Tradition's Finest Podcast

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 134 - "The Quadruple-Double/Dream Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: "6-7, 6-7, 7-6?:" The men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments are expanding to 76 teams, the NCAA announced Thursday - - **NOTE: It is the first time the men's tournament has expanded since 2011, and the first time the women's tpurnament has expanded since 2022 (15 years and 4 years for men's & women's tournaments, respectively) - - The expansion from 68 teams to 76 teams marks the men's largest increase since it moved to 64 teams in 1985 - - It went from 64 to 65 in 2001 and then added three (3) more teams in 2011 to form the "First Four" - - With the increase to 76, the First Four (4) - doubleheaders on back-to-back days in Dayton (OH) - will be replaced by a 12-game Opening Round: The Tuesday and Wednesday of the men's tournament will feature 12 games played by 24 teams in two different cities, as there will now be three (3) games each day in Dayton and three (3) games each day in a second city to be determined, with sources telling ESPN's Pete Thamel that the second site is expected to be west of the Eastern time zone to help with logistics - - On the women's side, the 12 Opening Round games will be played on the Wednesday & Thursday between Selection Sunday and the beginning of the Round of 64 on Friday - and across 12 of the campus site designated as first- and second-round hosts - - Half of the 24 Opening Round teams will be the lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers, as the others will be the lowest-seeded "at-large" teams, while the traditional 64-team first round and ensuing rounds rounds will remain the same in both the men's and women's tournament. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the NCAA's announcement that both the men's & women's NCAA basketball tournaments will expand to 76 teams beginning next season?. . .NCAA College Football: "Never Too Late:" A retired businessman enrolled in college for the first time - and joined the NCAA D-III football team as a freshman walk-on - after a dire cancer diagnosis reinvigorated his zeal for life: Tom Green, a 60-year-old Maryland native, stunned officials when he tried out for the football program during his freshman year at McDaniel College, located in Westminster, Maryland - - Now, he's slated to become one of the oldest college athletes in United States history, about a decade after beating cancer, as he is set to make his debut on the defensive line in the fall season: Green turns 61 years old in June, and if he plays through his 62nd birthday, he will, in fact, become the oldest person to ever play college football - - When he was first diagnosed with stage four (4) kidney cancer in 2015, Green said he was certifiably "dying," as his doctors informed him that he had eight (8) tumors festered in his body, stretching from one in his skull to another in the tail of his pancreas - and then, in what Green chalked up to divine intervention, he was declared cancer-free in 2018 - - While reapplying to college after being cleared of cancer, he decided to take his shot at joining the team - - Some players on the team, according to Green, thought his recruitment was a joke, but they eventually began to accept his presence as an inspiration: "I had to get used to it. At first, it was kind of weird, but I got used to it because he teaches us lifelong lessons that we can use off the field," teammate Jordan Weeden said - - Green was also blown away by the team's warm reception, though he admitted it only came about after they each tested him with rough blows during practice - - The sexagenarian knows his time on the turf is finite, but he hopes to leave his newfound brothers with memories that will carry them through the rest of their lives: "[Football] never leaves you. And the one thing that I always tell everybody is, the camaraderie of it all, you miss it. I've had employees, and I've had people work for me, and so on and so forth, but when you're playing ball, it's a lot different atmosphere. It's one of those things that I think the Lord has led me to and God's blessed me to do it," he added. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the resiliency of Mr. Tom Green? Thoughts on him becoming the oldest person to ever play the sport of college football?. . . - NBA - - 2025-26 NBA Playoffs Recap: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review & recap the following first-round & semifinal playoff games: **Be Sure to Tune in for a full recap of the first & second round playoff series listed below. . . Western Conference Playoffs: First Round Game 6: No.4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No.5 Houston Rockets LAL leads series 3-2 Eastern Conference Playoffs: First Round Game 7: No.2 Boston Celtics vs. No.7 Philadelphia 76ers Series tied 3-3 (includes a discussion of "Embiid's Plea" & "Jaylen Brown's Twitch Rant". . .) Game 7: No.1 Detroit Pistons vs. No.8 Orlando Magic Series tied 3-3 Game 7: No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No.5 Toronto Raptors Series tied 3-3 Western Conference Playoffs: Semifinal Round Game 1: No.2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No.6 Minnesota Timberwolves Series 0-0 Game 1: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.4 Los Angeles Lakers Series 0-0 Game 2: No.2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No.6 Minnesota Timberwolves MIN led series 1-0 Game 2: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.4 Los Angeles Lakers OKC led series 1-0 Eastern Conference Playoffs: Semifinal Round Game 1: No.3 New York Knicks vs. No.7 Philadelphia 76ers Series 0-0 Game 1: No.1 Detroit Pistons vs. No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers Series 0-0 Game 2: No.3 New York Knicks vs. No.7 Philadelphia 76ers NYK led series 1-0 Game 2: No.1 Detroit Pistons vs. No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers DET led series 1-0 - NBA - - "Magic [All Gone]:" Following their collapse & loss in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs series against the Detroit Pistons, the Orlando Magic have dismissed HC Jamahl Mosley, per ESPN's Shams Charania on Monday morning - - Mosley, 47, spent the past five (5) seasons with Orlando, leading the team out of a rebuild and into the playoffs each of the past three (3) seasons - - They failed to advance past the first round in any of them after they lost in seven (7) games to the top-seeded Detroit Pistons this season, blowing a 3-1 series lead - - Mosley led the Magic to two division titles and three (3) consecutive winning seasons while dealing with a litany of injuries to key starters, particularly over the previous two years, as he finished his Orlando tenure with a 189-221 overall record. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Orlando Magic dismissing HC Jamahl Mosley following their epic collapse in the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series?. . . - MLB - - Ted Turner, the former owner of the Atlanta Braves and the NBA's Atlanta Hawks who made his mark as a media mogul & philanthropist, has died at the age of 87 - he passed away Wednesday at his home near Tallahassee, Florida, according to a family spokesman - - In September 2018, Turner revealed that he was battling Lewy body dementia, an ailment that causes a progressive decline in mental abilities with physical signs & symptoms similar to Parkinson's Disease - - Turner purchased the Braves in January 1976 following a 67-94 season by the club - - He helped open baseball's free agent price wars by signing pitcher Andy Messersmith shortly after buying the team and once managed the club for a day on May 11, 1977 - and he also led the team to a World Series victory in 1995 - - In addition to owning the Braves, Turner bought a majority stake in the Hawks in 1977, as he said at the time that he purchased the team to keep it from moving out of the Atlanta area: The Hawks made the playoffs 15 times during Turner's ownership, and the club retired a jersey in honor of him in 2004 - - Turner made his fortune in media, taking over the family business and renaming it Turner Communications Group in 1970, and he began his empire by purchasing two stations in Atlanta & Charlotte, North Carolina - - In 1976, he launched TBS to millions across America, as the station's signal was carried via satellite, and four (4) years later, he furthered his reach by creating the 24-hour cable news network, CNN, a move that transformed the news business - - TNT, created in 1988, increased Turner's footprint in the media landscape - - Time Warner assumed ownership of the Braves & Hawks in 1996 when Turner sold his business to the company for $7.3 billion in stock - - A year later, TBS became the owner of the NHL expansion Thrashers, who relocated & became the Winnipeg Jets in 2011, and in 1986, he created the Goodwill Games - - Later in life, Turner focused on philanthropy, pledging $1 billion to benefit the United Nations, and he was also committed to The Giving Pledge - - Turner married three (3) times, most famously to Jane Fonda from 1991 to 2001, and he is currently survived by five (5) children, 14 grandchildren & two great-grandchildren. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the untimely passing of former Atlanta Braves owner, Ted Turner, at the age of 87?. . . - Miscellaneous - - 152nd Kentucky Derby: Golden Tempo charged from the back of the pack Saturday to make history for her - - Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Golden Tempo navigated past 17 horses around the final turn and made a hard charge down the stretch - - With a crowd of more than 100,000 watching & roaring at Churchill Downs, Golden Tempo passed morning-line favorite Renegade - ridden by Jose's brother Irad - just before the wire to win by a neck, as the winning time for the 1 1/4-mile race was 2:02:27 - - **NOTE: Trainer Cherie DeVaux made history, becoming the first woman to ever prep the winner of America's most famous horse race, and she joined Jena Antonucci, who trained Arcangelo in the 2023 Belmont, as the only women to train the winner of a Triple Crown race - - Golden Tempo entered with 23-1 odds, whereas the betting favorite, Renegade (5-1) and Ocelli (70-1) took second & third, respectively - - Golden Tempo, the son of two-time Horse of the Year, Curlin, had run well during show efforts in the Lousiana Derby and Risen Star Stakes but wasn't considered a serious contender in the Run of the Roses - - While she has the Kentucky Derby in her pocket, Cherie DeVaux would not commit to running Golden Tempo in the Preakness on May 16 in Baltimore, saying she would see how the horse responded before making a decision - - Prior to DeVaux's big win, the closest a female trainer had come to the winner's circle came in 1992 with the place showing of Casual Lies, prepped by Shelley Riley. . .Golf: If LIV Golf can't survive beyond this season without Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund's purse strings, two-time major champion Bryson DeChambeau said Tuesday that he's prepared to grow his YouTube channel and play in tournaments that want him - - DeChambeau, 31, said he had some conversations with the PGA, and while he didn't get into specifics, he suggested that the PGA Tour is prepared to hit him with severe penalties if he wants to come back - - DeChambeau was one of this biggest stars to join the breakaway circuit in June 2022, and he was among 11 golfers who sued the PGA Tour later that year, alleging it used its monopoly power to unfairly suspend players who joined LIV Golf - - However, he withdrew from the federal lawsuit in May 2023 - - DeChambeau suggested that LIV Golf and the PGA Tour need to work together to reunify men's professional golf - as the PGA Tour seems to have the most leverage now, after the PIF announced last week that it will no longer fund the circuit with $30 million purses. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the possibility of Bryson DeChambeau's potential return to the PGA Tour if LIV Golf disbands?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 133 - "The Hick from French Lick Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: The NCAA has initiated the final steps to expand the men's & women's college basketball tournaments to 76 teams, sources told ESPN Tuesday evening - - The expansion, which has been discussed for well over a year, is on track to be formalized in the upcoming weeks and would begin this coming season - - Sources indicated mid-May as a potential timeframe for an announcement, although there are still steps to take in terms of approvals via various NCAA committees - - Once the contracts are completed, the NCAA also would need approval from various committees, including the men's & women's basketball committees, the men's & women's basketball oversight committees, the Division I cabinet and the Division I board of governors - - The added finances would cover the additional logistics cost for both the men's & women's tournaments - - The primary driver of this expansion hasn't been money, but rather access for at-large bids for power conferences - the expansion has been pushed primarily by power conferences, which have grown throughout the course of the current deal - - The mechnics of the expansion in the men's tournament would include eight (8) additional at-large bids, and what's known now as the First Four, would include eight (8) teams playing four (4) games in Dayton, Ohio, would expand to 12 games played by 24 teams at two sites, one of which was expected to remain in Dayton, and the location of the new site has yet to be determined - - The expansion would lead to an additional eight (8) men's games, meaning the Tuesday & Wednesday of the NCAA Tournament would features 24 of the 76 men's teams, that number now includes eight (8) teams who would have qualified for the traditional bracket that would sqaure off against the eight (8) at-large additions - - The traditional 64-team men's bracket would still begin on Thursday and look much of the same, with the major difference being that more teams would qualify as traditional "at-large" bids, that would have to play earlier than the 64-team bracket. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the NCAA initiating the final steps to expand the men's and women's basketball tournaments to 76 teams?. . .NCAA College Football: "A Sorsby Dilemma:"Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby will take an "immediate indefinite leave of absence" from the football program as he enters a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction, the school announced Monday, as the NCAA is investigating Sorsby's gambling, industry sources told The Athletic - - Sorsby, a fifth-year senior, transferred to Texas Tech in January as one of the most coveted players in the transfer portal after two seasons at Cincinnati - - Following the news, Texas Tech has said that it is committed to supporting Sorsby through his recovery process, but there is no announced timetable for Sorsby's treatment or his return to the Red Raiders - - Industry sources confirmed an ESPN report that Sorsby bet on Indiana football in 2022 while he was a redshirt freshman for the Hoosiers, as his gambling continued since then, according to sources, but the full extent is not yet clear - - Industry sources also informed The Athletic that Sorsby attended Cincinnati Reds' games on repeated occasions and placed live wagers on balls & strikes, with bets ranging anywhere from $2.50 to less than a $1 per pitch - and he placed a significant number of wagers in recent years - as the overwhelming majority were for smaller dollar amounts on various sports, including live bets on UFC matches, which is allowable under NCAA rules as long as the athlete is of legal betting age, primarily because the UFC is not a sport in which the NCAA hosts a sanctioned championship - - Sources who have reviewed the betting data told On3, dating back to 2022, he placed more than $20k wagers and at one point averaged 20 bets per day - - The NCAA is likely to permanently ban Sorsby, or for the QB to be deemed ineligible, pending their investigation - - According to updated NCAA sports betting guidelines passed in 2023, players who bet on games involving their own school face potential permanent loss of eligibility, which also applies if they engaged in activities to influence the outcome or knowingly provide insider information to people involved in sports betting, and also, last October, all three (3) NCAA divisions passed a rule change allowing players and staff to bet on pro sports, but the rule was rescinded a month later when more than two-thirds of Division I schools voted to rescind the change - - Sorsby only has one year of eligibility remaining, and so, if he returns to football but is ruled ineligible by the NCAA, he could choose to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft, which typically takes place in July or August - as former Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor was selected in the 2011 Supplemental Draft after facing suspension by the NCAA over the Ohio State tattoo/memorabilia scandal. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the news/story surrounding Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby? How do you anticipate this story playing out: will the NCAA allow him to return to Texas Tech for his final year of remaining eligibility? Or will he be deemed ineligible?. . . - NFL - - New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel and former sideline reporter Dianna Russini were "all over each other," at a secluded bar in New York City six (6) years ago before they were caught holding hands & hugging at an Arizona resort - as depicted in the exclusive new pics obtained by Page Six, the Patriots' coach and NFL reporter were spotted together inside the dimly lit Tribeca Tavern in the early hours of May 2020 - - They sat close to one another while conversing at the bar, and at one point, they appeared to share a kiss - - At the time the pictures were captured, Vrabel was working as the HC of the Tennessee Titans, while Russini was an NFL reporter at ESPN - - And just when you think this story couldn't get any stranger, some new information has come to light: Apparently, following a four-game skid back in 2022, when Vrabel was still the HC of the Titans, Russini made him a Spotify playlist titled "Turnin The Page," as the playlist was an attempt from Russini to help cheer up Vrabel in the midst of a tough stretch of football. . .Let's break it down, shall we?: We have Latto's "Big Energy" sandwiched between two Beyonce tracks, followed by the awful, bro-country anthem "House Party" by Sam Hunt, and a bunch of pop & electronic slip. . .Q: What are your thoughts surrounding the ongoing Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini scandal?. . .The Minnesota Vikings traded Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles, the teams announced last Friday night - - In return, the Vikings received a third-round pick in 2026 (No.98 overall pick) and another third-rounder in 2027, as the Vikings also sent the No.244 pick in this year's draft to the Eagles - - Greenard, who turns 29 in May, had been seeking a new contract along with a pay raise, and he landed such a deal with the Eagles, signing a four-year, $100 million deal, according to a league source, with $50 million guaranteed - - While the Vikings didn't necessarily want to move Greenard, this outcome provided the team with extra draft capital and more financial flexibility, as well as a runaway for third-year edge rusher Dallas Turner to continue to develop & ascend in the league - - In the aftermath of this move, the Vikings are likely to use at least one of their remaining premium draft picks on the defensive line or the edge rusher position. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Philadelphia Eagles acquiring edge rusher Jonathan Greenard from the Vikings?. . .2026 NFL Draft Recap & Analysis: The 2026 NFL Draft wasn't short on excitement: QB Ty Simpson to the Rams midway through the first round? Big defensive additions for the Cowboys? A dynamic RB to the Cardinals? Two brothers going to the same secondary? Eight (8) trades on Day 1 and 41 across all three (3) days? - - That was fun!. .Now we take it all in and try to make sense of the picks: Which teams nailed their selections from start to finish, tackling needs, sticking to the board & actively getting better? Which teams found steals in some places but reached in others? And which teams made real head-scratching moves, missing big opportunities to get value or fill a hole on the roster? In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review and analyze some of the most notable picks of the 2026 NFL Draft, provide their individual input regarding some of the most buzzworthy picks across the league: The 2026 NFL Draft began last Thursday in Pittsburgh with the Las Vegas Raiders making former Indiana QB ___________________ the No.1 overall pick - - The New York Jets selected former Texas Tech EDGE ___________________ with the No.2 overall pick - - The Arizona Cardinals selected former Notre Dame RB _____________________ with the No.3 overall pick, while the Tennessee Titans selected former Ohio State WR __________________ with the No.4 pick - - The New York Giants selected former Ohio State LB __________________, while the Kansas City Chiefs completed the trade to move up for the No.6 overall pick, for which they used on former LSU CB _______________________ - - The Washington Commanders selected former Ohio State LB _________________, while the New Orleans Saints selected former Arizona State WR _________________ with the No.8 pick - - The Cleveland Browns completed a trade to move up in the draft, selecting former Utah OT ___________________ with the No.9 overall pick, while the New York Giants via a trade with Cincinnati, selected former Miami OT _____________________**Be Sure to Tune in for The T.F. Podcast: 2026 NFL Draft Review. . . .At No.13, the Los Angeleds Rams shocked analysts and social media alike, by selecting former Alabama WR _________________, whose accuracy, poise & ability to move outside of the pocket will fit perfectly in HC Sean McVay's offense - - **NOTE: Following the Rams' pick at No.13, the University of Alabama has 51 first-round draft picks since 2009, meanwhile, the Rams became the first team to have a QB win MVP then select a QB in the first round of the subsequent NFL Draft since the Packers in 1967 (i.e., Bart Storr won MVP in 1966, and Green Bay drafted Don Horn No.25 overall the following year). . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Los Angeles Rams drafting QB Ty Simposon with the No.13 overall pick?. . .Quite possibly the most intriguing pick of this year's draft was the Atlanta Falcons with the No.48 overall pick: The Falcons selected former Clemson CB Avieon Terrell, the brother of star CB A.J. Terrell, a former first-round pick for Atlanta - - Saturday's four (4) rounds of draft concluded with the Denver Broncos making Red Murdock with No.257 pick, aka Mr. Irrelevant. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Ram's Ty Simpson the No.13 overall pick in this year's draft? What are your thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons pairing CB Avieon Terrell alongside his brother & Falcons' CB1 A.J. Terrell? Which teams would you categorized as "winners" and/or "losers" of the 2026 NFL Draft?. . . - NBA - - "Kia Most Improved Player:"Nickeil Alexander-Walker was named this season's Most Improved Player last Friday, marking the second straight Atlanta Hawks' player to win the award - - Alexander-Walker, the cousin of reigninig NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, averaged a career-high 20.8 points, 3.7 assists & 3.4 rebounds to go along with 1.3 steals per game - - He also averaged career highs in blocks, FG% and 3-point FG% - - The 6-foot-5 guard increased his scoring by 11.4 points and averaging 9.4 points coming off the bench for the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2024-25 season, which is the third-highest increase from one season to the next over the past 25 years - - Alexander-Walker follows teammate Dyson Daniels, who won the award last season - - **NOTE: This is the first time in the award's history that two straight winners have come from the same team - - In his seventh season, Alexander-Walker thrived with the Hawks: he helped Atlanta remain a playoff team, and he scored in double figures in 76 games and made 251 3-pointers in 2025-26, a single-season franchise record and fourth most in the league this season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker being named the 2025-26 Kia's Most Improved Player?. . ."NBA ROY:" Teenage sensation Cooper Flagg was named NBA Rookie of the Year on Monday, narrowly defeating his former Duke roommate, Kon Knueppel for the honor - - Flagg edged Knueppel by 26 points in the voting by a panel of 100 media members: Flagg received 56 first-place votes, while Knueppel received 55 second-place votes & one third place - - **NOTE: The 19-year-old Flagg became the second-youngest player to win the way, behind only LeBron James, as the 26-point voting gap between Flagg & Knueppel, 20, is the second smallest between the top finishers in a rookie of the year race since the current voting format began in the 2002-03 campaign, according to the NBA: Only the race between Scottie Barnes (378 points) and Evan Mobley (363) in the 2021-22 season had a smaller gap - - Flagg, the No.1 pick in last year's draft, averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds & 4.5 assists per game for the Dallas Mavericks, joining Larry Bird, Michael Jordan & Luke Doncic as the only rookies to average at least 20 points, six (6) rebounds & four (4) assists in the 50 seasons since the NBA-ABA merger, and he led all rookies in scoring, ranked second among qualifiers in assists and third in rebounds - - Knueppel, the No.4 pick, averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds & 3.5 assists while shattering the rookie record for 3-pointers made with a league-leading 272, as he played a major role in a midseason turnaround for the Charlotte Hornets, who made a 25-win improvement from last season to finish 44-38 before being eliminated in the Eastern Conference play-in round, whereas Flagg's Mavericks finished 26-56 overall, and he joined Jordan as the only rookies in NBA history to lead their teams in scoring, rebounding, assists & steals - - Flagg was the only player in the NBA this season to lead his team in each of those categories - - Flagg, who turned 19 on Dec.21, had a historic season for a teenager: **NOTE: He became the youngest player in NBA history to have games of 35, 40, 45, and 50 points, as well as the youngest to have at least 10 assists. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Cooper Flagg edging out Kon Knueppel for the 2025-26 NBA ROY Award?. . .A "Guilty" Plea: Former NBA player & assistant coach Damon Jones became the first person to plead guilty Tuesday in a gambling sweep that led to the arrests of more than 30 people, including reputed mobster & other basketball figures, including former Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups - - During back-to-back hearings in Brooklyn federal court, Jones entered guilty pleas to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in what prosecutors say were sports betting & rigged poker game schemes - - He acknowledged that he conspired with others to defraud sports betting companies by using "insider information that I obtained as a result of my relationships as a former player" - - He said the goal of the sports betting conspiracy, which ran from December 2022 to March 2024 was to use his insider knowledge - which prosecutors say involved non-public information about injuries to NBA star - to make money from sportsbooks - - He also acknowledged that his actions violated the NBA's code of conduct and also the terms of service on sports betting websites - - During his second hearing, Jones admitted that he was paid to act as a "face card" at poker games in Miami and the Hamptons by using his NBA celebrity to "lure high-end bettors" to the table - - In the sports betting case, the sentencing guidelines call for a punishment of 21-27 months in prison, whereas in the poker games case, Jones would face 63-78 months in prison, but prosecutors agreed to subtract 15 months from the sentence in exchange for Jones pleading guilty, which would put his potential sentence at 48-63 months in prison if the judge follows the guidelines - - In additon to facing prison time, Jones also agreed to forfeit a totla of $73,000 in the two cases. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Damon Jones being the first defendant in the sports betting & rigged poker games cases plead guilty?. . .2025-26 NBA Playoffs Recap: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review & recap the following first-round playoff series: **Be Sure to Tune in for a Full Recap of the first round playoff series. . . Eastern Conference Playoffs: No.1 Detroit Pistons vs. No.8 Orlando Magic No.2 Boston Celtics vs. No.7 Philadelphia 76ers No.3 New York Knicks vs. No.6 Atlanta Hawks No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No.5 Toronto Raptors Western Conference Playoffs: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.8 Phoneix Suns No.2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No.7 Portland Trail Blazers No.3 Denver Nuggets vs. No.6 Minnesota Timberwolves No.4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No.5 Houston Rockets Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 132 - "The 1 + Magic Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: ⭐[First-Ever] 2026 Tradition's Finest NFL Mock Draft ⭐ NOTE/DISCLAIMER: **Projected Picks Were Selected PRIOR to Actual Draft. . . In Recognition of This Year's NFL Draft, and Using the Current Draft Order, This Week's Episode Features JD & Spencer - Two Longtime Sports' Fans (but NOT longtime ESPN Draft Analysts) - Who Construct an NFL Mock Draft by Predicting the First-Round Selections for Each of the Initial Thirty-Two (32) Picks Based on Individual/Franchise Team Need(s), Overall Positional Value & ESPN Draft Analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board Rankings. . .**Tune in to this Week's Episode to Hear Their Picks, and Be Sure to Share Your Draft Projections/Selections, and Thoughts of the Actual Picks from the First Round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday Evening, on X - @TraditionFinest or Send a Message to [email protected]. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 131 - "The 'Hundred & 31 Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: Longtime ESPN and HOF college basketball broadcaster, Dick Vitale (aka "Dickie V"), has been diagnosed with melanoma (cancer) in his lung & liver cavity, and will be starting immunotherapy soon, as this is the fifth time that he's had to deal with a cancer diagnosis - - Vitale, one of the preeminent faces of men's college basketball, has battled four (4) types of cancer over the past few years, and most recently underwent surgery in the summer of 2024 after a biopsy of a lymph node in his neck revealed cancer - - ESPN released a statement Monday on social media in which Vitale confirmed the diagnosis: "I've beaten melanoma. I've beaten lymphoma. I've beaten vocal cord cancer," Vitale, 86, said in a statement Monday. "I'm four-for-four and I'm fully confident I'm going to make it five-for-five." - - Following a nearly two-year break to deal with his health, Vitale returned to broadcasting in February of last year after he announced that he was cancer-free - and he just wrapped up his 46th year covering college basketball at ESPN - - Vitale joined ESPN during the 1979-80 season, shortly after ESPN's launch, and called the network's first major college basketball game on Dec. 5, 1979 - - He has gone on to call well over 1,000 games, and in September 2024, he was inducted into the Broadcasting + Cable Hall of Fame. . .Q: What are your thoughts on ESPN's announcement regarding Dick Vitale's fifth cancer diagnosis?. . ."Mass Exodus:" Despite being open for less than a week, literally thousands of players are looking for a new home in the NCAA transfer portal: While some will wait until the portal closes on April 21 to make a decision, others didn't require that much time to find the next stop of their college basketball journey - - In this particular segment, JD & Spencer discuss a few of the most notable player transfers that have occurred within opening week of the transfer portal, and we will also present our picks for the programs who may be categorized as one of the "biggest winners" and "biggest losers" of the NCAA transfer portal thus far:**Be Sure to Tune In for Each Player's Transfer Destination. . . Kansas State transfer guard PJ Haggerty, one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball, has committed to __________________. . .This will be Haggerty's fifth college in five (5) seasons at the NCAA D-I level - - A 6'4'' guard, he has been a high-level scorer at across his time spent at Tulsa, Memphis & Kansas State after starting his career with six (6) games at TCU - - He averaged career highs in scoring (23.4) and assists (3.8) at Kansas State last season, when he was named an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection, whereas at Memphis in 2024-25, Haggerty posted 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds & 3.7 assists per game, when he was also named the American Conference Player of the Year & earned second-team All-America honors - - For his career, Haggerty is averaging 21.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. . .Q: What are your thoughts on PJ Haggerty's fifth program in the past five (5) years? Is it a good fit for the 6-4 guard? . . . Cal transfer guard Justin Pippen has committed to ___________________, per his agents at WME Basketball last Friday afternoon. . .Pippen, a sophomore who is coming off a breakout season at Berkeley, averaged 14.2 points, 4.6 assists & 3.9 rebounds per game last season while at Cal - - Pippen is the son of NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, his older brother is Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr., and he played his high school basketball at Sierra Canyon in Los Angeles (CA) - - He is expected to play a significant role at his new program, and as a combo guard, he will be expected to fill a role similar to the one Devin Royal played prior to his departure - - At Cal last season, Pippen led the team in assists and tied for second on the team in scoring average as the Bears reached the second round of the NIT Tournament. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Justin Pippen's new home? Is it a good fit for Pippen, the son of an NBA Hall of Famer? . . . Kansas transfer center Flory Bidunga and Oregon transfer guard Jackson Shelstad have committed to ___________________, per multiple reports. . .Bidunga spent two seasons with the Jayhawks and averaged 13.3 points & 9.0 rebounds per game this season for Kansas - - According to 24/7Sports' portal rankings, Bidunga was the top player available in the NCAA transfer portal - - Shelstad, a 6'1'' guard & product of Oregon, spent three (3) seasons with Dana Altman & the Ducks, however, he saw limited time in just 12 games this season, due to a recurring injury - - In his final season in Eugene, Shelstad averaged 15.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game - - The joint commitment of Bidunga & Shelstad put this particular program in an early position for the country's best portal haul this offseason, as they simultaneously snagged two of the portal's top targets off the board, in a move that sent ripples through the entire college basketball landscape. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Flory Bidunga & Jackson Shelstad's joint commitment to this particular program? Following this move, would you consider HC Pat Kelsey & this program as one of the "biggest winners" of the transfer portal so far? . . . Georgia transfer center Somto Cyril has committed to _________________________, per 247Sports on Sunday afternoon. . .A 6'11'' center originally from Nigeria, Cyril averaged 9.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in his second season at Georgia - - A tenacious defender & rim protector, Cyril was one of the top big man available in the transfer portal, and was ranked inside the top-20 in 247Sports' player transfer portal rankings. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Somto Cyril's new home? Is it a good fit for the 6'11'' Nigerian center?. . . Georgia transfer guard Jeremiah Wilkinson, one of the best scorers in the NCAA transfer portal, committed to _______________________ on Tuesday evening, sources told ESPN. . .A 6'1'' guard, Wilkinson had a long list of suitors, including Kentucky, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State & LSU, and is a proven scorer at two power-conference programs - - He averaged 15.1 points at Cal his freshman season prior to transferring to the University of Georgia, where he elevated his play, and averaged 17.4 points last season as a sophomore - - He also improved his efficiency in Athens this past season, shooting 41% from the field and nearly 36% from beyond the arc, and most notably, he was capable of huge offensive performances, scoring at least 30 points on three (3) occasions. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Jeremiah Wilkinson's in-conference transfer? Is it necessarily a good fit for the 6'1'' guard? . . . "The Biggest Winners:" Obviously, Louisville's pickup of Kansas transfer center Flory Bidunga & Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad, places them in the mix as one of the biggest winners of the NCAA transfer portal's opening week. . .in addition to Louisville, a couple of other winners from the portal are: ______________________ and __________________________. . ."The Biggest Losers" (NOT the game show): Clearly, there have been programs who have drastically improved their roster following the first week of the NCAA transfer portal being open, but other schools will look to retool their respective rosters after losing multiple players to the transfer portal - - and one such program is _________________________, as this particular program has lost four (4) players that were an integral part of their rotation last season - - Another such loser is ____________________________, as the program's HC is in "wait-and-see" mode because some of the program's biggest stay-or-go decisions from his team have not yet been made. . .Q: Which program(s) would you categorize as being the "biggest winners" and "biggest losers" of the NCAA transfer portal's opening week in college basketball?. . . - NCAA College Football: Per an NCAA announcement on Tuesday, the University of Iowa's football program must vacate four (4) victories from the 2023 college football season for reportedly tampering with QB Cade McNamara before he entered the NCAA transfer portal - - The NCAA reported that Iowa HC Kirk Ferentz and assistant Jon Budmayr participated in 13 phone calls with McNamara, and sent two text messages prior to his entry into the portal in November 2022 - - McNamara left Michigan a few days later after his entry into the portal with a "do-not-contact" tag, and transferred to Iowa, after which point, both Ferentz and Budmayr were suspended for the 2024 season opener in a school-imposed penalty for the violations - - In his time with the Hawkeyes in 2023, McNamara went 4-1 as the starting QB before suffering a knee injury - - The NCAA ruled that McNamara was ineligible for those wins over Utah State, Iowa State, Western Michigan and Michigan State, which will now be vacated - - McNamara played for the Hawkeyes for one more year prior to transferring again to East Tennessee State (ETSU) for the 2025 college football season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the NCAA Committee of Infractions' ruling that Iowa must vacate four (4) victories from the 2023 season due to tampering? . . . - NFL - - "I-AutoBain:" Former Miami Hurricanes DE & 2026 NFL draft prospect, Rueben Bain Jr., was involved in an auto accident in 2024 in which a passenger later died because of the injuries sustained in the crash, according to a report published on Sunday - - Bain was entering his sophomore season at the University of Miami at the time of the accident - - Bain was cited for careless driving for the accident that occurred at about 4 a.m time in March 2024 on I-95 northbound in Miami - as the crash report alleges that Bain was driving a 2021 Land Rover SUV that had three (3) other passengers - fellow Hurricanes' football players Wesley Bissainthe & Nyjalik Kelly, along with a 22-year-old Georgia woman, Destiny Betts - - Per the report, Bain's vehicle rear-ended another car, veered into a concrete barrier, then ricocheted into another barrier before coming to rest on the shoulder of the highway, after which point, Betts, was rushed to Ryder Trauma Center in Miami, and according to the outlet, the 22-year old was in a coma for nearly three (3) months before she succumb to her injuries in June 2024 - - Bain was cited at the time of the incident, but charges were dropped prior to Betts' death, and interestingly, no field sobriety tests were given at the scene of the accident, per the crash report - - Rueben Bain Jr. is currently ranked No.15 on ESPN's NFL Draft expert/analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest Big Board for this month's NFL Draft - - As a junior in 2025, Bain had a career season in helping push Miami to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, posting 9.5 sacks, 15.5 TFLs, and five (5) QB hurries and led the country in QB pressures - - Per the USA Today, at least some NFL franchises are aware of the auto accident involving the potential top-10 draft pick that led to a 22-year-old woman's coma and eventual death, and multiple league executives confirmed that they are aware of the crash report that indicated that the former Miami Hurricanes DE was behind the wheel of the fatal crash — One such executive, Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes, told reporters Monday that the organization had known about the incident "for a while," and furthermore confirmed: "So that really doesn't change anything from our standpoint.". . .Q: What are your thoughts on the 2024 auto/car accident involving former Miami Hurricanes DE Rueben Bain Jr.? Thoughts on the timing for which this particular report has re-circulated? While Detroit Lions GM acknowledged that he was aware of the accident and its' details, and furthermore clarified that, from the NFL franchise's perspective, it does not change the way in which they will assess and/or evaluate Bain leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft, could this fatal crash negatively impact or influence his draft stock across the league?. . ."Russini's Resignation:" NFL sideline reporter Dianna Russini has officially resigned from The Athletic, less than a week after published photos of her & New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel at an Arizona resort prompted an internal investigation, at The New York Times-owned sports outlet - - The New York Post published the photos last week that depicted Russini and Vrabel at the Sedona hotel/resort, and said that they were taken before the NFL league meeting that began in Phoenix on March 29 - - After publication of the photos, Vrabel & Russini, who are both married to other people, released statements to The Post downplaying what the photos depict: Russini stated that the photos "don't represent the group of six (6) people who were hanging out that day," and Vrabel told the newspaper: "Those photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.". . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel situation? What was your immediate reaction to her resignation statement? . . . - WNBA & NBA - - WNBA: 2026 WNBA Draft: Azzi Fudd was selected by the Dallas Wings with the No.1 overall pick of the 2026 WNBA Draft on Monday night, capping off a year-long ascent as NCAA champion to the top overall choice, and setting up a reunion with former UConn teammate & current girlfriend, Paige Bueckers - - **NOTE: The 5-11 guard, who led UConn to last year's national title and was named the NCAAW Final Four's Most Outstanding Player, is the seventh player from the program to be selected No.1 overall in the draft. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Dallas Wings selecting former UConn guard Azzi Fudd with the No.1 pick in this year's draft, thus pairing her alongside Paige Bueckers? - - Fudd's selection comes at the onset of a reshaped draft landscape, with the WNBA's new collective bargaining agreement substantially escalating rookie salaries, as the top pick is set to earn about $500,000, which is a significant hike from previous seasons & more than six (6) times higher than what the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year, Bueckers, received as the No.1 pick last year - - Other notable picks from the 2026 WNBA Draft included the following: (1) The Minnesota Lynx selected TCU guard Olivia Miles with the No.2 pick, after she returned for an additional year of college, transferred from Notre Dame & led the Horned Frogs to a second consecutive Elite Eight appearance; (2) UCLA stars Lauren Betts & Gabriela Jaquez were selected in the top five (5), a little over a week after leading the Bruins to their first NCAAW championship - their teammate, Kiki Rice, was selected No.6 overall by Toronto, the first pick of the expansion franchise - - **NOTE: UCLA broke UConn's record of four (4) players drafted in the first round, a mark the Huskies set in 2002, when Angela Dugalic went No.9 to Washington - teaming her again alongside Betts - and Gianna Kneepkens was selected by the Connecticut Sun with the last pick of the first round - - **NOTE 2.0: With Charlisse Leger-Walker's selection in the second round at No.18 by the Sun, the Bruins also broke a record shared by Tennessee (1997, 2008), Notre Dame (2019) & South Carolina (2023), who all had five (5) players drafted in total; (3) Prior to being trade to the Seattle Storm, the Golden State Valkyries selected LSU guard Flau'jae Johnson with the No.8 pick, while the Indiana Fever took South Carolina guard Raven Johnson with the No.10 pick. . .Q: While we may not follow the WNBA closely, and therefore, do not dive into very many topics covering the league, it seemed that the WNBA Draft would be a notable topic for us to briefly discuss, but what are your thoughts on this year's WNBA Draft? Any additional players selected that you would have preferred that we highlight? Which WNBA franchise(s) do you think will benefit the most following their selections in this year's draft? . . .A'ja Wilson, the WNBA's first four-time MVP, has reportedly signed a three-year, $5 million supermax contract to remain with the Las Vegas Aces, sources informed ESPN on Wednesday afternoon - - The deal, which is the largest in WNBA history to date, is fully guaranteed to Wilson: she is set to earn $1.4 million for the upcoming 2026-27 season under the league's new collective bargaining agreement, and the salary will increase over the next two years based on her receiving 20% of the team's salary cap, which will be aided by the league's new revenue-share model - - To date, Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell is the only other WNBA player that has signed a supermax contract, although Mitchell's deal is only for one season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on A'ja Wilson's $5 million supermax contract?. . .NBA: "The Doc' Has Left the Building:" Doc Rivers is out as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, the team announced on Monday afternoon - - The Bucks will pay Rivers his eight-figure salary for the 2026-27 season, sources reported to ESPN, and the franchise's front office & Rivers are discussing whether he will move to an advisory role in the organization - - Meanwhile, the Bucks will embark on their third coaching search in three (3) years - - This starts a summer of change for the Bucks after Rivers went 97-103 throughout his three (3) seasons in Milwaukee, with two first-round playoff exits, and missing the postseason and play-in tournament this season - - According to team sources, there was a season-long disconnect between Rivers and the players, including instances that reportedly annoyed the locker room - - Rivers took over as HC of the Bucks in late January 2024, replacing Adrian Griffin, who had gone 30-13 prior to being fired, after which point, Rivers guided the Bucks to a 17-19 mark to close out the 2023-24 regular season - - Rivers also dealt with multiple injuries to his top players in each of his three (3) seasons, as Damian Lillard & Giannis Antetokounmpo missed time in the 2024 and 2025 playoffs, and Antetokounmpo was healthy for just 36 games in 2025-26 - - Rivers was let go shortly after Milwaukee dropped to 32-50 with a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday - - Rivers, who was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 and led the 2007-08 Boston Celtics to an NBA championship, ranks sixth all time among NBA coaches in career victories, but unfortunately, the Bucks snapped a streak of nine (9) consecutive postseason appearances this season, and they have not won a playoff series since 2022. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the departure of Doc Rivers as the HC of the Milwaukee Bucks? Was this the right move by Milwaukee's front office? How will this move affect a potential return to Milwaukee for All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo? . . .2026 NBA Playoffs: The 2026 NBA postseason is officially here, as the final week of the regular season ended on Sunday as all 30 teams were in action to cap the 82-game campaign - - Some top seeds sweetened an already dominant run, whereas a few of the bottom-dwelling teams completed their last-ditch efforts to tank for the May 10 draft lottery - - Now, there are 20 teams, set & seeded, to compete for a chance to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy in June, with the play-in tournament beginning on Tuesday, as four (4) teams from both Conference(s) would face off for the last two remaining spots in the NBA playoffs, versus the No.1 and No.2 seeds - - In this particular segment, JD & Spencer each provide their individual pick(s) & prediction(s) for the Eastern & Western Conference first-round matchups of the NBA postseason: **Be Sure to Tune In for Their Picks!. . . Eastern Conference: No.1 Detroit Pistons vs. No.8 TBD No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No.5 Toronto Raptors No.3 New York Knicks vs. No.6 Atlanta Hawks No.2 Boston Celtics vs. No.7 TBD Western Conference: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.8 TBD No.4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No.5 Houston Rockets ('Bron vs. KD) No.3 Denver Nuggets vs. No.6 Minnesota Timberwolves No.2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No.7 Portland Trail Blazers - 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament: Eastern Conference: No.9 Charlotte Hornets vs. No.10 Miami Heat - - LaMelo Ball made a layup with 4.7 seconds left in OT, Miles Bridges blocked Daivon Mitchell's attempt at a game-winning layup at the buzzer, and the Charlotte Hornets beat Miami 127-126 in a wild start to the NBA's play-in games, eliminating the Heat from the playoffs Tuesday night - - Ball finished with 30 points & 10 assists and Bridges recorded 28 points & 9 rebounds as the Hornets won their first postseason home game in a decade - - Guard Coby White had 19 points, including a turnaround 3 with 10.8 seconds left in regulation to send the game to OT - - **NOTE: Ball became the fourth player with at least 30 points & 10 assists in a play-in game, joining Josh Giddey (OKC, 2023), Kyrie Irving (BKN, 2022) & Damian Lillard (POR, 2020) - - Meanwhile, Mitchell finished with 28 points and Andrew Wiggins added 27 for the Heat, who lost Bam Adebayo to a lower back injury when he was tripped by LaMelo Ball in the 2nd QTR - - Following their win in the play-in tournament, the Hornets will travel to face the loser of Wednesday's matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic on Friday night for the 8th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the red-hot Charlotte Hornets' impressive victory over the Miami Heat in Tuesday night's NBA Play-in Tournament game? . . .Western Conference: No.7 Phoenix Suns vs. No.8 Portland Trail Blazers - - Deni Avdija, a first-time NBA All-Star, followed a breakout regular-season with a fantastic all-around performance in Tuesday's NBA play-in tournament game, scoring 41 points to lead the Trail Blazers over the Phoenix Suns for a 114-110 win to clinch the No.7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs - - The Blazers are back in the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2021 after clawing back from an 11-point deficit in the 4th QTR - - Following Portland's victory, the Trail Blazers will now face the No.2 San Antonio Spurs in the first round, whereas the Phoenix Suns will host the winner of Wednesday's L.A. Clippers - Golden State Warriors game on Friday - - Avdija, 25, had never played in the NBA's postseason until Tuesday, toiling for more than five (5) years on mediocre teams in Washington & Portland, but he certainly looked comfortable on the biggest stage, as he had the winning three-point play with 16.1 seconds remaining, scoring on a physical take to the rim while being fouled and then converting a FT - - **NOTE: Avdija became the fifth NBA player to score 40 or more points in a play-in game, joining Jayson Tatum for the Boston Celtics in 2021 (50), Coby White for the Chicago Bulls in 2024 (42), Anthony Davis for the Dallas Mavericks in 2025 (40), and Zion Williamson for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2024 (40). . .Q: What are your thoughts on Deni Avdija's spectacular performance in the Trail Blazers' victory on Tuesday night in the NBA play-in tournament? . . . - Miscellaneous - - The 2026 Masters Tournament: It wasn't always pretty, but Irishman Rory McIlroy ran it back at Augusta National: McIlroy carded a 2-under 70 to give him the win at 13-under as he won the tournament for a second consecutive year, one stroke ahead of runner-up Scottie Scheffler - - **NOTE: With his victory, Rory becomes only the fourth PGA player to win the Masters Tournament in back-to-back seasons (i.e, Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo & Tiger Woods), and the first to do so since Tiger Woods in 2002 - - McIlroy's victory is the sixth PGA major championship of his career, which ties him with Lee Trevino, Phil Mickelson, and Nick Faldo for the 12th-most all-time. . .but do not get it twisted, it was one hell of a week for the Masters defending champion: In the first two rounds, McIlroy seized the outright lead, carding a 67 and 65, respectively, to reach 132 (-12) for the tournament - - Beginning Friday tied for the lead, he recorded multiple birdies over his closing holes, including a chip-in on the 17th, and opened a six-stroke lead over the field, the largest 36-hole lead in Masters Tournament history - - The cut fell at 148 (+4) with 54 players advancing to the weekend, and among those who missed the cut, were Bryson DeChambeau, J.J. Spaun & Robert MacIntyre - - McIlroy began the third round with a six-shot advantage, but his lead subsequently vanished over Moving Day as he signed off for a 73 (+1), having played Amen Corner in 3-over par - - Entering the final round on Sunday, McIlroy immediately lost his share of the lead early in his round after a double bogey at the par-3 4th, where he pulled his tee shot and proceeded to 3-putt, falling behind the lead, however, he steadied himself & responded with consecutive birdies on 7 and 8 to move back within one shot of the lead heading into the turn - - On the 11th, Justin Rose bogeyed after missing the green with his approach, allowing McIlroy to draw level: McIlroy then regained the outright lead on the second nine (9), capitalizing on scoring opportunities and avoiding further mistakes - - McIlroy took a two-shot lead to the 18th tee over Scottie Scheffler, knowing a bogey would be enough, and while his drive found trouble in the right trees, he recovered into the greenside bunker to get up and down for a match-closing bogey to secure victory in regulation by a single stroke - - The 2026 Masters (it's 90th edition) began with 91 players vying for the coveted title of Masters champion and the green jacket that comes with it, and in the end, the man who entered Augusta National Golf Club as the reigning champion, left the course as the fourth back-to-back winner in tournament history - - McIlroy, 36, achieved what would have been impossible to believe just two years ago, winning his second straight Masters and the grand prizes that come along with it: most notably, of course, is the green jacket that will double up in his closet - - There is arguably no tournament where being a past champion carries so much weight, and while much of modern golf has become about escalating purses and the financial prize at the end, the Masters is one of the rare tournaments where that is truly a secondary motivation - - Although the green jacket is the ultimate prize, the 2026 Masters payout was pretty sweet, too, as the purse increased to $22.5 million with McIlroy taking home $4.5 million for his efforts, whereas each of the top four (4) on the final leaderboard earned over a million apiece - and perhaps most importantly, an invite back for the 2027 Masters Tournament. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the outcome of the 90th edition of the Masters Tournament? - - "An Irish Menu:" In keeping with tradition, defending champion Rory McIlroy chose the menu for the Masters Club Dinner, which took place on April 7th - - The dinner tradition, which began in 1952 when Ben Hogan invited past Masters champions to dine together, is attended by former champions as members of the Masters Club - - The appetizers included: bacon-wrapped dates with goat cheese; elk sliders with caramelized onion jam & garlic aioli; peach & ricotta flatbread; and rock shrimp tempura - - Yellowfin tuna carpaccio with foie gras, a toasted baguette, and chives were followed by a choice of either wagyu filet mignon or salmon, each served with champ, brussel sprouts, glazed carrots with brown butter, and Vidalia onion rings - - Dessert was sticky toffee pudding with sauce & ice cream - and finally, the wine selection included a 2015 Champagne Salon brut; a 2022 Domaine Leflaive Burgundy; a 1990 Chateau Lafit Rothschild Bordeaux; and a 1989 Chateau d'Yqueen Bordeaux. . .Q: If you were the returning defending champion of The Masters Tournament, what items would you choose for the menu?. . .                       Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 130 - The "no-pitch" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA Women's College Basketball Final Four & National Championship Review: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review and recap the 2026 NCAAW College Basketball Tournament's Final Four as well as the National Championship game - - and discuss a few of the most noteworthy storylines across the sport - - The following NCAAW college basketball game(s) are discussed in greater detail in this segment: NCAA Women's Basketball Championship - Final Four: No.1 South Carolina Gamecocks vs. No.1 UConn Huskies - - Ta'Niya Latson scored 16 points and Agot Makeer added 14 points as South Carolina played stifling defense to stun UConn 62-48 last Friday night, ending the Huskies' 54-game winning streak, and advancing to the women's NCAA Tournament national championship game - - South Carolina (36-3) would be looking for its fourth national championship, as their other three (3) have come in the last decade under HC Dawn Staley, whereas UConn (38-1) entered the Women's Final Four undefeated for the ninth time in school history, and for the third straight time left without a national title - as the Huskies also lost in the 2017 and 2018 national semifinals - - **NOTE: The Huskies' 48 points were the fewest points UConn had scored since putting up 49 in a national championship game loss to Staley's Gamecocks in 2022 - - The Huskies and Gamecocks played last season (2025) for the national title and UConn came away with the 82-59 rout for the program's 12th national championship - and they also beat South Carolina handily during the 2024-25 regular season - - "Handshake Wars?:" In the final seconds of South Carolina's upset win over UConn, Huskies HC Geno Auriemma & Gamecocks HC Dawn Staley had a heated exchange, and traded words at midcourt and had to be separated, in what was not a very good look for Auriemma - - When asked by ESPN reporter Holly Rowe what instigated the exchange, Staley responded: "I have no idea. But I'll let you know this: I'm of integrity. I'm of integrity. So, if I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did. I guess he thought I didn't shake his hand at the beginning of the game." - - ESPN's broadcast actually showed footage of Staley appearing to shake Auriemma's hand prior to tipoff, albeit brief - - When asked about the exchange postgame, Auriemma said it was customary for coaches to meet at half court prior to the game - as a separate clip from earlier in the broadcast showed Auriemma waiting for Staley at a different point before the game: "The protocol is, before the game, you meet at half court," Auriemma said. "The two coaches meet at half court and they shake hands. They announce it on the loudspeaker. I waited there for like three (3) minutes. I said what I said, and obviously she didn't like it. I just told the truth." - - Auriemma was not only fired up after the game, as during an interview with Holly Rowe on the sideline prior to the start of the 4th QTR, he ripped the game's officiating, declaring the free-throw disparity between the two sides as "ridiculous," and openly criticized the play of the Gamecocks after a UConn player's jersey was ripped - he also implied that Staley had used inappropriate language that was aimed at the officials, but was not punished for it - - On the following Saturday, UConn HC Geno Auriemma released a brief statement apologizing for the heated exchange: "There's no excuse for how I handled the end of the game versus South Carolina. It's unlike what I do and what our standard is here in Connecticut. I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don't want my actions to detract from that. I've had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them." - - While his apology seemed sincere, you can't help but notice that there is one particular name that is missing from Auriemma's statement: Dawn Staley! - - South Carolina HC Dawn Staley said Tuesday that she had spoken to Auriemma and suggested that everyone "turn the page" after their midcourt argument at the Final Four fueled a firestorm of controversy and could've shed a negative light on Auriemma's legacy. . .Q: What are your thoughts on South Carolina's dominant victory over UConn in the NCAA Women's Final Four last Friday night to end the Huskies' 54-game winning streak dating back to last season? Following his explanation at the postgame conference, what were your thoughts on Geno Auriemma's actions/outburst at midcourt? How much of it do you think was really related to Staley not following what he referred to as 'the protocol?' . . .NCAA Women's Basketball Championship - Final Four: No.1 Texas Longhorns vs. No.1 UCLA Bruins - - Center Lauren Betts finished the game with 16 points and made a huge block late, as UCLA withstood a last-ditch effort by Texas on Friday night for a 51-44 win to reach the NCAA Women's College Basketball National Championship Game for the first time in program history - - Manhandled by the eventual national champion, UConn, in their first Final Four appearance a year ago, the Bruins (36-1) dominated their way to another national semifinal with the best season in school history - - A chance at a first national title game appearance had to go through the only team to apply a blemish to their imperfect record this season: Overpowered in their first meeting, the Bruins turned the tables on Texas (35-4) in the national semifinal, shutting down All-American guard Madison Booker while building a 13-point lead midway through the 4th QTR - - Meanwhile, the Longhorns, who are one of the nation's best defensive teams this season, flexed their defensive prowess during a 12-2 run that cut UCLA's lead to 47-44, but Lauren Betts came in clutch, swatting the Texas' run to halt, as she blocked Booker's shot with 20 seconds left, as well as Kiki Rice's two clutch FTs, which sent HC Cori Close's crew into the title game - - The grinding win earned the Bruins a spot in the following Sunday's national title game against fellow No.1 seed South Carolina, the three-time champs, who ended reigning champion UConn's undefeated season and left Huskies' coach Geno Auriemma fuming - as so was Texas guard Madison Booker after a brutal finish to what was otherwise a stellar season, as she hit her first shot of the game, but missed her next 17 & finished with six (6) points on 3-of-23 (13%) shooting. . .Q: What are your thoughts on UCLA's impressive win over the SEC Conference champions, Texas Longhorns, on Friday night to advance to the NCAA Women's national title game? Thoughts on guard Madison Booker's poor shooting performance?. . .NCAA Women's Basketball Championship - National Championship Game: No.1 South Carolina Gamecocks vs. No.1 UCLA Bruins - - This one was for Cori Close and Lauren Betts and all the current players wearing UCLA on their jerseys, but it was also for Ann Meyers Drysdale & Denise Curry and John Wooden, and every Bruin who poured effort into what would become the first NCAA championship in UCLA women's basketball history: The senior-laden Bruins beat South Carolina 79-51 on Sunday in the national title game, and they did it the same way they had won all season - with a dominating inside presence, an unselfish offensive approach & a suffocating defense - that handed Dawn Staley & the Gamecocks their second-worst loss in NCAA tournament history - - **NOTE: The 28-point margin of victory was the third largest in a Division I women's championship final game - - UCLA never trailed, opening a double-digit lead at the end of the 1st QTR en route to its 31st straight win to make program history, as star center Lauren Betts was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player after the game - - In her 15th season at the helm, Bruins HC Cori Close pulled off what many didn't believe was possible at one of most storied basketball programs in the country, as UCLA last won a national title in women's college basketball in 1978 in the AIAW, when Meyers Drysdale & Denise Curry led the way - whereas John Wooden won 10 titles as the HC of the men's college basketball program, and set a standard that other coaches on the Los Angeles campus wanted to follow - - In this one-sided affair, five (5) UCLA players finished the game in double figures, as Betts finished with 14 points & 11 rebounds, but UCLA senior Gabriela Jaquez - the younger sister of former Bruin and now Miami Heat basketball player Jamie Jaquez - who was perhaps the most impactful player in this game, as she not only found open shots but also fed her teammates & got inside the paint to grab one rebound after another - finished with a fantastic stat line of 21 points, 10 rebounds and five (5) assists in a performance that will not soon be forgotten - - South Carolina, meanwhile in the first half, shot 9-of-35, as forward Joyce Edwards was 1-of-6 from the field with two points - as it was the Gamecocks' worst FG percentage in any half of any game since December 2022, when they shot 26% in the first half against South Dakota State - - The Gamecocks ended this game shooting 29% from the field, as their three (3) best players - Edwards, Ta'Niya Latson & Raven Johnson - finished the game with a combined 15 points on 5-of-22 shooting - - **NOTE: South Carolina became the first team to lose consecutive national championship game appearances by at least 15 points each. . .Q: What are your thoughts on UCLA's first women's basketball national championship in program history? Was this South Carolina group somewhat distracted by the noise/controversy surrounding the on-the-court drama between their HC Dawn Staley and UConn HC Geno Auriemma? Or was it just the Bruins' night?. . .NCAA Men's College Basketball: "[Note 2] SELF:" Kansas men's head basketball coach Bill Self is set to return to the sideline for the Jayhawks for the 2026-27 college basketball season, he announced last Wednesday - - Self released a statement indicating that he remains "focused and committed to Kansas," and "competing for a national championship." - - His announcement comes more than a week after Self indicated that he would discuss his coaching future with his immediate family after dealing with multiple health-related issues in recent years, as the decision came with "renewed clarity and the ongoing support from our administration," Self said in his statement - - Self's announcement certainly sent a collective exhale around Lawrence, where the Hall of Fame coach has won two national championships, and reached four (4) Final Fours since arriving in 2003 - - His return is significant for the sport, as he's one of the country's most noted coaches, as he is responsible for 855 wins across a 33-year coaching career spanning Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Illinois & Kansas - - Self, 63, spent significant time this week discussing his health & future with people close to him before arriving at the decision to return next season - - Self's decision to return comes just days before college basketball programs are getting ready to set their rosters for the 2026-27 season, as the NCAA transfer portal officially opened on Tuesday, the day after the men's national championship game. . Q: What are your thoughts on Bill Self's announcement and/or decision to return to Lawrence for the 2026-27 college basketball season?. . ."UNC Malone:" North Carolina's search for its' next head coach has landed in an unexpected place, as the Tar Heels hired longtime NBA HC Michael Malone as the school's next head basketball coach, sources informed ESPN - - Malone is an NBA champion from his time spent with the Denver Nuggets, and won 510 games in 12 seasons as a head coach, as he is one of the most respected tacticians in the NBA, and has spent the past 10+ months as an ESPN analyst - - Malone will inherit a Tar Heels team that has been seeking a head coaching replacement for nearly two weeks following the firing of Hubert Davis - - With college basketball becoming more like professional basketball every year, UNC gets a respected X's-and-O's coach who worked in the NBA for nearly a quarter century as a head coach and assistant, as he was at the helm for the Denver Nuggets for 10 years, going 471-327 in that span, as he has coached a total of 904 games as an NBA HC, including two seasons with the Sacramento Kings - - **UPDATE: Malone is set for a yearly average of more than $8.3 million across a six-year contract, sources confirmed to ESPN's Pete Thamel on Tuesday evening, which places him among the top five (5) highest-paid coaches in D-I college basketball - - UNC had previously been linked to multiple high-profile college coaches, including Michigan's Dusty May, Arizona's Tommy Lloyd, and Iowa State's T.J. Otzelberger, but after all three (3) publicly committed & signed contract extensions to remain at their current school, the Tar Heels turned to Malone, who led the Nuggets to their only NBA championship in 2023, prior to being fired in Denver last April, and after which point, he joined ESPN as an NBA analyst a month afterwards, whereas his predecessor, Hubert Davis, was fired by UNC on March 24, just five (5) days after the Tar Heels squandered a 19-point lead in their first-round NCAA tournament loss to No.11 seed VCU - as it marked the second consecutive season that UNC lost its NCAA Tournament opener under Davis, who went 125-54 in five (5) seasons coaching his alma mater. . .Q: What are your thoughts on North Carolina's hire of former and longtime NBA head coach Michael Malone as the Tar Heels' next head basketball coach?. . .2025-26 College Basketball Season Awards: The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Sunday that Duke's Cameron Boozer has won the 2026 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy, honoring the freshman as the most outstanding men's college basketball player, as Boozer won the award over finalists Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas), AJ Dybantsa (BYU), and Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan) - - Boozer led Duke in scoring, rebounding, and assists, while averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 55.6% from the field - - **NOTE: Cameron Boozer becomes the 10th Duke player to win a Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy, which is the most by any program since the award was first presented in 1969 - - Past Blue Devil winners include Cooper Flagg (2025), Zion Williamson (2019), JJ Redick (2006), Jason Williams (2002), Shane Battier (2001), Elton Brand (1999), Christian Laettner (1992), Danny Ferry (1989), and Johnny Dawkins (1986) - - It is also the 14th men's basketball award for Duke, as former head coach Mike Krzyzewski (aka "Coach K") was named Coach of the Year in 1989, 1992, and 1999, while being honored as the 2025 Naismith Outstanding Contributor to Men's Basketball Award winner - - Boozer becomes just the fifth freshman to win the award, and is the third Duke freshman to win, following Flagg & Williamson, with the other freshman that won the trophy being Anthony Davis (Kentucky, 2012) & Kevin Durant (Texas, 2007). . .Q: What are your thoughts on Duke's Cameron Boozer being awarded the 2026 AP Player of the Year?. . .Arizona HC Tommy Lloyd was named the 2026 Werner Ladder Naismith Men's Coach of the Year, while Florida's Rueben Chinyelu earned the 2026 Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year Award Presented by Molecule - - Lloyd becomes the first men's or women's coach or player from the University of Arizona to win a season-based Naismith Award - - **NOTE: This is the fifth time in the Award's 40-year history that the winner has come from the Big 12 Conference, but the first time that the coach has not been from the state of Kansas, as previous conference winners include Jerome Tang (Kansas State, 2023), while the other three (3) are from the University of Kansas: Bill Self (2012), Roy Williams (1997), and Larry Brown(1988) - - The remaining 2026 finalists for the award were Nebraska's Fred Hoiberg, Michigan's Dusty May, and Duke's Jon Scheyer. . Q: What are your thoughts on Arizona's Tommy Lloyd being awarded the 2026 Werner Ladder Naismith Men's Coach of the Year?. . .Center Rueben Chinyelu became the first player or coach from the University of Florida to win a Naismith Award, as the other finalists for the DPOY award included Flory Bidunga (Kansas), Zuby Ejiofor (St. John's), and Joseph Tugler (Houston), who was also a finalist in 2025 - - As one of the top rebounders & rim protectors in men's college basketball, Chinyelu helped the Gators become one of the top defensive teams in the nation - - **NOTE: He is the second player in the nine-year history of the award to win from an SEC school, following Auburn's Walker Kessler in 2022. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Florida's Rueben Chinyelu being awarded the 2026 Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year trophy?. . .NCAA Men's College Basketball Final Four & National Championship Review: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review and recap the 2026 NCAAM College Basketball Tournament's Final Four as well as the National Championship game - - and discuss a few of the most noteworthy storylines across the sport - - The following NCAAM college basketball game(s) are discussed in greater detail in this segment: NCAA Men's Basketball Championship - Final Four: No.2 UConn Huskies vs. No.3 Illinois Fighting Illini - - Fabolous freshman Braylon Mullins made another last-minute 3-pointer - his only basket of the second half - and Dan Hurley's Huskies muscled their way past Illinois 71-62 on Saturday to reach their third national championship game in four (4) years - - Center Tarris Reed Jr. finished the game with 17 points & 11 rebounds while Mullins finished with 15 points for the Huskies (34-5) who rode their strong inside play and tough defense to their 19th straight victory in the Sweet Sixteen or later rounds of the NCAA Tournament - - Now, UConn would await the winner of the other Final Four matchup between No.1 Michigan and No.1 Arizona with a chance to win their seventh national title, all since 1999, as Hurley would attempt to become the only active HC with more than two championships - - After eliminating the NCAA Tournament's No.1 overall seed, Duke Blue Devils, with a 35-foot 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining, Mullins was equally as effective in the Final Four matchup against Illinois, as after Silas Demary Jr. secured an offensive rebound, he hit a catch-and-shoot 3 with 52 seconds left that gave UConn a 66-59 lead, and thwarted Illinois' late push - - UConn needed the outstanding play of Mullins on a night in which star forward Alex Karaban struggled with this shot, as he finished the game with nine (9) points on 1-of-8 shooting, while adding four (4) rebounds & four (4) assists, as he tied Hurley's brother, Bobby, for No.2 in career March Madness victories by a player with 18 - - With one more victory, UConn would've broke a tie with North Carolina & move into third place alone in national titles, trailing only UCLA (11) & Kentucky (8) - - Meanwhile, freshman guard Keaton Wagler recorded 20 points & eight (8) rebounds to lead the Fighting Illini (28-9), who reached their first Final Four since losing in the championship game to UNC in 2005 - - **NOTE: Illinois' Wagler & UConn's Mullins became the first pair of freshmen to top 15 points in a Men's Final Four game since Michael Jordan (UNC) and Patrick Ewing (Georgetown) in 1982 - - Center Tomislav Ivisic finished with 16 points and seven (7) rebounds for the Illini, who couldn't replicate the blueprint that carried them to double-digit victories over Penn, VCU, Houston and Iowa - as Illinois made just 3 of 14 3-pointers in the first half & finished 6 of 26 from beyond the arc - - UConn took full advantage even though the Huskies struggled with their shot, as they had two long scoring droughts, that took up nearly six (6) minutes in the first half and more than six (6) minutes in the second - The latter of which allowed Illinois to charge back from its biggest deficit of the season, 57-43 with 9:43 left to play, to pull within 57-53 with 5:03 remaining - but the Huskies answered & closed it out at the free-throw line for their fifth straight win in the series, as UConn beat Illinois 74-61 on Nov. 28 in Madison Square Garden - and now the Huskies have held the Illini to their two lowest scoring totals & shooting percentages of the season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on UConn's performance & impressive win over Brad Underwood and the Fighting Illini?. . .NCAA Men's Basketball Championship - Final Four: No.1 Michigan Wolverines vs. No.1 Arizona Wildcats - - Game of the Year?. . .This wasn't even the game of the night! - - Michigan overpowered early & humbled the 'Cats for 40 long minutes Saturday, turning their highly anticipated Final Four matchup into a 91-73 Wolverines dunkfest-slash-highlight reel, as junior center Aday Mara scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed nine (9) rebounds - - About the only question in this one concerned the health of Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg, a first-team All-American, who landed on an Arizona player's foot, rolled his ankle and sprained his knee, but still recorded 11 points over 14 minutes - - This one was over in about the first five (5) minutes: **NOTE: The Blue blew threw their fifth straight March Madness opponent by double digits while becoming the first team to break 90 points five (5) times in a single tournament - - It was all quite a shock, considering Michigan and Arizona came in with the nation's top two defenses, a pair of top-five offenses and somewhere between eight (8) & a dozen NBA stars between them. . .but it was the Wolverines (36-3) who looked like pros, running to a double-digit lead only 5:31 into the contest, then swatting & slamming Arizona into oblivion, as the game plan against the Big 12 champion Wildcats (36-3) couldn't have worked any better: Michigan packed the paint on defense, basically giving the team that averaged the fifth-fewest 3-point attempts in the country this year free rein from long distance, then daring Arizona to create inside. . .and the Wildcats failed at both! - - Forward Koa Peat was quiet, finishing the game with 16 points & 11 rebounds, for Arizona, which shot 6 for 17 from 3, 36% overall and had two assists & nine (9) turnovers over a first half that ended with them trailing 48-32 - - Sparkplug guard Jaden Bradley picked up his fourth foul 94 seconds into the second half & finished with 13 points, most of which came in extended garbage time - - Arizona's only two losses before this were by four (4) and three (3) points back in February, as the Wildcats trailed by nine (9) less than 2:30 into this one - - Making it all the more impressive for Michigan was that it started this runaway without Lendeborg, who committed two fouls within five (5) seconds of each other less than 90 seconds into the game, however, he did return in the second half and recorded two quick 3s, to push Michigan's lead past 20, but he returned to the bench - and stationary bike - for good with 5:19 left, enough time to rest to get ready for UConn, which was going for its third title in four (4) seasons, while Michigan was vying for only the program's second championship (1989) - - Freshman Trey McKenney made four (4) 3s and had 16 points for the Wolverines, whereas guard Elliot Cadeau overcame a bout with his nut allergy to compile a crazy stat line: 13 points, 10 assists, six (6) turnovers, five (5) rebounds & four (4) steals on 5-for-17 shooting - even with that, Michigan finished 47.8% from the floor and 12 for 27 from 3. . .Q: How shocked were you that Michigan was able to dominate the Arizona Wildcats in this highly anticipated matchup of No.1 seeds?. . .NCAA Men's Basketball Championship - National Championship Game: No.1 Michigan Wolverines vs. No.2 UConn Huskies - - From the point that Michigan defeated Gonzaga by 40 points in the title game of the Player's Era Championship back in November, they were the most dominant team in the country, and they ended Monday night the same way they looked on Thanksgiving Eve of last year: as the best team in college basketball: Michigan (37-3) put an exclamation point on a historic season in Monday's national championship game, defeating UConn 69-63, as guard Elliot Cadeau was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player after finishing with 19 points - as Michigan pulled away on free throws, making 25 its 28 attempts at the line - - The opening half was a grind, as Michigan struggled to find its rhythm early, opening 0-for-8 from 3-point range, while UConn's interior defense controlled the paint - - Despite shooting 5-for-15 from deep, the Huskies made their presence felt at the rim, altering shots & limiting second-chance looks, however, injuries played a pivotal role throughout this game, and while PG Solo Ball was dealing with an ankle injury, he provided the Huskies a spark with three (3) 3-pointers and 11 points for the game - Meanwhile, forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who was dealing with an MCL and ankle injury, struggled to find the bottom of the net, finishing 4 of 13 from the field - - While Michigan wasn't as dominant as it had been early on in the NCAA Tournament, it's strength all season - size, length & more size - were the difference-makers again on Monday night, as the Wolverines finally broke through from deep in the second half, when Cadeau knocked down the team's first 3-pointer after an 0-for-11 start, the moment that helped fuel a surge, pushing the Wolverines to their largest lead of the game at 11 points. .but UConn refused to go away without a fight: The Huskies cut the deficit to four (4) with under eight (8) minutes to play, but it was quickly erased by a momentum-shifting dunk by C Aday Mara, that brought their bench to life and tightened the game down the stretch - - While Michigan went on a 6-0 run, UConn suffered a two-minute scoring drought with fewer than six (6) minutes to go - - The Huskies did, however, manage to get within four (4) with just 37 seconds remaining after Solo Ball hit a 3-pointer off the backboard, making it 67-63 - - Though Roddy Gayle Jr. then missed a pair of FTs, UConn forward Alex Karaban couldn't hit a 3-point shot to cut the deficit to one - as Karaban did lead the Huskies (34-6) with 17 points & was one of three (3) UConn players with three (3) 3-pointers - however, the teams combined to shoot just 11 of 48 from deep, including Michigan's 2 of 15 - - In the end, Michigan ended both its long wait for a national title - the program's first championship since 1989 - and also the Big Ten's, giving the conference it's first men's basketball title since its "little brother" Michigan State won it all in 2000. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Michigan's dominance throughout this year's NCAA Tournament? What are your biggest takeaways from the national title game? The 2025-26 regular season?. . . - NBA - - "OKC x 3:" The Oklahoma City Thunder joined some exclusive company on Wednesday night by accomplishing one goal on their checklist while defending their championship: The Thunder clinched the NBA's best record and top seed with Wednesday night's 128-110 road win over the L.A. Clippers - - **NOTE: It's the third straight season Oklahoma City earned the Western Conference's No.1 seed, as the Thunder became only the sixth team with a three-season streak as a top playoff seed since the NBA went to a 16-team playoff format in 1983-84, according to ESPN Research - The other five (5) teams include the following: (1) the 1984-88 Boston Celtics, (2) the 1984-90 Los Angeles Lakers, (3) the 1996-98 Chicago Bulls, (4) the 2008-10 Lakers and the (5) 2015-17 Golden State Warriors - all of which won multiple NBA championships in that span - - The Thunder, who have combined for 132 regular-season wins in the past two seasons, are attempting to become only the fifth team in NBA history to have the league's best overall record and win the championship in back-to-back seasons, as the feat was last accomplished by the Michael Jordan-led Bulls in 1995-96 and 1996-97. . .Q: What are your thoughts on OKC's dominance in the NBA over the past three (3) seasons? Do you think that the Thunder will repeat at champions this year?. . . - NFL - - The Las Vegas Raiders agreed to terms with Kirk Cousins last Thursday afternoon, just two days after new HC Klint Kubiak expressed that he wanted to add another veteran QB to the roster - - Thursday's deal comes less than a month after Cousins was released by the Atlanta Falcons, who parted ways with the QB two years after signing him to a four-year, $180 million contract - - The Falcons will reportedly pay Cousins $8.7 million in 2026 while the Raiders will pay another $1.3 million, per ESPN's Adam Schefter - Las Vegas has also agreed to pay Cousins a fully guaranteed $10 million roster bonus on the third day of the 2027 new league year - - Cousins' agent announced the deal, which will pay the four-time Pro Bowler $20 million in guaranteed money in 2026 - - **NOTE: It will mark the 11th consecutive season that Kirk Cousins' contract will be fully guaranteed - - The deal also includes a club option for two years at $80 million and could be worth up to $172 million over five (5) years, although only the $20 million this year is fully guaranteed - - Cousins, 37, will join a Raiders squad that is widely expected to select former Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza with the No.1 overall pick in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft later this month - - Kubiak and GM John Spytek, who were among those in attendance last Wednesday to scout Mendoza at Indiana's Pro Day, have said on multiple occasions that they would prefer to not start a young, inexperienced QB right away this season - - Prior to adding Cousins, Aidan O'Connell was the sole QB on Las Vegas' roster after the team traded Geno Smith to the New York Jets last month, as the move reunites Cousins with Kubiak, who was the QBs coach and OC for three (3) seasons for the Minnesota Vikings - - As fourth-round pick by Washington in the 2012 draft, Cousins has passed for over 44,000 yards with 298 TDs and 131 INTs in 14 seasons. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Las Vegas Raiders' acquisition of veteran QB Kirk Cousins? If they do, in fact, draft QB Fernando Mendoza with the No.1 overall pick, do you expect Kirk Cousins to be the Raiders QB for the season opener?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 129 - "The comeBACK Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football: "NCAA's Appeal Denied:" The Mississippi Supreme Court denied the NCAA's petition to overturn a judge's decision that would allow Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss to play next season - - Initially, the NCAA denied Chambliss' waiver request on Jan. 9, and after Chambliss appealed, the organization's Athletics Eligibility Subcommittee upheld the denial on Feb 4. - - On Feb. 12, Judge Robert Whitwell, the presiding judge, said that he agreed with Chambliss' argument that the player's medical history was not properly considered by the NCAA - - The 23-year-old Chambliss has been in college for five (5) years, but was healthy enough to play just three (3) of those years - - Afterwards, Judge Whitwell advocated for the Ole Miss QB, stating that Chambliss would have received "irreparable harm" had the NCAA's ruling been upheld, and he further elaborated that the organization would not be damaged by allowing to play - - Chambliss and Ole Miss Athletics Department submitted nearly 91 pages to the NCAA to document how medical issues prevented him from playing two years, the judge said - - The NCAA, according to the judge, did not properly take those [medical] records into consideration, and denied the waiver's request "on pure semantics," - - Prior to transferring to Ole Miss, Chambliss began his college football career at Ferris State University, a Division II program, where he would lead the Bulldogs to a NCAA D-II national championship - - Last season, in Oxford, Chambliss completed 294 of 445 passes (66.1%) for 3,937 yards with 22 TDs and three (3) INTs for the Rebels (13-2), which set a school record for wins, including two after making the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, while also rushing for 527 yards and eight (8) TDs on the ground. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Mississippi Supreme Court's decision to deny the NCAA's appeal to overturn a judge's decision regarding Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss' eligibility in 2026-27?. . .Recently retired coach, Gus Malzahn, who won a national title in 2010 as Auburn's OC, will join former Cal coach Jeff Tedford on the College Football Playoff Selection Committee this spring, the CFP announced on Monday - - University of Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek will return as the Committee chairman for a second consecutive season, and Louisiana AD Bryan Maggard will also join the group - - The three (3) new committee members will each serve three-year terms & replace outgoing members Chris Ault (a former HC), Jeff Long (a former longtime collegiate administrator), and Miami (Ohio) AD David Sayler, whose terms have expired - - Malzahn, who had a 35-year coaching career and developed a reputation for his up-tempo offensive philosophy, announced his retirement in February after serving as the OC under Mike Norvell at Florida State University - - He spent 13 years as head football coach at Arkansas State (2012), Auburn (2013-2020) and UCF (2021-2024), where he posted a career record of 105-62 - - As for Jeff Tedford, he served as the head football coach at Cal University (2002-2012) and Fresno State (2017-2019 and 2022-2023), compiling a career record of 127-79 - - At Cal, Tedford engineered one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football history, leading a team that had won just one game to consistent bowl appearances, national rankings as well as a share of the 2006 PAC-12 Conference title - - He remains the Golden Bears' winningest coach with an 82-57 record, while guiding the team to eight (8) bowl games - - Malzahn & Tedford will join former coaches Mark Dantonio (Michigan State) and Mike Riley (Oregon State/Nebraska). . .Q: What are your thoughts on the news that former head football coaches Gus Malzahn & Jeff Tedford will be joining the CFP Selection Committee this spring? How does Gus Malzahn's addition impact Kalen DeBoer & the Alabama Crimson Tide come postseason/CFP time next spring? . . .NCAA College Basketball: "Wade Just One Damn Minute:" Just one year after signing a six-year deal to become the head basketball coach at NC State University, Will Wade made the decision on Thursday to make a jump back to LSU, where he previously coached from 2017 until 2022, while NC State was left to pick up the pieces, and like many Wolfpack fans, NC State AD Boo Corrigan was not pleased by the sudden move, stating "I'd commiserate with [fans], in terms of feeling lied to," - - After leading the Wolfpack to a 20-12 record this season, Wade has now inked a seven-year deal to become the head basketball coach at LSU - - Out of the ACC Conference, NC State got off to an 18-6 start (9-2 in conference play) prior to losing six (6) of its final seven (7) games to end the regular season, as the Wolfpack were ultimately placed in the First Four on Selection Sunday, and afterwards losing to the Texas Longhorns, finishing the season with a 20-14 mark - - In his introductory press conference on Monday, Wade indicated to the Tiger faithful that "We're coming back to try and hang a banner, win a national championship, or I'm going to be the first [head] coach fired from the same school twice," as Wade does become the first SEC men's basketball coach in conference history to be fired and re-hired by the same program "One way or another, we're going to make history!" - - In his first stint at LSU from 2017-22, Wade was 105-51 with an SEC regular-season championship and three (3) NCAA Tournament appearances, however, LSU would go on to fire him in March 2022 for his involvement in NCAA Level I and Level II recruiting violations - - Overall, Wade is 266-119 with eight (8) NCAA Tournament appearances in 12 seasons as a head coach at five (5) different NCAA D-I programs. . .Q: How do you expect for the Will Wade-LSU reunion to play out? - - **Update: It was announced that former player Justin Gainey, who has spent the past five (5) seasons as an assistant coach, will return to NC State as the Wolfpack's next head basketball coach and Wade's replacement, sources confirmed to ESPN on Monday amid multiple reports - - Gainey, 49, played for the Wolfpack from 1996 to 2000 and later began his foray into coaching as an administrative coordinator with the program from 2006 to 2008 - - Gainey has spent the past five (5) seasons on Rick Barnes' staff at Tennessee, including the last four (4) as an assistant coach - Gainey also has served as an assistant at Elon, Appalachian State, Santa Clara, Arizona & Marquette - - Gainey was on AD Boo Corrigan's short list of replacements, and was believed to be one of the final candidates last offseason prior to the hire of Will Wade. . .Q: What are your thoughts on NC State's hire of former Wolfpack player Justin Gainey as the program's next head basketball coach?. . . - 2026 NCAA Tournament: Sweet 16 & Elite Eight Review & Recap: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer will review and recap the eight (8) games from the Sweet Sixteen as well as the four (4) games from the Elite Eight from this past weekend - as well as discuss a few of the major takeaways from the first weekend of March Madness; the following matchups from the third and fourth round(s) of the 2026 NCAA Tournament listed below are discussed within this episode: Sweet Sixteen: West Region: No.1 Arizona Wildcats vs. No.4 Arkansas Razorbacks (ARK HC John Calipari suffered the single worst loss of his career in the NCAA Tournament) . . . West Region: No.2 Purdue Boilermakers vs. No.11 Texas Longhorns (Despite their loss, TEX G Tramon Mark (29) sets record for the most points scored by a Texas player in the NCAA Tournament since Kevin Durant (30) in the second round of the 2007 tournament) . . . South Region: No.2 Houston Cougars vs. No.3 Illinois Fighting Illini (The Cougars struggled offensively, as a team shooting 34% in its lowest-scoring game of the season) . . . South Region: No.4 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. No.9 Iowa Hawkeyes (IOWA first-year HC Ben McCollum, who won four (4) national titles at the D-II level, led the Hawkeyes to its fifth Elite Eight and first since 1987) . . .**NOTE: 38,369 NCAA Tournament brackets (0.144%) accurately predicted Iowa, Illinois, Arizona & Purdue advancing to the Elite Eight following the first four (4) games of the Sweet Sixteen . . . East Region: No.1 Duke Blue Devils vs. No.5 St. John's Red Storm (Three (3) weeks post-surgery on his left foot, Duke's Caleb Foster helps the Blue Devils rally from a 10-point second-half deficit to stun St. John's and to advance to the Elite Eight) . . .**NOTE: It was just the second loss for St. John's head coach Rick Pitino in 14 visit(s) to the Sweet 16 - and just the second loss for this season's Red Storm in their final 23 games . . . East Region: No.2 UConn Huskies vs No.3 Michigan State Spartans ( A true heavyweight clash between two of college basketball's traditional "blue bloods," as well as a battle between two of the sports' greatest coaches in Tom Izzo and Dan Hurley) . . .**NOTE: Following UConn's win over Tom Izzo and the Spartans, forward Alex Karaban won his 16th NCAA Tournament game as a starter . . . Midwest Region: No.1 Michigan Wolverines vs. No.4 Alabama Crimson Tide (In an up-tempo matchup of two of the NCAA Tournament's highest-scoring teams, the Wolverines - led by the Big Ten player of the year Yaxel Lendeborg, guards Trey McKenney & Roddy Gayle Jr. - outlasted Labaron Philon Jr., who scored 35 points in what is most likely his final game under HC Nate Oats - and the Crimson Tide after a 33-6 advantage in bench points) . . .**NOTE: The Wolverines & Crimson Tide combined for a total of 74 shots in the first half alone, including 39 attempts from beyond the arc . . . Midwest Region: No.2 Iowa State Cyclones vs. No.6 Tennessee Volunteers (Despite a strong effort from Iowa State guards Tamin Lipsey & Nate Heise, the Cyclones clearly struggled without star forward Joshua Jefferson - as star freshman Nate Ament & the Volunteers used a dominant effort on the glass and a strong second-half performance to advance to the NCAA Tournament Regional Finals for the third straight year) . . . Elite Eight: South Region: No.3 Illinois Fighting Illini vs. No.9 Iowa Hawkeyes (Under HC Brad Underwood, Andrej Stojakovic & the Fighting Illini are headed to their first Final Four in 21 years (2005) and their sixth trip overall, which has - believe it or not - never won a national title) . . . West Region: No.1 Arizona Wildcats vs. No.2 Purdue Boilermakers (Now riding a 13-game winning streak, the Wildcats, which features a talented freshman class led by Koa Peat & Brayden Burries, frustrated the NCAA record-holder in assists, Purdue guard Braden Smith, and prevented his fellow four-year senior(s) in Trey Kaufman-Renn & Fletcher Loyer, from getting into a rhythm) . . .**NOTE: The trip to the Final Four is a long-awaited one for the Wildcats, who last made it to that stage in 2001 when they lost the title game under HC Lute Olson/Freshman Koa Peat, who was named the West Region's Most Outstanding Player, became just the sixth freshman to score at least 20 points to help his team win in both the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight . . . Midwest Region: No.1 Michigan Wolverines vs. No.6 Tennessee Volunteers (Making the most out its' size advantage and athleticism on both sides of the court, Michigan advanced to its first Final Four since 2018 and ninth overall) . . .**NOTE: The unselfish Wolverines steamrolled the Volunteers to become the first program to win at least four (4) games in an NCAA Tournament by double digits while scoring a minimum of 90 points in each . . . East Region: No.1 Duke Blue Devils vs. No.2 UConn Huskies (Two words: "Mullins MANIA!") . . .**NOTE: UConn head coach Dan Hurley is trying to coach the Huskies to a national title for the third time in four (4) seasons, a feat that hasn't been accomplished since John Wooden did so at UCLA in the 1970s . . . - 2026 NCAA Tournament: Final Four Preview & Predictions: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer preview the two Final Four matchup(s) from this upcoming weekend, and provide their individually-selected, subjective predictions for both games, which are listed below: **Be Sure to Tune in for their picks/Share Your Final Four Picks with us via X - @TraditionFinest or Send Us a Message at [email protected]! No.2 UConn Huskies vs. No.3 Illinois Fighting Illini (-2.5)            O/U139.5 No.1 Michigan Wolverines (-1.5) vs. No.1 Arizona Wildcats         O/U157.5 - NBA - - The Chicago Bulls waived guard Jaden Ivey for conduct detrimental to the team Monday, just hours after he posted a lengthy video rant on social media about religion and other topics that included anti-gay sentiments - - Ivey has gone live on his Instagram account more frequently in the past week, posting at least three (3) lengthy videos after he was shut down for the rest of the NBA season by the team because of injury last Thursday - - The Bulls acquired Ivey, 24, from the Detroit Pistons prior to the NBA trade deadline last month, after he was drafted with the No.5 pick by the Pistons in the 2022 NBA Draft, and featured early by a rebuilding Detroit franchise prior to knee issues limiting him to only 30 games in 2024-25 and kept him out for the first 15 games this season - - Ivey has appeared in only four (4) NBA regular-season games for the Bulls, and has not saw any action on the court since Feb. 11 prior to the All-Star Break. . Q: What are your thoughts on the Chicago Bulls' announcement that they have officially waived guard Jaden Ivey following his anti-gay remarks? . . . - Miscellaneous - - "Tiga, Tiga Woods, Ya'll:" Tiger Woods was arrested and charged with driving under the influence following a rollover crash in Jupiter Island, Florida last Friday afternoon, according to the Martin County Sherriff's Office - - Woods' Range Rover SUV rolled over after it clipped a trailer being hauled by a truck, after the truck had reportedly slowed down to turn into the adjacent driveway - - Woods' SUV swerved and flipped on its' side and slid down the road, after which point he told authorities that he was looking down at his cell phone ("I was just talking to the President of the United States". . .no BIG deal!) and changing the radio station in his SUV, which caused him to not see the truck slowing down prior to the rollover crash - - Woods, 50, was arrested on the suspicion of a misdemeanor DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test, and while Martin County Sherriff John Budensiek reported that Woods' breathalyzer test revealed no signs of alcohol, Woods refused to submit to a urinalysis test for other drugs, according to the sheriff - - Another Martin County Sherriff's deputy found two hydrocodone pills in Woods' left pants pocket, according to the arrest affidavit - - After Woods agreed to perform field sobriety exercises, the deputy observed him "limping and stumbling to the right," to which, Woods informed the deputy that he has underwent a total of seven (7) back surgeries & more than 20 operations on his right leg, which he severely injured in a car wreck outside of Los Angeles in 2021 - - After Woods was arrested, he was transported to the Cleveland Clinic ER South, but he ultimately refused all medical treatment - - The 15-time PGA major champion was then transported back to Martin County Jail, where he was held until his release on a $1,000 bond later Friday night - - Neither Woods nor the PGA Tour has publicly commented on his arrest, however, multiple recordings of Woods' arrest have now made their way onto the Internet - - **Update: Per his attorney on Tuesday evening, Tiger Woods has checked himself into a rehab facility and is stepping away from the PGA Tour/golf until further notice. . .Q: What is going on with Tiger Woods? . . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 128 - "The Naismith Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: The College Coaching Carousel: Quite possibly, with the most buzzworthy news surrounding it, North Carolina men's basketball coach Hubert Davis was fired by the school, bringing a conclusion to a tumultuous week after the Tar Heels' stunning loss to VCU in the first round of this year's NCAA Tournament, exiting in the Round of 64 for the second consecutive year: The Tar Heels led the Rams by 19 in the second half but collapsed down the stretch in an 82-79 OT defeat, which was the largest comeback in the NCAA Tournament since 2018 - - North Carolina went 24-9 this season, despite projected top-five NBA draft pick Caleb Wilson sitting out the final nine (9) games because of hand & thumb injuries - - In five (5) seasons as coach, Davis was 125-54, finishing with a winning percentage of 69.8% - - The school did not specify the nature of Davis' departure in its statement Tuesday night, simply calling it a change in leadership, - but in a post on Instagram, Davis said he was "let go" by the university and that his desire was to continue to coach at Chapel Hill - - The decision to fire Davis came from a recommendation from current AD Bubba Cunningham and executive associate AD Steve Newmark, who will take over the AD role on July 1 - - That recommendation was accepted by chancellor Lee Roberts on Tuesday - - Davis' exit looms large over a historic or "blue blood" college basketball program that has long leaned into alumni and the so-called Carolina Way, and opens one of the most coveted positions in all of basketball - - His departure opens the possibility of the school seeking a coach outside the North Carolina family for the first time since Bill Guthridge's three-season stint ended in 1999-2000, as Matt Doherty, Roy Williams & Davis, who each followed Guthridge, are all UNC alumni. . .Q: Is it time for North Carolina to bring back the GOAT Michael "MJ" Jordan to Chapel Hill as the Tar Heels' next head basketball coach? If the school's leadership does, in fact, seek a coach outside of the North Carolina family, who are a couple of the most notable coaches the program should pursue (i.e., Alabama's Nate Oats, Florida's Todd Golden, etc.)? . . .Providence has hired South Florida's Bryan Hodgson as its next men's head basketball coach - - Hodgson is joining the Friars after leading the Bulls to a 25-9 record, the American Conference regular-season and postseason titles, and a bid to this year's NCAA Tournament as an No.11 seed in his lone season in Tampa - - The No.11 Bulls were eliminated from the 2026 NCAA Tournament after suffering a loss to No.6 Louisville last Thursday in the first round - - Hodgson is a former Nate Oats assistant coach at Buffalo and Alabama, who brings an up-tempo style of play predicated on high-efficiency shot selection - - Hodgson, 38, will replace Kim English, who went 48-52 in his three (3) years at Providence, which included back-to-back losing seasons in 2024-25 and 2025-26 - - Providence will be the third school in three (3) years for Hodgson, who spent two seasons at Arkansas State, where he led the program to a pair of 20-win seasons, including a 25-11 Sun Belt Conference regular-season title in 2024-25, which gave the Red Wolves their first NIT bid in more than three (3) decades, prior to accepting the head coaching position at South Florida - - Hodgson now inherits a program considered well-funded in the Big East Conference, and one that is looking to get back to winning consistently, a feat the program hasn't experienced since Ed Cooley left for Georgetown in 2023. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Providence's hire of USF's Bryan Hodgson as their new men's head basketball coach?. . .Syracuse has turned to its past by hiring former star guard, Gerry McNamara, in a bid to guide a fading men's college basketball program back to prominence, the school announced on Tuesday - - McNamara, 42, aptly nicknamed "G-Mac," is returning to where he & Carmelo Anthony led the Orange to a national championship in the 2003-04 college basketball season - - Following an outstanding playing career, McNamara then spent 14 years as an assistant coach at his alma mater under Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, and an additional season under his successor, Adrian Autry - - Now, he replaces Autry at Syracuse, who was fired after three (3) largely disappointing seasons in which the Orange went a combined 49-48 and extended their NCAA Tournament drought to five (5) seasons, the program's longest since 1967-72 - - McNamara returns to central New York after spending the past two seasons at Siena, where he led the Saints to a combined 37-30 record, which included a 23-12 finish this year in which they won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) tournament & clinched their first NCAA Tournament berth since the 2010-11 season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on former star point guard & Siena coach Gerry "G-Mac" McNamara being hired as the next head men's basketball coach at Syracuse?. . .Creighton coach Greg McDermott is retiring after the 2025-26 NCAA college basketball season, the school announced on Monday, as his retirement will end a gilded run at Creighton, as McDermott, 61, won 365 games in 16 years as the head coach of the Blue Jays - - McDermott has a career record of 514-319 over 25 D-I seasons, including the 2023 Elite Eight and bids into 13 NCAA Tournaments, while the head coach at Northern Iowa, Iowa State & Creighton - - McDermott will be passing the job to the coach-in-waiting, Alan Huss, who had returned to the Creighton staff and was formally positioned for a year to take over this role, as the transition to Huss was hatched in April 2025, as he stepped down as the head coach at High Point University after leading them to a bid in the NCAA Tournament - - At Creighton, McDermott memorably coached his son, Doug McDermott, from 2010-11 to 2013-14, a time for which he was integral in helping bridge Creighton from the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) to the Big East Conference: The seamless transition from the MVC to the Big East will continue to be a huge part of Greg McDermott's legacy, as Creighton won the Big East regular-season title in the 2019-20 season, and had records of .500 or above in Big East play in 11 of 13 seasons in the league - - However, Creighton struggled this year by the standard McDermott set, finishing the season with a 15-17 overall record, and ending a streak of 10 consecutive 20-win seasons. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Creighton's announcement that head men's basketball coach Greg McDermott will retire at the end of the 2025-26 college basketball season? Thoughts on his replacement, coach-in-waiting Alan Huss? . . .2026 March Madness: First and Second Round Review & Recap: The first weekend of the 2026 NCAA Tournament is officially in the books, and there are, of course, distinct winners & losers - - Among the big winners are the Big Ten Conference and John Calipari, who has guided the Arkansas Razorbacks to its second Sweet 16 appearance in his second season with the program, while his former team, the Kentucky Wildcats, are headed back home to Lexington: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer discuss & review the first and second-round games from this past weekend - as well as discuss a few of the major takeaways from the first weekend of March Madness: **Be Sure to Tune in to hear this week's "March Madness: First and Second Round Review" segment. . . - 2026 NCAA Tournament: Sweet 16 & Elite Eight Preview & Predictions: The Sweet 16 is officially set after a wild first weekend of the 2026 NCAA Tournament: If you wanted Madness, you sure got your case full of it - - If you wanted a shocking upset, you got it, thanks to the No.9 seed Iowa Hawkeyes pulling off the stunning upset victory over the defending national champion Florida Gators - - If you wanted thrilling buzzer-beaters, you got multiple orders, thanks to St. John's guard Dylan Darling, who delivered the game-winner to stun No.4 seed Kansas on Sunday to send the fifth-seeded Red Storm to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999, and an all-time classic in the Nebraska-Vanderbilt matchup, punctuated by Tyler Tanner's potentially game-winning heave that was halfway down the basket until it wasn't - - If you crave high-quality basketball, last weekend certainly answered the call, with the exception of the first 30 minutes of the St. John's-Kansas second-round matchup, which could aptly be described as a football game that occurred on a hardwood floor inside of a gymnasium or arena - - Sweet 16 by Conference breakdown: Big Ten Conference (6), SEC Conference (4), Big 12 Conference (3), Big East Conference (2) and ACC Conference (1) - - The second weekend of March Madness has an extremely high bar to cross after fulfilling an epic, madness-inducing first weekend of the 2026 NCAA Tournament - - In this particular segment, JD & Spencer will preview each of the third round (i.e., Sweet 16) matchups from this weekend, as well as provide their individual predictions/game picks for both the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, to present their Final Four picks for this year's tournament. . .**Be Sure to Tune in to hear this week's "Sweet 16 & Elite Eight Preview and Predictions" segment, and Share Your Game Picks with us via X/Twitter - @TraditionFinest or Send Us a Message at [email protected]!. . . - NFL - - Debate/Discuss: Is Ty Simpson the best overall QB prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft? Why or why not? If not, which QB prospect would rate higher than the former Alabama Crimson Tide QB?. . .Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year, has reached an agreement with the Seattle Seahawks on a four-year, $168.8 million contract extension that makes him the highest-paid WR in NFL history, sources informed ESPN - - The deal averages $42.15 million per year and includes over $120 million guaranteed, both setting records for a WR - - With this new agreement, the two-time Pro Bowler is contractually tied to the Super Bowl reigning champion Seahawks through the 2031 NFL season - - Smith-Njigba's deal with the Seahawks is the latest jump in the ever-evolving WR market - one that will certainly impact the division rival, Los Angeles Rams, who could be working on a Puka Nacua extension/deal this offseason, as the star wideout is entering the final year of his rookie deal in 2026 - - **NOTE: Smith-Njigba's salary eclipses the previous high for a WR: Ja'Marr Chase's deal with the Cincinnati Bengals, which has an average annual value of $40.25 million, with the next highest average annual salary after Chase including Vikings WR Justin Jefferson ($35 million), Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb ($34 million), Steelers WR DK Metcalf ($33 million) and Jets WR Garrett Wilson ($32.5 million). . .Q: What are your thoughts on JSN's record-breaking contract extension with the Seattle Seahawks?. . . - Miscellaneous - - "R.I.P. To a Legend:" According to a family statement posted on social media last Friday morning, on the island of Kaua'i (Hawai'i), Chuck Norris passed away at the age of 86 - - Norris was an American martial artist, actor, screenwriter, and author - - Throughout his life, Norris had earned and received several black belts: these include a 10th degree black belt in Chun Kuk Do (founded in 1990 by Chuck Norris himself, as it was based on his Tang Soo Do training in Korea while he was enlisted in the military), a 9th degree black belt in Tang Soo Do, an 8th degree black belt in Taekwondo, a 5th degree black belt in Karate, a 3rd degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu from the Machado family, and a black belt in Judo - - In 1968, he won the Professional Middleweight Karate champion title, for which he held for six (6) consecutive years - - In 1969, he won Karate's triple crown for the most tournament wins in a year, and he was also recognized as the "Fighter of the Year," by Black Belt Magazine - - In 1989, he received his Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 1999, he was inducted into the Martial Arts History Museum's Hall of Fame as one of its 10 inaugural members - - In 2010, he was nominated and won the Lifetime Achievement Award at ActionFest - - Norris began working in the American film industry as a martial arts instructor for celebrities prior to making his big screen debut with a minor role in The Wrecking Crew (1968) - - Friend & fellow martial artist, Bruce Lee, invited him to play as one of the main villains in The Way of the Dragon (1972) - - His numerous roles in projects like Walker, Texas Ranger, and others only heightened the iconic tough guy persona - - Away from his acting roles, "Chuck Norris Facts" went viral with crazy and fun statements and/or puns, such as: "Chuck Norris had a staring contest with the son - and won," and "They wanted to put Chuck Norris on Mt. Rushmore but the granite wasn't tough enough for his beard,". . .Q: Do you have any Chuck Norris memorable moments that you would like to share? . . ."What the F***?:" A Maryland man who made history as the first quadruple amputee to compete in the professional televised American Cornhole League (ACL) has been arrested and charged with murder after allegedly shooting & killing a passenger in his car during a heated argument - - Dayton Webber, 27, who became a champion cornhole player after losing his limbs and nearly dying from a bacterial infection in his infancy - faces murder charges in connection with the death of Bradrick Wells, authorities said on Monday - - According to a statement from investigators with the sheriff's office of Charles County in suburban Baltimore, Webber was driving his car with Wells as his front-seat passenger at about 10:25 p.m on Sunday when the pair began arguing in front of the others who were in the back seat of the vehicle - - Webber then allegedly shot Wells to death, pulled over in the community of La Plata, and asked the other passengers to assist in removing the body from the car - - The others refused, exited the car and fled the scene while Webber drove away with Wells' body in the front seat - - **NOTE: ESPN's SC Featured, known for telling inspiring sports stories, profiled Webber in 2023, and even ESPN SportsCenter gave Webber a spot on one of its top 10 play segments: the appearance showed Webber making four (4) consecutive cornhole shots into the hole, including by banking his bag off an opposing one on the final attempt, and the highlight ended with a SportsCenter anchor saying: "Dayton Webber - remember the name. . ." [**I honestly do not believe we will have that difficult of a time forgetting this guy. . .just sayin'] - - Authorities said they found Webber's car in Charlottesville, Virginia, about 150 miles from where Wells' body had been recovered - - They reportedly tracked Webber down to a nearby hospital, where he had allegedly sought treatment for an unspecified medical issue. . .Q: I have so many questions regarding this entire story, but what are your thoughts on the professional cornhole amputee player being charged with murder?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 127 - The "Cinderella Story" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: "Holloway's Not-So-Holiday:" Authorities reportedly found 2.1 pounds of marijuana in University of Alabama basketball star Aden Holloway's apartment when he was arrested on a felony drug possession charge Monday morning, according to the charging documents obtained by ESPN on Tuesday - - So why is the amount relevant?. . .**NOTE: The amount discovered in the arrest is significant because any amount of marijuana above 2.2 pounds - or a kilogram (kg) - in the state of Alabama can result in a drug trafficking charge, whether or not there are clear signs of an intent to distribute - - Holloway, who was "removed from campus," and is not with the team just days prior to the onset of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, informed police that he wanted to exercise his Miranda Rights (aka "plead the fifth") and/or remain silent during the search of his apartment, but then told police that he "only smokes [and does not sell or distribute]," - - Following his arrest, Crimson Tide HC Nate Oats stated at a press conference that the team was preparing to play without Holloway - who was the team's No.2 scorer, averaging 16.8 points per game, behind only star guard Labaron Philon - when it faces No.13 seed Hofstra on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament - - Holloway posted $5,000 bail and was released from the Tuscaloosa County jail shortly after his initial arrest - - He has been charged with a class C felony drug possession charge, "not for personal use," and a failure to affix a tax stamp charge, both of which are felonies and carry a max sentence of 10 years in jail and a $15,000 fine - - While it's unclear what prompted the search warrant, as per the charging documents, the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force was executing a search warrant at Holloway's apartment when authorities located the marijuana in a backpack, a jacket pocket, a suitcase, in a TV entertainment stand and a vacuum-sealed bag, along with a significant amount of cash, the prescription sedative promethazine, as well as drug paraphernalia (i.e., a "rolling tray" & packaging materials) - all of which was discovered in just one room of Holloway's apartment - - Authorities also found marijuana in a box and a drawer in a spare bedroom. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Aden Holloway situation for the Alabama men's basketball program? How does this affect the Crimson Tide as they prepare for the 2026 NCAA Tournament?. . .First Four: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer discuss & provide a detailed analysis of the First Four games of the 2026 NCAA Tournament that occurred on Tuesday & Wednesday evening, which included the following four (4) matchups: NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Midwest Region: No.16 UMBC Retrievers vs. No.16 Howard Bison NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: West Region: No.11 Texas Longhorns vs. No.11 NC State Wolfpack NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: South Region: No.16 Prairie View A&M Panthers vs. Lehigh Mountain Hawks NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Midwest Region: No.11 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks vs. No.11 SMU Mustangs - 2026 NCAA Tournament/March Madness Bracket Review & Prediction Showcase: In this particular segment, JD and Spencer review the NCAA Tournament first-round matchups that have already occurred - - as well as provide their individual projections/predictions for each of the remaining games in the first & second round (i.e., Round of 64/Round of 32). . .**Tune in as JD and Spencer will fill in their NCAA bracket throughout this particular segment - - Also, Be Sure to Share Your Picks for the 2026 NCAA Tournament with us via X/Twitter - @TraditionFinest - and/or by Send Us a Message at [email protected]. . . - NBA - - "Records are Wilt[ing] Down:" The legendary Wilt Chamberlain owns one less NBA record thanks to Oklahoma City Thunder superstar guard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - - Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA MVP, broke a record held Chamberlain for more than six (6) decades by scoring at least 20 points in 127 consecutive regular-season games - - His streak started on Nov.1, 2024, as he averaged 32.5 points in the 127 games - - Gilgeous-Alexander, or SGA, reached the NBA milestone in last Thursday's home game against the Boston Celtics, surpassing 20 points with a 20-foot jumper with 7:04 remaining in the 3rd QTR, eliciting a roar from the Paycom Center crowd - - He received a standing ovation and MVP chants during the next time out when the historic moment was recognized on Arena's videoboard - - SGA finished the game with 35 points & nine (9) assists in the Thunder's 104-102 win over the Celtics - - **NOTE: Gilgeous-Alexander, who won last season's scoring title and ranks second in the league, averaging 31.8 points per game this season, is on the verge of becoming the first player since Michael Jordan to score at least 30 points per game in four (4) consecutive NBA seasons - - His true shooting percentage of .669 would tie the highest in league history for a 30-point per-game scorer, matching Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry from his unanimous MVP season in 2015-16. . . - NFL - - The Minnesota Vikings agreed to a one-year contract with former Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray, the team confirmed last Thursday afternoon (3/12) - - For Murray, the deal provides an opportunity to revitalize his career, and for the Vikings, it allows them to potentially elevate the QB play that largely doomed their 2025 season - - Minnesota will reportedly pay $1.3 million of Murray's $36.8 million salary for 2026, whereas the Arizona Cardinals will pay the remainder as part of their decision to release him last Wednesday: his new deal prohibits the Vikings from using a franchise or transition tag on him next offseason, sources told ESPN, which gives him a guaranteed path to NFL free agency next offseason if he elects to pursue it - - In Minnesota, Murray will have arguably the best supporting cast of his NFL career, which started in 2019 when the Cardinals selected him with the No.1 overall draft pick: he'll work with HC and play caller Kevin O'Connell, TE T.J. Hockenson and WRs Justin Jefferson & Jordan Addison, to improve the Vikings' offense next season - - Following the 2025 NFL regular season, O'Connell said that he wanted to find competition for starting QB J.J. McCarthy, who was the No.10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and finished last season with a 35.6 QBR in 10 starts - - Murray has been selected to two Pro Bowls and has accounted for 153 TDs in his career, but HC Kevin O'Connell was not willing to name him as the Vikings' starter in 2026. . .Q: What do you think of the move by the Minnesota Vikings to bring in QB Kyler Murray? Who will be the Minnesota Vikings starter next season: J.J. McCarthy or Kyler Murray?. . ."Fields, Great:" The Kansas City Chiefs found their newest backup QB for Patrick Mahomes on Monday, agreeing to send a 2027 sixth-round pick to the New York Jets to acquire Justin Fields, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter - - Without an experienced veteran after last year's backup Gardner Minshew signed with the Arizona Cardinals last week, the other QBs on the Chiefs' QB depth chart, Chris Oladokun & Jake Haener, have combined to start in just three (3) games at the professional level - - Fields, 27, wanted to continue his career in Kansas City, although other teams were interested in acquiring him, the sources reported to Schefter, after the Jets last week acquired QB Geno Smith in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, to become their new starter in 2026 - - To facilitate the trade, the Jets are paying $7 million of Fields' $10 million 2026 guaranteed salary, whereas Kansas City will pay the remaining $3 million, much like the Jets did when they traded for Smith last week - - Mahomes, a nine-year NFL veteran, is rehabbing after he underwent surgery in December to repair the torn ACL and LCL in his left knee - and while Mahomes is hoping to be available for the Chiefs' season opener, Fields is a mobile QB who will take on the responsibility of operating the offense under HC Andy Reid and OC Eric Bieniemy during the offseason and most likely much of NFL training camp - - Deemed expendable after the addition of Geno Smith, Fields' departure from the Jets franchise was long anticipated, as he struggled in his lone season with the franchise, which led to his benching on Nov. 17, after which, he never saw the field again, finishing the 2025 season on IR with a knee ailment that flared up after his demotion, ending another disastrous chapter in the Jets' long, winding search for a franchise-winning QB: Fields went 2-7 as a starter with the Jets, ranking 31st out of 36 passers in Total QBR (37.3), based on a minimum of 200 attempts - - He finished with seven (7) TD passes, one INT and 1,259 passing yards, including only 505 yards in his last five (5) starts - - A 2021 first-round draft pick by the Chicago Bears, Fields is 16-37 as an NFL starting QB, as the Chiefs will become Fields' fourth team in four (4) NFL seasons. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding the Kansas City Chiefs' acquisition of QB Justin Fields? Could this potentially lead to a resurgence and/or an overall shift in trajectory of Justin Fields' NFL career?. . ."A Penguin Sighting in Denver:" The Denver Broncos are trading for Miami Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle in exchange for first-, third- and fourth-round picks in this year's NFL Draft, a source reported to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday - - The Broncos will also receive a fourth-round pick in return from the Dolphins, while the picks heading to Miami include No.30 overall as well as the 30th selection in each of the third and fourth rounds - - Waddle will join a Broncos WR corps that includes Courtland Sutton, Pat Bryant, Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr., Lil'Jordan Humphrey & Michael Bandy - - **NOTE: The Dolphins, at Nos. 11 and 30, are now one of five (5) teams that have two picks in the first round of this year's NFL Draft, joining the New York Jets (Nos. 2 and 16), Cleveland Browns (Nos.6 and 24), Kansas City Chiefs (Nos. 9 and 29) & Dallas Cowboys (Nos.12 and 20) - - Overall, Miami currently has 11 selections in next month's draft - - Following the trade that landed Waddle out of Miami, Tutu Atwell is atop the Dolphins' depth chart at WR, and is joined in the WR room by Jalen Tolbert, Terrace Marshall Jr., Malik Washington, Tahj Washington, Theo Wease Jr., and AJ Henning. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the NFL trade on Tuesday that sent wideout Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins to the Denver Broncos? What does this trade tell you about the Denver Broncos' prospects for the upcoming 2026 season?. . . - Miscellaneous - - World Baseball Classic Final: Team USA vs. Venezuela - - Venezuela won the World Baseball Classic for the first time Tuesday night, beating the favored United States team 3-2 in the championship game on DH Eugenio Suarez's tiebreaking double in the top of the 9th inning - - **NOTE: Venezuela became the second Latin American nation to win the WBC, after the Dominican Republic in 2013, whereas the U.S., meanwhile, has just one title, won in 2017 - - Once again, the U.S. struggled offensively, as the starting lineup was dormant for a significant portion of the game. . .until the 8th inning - - In front of what was largely a pro-Venezuelan crowd in the Miami metropolitan area, Bryce Harper's two-run homer with two outs in the 8th inning tied the score for the U.S., 2-2. . .but Suarez hit a go-ahead double in the 9th inning off Team USA pitcher Garrett Whitlock, and Daniel Palencia pitched a perfect bottom half of the inning, to secure the victory for Venezuela - - Maikel Garcia was selected the tournament MVP after hitting .385 with a WBC-high 10 hits and seven (7) RBIs - - Team USA's lineup, which was billed as quite possibly the greatest ever, in any setting, when the WBC tournament began, a thought validated by two exhibition contests that saw it amass 29 runs on 33 hits, never seemed to hit full throttle when the games began to matter: It dropped its fourth pool-play game, getting shut down by Italian American Michael Lorenzen, then snuck past Canada in the quarterfinals and edged out a star-studded Dominican Republic team in the semifinals on the strength of two solo HRs - - **NOTE: Despite a heralded roster of stars led by USA team captain, Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper & Paul Skenes, the U.S. remained without a title since 2017, as manager Mark DeRosa also led the 2023 American team that lost the WBC final 3-2 to Japan, and would come back for 2029 if offered another chance - - Notable Stats: Team USA captain Aaron Judge was 0 for 4 with three (3) strikeouts and hit .222 with five (5) RBIs in the tournament, while Bryce Harper improved to .214 with three (3) RBIs with two hits against Venezuela - - Alex Bregman batted .143 with four (4) RBIs, as the U.S. scored nine (9) runs in the three (3) knockout-round games while batting .188. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the way in which Team USA struggled with the bat for most of the WBC tournament, but especially so, in the Final versus Venezuela on Tuesday night? Should Mark DeRosa be retained as the United States' team manager for the 2029 World Baseball Classic?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 126 - The "One Shining Moment" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: Financial penalties will be imposed on schools that do not follow the new player availability reporting process in the upcoming NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments, according to the NCAA, who released a statement regarding the update last Wednesday - - **NOTE: For the first time ever, teams will be required to submit player availability information for NCAA tournament games- - If a school does not abide by this process, it will reportedly face potential fines: A first offense will result in a penalty of up to $10,000. . .the second offense is a fine up to $25,000. . .and the third offense includes a fine of up to $30,000 for the school and $10,000 for the program's head coach - as all penalties will be assessed after the tournament - - For this year's NCAA Tournament, teams must submit an initial report to the NCAA by 9 p.m. local time the night before a game is scheduled to occur, as well as provide an update two hours prior to the scheduled tip time on game day - Both reports must list players as one of three designations: (1) available, (2) questionable or (3) out. . .Players not listed as questionable (i.e., up to a 75% chance of playing) or out are assumed to be available to play - - **NOTE: Player availability reports have become required in the five (5) major conferences over the past couple of seasons, with the ACC, Big 12 and SEC posting their initial reports the night before a game, and the Big East & Big Ten conference(s) publishing their reports the morning of games - - This will be the first time player availability reports will be used for NCAA championships, with the men's and women's basketball tournaments serving as a pilot program for potential use in other sporting events - - The reports are "intended in part to reduce betting-related pressure, solicitations and harassment student-athletes and other team personnel receive from bettors connected to playing status," per the NCAA's statement - - HD Intelligence, a service for which several of the aforementioned conferences already use, will serve as the primary provider for player availability reporting services. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the NCAA's announcement regarding the mandated player availability reports, and their use throughout the men's and women's 2026 NCAA Tournament?. . ."31 & OH:" No.19 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks at Ohio Bobcats - - Miami (OH) closed out the regular season as the only unbeaten team in Division I men's college basketball, with guard Eian Elmer scoring a career-high 32 points & grabbing 12 rebounds in a gritty 110-108 road victory over in-state, MAC conference rival, Ohio, on Friday (3/6) night - - Peter Suder scored five (5) of his total 13 points in OT for the RedHawks (31-0, 18-0 MAC), which became the first program to complete an unblemished regular season since Gonzaga in 2021 - - Guard Trey Perry added 21 points and forward Brent Byers scored 15 for the RedHawks, who topped Akron (17-1 MAC) for the regular-season league title - - **NOTE: Despite its' magical season, Miami (OH) might need to win the MAC Conference tournament this week to guarantee themselves a spot and/or to become an automatic qualifier in this year's NCAA Tournament. . .Q: How do you feel about this particular subject: should the Miami (OH) RedHawks receive an "automatic bid" to the 2026 NCAA Tournament regardless of whether they or not they win the MAC Conference championship? - - Guard Jackson Paveletzke led Ohio (15-16, 9-9 MAC) with a career-high 37 points, while forwards Javan Simmons scored 30 and Aidan Holloway added 20 points as well, as the Bobcats closed out the regular season after losing three (3) consecutive games - - HC Travis Steele's squad had a bumpy stretch over its previous dozen games, with four (4) one-possession wins & two others that they won in OT - - This time, the story wasn't much different, as the RedHawks needed some late game heroics again to win in Athens for the first time in 15 years: Ohio forward Javan Simmons' basket off a missed shot by teammate Kirr Kuany gave the Bobcats a 108-107 lead with 26 seconds remaining in OT - - Miami guard Peter Suder then sank two FTs to put the RedHawks ahead, and guard Justin Kirby made another for the final margin - - The Bobcats had an opportunity to steal the game, but guard Jackson Paveletzke missed two shots in the final five (5) seconds that could have given Ohio the lead (and win), including a 3-pointer at the buzzer - - While the RedHawks capped off an impressive and historic 31-0 regular season and an insane 110-108 victory over in-state rival, Ohio, it was what occurred after the final buzzer that was even more enthralling: Chaos erupted in the Athens arena from both sides, with frustrated Ohio fans throwing trash onto the court and in the direction of the elated RedHawks, who returned the favor by giving them a "California hello," (aka, the bird/middle finger). . .Things only escalated as taunts were thrown back & forth between the two teams, as Ohio forward Aidan Hadaway was sent back to the locker room amid the chaos and was forced to skip the postgame handshake line. . .Miami guard Peter Suder, most notably, kept waving goodbye to the Ohio fans as he backed away from the crowd, while seemingly mouthing "F*** you, b—hes,". . .Q: What's your take on the chaos that erupted at the Ohio University arena following the Miami (OH) RedHawks' gritty OT victory? What are your thoughts on the on-court behavior/demonstrations of the RedHawks players, for instance, that of guard Peter Suder?. . .No.8 Michigan State Spartans at No.3 Michigan Wolverines - - Forward Yaxel Lendeborg scored 19 of his 27 points in the first half, and Morez Johnson Jr. finished with 18 points, leading No.3 Michigan in a 90-80 win and season sweep over "little brother" No.8 Michigan State on Sunday (3/8) to give the Big Ten regular-season champions a 15th straight conference victory - - The Wolverines (29-2, 19-1 Big Ten) are headed to the Conference tournament, hoping to earn a No.1 seed in March Madness, prior to shooting for the program's second national championship (and first since 1989) - - The Spartans (25-6, 15-5 Big Ten) were swept by their in-state rivals in the regular season, but might get another shot at the Wolverines this week in the Big Ten Conference tournament - - Lendeborg, a preseason All-America selection, was once again the best player on the court, on Sunday, as the UAB transfer shot 8-for-12 from the field, matched a career high with five (5) three-pointers, recorded three (3) assists & also made winning plays at the other end of the court defensively - - "A Dirty Play/Villain:" After Spartans guard Jeremy Fears Jr. made a jumper to pull Michigan State within three (3) points with 3:47 remaining, Lendeborg made a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to start a 10-2 run that ultimately sealed the victory for the Wolverines - - Fears finished with 22 points & nine (9) assists, forward Jaxon Kohley matched a career high with 23 points as big man Carson Cooper added 19 points for the Spartans - - However, it was Fears, who once again drew unwanted attention for another kick toward an opponent's groin, as he was called for a technical foul after a video review clearly showed that he swung his right leg backward and into Wolverines' guard Elliot Cadeau. . .but this wasn't his first rodeo: when the Wolverines won the first matchup earlier this season, Fears appeared to intentionally trip Yaxel Lendeborg, and in the postgame press conference, Michigan HC Dusty May made mention of the "several dangerous," plays in the game, in reference to Fears' on-court antics. . .Q: Is Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr. the modern version of former Duke Blue Devils' Grayson Allen (or former Michigan State forward Draymond Green)?. . ."NCAA College Basketball Championship Week:" The 2025-26 men's college basketball regular season is officially over, and Championship Week is in full swing: Conference tournaments are pitting member schools against one another for the right to represent their league as one of the 31 automatic qualifiers in this year's NCAA Tournament - - It all ends with the Big Ten Conference Tournament on Sunday, just before the full 68-team field for March Madness is revealed - - In this week's "Champ Week" segment, JD & Spencer introduce & discuss each of the men's basketball conference champions, to date, that have already punched their ticket this year's Big Dance: Ohio Valley Conference (OVC): Tennessee State Tigers (23-9) - - Third overall appearance (first since 1994) Northeast Conference (NEC): Long Island University (LIU) Sharks (23-10) - - Eighth overall appearance (first since 2018) Missouri Valley Conference (MVC): Northern Iowa Panthers (20-14) - - Ninth overall appearance (first since 2016) Big South Conference: High Point Panthers (30-4) - - Second straight appearance Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference: Queens University Royals (21-13) - - First overall appearance Summit League: North Dakota State Bison (21-13) - - Fifth overall appearance (first since 2019) Sun Belt Conference: Troy Trojans (22-11) - - Fourth overall appearance (second consecutive) Southern Conference (SoCon): Furman Paladins (22-12) - - Eighth overall appearance (first since 2023) Horizon League: Wright State Raiders (23-11) - - Fifth overall appearance (first since 2022) Coastal Athletic Association (CAA): Hofstra Pride (24-10) - - Fifth overall appearance (first since 2001) West Coast Conference (WCC): Gonzaga Bulldogs (30-3) - - 28th overall appearance (27th straight) Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC): Siena Saints (24-11) - - 11th overall appearance (first since 2010) - NCAA Football: R.I.P Lou Holtz, the quick-witted former D1 college football coach, who led the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to a national championship in 1988, and burnished his reputation as a master at rebuilding programs, has sadly passed away at the age of 89, per a statement released on social media by his family - - Per the statement, Holtz passed away in Orlando, FL, where he was surrounded by family, however, the cause of death was not listed - - **NOTE: Holtz finished with a 249-132-7 overall record throughout his coaching career, which included stints with six (6) programs: William & Mary, NC State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame & South Carolina - - He also coached the NFL's New York Jets for the 1976 season, finishing with a 3-10 record - - After retiring from coaching, Holtz worked in television, including more than a decade with ESPN, but what he did with the Fighting Irish stands as his greatest accomplishment - - "A Legendary Life in Football:" Holtz was born Jan.6, 1937, in West Virginia, the son of a Navy veteran who served during World War II - - He played college football at Kent State University as a LB, prior to going into coaching & worked under Woody Hayes at Ohio State in 1968 - - He went on to have a 33-year coaching career, for which he remains 12th on the FBS all-time wins list (minimum of 10 seasons), finished with a 100-30-2 record while at the helm in South Bend (3rd winningest HC in Notre Dame history), led the Irish to a national championship in 1988, was named the 1977 (Arkansas) & 1988 (Notre Dame) FWAA Coach of the Year, is the 3rd winningest coach in Arkansas' program history, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008, was an ESPN college football analyst from 2005 to 2015 - picking up the moniker "Dr. Lou" - and finally, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2020. . .Q: What are a couple of the most memorable moments of Lou Holtz throughout the years?. . . - NFL - - The Los Angeles Rams and star CB Trent McDuffie reached an agreement Sunday on a record four-year, $124 million extension that includes $100 million guaranteed, sources reported to ESPN's Adam Schefter - - **NOTE: The new contract makes McDuffie, 25, the highest-paid CB in NFL history - - Last Wednesday (3/4), the Rams acquired McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs for a package of four (4) draft picks, that included the No.29 selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, however, the deal could not become official until the following Wednesday (3/11) this week, which is the start of a new league year - - McDuffie was entering the final season of his rookie deal, as last April, the Chiefs exercised his fifth-year option, making his 2026 salary of $13.6 fully guaranteed - - He will now make much more than that thanks to a deal that averages $31 million annually, which surpasses the Colts' Sauce Gardner ($30.1 million) and the Texans' Derek Stingley Jr. ($30 million) for the highest among NFL CBs - - Cornerback was a top need for the Los Angeles Rams entering NFL free agency and this year's draft, as they had four (4) pending free agents at the position - - Along with pick No.29, the Chiefs will receive 2026 fifth- & sixth-round selections and a 2027 third-rounder as part of the trade, sources previously reported to Schefter - - The Rams still have one first-round draft pick (No.13) after trading back with the Falcons during the 2025 NFL Draft - - **NOTE: The Rams have made just one first-round selection since 2017, when they selected LB Jared Verse No.19 overall in 2024, which is five (5) fewer first-round picks than any other NFL franchise from 2017 to '25, according to ESPN Research - - According to NFL Next Gen Stats, McDuffie has allowed 6.0 yards per target in coverage in the past two seasons, which is the third best among DBs who have been targeted a minimum of 150 times - - In 56 career games, McDuffie has recorded three (3) INTs, 34 pass breakups, 5.5 sacks & 246 total tackles, and was named first-team All-Pro in 2023. . .Q: Who won the NFL trade that landed former All-Pro CB Trent McDuffie in Los Angeles: the Chiefs or the Rams?. . .The Buffalo Bills landed a new top target for franchise QB Josh Allen, agreeing to a trade with the Chicago Bears to acquire WR DJ Moore, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday - - Buffalo is sending a 2026 second-round draft pick to Chicago in exchange for Moore and a 2026 fifth-round selection - - Moore's $23.5 million base salary in 2026 is fully guaranteed, and his 2027 base salary - which is also $23.5 million - becomes fully guaranteed next week, while the Bills will be guaranteeing $15.5 million of Moore's $23.5 base salary in 2028 - - Moore, who will turn 29 in April, will be reunited with new Bills HC Joe Brady, whom of which he played under with the Carolina Panthers, when Brady was the team's OC in 2020 and for most of the 2021 season - - The WR position was a significant need for the Buffalo Bills this offseason given a lack of consistency at wideout throughout the 2025 season: Moore will join a WR room for the upcoming 2026 NFL season that has some question marks regarding their status outside of Khalil Shakir, including Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer & Curtis Samuel, Moore's former Panthers teammate - - In Chicago last season, Moore's strongest (or best) assets were his durability, as Moore played in all 17 games and was on the receiving end of some of the greatest catches of the season, including a 46-yard walk-off TD in OT to defeat the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 20. . .but unfortunately, Chicago's season finished with Moore running an imperfect or wrong route on a Caleb Williams' INT in OT against the Rams in the playoffs - - What's most important for the Bears, though, is the cash: By trading Moore to the Bills, Chicago is freeing up $49 million to spend over the next two years, which is critical for a franchise with major needs - especially after center Drew Dalman, 27, unexpectedly retired this week, and LT Ozzy Trapilo, who tore his patellar tendon, will not be ready to start in 2026 - - In other words, the Bears could pour much of that money into their offensive line and spend a more reasonable amount on a Moore replacement as their WR3, either by signing a veteran on a low-cost contract or adding another WR in this year's NFL draft. . .Q: Who won the NFL trade that landed WR DJ Moore in Buffalo: the Bears or the Bills?. . ."Maxx Return:" In the biggest trade in franchise history, the Baltimore Ravens are acquiring five-time Pro Bowl DE Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for two first-round picks (2026 & 2027), sources first reported to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Friday night - - Crosby, 28, is a five-time Pro Bowler and would be a game-changer for the Ravens, as his 69.5 sacks since 2019 is more than double what anyone has produced in Baltimore over that span - - **NOTE: This actually marked the first time in the Ravens' 31-year existence that they had used a first-round pick to trade for a veteran player - - Crosby was set to significantly upgrade a struggling Ravens pass rush that in 2025 totaled 30 sacks, Baltimore's fewest in 15 years - - **NOTE: In fact, Crosby has produced four (4) double-digit sack seasons in his seven-year career, whereas over that span, the Ravens have had two edge rushers with 10 or more sacks in a single season: Kyle Van Noy (12.5 in 2024) and Odafe Oweh (10 in 2024). . .**UPDATE: Shortly afterwards and in what is a strange sequence of events, the Baltimore Ravens have "backed out" of their trade agreement with the Las Vegas Raiders for five-time Pro Bowl DE Maxx Crosby, with sources telling ESPN that the decision was due to medical concerns that arose during a physical. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding the Baltimore Ravens' announcement that they have rescinded their trade agreement for DE Maxx Crosby? What is your take on the report that they backed out due to "medical concerns?" - - Immediately after the Ravens pivoted away from a failed trade for Raiders' EDGE/pass rusher Maxx Crosby, it was announced per ESPN's Ian Rapoport that Baltimore and former Cincinnati Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson had agreed on a four-year, $112 million contract early Wednesday morning - - Hendrickson will, therefore, remain in the AFC North division, where he will have an opportunity to face off against Joe Burrow and his former team twice a year. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Ravens' acquisition of DE Trey Hendrickson after losing out on Maxx Crosby? Does this entire situation smell a bit "fishy" to you?. . .2026 NFL Free Agency: NFL free agency officially began at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, with the start of a new league year - but as of Monday at noon ET - when the legal tampering/negotiation window opened, NFL franchises could begin agreeing to terms with players - - In this particular segment, JD & Spencer discuss a few of the most notable free agent acquisitions and/or trades that have occurred across the legal tampering two-day window, as well as provide their thoughts concerning each signing and whether it is beneficial or detrimental to that NFL franchise; the following player(s) are discussed within this segment: QB Tua Tagovailoa ➡️ ??? Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick ➡️ ??? WR Alec Pierce ➡️ ??? WR Michael Pittman Jr. ➡️ ??? RB Kenneth Walker III ➡️ ??? QB Malik Willis ➡️ ??? WR Mike Evans ➡️ ??? Safety Reed Blankenship ➡️ ??? - NBA - - Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum's belated birthday present to himself was a return to the game that was abruptly taken away from him last season: Tatum started the Celtics' 120-100 home win over the Dallas Mavericks last Friday, marking his NBA season debut after he underwent surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon, as he played for a total of 27 minutes, finishing the game with 15 points, 12 rebounds & 7 assists - - **NOTE: The typical rehabilitation window to return to basketball action following a surgical procedure to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon is typically between nine (9) and 12 months. . .Tatum, who underwent surgery on May 13 of last year, was able to return to the court after just 298 days. . .Q: Is Jayson Tatum an absolute freak of nature or nah?. . ."BAM BAM, BAM BAM!:" Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo had a night for all time on Tuesday, with a point total second only to Wilt Chamberlain in the NBA record books: Adebayo scored 83 points, setting league marks for free throws made & attempted in a game where the Miami Heat defeated the Washington Wizards with a final score of 150-129 - - Adebayo started with a 31-point 1st QTR and never stopped rolling, and he was up to 43 points at the halftime break, 62 by the end of the 3rd QTR. . .and then came the 4th, when the milestones kept falling despite facing double-, triple- and what once appeared to be a quadruple-team from the Wizards defense that kept sending him to the foul line - - Adebayo's final numbers: 20-for-43 from the field (46.5%), 36-of-43 from the FT line (app. 84%), and 7-for-22 (32%) from 3-point range. . .it was a stat line unlike any other in NBA history, and a night like none other for Adebayo - - Adebayo wound up passing former Los Angeles Lakers great, Kobe Bryant, for single-game scoring as well, as Bryant's career best was 81 points - a game against the Toronto Raptors that was second-best on the NBA scoring list for two decades. . .Until Now!. . .Q: In 10 years from now, is this going to be one of those 'Where Were You' type moments? What are your thoughts on the way in which Bam Adebayo broke Kobe Bryant's record for the second-highest point total in NBA history on Tuesday night?. . . - Miscellaneous - - Baseball/WBC: The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics featured plenty of upsets and surprises, but Tuesday night's World Baseball Classic action might have produced the most shocking international result of 2026. . .and this time, Team USA was on the wrong side of it. . .The Americans were stunned by Team Italy, 8-6, in a game in which they never led, played sloppily & failed to find the big hit - - Now, their hopes to reach the WBC quarterfinal round and/or the "tournament knockout" stage are in doubt and could come down to a tiebreak: Following the loss, the U.S. then needed Italy to defeat Mexico the following Wednesday, to avoid a complicated tie-break scenario that would likely see the Americans suffer a shocking elimination before the 2026 WBC knockout rounds even began - - The bottom of Italy's lineup struck first in the top of the 2nd inning with HRs from Kyle Teel & Sam Antonacci to take a 3-0 lead - - Jac Caglianone added a two-run HR in the 4th inning and Italy tacked on three (3) more in the 6th inning thanks to shoddy USA defense - - Italy starting pitcher, Michael Lorenzen, of the MLB's Colorado Rockies mowed down the loaded USA lineup, tossing 4.2 shutout innings in a superb start - - The Americans' bats finally woke up in the 7th inning at Pete Crow-Armstrong clubbed a grand slam - and he added another run in the 9th inning to cut Italy's lead to two - but USA captain Aaron Judge struck out as the tying run. . .Q: What are your thoughts of Team USA's "embarrassing" loss to Italy in the WBC on Tuesday night?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 125 - The "Dickie V" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: "It's March, baby, with a Capital "M!" In this initial segment, JD & Spencer will discuss and provide a detailed analysis of a few of the most notable NCAA college basketball games from across the country from the previous week, and they will also acknowledge and/or mention the most buzzworthy storylines across Division I hoops. few of the more notable College Basketball games from across the country over the previous week, as well as to dive into any of the buzzworthy storylines surrounding the league. The following games are discussed in further detail in this week's episode: Friday, Feb. 27: No.21 Miami (OH) RedHawks at Western Michigan (WMU) Broncos. . . "The Race to 31-OH:" The RedHawks are chasing history with just two game(s) remaining as it attempts to finish the NCAA College Basketball regular season with an unblemished record of 31-0 - - Miami (OH) entered the week with an overall NET ranking in the 50s, while its' other metrics are not as favorable at the same juncture. . .Unfortunately for HC Travis Steele's squad, the ugly truth is this: If the RedHawks were to slip up and drop one of their remaining games during the regular season or lose in the MAC Conference Tournament next week, it could potentially be a "back-breaker" for the program - or, in other words, a loss could ruin the RedHawks' shot to secure it's first "at-large" berth into the NCAA College Basketball Tournament since 2007. . .Remaining Schedule: Miami (OH) vs. Toledo (H)    3/3 Miami (OH) at Ohio (A)      3/7 Q: Following the gutsy performance that led to a last-second win over WMU last Friday evening, do you feel even more confident in this team's ability to pull off a "perfect" 31-0 regular season?. . . No.3 Michigan Wolverines at No.10 Illinois Fighting Illini - - **NOTE: The Wolverines won their first outright Big Ten Conference regular-season title since 2014, and ironically, when they also clinched with a road victory over the Fighting Illini. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Dusty May's Michigan squad right now? Do the Wolverines possess the necessary type of roster capable of winning a national championship this season?. . . Saturday, Feb. 28: No.20 Arkansas Razorbacks at No.7 Florida Gators - - The Gators took down the Razorbacks in a 34-point romp, which tied for the worst loss of Arkansas HC John Calipari's career, a 34-point loss against the Duke Blue Devils in 2018 while he was the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats - - **NOTE: Florida has won six (6) in a row against ranked opponents, and on average, scored at least 90 points in each of those ranked-on-ranked matchups, which is the second-longest streak in college basketball history (i.e., streak is shared with the 1989-90 UNLV Runnin' Rebels and Loyola-Marymount (LMU) Lions). . .Q: Do the Florida Gators have what it takes to repeat as back-to-back national champions this year?. . . No.17 Alabama Crimson Tide at No.22 Tennessee Volunteers - - Alabama accomplished a feat on Saturday that they haven't experienced since 2021: pulling off an epic comeback win in Knoxville, as the Crimson Tide won its eighth consecutive game of the regular season. . .Q: Where do you stand on this Alabama Crimson Tide basketball team as it enters the month of March? What are a few NCAA Tournament pro's & con's of HC Nate Oats' squad?. . . Monday, Mar. 2: No.6 Iowa State Cyclones at No.2 Arizona Wildcats - - The Wildcats secured at least a share of the Big Ten Conference crown with the victory over the Cyclones, as Arizona earned it outright by smothering Iowa State defensively to give HC Tommy Lloyd his 140th victory, the most in NCAA history in a coach's first five (5) seasons. . .Q: What makes this Arizona squad so dangerous as we draw closer to the 2026 NCAA Tournament?. . . -"An Abrupt Exit:" Nearly a year after helping the Auburn Tigers reach the Final Four, forward Chad Baker-Mazara is no longer a member of the USC men's basketball program, the team announced on Sunday - - Baker-Mazara, 26, was the team's second-leading scorer, and started in 22 of their 26 games played, for the struggling Trojans this season, including a 14-point effort in an 82-67 loss to No.12 Nebraska on Saturday, as USC has now lost five (5) games in a row, and is playing its way out of NCAA Tournament contention - - Baker-Mazara left Saturday's home loss to the Cornhuskers early in the second half following a hard fall after he blocked a shot from Pryce Sandfort - - Baker-Mazara told Trojans HC Eric Musselman that he couldn't go back (or re-enter) the game, then sat near injured USC star Rodney Rice in an area with fans in the stands, rather than on the bench with the rest of the team - - Following Saturday's loss, the second-year HC, Musselman was asked about Baker-Mazara's potential injury and his future status at the post-game press conference: "He said he couldn't go," Musselman said, adding that he had not spoken to a trainer about the player's health - - No reasons and/or additional details for Baker-Mazara's departure from the USC program were provided in the brief statement released, as issued per team spokesperson Kristin Keller, who told the Associated Press in a text message: "We have nothing additional to add at this time," - - Of course, the program's decision to be "hush-hush" about Baker-Mazara's departure does anything put this story to rest, instead, it adds to further speculation - as well as to the trolls on the World Wide Web, who have provided a sleuth of reasons for why he is no longer with the team. . Q: What do you make of Chad Baker-Mazara's abrupt exit from the USC men's basketball program after playing in 22 of the team's 26 games to date this season?. .                         - NFL - - "[Slim] Pickens:" The Dallas Cowboys did what they were long expected to do on Friday, placing the franchise tag on WR George Pickens to secure his rights at least through the 2026 season - - The Cowboys used the nonexclusive tag designation on Pickens, sources reported to ESPN, which allows him to speak with other teams when NFL free agency begins next Wednesday (i.e., March 11th) - - Should Pickens sign an offer sheet with another team, the Cowboys will have the right to match the offer or decline to do so and receive two first-round draft picks as compensation - - The NFL set the 2026 salary cap at $301.2 million earlier last Friday, making Pickens' guaranteed salary $27.298 million for next season if he chooses to play on it - - While working out a long-term deal remains a possibility, the two sides have until July 15 to get a new contract finalized or, by NFL rule, the player must play on the one-year deal or choose to hold out - - **NOTE: This is the 11th time the Cowboys have used the franchise tag, and WR George Pickens is the eighth different player - - Pickens' first season with the Cowboys could not have gone much better after he was acquired along with a 2027 sixth-round pick from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2026 third-round pick & a 2027 fifth-round draft selection - - Pickens put up career highs in catches (93), yards (1,429) and TDs (9) while playing in every game, being named to the Pro Bowl for the first time and earning second-team All-Pro honors - - Pickens, 24, had five (5) games with more than 100 yards receiving, including two that came when WR CeeDee Lamb was out of the lineup due to a high ankle sprain - - **NOTE: Pickens set a franchise record with five (5) games where he accounted for at least 130 yards receiving & a TD reception. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Dallas Cowboys using their franchise tag on WR George Pickens? Was it a smart move by team owner Jerry Jones?. . .2026 NFL Scouting Combine: It was an eventful week, with more than 300 prospects in the 2026 NFL draft class heading to Indianapolis for on-field drills, 40-yard dashes, medical testing and/or interviews with team personnel - - Not everyone participated in workouts, and some were selective in what drills they participated in, but several players improved their draft stock by putting up solid performances & exceeding expectations. . .So, which prospects did the most for their NFL draft stock at this year's NFL Scouting Combine? Who is suddenly getting buzz ahead of where they were slotted prior to the NFL Combine?. . .That's exactly what JD and Spencer discuss within this particular segment, starting with the first night of workouts, which included the defensive linemen and LBs taking center stage on Thursday: One such player that drastically improved his draft stock on Day One of the combine, was Ohio State LB Sonny Styles, the son of former NFL LB Lorenzo Styles Sr., who came into the combine as a probable top-12 pick: His on-field workout might have solidified his spot in the top 10 - and maybe even in the top five (5) - as the 6-foot-5, 244-pound LB, had a historic performance, becoming the first player to run a sub-4.5-second 40-yard dash with a vertical leap of 40+ inches and a broad jump of 11+ feet at 230+ pounds since 2003, according to NFL Research - - The former safety demonstrated nice ball skills and looked fluid for his size in skills, too, which means he did everything he could possibly do to elevate his already-substantially high draft stock. . .As for the second night of workouts at the 2026 NFL Combine, the DBs and TEs took center stage on Friday, with one such player undoubtedly impressing the league's personnel with their on-field performance; this player was Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq, who measured 6-3 1/8, which put to rest any concerns that he would not reach the 6'3" mark - - His 43 1/2-inch vertical jump and 11-1 broad jump showed his elite athleticism, then he posted a 4.39-second 40 at 241 pounds, which was the fastest time for a combine TE since at least 2003 - - Unfortunately, Sadiq & fellow workout warrior (and fellow TE) Eli Stowers passed on the opportunity to display their on-ball skills. . .As for the third day of workouts at the 2026 NFL Combine, the RBs, QBs and WRs took center stage on Saturday, with a few players in particular making a lasting impression on the NFL scouts: (1) One of the most physically-gifted QBs in this year's draft is Arkansas QB Taylen Green, as it's no surprise that his athleticism was used to befuddle defenses throughout his college career, as he enjoyed a combine for the ages: The 6-foot-5 7/8, 227-pounder made history with a 43 1/2-inch vertical jump and a 11-2 broad jump, both of which were the best marks by a combine QB since at least 2003 - - Then he used his long strides to run a 4.36-second 40, the second-fastest time by a combine QB since at least 2003 - - However, his throwing session reminded us all why he's widely considered to be a Day 3 prospect, as he looked fine when he ample time to throw the ball, but when his process was sped up, his arm & feet did not work in sync with one another, so throws came out later than anticipated - - Still, he possesses the tools with which an NFL QB coach can work and develop. . .(2) The second player from day three of the NFL Combine that showed out was Mississippi State WR Brenen Thompson, who measured in at 5-foot-9 and 164 pounds: In a year where players put down blistering 40 times one after another, Thompson topped them all, running an official 4.26 seconds Saturday, that very likely would end up being the fastest time at this year's Combine - - **NOTE: Although he didn't break Kansas City Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy's record of 4.21 seconds, Thompson posted the third-fastest time by a WR since 2003, according to ESPN Research, matching Jerome Mathis' 4.26-run in 2005. . .and finally (3) it was easy to see why Arkansas RB Mike Washington Jr. was able to rank in the top 10 nationally with 6.4 yards per carry when he recorded a stunning 4.33-second 40-yard dash at 6-1, 233 pounds, the fastest time for any RB at this year's NFL Combine - - His 39-inch vertical & 10-8 broad jump were exceptional for his body type and were second at the position this year, behind only Kentucky's Seth McGowan - - Washington did, however, did not participate in the on-field drills, but we think proving his long speed was potentially enough to land him a draft slot late into Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft. . ."You Be Knuckles, I'll Be Sonic:" The Detroit Lions traded veteran RB David Montgomery (aka "Knuckles") to the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round draft pick, a 2027 seventh-round draft pick, and center Juice Scruggs, as announced per ESPN's Adam Schefter early Monday morning - - Montgomery, who had 2,506 rushing yards and 33 TDs in his three (3) seasons with the Lions after being drafted & spending four (4) seasons with the Chicago Bears, was clearly unhappy with his reduced role in Detroit last season while playing alongside three-time Pro Bowler Jahmyr Gibbs (aka "Sonic"), as Montgomery had his fewest rushes (158) and touches (182) in his five-year career, despite playing all 17 games last season - - Montgomery, who will turn 29 in June and is set to make $5.49 million this season, will enter the 2026 NFL season as the No.1 RB for Houston, while also splitting time with fourth-round rookie Woody Marks, and a Texans offense that ranked 22nd in rushing yards per game (108) last season - - This trade certainly sheds light and/or gives more clarity on how the Texans plan to approach RB Joe Mixon's situation: Mixon, who the Texans acquired via trade two years ago, missed the 2025 NFL season because of a foot injury, as league sources expect for Houston to most likely release Mixon - - Following the news of the trade, and in a post to Lions' fans on Instagram, Montgomery wrote Monday that "everything I do next carries a piece of Detroit with it. The work ethic. The edge. The heart," - - Fellow RB, Jahmyr Gibbs, meanwhile, posted a broken heart emoji overlayed on an image of Sonic & Knuckles from the Sega video game on his IG story: The monikers, which were given to each RB based on their strongest attributes (i.e., Gibbs' speed - "Sonic"/Montgomery's strength - "Knuckles") and was presented to them for their successful pairing in Detroit. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the trade that sent RB David Montgomery from Detroit to Houston? What type of impact will this have on Texans QB C.J. Stroud's longevity/career?. . .The New York Jets dusted off their franchise tag, placing it on RB Breece Hall ahead of Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, sources confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday: Hall's tag is the nonexclusive version ($14.293 million fully guaranteed), meaning he can negotiate with other teams and sign an offer sheet, and the Jets will have the right of first refusal and would receive two first-round draft picks as compensation if they decline to match - a prohibitive price for a RB - - In short, this means that Hall isn't going anywhere unless he's traded by the Jets or the tag is rescinded, which is especially rare: **NOTE: This is the first time that the New York Jets have exercised the franchise tag since 2021, when it was applied to safety Marcus Maye, who never signed a long-time contract, and wound up leaving as a free agent in 2022 - - Hall, who turns 25 later this year, rushed for a career-high 1,065 yards in 2025, which is certainly no easy task on a 3-14 team - - The coaches hyped him up as a dual threat weapon who could be utilized, and would have a major impact in the passing game, but unfortunately, that never materialized, as he finished the 2025 NFL season with a total of 36 receptions, his second-lowest total in four (4) seasons spent in the league, but things could be different under Jets new OC Frank Reich - - In four (4) seasons, Hall has compiled 5,040 scrimmage yards, which ranks 14th in the NFL - - Hall, a 2022 second-round pick, has expressed frustration about the Jets' losing ways: The Jets' overall record with Hall is 22-46, under three (3) different head coaches, as he & WR Garrett Wilson are the team's only proven playmakers. . .Q: What are your thoughts about the New York Jets placing the franchise tag on RB Breece Hall, who has been relatively open about his preference to play elsewhere?. . ."This Isn't A Game, Boy:" The Arizona Cardinals have informed QB Kyler Murray that they intend to release/cut him on the first day of the new league year, which begins next Wednesday (3/11), barring a trade between now & then, sources reported to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday - - Arizona already owes Murray $36.8 million guaranteed in 2026, and another $19.5 million would have triggered if he was/is still on the Cardinals' roster as of March 15 for 2027 - - A former Heisman Trophy winner, Kyler Murray's time spent in Arizona has included the following feats: 2018 No.1 overall draft pick, NFL Rookie of the Year (2019), a two-time Pro Bowler, started in 87 games, accounted for 20,460 passing yards & 3,193 rushing yards, and 121 passing TDs along with 32 rushing TDs (as well as 60 INTs) - - Arizona has a new HC in Mike LaFleur and GM in Monti Ossenfort, who did not draft Kyler Murray, as they will now look to find the next franchise QB for the Cardinals, as Murray's seven-year run comes to an end. . .Q: Did you expect the Arizona Cardinals to cut tied with QB Kyler Murray prior to the onset of a new league year?. . .Veteran Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman has informed the Chicago Bears that he is retiring from the NFL at the ripe age of 27, sources confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday afternoon - - Dalman, 27, is ending his professional career after just five (5) seasons, as the former fourth-round draft pick spent his first four (4) seasons with the Atlanta Falcons (2021-24) where he started 40 games - - Dalman was Chicago's marquee free agent signing during the 2025 NFL offseason when he inked a three-year, $42-million contract with the Bears - - The surprising news comes less than three (3) months removed from the Bears winning the NFC North division title and their first playoff game in 15 seasons, as Dalman was a key piece along an offensive line that ranked No.1 in pass block win-rate (74%) and fifth in run block win-rate (74%) - - **NOTE: The center had the eighth-highest pass block win-rate among all interior offensive linemen with 406 wins in 423 passing plays, after he started all 17 games for the Bears last season - - Carmen Vitali, a host on Fox Sports Radio, made a very interesting & compelling point, in a post on X: "Drew [Dalman's] dad was a player and a coach. He's seen first-hand life after football and the effects the game can have. If anyone is going to make an informed decision on when it's time to hang 'em up, it's Drew." . .Q: First off, how lucky is this guy?!? Capable of retiring at the age of 27! What do you make of Drew Dalman's surprising and sudden announcement to retire from the NFL after just four (4) seasons? - MLB - - Atlanta Braves DH Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug (PED) for the second time in the last year, sources informed ESPN on Tuesday - - **NOTE: Profar, 33, is the sixth player to receive a 162-game ban for PED use since Major League Baseball increased the penalty for second-time offenders to a full season in 2014 - - Profar will forfeit the entirety of his $15 million salary, and will be ineligible for the MLB postseason, as well as for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, where he was set to represent the Netherlands, whose team includes players from his native country of Curacao - - The loss of Profar is a significant blow for the Braves, who have already lost starting pitchers, Spencer Schwellenback & Hurston Waldrep to elbow injuries, as Atlanta attempts to rebound from a 76-86 season - - The 2025 MLB season started inauspiciously as well with Profar's 80-game suspension on March 31 for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG), a hormone typically made during pregnancy that can encourage and/or increase testosterone production - - Atlanta previously signed Profar to a three-year, $42 million contract last January after he had a career year with the San Diego Padres in 2024, as his most recent suspension came following the fourth game of the season and, after returning in early July, he went on to hit .245/.353/.434 with 14 HRs and 43 RBIs while playing left field. . .Q: Obviously, I don't want to "bad mouth" the guy, but how much of a moron can you be to follow up an 80-game suspension (attributed to a failed test for PEDs) by failing a second consecutive drug test (yes, for PEDs)?. . . - Miscellaneous - - NASCAR: Tyler Reddick's latest win drove him straight into the NASCAR record books: Reddick held off hard-charging Shane van Gisbergen over the final 20 laps at the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday to become the first Cup Series driver to win the first three (3) races of the season - - Driving a Toyota car, co-owned by Michael Jordan, Reddick won the season-opening Daytona 500, and was victorious a week later at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta, then won from the pole position in the first road course race of the year - - Jordan, the basketball Hall of Famer & six-time NBA champion, was with Reddick's 23XI Racing pit crew, exchanging high-fives as he cross the finish line - - History was made for a team and ownership group that has been making a lot of it: The team took on NASCAR with a federal antitrust lawsuit - as the settlement in December was considered a major legal victory that secured a permanent franchise-style model & ensured the team would remain in business for the long term - and that particular "team" has been unbeatable on the racetrack ever since: "I'm proud of the team we put together," Jordan said, as he credited co-owner Denny Hamlin, who is also a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, with being the "mastermind" behind its' racing success - - Jordan also indicated that he will be in attendance at the next race in Phoenix to see if Tyler Reddick can do the unthinkable & extend the winning streak that has built a commanding 70-point lead in the NASCAR driver's championship. . .Q: What percentage probability do you give Tyler Reddick & the 23XI Racing crew to pull off the "four-peat," thus, winning at Phoenix Raceway next weekend?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 124 - The "Miracle on Ice" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football: "Like Father, Like Son:" Four-star QB Gunner Rivers, the son of NC State University football legend & eight-time NFL Pro-Bowler (and the most recent 40-year-old QB that "Almost-led-the-Colts-to-a-victory-over-the-Super-Bowl-60-Champions" & Almost-Head Coach of the Buffalo Bills) Philip Rivers, has committed to play for the Wolfpack, he announced Monday via social media - - Rivers is ESPN's No.11-ranked pocket passer and No.142 overall prospect in the 2027 cycle - - The younger, less accomplished Rivers, is now set to follow in his father's footsteps after throwing for 2,813 yards and 44 TDs to five (5) INTs in his junior season - - A 6-foot-3, 200-pound junior at Alabama's St. Michael Catholic High School, he elected to commit to his father's alma mater over reported offers from Auburn, Boston College, Miami & South Carolina, and will have some massive shoes to fill when he arrives on campus in Raliegh, NC - - Prior to playing for 17 seasons in the NFL, Philip Rivers was a four-year starter at NC State from 2000 to 2003, emerging as one of the most prolific QBs in program and ACC Conference history - as he led all FBS passers in completion percentage (72%) and was named Offensive Player of the Year during his senior season in 2003 - and Rivers' 13,848 career passing yards remain first among both NC State and ACC QBs, and ranks 13th on the NCAA's all-time passing list. . .Q: What are your thoughts on 2027 QB Gunner River's verbal commitment to play at his father and former NFL QB, Philip Rivers, alma mater?. . .NCAA College Basketball: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer will discuss a few of the more notable College Basketball games from across the country over the previous week, as well as to dive into any of the buzzworthy storylines surrounding the league. The following game(s) are discussed within this episode: Race to 31 & OH: Friday, Feb. 20th:     No.23 Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. Bowling Green Falcons Tuesday, Feb.24th:    No.22 Miami (OH) RedHawks at Eastern Michigan Eagles Remaining Schedule/Next Up: Friday, Feb. 27th  No.22 Miami (OH) RedHawks at Western Michigan Broncos Tuesday, Mar. 3rd:       No.22 Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. Toledo Rockets Friday, Mar. 6th:         No.22 Miami (OH) RedHawks at Ohio Bobcats     Q: Based on the RedHawks' remaining schedule, do you think that No.21 Miami (OH) will finish off a perfect 31-0 season? Or will they drop one (or more) of their three remaining games this season?. . . Saturday, February 21st: Potential "Final Four Preview?"   No.4 Arizona Wildcats at No.2 Houston Cougars/Edward Jones Capital Showcase: No.1 Michigan Wolverines vs. No.3 Duke Blue Devils - - Duke's win over Michigan has propelled the Blue Devils to a familiar perch: No.1 in the AP Men's Top 25 poll after claiming 56 of the total 61 first-place votes to supplant the Wolverines, who's stay atop the standings only lasted a week. . .                                - NCAA College Baseball: While the NCAA College Baseball season remains relatively young, what occurred on Tuesday could only be referred to as "Mid-Week Madness," after four (4) of the top six (6) ranked teams in Division I College Baseball suffered losses to unranked, in-state opponents, causing significant early-season chaos in the rankings - - This mid-week upset trend highlights the high volatility and competitiveness that is present in early-season NCAA college baseball. . .In this segment, JD & Spencer discuss the following four upset(s) that occurred on Tuesday that sent a shockwave through the sport:         (1) Arkansas State - 12 No.6 Arkansas - 4 (2) Georgia State - 9 No.5 Georgia Tech - 4 (3) McNeese - 7 No.2 LSU - 6 (4) San Diego State - 4 No.1 UCLA - 3 - NFL - - Former Purdue & NFL star WR Rondale Moore passed away on Saturday at the age of 25, as police in his hometown of New Albany, Indiana, informed the Associated Press that Moore was found in the garage of his house with a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound, while his death remains under investigation - - Moore grew up in New Albany - just across the Indiana border from Louisville, Kentucky, and after committing to play college football at the University of Purdue, he was named a first-team All-American as a freshman in 2018 - - As an all-purpose player that season, Moore also won the Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player in college football - - In his three (3) seasons spent with the Boilermakers, prior to turning pro, Moore racked up 1,915 receiving yards and 14 TDs while also rushing for 248 yards & three (3) rushing TDs - - In what will forever be a "Where Were You?" type moment, we can remember witnessing Rondale Moore lead the Boilermakers to what would become a legendary upset over the Ohio State Buckeyes - - A second-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2021, Moore had been sidelined for the past two seasons (2024, 2025) after sustaining injuries: he missed the 2024 NFL season after suffering a dislocated right knee while he was signed with the Atlanta Falcons, and he most recently spent time with the Minnesota Vikings, participating in their 2025 offseason & training camp, prior to suffering a season-ending left knee injury while returning a punt on August 9th in the team's preseason opener - - In three (3) seasons spent with the Cardinals, Moore started a total of 23 games, caught 135 receptions for 1,201 receiving yards — R.I.P. To a legend. . .The Atlanta Falcons plan to place their franchise tag on TE Kyle Pitts Sr., likely keeping one of the NFL's top TEs under contract for at least one more season, a source reported to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Monday - - Franchise tag contract numbers are based on the top five (5) annual salaries at each position, and due primarily to this, Pitts stands to make about $16.32 million next season (2026), the franchise tag salary this year for TEs, according to OverTheCap.com - - Despite a record-breaking rookie season in 2021, Pitts struggled with injuries and inconsistency from 2022 to 2024, as he had 1,026 yards on 68 catches in his first season in the league - - Pitts, 25, experienced a major rebound year last season, finishing second among TEs in total receptions (88) and receiving yards (928) last season, trailing only behind Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals - - Pitts and the Falcons will have until July 15th to agree to a long-term contract or else he will have to play the 2026 season under the franchise tender, as the deadline for NFL teams to apply the franchise or transition tag is set for next Tuesday, with free agency beginning the week after. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons' decision to place the franchise tag on TE Kyle Pitts Sr.?. . . - NBA - - The Los Angeles Lakers unveiled a statue of legendary coach Pat Riley outside Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, and the nearly 8-foot-tall, 510-pound bronze rendering features the famously stylish Riley in his preferred attire: a Giorgio Armani suit & a crocodile leather belt - - A Hall of Famer, Riley coached the "Showtime" era Lakers throughout the 1980s, who is currently the Miami Heat team president, last roamed the sidelines in 2008 after 24 seasons spent coaching in L.A., New York & Miami - - Most importantly, Riley coached the Lakers from 1981 to 1990 and won four (4) NBA championships (i.e., 1982, 1985, 1987 & 1988) - - **NOTE: Riley becomes the eighth former Laker with a statue on Star Plaza, joining Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, Chick Hearn, Shaquille O'Neal, Jerry West, Magic Johnson & Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. . . - MLB - - "The legaCCy Continues:" CC Sabathia's No.52 will be retired on Sept. 26th by the New York Yankees, who will dedicate a plaque in honor of the Hall of Fame pitcher at Monument Park - joining his fellow teammates Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte - before that day's game scheduled against the Baltimore Orioles - - **NOTE: CC Sabathia will become the 24th player to have his number retired by the New York Yankees franchise, the first since Paul O'Neill was honored with the retirement of jersey No.21 in 2022 - - Other jersey numbers that are retired by the Yankees franchise include the following list (yes! The Yankees are gonna be donning triple digit jerseys VERY soon!): No.1 (Billy Martin, 1986), No.2 (Derek Jeter, 2017), No.3 (Babe Ruth, 1948), No.4 (Lou Gehrig, 1939), No.5 (Joe DiMaggio, 1952), No.6 (Joe Torre, 2014), No.7 (Mickey Mantle, 1969), No.8 (not retired - but the # jersey is set aside for Yogi Berra & Bill Dickey), No.9 (Roger Maris, 1984), No.10 (Phil Rizzuto, 1985), No.15 (Thurman Munson, 1979), No.16 (Whitey Ford, 1974), No.20 (Jorge Posada, 2015), No.21 (Paul O'Neill, 2022), No.23 (Don Mattingly, 1997), No.32 (Elston Howard, 1984), No.37 (Casey Stengel, 1970), No.42 (Mariano Rivera, 2013), No.42** (Jackie Robinson, 1997), No.44 (Reggie Jackson, 1993), No.46 (Andy Pettitte, 2015), No.49 (Ron Guidry, 2003), No.51 (Bernie Williams, 2015) and No.52 (CC Sabathia, 2026) - - Sabathia was a six-time MLB All-Star who won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award with Cleveland and a World Series title in 2009, his first season with the Yankees after signing as a free agent - - He went 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts, which was third among LHPs behind Randy Johnson & Steve Carlton, throughout his 19-year MLB career, including a 134-88 record with a 3.81 ERA and 1,700 strikeouts for the Yankees - - He was also elected to baseball's Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 2025. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the New York Yankees' announcement that they will retire CC Sabathia's No.52 jersey later this year?. . . - Miscellaneous - - "Play Free Bird:" For almost 58 minutes, the U.S. Women's Hockey Team looked to be on the verge of an epic collapse on the grandest stage: heading into Thursday's Olympic gold-medal game, the Americans had gone undefeated, scoring at least five (5) goals against every opponent, including a 5-0 rout of the Canadian Team in the preliminary round - - Yep, Team USA trailed Canada for most of the gold-medal game, down by a score of 1-0, to a team that had fully embraced the "underdog" mentality. . .but then, Lyndrd Skynyrd's original lineup showed up on the ice, and played the most impactful rendition of their eight-minute ballad, Free Bird, and then, in the blades of glory, it was Team USA captain Hilary Knight, who made U.S. national team history, by scoring her 15th career goal in the Winter Olympics, and the dominant American team that we'd seen for the previous two weeks in Milan, had finally showed up. . .**PSA: No! Lyndrd Skynyrd's original lineup - or any lineup for that matter - did not show up, and the song, Free Bird, was not played (although it should have been!) - - In the end, Team USA overpowered Canada 2-1 in OT to regain the Olympic title, completing a 7-0 perfect run through the tournament - - To their credit, Team Canada came out playing the best hockey of the entire tournament, outshooting the Americans 8-6 in the first period, as they executed their game plan - to take away time and space & make life difficult for Team USA's skilled roster - nearly to perfection: Just 54 seconds into the second period, and while being short-handed, Canada's fourth-line center Kristin O'Neill opened the scoring, ending the Americans' long shutout streak at 352 minutes & 17 seconds - as this was the first bit of adversity the Americans had faced all tournament, as well as the first time they had trailed - - The Americans did a much better job of spacing the floor in the second period, as they put up 14 shots on Canadian goalkeeper, Ann-Renee Desbiens, whereas the third & final period was incredibly tense - as we have come to expect for it to be when it is between Team USA & Team Canada: After Erin Ambrose was boarded by Britta Curl-Salemme, Canada received a power-play opportunity, but failed to score on a U.S penalty kill that remained perfect throughout the tournament, and it was this, that set up Hilary Knight's final (and quite possibly the greatest) moment, a deflection on Edwards' point shot to tie the game with 2:04 minutes remaining - - **NOTE: The U.S. Olympic Women's Hockey Team hasn't lost a game in a major international competition since the 2024 Women's World Championship gold medal match, in which Canada defeated the Americans 6-5 in OT - - To put it into perspective just how dominant this U.S. Women's Hockey Team has been, just take a look at their overall record over the past year: Team USA has dismantled opponents 84-15, including 33-2 at the Winter Olympics. . .Q: What were your thoughts on the U.S Olympic Women's Hockey Team capturing gold and defeating Canada as well as completing a perfect 7-0 run through the tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics?. . ."This One's for Johnny:" The Winter Olympics Men's Hockey gold-medal game promised to be an epic showdown between the U.S and Canada. .And it Delivered: Following goals by Team USA's Matt Boldy and Canada's Cale Makar in regulation - as well as a slew of incredible saves by Team USA goaltender Connor Hellebuyck & Canada's Jordan Binnington - the gold-medal match went into OT Sunday - - In that extra session, which features a 3-on-3 format, Jack Hughes took a pass from Zach Werenski & buried it past Binnington, giving the U.S. a 2-1 victory and its' first gold medal in Men's Ice Hockey since 1980 (it's a full-circle moment! - the same year that the "Miracle on Ice" occurred!) - - Shortly after winning gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics, the American players brought out the late Johnny Gaudreau's Team USA jersey on the ice during their celebration - as well as his children. . . - - Remember the Name: Connor H-E-L-L-E-B-U-Y-C-K! (it's alot easier if you're an NHL fan!) - The Winnipeg Jets star, who is the reigning NHL MVP & the winner of the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender - - and there's no doubt that this guy cemented himself as the best netminder in the world with a gold-medal game performance for the ages: **NOTE: Hellebuyck stopped 41 of 42 shots against Canada, 27 of which came from the slot & 17 of them coming from the inner slot, according to Hockey Stats- - At the end of the day, Hellebuyck was the story of the gold-medal game for Team USA, whereas Jack Hughes was the story of the tournament for the Americans, and after some pretty harsh criticism, it was only appropriate for Hughes to be the "savior" that came up clutch to deliver the gold for the Americans. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Team USA men's hockey team coming away with the gold medal after defeating Canada 2-1 on Saturday?. . ."A Golden Games:" The 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan came to a close on Sunday after 19 days of world-class competition across northern Italy, featuring more than 3,000 athletes from over 93 National Olympic Committees - - In an Winter Games defined by breakthrough performances & displays of resilience, the 232 members of Team USA made history, surpassing the nation's all-time Olympic Winter Games gold-medal record (12), besting the previous record of 10 set in Salt Lake City in 2002 - - **NOTE: The U.S. earned a total of 33 medals (12G, 12S, 9B), surpassing its previous record of 28 (Sochi 2014) for an Olympic Winter Games held outside of North America - - Team USA's 33-medal haul placed them second in the standings in both total & gold medals, with a total of 85 U.S. athletes contributing to the overall medal count, and with 58 stepping onto the Olympic podium for the very first time - - Total Medal Count: As for the overall or total medal count following the closure of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Norway dominated, finishing in first place with a record 41 total medals (18G, 12S, 11B), with the United States finishing second, followed by host nation Italy with 30 medals (10G, 6S, 14B) - - In fourth place was Germany with 26 total medals (8G, 10S, 8B), and in fifth place was Japan with 24 medals (5G, 7S, 12B) - - and rounding out the top ten, it's France at No.6 (23 medals), Switzerland at No.7 (23 medals), Canada at No.8 (21 medals), the Netherlands at No.9 (20 medals), and finally, Sweden at No.10 with 18 total medals. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 123 - "The 3ARNHARDT Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAAM College Basketball Week in Review: Week 15: In this first segment, JD & Spencer discuss & review a few of the most notable NCAAM college basketball games from across the league, as well as evaluate some of the most buzzworthy storylines of Week 15 of the NCAA D-I Men's College Basketball season; in particular, the following NCAAM college basketball games are discussed in greater detail: Friday, February 13th:                No.23 Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. Ohio Bobcats Tuesday, February 17th:            No.22 Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. UMass "The Race to a Perfect Season:" Miami (Ohio) remains the lone unbeaten team in NCAA D-I Men's College Basketball after winning their 26th straight game over UMass on Tuesday night, 86-77. . .On the docket, the RedHawks' remaining schedule includes the following matchups: Miami (OH) vs. Bowling Green (H) Miami (OH) at EMU (A) Miami (OH) at WMU (A) Miami (OH) vs. Toledo (H) Miami (OH) at Ohio (A) Q: Based on the RedHawks' remaining schedule, do you think that No.22 Miami (Ohio) will pull off what many will consider to be an "improbably perfect" 31-0 season? Or will the RedHawks drop at least one of their final five games to close out the 2025/2026 college basketball season?. . . Saturday, February 14th:              No.17 St. John's Red Storm at Providence Friars: Guard Dylan Darling recorded 23 points & eight (8) rebounds as No.17 St. John's scored eight (8) straight points following a massive brawl that resulted in six (6) player ejections to take the lead and earn its' 11th straight victory, a 79-69 victory over Big East foe, Providence, on Saturday - - Forward Bryce Hopkins had nine (9) points & nine (9) rebounds for the Red Storm (20-5, 13-1 Big East), and the ex-Friars star was in the middle of it all when he was taken down by a hard foul with 14:25 left and Providence (11-15, 4-11 Big East) up 40-39 - - Hopkins, who spent two seasons as one of Providence's top players before tearing his ACL in 2023-24 and transferring to St. John's, was excessively booed during warmups & the Providence student section cheered after each unsuccessful shot attempt - - The Friars were up by one point prior to the bedlam eruption in Amica Mutual Pavilion less than six (6) minutes into the second half of the game - as Friars' graduate forward Duncan Powell committed a Flagrant 2 foul on a driving Hopkins, which led to the fight that resulted in six (6) of the game's seven (7) ejections, that included four (4) St. John's players & two Providence players - - Following a stoppage in play that lasted close to 20 minutes while the officials sifted through the punishments, Rick Pitino's squad took control of the game & took down Providence 79-69 in a testy, Big East contest - - The seventh player ejection came later in the second half when Providence's Jamier Jones was booted from the game after being called for a Flagrant-2 foul committed on St. John's star forward, Zuby Ejiofor. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the six-player scuffle/brawl that took place on Saturday in the St. John's-Providence matchup?. . . Monday, February 16th:             No.2 Houston Cougars at No.6 Iowa State Cyclones: Guard Nate Heise hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and Tamin Lipsey came up with a huge offensive rebound in the final seconds to cap No.6 Iowa State's rally in a 70-67 victory over Big 12 Conference leader, No.2 Houston, on Monday night - - Heise was 3-for-3 from three-point range, just hours after his sister, Taylor Heise, scored a goal to help the U.S. Women's Olympic Hockey team defeat the Swedish national team, 5-0, to reach the gold-medal game in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan - - The Cougars had two chances to tie the game or possibly take the lead, but was called for a shot-clock violation with 43 seconds to play, then Houston forward Chris Cenac Jr. missed a shot with four (4) seconds remaining on the clock - - The Cyclones (23-3, 10-3 Big 12) closed the game on a 17-4 run to take down a second top-10 team in three (3) days, after Iowa State defeated the No.8 Kansas Jayhawks 74-56 on the Saturday - - Meanwhile, the Cougars (23-3, 11-2 Big 12) had their six-game winning streak snapped, and their stronghold over the Big 12 Conference lead, was cut to just a half-game over No.4 Arizona for the top spot, as they head into a pivotal matchup versus the Wildcats at home this upcoming weekend - whereas with the win, Iowa State is now third in the Big 12 Conference standings, one game behind Houston. . . Tuesday, February 17th:                 No.1 Michigan Wolverines at No.7 Purdue Boilermakers: Elliot Cadeau scored 14 of his 17 total points in the second half Tuesday night, and Aday Mara added 10 points & 11 boards to send the No.1 Wolverines past the Boilermakers, 91-80 - - Trey McKinney, Yaxel Lendeborg, and L.J. Cason each had 13 points for the Wolverines, who won their 11th straight game and took a big step towards capturing their first outright Big Ten regular-season title in five (5) years - - The win came less than 24 hours after Michigan (25-1,15-1 Big Ten) moved into the nation's top spot or No.1 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, for the first time since January 2013 - - While the support system was effective, it was time for the 'big man' to shine - all 7-foot-3 of him, as it was Aday Mara's early tone-setting presence that helped the Wolverines turn the tables on Purdue's usually dominant front line - as Mara made each of his first four (4) shots on the way to a 10-point, 8-rebound first half, yet he spent a majority of the second half in foul trouble, finishing 4 of 6 from the field as Michigan finished with a 39-31 rebounding advantage - - Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn scored a season-high 27 points to lead the Boilermakers on a night in which most of his teammates struggled from the field - - All-America guard Braden Smith added 20 points as the Boilermakers (21-5, 11-4 Big Ten) had their four-game winning streak snapped, and they now trail Michigan by 3 ½ games in the Big Ten Conference title race. . . Wednesday, February 18th:              No.20 Arkansas Razorbacks at No.25 Alabama Crimson Tide: In what is being referred to as the College Basketball 'Game of the Year,' Houston Mallette hit a 3-pointer with 51 seconds remaining in the second OT period, and No.25 Alabama survived one of the most dominant single-game performances of the season, to edge the visiting Razorbacks 117-115 on Wednesday night in Coleman Coliseum - - **NOTE: Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. scored 49 points - the second most points recorded by a college basketball player this season - while playing all 50 minutes, however, Acuff did miss pivotal jumpers at the end of both extra frames that would have given the Razorbacks (19-7, 9-4 SEC) a short-handed victory on the road- - Arkansas used a seven-man rotation throughout regulation, but had four (4) players foul out in OT, including Acuff Jr., which forced HC John Calipari to turn to two players who had played a combined 35 minutes all season - - It was just the opening to the extra period that Alabama (19-7, 9-4 SEC) needed to pull out a game that will go down as an instant classic - - Star guard Labaron Philon scored 35 points, while big man Aiden Sherrell added 26 - both career highs - to help the Crimson Tide win its' fifth consecutive victory - - Arkansas, meanwhile, lost for the first time in its' last four (4) games played, and Acuff's 49 points are the second most by an Arkansas player, and the most points scored by an Arkansas player ever in SEC Conference play - - Alabama trailed by 14 points in the second half, but an 18-4 run by the Crimson Tide, tied the game, yet they moved in front in the waning seconds of regulation, until Darius Acuff Jr.'s clutch 3-pointer tied the game, 95-95, to send the game into OT - - Meleek Thomas (24) and Billy Richmond III (20) also scored in double figures for the Razorbacks prior to fouling out in the extra period(s), whereas Alabama's Aiden Sherrell & Amari Allen came up big on the boards, recording 13 and 11 boards, respectively - and guard Aden Holloway also finished with 15 points for Nate Oats' squad. . .Q: What are your thoughts on what was, to date, the college basketball "Game of the Year?". . . - "[No More Pooty] Tang:" Kansas State fired men's basketball coach Jerome Tang for cause, the school announced on Sunday night - - The last-place Wildcats, at the time of Tang's firing, had recorded only one win in Big 12 Conference play this season, and Tang, in his fourth year with the program, lashed out at his players following a blowout loss at home to Cincinnati on Wednesday evening - - The basis for the 'for-cause' firing, per ESPN, is the language that was included in Tang's contract, which specifically references any activity that brings "public disrepute, embarrassment, ridicule" to Kansas State - - This is in reference to Tang's postgame comments following the Wildcats' loss to Cincinnati: "These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few of them in it next year. I'm embarrassed for the University, I'm embarrassed for our fans, our student section. It is ridiculous. . .I have no answer. No words." - - Tang, however, took offense to the University's decision to fire him, responding with "I am deeply disappointed with the University's decision and strongly disagree with the characterization of my termination," he told ESPN in a statement. "I have always acted with integrity and faithfully fulfilled my responsibilities as a head coach." - - In 2023, Jerome Tang signed a contract extension with Kansas State to remain with the program through the 2029-30 season, and there is still $18.67 million remaining on that deal, as he plans to fight the for-cause firing, and has since hired attorneys, Tom Mars & Bennett Speyer, to represent him against the University - - The Wildcats dropped to 1-11 in Big 12 Conference play with a 78-64 loss at No.3 Houston on Saturday, as they played the game without player names on the back of their jerseys, just three (3) days after that rant by Jerome Tang following the Cincinnati loss went viral - - Prior to this season, Tang had been relatively successful in his tenure with the program, as he led the Wildcats to the Elite Eight in his first season, recording 26 wins, which was the program's most since Bruce Weber's first season in 2013 - - In his second season with the program, Kansas State struggled in conference play, as the Wildcats missed out on a berth to the NCAA Tournament, and then last season, they finished with a 16-17 overall record, but Kansas State definitely bottomed out this season, sitting at 10-15 overall & tied for last place in the Big 12 Conference. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Kansas State's "for-cause" firing of Jerome Tang? How do you anticipate this story playing out: do you expect that Kansas State will be forced to honor Tang's $18 million contract or is this particular case most likely to be settled outside of the courtroom?. . .**UPDATE: Following the for-cause dismissal of coach Jerome Tang, and in their first game under interim HC Matthew Driscoll, the Kansas State Wildcats snapped a six-game losing streak by knocking off the visiting Baylor Bears 90-74, improving to 11-15 (2-11) in Big 12 Conference play - - G/F PJ Haggerty led the Wildcats with 34 points, yet the focal player of the night was Nate Johnson - who had a masterful performance - by finishing the game with 33 points, 9 assists & 6 steals - - The Wildcats also shot the ball well, finishing the game making 56% of their shots, and locking down the Bears defensively, by holding Baylor to just 40% shooting from the field and 12% from beyond the arc - - In all, Kansas State played a complete, all-around game, in one of its' top performances of the season as a unit. . ."An Odd Exchange:" UCLA suffered its second-straight 20+ point defeat on Tuesday night at No.15 Michigan State, a game that saw Bruins HC Mick Cronin seemingly ejected one of his own players: With the Bruins trailing 77-50 and with 4:26 left to play, UCLA center Steven Jamerson II, a former Michigan State student (and walk-on to the Spartans' basketball team), was called for a flagrant after fouling Carson Cooper from behind on a dunk attempt - - Cronin then sent Jamerson to the locker room - - Jamerson's hard foul wasn't the only development that had Cronin riled up Tuesday night: During the game, Michigan State's student section chanted the name of Bruins center, Xavier Booker, a former five-star recruit who signed with Michigan State prior to transferring to UCLA in April after two underwhelming seasons spent in East Lansing - Booker finished the game with two points & two rebounds in 25 minutes played - - Cronin had a fiery postgame exchange with a reporter who asked him about the Booker chants, saying: "I could give a rat's ass about the other team's student section. I would like to give you a kudos for the worst question I've ever been asked," Cronin said. "You really think I care about the other team's student section?" - - Cronin would then go on to accuse the reporter of "raising your voice at me. Yeah, you are. Everybody is standing here listening to you. Everybody. This is on camera. They can hear you. I answered the question.". . .Q: What are your thoughts on the odd exchange that occurred between UCLA HC Mick Cronin and center Steven Jamerson II? Cronin & the reporter at the postgame press conference? - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - NCAA College Football: The Mid-American (MAC) Conference has elected to add FCS program Sacramento State into the league as a football-only member beginning next season - - Sacramento State will join the conference starting July 1st, the school announced on Saturday, and they will not be eligible for the postseason for two years as it transitions from the FCS to the FBS level - - The cost of entrance is expected to be around $18 million, sources said, with a total cost of entry being around $23 million, as they are required to pay an additional $5 million to the NCAA to move up to the FBS level - - The move will keep the MAC Conference at 13 schools, as Sacramento State will replace Northern Illinois, which is leaving for the Mountain West Conference in football next year - - According to a Twitter/X post, the annual MACtion tilt between Ball State and Sacramento State will now be known as "The Ball-Sac Classic," as presented by Dick's - - **NOTE: This marks a significant move for Sacramento State, as it will be the first West Coast program to make the jump to the highest level of football in well over a generation. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the MAC Conference's addition of Sacramento State as a football-only member, beginning next season? Would you advocate for the annual "Ball-Sac Classic?". . ."Purple Reign:" NCAA Division-III program, Curry College, and their athletics department announced on Wednesday that their Walter M. Katz Field will be re-turfed entirely in Curry Purple in the summer of 2026 - - As the home site of the Colonels' football program, men's & women's soccer and lacrosse teams, this will certainly turn a few heads - - **NOTE: It was Boise State University that first installed the blue turf field in 1986, as they own the trademark for not only a blue field, but any non-green field - - The other six college teams with colored fields actually pay a yearly fee to Boise State (i.e., Red at EWU, Teal at Coastal Carolina, etc.) but we've never encountered a purple field. .until now! - - Now, Curry College will also be held responsible for providing a yearly fee to Boise State Athletics Department for their non-green field trademark. . .Q: What are your thoughts on NCAA D-III program, Curry College, and their plan to re-turf their field the color purple?. . . - NFL - - The Miami Dolphins are releasing two-time Pro Bowl veteran edge rusher Bradley Chubb, a source confirmed to ESPN, signifying a major step toward a franchise rebuild - - Chubb missed the entire 2024 NFL season but returned with a team-high 8.5 sacks in 2025, playing all 17 games - - and as a team captain, he won the local media's "Good Guy" award for his consistent availability and professionalism with the press - - **NOTE: He also represented a $31 million cap hit in 2026, he turns 30 years old in June and has torn his ACL in both knees during his eight-year NFL career - - The move represents the first major roster decision under new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan, and believe us when we say, it was just the first of many. . .In addition to the release of OLB Bradley Chubb, the Miami Dolphins also released WR Tyreek "Cheetah" Hill in a flurry of roster moves Monday that will clear significant salary cap space, and officially make Hill a free agent for the first time in his career - - The eight-time Pro Bowler is currently recovering from a dislocated knee and torn ACL injury suffered in Week 4 last season, so it is unclear when or if Hill will play next season - - Hill would have had $11 million become fully guaranteed this month and his release will reportedly save the Dolphins approximately $22.8 million - - In 54 games played for the franchise, Hill had 340 receptions, 4,733 receiving yards, 28 TDs and was first-team All-Pro in two seasons (2022 and 2023) - - Should Hill choose to return for season No.11 in the NFL next season, he's be 32 years old by the time the 2026 campaign begins - but as he posted on social media "The Cheetah don't slow down. Ever. So to everyone wondering what's next. . .just wait on it. The Cheetah will be back. Born Again,". . .The Dolphins also released WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and guard James Daniels. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Dolphins' decision to release WR Tyreek Hill among other roster moves completed on Monday? Will Tyreek Hill play in the NFL next season?. . .The "Indiana Bears?:" The Chicago Bears' endeavor for a new stadium took a "meaningful step" foward on Thursday, opening the door for a storied franchise to leave Illinois to potentially build a new, domed stadium in Northwest Indiana - - Indiana lawmakers in the state House Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved an amendment to Indiana State Bill 27 by a vote of 24-0 on Thursday that would clear a path for the Bears to build a stadium in Hammond, Indiana - - The Bears' current lease at Soldier Field - the stadium where they currently play their home games, which is owned by the city of Chicago (IL) - runs through 2033. . .Q: What would a move from Illinois to Indiana do to the Chicago Bears' legacy? Thoughts on the possibility that this actually happens?. . - NBA - - The "Point God" Chris Paul announced his retirement from the NBA via a social media post on Friday - the announcement comes after Paul previously said he would retire at the end of this season, his 21st NBA season - - Throughout his career, Paul played for New Orleans, Houston, OKC, Phoenix, Golden State, San Antonio, and the Los Angeles Clippers - - Paul, 40, is a 12-time NBA All-Star, an 11-time member of All-NBA teams, a nine-time All-Defensive teams member, the 2006 Rookie of the Year, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team - - **NOTE: He was also a four-time All-NBA first-team selection, and he ranks second in NBA history with 12,552 assists and 2,728 steals - and he was also the first player to score at least 20,000 points while recording at least 10,000 assists - - Paul is one of seven (7) players to have an NBA career span of at least 21 seasons - - Although Paul never obtained an NBA title, he is just fine, as he is one of six (6) players in NBA history to have reached $400 million in career earnings - - CP3 made the announcement after being waived by the Toronto Raptors on Friday after being traded from the Los Angeles Clippers, following a fallout with HC Tyronn Lue, as the Raptors knew Paul would never play in Toronto. . .Q: Are you surprised that CP3 did not sign with a different NBA franchise to finish out his 21st career season?. . ."The 2026 NBA All-Star Game:" In this section, JD & Spencer discuss the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, its' new round-robin format, its' ratings - - as well as the outcome for both the 2026 State Farm 3-Point Contest & the 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest - - **Be Sure to Tune in!!. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 122 - The "Whack Heard 'Round The World" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: Charles Bediako's college basketball career is officially over, Again. .after an Alabama circuit judge denied his motion appeal for a preliminary injunction on Monday, ending the 7-foot center's season with Nate Oats & the Alabama Crimson Tide - - Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge Daniel F. Pruet halted Bediako's bid to regain eligibility after he left Alabama early to enter the 2023 NBA Draft, and although he went undrafted, he did sign a two-way NBA contract with the San Antonio Spurs & played the past three (3) seasons in the NBA's developmental league (i.e., G-League) - moves that ultimately disqualified him from collegiate competition, according to the NCAA - - Judge Pruet ruled that Bediako did not have a "reasonable expectation," that he would be allowed to return to college basketball when no other player has been granted such eligibility under similar circumstances, although Amari Bailey, the former UCLA standout guard, who was drafted in the second round of the NBA Draft & physically competed in 10 NBA games throughout his two-year career, and is now attempting to regain eligibility to play at the collegiate level - - The Bediako ruling, whether you agree or disagree with the result, should serve as a precedent for the NCAA and college sports universally: in other words, if you give up eligibility and decide to turn pro, and are willingly drafted, you are not entitled to return to college sports just because you aren't the 'star player,' or if you spend more time on the bench than you do on the court (or field, etc.) - - Shortly after the ruling on Monday, NCAA President Charlie Baker released a statement, stating that he was glad that the court "upheld the rules of our members,". . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Tuscaloosa County (AL) Circuit Judge's ruling to deny Charles Bediako's appeal for NCAA eligibility? Should this particular ruling serve as a precedent for other prospects that are attempting to regain eligibility at the NCAA (or college) level?. . .In this next section, JD & Spencer discuss a few of the more impactful and/or notable NCAA men's college basketball games from across the country that occurred this past weekend, including, but not limited to the following matchups: the Seth Trimble "buzzer beater" in the heated rivalry between No.4 Duke Blue Devils and No.14 North Carolina Tar Heels (Saturday 2/7); the Darryn Peterson-less & No.9 Kansas Jayhawks pull off the upset over No.1 and previously unbeaten Arizona Wildcats (Monday 2/9). . . - NFL - - "The 15th Annual NFL Honors:" On Thursday, and three (3) days prior to Super Bowl 60, the NFL wrapped up the 2025 season by recognizing its' top individual performers, at the 15th Annual NFL Honors Ceremony, which were hosted by actor Jon Hamm, at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, where it once again served as the forum for the league to reveal the winners of its' most prestigious awards: this included such awards as the Offensive & Defensive Player of the Year as well as the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year, and finally, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, which were presented by a variety of celebrities (i.e., Druski) and NFL Hall of Fame legends (i.e., Jerry Rice) - - The Pro Football Hall of Fame also unveiled its five-person class, which had already been a topic of speculation & controversy after it was revealed last week that Bill Belichick, Patriots owner Robert Kraft & former New York Giants & Super-Bowl winning QB Eli Manning, had been omitted as first-ballot Hall of Famers - - Let's examine the outcome & discuss our thoughts regarding each individual award that was presented at this year's Honors' ceremony: AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award: The 2025 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award was presented to Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett - - Garrett, the preeminent EDGE/pass rusher of his generation, he took advantage of the 2025 league year, turning it into a record-breaking season, which subsequently led to him winning his second DPOY award - - Garrett's 23 sacks broke the single-season record that was previously shared by Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan & Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt - - **NOTE: Garrett achieved this feat despite being double-teamed or chipped on 39.5% of his pass rushes this season, per NFL Next Gen Stats, more than any other pass rusher in the NFL - - Also, his 33 TFL were the second-most by a player since the year 2000, trailing only J.J. Watt's 39 in 2012. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Browns DE Myles Garrett being awarded the 2025 AP NFL DPOY award? Do you think Myles Garrett will go down in NFL history as the most proficient/explosive EDGE to ever play in the league?. . . AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award: The 2025 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award was presented to Carolina Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan - - McMillan referred to his rookie season in the NFL as "average," but the Panthers wideout was anything but that - - **NOTE: The No.8 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft finished the regular season with 70 catches on 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven (7) TDs to lead all rookies in receiving yards, and to set a Carolina Panthers franchise record in that category - - Twenty-seven (27) of his receptions were considered explosive (16+ yards), more than any other rookie in the league - - and quite possibly, the most important aspect of McMillan's presence in Carolina, is that QB Bryce Young, for the first time in his three (3) seasons spent in the league, had a true WR1, which allowed him to flourish statistically - as well as to assist the Panthers in advancing to the NFL postseason. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan being awarded the 2025 AP NFL OROY Award? Do you expect that he will continue to be a major threat through the air for the Carolina Panthers for the near foreseeable future?. . . 2025 AP NFL Protector of the Year Award: The 2025 and inaugural AP NFL Protector of the Year Award was presented to Chicago Bears Guard Joe Thuney - - Thuney earned first-team All-Pro honors for a fourth straight season, and paid immediate dividends for the Bears' revamped offensive line after being traded from Kansas City to Chicago in March of this year - - The 33-year-old LG did not allow a single sack & logged the second-most snaps of any of the other players on the Bears' offense (99.57%), as QB Caleb Williams took 44 fewer sacks in 2025 than in his rookie season, in large part due to the notable improvements Chicago made along the interior of the offensive line - - **NOTE: Thuney was tied for the lead among all interior offensive linemen in pass block win rate this season by sustaining his blocks for 2.5 seconds 98% of the time - - Shortly after LT Ozzy Trapilo (rookie) went down after sustaining a season-ending knee injury in the playoffs, Thuney moved to LT for Chicago's divisional round matchup against the Rams, which marked the second consecutive postseason in which Thuney was moved to play at the tackle position. . . 2025 NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year Award: The 2025 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award was presented to San Francisco 49ers do-it-all RB Christian McCaffrey - - After bilateral Achilles tendinitis and a right knee injury limited him to just four (4) games in the 2024 NFL season, Niners RB Christian McCaffrey returned to his usual, versatile self in 2025 - - **NOTE: This is McCaffrey's first Comeback Player of the Year award after he finished second in 2022 - - He earned it by virtue of his 2,126 scrimmage yards (second in the NFL) and 17 total TDs (3rd) - and perhaps, more important, he started all 19 games for San Francisco (including the playoffs) - - In the 2025 regular season, McCaffrey had a league-high 413 touches, which is 44 more than the next closest player, and the highest total of his nine (9) seasons in the league - - In the offseason, McCaffrey spent much of his time rehabbing from his knee injury and strengthening his Achilles to take on the rigors of another season - - and in 2025, as injuries mounted around him, he was the one constant in San Francisco's offense, playing a pivotal role in helping the Niners finish the regular season with a 12-5 record, and reach the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Niners' RB Christian McCaffrey being awarded the 2025 AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award?. . . 2025 AP NFL Head Coach of the Year Award: The 2025 AP NFL Head Coach of the Year Award was presented to New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel, who in his first season with the franchise, led the Patriots to its' 12th Super Bowl appearance - - Taking over a team that won just four (4) games in each of the past two seasons, Vrabel directed the Patriots to a 14-3 record at the conclusion of the regular season - - **NOTE: The 10-game improvement tied the 1999 Colts and 2008 Dolphins for the best turnaround in NFL history, as he joins George Seifert (1989, Niners) & Jim Caldwell (2009, Colts) as the only coaches to win 14 games in their first year with an NFL franchise - - Players credited Vrabel, 50, with instilling a culture that placed a heavy emphasis on connectivity, and one such way that he did that, was by introducing his "4 H's" in the spring, where each coach & player shared their history, hero, heartbreak and hope in front of the entire team. . .Q: What are your thoughts on New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel being awarded the 2025 AP NFL Head Coach of the Year Award?. . . 2025 AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year: The 2025 AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year Award was presented to New England Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, as he was recognized for transforming the Patriots' offense into a top six unit in the league in total, passing, and rushing yards, while also helping to develop second-year QB Drake Maye - - In returning to New England for his third separate stint as the OC, the 49-year-old McDaniels had spent 2024 out of the NFL after being fired as the Raiders HC in October 2023 - - His work with Maye this season has been exemplary, helping the second-year QB develop into a bonafide MVP candidate, as the two spent the spring getting to know each other, which ultimately led to the QB finishing the 2025 season ranked first in completion percentage (72%), QBR (77.1) and yards per attempt (8.93) - - **NOTE: The Patriots' offense under McDaniels, which was just the second team in the league since 2000 to open a season with rookies starting at LT (Will Campbell) and LG (Jared Wilson), and finished the regular season ranked third in total yards per game (379.4). . . 2025 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award:The 2025 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award was presented to Cleveland Browns LB Carson Schwesinger - - On a defense that saw DE Myles Garrett break the single-season sack record, it was difficult to ignore Schwesinger - - **NOTE: The No.33 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Schwesinger led all rookies in tackles (146) and TFLs (11), and he tied for third in INTs (2) - - A former walk-on at UCLA, Schwesinger wore a helmet with the easily identifiable green dot, serving as the signal-caller for the league's fourth-best team in total defense. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Browns LB Carson Schwesinger being awarded the 2025 AP DROY?. . . 