The Open Run With Will Strickland

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 240 – The Sacrificial GOAT Fin.No matter in what language it’s uttered, printed or intimated, The End is always The Inevitable, be it for players, coaches, styles of play, eras… and even broadcast professionals in their fifth decade of being one of the nicest on these mic devices.Today’s topic, as it has been for the past five years, is hoops.And most of them have been with our special guest host, young gunner and friend, the super producer, Ryan Antonio Henry.Whether we’re talking World Basketball Day, Naismith Memorial Hall Of Fame nominees and first-time All Star Game participants or historic college basketball triple doubles, new NBA gambling protocols and WNBA strike-readiness, set your holiday season off proper with…Well… by now, you should know the rest!News.Views.Truths.References Made: The WMDs, theScore, Witty Unpredictable Talent And Natural Game, mascots, FC21CA, Bomani Jones diaspora, Ontario Health Insurance Plan, veteranism, Audi Crooks, Basketball Africa League, “gaming”, Slovenia, Beef Stew, FIBA, “Born Ready”, Montreal Expos, Amazon Prime, Jamal Murray, double entendre, Houston Comets, one-way rivalry traffic, TammySutton-Brown, Portland Fire, VJMaxx, wrasslin’, And1 mixtapes, Dallas Comegys, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Keep Doing What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1 

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 239 - Interregnum  There is a space between Right and Wrong where decisions are made.The Eternal Struggle is between the Heart and the Mind.The Heart knows no Logic; the Mind knows no Feeling.War or Peace.You choose.The penultimate episode weighs what’s next for everyone from the victims of Brown University and Bondi Beach shootings, the recently arraigned Terry Rozier and Christopher Emmanuel Paul to the University of Michigan’s men’s basketball team, the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement and the outcome of the third Emirates NBA Cup FinalNews.Views.Truths.References Made: Riyadh, glioblastoma, Johni Broome, personal pronouns, Gordon Hayward, Bondi Beach, Mookie, the aughts, Chit-Chat, COVID-19, Patches O’ Houlihan, Goodwill, Thurl Bailey, Cy-Hawk, Brittney Griner, nickomenclature, Ahmed al-Ahmed, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 238 – All The Things  Wall $t’s Dear Ol’ Dad (Bless The Dead) once told him that there are two sides to every story; three when you include The Truth.Bars filled with wisdom have put your host in a reflective mood as many of the players he’s watched over the past two decades-plus are in the twilight of their careers, with social media narratives that often belie the realities of their accomplishments.But now, The Great Christopher Emmanuel Paul is man with no country, the OG OKC crew is still setting milestones as the championship iteration of the Thunder are making their own history, we track movement in our NCAA Powers 5 for theweek, see why a housing stipend needs to find a home in the W’s CBA talks and note a sticky situation in Milwaukee while never forgetting to remember that The King Stay The King!News.Views.Truths.References Made: “Plan Your Work So You Can Work Your Plan!”,The Artist Formerly Known As Lawrence Krisna Parker, “monetizable mid”, Terry Teagle, “six seven”, Scotiabank Arena, Lauren Betts, WhyIOughta!, Serge Ibaka, dry begging, The Slamerai, Cam’ron, mathin’, Swin Cash, Nittany lions, Joe Dumars, Golden State Valkyries, The UNO Kang, arsonist firefighter, The Bradley Center, Royce Da 5’9”, titTAYS, Ryan Rollins, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1 

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 237 – The Maybes Suppositions can be dangerous.Fear can paralyze even the most stout of heart into questioning the point & purpose of their existence.The Artist Governmentally Known As Duval Clear sits down with Wall $t to talk flipping uncertainties to motivation & eventual activation  as the legendary rap vet also shares thoughts on his longevity in the sport, surviving & thriving beyond trends, his Philadelphia Eagles & what it means to have crafted one of the rarest things in music: a second act!We also cover Holiday Feast Week hoops in the NCAA, where future draft lottery picks beasted all week, Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups’ gambling arraignment, super competitive Emirates Cup games that determined our Elite Eight & a trustedvoice in the hoops talk atmos launches as take that almost breaks the internet!Listen Closely So Your Attention's Undivided!News.Views.Truths.References Made: Joseph Kirkland, #HappyMerryChristmaHanaKwanzaaFestivusDiwaliEid,“GahGah”, LA28, good delusion, FC21 All World Final, Mayo Mamba, Louisiana Tech, Bernie Bickerstaff, Video Music Box, Lash Legend, posse cuts, Kenny Loggins, canonical studies, LeSchea, sufficient adulting, “Glasses”, Croatia, Kiki Vanderweghes, strength of schedule, Jazzy Davidson, nutrition plans, Bryce Maximus, Oslo Norway, Public Enemy, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The OpenRun With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1 

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 236 – Miles x Minutes How wide do you believe the gap between “good” and “great” is?It's not rhetorical.Many a player, team and coach with ask of themselves and others the very same question, verbally or in competition.What does it take to get there?Almost two years ago to the day, the now 14-2 Detroit Pistons were the worst team in NBA history, squarely in the middle of a record 28-game winning strike.With arguably the greatest MVP race in league history, the highest first-month viewership rating in 15 seasons, the optics of a legendary draft class plying their trade in the NCAA for NIL checks and the women of the WNBA standing on business so strong, their feet are tired, the only losses to be had here is if you don’t tune in for… well…You know the rest!Be grateful.Be thankful!News.Views.Truths.References Made: Awa Fam, St. John’s University, free throw merchant, The Notorious B.I.3, Podcast P, Buffalo Braves, Emirates Cup, TiagoSplitter, YouTube, basketball-related income, Clayton Bigsby, Toronto Tempo, catnip, Storrs Connecticut, Chennedy Carter, Monster’s Ball, Pay Thanksgiving, Atlantic Coast Conference, misdemeanor strangulation, Fudd Around & Find Out, Winthrop Eagles, Burlington Coat Factory, RIP H. Rap Brown, BOO-YAH!!!, New Jersey Nets, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1 

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 235 – Critiques x Credibility Who would hire a cab driver to build a new home for them?Oft times, in today’s sports media landscape, the rough equivalent of that same cab driver is given the keys to the reporting car, spouting baseless drivel about a gamethey’ve never played.On many an occasion, it's reared its ugly heads in the most beautiful game of basketball.Here to fight the tomfoolery, Wall $t., along with former Sporting News digital content producer and Wake Forest hoops alum Gilbert McGregor!Amazing college action in the early season, hoops octogenarians dropping milestones, and your favorite Player Who Shan’t Be Named Is Back!We separate the Fact from the Lie…Let us learn you!News.Views.Truths.References Made: Serge Ibaka, League Pass, Mouse McFadden, kerfuffle, AJ Dybantsa, Ft. Worth, Syla Swords, confections, “Real SC”, MiamiHeat, Nikola Vucevic, Taco Tuesday, YouTube, Dolemite, Actual Fact Syndrome, Luke Walton, NBA DEI Player Hire, Jusef Nurkic shade, Tulsa King, Grand Theft Hildalgo, and more, all on thepodcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 234 – Interruptin’ My Kung Fu “If You’re Going Nowhere In Life, Any Road Will Take You There…”This bar from Wall $t’s Dear Ol’ Grams (Bless The Dead), uttered to him when he was but a wee lad, set the groundwork for his decision to trail blaze and never path find.The wise woman’s words came with an additional caveat: don’t allow distraction to derail your destination.Our special guest this week rides a similar wave as we call on Canadian professional hooper, broadcaster, auteur and podcaster Duane Notice to put his lens on the goingson in The Association’s third week, including watching fellow University of South Carolina Gamecock alum Collin Murray-Boyles on his hometown Raptors, and why the game is in good hands as we check some super freshmen hooping in the NCAA.We also welcome a Hall of Fame coach to Toronto and send rest in power shouts to a legend of the game.The younglings it’s gon’ be a movie. If you miss this one, it won’t be cinematic. News.Views.Truths.References Made: Kon Kneuppel, “Auntie”, NBA2K, The Big O, lemon pepper wangs, Tiago Splitter, The Source Awards, DEEEEEEEE-TROITBAS-KET-BALLLL, cricket-y, Super Nature, What Da Duck?, Shanti Das, Black Dynamite, Diane Keaton, aughts, Dan Shulman, “American accent”, The RZA, Project B, RIP Lenny Wilkins, imposer syndrome, Jerry Rice, FAFO, “gaming”, andmore, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One:The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1 

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 233 – Strategic Amnesia Misremembering… Learning how to forget… Convenient tools on occasion.In the ongoing battle of era toughness and credibility, the past and those who hold it dear, some to the point of grossly misrepresenting the goings on of the time. This week’s guest, Senior Advisor – Basketball, for Capelli Sport, Mike Parker, taps his thinktank for his belief in yesterday, as well as today and tomorrow on the new preps-to-college landscape, legendary kick gameMike also chats with Wall $t. about his career, adapting to change in the game and industry, the start of the college basketball season, developments in WNBA collectivebargaining talks, and the first fortnight of the NBA’s 80th season.We’ll remember the time and embrace the moment.You should, too!News.Views.Truths.References Made: Supreme Mathematics, fit>pick, G-Unit, DePaul Blue Demons, white-on-white crime, Cedric Coward, quintuple single, MaryTisdale, per 36, “VJMaxx”, Mt. Mutumbo, Washington Capitols, Mario Elie, The Louvre, #RIPJMJ, Houston Comets, Toby Forniere, Puerto Rico AF1s, William Maxwell Dixon, Degeneration X, Nike Battlegrounds, Alcatraz, Nate Ament, Mebounds, Cornell University, DJ Clark Kent, And1, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The OpenRun With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1 

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 232 – Wanna Bet? Appealing to someone’s competitive nature is one thing; crafting an environment where greed and excess are normalized to the degree that people see it as aspirational is another.Gambl—ahem… pardon us… “gaming”, legal or otherwise, in sports has, is and will always be a divisive topic for many.When the integrity of a league, organization or person comes into question as it pertains to gambling’s more pernicious elements, well… prepare for scandal, exposure and a whole lot of dry beggin’ / snitchin’ to occur.Most of that telling will be on ourselves.We’ve had a helluva opening week to the 80th campaign of the National Basketball Association!Feds, arrests, anticipated debuts, amazing returns, supersized scoring output and perhaps more questions than answers at this point!Hop on for the ride…It’s a good train!News.Views.Truths.References Made: Gil’s Arena, John Tesh, The Maine Event, contractual obligation, The Unction, Tiago Splitter, Reebok, Lob City East, Timberlands, financial wellness, “This Thing Of Ours”, Marshall Walter “Major”Taylor, Portland Fire, Olivia Miles, B.R.I., American Exceptionalism, Springfield YMCA, Sandy Brondello, aristocrat, Werner Ladders, N.I.L. money, Iowa Wolves, Chauncey Ray Billups, double entendre, Disney Sports, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 231 - Untitled Ever been on the outside of an inside joke?Make sure you are not as Wall $t. might crack a smile, but ain’t a damn thing funny about mixing it up with Austin, Texas’ AM 1300 The Zone’s The Morning Kickoff’s duo! Former Major League baseball player, Friend of the Program and high school hoops teammate of your host, Mike “Hardball” Hardge, and The World’s Strongest Man (or second-strongest, depending upon who you ask), WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henrybreak down their careers, how they teamed up for their radio show, who’d be better in the other’s sport, Rice University vs The University of Texas, the NBA’s Texas Triangle of teams and more!Does a special guest referee or tag team partner show to even out the odds in this handicapable match to give a proper salute to the WNBA season that was and The Commish who soon won’t, as well as preview the 80th campaign of the National Basketball Association?The answer’s in the question.Confirm by tuning in to get the goods!News.Views.Truths.References Made: Bufftitude, The Ultimate Scoring Machine, Killeen, Montreal Expos, Ludacris, Midnight Madness, Yokozuna, versatility,Quinn Ewers, Little Dribblers, Rori Harmon, #DAAAAAJankiLoos, Jackie Young, “spinal”, The Undertaker, The Lyin-Ass Jacket, Bill Buckner, Hero Theme Music, niacin, NoLimit soldiers, Reebok, lower podcast injury, Ja Wick, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population!Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 230 – Screams Beneath The Soil What you focus upon will grow.Be it is negativity or positivity in your crosshairs, your energy will reveal and yield.On the show this week to help our hoops goodness bloom and blossom is Friend of the Program and co-host of CBC Gem’s The Great Canadian Baking Show, Alan Shane Lewis. Though we should have hailed the 2025 WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces in the face of a potential momentum-stunting work stoppage and reviewed the NBA’s yearly General Manager’s survey, we gave up the goods during the most important gifting of accolades show in podcasting, the 5th Annual #DoWork Awards – Preseason Edition instead!Violations after The W Finals sweep and a week before the 80th campaign for The Association?Listen first.Tell us later.News.Views.Truths.References Made: Cooper Dy’Shawn Flagg, The Black Falcon, Attention Economist, #SuckaSauce, Megan Pete, dinosaurs, Yaasin Bey, BARbarian, John Andrew Vernon Ruskin, “Dice Trae”, vegemite, Slim Jesus, fanalytics, Django Unchained, Airious, midrange assassin, The Notorious B.I.3., “gaming”, SGA, Uber, Jontay Porter, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pablo Torre, WWE Superstars, Jalen Suggs, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 229 – The Violence Of Truth My Dear Ol’ Dad (Bless The Dead) used to say that there are two sides to every story… three when you include… Well…Friend of the Program and all-everything Canadian sports broadcaster Savanna Hamilton will help me to get to that.Whether we’re discussing Kawhi and the Clippers using the NBA like it’s the Fifth Amendment in the face of a league investigation into potential cap circumvention, the conflict between Napheesa Collier and the commissioner of the WNBA, or several record setting performances during the games of the first-ever best-of-seven series of the W’s Finals in history, if you can identify the prevarication in our analysis, let us know!News.Views.Truths.References Made: Cinderella Stories, Bad Bunny, Call Her Daddy, equity, Cheryl Miller, The Bubble, Unrivalled, Dearica Hamby, FAFO, Russia, The Handmaid’s Tale, Toronto Mans, full gub’ment, Masai Ujiri, air quotes, Collin Murray-Boyles, artificial intelligence, RIPoetry In Moten, The Baddies, wrasslin’, Satou Sabally, The Decision 2, Podcast P, Copperas Cove High School, Stephanie White, Love x Basketball, nepo babies, Detroit Shock, “yappa”, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 228 – Anti-Social Media I’ve always had a Love | Hate relationship with these rough interweb streets.Working in sports media in Canada didn’t change it; only amplified it.Circumstances changed.  We’re here wow, but I’m revisiting its relevance in Life. The Internet is Forever… and so is one of the hotly contested WNBA semifinals ever, including an all-time coaching crash out that would lead to something even greater.The first week of Fall brings us closer to NBA media day for its 80th campaign and 23d for arguably sports first social media superstar.Absurd, but true.Don’t let envy and shame keep you from embracing the moments.Let the quality hoops talk hook you!News.Views.Truths.References Made: VJ Edgecombe, 3-6 Latvia, DJ Cucumber Slice, PortlandFire, Sloot, crash out, Gamecock Fight, TikTok, TSN, LinkedIn, The Artist Formerly Known As Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr., algorithm, Trill Burgers, DeWanna Bonner, litigiousness, The Big O, Disney Sports, Raise The Flagg, Montana, Aspiration, Rick Brunson, Seattle Supersonics, Aaliyah Boston, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The OpenRun With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 227 – Outta Town Shooters Despite the adage that in order to get a job done right, you gotta do it yourself, sometimes in Life, you may be required to count on outsourcing talent to complete a mission.With the NBA’s first wave of training camps and media days upon us, outside of lingering questions about the future of the hashtag #HeWhoShantBeNamed, random “expert lists” judging the best players in The Association and the new All-Star Game format, the query at the forefront of inquisition will be The Kawhi Protocols in Clipperland.Someone contracted an outside squad to do an inside gig.It looks like it’s about to be messy for several parties involved…We’re on it.The women of the WNBA are in awards season and in the midst of their final four, with semifinals matchups that could upset the apple cart even further, as the 2024 champs have been sent packing for #tackleBoxSZN.What team opening on the road has the best chance to flip the script and control their own narrative in these playoffs?We got that, too.You know the drill.Move Accordingly.Do So With Minimal Caution.News.Views.Truths.References Made: StudBudz, Mad Max (No Thunderdome), Athletes Unlimited, Pistol Pete, War Eagle, Manitoba, Tulane University, Jack Molinas, BNA Airport, Miika Muurinen, Sheryl Swoopes, Nashville Summit, Timothy Elpadaro Thedford, “Knoxvul”, Touring The AFC South, Kelsey Mitchell, ClarksVegas, Buc-ees,Victor Sweet, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ballhalla, loud packs, Moolah Kicks, breakfast cereal mascots, Rocky Top, Calgary Stampeders, Uncle Dennis, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population!Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

⁠The Open Run With Will Strickland⁠Episode 226 – Ordered Steps“It Was Written”… or so it says.What is the difference between Fate and Destiny?Is there any?As the 80th campaign of the National Basketball Association is a scant few days away, we explore the stumbling blocks and stepping stones lain before us as a team in the Pacific Northwest changes ownerships and fans are nervous about their tomorrows, unique storylines abound with the start of the WNBA’s “Second Season”, a EuroBasket win for a country led by a player who may have just cemented his Hall of Fame credentials and Pablo Torre’s investigative rock turning on the Clippers.Walk with us.News.Views.Truths.References Made: Dirk Werner Nowitzki, Abu Dhabi, The Finnisher, the varying weight of bronze medals, 76er summer hoops mixtapes, gangsta mimes, Carne Contaminado, Back To The Future, Clay Bennett, empathy, Terence “Bud” Crawford, thoughts and prayers, Public Enemy, YouTubers, Spida shade, Panda Express, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble!Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 225 – Get The Day BackNo matter when you are reading this, you’ll never have that exact time ever again.What do you do with that knowledge?Inevitability… As the sand in the hourglass waits for no one, and yet somehow, we often wish it would stand still, the WNBA playoffs loom large as does a potential lockout for the ladies.The 80th campaign of the National Basketball Association is on the horizon and an icon of the game may soon take his leave from the fine hardwood courts as well.Knowing when to go may be more difficult than actually going.Facts don’t have Feelings… Only Realizers and Deniers.Decide which you are and then embrace the moments.They don’t last forever…News.Views.Truths.References Made: Cocaine Circus, RIP Tupac, 9/11, Willis Reed, horror flicks, 3-6 Latvia, moonwalking, The Artist Formerly Known As Malik Abdul-Aziz, deviated septum, Larsa Pippen, acronyms, Mexican Independence Day, LaFonda, #mapleGxNG, Minori Fukushi, The African Resistance Monument, Curious Mike, Moet Chandon, Mebounds, John Lennon, non-disclosure agreement, Gentlemen’s Glaze, St. Cecilia’s Summer League, Uncle Dennis, the Redeem Team, matzah, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 224 – BBall Bong BongOn the last episode before our #PartsWellKnown Tour across Canada for The World’s Most Unique Basketball Tournament, Wall $t. summons the wonder twin powers of Los Hermanos Del Baloncesto by calling upon El Jefe Supremo of FC21 All World, Friend Of The Program and cultural renaissance man, Bobbito Garcia.The guys do a deep dive on Bob’s latest project, a memoir called “Bobbito’s Book Of BBall Bong Bong”, and share why the growth of the only application of 1v5 basketball on the planet means so much to them and so many more.Super Producer and #1 Dallas Mavericks fan Ryan Antonio Henry assists in talking the brave new world ahead for The Association in the post-draft aftermath of free agency, announce All Star starters and other exciting developments in The WNBA and exonerate Ace Bailey for what many feel was a failed attempt to have control over a career barely started.News.Views.Truths.References Made: Bone Collector, Pittsburgh Pirates, Forrest Gump, The Maine Event, W.A.R.P.ed, Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, slave auctions, Meghan McPeak, Entertainers Basketball Classic, Azzi Fudd, 3d Bass, @demi_sosa, Seattle, John Carlos, k1x sneakers, Adrian Bartos, Steele Hyundai, Thor, well-seasoned, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population!Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 223 – Engagement FarmingWe all join things to fit in… belong.It could be the band, chess team, the military or a book club, but we join to be a part of something greater than ourselves. This week, a new champion will be crowned in The Association, a basketball team rooted in teamwork making the dream work.There will also be 59 young men, looking to be chosen to fulfill their dreams of belonging to a brotherhood that lasts for life.It won’t be a drive-by, empty calorie, foul merchant activation for those who find their validation in The Attention Economy.It will be so much more… It will mean much more as well.Soul Food.Never Fast Food.News.Views.Truths.References Made: Seattle Supersonics, 90s nostalgia, Sophie Cunningham, The Wire, parlays, Mark William Calaway, integer, coach emeritus, Michelob Light, Cornbread Maxwell, Cigar Aficionado, RIP Ananda Lewis, Witty Unpredictable Talent And Natural Game, H-Town, Moet Nebuchadnezzar, Sal’s Pizzeria, rapper retirement, journalism, Mebounds, RIP David Greenwood, The Attention Economy, kerfuffles, hoops nepotism, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble!Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 222 – Faded PicturesLiving in the past can be tough. Nothing ever changes.Not accepting the natural evolution of things can be even tougher.We’re here to ease the transition toward acceptance, revolution… or both.Wall $t. calls on former St. Bonaventure forward, 2x Nike Battlegrounds Toronto winner and head honcho of King Nation youth basketball club Vidal Massiah to run the wings with him on everything from the NBA Finals, Canadians battling forthe crown and what it means to his program and the country to The World’s Most Unique Basketball Tournament, family, love, life, loss and the ever-changing landscape of the NCAA and NIL.News.Views.Truths.References Made: Jeux De La Rue, Nike Battlegrounds, Zach Edey, Detroit Shock, K-Mac, treaties, Luol Deng, TMZ, Candace Parker, well-seasoned, Baby Campbell, regret, New Balance, RIP Big Apple, Independence Day, Cooper Flagg, All My Relations, Artesticulation, NBA TV Canada, Leon Rose, The Wizard Of Oz,Justin Beiber, BARS!, Pascal Siakam, and more, all on thepodcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population!Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 221 – Proof Of Concept1,307 total games played in the 2024-2025 campaign, but… will we see seven more?The roads the Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder and the Eastern Conference-conquering Indiana Pacers took to get here matter little at this point.The time is now and both teams are ready to face the challenge ahead in their quest for ultimate glory, capturing the Larry O’Brien Trophy.Wall St. calls on OKC beat writer Brandon Rahbar from The Daily Thunder to talk the past, present and future on the prairie.From SGA, MVP and Sam Presti to matchups, x-factors and the fickle mistress that is chemistry, the guys get you prepped for the NBA Finals like few others can!News.Views.Truths.References Made: The Commissioner’s Cup, Hollow Da Don, sadism, The Haliban, LBI, Spencer Haywood, game plan discipline, Young Abe Lincoln, Gatewood Archer Pine Band, Allie Quigley, The Death Lineup, Honourary Canadianism, Ted Lasso, Dallas Mavericks, retirement, Delly, Montreal Nord, Satou Sabally, The Disease Of More, Robert Griffin III, The Celly, University of Kentucky, black church socks, #PartsUnknownTour2025, Tim Horton’s, Teamwork Makes The Dream Work, Ellison High School, Young BOAT, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble!Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 220 – Belts In MotionThe end of May brings reminiscence for several things past, be it a long lost loved one, the real origin story of MemorialDay, and why one NBA conference finals series is more compelling than the other, despite an alleged lack of star power.Wall $t. does the knowledge on this curiosity as well as dueling superagents supporting their clients and coming up Klutch, FC21CA’s 6 weeks away from touching earth in the T-Dot, Week 2 of the WNBA season, Caitlin Clark’s injury’s economic impact, Angel Reese and The Danger Of The Single Story.News.Views.Truths.References Made: The Dorture Chamber, ultra-processed foods, Pat McAfee, tithing heavily, Liz Kittley, Rolex, Dallas Wings, Robert Lee Pettit, DMV, Nickeil Alexander Walker, racism, Phee’nds, Unrivaled, Chennedy Carter, freedom, Grenada, The United Mexican States, Tom Hagen, weight loss, The Haliban, lemonbootiness, Hamilton Ontario, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble!Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 219 - Hardwood Even though we’re about a month away from Father’s Day, the relationship between Black fathers and sons can be simple and direct… complex and complicated or a number of other variables in between.That unique dynamic is explored, as Wall St. goes on the road to discovering Black male redemption with Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Hubert Davis.The two break down the matchups and ex-factors for each of the NBA’s final four teams as the conference finals begin, run the court on WNBA opening weekend overreactions, include our first Rookie Watch and Power 5 of season 29 and plot a 25th anniversary screening of his first cinematic offering during FC21CA’s film fest, #HoopersHoop.News.Views.Truths.References Made: Black Ice, Rob Lowe, Big3, Diana Taurasi, Hot Docs, Magic & Bird, ‘ism, RGIII, Giants Of Africa, Jay-Z, Notre Dame, Meghan McPeak, el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz, Harlem Globetrotters, Ashton James, gentrification, Mirin Fader, Delta Airlines, Kevin Hart, masculinity, Arike Ogunbowale, The Middle Third, JJ Barea, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Avon RandolphBarksdale, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball andLife are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population!Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 218 - Uptempo What is The World’s Most Expensive Commodity?In the NBA, it’s spent in 48 minute blocks… Occasionally, when the game gets restless, it generally requires at least 5 more.Of the eight teams left to battle for professional basketball’s greatest prize, some are on the verge of exhausting their supply... others replenish theirs after every win.And while The Association’s best battle for the crown, the WNBA kicks off its 29th campaign with a momentum the league has not seen since it began, all in in the face of one of the most important labour decisions in women’s professionalsports history.Somewhere in the midst of all of this goodness happening in This Thing Of Ours is a celebration, beginning with the launch of The World’s Most Unique Basketball Tournament, FC21CA.It's Time!Don’t Delay.Move Accordingly.Do So With Minimal Caution… because that commodity mentioned earlier in the tale…It’s finite. News.Views.Truths.References Made: Ms. Brandy, Birmingham Brother Rice, usage rate, Juicy Marbles, “Pierre”, gaming vs gambling, Christopher George Latore Wallace, United Nations, Sabrina Ionescu, First Take, “LaShaniquia”, OutKast, Timberlands, Sonia Cintron, intersectionality, El Jefe, Malia Obama, Athletes Unlimited, banoodles, #tackleBoxSZN, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 217 – Engine Light The Elite Eight.30 started the journey where only one with reign supreme.Wall $t. calls on frequent collaborator and super podcast producer Ryan Antonio Henry to get on the road to riches and NBA diamond rings, where real hoopers do real things to wrap up all first round exits, offer report cards, preview the conference semis, doing some early destination station projections for a couple of all-timers, anticipate an exciting WNBA season and show love to the winningest coach in league history!There is no substitution for greatness… word to Tom Thibodeaux. News.Views.Truths.References Made: Frank Sinatra, The Help Center, Skylar Diggins, nickel slots, Tommy Carcetti, WrassleMania, Chevano, WebMD, Larry Joe Bird, Gentlemen’s Sweep, Jey Uso, Intuit Dome, “Robins”, Montreal, Lil’ General shade, John Halliburton, The Gulag, Jalen Suggs, Randy Orton, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 215 – The 2d SZN Never Forget.The Regular Season is where All-Stars are made.The Postseason is where Superstars emerge.The feeling is in the air as we’re close to rounding our who the NBA’s conference semi-finalists will be, but in the meantime in between time, Wall $t, goes in this week!Black Privilege, second generation stars and double standards, #tackleBoxSZN, Top 10 lists issues, WNBA training camp, curious case of Chennedy Carter, Nico Harrison is a soldier, Ja’s lawsuit dropped but The MVP has bars for 12, the NIL portal activities, the future in Miami, Milwaukee and Memphis, overt messages sent by the top seeds, foul calls missed, but why does it matter after the fact, hard truths about Luka, most overrated player in The Association and the person you’d least like to fight, drama vs knowing how to win, the most entertaining series so far, and real questions about the reigning and defending champs!News.Views.Truths.References Made: Stan Love, Ye Olde “Hol’ Me Back!”, Sade, Tesla, El Patrone, South Sudan, “Sweetwater”, Texas Christian University, @LayWitDaButta, #TheChainxTheStar, Patrick Dumont, The Last Two Minute Report, Sambor Shuffle, Air Swoopes, alliteration, Wat Misaka, The Balkans, Tee Martin, Baltimore Colts, Nikola Mirotic, Poetical Prophets, stretch provision, Lynette Woodard, weight room, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 215 – In The Margins The Immortal Post-Modern Contemporary Literary Giant Melvin Glover once allowed his quill to scribe the following words: “Don’t Push Me ‘Cuz I’m Close To The Edge, I’m Try-in Not To Lose My Head…”Giving voice to the voiceless… the unheard… those in the shadows, close to the edge… on the outside lookin’ in… The Sporting News’ NBA content producer Gil McGregor brings his insights and intellect to the proceedings with Wall $t. to talk the WNBA draft aftermath, the most decorated player in NBA history, the best worst kept secret in college basketball, why the league may have missed the mark on clutchness, the opening weekend of The Second Season: the start of the most grueling run to 16 wins and the yet-to-be reveal heros without capes who will make a difference on the road to a title!The Thrill Of Victory.The Agony Of Defeat. Catch It All!News.Views.Truths.References Made: North Cakalaki, Sterling Henderson, #SheWhoShantBeNamed, Coming To America, Arike Ogunbowale, Ryan Ruocco, FanDuel, “Off-Night”, championship DNA, Young Abe Lincoln, #Cardio, Iso Joe, University of Michigan, Hailey Van Lith, Ms. Brandy, Ja’Net DuBois, “He Wit’ Us!”, Robert Joseph Cousy, Oakland, Massa Jenkins, N.C. State, Gil Scott-Heron, Great Barrier Thief, #TorontoMans, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 214 – The Same 24 86,400 Seconds. 1440 Minutes. You get them… Daily. We all do. With what do you do with yours?Wall $t. spends some of Life’s most expensive commodity with sports anchor for the New York Post and host of New York’s Got Game, Dexter Henry, talking the WNBA Draft, the New York Liberty’s chances to repeat, the NBA play-in and playoffs matchups, who walks away with regular season player’s hardware, FC21CA aka #RunNYC and milestones for the ages.News.Views.Truths.References Made: Inside The NBA, Mamba Out, John Stockton, The Great Barrier Thief, LIV Golf, Shawshank Redemption, contractual obligations, Vucci Mayne, grenades, “first team All-Deeee-fense”, J-Hova, Scrubstitution Time, Earl Simmons, green tea macha lattes, Tennessee Volunteers, Sarah Strong, labor, Athletes Unlimited, competitive rest, Bodega KAT, NBA 2K Trade Machine culture, #mapleGxNG, action figures, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 213 – Wins x Lessons Life is a competitive sport.Sometimes, you are victorious… other times, not so much.On the occasions when the terms are not in your favour, how do you deal?“You’re not a loser in anything until you quit”, as was once uttered by University of Houston Men’s Head Basketball Coach, Kelvin Sampson.Truer words have rarely if ever been writ or spit!And we offer more than words as we wrap up an amazing college basketball season for both the men and women, button up wild playoff races in the NBA, tip our collective hats to an all-time great who is saying goodbye to the game, saluting the latest inductees into the Naismith Memorial Hall Of Fame and show everyone how to count victory in every loss!News.Views.Truths.References Made: Christopher Tracy, Alpha Dogs, Saran Wrap, Mike Brkovich, The Syntactician, layup line numbers, Boogie, point differential, Cori Close, #MindTheSundayTruce, Pascal Siakam, New Jersey, Charles Dickens, Louisiana Tech, Dave Zirin, swindled, “Fudd Around & Find Out!”, shalom, #iAmKyam, Dem Gator Boys Stay Hot, selective immigration design, Jimmy V, lemonbooty, The Artist Formerly Known As Chris Wayne Jackson, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 212 – The Law Of Three Set Up.Execution.Follow Thru.Many fail at the third one, but not our very special guest!We are graced by the presence of the Northeast Conference’s steals leader as a freshman, the Point Goddess herself, Wagner College’s Keana Foz!Wall $t. and Keana talk her first season hooping in Staten Island, New York, her wins and lessons as a result, some of her favourite things, being a lock down defender, the transformative initiative called #TheCollective and, of course, #MarchMadness’ Final Four and what it will take for her to lead her squad there next season!News.Views.Truths.References Made: #PointGoddessCertified, Rogers & Hammerstein, Puma Clydes, adulting, Willis Reed game, narcotics, Aunt Pearl, spin cycle narratives, White Vonnell, first ballot, “Beef Stew”, Kiwi Shoe Polish, “P!”, naysayers, The Pat McAfee Show, #QueenWaves, Southeastern Conference, Tony! Toni! Tone!, Kiyomi McMiller, Gatorade, Booker T., Air Swoopes, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 211 – Competitive Reset Sometimes when you are working your plan, the plan doesn’t work.How do you pivot toward prosperity?On this week’s ep, we call on Jason Hooten, Head Men’s Basketball Coach for the New Mexico State University Aggies, who will share his philosophy around recognizing when to shift gears in the ever-changing landscape of major collegiate athletics.From name, image and Likeness funding, the transfer portal and the slow death of the mid-major Cinderella at #MarchMadness to the conference respect, strength of schedule and the men’s Sweet Sixteen, the coach and Wall $t. make first-team All Common Sense of it all!News.Views.Truths.References Made: Toronto Mans, gang-adjacent, Matthew Dellavedova, New Balance, The Hamburglar, Minnesota Timberwolves, Nancy Lieberman, Duke, chocolate chip cookies, Obi Toppin, rock fights, LA Sparks, Moses Malone, Kinsasha, adidas Superstars, Power, Martin Luther King, traveling, Pig Sooey, Ta’Niya Latson, prostate exams, Ore-Ida, Karris Bilal, ByMyself meetings, Cancel Culture, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 210 – Epistemicide Epistemicide is a term used to describe the destruction or devaluation of knowledge systems, particularly those that are not in alignment with dominant paradigms or Western tradition.TRANSLATED FOR OUR PURPOSES HERE: “Murica Gon’ Murica!”The Road to Hell is paved with Good Intentions, as it was once said... They also say there are hundreds of thousands of student-ath-O-letes playing NCAA Division 1 sports most all of them will go pro in something else altogether.Yep.But what if someone in power, who unilaterally decided to eliminate the deeds, work and history of particular groups of these current and | or former scholarship athletes because that work allegedly didn’t align with the power structure conditioning model?We have questions.We might have answers.We also have March Madness picks, Selection Sunday snubs, a potential Finals preview, The Chef in 4K Chef, and Unrivaled surprises!News.Views.Truths.References Made: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, headbands, Bennett Stirtz, amendments, Rice Owls, Al Attles, The Grindfather, Forrest Gump, Point Gawdess, status quo, George The Messiah, name checking, #mapleGxNG, Joe Budden, lunchtime hoops MVP, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 209 – Cultural Stock ExchangeIntellectual Property is a valuable commodity outchere in these rough interweb streets.And as run headlong into the madness of this month, we are looking to make wise investments with your time, energy and Selection Sunday NCAA tournament brackets.How do we do that?Wall $t. calls on Friend of The Program and Montreal’s finest, Three-Time All-America and 1988 Olympian Dwight Walton help navigate conference titles won, Champions Week, incredible milestones moving into the final month of the regular season, and some devastating injuries ending the 24-25 campaign for a couple key cogs for potential playoff teams.We’ll also discuss the heavyweight doughnut throwdown between Disney Sports and its most recent acquisitions, Screamin’ A habitually overstepping and why no one wants to be uneasy wearing the crown.News.Views.Truths.References Made: Richie Adubato, Overtime Elite, gambling, Quebec Nordiques, The Sequence, It Never Rains In Southern California, mononyms, Houston Comets, Roy Edward Ayers, Jr., #MarchMadness, Hiawatha Smalls, Sanaa Lathan, GEICO, Lindsay Whelan, salary cap fee structure, Davidson College, Skip To My Lou, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 208 – Destiny ManifestedRaptors Manager Of Social Impact and 2023 FC21CA #LadiesFirst panelist Katherine Allen pulls up on Wall $t. to talk being a lifelong Raptors fan, the team’s outlook for the immediate future, normalizing representation, and how heavy her feet heat quiver is!Also on this ep, Juju Watkins shows and proves again, the Cleveland Cavaliers don’t care about your feelings, The Toronto Tempo are building their front office structure, NCAA conference tournaments and The Big Dance are just around the corner and Luka LaMarr (that’s with 2 r’s) Doncic’s whirlwind Black History Month in Los Angeles, including his first game against his former squad, all get the Wall $t. Treatment.News.Views.Truths.References Made: Selection Sunday, futureproofing, Calvin Lockhart, trickle down effect, Angel Reese, Time Magazine, Quintin Grimes, Reebok, “Thank You, Nico!”, #LadiesFirst, death stares, 70-71 Milwaukee Bucks, Nakissa Koomalsingh, corporal punishment, James Khristian Middleton, veteranism, St. Vincent, The World’s Most Unique Basketball Tournament, Niele Ivey, Christopher George Latore Wallace, #InternationalWomensEryday, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 207 – CertitudeVery few things in this Life can be guaranteed.Death… Taxes… max | supermax NBA contracts… and getting the best insights and discussion covering the goings on from The Association, WNBA and Unrivaled to men’s and women’s NCAA action and The World’s Most Unique Basketball Tournament, FC21CA.Bank on it.Set your clock to it.We are Inevitable as shocking revelations out of San Antonio, Milwaukee, New York City, Raleigh and Philadelphia lead the way in this week’s episode.Make sure you don’t miss out!News.Views.Truths.References Made: ClarksVegas, PsyOp, Roberta Flack, ChatGPT, Andre Iguodala, Torodol, speakerphone, #BlackHistoryEryday, National Hockey League, John Austin Stockton, toxicity, Water Pistol Pete, Jr., yore, opporcoonist, Converse, Percy Miracles, Albuquerque, President Musk, Zamboni, polygamy, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble!Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 206 – Terms x ConditionsAs Valentine’s Day has come and gone, with people professing “unconditional” love for one another without actually understanding that “unconditional” is still a condition, you may wonder what is not subject to equivocation.Wall St. welcomes the multidisciplinary artist Cynda Williams, most famously known for her role as Clark Betancourt in the Spike Lee’s 1990 classic film, Mo’ Better Blues, to talk her big break, navigating the business, what drives her today, being down bad as a Chicago sports fan and the 62d birthday of St. Michael Jeffrey Of Wilmington.Major shake-ups in our NCAA Powers 5 as we approach marching into the madness of conference tournaments and The Big Dance, major milestones in the careers of all-time greats, the value propositions of women’s professional hoops may have just changed forever and the real purpose of NBA All Star Weekend are discussed as well!News.Views.Truths.References Made:Harlem Blues, Blake Austin Griffin, cultural currency, The Redeem Team, Harold’s Fried Chicken, turteen job, Crimson Tide, Scottie Barnes, World Wrestling Entertainment, The Mighty Quinn, faux outrage, Mikayla Blakes, Fighting Illini, “Black Enough”, strength of schedule, Valkyries, Corey Brewer, whip whop, Rocky IV, spring chicken, Quill Game Heavy, Sabrina Ionescu, corporate junkets, “Wild Hundreds”, Nike, Clarke Betancourt, dunk residencies, The Wire, Shelton Jackson Lee, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population!Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will StricklandEpisode 205 – The Purity TestIf sunlight is the best disinfectant, what reveals itself when cold hard cash is your primary motivation… or at least keeping as much of it as you can, tried and true institutions be damned?This requires investigation then authentication and Wall $t. calls upon none other than Canadian Super Producer Ryan Antonio Henry, still heartbroken over the loss of Luka LaMarr (That’s With 2 R’s) and, at least temporarily already, Anthony Marshon Davis, Jr, but enthused by the possibility of Brandon Ingram in the T-Dot, to run the league’s best hoops podcast pick and roll!The Compadres run the break on everything from the most shocking transaction during the most exciting trade deadline in NBA history, the BBall Billionaires Club Conspiracy Theory and double standards to Unrivaled’s inaugural 1v1 battle, big upsets in the NCAA and of course, the annual #DoWork Awards – Midseason Edition!News.Views.Truths.References Made:Birdies Come Lately, portmanteau, LeBronto, Shohei Otani, Grant Henry Hill, kidneys, voter fatigue, Gillie The Kid, #BlackHistoryEryday, 1v1, addition by subtraction, Patrick Dumont, #SuckaSauce, Levon, Napheesa Collier, The Greyhound, trade demands, Brian Windhorst, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland!Do What’s Popular With The Population!Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets:Twitter: @W_Strickland1IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 204 – Sunlight As the calendar turns the page on January into Black History Month, outside of honouring the the past, present and future greatness of a marginalized people, we don’t wait for a groundhog in Pennsylvania or Ontario to let us know when Spring will spring. This week, we call on Coty M. Davis, Pistons beat writer for the Detroit News, to talk his journey from H-Town to Motown, the new look San Antonio Spurs, and give our glow to the wildest trade in NBA history! Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson are immortalized, NCAA Power 5 teams get upset, WNBA free agency frenzy is just that, Beyonce, Doechii and Kendrick Lamar own the Grammys and we raise our glasses to basketball lifers in the twilight of their careers. News. Views. Truths. References Made: What Up Doe?, Bill Murray, Southeast Asia, Hubert Jude Brown, O.P.M., Wyc Grosbeck, “Knoxvul”, Chennedy Carter, malfeasance, Patrick Aloysius Ewing, chuchau money, Stone Cold Steven Grizzly Adams, Tampa, The Renaissance Center, Pat Summitt, Cartier frames, Wiarton Willie, Reebok, National Coney Island, Tobacco Road, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 202 – The Illusion Of Inclusion In the consolidating text of the United States called The Constitution, there is a phrase: “We, The People…” that clearly wasn’t intended for all of the humans inhabiting the land. The so-called founders of a place already occupied by folks indigenous to the soil weren’t too keen on accurate personal pronoun use, but “We” are as Wall $t. invites his former high school classmate, Mike “Hardball” Hardge, co-host of Austin, Texas’ 1300 The Zone’s Morning Kickoff, to form a more perfect union and speak on some unalienable sports rights that won’t go left! We will virtually make self-evident all things relevant to Wemby In Paris, University of Texas hoops, The LeBrons in The Bay… or not, All-Star Game selection, reserves and snubs and look at the last five years without the late, great Kobe Bean Bryant. News. Views. Truths. References Made: Half Man-Half Amazing, fence riding, Jackie Young, Lunar Owls, FC21CA, McClung shade, blitzing, Kim Mulkey, Anti-Defamation League, The Detroit Drive, losing strikes, Calvin Candie, Washington Nationals, Amen Thompson, DEI, The World’s Strongest Man, ‘Murica, Paw-Paw, Quadzilla, Keyano College, Mark Sears, How ‘Bouit Dem Cowboys, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 202 – The Law Of Unintended Consequences It is said that “The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions”, but have you ever wondered why that is? Well, please know that Wall $t. won’t just talk about what will happen, but will act upon said intention. This week, we’ll separate the truth from the lie with Friend Of The Program and host of The Chase Down Podcast, Winnipeg’s very own Justin Rowan, covering the Cleveland Cavaliers. Everything from generational franchise fumbles, Paige Bueckers’ race to 2K and the absolute opening weekend success of Unrivaled to the inauguration of the 47th President Of The United States, Dave Chappelle's storytelling master class, the impact of the NBA’s MLK Day games and how serious the team from Northeast Ohio is will be discussed. News. Views. Truths. References Made: Chase Down Pod, Joe Valachi, The Wizard, honey dill sauce, Peg Gritty, alliteration, Unrivaled, Palestine, Chrisette Michelle, tape delay, Saab, Kel’el Ware, Saturday Night Live, James Earl Carter, inauguration, Skylar Diggins-Smith (Skylar Diggins), accoutrements, MLK Day, rap snitches, Dave Chappelle, Title IX, GoodFellas, PTPers, Tobias Harris, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 201 – Buckle Up Tough to have hoops on the mind when Los Angeles is burning, but we’ll salute the first responders and think good thoughts for those who lost a lifetime of memories, homes and lives. One week away from the United States Presidential inauguration and three weeks from the NBA Trade Deadline, Wall $t. weighs in on which is more important transfer of power with Matt Young, Trending Sports Reporter from the Houston Chronicle, where we’ll talk a tough week in Texas sports, how we “met”, the Houston Rockets and why he sits in four-cornered rooms, staring at candles. Love is also given to our Powers Five for both the men’s and women’s NCAA Division 1 hoopers, as well as the greatest comeback in college basketball history! News. Views. Truths. References Made: Lil’ Keke, Pitt Panthers, Tomball, wildfires, Marcus Freeman, filth, Baton Rouge, “misstapes”, The Big Bodega, banana boats, Liatu King, The Simpsons, A Bronx Tale, losing strikes, Derrick Chievous, KTRU, Universal Black Man’s Hello, The Bass 9-1-7 Zone, Galena Park, Brad Terence Jordan, rock fights, Carrington’s, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 200 – Honour The Gift Welcome to 2025, where everything is supposed to be so fresh and new. But in recognizing things we tell ourselves to push another revolution around the Sun, we should realize The Blessings Within… learn to count victory in every loss! And did we ever learn some things over the holiday season! Whether it be about the now-21-year-old Victor Wembanyama or the now-40-year-old #HWSBN, the emerging greatness of Hanna Hildalgo, the overwhelming presence of Caitlin Clark, continuing to underrate the Cleveland Cavaliers and being shown time and again that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is pretty good at basketball, we learned. Hop aboard… it’s a good ride! News. Views. Truths. References Made: Horace Silver, The Chicago Way Of Play, existentialism, Norman Powell, Detroit Pistons, Fridays, lame duck, the police, Mac McClung, fake hustle, Oatmeal Man, Chase Center, conditioning, Cain & Abel, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Gladiator, unionization, President Jimmy Carter, Volunteers, Nate Bargatze, Toronto Tempo, Oktibbeha County, Tammy Sutton-Brown, bus be movin’, Pacific Palisades, malaprops, Syla Swords, GrandPappy, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 198 – Motion It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday, word to Boyz II Men, we must. 2024 will have been remarkable for women in sport, in particular, basketball, and infamous for its collective decision making in the clutch, whether we are talking geopolitics or NBA analytics. One thing is for sure and the rest for certain is that we will finish this year strong because the gift is in the giving. Here to help Wall $t. close out properly and not get beat off the dribble is The Compadre, Super Producer Ryan Antonio Henry! The guys will run the lanes on the Emirates NBA Cup, preview the Xmas games, recognize new powers in the college hoops landscape and give flowers were they are most definitely due to women in basketball, from Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson and Angel Reece to Paige Bueckers, Juju Watkins and Hannah Hildalgo. It's the gift that keeps on giving! News. Views. Truths. References Made: “Ree-Sash-Shay”, lasers, Dice Trae’d, retirement, Mat Ishbia, wood-wicked candles, @TheKingHandles, Time Magazine, Dawn Staley, Notre Dame, Ritchie Acheampong, Point Goddess Certified, Calvin Broadus, PTPers, Stuart Scott, Mormon Money, burnt orange, Warren Buffet, mid, The Fun Guy, Mathematics, The Bloodline, Basketball Africa League, Fenway Sports Group, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 198 – Floor Raiser For the penultimate show of 2024, grace is shown to the glow up over 4 amazing seasons of podcast. In a glutted marketplace, where “The Monetizable Mid” is generally the resume for the day, when dope hoops insight is a must, you gotta go with a name you can quickly trust! We’re not saying we’re #1…. Oh! We’re sorry! We lied! We’re #1, 2, 3, 4 AND 5! This week, Wall St. talks the European flavour of the Golden State Valkyries, the real best player in women’s college basketball, huge NBA milestones, major shifts in the Power 5 and Power 10 rankings, MVP math from Nikola J’Mayne, Association departures and returns, and the Emirates Cup semis surprises. News. Views. Truths. References Made: The Hick From French Lick, investments, Marcus Garvey, Toronto Tempo, Indiana Jones, #HappyMerryChristmaHanaKwanzaaFestivusDiwaliEid, Jake From State Farm, city edition, Spanish Idaho, pre-criming, Johni, Seattle Storm, Bryce Maximus, GQ Magazine, Syla Swords, “Loosiana Universitah Sudderhan”, Agent Zero, The World’s Most Unique Basketball Tournament, Percival, Brooklyn’s The Boro, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 197 – The Purpose Of Lies “Everything you see ain’t really how it be…” To continue quoting The Artist Formerly Known As Dante Terrell Smith: “Alot of jokers out, running in place, chasin’ a style… Be alot going on beneath the empty smile.” In the midst of ever-changing times and post-United States Presidential election, truer words have rarely, if ever, been uttered. Alas, we are here to separate The Truth from The Lie, so let us learn you about the WNBA Expansion Draft and how it might affect team with championship aspirations, holiday season college basketball tournament upsets, from the Cayman Island and the Bahamas to Las Vegas and Hawaii, questions about the quality of the NBA’s product, amazing milestones being reached and understanding the relationship of art and commerce within The Association’s current business plan. News. Views. Truths. References Made: Cheat Code, Azzi Fudd, Montreal, Top 25 Under 25, #binHWSBN, Kelsey Plum, Wessssiiiiidddddde, triple single, Will Hardy, Maui Classic, Frank Selvy, moving goalposts, James Todd Smith, fiscal responsibility, Alissa Pili, St. John’s University, Pearl Harbor Day, analytics, Christian Laettner, “tool up”, Black Friday, State Farm vs Allstate, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 196 – Beat The Level Someone had to set the bar first before there were any attempts at raising it. On this week’s episode, Wall $t. calls upon Taylor Rodriguez, Community | Brand Leader at streetwear retailer SNIPESUSA, to succeed at exceeding during their chat on women of colour in the industry, the explosion of women’s sports on the landscape and how this surge can grow and be sustained. Along the way, we talk kicks, FC21 All World Final and FC21CA’s dominance in it, the WNBA expansion plans, free agency, collective bargaining agreements, Clara Tsai, Whoopi Goldberg, Unrivaled and vegan food on the Lower East Side of Manhattan! We also see who measured up in the NCAA as we approach Feast Week, laud incredible milestones in Storrs and Denver, review a possible Eastern Conference Finals matchup, check ever-changing power rankings on both the collegiate and professional sides and get a surprise leader atop the NBA’s Rookie Ladder! News. Views. Truths. References Made: #GNX, Cousin Harold, Boriqua, The Vapors, Duck Down Records, Chick Hearn, transnationalism, Butterbean, NBPA, player empowerment, SOLEcial Studies Academy, #RaiseTheFlagg, losing strikes, Earl Manigault, Maui Classic, Jontay Porter, Storrs, Snoop Dogg, FC21 In ’21, Brian Keefe, affirmations, @KoolBobLove, Alphabet City, #TheSoleSister, Rock Steady Crew, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 195 – The Me Nobody Knows Self-critiques can be harsh. Vulnerability may not always be your friend, but there is healing in letting go of certain predispositions and conditioning. Think of it a Chicken Noodle Soup For The Soul! And this week, Wall $t. looks to soothe you with his thoughts on the week that was, be it the self awareness of one artist not professionally known as Malik Abdul Aziz, the aura of the greatest mixed martial artist who ever lived, living on WNBA’s Wing and a prayer in Dallas, a huge milestone in college basketball for an immortal, a legendary losing strike in the NBA and what we learned about language and the Emirates NBA Cup. News. Views. Truths. References Made: Chevano, spate, Carlton, unassailable NBA records, Gronk, Jesus Shuttlesworth, mild stroke, Whoopi Goldberg, “Knoxvul”, Ime Udoka, bullying, #Ricky3Stax, combat sports, Arike Ogunbowale, The University Of California At Los Angeles, V.J. Edgecombe, proclivities, Mason “The Line” Dixon, shoehorned, Khabib Kurmagomendov, House Of Cards, Robert James Richie, WuTang Clan, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 194 – Main Character Syndrome Basketball is a team sport. Though we generally walk alone along paths we follow or those we blaze, we collect a squad during the journey. They all play a role, be it for a reason, season or a lifetime x back to be a star in his role is Walker Mehl, co-host of the Charlotte, North Carolina-based Locked On Hornets podcast and WFNZ-FM radio stalwart. Walker and Wall $t. separate the real from the lie on everything from the greatness of Dawn Staley, family road trips, The Black Guy Who Tips podcast and Michelle Beadle’s liberal lyrics, to NBA All Star Weekend showdowns, perennial Eastern Conference powerhouses down bad and of course, we bumble with the bees as we chat on the new look Charlotte Hornets! News. Views. Truths. References Made: #mapleGxNG, Greg Oden, Veteran’s Day, The Big O, LeBronto, whiteness, The Big Dipper, A Tribe Called Quest, The Charlotte Sting, Phonte Lyshod Coleman, tertiary, Elevator Ernie, Gatorade, Jerry Springer, NBA League Pass, Joe Cronin, intellectual property, Eddie Bird, Viagra, @LayWitDaButta, “pig soooey”, Dahntay Jones, Maples Pavillion, Guiding Light, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 193 – Old Justice Two weeks down in this 79th NBA season and we’ve had a couple of surprise learnings about some teams with championship aspirations who may have to realign their alignment to flip their dreams into reality. But Wall $t. lets you know there is more than that to be had in a week where we were hit with a serious injury bug, held hope for the promise of several rookies, welcomed the return of college basketball, reviewed the excitement around superlative second year players in both the NBA and NCAA as well as saying fare thee well to a giant of mankind in the glow of a potentially transformative presidential election in the United States! News. Views. Truths. References Made: Hammurabi’s Code, Angel Reese, 15 Forever, Relitigation, Josh Giddey, home invasion, GG Jackson, Detroit Pistons, Election Day, RIP Q!, Oklahoma shade, “chuchau”, Menace 2 Society, Brittney Mahomes, Dallas Cowboys, couch money, Sam Lacey, DHOs, Radford, New York Marathon, Olivia Miles, tofu, Universal Music Group, Gary, Indiana, Yale, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 192 – Peace In The Puzzle The Immortal Kneegrow Poet, GOAT-tier wordsmith and current full time flautist Andre Lauren Benjamin once uttered a homophone that resonated heavily with the person typing right now when he said: “… Peace, My Brother!  Peace this and peace that… But every time I’m trying to have some peace of mind, N***as wanna take a piece of mine… So I had to grab my piece!” It is a sad reality for many in the place we call Earth. And this week, Wall $t. calls on former NBA legend Mahmoud Abdul Rauf as we look to figure some things out together and separate the lie from the truth. We chat everything from the celebrity charity game he played in with a not-so-famous coach, dealing with a disorder while being a public figure, finding out what you truly value when things you love are taken away from you, to al-Islam, making a stand for that which you believe and finding your most authentic self. Also discussed: Week One of the 24-25 NBA season, A’ja Wilson’s continued greatness, and maybe the greatest 2 minutes and 41 seconds of a couple men living out their wildest hoop dreams. News. Views. Truths. References Made: The Griffeys, Halloween, Sanford and Son, A-1 Since Day 1, scripted reality, Paris 2024, Interior Siberia, progeny, RIP Greg Francis, “swing, swing…”, Agent Provocateur Orange, weight loss, Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon, history, Jeannie Buss, Nike AF1s, Pistol Pete, The Golden Gate Bridge, PPP no stimi, Alex Haley, The Big 3, LaFraaaaaaaahnce, The Houston Summit, Tourette’s Syndrome, Sunday School, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Don’t Get Beat Off The Dribble! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1  

The Open Run With Will Strickland Episode 191 – Earn The Sunset Why would we things we take for granted when the blessing is generally in having the opportunity to be and do better than we did the day prior, no? And yet, we do. Has that ever dawned on you? In a special episode prepping for the 79th campaign of The Association, Wall $t runs the court on a historic happening in LA, a banner raising in Beantown, future stars plying their trades on college hardwoods with dreams of professional glory and an all-time WNBA Finals classic gets its propers and dues! News. Views. Truths. References Made:  DominAyton, Inuit Dome, Teflon Bill, chip to dip ratios, Ken Griffey, Jr., two-way players, Nyara Sabally, St. Michael Jeffrey Of Wilmington… Delaware, Loud Records, Cheryl Reeve, goals, Birkin bags, bin Olu Dara, first world problems, Yuki Kawamura, Blazay Blazay, Cooper Flagg, ensconced, Karl Anthony Uptowns, MiLaysia Fulwiley, payday loans, Allyson Felix, Point Goddess, and more, all on the podcast where Basketball and Life are One: The Open Run With Will Strickland! Do What’s Popular With The Population! Find Will On These Rough Interweb Streets: Twitter: @W_Strickland1 IG: @WillStrickland1