LGWS #4: 1984 Illinois Rose Bowl Team and the Playboy Urban Legend

Just a warning about this podcast: it’s definitely a bit more on the PG-13 rated side of things. Normally, that doesn’t matter, but I just wanted to warn you in case you decide to listen to this podcast with your kids in your car. Just in case you don’t want to explain what Playboy is and what not. Now that you have been warned, it’s time for a new edition of the Let’s Get Weird, Sports podcast, with our friend, Paul Banks. In this episode, Travis and Paul discuss the famous 1983 Illinois team that went 9-0 in conference play, and is the last team to beat all Big Ten teams in a single season. Despite their record, and the mediocre record of their opponent, the UCLA Bruins, the Illinois Fighting Illini were destroyed in this game, and was one of the most lopsided Rose Bowl games in history. How could this be? Well, legend has it that the Illinois team rung in the New Year at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion. Hugh, being an Illinois grad himself, wasted no time inviting the players to his house for an official visit when they first arrived. But were the Illini invited back for New Years, or is this just a myth? Listen to our podcast and decide! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices