Illinois alumni Magazine

Gift of Gab

‘Talking Illini’ tune up for Internet radio

By Troy Murray

Scott Bosley and Scott Gendell

Scott Bosley ’78 AHS and Scott Gendell ’79 MEDIA have been friends since junior high, and fans of their new Internet radio show, “Talking Illini,” can tell.
           
Bosley (also known as Boz) and Gendell (aka Mr. G) grew up in Skokie, attended the University of Illinois and joined the same fraternity (Zeta Beta Tau) upon arriving on campus. Now the longtime friends’ experience together is paying off with the chemistry of a veteran radio team on the two-hour show, which is carried on TalkZone.com and broadcast every Monday from noon to 2 p.m.

“By the way, Boz, your season prediction for the Illini of 6-2 in the Big Ten is now officially unattainable,” Mr. G said smugly at the beginning of the Oct. 27 taping, a day after the Illini fell to Wisconsin 27-17. “Mine, at 3-5, looks pretty good right now.”

“Thank you very much for pointing that out,” Boz replied.

It’s long been a complaint from some that Illini sports don’t get enough publicity outside the Champaign-Urbana area. But in August, die-hard Illini Bosley and Gendell aimed to change that with “Talking Illini.”

“The post-game [show] goes off the air right after the game. They give stats, interview Zook, and they’re gone,” Gendell said of the previous coverage available. “I wanted to hear more, and I think a lot of people agree.”

Although neither of the longtime friends has a degree in journalism, both are lifelong Illini fans and are committed to giving fellow fans a fresh and serious (but not too serious) look on the Orange and Blue. “Talking Illini” mixes analysis of the week’s Illini game with Bosley’s and Gendell’s lighthearted banter and complementary personalities.

Those personalities are as strikingly apparent as Bosley’s bright orange Illini windbreaker. While Boz is the show’s supportive fan, Gendell and his law degree bring thoughtful analysis and even doubt (see Gendell’s season prediction for the
Illini above).

“Boz is a fan,” Gendell said. “He is the Orange and Blue ambassador. For him, it’s difficult … to shower anything but love on the program. For me, the pendulum swings both ways. The players are earning a free degree, in most cases, and the coaches are earning a lot of money, so they’re definitely open to criticism.”

The idea for “Talking Illini” started last fall when Bosley appeared on CLTV’s “Sports Page,” a weekly sports magazine show with four panelists. After answering an ad asking for a 30-second message on why he should appear, Bosley was picked. The positive feedback led him and Gendell to contact TalkZone, an Internet radio company. Early numbers estimate 3,000 to 5,000 listeners tune in to “Talking Illini” each week.

In addition to the lively interaction between Boz and Mr. G, word about the show may have spread because of guest appearances rivaling any radio sports show in Chicago. Former Illini quarterback Kurt Kittner ’02 BUS, longtime WGN radio host Dave Kaplan and Illinois basketball coach Bruce Weber, among a bevy of others, have all made appearances on the show.

“I kind of like it more when it’s just us talking with the fans,” Bosley said. “The interviews are more his [Gendell’s] thing, but the interviews are good because they bring credibility.”

Although the two middle-aged men have full-time careers – Gendell is a real-estate developer and Bosley a financial consultant – they see their spot in sports radio as more than just a fun diversion.

“If you find out you’re good at something, you want to do it,” Bosley said. “I like to think of leading by example to my kids and their friends. If you want to do something, set a goal, make a plan, walk and talk, learn on your own, and you can make it happen.”

Murray ’08 MEDIA is a freelance writer in the Chicago area.