hasn’t happened for a long time. This is similar to the way it’s not unheard of for the Illini to win 10 games in a season, yet Bret Bielema has engineered a 10-win season.

It makes me wonder what might happen next season when the Illini take the field with a chance to go have back-to-back bowl seasons or even win 10 games in back-to-back seasons. What else might the Illini accomplish next season?

For the first time in ages, we can’t wait for football season to be here. That’s a huge change from the past.

Heat Check #2 – Shauna Green Leads Her Team to 17-5

Shauna Green is demonstrating that she is going to be a force to be dealt with in the B1G. Her team currently stands at 17-5 despite having three season ending injuries limiting her flexibility with playing time and in-game strategy.

With two key cogs in the machine out for the season – Mikra Cook and Gretchen Dolan – it would have been easy for the team to have a pre-made excuse for poor performance. But that ticket hasn’t been purchased by either the Illini staff or players.

The Illini have 7 games to go before the B1G tournament. This includes a brutal two-game road trip to Los Angeles to play #1 UCLA and #7 USC. Most folks have written the Illini off when the injuries hit. I see no evidence that this staff, or this team has bought into that narrative.

It should be a fun couple of weeks.

Heat Check #3 - Luka Gets Traded to Los Angeles

In a shocking turn of events Luca Doncic, along with Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris were traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a single first-round pick. Around the league, teams were amazed that this was all the Mavs got for a player who isn't even 26 years old and has already led his team to an NBA Finals appearance. Davis is around 6 years older with a history of injuries. How did the Lakers avoid also having to give up three or four first round draft picks for Doncic?

No one knows how this happened, but from the way folks are talking right now, the conspiracy theories will be flying that the NBA needs a strong Lakers team and Doncic represents the post-LeBron future for the Lakers.

No matter what conspiracy theories are out there, it's amazing how the Lakers were able to grab Abdul-Jabbar after Wilt, managed to get Worthy and Magic in Abdul-Jabbar's aging years, added Shaq to Kobe, before adding Pau Gasol to Kobe and then landing LeBron. If there were ever a franchise that always finds a way, it's the LA Lakers.

Hail Mary #2 – Super Bowl Sunday

The Super Bowl is a huge game. Duh, that’s why it’s Super.

This game may be even bigger for the Chiefs when it comes to a legacy standpoint.

• Patrick Mahomes is chasing Tom Brady who is considered by many to be the NFL’s GOAT (greatest of all time). If Mahomes can engineer a 3^rd straight Super Bowl victory, it would be the first three-peat of the Super Bowl era and the first since the Packers won the NFL championship in 1966 and then the first two Super Bowls. More importantly, Tom Brady didn’t win three in a row. Neither did Joe Montana. Nor Terry Bradshaw. Mahomes is looking to carve himself a legacy that no one else has done in generations.
• The Chiefs are looking to do what most thought couldn’t be done in the salary cap era. They’ve kept the right parts together of a championship team and moved in new pieces to maintain their title winning ways. They have learned from the Patriots template. To win a third year in a row would put them ahead of the great dynasties that didn't accomplish the feat like the 70s Steelers, 80s Niners or the 90s Cowboys – not to mention the Brady Patriots.
• Andy Reid has the chance to win three in a row as well and move himself to only one of three coaches to win 4 Super Bowls. Bill Belichick has won 6 and Chuck Noll has won 4. One wonders if he had not been saddled with a quarterback with accuracy issues, Donovan McNabb in Philadelphia, how many Super Bowls might he have won? We can see how lethal his offense is with an accurate passer like Mahomes.

For the Eagles, this game has one massive legacy at stake (but one can argue that it has already been accomplished):

• Saquon Barkley has reinvigorated the running back position in the NFL. In a passing era when running backs are considered easily replaced commodities, Barkley has fueled a Super Bowl trip for the Eagles. It’s been a long while since a Super Bowl winning season was fueled by a dynamic running back, might those days be back again?

My pick: Kansas City 27 Philadelphia 21