2025 AP Offensive Player of the Year Award: The 2025 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award was presented to Seattle Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba, as the former Ohio St. wideout played his way into the conversation of the NFL's best WRs with the most prolific season a Seahawks pass catcher has ever had: **NOTE: Smith-Njigba's 1,793 receiving yards led the NFL & set a franchise record, and he scored 10 TDs & finished second among all players in yards per target at 10.9 on his way to making the Pro Bowl & being named a first-team All-Pro- - and, he recorded these stats, meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, were the NFL's most run-heavy offense in the league, with a designed rush rate of 47.6%. . .Q: What are your thoughts on JSN being awarded the 2025 AP NFL OPOY Award? Were you surprised in the slightest bit that JSN won the Award?. . . 2025 AP NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award: The 2025 AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award was presented to Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford - - At the ripe age of 37, and in his 17th NFL season, Stafford led the NFL in passing yards (4,707), TDs (46) and TDs-to-INTs ratio (5.8) - - He threw for 313 more passing yards & 15 more TDs than MVP runner-up, and New England Patriots QB Drake Maye - - **NOTE: Stafford's 2025 season was the eighth time in NFL history that a QB threw for at least 4,500 yards and 45 TDs in a single season, according to ESPN Research - where six (6) of the previous seven (7) QBs to do so were awarded the NFL MVP Award, with the only exception being Drew Brees in 2011, as QB Aaron Rodgers also reached those thresholds that season - - Stafford went eight (8) consecutive games without throwing an INT in the middle of the 2025 season, which is incredibly difficult to do - - and during that particular stretch, Stafford threw 28 straight TDs, and according to Elias, that was the longest streak of passing TDs without an INT by any player since play-by-play was first tracked in 1978 - - Prior to stepping down from the stage, and after Stafford was presented with the 2025 MVP Award, Stafford took the time to make a major announcement: he will be returning for the 2026 NFL season as he embarks on his 18th season in the league. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Rams QB Matthew Stafford being awarded the 2025 NFL MVP Award? Thoughts or input on Stafford's announcement that he will return for the Rams next season?. . . The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026, which was announced on Thursday night as part of the NFL Honors ceremony, included the following former NFL players: (1) QB Drew Brees, who is one (of two) NFL QBs to throw for more than 80,000 career yards. . .(2) WR Larry Fitzgerald, who finished his career second only to Hall of Famer Jerry Rice in career receptions and receiving yards; and joining them will be. . .(3) LB Luke Kuechly and (4) Kicker Adam Vinatieri, and finally (5) RB Roger Craig, one of three (3) Senior finalists, will also be in the 2026 Hall of Fame class. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026? Do you question as to why these particular five players are eligible for HOF enshrinement, and Bill Belichick is not?. . . - Atlanta Falcons rookie LB James Pearce Jr. allegedly crashed his vehicle into another that was being driven by WNBA player Rickea Jackson multiple times & struck a police officer with the vehicle while evading arrest, according to a criminal complaint obtained by ESPN from the Miami-Dade County (FL) state attorney's office - - Pearce was arrested Saturday in Florida on five (5) felony charges, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking & aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer - - Pearce was released from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on Sunday night after posting a $20,500 bond - - Jackson informed police that she and Pearce had previously dated for approximately three (3) years, but recently ended their relationship - - Jackson, who plays for the Los Angeles Sparks, told police that she saw Pearce following her car in a white Lamborghini SUV on Saturday morning - - When Jackson's car stopped at a red light, Pearce got out of his vehicle and attempted to open her car door on the driver's side – Jackson accelerated away & started driving toward the Doral (Florida) Police Department – Pearce reentered his vehicle and continued following her, and during the drive to the police station, Jackson said Pearce “intentionally collided into the rear of her vehicle,” with his SUV – As she got to the intersection near the police station, Jackson said Pearce cut her off with his car and when she attempted to back out and get away, he used his car to collide with hers head-on - - Doral PD responded to the scene after Jackson called - - and according to the affidavit, they saw Pearce standing on the outside of his SUV on the driver's side with the door open – An officer pulled a gun on Pearce and ordered him to get on the ground, yet Pearce got back in his car & closed the door - - The officer opened the door, but Pearce shut it again, locked it & drove away - - While Pearce was driving away, the SUV struck an officer in his left knee, as the affidavit describes it as “intentionally in an attempt to evade arrest.” - - Police followed Pearce's vehicle in cars until Pearce crashed at an intersection, at which point, Pearce then got out of his car & fled on foot - - Officers were able to catch up with him, though Pearce “began to resist arrest by tensing his arms and not allowing officers to apprehend him.” - - The affidavit says Pearce was “triaged on scene” and later taken to Jackson West Medical Center for further assessment, and after which, he spent Saturday night and most of the day Sunday in custody at Turner Guilford Knight Corrections Center - - Pearce is facing two felony counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and a felony count of aggravated stalking – Other charges include fleeing and eluding police officers and aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer - - also felonies - - and a misdemeanor count of resisting an officer without violence to his person - - In response to the incident, the Atlanta Falcons issued a statement Saturday night saying they were “gathering more information.” - - **NOTE: Pearce, who finished third in AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting at NFL Honors on Thursday, set a Falcons rookie record with a team-leading 10.5 sacks in 2025. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons' James Pearce Jr. situation? Should the NFL franchise consider releasing the rookie LB?. . ."Super Bowl LX Review & Recap:" In this particular discussion segment, JD & Spencer provide a detailed review of Super Bowl 60 as well as a recap of the halftime show. . .**Be Sure to Tune in for the Tradition's Finest Super Bowl LX Review. . . - NFL (cont'd) - - Klint Kubiak just won the Super Bowl, but unlike his fellow Seahawks, he is not headed to Disney World. . .Nah, Kubiak is going to Las Vegas, Sin City, baby!. . The NFL Network interviewed the Seahawks OC in the aftermath of Seattle's dominant 29-13 win over the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl on Sunday night, and in the post-game interview, he confirmed what might've been the worst kept secret in football. . . .that he's leaving Seattle to take over as the next HC of the Las Vegas Raiders after signing a five-year deal with the franchise, and he is "very excited to get to work!" - - Kubiak didn't volunteer the information when asked an open-ended question, but when pressed, he spilled the beans: "You guys know I'm going to Las Vegas, I'm fired up about it," Kubiak said. "Hell yeah, I'm going! Of course I'm going!" - - however, the news has essentially been known for a week now, as Kubiak and the Raiders reportedly reached an agreement on a deal on Feb.1, but since Kubiak was the OC of an NFL franchise that was preparing to play in the Super Bowl, neither he nor the Raiders could confirm their partnership - - And while Kubiak is highly unlikely to return to the Super Bowl next season, there's a reason for excitement for the Raiders franchise, who are coming off a 3-14 campaign in 2025 - as there's a decent chance that Heisman Trophy winner & national champion-winning QB Fernando Mendoza will play for the "Black & Grey" next season. . .Q: What overall grade would you assess the Las Vegas Raiders' hire of Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak as their next HC?. . . - NBA - - Prior to the Detroit Pistons' 110-104 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night, a fight between both sides in the 3rd QTR, resulted in four (4) player ejections: Charlotte's Moussa Diabate and Miles Bridges were tossed along with Detroit's Jalen Duren & Isaiah Stewart (who would have guessed it?!?), while Hornets coach Charles Lee was ejected in the 4th QTR after he had to be restrained from going after an official while arguing a call - - The brawl was initiated by the following event(s): Pistons' Jalen Duren had the ball and was driving toward the basket with just over seven (7) minutes left in the 3rd QTR when he was fouled by Hornets' Moussa Diabate - - Duren turned around to get face-to-face with Diabate, and the two appeared to butt heads - Duren then pushed Diabate in the face with his open right hand, starting a confrontation that lasted more than 30 seconds, and ultimately ended with a brief police presence on the court - - While Pistons forward Tobias Harris was holding Diabate back, Diabate threw a punch at Duren, who turned & walked away - - but then Hornets' Miles Bridges began to charge at Diabate, throwing a left-handed punch - - Duren then retaliated with a punch, and Diabate attempted to charge at Duren again & had to be restrained - - Meanwhile, Detroit Pistons' Isaiah Stewart (aka "The Ultimate Fighter") left the bench to confront Bridges, who responded immediately with a punch, and the players tussled - - and at one point, Stewart got Bridges in a headlock and delivered multiple left-handed blows to his head. . .**UPDATE: The NBA announced that Detroit Pistons F/C Isaiah Stewart has been suspended for seven (7) games for leaving the Pistons' bench and for participating in the brawl on Monday night - - The league also suspended Hornets forwards Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate four (4) games each for fighting and escalating the altercation, which occurred midway through the 3rd QTR - - Pistons center Jalen Duren was also suspended two games for initiating the altercation & fighting, the league released in a statement on Tuesday. . .LeBron James' All-NBA streak is officially coming to an end, and the Lakers were majorly undermanned Tuesday night when they hosted the San Antonio Spurs - - James was ruled out of the game with left foot arthritis, the Lakers announced, along with announcing the absences of Luka Doncic (hamstring strain), Austin Reaves (left calf injury management) and Marcus Smart (right ankle soreness) - - It was James' 18th missed games of the season, making it impossible for him to reach the 65-game minimum threshold that's required to be eligible for the NBA's annual awards, whereas James has been named to an All-NBA team for a record-setting 21 straight seasons. . .Q: Should the NBA, at minumum, name LeBron James as a member of this year's Third-Team All-NBA, just to prolong his historic run? Or not a chance in hell?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 121 - "The Super Bowl Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer introduce and have a brief discussion on the most recent and/or updated Week 13 release of the AP Men's College Basketball Top 25 Poll - - as well as to dive into a few of the most notable NCAAM basketball games from across the country this past week, including but not limited to: (1) last Friday's Top-25 matchup between the Michigan Wolverines & Michigan State Spartans, (2) the Top-10 battle between Big Ten Conference foes, Illinois & Nebraska, and finally, (3) Sunday's SEC Conference showdown between the Crimson Tide & the reigning national champion Florida Gators. . .As we entered into this week, or the first week of February - and with "March Madness" just around the corner - the Arizona Wildcats & the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks are the last two unbeaten teams standing, and with the release of the Week 13 AP Top 25 poll, only four (4) teams' rankings remain unchanged from the previous week - - The Wildcats held on to the unanimous No.1 ranking for a third consecutive week, as Arizona has its best start in program history, and it's 22-0 record is also tied for the longest winning streak in school history (i.e., The Wildcats won 22 straight games in 1914-17) - - Saturday, Jan. 31st: No.1 Arizona Wildcats at Arizona State Sun Devils - - Koa Peat scored 21 points, fellow freshman Brayden Burries came off the bench to add 17, and No.1 Arizona defeated in-state rival Arizona State 87-74 on Saturday, setting a school record with their 22nd straight win to start the season - - Arizona (22-0, 9-0 Big 12) is one of just two undefeated teams in the nation, along with No.23 Miami (Ohio) - - **NOTE: The Wildcats' winning streak also tied the Big 12 record to start a season, which was originally set by the Kansas Jayhawks in 1996-97- - Arizona State led for much of the first few minutes of the game, but the Wildcats used a 13-2 scoring run to take a 25-18 lead with 7:00 left in the first half, as Koa Peat made a layup to cap the run, finishing through contact that left him bloodied around his left eye - - The Sun Devils recovered, tying the game at 38-all just before the halftime break when Sun Devils G Noah Meeusen made a 3-pointer with two seconds remaining - - The Wildcats, who shot 60% from the field in the second half, scored the first six (6) points to begin the second half, to take a 44-38 lead & never trailed again - - While the gritty Sun Devils cut into the deficit several times, they never could generate enough offense to keep pace with the Wildcats - - Stat Leaders: Noah Meeusen scored 16 points, while guard Maurice Odom added 15 for the Sun Devils, and Arizona State (11-11, 2-7 Big 12) has dropped nine (9) of its last 11 games, whereas C Motiejus Krivas fought through foul trouble to finish with 15 points, and forward Tobe Awaka had a career-high 13 rebounds - - **NOTE: The Sun Devils fell to 2-10 all-time against the nation's No.1 team, as their last win over a top-ranked program came when Arizona State knocked off Kansas in Dec. 2018. . .In the Week 13 AP Poll, the Wildcats are followed by the Michigan Wolverines, which flipped spots with the UConn Huskies (No.3) to move up to the No.2 spot, following their conference wins over previously-unbeaten No.5 Nebraska, as well as their in-state rival in Tom Izzo's Spartans, as the Wolverines are 5-0 against ranked teams this season - with four (4) of those wins coming by double-digits - - As for the No.3 Huskies, they improved to 11-0 in Big East Conference play for the first time since its' 1998-99 NCAA title run - - **NOTE: UConn is on a 17-game winning streak, its longest single-season win streak since winning 19 in a row in the 1998-99 season - - Friday, Jan. 30th: No.3 Michigan Wolverines at No.17 Michigan State Spartans - - Prior to tipoff, Michigan State fans serenaded Michigan HC Dusty May with expletive-filled chants, but it was the Wolverines' HC that would ultimately have the last laugh in this one: Forward Yaxel Lendeborg had 26 points & 12 rebounds, guards Elliot Cadeau scored 17 and Morez Johnson added 12 points to lead No.3 Michigan to an 83-71 victory over the 17th-ranked Spartans in East Lansing on Friday night - - With the win, the Wolverines (20-1, 10-1 Big Ten) moved into sole possession of first place in the Big Ten Conference, whereas the Spartans (19-3, 9-2 Big Ten) missed 14 of their 18 shots (22%), and they finished the first half with more turnovers (11) than FGM (7) and trailed the Wolverines by 16 points at the halftime break - - Michigan State went on a 13-2 run early in the second half to pull within three (3) points and F Jaxon Kohler, who finished the game with 12 points, made a game-tying 3-pointer with 7:57 left in regulation - - G Jeremy Fears, who scored a career-high 31 points, had a steal and a layup that put the Spartans ahead 57-55 with 7:27 to go for their first lead of the game. . .but that didn't last too long. . .as Michigan responded with clutch shooting, making 5 of 6 shots, while holding Michigan State scoreless for more than three (3) minutes to seal its sixth straight victory, and as Michigan finished the game on a 19-8 run in the final four (4) minutes of regulation - - Stat Leaders: Forwards Coen Carr & Jordan Scott each scored 10 points for the Spartans, whose seven-game winning streak was snapped by the Wolverines - - Michigan had a big advantage in outside shooting, making 8 of 21 (38%) of their three-point shots, while Michigan State missed 19 of 23 (17%) shots from beyond the arc - - "No Love Lost:" Michigan HC Dusty May & Michigan State HC Tom Izzo accused each other's team of "dirty play" after the Wolverines' 83-71 victory on Friday, as during one particular sequence in the game, Michigan State star guard Jeremy Fears made contact with Yaxel Lendeborg, appearing to trip the Michigan star forward, and with May claiming that the act was "intentional," whereas Izzo responded that it was "the result of heated competition," but this back & forth between the two coaches will most certainly stir the pot and/or add fuel to the fire of this in-state rivalry between the Wolverines and Spartans. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the accusatory comments made at the press conference on Monday by Michigan HC Dusty May and Michigan State HC Tom Izzo? - - At No.4 in this week's AP Top 25 poll is Duke, as the Blue Devils are 20-1, its fewest games required to reach 20 wins since the 2007-08 season, and at No.5 is the Illinois Fighting Illini - - **NOTE: The Big Ten Conference continues to have two teams the top five, with Illinois replacing Nebraska as the final team, after the Cornhuskers dropped two straight games this past week (i.e., at Michigan, vs. Illinois): Illini freshman guard Keaton Wagler is the first player in AP poll history to score 25 or more points in multiple road wins against top five opponents this season (i.e., 46 in road win over Purdue & 28 points this weekend over Nebraska) - as the Cornhuskers remain in the top 10, however, they did slide down four (4) spots to No.9 this week - - Sunday, Feb. 1st: No.9 Illinois Fighting Illini at No.5 Nebraska Cornhuskers - - Freshman guard Keaton Wagler scored 28 points as No.9 Illinois won its 11th straight game, defeating No.5 Nebraska 78-69 on Sunday in the first top-10 matchup the Cornhuskers have hosted - - The Fighting Illini (19-3, 10-1 Big Ten), who haven't lost a game since an 83-80 loss at home to Nebraska back on Dec.13, held the Huskers to four (4) FGs in the first 13 minutes of the second half - - The Cornhuskers (20-2, 9-2 Big Ten) lost its second consecutive game, after they lost to No.3 Michigan on the road last Tuesday, which ended their 24-game win streak dating back to last season - - Stat Leaders: F Jake Davis finished with 13 points for Illinois, C Tomislav Ivisic scored 12 and F David Mirkovic had 10, whereas F Braden Frager - who returned for the Cornhuskers after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury - scored 20 points, F Pryce Sandfort added 14 points, guards Sam Hoiberg & Jamarques Lawrence scored 13 and 10 points, respectively - - Nebraska hit 11 of 20 (55%) of its 3-point attempts before halftime to take a 39-33 lead into the halftime break, however, the 'Huskers came out flat, only making four (4) 3-pointers in the second half against a tightened Illinois defense - - The Illini outscored Nebraska 18-8 to open the second half, as Keaton Wagler nailed a 3-pointer with 13:05 remaining to put Illinois ahead 49-47, a lead it did not relinquish - as the Huskers trailed by at least seven (7) points the rest of the way - - While Illinois made nine (9) 3-pointers to 15 for Nebraska, the Illini dominated the free-throw line, outscoring the Huskers 21-4, and they also had a 10-point edge in the paint & 40-27 advantage in rebounds - - Gonzaga remained at No.6, while Iowa State & Houston climbed one spot apiece (No.7 and No.8, respectively) - - Following their loss to in-state rival Michigan, the Michigan State Spartans fell three (3) spots to No.10 - - Tuesday, Feb. 3rd: No.23 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks at Buffalo Bulls - - Guard Luke Skaljac scored a career-high 19 points as No.23 Miami (Ohio) once again avoided the upset, held on for the 73-71 victory over Buffalo on Tuesday night, extending the longest winning streak in MAC Conference history to 23 games - - Stat Leaders: G Brant Byers added 11 points for the RedHawks (23-0, 11-0 MAC), and Peter Suder finished with 10 points, 8 assists & 5 boards, whereas guards Angelo Brizzi scored 22 points & Daniel Freitag had 18 to lead Buffalo (14-9, 4-7 MAC) - - The Bulls have now lost seven (7) their last eight (8) games following a 13-2 start to the regular season, which was the second-best in the program's history at the D-1 level - - **NOTE: Miami's 73 points were a season low, as the RedHawks entered the game leading the country in averaging 93.7 points per game - - The Bulls tied the score three (3) times with less than seven (7) minutes remaining before Miami took command with a 6-0 run, and by holding Buffalo scoreless over a 3:49 span - - This was the second consecutive close game between these two MAC teams this season, as previously, the RedHawks defeated the Bulls 105-102 in OT on Jan. 17 - - **NOTE: Miami's ranking is its highest since being ranked No.22 in November 1998, and they are the first MAC program ranked since Buffalo finished the 2018-19 season at No.15. . .Q: Are the No. 23 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks a legit contender in this year's NCAA Tournament, or more likely a pretender? (i.e., do you expect them to advance beyond the Round of 64? 32?) - - The Kansas Jayhawks climbed three (3) spots to No.11 following its 90-82 win over BYU on Saturday, while the Purdue Boilermakers remained at the No.12 spot, and Texas Tech closed out the week at No.13 - - North Carolina & Vanderbilt rounded out the top 15, and BYU, Florida, Virginia, Saint Louis & Clemson finished out the top 20 - - **NOTE: The Saint Louis Billikens (21-1), who had won 15 consecutive games, have reached their highest ranking since March 2024, when they were ranked 18th, and went on to win the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship - and to date, they have seven (7) 100-point games this season, tied with Georgia, Miami (OH) & Michigan for the most in Division I, as well as the most such games in a single season in A-10 history - The Billikens are led by guard Robbie Avila aka "Cream Abdul-Jabbar," who on the season is averaging 12.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.0 apg, and is shooting 53.3% from the field - - Arkansas, St. John's, Miami (Ohio), Louisville & Tennessee held down the final five spots (i.e., No.21 - 25) in this week's Top 25 Poll - - Sunday, Feb. 1st: No.23 Alabama Crimson Tide at No.19 Florida Gators - - Forward Alex Condon scored 25 points, Thomas Haugh added 22 and No.19 Florida dominated the No.23 Crimson Tide & Charles Bediako 100-77 on Sunday afternoon, which was Florida's fifth consecutive victory in the series, and occurred a little more than a week after Gators HC Todd Golden made the following statement: "We're gonna beat 'em anyways," in reference to a Tuscaloosa County judge's decision to allow Bediako to return to college - - This game was so one-sided that 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux, the world's tallest teenager, checked into the game for the final minute & scored the Gators' last basket - - Prior to that, Florida used a 13-2 scoring run late in the first half to help build a 10-point lead at the halftime break, and ultimately turned the Top-25 matchup into a lopsided affair by scoring the first 12 points coming out of the locker room - - Guard Boogie Fland chipped in 15 points, 8 assists as well as one of the wildest stats observed in a D-I college basketball game: he finished with eight (8) steals for the defending national champion Gators (16-6, 7-2 SEC), as Fland dominated his matchup against the SEC's leading scorer, Labaron Philon - - **NOTE: Fland's eight (8) steals matched the program record, which was set by Clifford Lett in 1989 - - Philon, who entered into this game, averaging 22 points, finished with 14, while fellow guard Aden Holloway led the Crimson Tide (14-7, 4-4 SEC), with 19 points - - It was Florida's frontcourt that was the difference in this game: Condon, Haugh & Rueben Chinyelu combined for 61 points, 29 rebounds & five (5) blocks, and the Gators outscored Alabama 72-26 in the paint - - **NOTE: The stat of the game: Alabama finished the game with 18 turnovers, while Florida had just two - - As for Bediako, the 7-foot center who is suing the NCAA in an attempt to regain college eligibility, played in his third game with the Crimson Tide and first on the road, while Florida's student section taunted him with chants of "G League dropout," when he entered the game and each time he touched the ball: Bediako finished the game with six (6) points and seven (7) rebounds prior to fouling out with a little over two minutes to play - - "Rising and Falling:" Kansas, Vandy & St. John's made up the most ground this week, climbing three (3) spots apiece, while Tennessee, who were previously ranked as high as No.13 earlier in the season, climbed back into the poll at No.25 after falling out of the rankings for two weeks: The Volunteers returned to the AP Poll at the expense of Alabama, as Nate Oats' squad had the fifth-longest active poll streak in the country, snapped at 42 consecutive weeks - - "Conference Watch:" The Big 12 Conference led the Week 13 AP Poll with six (6) teams, while the Big Ten and ACC both had five (5) apiece - - The SEC had four (4) ranked teams, the Big East had two (2) and the West Coast (WCC), Atlantic-10 (A10) and MAC each had one apiece. . .Former UCLA standout Amari Bailey said he is attempting to become the first basketball player to return to college after playing in NBA games - - The 6-foot-3 guard played one season at UCLA in 2022-23 before entering the 2023 NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the second round: Bailey would go on to play in 10 games for the Hornets throughout his rookie season on a two-way contract, and spent two years in the G League prior to being cut over the summer - - Bailey, 21, has hired an agent and a lawyer to prepare for a fight with the NCAA over his eligibility in hopes that he may join a college team and play one more season - as his effort will be another substantial legal test for the NCAA's ability to enforce rules that decide who can participate college sports, especially during an era where waivers and lawsuits are tools that may be used as a viable way to obtain entry into the sport . . .Q: Should Amari Bailey be permitted to return to playing college basketball after participating in 10 games for the NBA's Charlotte Hornets after being drafted in 2023?. . . - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - NCAA College Football: Florida State OC Gus Malzahn announced his retirement on Monday after 35 years spent in coaching, which included stints as the HC at Arkansas State, Auburn & UCF - - Malzahn, 60, spent this past season with the Seminoles to be closer to family after stepping down at UCF, where he spent the previous four (4) seasons - - **NOTE: In 13 years as a HC at the collegiate level, Malzahn went 105-62, with only two losing seasons - - In eight (8) years spent at Auburn from 2013 to 2020, Malzahn went 63-35, including a national championship game appearance in 2013 against Florida State & two SEC West division titles - - In his one year at Florida State, the Seminoles' offense improved dramatically, as FSU led the ACC Conference in total offense (472.1 ypg) and rushing (218.7 ypg) - - After beginning his career as a high school coach in Arkansas, Malzahn's high-tempo spread offense got him into the college game, first as an OC at Arkansas in 2006 and eventually as the OC at Auburn from 2009 to 2011, where his offense helped QB Cam Newton win the Heisman Trophy, and the Tigers to achieve a 14-0 perfect season as well as win the 2010 national title - - Sources indicated that family considerations led Malzahn to step down, and shortly afterward, Florida State HC Mike Norvell announced that co-OC and WRs coach Tim Harris, had been promoted to fulfill the vacant OC position. . .Q: As Alabama fans, we certainly have witnessed & endured our fair share of battles with Gus Malzahn while he was the OC (and HC) at Auburn, but it would be almost impossible for us to not acknowledge the legacy of the "Gus-train," and how impressive of an offensive-minded coach he is: What are your thoughts on Gus Malzahn's retirement announcement?. . . - NFL - - The Arizona Cardinals have hired Mike LaFleur as their new HC, with the Los Angeles Rams OC agreeing to a five-year contract, the team announced on Sunday afternoon - - **NOTE: LaFleur is now the fourth Rams OC under Sean McVay to be hired as an NFL head coach, and with all four (4) of those former OCs currently serving as NFL HCs (i.e., 2023-25: Mike LaFleur --> Cardinals; 2022: Liam Coen --> Jaguars; 2020-21: Kevin O'Connell --> Vikings; *2018-19: No OC; and 2017: Matt LaFleur --> Packers) - - LaFleur, 38, replaces Jonathan Gannon, who was fired as Arizona's HC on Jan.5, kicking off a search for Gannon's replacement that lasted nearly a month - - **NOTE: LaFleur is the sixth straight HC hired by the Cardinals who does not have permanent NFL head coaching experience (and it shows!), however, he does come to Arizona with a coaching pedigree and experience as an offensive playcaller: he spent the past three (3) seasons as the Rams OC and was the New York Jets OC from 2021-2022, however, LaFleur did not call the plays for the Rams, as it was under the guidance of HC Sean McVay - - **NOTE: Oh, and in terms of that coaching pedigree, LaFleur's older brother is Matt, the HC for the Green Bay Packers - - He has a deep familiarity with the NFC West division, after having spent three (3) seasons in Los Angeles and four (4) seasons - 2017 to 2020 - with the San Francisco 49ers - - LaFleur inherits a Cardinals' team that finished 3-14 last season, owns the third (3rd) pick in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, and has a question mark at the QB position - as it is unknown whether Kyler Murray, Arizona's incumbent starter, will remain on the team for the 2026 season despite having $39.8 million already guaranteed - - He will be leading a team whose offense dropped off significantly in 2025 to become the 19th-ranked unit in the league, a year after being ranked 11th, whereas the Cardinals' defense ranked 27th (out of 32) last year after being 21st in 2024. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Arizona Cardinals hiring of Rams OC Mike LaFleur as their new HC and Jonathan Gannon's replacement? Does the Arizona Cardinals franchise put forth much faith in their coaching staff to succeed? - - "Super Bowl LX Preview Special:" In this particular discussion segment, JD & Spencer will preview, analyze, breakdown, provide their individual (and independent) predictions for the upcoming Super Bowl that is scheduled to occur in Santa Clara (CA) on Sunday, Feb. 8. . . Super Bowl LX: Seattle Seahawks (-4.5) vs. New England Patriots        O/U46.5 (I) Introduction: The New England Patriots (17-3) and the Seattle Seahawks (16-3) will meet in Super Bowl LX on Sunday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara - - **NOTE: It will mark the first Super Bowl since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger between two teams that each ranked in the top four (4) in scoring offense and scoring defense during the NFL regular season. . . (II) Historical Context: The Patriots will make their 12th Super Bowl appearance, the most of any NFL franchise - - On Sunday, New England can become the first team to win seven (7) Super Bowls and surpass the San Francisco 49ers (40 postseason wins) for the most wins by a franchise in NFL history. . .Meanwhile, the Seahawks, who will appear in the Super Bowl for the fourth time, can secure their second Super Bowl victory in franchise history, having won Super Bowl XLVIII following the 2013 season (Seattle 43, Denver 8) - - **NOTE: New England and Seattle are the 10th pair of teams to meet in multiple Super Bowls, previously facing off in Super Bowl XLIX in Arizona following the 2014 season (Patriots 28, Seahawks 24) - - Super Bowl LX marks the 32nd consecutive season to feature a different Super Bowl matchup than the prior season - - New England can become the third team since the 2002 realignment to win the Super Bowl the season after finishing last in their division, joining the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles and the 2009 New Orleans Saints: After finishing with a 4-13 record in 2024, the Patriots are the fifth team to appear in the Super Bowl the season after winning fewer than five (5) games - - With New England and Seattle both advancing to Super Bowl LX, at least one team has advanced to the Super Bowl the season after missing the playoffs in six (6) of the past 10 seasons (2016-25). . . (III) Coaching Staff: With Mike Vrabel in his first season as the Patriots HC, and Mike Macdonald, hired by the Seahawks in 2024, Super Bowl LX will mark the fourth Super Bowl ever between HCs, each within their first two seasons with a team - - **NOTE: Macdonald, who will be 38 years and 227 days old on Super Bowl Sunday, can become the third-youngest HC to win the Super Bowl, trailing only Sean McVay (36 years, 20 days in Super Bowl LVI) & Mike Tomlin (36 year, 323 days in Super Bowl XLIII) - and he can also become the first HC under the age of 40 to win 17 games in a season, including the playoffs, in NFL history - - Mike Vrabel, on the other hand, can become the first HC in NFL history to win a Super Bowl both as a player and as a coach with the same NFL franchise. . . (IV) "The QBs:" New England QB Drake Maye, at 23 years and 162 days old, can become the youngest starting QB ever to win a Super Bowl, surpassing Ben Roethlisberger (23 years and 340 days old in Super Bowl XL) - - **NOTE: Maye can become the fifth QB ever to win a Super Bowl in his first or second season, joining Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, and Russell Wilson - - Seattle QB Sam Darnold can become the fourth QB ever to win a Super Bowl in his first season with a team, joining Tom Brady (Super Bowl LV with Tampa Bay), Trent Dilfer (Super Bowl XXXV with Baltimore), and Matthew Stafford (Super Bowl LVI with Los Angeles). . . (V) "The X-Factor?" Seattle WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba can become the fourth player to lead the NFL in receiving yards during the regular season & win the Super Bowl in the same year, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Drew Pearson (1977) and Jerry Rice (1989 & 1994) as well as Cooper Kupp (2021). . . (VI) Predictions: **Be Sure to Tune in for JD & Spencer's predictions for Super Bowl LX/Share Your Super Bowl LX Picks & Predictions with us via Twitter/X - @TraditionFinest or Send Us a Message to [email protected]!!. . . Q1: Which team will win the Coin Toss?. . . Q2: Who will win Super Bowl LX: the New England Patriots or the Seattle Seahawks?. . . Q3: What is your prediction for the halftime score of Super Bowl LX?. . . Q4: What is your prediction for the final score of Super Bowl LX?. . . Q5: Which player will be named Super Bowl MVP?. . . Q6: What color Gatorade will be dumped on the winning team's HC?. - NBA - - "Reservations for the King:" For a 22nd straight year, LeBron James is an All-Star. . .The NBA announced its reserves for the Feb.15 All-Star Game Sunday night on NBC prior to James & the Los Angeles Lakers faced off against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden - - Voting was conducted by the league's coaches over the past week - - **NOTE: James, 41, was the last player announced, as the league's oldest player extended his record for both overall and consecutive selections by another season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on LeBron James being named a reserve for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?. . .Countdown to the NBA Trade Deadline: The Cleveland Cavaliers traded De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Dennis Schroder & Keon Ellis, the team announced on Sunday - - The three-team deal included the Chicago Bulls acquiring Kings forward Dario Saric and two future second-round picks - - The Memphis Grizzlies are trading for star forward Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar, Jock Landale, and Vince Williams Jr. to the Utah Jazz for Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang & three future first-round draft picks, sources reported to ESPN on Tuesday afternoon - - The Boston Celtics have acquired center Nikola Vucevic in a trade with the Chicago Bulls, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania, adding some much-needed help to their frontcourt, and Boston will trade guard Anfernee Simons and a second-round draft pick to Chicago, sources told Charania. . ."The 'Land of Beard:" The Los Angeles Clippers are trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday evening - - In an eight-team NBA trade, the Dallas Mavericks are trading 10-time NBA All-Star center Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell and Dante Exum to the Washington Wizards for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, 2 first-round picks and 3 second-rounders, sources tell ESPN's Shams Charania on Wednesday – Washington is the fourth NBA franchise for Davis throughout his NBA career: Dallas is receiving a 2026 Thunder first-round pick and a 2030 protected Warriors first-round pick in this deal from the Wizards along with second rounders in 2026 (Phoenix), 2027 (Chicago) and 2029 (Houston), sources tell ESPN. . .The Philadelphia 76ers are trading guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2026 Rockets first-round pick and three second-round picks, sources informed ESPN on Wednesday afternoon. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 120 - "The Immaculate Reception Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: In the first part of this particular segment, JD & Spencer discuss & analyze a few of the most notable games from Week 13 of the NCAA College Basketball season, that has occurred within the past week, beginning with a Big 12 Conference matchup between the unanimous No.1 team in this week's AP Top 25 Poll for a fifth straight week, the Arizona Wildcats, and the No.13 BYU Cougars: Guard Brayden Burries scored 29 points and made a game-saving block in the final seconds as top-ranked Arizona remained undefeated by holding off a furious rally from No.13 BYU for an 86-83 victory on Monday night - - PG Jaden Bradley added 26 points for the Wildcats (21-0, 8-0 Big 12), who has now matched the best start in program history - - Fellow freshman AJ Dybantsa led the Cougars (17-3, 5-2 Big 12) with 24 points but struggled, shooting 25% from the field and 1-of-8 from the 3-point line, while guards Richie Saunders & Kennard Davis Jr., contributed 18 and 17 points, respectively - - After trailing by 19 points midway through the second half, the Cougars were able to trim the deficit to one with a 12-2 run that began with just more than a minute left - as forward Keba Keita's putback dunk pulled the Cougars to within 84-83 with just 16 seconds remaining in regulation - and after which, the Cougars would force a turnover on the ensuing inbounds play: On the next play, BYU guard Robert Wright III drove toward the rim and wriggled free for what appeared to be a good look at the basket, but Wildcats guard Brayden Burries said "Nah!" - - Burries came flying over from the weak side to block Wright's shot from behind, and the freshman guard was able to grab the loose ball & converted two free throws prior to BYU missing on a long heave at the buzzer - - Burries finished the game 13-of-15 at the foul line, and added five rebounds, four assists & three steals for the Wildcats, who handed BYU its first home loss despite the Cougars finishing the game shooting 50% from long distance after the halftime break. . .Q: What are your thoughts on this Arizona Wildcat basketball team? What's it going to take for a team to pull off the upset over Tommy Lloyd's squad?. . ."Purdue University is Really Going Through it:"No.12 Purdue Boilermakers at Indiana Hoosiers - - Guard(s) Lamar Wilkerson had 19 points, Nick Dorn had 18, and Conor Enright scored five of his eight points in the final 1:11 to help Indiana complete the upset over No.12 Purdue 72-67 on Tuesday night - - The Hoosiers (14-7, 5-5 Big Ten) have now won two consecutive games, and this is, to date, the most impressive win under HC Darian DeVries - and it came in his first matchup against Indiana's bitter in-state rival - and on the same night that college football's new national champions, were honored during a pre-game ceremony, on the same court where Hoosiers football coach Curt Cignetti once proclaimed "Purdue sucks," - - **NOTE: Following their win on Tuesday night, the Hoosiers have defeated ranked Boilermakers teams in four of their last five matchups at home - - F/C Trey Kaufman-Renn led the Boilermakers (17-4, 7-3 Big Ten) with 23 points and senior guard Braden Smith added 14 points, five rebounds & five assists, but it just wasn't enough for Purdue to avoid extending their losing streak to a season-worst three games - - Purdue did not look like itself: Indiana negated the Boilermakers' perceived advantage in the post, outrebounding them 33-28 while only being outscored 24-18 in the paint, in a game that had all the elements of a rivalry. . .No.5 Nebraska Cornhuskers at No.3 Michigan Wolverines - - Guard Trey McKenney made a tiebreaking layup with 1:07 remaining as No.3 Michigan rallied past No.5 Nebraska 75-72 on Tuesday night to hand the Cornhuskers their first loss of the season (20-1, 9-1 Big Ten): Forward Morez Johnson Jr. had 17 points & 12 rebounds for the Wolverines (19-1, 9-1 Big Ten), who trailed for more than 36 minutes prior to holding Nebraska scoreless over the final 3:20 in regulation: Guard Jamarques Lawrence missed a 3-pointer with 4 seconds remaining for the short-handed Cornhuskers, and guard Sam Hoiberg missed on a jumper just before the buzzer, as Nebraska played this game without F Rienk Mast (illness) and F Braden Frager (sprained ankle), who missed his second consecutive game - - **NOTE: Nebraska had won 24 straight games dating back to last season, including four victories in the inaugural College Basketball Crown Tournament in Las Vegas last April - - McKenney had 11 points off the bench for the Wolverines, while forwards Yaxel Lendeborg & Aday Mara both scored 10 points apiece, whereas the Huskers' Lawrence scored 16 of his 20 points in the opening 10 minutes of the game, and Pryce Sandfort also finished with 20 points for Nebraska, while Sam Hoiberg finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists & four steals - - Following the Cornhuskers' loss to Michigan on Tuesday night, there are only two unbeaten teams remaining in D-1 College Basketball: No.1 Arizona & No.24 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks. . .Q: At the halfway point of the NCAA College Basketball season, what team do you expect to win what is currently a "wide-open" Big Ten Conference title race?. . . - NCAA College Football: In this week's "Tradition's Finest Top College Football Games of 2025," (aka Season Close-Out) segment, JD & Spencer discuss the current state of college football - both on & off the field - as well as the ramifications if some type of regulation is not introduced to the sport rather sooner than later - - The 2025 College Football season offered us: epic upsets, dynamite playoff games, iconic plays (i.e., you probably know exactly what we're referring to if we mention "Cooper's Catch," or the "Chambliss' Scramble," or "Mendoza's Leap,"), and our first incredible national title game in eight years. .and for that, we are forever grateful! - - In this particular segment, JD & Spencer provide detailed analysis for a few of the most memorable and/or our favorite CFB games from the 2025 college football season (**Let us know your thoughts on the game(s) discussed within this episode, as well as 'honorable mentions,' that were not discussed - feel free to reach out to us via X/Twitter - @TraditionsFinest and/or send us a message to [email protected]!!). . .The College Football Playoff will remain a 12-team field next season (2026), the CFP's management committee announced last Friday afternoon - - The decision gives the CFP and Conference commissioners additional time to consider the playoff's expansion to possibly a 16- or 24-team format in the future, a move all sides of the discussion could not agree on at this time, with the biggest contention existing between the Big Ten and SEC Conference(s) on the immediate direction of the playoff: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has publicly supported a 16-team model, but Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti would agree to this particular model only if Sankey committed to a 24-team field after three years, sources told ESPN, however, multiple sources have stated that this is not something that Sankey was necessarily ready to commit too at this time - - This stalemate between the Big Ten and SEC Conferences, which has existed for months, will continue to be a topic of interest as it is believed by many, that, if Petitti can convince Sankey to agree to a 16-team model (and a 24-team model three years later), it's likely that Conference Championship games are out the window. . .Q: What are your thoughts on next year's College Football Playoff retaining the 12-team (or most current) format? Do you expect the SEC and Big Ten Conferences to end this stalemate regarding the structure of the playoff field?. . ."Do Not Tamper with Tigers:" Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney lambasted Ole Miss HC Pete Golding for allegedly making direct, repeated overtures to lure LB Luke Ferrelli into the NCAA transfer portal after he had already signed a contract & enrolled in classes at Clemson University, calling it a "straightforward case of tampering," and imploring his coaching colleagues to "be an example to young coaches in this profession and be people of integrity or shut your mouth and don't complain," - - Ferrelli, one of the country's top freshman defenders in 2025 at Cal, entered the portal in January, and Swinney detailed a two-week process that followed in which Ferrelli visited Ole Miss and Clemson, agreed to a revenue-sharing contract with the Tigers, rented an apartment, purchased a car, enrolled in & attended classes at the University, and begun offseason workouts there - - Poor Dabo, it seems as though, he did not receive the memo that explained that the NCAA does not penalize programs for "tampering," with athletes, who have already committed & signed with another program: this modern version of college sports is set up much like an Auction, with the player being purchased by the highest bidder. . .Q: What specific guardrails should the NCAA implement to prevent this type of blatant tampering from occurring throughout college sports, most notably college football?. . .Ohio State is finalizing a deal to make former Pittsburgh Steelers playcaller Arthur Smith it's OC, a source informed ESPN's Adam Schefter on Saturday - - Smith will replace Brian Hartline, who was recently named the HC at the University of South Florida (USF) - - Smith spent the past two seasons with the Steelers under HC Mike Tomlin, and prior to that, he was the HC for the Atlanta Falcons, compiling a record of 21-30 over three seasons, and he also held stints at the University of Georgia as well as Southern Miss - - This past season, under Smith, the Steelers ranked 15th in the NFL averaging 23.4 points per game, and while he will transition back to the college ranks, in Columbus, he will have one of the top returning offensive trios in the country at his disposal: QB Julian Sayin (a 2025 Heisman Trophy finalist), RB Bo Jackson (1,090 rushing yards in 2025 as a freshman), and WR Jeremiah Smith, who is a two-time All-American heading into his junior season. . .Q: What overall grade would you give to Ohio State's hire of former Steelers OC Arthur Smith to serve in the same role?. . ."A Settlement with the Devil[s]:" Darian Mensah and Duke University recently agreed to a settlement of their dispute that would clear the way for the QB to transfer to another program, his agency announced on Tuesday - - While playing for Duke, Mensah, who will have two more years of eligibility remaining, led the ACC Conference last season with 3,973 passing yards & 34 passing TDs, while also leading the Blue Devils to their first outright ACC title since 1962 - - Duke's leading WR, Cooper Barkate, also opted to enter the NCAA transfer portal at the Jan. 16 transfer portal window deadline: Barkate, who ranked second in the ACC Conference with 1,106 receiving yards & seven TDs in 2025, appeared to follow in Mensah's footsteps - - **UPDATE: Duke transfer QB Darian Mensah & WR Cooper Barkate have both committed to Miami, per On3's Pete Nakos on Tuesday evening - - as Mensah becomes the 3rd consecutive QB Mario Cristobal & the Hurricanes have signed in the previous three transfer portal cycles, as the program has landed arguably the top QB available in the transfer portal. . .Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how shocked are you by the most recent development that QB Darian Mensah has committed to the University of Miami?. . . - NFL - - AFC & NFC Conference Championship Review & Analysis + 2026 NFL Honors The NFL Coaching Carousel Continues to Spin. . . **Be Sure to Tune In for This Week's NFL discussion. . . - NBA - - "Chicago's Rose" & "Bucks No More" subject topics. . .**Tune in!! - Miscellaneous - - A former Canadians Olympic snowboarder, Ryan Wedding, pled not guilty to running a billion-dollar drug trafficking ring, orchestrating multiple killings (retaliation & a witness), and conspiring to distribute cocaine and other crimes in a U.S. federal court on Monday after being extradited to the U.S. from Mexico - - Authorities say Wedding moved as much as 60 tons of coacine between Colombia, Mexico, Canada & Southern California (U.S.) & believe he was working under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico's most powerful drug rings - - His drug trafficking group was the largest supplier of cocaine to Canada, according to a 2024 indictment in his home country, where he faces separate drug charges dating back to 2015. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 119 - The inVINCEible Bowl Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: It has been our intention to discuss and/or cover NCAA Men's College Basketball in some capacity since the beginning of the 2025-26 College Basketball season, however, and due to multiple factors, we have not dove into the sport near as much as we preferred. . .But, do we have some fantastic news for you Round-ball fans, this week's episode features a discussion and/or Week 11 update; such topics as the following are discussed in this particular segment: (I) the dominance of the Arizona Wildcats (18-0) & being ranked the unanimous No.1 team in Monday's AP Top 25 poll for the first time in program history, receiving all 61 votes, just a week after picking up all but one first-place votes (60); (II) the rise & fall of the Iowa State Cyclones; (III) a few other notable programs that are making waves thru Week 11 of the regular season (i.e., No.7 Nebraska (18-0), No.24 Saint Louis (17-1) & No.25 Miami (Ohio)); (IV) the "Rising/Falling" programs of the AP Top 25 (i.e., No.18 Clemson - ⬆️ four spots; No.12 Texas Tech - ⬆️ three spots; No.22 North Carolina - ⬇️ eight spots after losses last week to Stanford & Cal; No.9 Iowa State ⬇️ seven spots after losses to unranked Kansas & Cincinnati; No.15 Vanderbilt - ⬇️ five spots after losses to Texas & No.16 Florida); and (V) those programs that are "In & Out" of this week's updated poll rankings - A "Welcome Back" to No.19 Kansas, First Timers Saint Louis & Miami (Ohio) & So Long Goodbye to Tennessee (⬇️ from No.24 after blowing a 17-point lead versus Kentucky last week; Utah State (⬇️ from No.23 after suffering loss on the road to Grand Canyon); and Seton Hall (⬇️ from No.25 after suffering back-to-back losses to UConn and Butler). . .In a case that could potentially reshape college basketball & college sports in general, former Alabama standout/center Charles Bediako - who entered the 2023 NBA Draft and he went on to sign a two-way NBA contract with the San Antonio Spurs later that same year - has been granted a temporary restraining order (or a TRO) to return to the team and college basketball immediately, a Tuscaloosa County (AL) judge ruled early Wednesday morning — Bediako, who has played in the G-League for the previous two seasons, went undrafted & never appeared in an NBA game after he played on two NCAA Tournament teams while enrolled at the University of Alabama (i.e., 2020-21 & 2022-23), filed a lawsuit to sue the NCAA a day prior after it denied the school's appeal to allow him to return to the sport, citing the similar situation with James Nnaji & Baylor University — **NOTE: This is the first time a player who entered an NBA draft and signed a contract after playing college basketball has been given the chance to return to Division I college basketball. . .and it's reception has been met with much controversy and speculation — The Tuscaloosa Co. (AL) judge's monumental ruling was made just hours after NCAA President Charlie Baker reiterated that Bediako and other players who have signed NBA contracts would not be granted eligibility to play college basketball — Based on the NCAA's five-year window, Bediako can join the Nate Oats & the Crimson Tide for the rest of the regular season - depending on what happens at his next hearing - before his eligibility is exhausted — Bediako will join a Crimson Tide basketball team as it wades through its' defensive struggles (i.e., currently ranks 67th in adjusted defensive efficiency) as Alabama is scheduled to face off against the Tennessee Volunteers in Tuscaloosa on Saturday - and the question on everyone's mind: Will Charles Bediako suit up for the Crimson Tide on Saturday at Coleman Coliseum. . .Q: What do you think: Is there a chance that Charles Bediako will actually see the court against Tennessee on Saturday? Or at any point throughout the remainder of the 2025-26 NCAA college basketball regular season?. . . - NCAA College Football: It should come as little surprise that DI college football is experiencing similar issues as that of college basketball. . .Let's discuss the situation and controversy surrounding Duke QB Darian Mensah: While approximately 4,500 college football players were just waiting around for the NCAA transfer portal to open where they could make their entry & state their claim at a new program the following season, QB Darian Mensah, who led the ACC Conference in passing yards (3,973) this season as well as led the Duke Blue Devils to play the role of CFP spoiler after defeating the Virginia Cavaliers in the ACC Conference Championship Game, had made the decision on Dec. 19th to return for the Blue Devils as a redshirt junior next season after exploring the possibility of entering the 2026 NFL Draft (he was rated as the No.5 QB on Mel Kiper Jr.'s QB ranking board for the 2026 NFL Draft prior to his decision) — Fast forward to Friday, Jan.16th (2026), Duke QB Darian Mensah, who has two years of eligibility remaining after playing for Tulane prior to his one season at Duke, had changed his mind, and decided to submit his request for transfer paperwork, ahead of the 12:00 p.m. ET deadline for FBS and FCS players to enter the NCAA transfer portal. . .Tampering, much?. . .Miami looms as the expected favorite to land Mensah when he officially becomes available - as the Hurricanes have signed transfer QBs in consecutive seasons (i.e., Cam Ward & Carson Beck) - and did not land a QB out of the two-week transfer portal window that opened on Jan. 2nd -- Per On3, Duke has filed a lawsuit, thus suing Darian Mensah, claiming that he breached a multiyear NIL contract that was scheduled to end on Dec. 31st, 2026, and furthermore, Mensah is permitted to enter the transfer portal, but he can't enroll or play college football for another program prior to the Durham (N.C.) County judge rules on Duke's request for an injunction that would prevent him from leaving. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the multiple reports that Darian Mensah "changed his mind," thus making the decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal after committing to return to Duke next season? Do you suspect that there are any programs out there tampering with the Duke QB? Is there a legit possibility that QB Darian Mensah is forced to sit out the entire 2026-27 NCAA college football season after attempting to breach his contract with Duke University? . .2026 NCAA College Football Playoff National Championship Game Review: To understand just how improbable the Indiana Hoosiers' 16-0 "perfect" season was punctuated by its' gritty 27-21 win against the Miami Hurricanes on Monday night in front of a crowd of 67,000-plus fans, with the majority clad in cream & crimson, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, a somewhat brief history lesson is required: **NOTE: The University of Indiana college football program had lost 715 games, now the second-most in FBS history, just one behind Northwestern - - but with one thrilling victory in Monday night's College Football Playoff National Championship - a seesaw game that went down to the wire, with the Hoosiers ultimately leaving Miami with no doubt: they are the 'top dogs' of college football, and they accomplished that feat by completing one of the most remarkable two-year turnarounds in the history of the sport — Though there is sure to be much debate as to where this 2026 Indiana Hoosiers team stacks up against the sport's elite, including the 2021 Miami Hurricanes, 2019 LSU Tigers & 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide, the simple fact is this: Nothing like this has ever been done before. . .and by "this," we mean a HC lead a program once considered the "armpit of college football," to the promise land with unheralded recruits, many of which transferred to Indiana along with their head coach, Curt Cignetti. . .Q: Where does this 2026 Indiana Hoosiers team stack up against the rest of the pack for the 'GOAT' of D-I college football? — The Hoosiers' Heisman Trophy-winning QB, Fernando Mendoza - who will most likely and is projected to become the No.1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft - led Indiana to a national championship. . .and he did so by willing himself 12 yards into the end zone on a pivotal 4th-and-4 play with 9:18 remaining to give the Hoosiers a 24-14 lead over the Hurricanes — Mendoza, who completed 16 of 27 passing for 186 yards with no passing TDs or INTs, lowered his pads into a defender, spun in a full circle, used his hand to maintain his balance, then launched himself horizontally and reached the ball over the goal line - an Indiana TD and a ready-made poster for a CFP national title run straight from a major motion picture. . .**NOTE: Prior to Mendoza, the last college football player to win the Heisman Trophy and a national championship in the same season was Alabama WR DeVonta Smith in 2020 — and yet Indiana's 12-play, 75-yard drive ended with a jaw-dropping fourth-down rushing TD by a Hoosier, who grew up in Miami, that was never recruited by the 'Canes. . ."A Legend in the Making:" Indiana HC Curt Cignetti now has an FBS-best 27-2 overall record over the past two seasons after the Hoosiers went 9-27 in its final three seasons prior to Cignetti being hired — He has led the Hoosiers to their first two 10-win seasons in program history - as Indiana joined the 1984 Yale University football team as the only two programs in major college football history to finish a season with a 16-0 record — In such a tight game, Cignetti & the Hoosiers needed more than another Omar Cooper last-second TD or Heisman moment from Mendoza to pull off this gritty win: With 44 seconds left in regulation, and on the last play of Miami QB Carson Beck's collegiate career, he threw a deep ball down the left sideline & into double coverage, and it was intercepted by Indiana's Jamari Sharpe, stifling the 'Canes final attempt at a comeback & sealing Indiana's 27-21 win in the National Championship Game on Monday night - Beck finished the game with 232 yards passing & one TD in his final college game — With 5:04 left in the 3rd QTR, Indiana DL Mikail Kamara made a massive play on special teams: he blocked a Miami punt with his left hand and LB Isiah Jones recovered the ball in the end zone for a TD, giving the Hoosiers a 17-7 lead at the time — The Hoosiers entered Monday night's game having outscored opponents by 473 points this season, but the Miami Hurricanes proved that "The U" is back: With 6:37 left, the Hurricanes closed the gap to 24-21 with an eight-play, 91-yard drive that ended with a 22-yard TD pass from Beck to star WR Malachi Toney - - Miami RB Mark Fletcher Jr. also played a great game, as he scored on a 57-yard rushing TD with 11:06 left in the 3rd QTR, which at the moment closed the gap to 10-7 — Miami's defense, led by DE Rueben Bain Jr., was aggressive early, applying much pressure on QB Fernando Mendoza, and forcing him to escape the pocket, and even laying a hit on him that led to a bloody lip - - There was one call that changed this game early as Bain made one critical mistake when he jumped offside on a critical 3rd-and-13 situation at midfield in the 2nd QTR - and on the following play, Indiana RB Kaelon Black rushed up the middle for a 20-yard gain & a first down at the Miami 23-yard line -- **NOTE: The 'Canes entered Monday night averaging seven (7) penalties accepted against them per game, which ranked 104th in the FBS - - For all of the attention surrounding Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, the Hoosiers defense was equally as impressive in the first half, holding Miami to a total of 69 yards, the fewest by a team in the first half of a CFP championship game - and meanwhile, Miami's offense at times struggled to move the ball a yard, as the 'Canes offensive line, which had a size advantage of 53 lbs per player, was being outplayed, and QB Carson Beck became visibly frustrated by the harassing Indiana defense, until they converted on a 4th-and-1 play - - **NOTE: Indiana's win was also a major victory for the Big Ten Conference, as it was the first time since 1940-42, that teams from the conference won three straight national titles. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Indiana Hoosiers finishing the 2025-26 season with a perfect 16-0 record, and winning a national championship? Despite the tough loss, is it safe to say that "The U" is officially back?. . . - 2026 College Football Transfer Portal Tracker: In this particular segment, JD and Spencer discuss many of the notable transfer(s) that occurred throughout two-week portal window; the following players are mentioned in this episode (**Tune in for more details!) Oklahoma/NC State RB Hollywood Smothers --> Alabama --> _________________ Auburn WR Cam Coleman --> __________________ Auburn QB Deuce Knight --> __________________ Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola --> __________________ Miami/Alabama WR Isaiah "Zay" Horton --> _________________ Texas RB Cedric Baxter Jr. --> _______________________ Alabama/Tulane WR Shazz Preston --> _____________________ Alabama EDGE Keon Keeley --> _______________________ NC State WR Noah Rogers --> ________________________ Alabama DL James Smith + EDGE Qua Russaw --> _______________________ Auburn WR Malcolm Simmons --> __________________________ Alabama/Michigan RB Justice Haynes --> _______________________ Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt --> __________________________ LSU/Auburn/Texas State/Tulane/Western Kentucky/Georgia State QB TJ Finley --> _________________ (**NOTE: No, this not a joke, Finley is transferring to his seventh program of his collegiate career). . .Q: What are your thoughts on TJ Finley transferring to a record seventh program?. . . Penn State/Missouri QB Beau Pribula --> ______________________ USC QB Husan Longstreet --> _______________________ Ole Miss EDGE Princewill Umanmielen --> _____________________ - NFL - - 2026 NFL Divisional Playoffs Round Review/Breakdown: In this week's NFL Playoffs Round Review, JD and Spencer will analyze, review & breakdown each of the following divisional round games below - as well as discuss the major storylines surrounding each game: AFC Divisional Playoff Game #1: No.6 Buffalo Bills at No.1 Denver Broncos (**Controversial officiating?/Broncos suffer enormous loss). . . NFC Divisional Playoff Game #1: No.6 San Francisco 49ers at No.1 Seattle Seahawks (**Seahawks lose their leading TD scorer). . . AFC Divisional Playoff Game #2: No.5 Houston Texans at No.2 New England Patriots (**Eight (8) combined turnovers - the most in a playoff game since 2015). . . NFC Divisional Playoff Game #2: No.5 Los Angeles Rams at No.2 Chicago Bears (**QB Caleb Williams' unbelievable TD pass at the end of regulation/QB Matthew Stafford, the NFL MVP?). . . - 2026 NFL Playoffs Conference Championship Round Preview & Predictions: In this segment, JD and Spencer preview both the AFC & NFC Conference Championship game(s) from this upcoming weekend; they also provide their individual, independent predictions for each of the following games: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!! AFC Championship Game: No.2 New England Patriots (14-3) at No.1 Denver Broncos (14-3) O/U41.5 NFC Championship Game: No.5 Los Angeles Rams (12-5) at No.1 Seattle Seahawks (14-3) O/U47.5 - NFL (cont'd) - - Following the New York Giants' grab of former Baltimore Ravens HC John Harbaugh, the second hire of the current NFL coaching cycle is official: The Atlanta Falcons hired former Cleveland Browns HC Kevin Stefanski as their next HC in Matt Ryan's first move as the team's President, the team announced Saturday night -- The Browns fired Stefanski after six seasons with the team, finishing with an overall record of 46-58, and he also led the Browns to two playoff appearances & earned two NFL Coach of the Year Awards -- **NOTE: Atlanta has not had a winning season since 2017, finishing 10-6 that year and being eliminated in the divisional round of the playoffs -- Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski will keep incumbent DC Jeff Ulbrich in his role, the team announced Monday. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Falcons' hire of former Browns HC Kevin Stefanski as well as his decision to retain DC Jeff Ulbrich?. . .The Miami Dolphins have hired Green Bay Packers DC Jeff Hafley as their next HC, it was announced on Monday night -- Hafley was signed to a five-year contract with the Dolphins after spending the previous two seasons as the Packers' DC, during which Green Bay ranked 9th in yards allowed per game, 6th in yards per play and 8th in points allowed per game -- Hafley was also the head coach at Boston College, where he went 22-26 in four seasons -- **NOTE: The Dolphins have not won a playoff game in 25 seasons, the longest such drought in the NFL, and Jeff Hafley, 46, is the 8th straight HC hired by Miami who had no previous NFL head coaching experience, according to ESPN Research. . .The Tennessee Titans are hiring San Francisco 49ers DC Robert Saleh as their next HC, sources confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday night -- In his second stint as a head coach after serving as the New York Jets HC from 2021 to 2024, Saleh is set to become the 20th HC in Oilers/Titans history and the seventh since the team moved/relocated to Nashville in 1997 -- **NOTE: The Titans have not made the playoffs since 2021 when they were the AFC's top seed and lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round under former HC Mike Vrabel. . . - NBA - - "King James Aversion:"The NBA announced its starters for next month's All-Star Game on Monday - and, for the first time in a generation, Los Angeles Lakers star F LeBron James was not listed among them -- Per The Bleacher Report, for the first time in 21 years, James was NOT voted as an All-Star Game starter -- **Tune in for more details regarding the starters. . .Golden State Warriors G/F Jimmy Butler suffered a season-ending torn right ACL in Monday night's 135-112 win over the Miami Heat, his agent told ESPN, effectively throwing the future direction of the franchise into question -- The injury comes as the surging Warriors (25-19) have won 12 of their past 16 games, beginning a climb back up the standings due in part to Butler's performance this season. . .Q: Will Jimmy Butler return to the Golden State Warriors next season or play elsewhere?. . . - MLB - - The CF roster of the Baseball Hall of Fame grew deeper Tuesday with the announcement that Carlos Beltran & Andruw Jones were selected for induction -- Beltran was elected in his fourth year of eligibility after being named on 84.2% of the BBWAA ballots, easily clearing the 75% threshold for enshrinement, while Jones was named on 78.4% of the ballots, just clearing the bar to earn election in his ninth and second-to-last year of eligibility -- Beltran & Jones join Jeff Kent, who was elected back in December 2025 in the contemporary era committee voting, in the HOF Class of 2026 -- **NOTE: Beltran, a nine-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner, is one of four MLB players to reach 2,700 hits, 400 homers, 1,500 runs and 300 steals, joining Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, and Alex Rodriguez -- Jones, who finished his MLB career as a 10-time Gold Glove winner with 434 HRs, burst onto the scene in 2006, when at age 19 he homered in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series for the Atlanta Braves against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones being elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday?. . . Thanks for Listening!!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 118.5 - "The Heidi Game Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - 2025-26 NCAA College Football Playoff Quarterfinal/Semifinal Round Catchup & National Championship Game Preview & Predictions Segment: No.10 Miami Hurricanes vs. No.1 Indiana Hoosiers (-8.5) O/U47.5 - "NFL > NIL:" Massive NIL offers from others schools couldn't delay QB Ty Simpson's NFL dreams, he told ON3 on Tuesday evening - Per multiple reports, Simpson rejected millions in NIL deals from programs, such as Tennessee & Ole Miss - who were offering an NIL deal worth $4M - as well as Miami, who upped the NIL offer to approximately $6.5M. . ."Everybody would just remember me as the guy who took all this money and went to Miami or Tennessee for his last year. But I was a captain [at Alabama]. I put my hand and footprints in the cement at Denny Chimes. I would have lost everything that I built at Alabama," per Ty Simpson on his decision to reject the NIL deals to remain the 2026 NFL Draft. . .Q: Where are other "Ty Simpson's" of college football with this level of loyalty? What are your thoughts on Ty Simpson rejecting millions of dollars in NIL deals for the 2026 NFL Draft?. . .As Wednesday was the official deadline for underclassmen not playing in the College Football Playoff championship game to declare for the NFL Draft, a decision loomed over Oregon Ducks QB Dante Moore -- On Wednesday per ESPN's "SportsCenter," Moore announced his decision: he has decided to return to school for the 2026 season -- By going back to Oregon, Moore gave up a chance to make nearly $50 million in guaranteed money (i.e., 2025 No.2 pick Travis Hunter made $46.65 million fully guaranteed and that number projects to go up this year) -- By returning to Oregon, Moore gave up a chance to be one of the top overall picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, however, it's presumed that he will project near the top of a loaded QB class for 2027. . .Moore's return makes Oregon one of the favorites for the College Football national title in 2026-27 - - as the Ducks also retained multiple key pieces on the defensive line and a strong nucleus of young WRs & tailbacks -- In his first season as the Ducks' starter, Moore threw for 3,656 yards passing and 30 TDs for the Ducks, and he also completed 71.8% of his passes and threw just 10 INTs -- Moore's decision also comes after former Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola announced that he would be transferring to Oregon, and TE Kenyon Sadiq & safety Dillon Thieneman are a few Oregon players to have declared for the NFL Draft -- Raiold is expected to serve as Moore's backup QB for the 2026 season, after which point, he potentially could be named the Ducks' starter. . .QB: Do you believe that Dante Moore, 20, made the right decision to forgo the 2026 NFL Draft and return to the University of Oregon next season?. . . - NFL - - 2026 NFL Playoff Wild-Card Round Review: In the following segment, JD & Spencer provide in-depth analysis & breakdown each of the NFL Playoffs Wild-Card Round games from the past weekend as well as discuss many of the notable storylines surrounding each of the games; the following NFL games from the NFC and AFC are discussed within this segment: NFC Wild-Card Playoffs: No.5 Los Angeles Rams at No.4 Carolina Panthers No.7 Green Bay Packers at No.2 Chicago Bears No.6 San Francisco 49ers at No.3 Philadelphia Eagles AFC Wild-Card Playoffs: No.6 Buffalo Bills at No.3 Jacksonville Jaguars No.7 Los Angeles Chargers at No.2 New England Patriots No.5 Houston Texans at No.4 Pittsburgh Steelers - NFL (cont'd) - - "Mike T. Out, Mic Drop:" Mike Tomlin has stepped down as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, ending a 19-year run with the franchise -- Tomlin, who had two years remaining on his contract, informed Steelers' players of his decision to walk away at their 2 p.m. ET meeting Tuesday, one day after Pittsburgh was eliminated from the playoffs with a 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans in the AFC wild-card round -- Tomlin, 53, is not expected to coach elsewhere in 2026, sources informed ESPN's Adam Schefter -- Tomlin leaves Pittsburgh with the unprecedented accomplishment of never having a losing season in nearly two decades at the helm of the franchise -- he clinched his 200th career NFL victory in Week 16 against the Lions and tied Chuck Noll for ninth with 193 regular-season wins in a Week 18 victory against the Ravens that clinched the AFC North title -- At age 36, he led the Steelers to a victory in Super Bowl XLIII in his second season and, at the time, was the youngest HC to raise the Lombardi Trophy, and he returned to the Super Bowl a year later but fell to QB Aaron Rodgers' Green Bay Packers - and Tomlin never made it back in his final 15 seasons as HC. . .For all his accomplishments, Tomlin ended his historic tenure in Pittsburgh with an frustrating nine-year postseason victory drought -- Marked by improbable wins and hard-to-fathom losses, Tomlin's final season was a microcosm of his nearly two-decade tenure in Pittsburgh -- With Tomlin's departure, the Steelers will begin the search for just their fourth HC since 1969. . .**NOTE: Prior to his resignation, Tomlin was the longest-tenured HC of a single North American professional sports franchise -- Tomlin's record over 19 seasons with the Steelers: 193-114-2. . .Q: What are a few potential candidates that Art Rooney & the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise should consider to interview as Mike Tomlin's replacement?. . .John Harbaugh and the New York Giants have finalized an agreement to make him their next HC, reportedly signing a five-year deal worth approximately $100 million -- Harbaugh, 63, spent the past 18 seasons as HC of the Baltimore Ravens, going 180-113 and winning the Super Bowl before he was firest last week after missing out on the 2025 NFL Playoffs. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Giants' hire of John Harbaugh as their new HC?. . .2026 NFL Playoff Divisional Round Predictions: In this segment, JD & Spencer each give their indiviual & independent predictions for each of the following NFL Playoff Divisional Round games scheduled to occur this upcoming weekend: NFC Divisional Playoffs: No.6 San Francisco 49ers at No.1 Seattle Seahawks (-7) O/U44.5 No.5 Los Angeles Rams (-3.5) at No.2 Chicago Bears O/U48.5 AFC Divisional Playoffs: No.6 Buffalo Bills at No.1 Denver Broncos (-1.5) O/U45.5 No.5 Houston Texans at No.2 New England Patriots (-3) O/U40.5 - NBA - - "The Beard Riseth:" In his 17th season, James Harden passed Shaquille O'Neal for ninth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list - - as the LA Clippers guard made a three-pointer early in the 3rd QTR Monday night against the Charlotte Hornets at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA, pushing his career total to 28,598 points in his 1,187th regular-season game -- Shaq finished his NBA career with 28,596 points in 1,207 games played over 19 seasons - as Harden called it a "true honor," and a "testament to the work that I put in,"-- Harden faces a steep climb to the next spot: Wilt Chamberlain is eighth with 31,419 points, in just 1,045 games over a 14-year career, while LeBron James is the all-time leader with 42,601 points entering his game with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. . .Q: How many more seasons do you anticipate James "The Beard" Harden playing in the league beyond the 2025-26 NBA season? If he elected to play two to three seasons, do you think "The Beard" passes "Mr. 100" for 8th on the NBA's all-time scoring list?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 117 - "The A-Gap Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - "A Final Challenge:" Following the previous two scandals in Ann Arbor, most recently, a scandal that would embroil the Wolverines athletic department, and eventually lead to Sherrone Moore being fired after just two seasons with the program, the University of Michigan needed a stabilizing force to help bring both its embattled football program & the athletic department back to a level of respectability among its peers - - And when looking around the market, there were very few obvious prospects available: Alabama's Kalen DeBoer & Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham both publicly announced they were returning, while Louisville's Jeff Brohm was not seriously involved in the process, according to multiple sources - and several others, such as Vanderbilt's Clark Lea & BYU's Kalani Sitake, signed long-term extensions prior to Michigan's head coaching vacancy - - On Friday, Michigan took the first step in doing so: By hiring future Hall of Famer Kyle Whittingham as the program's 22nd head football coach - - Whittingham, 66, is one of the most successful coaches of this era: Whittingham has a 177-88 career record, two Pac-12 Conference titles & a Mountain West crown as the HC at the University of Utah, where he had spent the last 21 seasons - - Per ESPN's Pete Thamel & Dan Wetzel, Whittingham's deal, which is reportedly 75% guaranteed, is comprised of a five-year deal with an average salary of $8.2 million per year - - Beyond his accomplishments, and perhaps most important, Whittingham has maintained a spotless reputation throughout his standout career, with his teams featuring very few (if any) scandals, and a strong team culture - - Now, at Michigan, Whittingham will have more resources to win than in any other moment in his legendary career - - Granted, Whittingham's age is a considerable topic of conversation as it should be, but there is very little debate that this hire was a short-term decision - - Whittingham informed his Utah team on Friday that he will not coach the team in their upcoming SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska on New Year's Eve, and Utah AD Mark Harlan relieved Whittingham of his duties, to allow him to travel to Orlando, FL, to get to work as the HC for the Michigan Wolverines. . .**NOTE: The No.18 Michigan Wolverines are scheduled to face off against the No.13 Texas Longhorns in Orlando on New Year's Eve in the 2026 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl - - However, three of the last four HCs at Michigan failed to make it through four full seasons - - Q: What are your thoughts on Michigan's hiring of former Utah HC Kyle Whittingham as the Wolverines' 22nd head football coach? Do you believe that Kyle Whittingham can lead Michigan to another national title?. . . NCAA College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Round Preview & Analysis: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & provide a thorough breakdown/analysis from the four matchups from the Quarterfinal Round of the 2025 College Football Playoff - - Be sure to tune in for an brief discussion of the following CFP second round game(s): Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: No.10 Miami Hurricanes vs. No.2 Ohio State Buckeyes (-9.5)         O/U42.5 Capital One Orange Bowl: No.5 Oregon Ducks (-2.5) vs. No.4 Texas Tech Red Raiders          O/U52.5 Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential: No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. No.1 Indiana Hoosiers (-7)      O/U47.5 Allstate Sugar Bowl: No.6 Ole Miss Rebels vs. No.3 Georgia Bulldogs (-6.5)                 O/U55.5 - NCAA College Football Bowl Week #4 Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Bowl Week #4 preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following matchups from the fourth week of the college football bowl season - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]! ReliaQuest Bowl: No.23 Iowa vs. No.14 Vanderbilt(-4)              O/U46.5 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl: Arizona State vs. Duke (-3)                O/U49.5 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl: No.18 Michigan vs. No.13 Texas (-7.5)          O/U47.5 SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: No.14 Utah (-14) vs. Nebraska       O/U50.5 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Rice vs. Texas State (-13.5)     O/U58.5 AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Navy (-7) vs. Cincinnati                O/U54.5 Duke's Mayo Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State (-3)            O/U53.5 Trust & Will Holiday Bowl: No.17 Arizona (-3) vs. SMU          O/U51.5 Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 116 - The One-Hundred Six-teenth Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Playoff First Round Review & Analysis: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & provide a thorough breakdown/analysis from the four first-round matchups of the 2025 College Football Playoff - - Be sure to tune in for an brief recap & discussion of the following CFP first-round game(s): No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide at No.8 Oklahoma Sooners No.10 Miami Hurricanes at No.7 Texas A&M Aggies No.11 Tulane Green Wave at No.6 Ole Miss Rebels No.12 James Madison Dukes at No.5 Oregon Ducks - NCAA College Football Bowl Week #3 Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Bowl Week #3 preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following matchups from the third week of the college football bowl season - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]! GameAbove Sports Bowl: Central Michigan vs. Northwestern (-10.5)      O/U43.5 Rate Bowl: New Mexico vs. Minnesota (-2.5)                         O/U44.5 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl: FIU vs. UTSA (-6)                    O/U59.5 Go Bowling Military Bowl: Pittsburgh (-10) vs. East Carolina            O/U56.5 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Penn State vs. Clemson (-3)           O/U48.5 Wasabi Fenway Bowl: UConn vs. Army (-8.5)                      O/U43.5 Pop-Tarts Bowl: No.22 Georgia Tech vs. No.12 BYU (-4.5)                O/U56.5 Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl: Miami (OH) vs. Fresno State (-6)           O/U41.5 Isleta New Mexico Bowl: No.25 North Texas (-3) vs. San Diego State      O/U53.5 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: No.19 Virginia vs. Missouri (-4)               O/U44.5 Kinder's Texas Bowl: No.21 Houston (-3) vs. LSU                   O/U41.5 JLab Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Southern (-7) vs. Appalachian State      O/U59.5 Radiance Tech. Independence Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech (-9.5) O/U51.5 Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl: Tennessee (-2.5) vs. Illinois         O/U61.5 Valero Alamo Bowl: No.16 USC (-6.5) vs. TCU                   O/U55.5 Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 115 - The "Music City Miracle" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - 2025 NCAA College Basketball [Better Late Than Never] Season Preview: In this opening segment, JD & Spencer preview & analyze the 2025-26 NCAA Division I College Basketball Season, in particular focusing on the Power 5 Conferences (i.e., Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, ACC & SEC) and providing a thorough breakdown of each individual conference as well as projecting which program(s) will go on to be crowned conference champions & how many teams per conference they expect to advance to the 64-team field of this year's NCAA Tournament. . .NCAA College Football: "Ridin' Into the Sunset on His Harley:" Kyle Whittingham,66, the all-time winningest HC in the history of the University of Utah's football program, will step down from leading the Utes and will conclude his highly successful tenure in the Las Vegas Bowl against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Dec. 31st - - Whittingham, the head football coach at the University of Utah since 2004, has been the true embodiment of the culture & identity of Utah Football for the past three decades, led Utah to two Rose Bowl appearances, three conference championships, an undefeated season capped by a Sugar Bowl win over Alabama in 2008 - - In his 32 seasons in Salt Lake City, Whittingham has coached in 391 games and contributed to a program-record 262 wins, with a head coaching record of 177-88 (.668) - - Whittingham, the second-longest tenured HC in FBS college football, he has earned three National Coach of the Year awards, including the AFCA and Bear Bryant Awards in 2008, and the Dodd Trophy in 2019 - - Following the Utes' appearance in the 2025 Las Vegas Bowl, Whittingham will be formally replaced by Utes DC Morgan Scalley, who has finalized a deal to become the program's next head coach, sources told ESPN - - Q: What are your thoughts on Kyle Whittingham stepping down as the HC at the University of Utah following a 21-year run? Do you expect Kyle Whittingham to coach elsewhere or to 'ride off into the sunset' on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle? What are your thoughts on Utah DC Morgan Scalley being promoted as Whittingham's successor?. . .Washington State & Missouri OC Kirby Moore have finalized a deal to make him the Cougars' next HC - - Moore, aged 35, a native of Prosser, WA, and the younger brother of New Orleans Saints HC Kellen Moore, he spent the past three seasons at the University of Missouri on Eliah Drinkwitz's staff - - Replacing Jimmy Rogers, who left to become the head football coach for the Iowa State Cyclones, the Cougars are 6-6 this year with one-score losses to Ole Miss (No.6 in the CFP bracket), Virginia (ACC runner-up) & James Madison (No.12 in the CFP bracket) - - Q: What are your thoughts on Washington State's hiring of Missouri OC Kirby Moore as the program's next HC?. . .2025 College Football Awards: Numerous college football players & coaches received individual accolades on Friday night at an Awards Ceremony in New York City for their efforts throughout the 2025-26 college football season, and JD & Spencer discuss the winners of a select few of the following collegiate awards presented on Friday night: John Mackey Award (best TE): Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt Doak Walker Award (best RB): Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame Davey O'Brien National QB Award (best signal-caller): Fernando Mendoza, Indiana Maxwell Award (player of the year): Fernando Mendoza, Indiana Biletnikoff Award (best WR): Makai Lemon, USC Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award: Curt Cignetti, Indiana (**first repeat winner in 59 years) Heisman Trophy (most prestigious award/the sport's highest individual honor): Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (**first Indiana player in program history to win the Heisman Trophy) - NCAA College Football Week Sixteen Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & each provide their individual takeaway from the single game that Week Sixteen had to offer - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap & discussion of the following Week Sixteen matchup: "Battle for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy:" Army Black Knights vs. Navy Midshipmen - NCAA College Football Bowl Week #2 Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Bowl Week #2 preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following matchups from the second week of the college football bowl season - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!! Myrtle Beach Bowl: Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan (-4)   O/U49.5 Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: Memphis vs. NC State (-5.5)   O/U57.5 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Washington State vs. Utah State (-3)     O/U52.5 Bush's Boca Raton Bowl: Toledo vs. Louisville (-8.5)           O/U44.5 **NOTE: Since this particular bowl game is played in South Florida (i.e., Tampa) in a 30,000-seat Stadium, and features two programs from the Midwest, you can obtain "free" entry into the game by bringing a can of Bush's Baked Beans. New Orleans Bowl: Western Kentucky (-9.5) vs. Southern Miss       O/U55.5 Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl: UNLV (-4) vs. Ohio                    O/U62.5 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl: Cal (-1.5) vs. Hawai'i                 O/U54.5 - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - 2025 College Football Playoff First Round Preview: In this segment, JD & Spencer will preview each of the four upcoming CFP game(s) & will provide their individual/independent predictions for each outcome; the following CFP first-round matchup(s) are previewed in this particular segment: Friday, Dec. 19th at 7:00PM CST/8:00PM EST: No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide (-1.5) at No.8 Oklahoma           O/U40.5 **The winner will advance to face No.1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1st. Saturday, Dec. 20th at 7:00PM CST/8:00PM EST: No.10 Miami Hurricanes at No.7 Texas A&M Aggies (-3)         O/U51.5 **The winner will advance to face No.2 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31st. No.11 Tulane Green Wave at No.6 Ole Miss Rebels (-17.5)        O/U56.5 **The winner will advance to face No.3 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1st. No.12 James Madison Dukes at No.5 Oregon Ducks (-21)        O/U48.5 **The winner will advance to face No.4 Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1st. - NFL - - NFL Week 15 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games & major storylines from Week 15 of the regular season: Thursday Night Football: Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (**Falcons overcame 19 penalties & a 28-14 4th-QTR deficit to damage Tampa Bay's postseason hopes) Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Rams (**Rams clinch playoff berth for the third straight season after rallying in the second half) Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (**Bills rally from a 21-0 deficit to prevent the Patriots from clinching the AFC East division title) Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs (**Chiefs' two-time MVP QB Patrick Mahomes sustains torn ACL in left knee (out for the remainder of the season) & Kansas City were eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2014) Green Bay Packers at Denver Broncos (**Packers star edge rusher Micah Parsons suffers a non-contact injury/torn ACL (out for season)/Broncos extend winning streak to 11 games & clinch playoff berth) "A Jaguar on the Prowl:" Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence accounted for six TDs, including a career-high five passing, becoming just the fifth player in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to record five passing TDs and one rushing TD in a single game - as Jacksonville overwhelmed the New York Jets from start to finish in a 48-20 drubbing on Sunday to extend their winning streak to five games. . . . . .And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy, who broke free on a goal-line bootleg run in the 2nd QTR with nothing but the end zone in front of him, he slowed down. . .Holding the ball low as he crossed the goal line, McCarthy appeared to be performing a modified "Griddy" dance, which was made popular by Vikings teammate/star WR Justin Jefferson - - While praising McCarthy's performance after he threw for a career-high 250 passing yards, Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell made it very clear at the postgame press conference that he did not approve of the celebration - - And McCarthy, who has endured heavy criticism throughout his first season as a starter, said that he had been warned prior to the game to "avoid" the celebration. . .Q: Do you think there is some friction brewing in Minnesota between HC Kevin O'Connell & [rookie] QB J.J. McCarthy, or is this just a "minor bump" in the road for a young QB still adjusting to playing in the NFL?. . . - NFL (cont'd) - - After Miami Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel said on Tuesday that he was contemplating making a change at the QB position, he finally made a move: The Miami Dolphins announced on Wednesday that it is benching QB Tua Tagovailoa and turning to rookie QB Quinn Ewers, per sources to ESPN's Adam Schefter - - Tagovailoa threw his NFL-worst 15th INT in the Dolphins' 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, which eliminated Miami (6-8) from playoff contention - - Ewers' first start will come on Sunday against Joe Burrow & the Cincinnati Bengals. . .Q: Do you expect for Miami to cut/release QB Tua Tagovailoa at the end of the NFL regular season after signing him to a four-year, $212.1 million extension in 2024? What about HC Mike McDaniel - is he more likely to be the Dolphins' HC next season or to coach elsewhere?. . - Miscellaneous - - WWE: Pro wrestling superstar, John Cena, ended his 24-year WWE tenure at Capitol One Arena in Washington D.C last Saturday night - by doing what he hadn't done in more than twenty years: he tapped out. . .as Cena submitted to former two-time WWE heavyweight champion Gunther at "Saturday Night's Main Event" in a stellar final match that had the crowd hanging on to every moment, hoping that Cena would go out/retire with a win - - Instead, Cena's tap-out signaled to fans that his time is finally over, and that he is going out on his own terms - - Cena, who became one of the most beloved wrestlers on the WWE roster & a 17-time World Champion, holds the record for the most title reigns recognized by the sport - - Rather than give a speech, Cena left his wristbands & shoes in the ring, walked up the entrance ramp, turned & gave one last salute to the camera & his fans. . Q: What were your thoughts on John Cena's final WWE match & the way in which his pro wrestling career ended?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 114 - The "Woody Bowl Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Fifteen aka "Championship Week" Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 15 or "Championship Week" slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment: Sun Belt Conference Championship: No.25 James Madison Dukes vs. Troy Trojans American Athletic Conference Championship: Tulane Green Wave vs. North Texas Mean Green Big 12 Conference Championship: No.11 BYU Cougars vs. No.4 Texas Tech Red Raiders SEC Conference Championship: No.3 Georgia Bulldogs vs. No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide Big Ten Conference Championship: No.2 Indiana Hoosiers vs. No.1 Ohio State Buckeyes ACC Conference Championship: No.17 Virginia Cavaliers vs. Duke Blue Devils - NCAA College Football Week Sixteen + Bowl Week #1 Preview & Predictions: In this episode's 'preview and predictions' segment, JD & Spencer (a) preview the weekly matchup between Army-Navy as well as the slate of games from the first week of Bowl season; and, (b) provide their individual predictions for each of these matchups - as well as an in-depth evaluation of this year's bowl schedule: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!! Week Sixteen: Army Black Knights vs. Navy Midshipmen(-6)                    O/U38.5 **NOTE: Navy leads the all-time series with a record of 63-55-7/ Game played in Baltimore Heights, MD Bowl Week #1: "Cricket Celebration Bowl:" South Carolina State (9-3) vs. Prairie View A&M (10-3) **NOTE: Game played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA "Bucked Up LA Bowl:" Boise State vs. Washington(-8.5)               O/U51.5 **NOTE: Game played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA "IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl:" Troy (-4) vs. Jacksonville State        O/U46.5 **NOTE: Game played at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, AL "StaffDNA Cure Bowl:" Old Dominion vs. USF (-6.5)   O/U57.5 **NOTE: Game played at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL '68 Ventures Bowl:" Louisiana (-3) vs. Delaware               O/U58.5 **NOTE: Game played at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, AL - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - 2025 College Football Playoff Bracket Reveal: The full 12-team College Football Playoff was revealed by ESPN on Sunday, with the top four seeds earning first-round byes, and eight "at-large" teams scheduled to play in first-round matchups at campus sites across the country - - The twelve (12) teams, in their exact order of their CFP seeding are: (1) Indiana, (2) Ohio State, (3) Georgia, (4) Texas Tech, (5) Oregon, (6) Ole Miss, (7) Texas A&M, (8) Oklahoma, (9) Alabama, (10) Miami, (11) Tulane, and (12) James Madison (JMU) - - **In next week's episode, we will preview, breakdown & present our independent predictions for each of the first-round matchups of this year's College Football Playoff. . .The College Football Postseason is here, and what's the best side dish to serve alongside the main 'entree that we refer to as the College Football Playoff/Bowl season: A nice slice of Drama: Despite finishing off the college football regular season with eight consecutive victories, and compiling a 10-2 record, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, a postseason mainstay, will be notably absent this bowl season: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish announced in a statement posted to social media on Dec. 7 that they have decided as a team to withdraw their name from bowl consideration following the 2025 college football regular season. . .but Why? The decision came after Notre Dame was left out of the 12-team College Football Playoff field, despite closing out the season with a 10-2 record - - Prior to their withdrawal from bowl consideration, Notre Dame was projected to play in this year's Pop-Tart Bowl, which is scheduled to occur on Dec. 27th at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL - - Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua told ESPN that the program was in utter disbelief and shock after being left out of the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket/field, and he also expressed frustration with the process, stating that any rankings ahead of the final ones are a "farce and total waste of time," - - While HC Marcus Freeman & the Fighting Irish were clearly shocked, and therefore reacted unfavorably to the College Football Playoff committee's decision regarding the playoff field, it's not that difficult to understand or sympathize with the program for the following reason: Prior to the CFP bracket reveal, Notre Dame was ranked No.10 - after dropping one spot in the CFP rankings last week, behind Alabama (No.9) - but they ultimately they fell to No.11 in the final CFP rankings in favor of the ACC's Miami Hurricanes, for which CFP Playoff committee chairman Hunter Yurachek, provided an explanation as to why Miami received the playoff nod, and Notre Dame did not, and surprisingly, it's not all that complicated: The CFP playoff committee's decision for including Miami in the field over Notre Dame came down to the "head-to-head" game between the two programs - as HC Mario Cristobal & the Miami Hurricanes opened the 2025-26 college football regular season in August with a resume-building 27-24 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish - - Notre Dame needed to finish in the top 10 of final CFP rankings to earn a spot in this year's playoff field because two of the five conference champions, who are guaranteed spots, were ranked outside of the top 12. . .and once again, Notre Dame does not belong to a Power Five Conference, which in this particular scenario, came back to haunt them in terms of the final CFP rankings. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Notre Dame's decision to decline a bowl game invitation this postseason after being excluded from the 2025 College Football Playoff bracket/rankings? What does this type of decision teach and/or reinforce to the Fighting Irish players, especially those seniors who will not return next season?. . ."The Penn State Effect:" Penn State's prolonged coaching search following James Franklin's departure on October 12th created a market ripple, which essentially triggered massive contract negotiations and raises for other established coaches, such as Curt Cignetti (Indiana) & Kalani Sitake (BYU), as their current programs locked them into a deal for the foreseeable future, thus preventing them from becoming the next head football coach at Penn State University, making several HCs very wealthy in the process while Penn State initially struggled to find a new leader - - **NOTE: Per Thomas Carr of On3 Sports, the Nittany Lions' coaching search has allowed for seven other FBS coaches to earn a combined $370.8 million in contract extensions (aka "The Penn State Effect"). . .but then, it finally happened: Penn State football named & officially introduced Matt Campbell as it's next HC, becoming the 17th in program history, the school announced last Friday - - With Penn State's Board of Trustees' approval, Matt Campbell's contract is reported to be an eight-year deal running through 2033 with $70.5 million in guaranteed salary - - Campbell, the winningest HC in Iowa State program history, is a three-time Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year, and he led the Cyclones for ten seasons (8 winning seasons) & two Big 12 Conference Championship game appearances - - Campbell, 46, went 72-55 throughout the decade he spent with the program, becoming its winningest HC last season - and he also went 35-15 as the HC at University of Toledo from 2011 to 2015 - - **NOTE: Campbell & his coaching staff have developed 15 NFL draft picks over the past seven years, including NFL stars Brock Purdy (QB/49ers), Breece Hall (RB/NYJ) & David Montgomery (RB/Lions). . .Q: What are your thoughts on Penn State AD Patrick Kraft's decision to hire Iowa State's Matt Campbell as the Nittany Lions' next head football coach?. . .Iowa State certainly did not wait around to find Matt Campbell's replacement: Just minutes after multiple sources reported that Campbell was finalizing a deal to become the Nittany Lions' next HC, the Cyclones made their move, announcing that the program was hiring Washington State's Jimmy Rogers - - Ironically, Rogers' hire was officially announced by the school prior to Penn State's official announcement regarding Campbell's hire - - Rogers, 38, signed a six-year contract that initially will pay him approximately $3 million per year, which is roughly double his salary in his one season at Washington State - - Rogers indicated that several members of his Washington State staff will be joining him as ISU - and as a defensive specialist, he indicated that he plans to install a four-man front, which will be a departure from the 3-3-5 alignment for which the Iowa State program has ran for the past decade. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard's decision to hire Washington State's Jimmy Rogers as the Cyclones' next HC?. . .After nearly two months of searching for its next head football coach, UAB (i.e., JD's alma mater) is turning to the option it had all along: The Blazers promoted interim coach Alex Mortensen to a full-time role. . .Mortensen, 40, spent the past three seasons as the Blazers' OC, and following Trent Dilfer's firing on October 12th, he led the Blazers to a 2-4 record, which included a win over then-No.22 Memphis as well as a shorthanded victory at Tulsa this past weekend that snapped the team's 17-game road losing streak. . .Q: What are your thoughts on UAB's promotion of interim coach Alex Mortensen to the permanent HC?. . .The UConn Huskies have announced their successor for Jim Mora: Jason Candle, the HC at Toledo since 2016, has been named the 33rd Husky head football coach after finalizing a six-year deal through the 2031 season - Candle was officially introduced as UConn's next HC at a press conference on Monday - - At Toledo, Candle had compiled an 81-44 record as the Rockets HC, winning the MAC Conference title twice in his ten years with the program. . .Q: What are your thoughts on UConn's hiring of Toledo's Jason Candle as Jim Mora's successor?. . .Memphis has hired Charles Huff as its next head football coach after his one season at Southern Miss - - Memphis AD Ed Scott announced the hire on Monday with Huff replacing Ryan Silverfield, who accepted the head coach position at the University of Arkansas on Nov. 30th - - In his one season at the helm for Southern Miss, Huff went 7-5 after taking over a program that went 1-11 in 2024, which was the program's best overall record since 2019 - - **NOTE: The six-win turnaround was actually one of the most profound improvements at the FBS level this season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Memphis' hiring of Charles Huff as their next HC and as Ryan Silverfield's succesor?. . .LSU DC Blake Baker is remaining with the program, according to a social media post by Tigers HC Lane Kiffin on Friday afternoon - - Baker, who led the Tigers' defense the past two seasons, interviewed - and was thought to be a "strong candidate" - for the head coaching vacancies at Tulane and Memphis, however, Baker ultimately making the decision to remain in Baton Rouge with Kiffin, who prioritized retaining Baker, who is one of the nation's highest-paid assistants at an average annual salary of $2.5 million per year - - Under Baker, the Tigers ranked 15th in scoring defense & 25th nationally in total defense this fall. . .Q: In pursuit of achieving success at LSU, how important was it for Lane Kiffin to retain DC Blake Baker as a part of his staff?. . .Former Virgina Tech HC Brent Pry - who was fired from the program back in September, is set to return as the Hokies' DC under new HC James Franklin, sources confirmed to ESPN on Sunday - - In a highly unusual move, Pry will re-join the team he led from 2022 up until Sept. 14th of this year, when he was fired after an 0-3 start - - Under Pry, Virginia Tech went 16-24 with bowl appearances the past two seasons. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the highly unusual hire of Brent Pry as the Hokies' DC and/or as a part of HC James Franklin's staff?. . ."A [Really, Really, Really] Day:" Throughout the 2025 college football season, rumors circulated that Michigan Wolverines HC Sherrone Moore was in danger of losing his job - - No credible details surfaced, and Moore continued his duties, completing the regular season with a 9-3 record & participating in a news conference Monday to discuss the Wolverines' upcoming bowl game against Texas in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl - - Two days later, the news came down: Michigan fired the 39-year-old head football coach for cause, following an investigation that found "credible evidence" that he "engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member," which is a violation of U-M's work policy - - This dismissal marked a troubling end to Moore's tenure at Michigan, which began in 2018 when he joined HC Jim Harbaugh's staff as the TEs coach, later becoming the OL coach & leading a group that won the Joe Moore Award (best offensive line) - - Moore's ascent continued as OC, and he stepped in for Harbaugh as acting HC during Harbaugh's Big-Ten imposed suspension late in the 2023 season - as the Wolverines went on to claim their third straight Big Ten title, and their first national title in the CFP era - - Then, Harbaugh returned to the NFL to become the head coach for the Los Angeles Chargers, and Moore was subsequently promoted to HC: His Wolverines stunned rival Ohio State in his first full season as HC, and went 17-8 over two seasons at the helm, but now, he's out - - "Alleged Assault" Probe: Per ESPN's Dan Wetzel, Moore was detained by the City of Saline Police Department and turned over to the Pittsfield Township Police Department - - Later Wednesday night, Wetzel further reported that, just hours after being fired as the head football coach at Michigan, Sherrone Moore was in custody in the Washtenaw (Michigan) County Jail as a suspect in an "alleged assault," yet details remained limited during the ongoing inquiry. . .Q: On a level from "A little" to a "SHIT TON," how shocked were you to hear about the news that Michigan had fired its HC Sherrone Moore? - - "A Michigan Man:" Unfortunately, Michigan is entering the coaching market at a precarious time, as all major openings have been filled and, perhaps more importantly, a number of potential candidates have re-signed lucrative contracts to remain with their existing programs - - Still, Michigan as a program can offer a lot: an iconic American sports brand with deep pockets & a recent run at both regional & national success, and should garner reasonably solid interest for the open head coaching position - - The school clearly needs a replacement with ZERO character concerns - - Beyond the coaching search, though, Moore's firing undoubtedly rocks this Michigan program just weeks prior to the NCAA transfer portal set to open - - JD & Spencer discuss & assess a few of the potential coaching candidates that Michigan AD Warde Manuel could possibly target to replace Moore, and they both provide their prediction as to which of the following candidates would be the "best hire" for the Michigan Wolverines football program moving forward (Alabama HC Kalen DeBoer, Washington HC Jedd Fisch & Los Angeles Chargers DC Jesse Minter). . . - NFL - - NFL Week 14 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 14 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers (**Packers move into first place in the NFC North division) Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (**Two Replay Review prove to be costly for the Ravens) . . .And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . . .the Tennessee Titans' Defense: After recovering a fumble against the Cleveland Browns, the Titans' defense collectively performed the "Shedeur Celly" (which involves a player holding up their wrist up to their ear like a phone) - - This celebration, popularized in college by then-Colorado & current Browns QB Shedeur Sanders, has become a trend in the NFL, often used by players to "call out" the opposition - - The Titans picked up their second win of the season in a 31-29 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. . . Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills (**QBs combine for a total of 500+ passing yards & 8 TDs) Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs (**Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes finished game with 3 INTs/2025-26 NFL playoffs without Kansas City?!) - NFL (cont'd) - - "River Running Dry:"QB Philip Rivers, 44, who has not played in the NFL since 2020, is signing to the Indianapolis Colts practice squad, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday - - With Colts' starter Daniel Jones out for the season after sustaining a torn right Achilles injury in Week 14, and backup QB Riley Leonard (rookie) dealing with a knee injury, the Colts turned to Rivers as an emergency solution - - Rivers is currently a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026, and his signing to the Colts' practice squad had no effect on his eligibility, however, if he signs with the Colts' active roster, his eligibility would reset - whether or not he takes a single snap in a game - and in this case, he would not be eligible again until 2031 - - The veteran QB has intimate knowledge of the Colts' offensive scheme and his working relationship with HC Shane Steichen will be seamless - as they worked closely during Steichen's days as the Los Angeles Chargers OC - prior to Rivers' one (and final) season with the Colts. . .Q: What are your thoughts on veteran QB Philip Rivers "unretiring" and signing with the Indianapolis Colts practice squad? Based on Indy's current QB situation and lack of depth at the position, does the 44-year-old Rivers actually line up under center for the Indianapolis Colts with just four weeks remaining in the 2025-26 NFL regular season?. . . - MLB - - First baseman Pete Alonso & the Baltimore Orioles are finalizing a five-year, $155 million contract, sources informed ESPN's Jeff Passan on Wednesday evening - - After failing to acquire the long-term deal that he coveted, Alonso made $30 million with the New York Mets in 2025 and was certainly worth every penny as he rebounded to slash .272/.347/.524 with 38 HRs and 126 RBIs, batting behind Juan Soto for the first time. . .but surprisingly, the Mets did not make the first baseman an offer, sources confirmed to ESPN - - In August, the five-time MLB All-Star became the Mets' all-time leader in HRs, surpassing Darryl Strawberry's previous record of 252 to solidify his place as one of the franchise's top players (Alonso now has a 264 HRs in his career). . .Q: What do you think was the deterring factor for the New York Mets as to why they did not make 1B Pete Alonso an offer, essentially allowing him to walk/sign with the Baltimore Orioles?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 113 - The "Across Enemy Lines Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Fourteen aka "Rivalry Week" Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 14 or "Rivalry Week" slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment: "Egg Bowl:" No.7 Ole Miss Rebels at Mississippi State Bulldogs "Lone Star Showdown:" No.3 Texas A&M Aggies at No.16 Texas Longhorns "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate:" No.4 Georgia Bulldogs vs. No.23 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets "The Game:" No.1 Ohio State Buckeyes at No.15 Michigan Wolverines No.14 Vanderbilt Commodores at No.19 Tennessee Volunteers "The Iron Bowl:" No.10 Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers - NCAA College Football Week Fifteen aka "Championship Week" Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Fifteen preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the "Championship Week" matchups from the Power Four to the Group of 5 Conferences - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!!                       C-USA Championship: Jacksonville State at Kennesaw State (-1.5) O/U59.5 MAC Championship: Miami (OH) vs. Western Michigan (-2.5)  O/U43.5 Mountain West Championship: UNLV vs. Boise State (-3.5)  O/U58.5 Sun Belt Championship: Troy vs. No.25 James Madison (-23.5)       O/U47.5 American Athletic Championship: No.20 Tulane vs. No.24 North Texas (-2.5) O/U66.5 Big 12 Championship: No.11 BYU vs. No.4 Texas Tech (-12.5)         O/U49.5 ACC Championship: No.17 Virginia (-3.5) vs. Duke                 O/U57.5 Big Ten Championship: No.1 Ohio State (-4.5) vs. No.2 Indiana       O/U47.5 SEC Championship: No.3 Georgia (-2.5) vs. No.9 Alabama           O/U47.5 - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - In this segment, JD & Spencer discuss the domino-like effect of coaching hires across the NCAA Division I College Football landscape, and provide a detailed analysis regarding many of the most notable update(s) concerning the "Coaching Carousel" that has seemed to be a central theme of the sport over the past week; this discussion includes the following fifteen to sixteen FBS programs/hires: **Let Us Know Your Thoughts on a few of the major coaching changes across College Football from the previous week - - Share Your Thoughts with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]! Oregon State - - JaMarcus Shephard (former Alabama co-OC/Assistant HC & WRs coach) Colorado State - - Jim Mora (former UConn HC) Auburn - - Alex Golesh (former USF HC) Arkansas - - Ryan Silverfield (former Memphis HC) Florida - - Jon Sumrall as HC (former Tulane HC)/David Caldwell as GM (former Philadelphia Eagles Executive) Michigan State - - Pat Fitzgerald (formerly of Northwestern) Kentucky - - Mark Stoops (out)/ Will Stein (hired as HC/former Oregon OC) UCLA - - Bob Chesney (former James Madison HC) "Can't Turn a Heaux into a Housewife:" LSU - - Lane Kiffin (former Ole Miss HC) + Charlie Weis, Jr. (hired as OC/former Ole Miss OC) Ole Miss - - Pete Golding (promoted to HC/former Ole Miss DC) Penn State/BYU - - Shortly after a report was made public that BYU HC Kalani Sitake had emerged as Penn State's top target to become the Nittany Lion's next HC, BYU got to work, and per On3 Sports reporter Pete Nakos on Wednesday afternoon, Sitake is staying in Provo - as he expected to sign a new deal with the program with an approximate average annual salary of $9M to $9.5 per year. . . Cal - - Tosh Lupoi (former Oregon DC) North Texas - - Neal Brown (formerly had stints at Troy & West Virginia) Kansas State - - Chris Klieman (retired)/Collin Klein (former Texas A&M OC & Wildcats QB) USF - - Brian Hartline (former Ohio State OC) - NFL - - NFL Week 13 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 13 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games: "NFL on Thanksgiving Day:" Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions "NFL on Thanksgiving Day, Game 2:" Kansas City Chiefs at Dallas Cowboys Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles (**Bears win their fifth straight game/Eagles OC Kevin Patullo's New Jersey home vandalized by Philly fans) Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers (**Panthers defense force three Stafford turnovers/Rams' six-game winning streak snapped) . . .And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .a Big Man! - - Tampa Bay Buccaneers OT Tristan Wirfs, who caught a pass from QB Baker Mayfield in the closing minutes of the first half to give the Bucs a 10-0 lead in their matchup on Sunday versus the Arizona Cardinals. . .Not only was it his first career catch, it was also the first TD he's ever scored in his professional career. . .Everything about the moment was awesome, including the way that he and teammate, Ben Bredesen, decided to celebrate afterwards. . .Queue up the "Dirty Dancing" celly. . . - - The Buccaneers would go on to defeat the Cardinals by a final score of 20-17. . . Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen set the NFL record for rushing TDs by a QB on Sunday in the Bills-Steelers matchup in Pittsburgh: Allen bulldozed into the end zone for an 8-yard rushing score in the 4th QTR that ultimately put the game out of reach for the Steelers, which was the 76th rushing score of his eight-year career, breaking the record previously held by former NFL (and Carolina) QB Cam Newton (75) - - as the Bills gashed the Steelers with a ruthless rushing attack in a 26-7 victory. . . - NBA - - Twenty-one games into his 21st NBA season, and what has been confirmed to be his final season in the league, Chris Paul will no longer be playing for the Los Angeles Clippers after being released by the NBA franchise. . .Paul announced on social media that the Clippers were sending him home as the team traveled to Atlanta for a game on Wednesday against the Hawks. . .The Clippers confirmed Paul will no longer be on the team in a statement to NBA insider Chris Haynes, after which an interesting report was released per ESPN's Shams Charania that, prior to his release, CP3 and Clippers HC Tyrone Lue had not been on "speaking terms" for several weeks. . .Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank released a statement on Wednesday detailing that the organization's decision to part ways with Paul did not come from just one isolated incident, and furthermore, that both sides had engaged in multiple conversations prior to Paul being informed that he would no longer be a part of the team in a stunning overnight move on Wednesday. . .While there are no obvious landing spots given Paul's age (40) & overall decline in his performance this season, there are teams around the NBA that are certainly in need of a PG, and that could possibly be willing to sign him - - the one team that is desperately seeking help at the PG position right now is the Minnesota Timberwolves - as All-Star SF Anthony Edwards has assumed that role as of late. . .Q: Do you think that the Minnesota Timberwolves would be a favorable fit for Chris Paul?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 112 - The "Rivalrous Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Thirteen Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 13 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment: No.22 Missouri Tigers at No.8 Oklahoma Sooners Arkansas Razorbacks at No.17 Texas Longhorns No.15 USC Trojans at No.7 Oregon Ducks Pittsburgh Panthers at No.16 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Kansas State Wildcats at No.12 Utah Utes NCAA College Football Week Fourteen or "Rivalry Week" Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Fourteen preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for a few of the most notable Rivalry Week matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection, and also discuss the historical significance of each matchup: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!!                    "Egg Bowl:"No.6 Ole Miss (-7.5) at Mississippi State   O/U62.5      "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate:" No.4 Georgia (-12.5) vs. No.16 Georgia Tech O/U59.5 Cotton Holdings "Lone Star Showdown:"No.3 Texas A&M (-2.5) at No.17 Texas O/U51.5 "The Game:" No.1 Ohio State (-9.5) at No.18 Michigan O/U45.5 No.14 Vanderbilt at No.20 Tennessee (-2.5) O/U64.5 "The Iron Bowl:" No.10 Alabama (-5.5) at Auburn O/U48.5     NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - "Kiffin Drama:" Lane Kiffin's decision on his coaching future feels like it's holding the sport of college football hostage, however, Ole Miss confirmed on Friday that Kiffin will announce the "final verdict" regarding his future on November 29th - just one day after the Rebels meet the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the 2025 edition of the "Egg Bowl," - leaving Florida, LSU & even his own program, Ole Miss, stuck in an uncomfortable position - - The uncertainty intensified late Friday night, when reports surfaced that LSU officials were preparing to make an aggressive push to pry Kiffin from Oxford - - According to multiple reports, key decision-makers are preparing a formal offer that could reach seven years and upwards of $90M, which would place Kiffin among the highest-paid coaches in college football - - While Florida is reportedly still in the mix for Kiffin's services, LSU's surge has instantly reshaped the financial landscape, while Ole Miss is stuck navigating the fallout - - The Rebels currently sit at No.6 in the most current CFP rankings, and are tracking toward the program's first-ever College Football Playoff appearance, yet Kiffin's indecisiveness looms over an otherwise historic season - - Q: Solely based on your gut, where do you think Lane Kiffin lands: does he remain at Ole Miss and continue building upon the success that he has already established in Oxford? Although he has indicated that it's "not about the money," does he chase the paper trail to Baton Rouge? Or, does he follow the palm tree pathway to the Gainesville to lead the Florida Gators?. . .Florida State HC Mike Norvell will return for a seventh season with the Seminoles, pledging to make the much-needed structural changes within the program to enhance performance, the school announced Sunday - - Questions that had been mounting about Norvell's job security reached a boiling point after a 21-11 loss to NC State on Friday night that dropped the Seminoles to 5-6 overall - - Florida State must win on the road at Florida on Saturday just to reach bowl eligibility - - Over the past two years, Florida State is 7-16 (3-13 in ACC Conference play) & winless on the road - - Norvell, however, did win an ACC title in 2023 and has maintained his optimism to reinvigorate the program towards a successful future - - Q: What are your thoughts on Florida State's announcement on Sunday that head football coach Mike Norvell will return next season?. . .Per On3 Sports' Pete Thamel, North Texas HC Eric Morris has been hired to become the next HC at Oklahoma State - - Morris will reportedly coach out UNT's remaining games, including both a potential American Conference title game appearance and CFP bid, announced on Tuesday - - Statistically, Morris' Mean Green have the No.1 offense in the country, averaging 503.3 total yards of offense per game - The Mean Green are also the only D-I team in the country to score at least 50 points in six games this season, and they are the only team to score at least 30 points in every game throughout the regular season - - Morris is 21-15 in three years at UNT, and went 24-18 at Incarnate Word with two FCS playoff appearances - - Q: What are your thoughts on the hire by Oklahoma State? Do you expect UNT Mean Green redshirt freshman QB Drew Mestemaker to follow HC Eric Morris to Oklahoma State?. . . NFL - - NFL Week 12 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 12 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games: Thursday Night Football: Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans Pittsburgh Steelers at Chicago Bears (**Steelers' T.J. Watt surpasses older brother J.J. Watt in career sacks) . . .And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . the Green Bay Packers' Evan Williams with the "SKOL celly," a TD celebration where he & his teammates performed the Minnesota Vikings' "SKOL" chant after picking off QB J.J. McCarthy, who now has nine INTs in six games played - as the Packers went on to defeat the Vikings 23-6. . . New York Giants at Detroit Lions (**Lions' RB Jahmyr Gibbs has a career day) Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys (**The Cowboys score 24 unanswered points to defeat the Eagles/QB Dak Prescott tops Tony Romo for the career franchise record for yards passing) Cleveland Browns at Las Vegas Raiders (**Rookie QB Shedeur Sanders' NFL starting debut/Raiders fire OC Chip Kelly just 11 games into his first season with the franchise) NBA - - Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul is retiring after this season, his 21st NBA campaign, sources told ESPN on Saturday - - Paul, 40, is a 12-time All-Star, an 11-time member of All-NBA teams, a nine-time All-Defensive teams member, the 2006 Rookie of the Year, and a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team - - It was believed that this was likely Paul's final season in the league, and on Saturday morning, he posted on social media: "What a ride. . .Still so much left. . .GRATEFUL for this last one," - - Nicknamed "The Point God," Paul is the NBA's active leader in assists & steals, and is second all-time in both behind John Stockton - - He has led the league in assists per game five times and in steals per game in six seasons - and he has averaged double-digit assists in seven seasons - - Paul & LeBron James are the only two players in NBA history to reach both 30,000 career points and 10,000 career assists milestones - - Paul spent six years with the New Orleans Hornets after being drafted with the No.4 overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, prior to the famously voided trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, which ultimately landed him with the Clippers, where he teamed up with Blake Griffin & DeAndre Jordan - which birthed the "Lob City" era of the franchise - leading to its' longest sustained run of success - - After six years with the Clippers, Paul was traded to the Houston Rockets & paired with superstar James Harden, but they failed to have a postseason breakthrough - - Paul would go on to play for the OKC Thunder as well as a short stint for the Golden State Warriors prior to reuniting with the Clippers in the offseason, and to date, Paul - who will turn 41 in May - has appeared in eleven games this season with Los Angeles - - Q: Would you consider Chris Paul to be the second-best assist facilitator in the history of the NBA? Without an NBA championship, does it somewhat tarnish Paul's career & overall accomplishments?. . . Thanks for Listening & Happy Thanksgiving!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 111 - The "Walk-On" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Twelve Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 12 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment: Clemson Tigers at No.19 Louisville Cardinals South Carolina Gamecocks at No.3 Texas A&M Aggies (**largest comeback in program history - - a 1-286 record in SEC play since 2004 when trailing by 27 or more points) No.24 South Florida Bulls at Navy Midshipmen (**for a second consecutive week, the highest-ranked G5 program in the CFP rankings lost) No.21 Iowa Hawkeyes at No.17 USC Trojans (**The Hawkeyes have now lost to four ranked teams this season by a combined 15 points) No.11 Oklahoma Sooners at No.4 Alabama Crimson Tide (**Theme for the Crimson Tide: "Missed Opportunities & Turnovers") No.10 Texas Longhorns at No.5 Georgia Bulldogs (**Does Texas have a "Georgia" problem that is very similar to Georgia's "Alabama" problem?) - NCAA College Football Week Thirteen Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Thirteen preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following Week 13 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!!               No.22 Missouri at No.8 Oklahoma (-7.5)      O/U41.5          Arkansas at No.17 Texas (-8.5) O/U57.5 "College Gameday:" No.15 USC at No.7 Oregon (-9 O/U59.5 No.20 Tennessee (-4.5) at Florida      O/U57.5 No.11 BYU (-2.5) at No.25 Cincinnati         O/U54.5 - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - Virginia Tech has finalized a deal to make James Franklin the school's next head football coach, per the sources who informed ESPN of the hire on Monday - - Franklin is the former HC at both Penn State and Vanderbilt University, where he went an impressive & combined record of 128-60 over 15 seasons at the helm - - Franklin brings a resume that includes winning more than 68% of his games, an appearance in the semi-finals of the 2024 College Football Playoff, and a Big Ten Conference championship in 2016 - - Franklin's arrival in Blacksburg will give the Hokies their most accomplished HC since Hall of Famer Frank Beamer, who retired in 2015 after 29 seasons with the program - - Since that time, Virginia Tech has endured the underwhelming tenures of Justin Fuente, and most recently - Brent Pry - as the program struggled to assimilate to modern college football. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding James Franklin being hired as the as the next head football coach for the Virginia Tech Hokies? Is it necessarily the best overall fit for the program? If you're James Franklin, do you at the very least reach out to Hokies' legendary QB, Michael Vick, about the possibility of him joining your staff at his alma mater? . . .The third edition of the College Football Playoff rankings were released on Tuesday night, with undefeated Ohio State remaining No.1 ahead of Big Ten foe Indiana, and the top 10 experiencing some key alterations - - A pair of top-tier SEC matchups & a massive upset led to a new No.4 team in the rankings. . Alabama vacated that particular ranking/spot after suffering a 23-21 loss at home to Oklahoma, with Georgia sliding into the "first-round bye" position after the Bulldogs dominated the Texas Longhorns 35-10 this weekend in Athens. . .In the recently released CFP rankings, the Sooners now sit at No.8, one spot ahead of Notre Dame & two spots ahead of the Crimson Tide (i.e., No.10) - - University of Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek, who earlier in the week had assumed the role as the College Football Playoff selection committee chairman, had some pretty interesting, but mostly asinine comments when it came to elaborating as to the "why" Alabama came in at No.10 in this week's CFP rankings: (1) Rushing offense struggles: Yurachek pointed to Alabama's inconsistent rushing performance as a major issue, noting that the Crimson Tide's season-opening loss to the Florida State Seminoles, was a "sign of some of the struggles Alabama was going to have rushing the ball," - He also referenced the games against South Carolina and LSU, where they ultimately won the game, but failed to rush for at least 100 yards rushing, and their inability to move the ball on the ground against Oklahoma; (2) Comparison to Notre Dame (CFP No.9): Yurachek explained that the CFP selection committee used metrics like the quality of losses when comparing Notre Dame & Alabama, further highlighting that Alabama's loss to FSU, who is currently 5-5 overall this season, was a 'difference-maker' in their decision-making process; and (3) Inconsistent performance: Yurachek also mentioned that the CFP selection committee also evaluated Alabama's need to score two late TDs to avoid the upset on the road versus South Carolina - as an example of a team struggling on the road & not running the ball very well, which factored into their decision to rank the Crimson Tide at No.10. . .Q: Is it not abundantly clear that the University of Alabama is evaluated under a different microscope lens than that of other D-1 programs? What about the evaluation of "quality of wins," or "number of wins over ranked opponents?" Do you agree with CFP committee chair Hunter Yurachek that the Notre Dame Fighting Irish should be ranked higher than the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff rankings? - - Even though Alabama dropped from the No.4 spot to No.10, the Crimson Tide still has favorable odds to advance to the SEC Conference Championship game, which would all but guarantee a spot in this year's CFP. . .According to ESPN Research, Alabama has a 71% chance to make it to Atlanta - with only one SEC game remaining - against archrival Auburn on the Plains - - No.3 Texas A&M and No.5 Texas Tech round out the top five, and possibly the most surprising alteration to the third edition of the CFP rankings: the Miami (FL) Hurricanes being announced as the 11th projected bid, despite being ranked No.13, yet they are four spots behind Notre Dame, a team that the Hurricanes defeated 27-24 in the season opener (so much for the No.1 criteria being evaluated or viewed by the CFP selection committee being "head-to-head" matchups) - - Finally, the Tulane Green Wave claimed the last of the 12 playoff spots as the highest-ranked Group of Five team in Tuesday's release at No.24 - but after consecutive weeks of the highest-ranked G5 program losing, could this potentially be "a hex" for Jon Sumrall & the Green Wave?. . .According to CFP chair Hunter Yurachek, should a Group of Five team not make the final CFP rankings, the CFP selection committee would then choose which conference champion is most deserving of the last (or final) bid - - The SEC Conference led the way again Tuesday with nine ranked teams, while the Big Ten had six, the Big 12 had five, and the ACC has three after Pitt dropped out of the rankings following their 37-15 loss to Notre Dame this weekend. . .Q: What are your overall thoughts on this week's updated CFP rankings? Which of the ranking(s) are you most surprised and/or intrigued about? . . - NFL - - NFL Week 11 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 11 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games: Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings . . .And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .New York Giants QB Jameis Winston, who started on Sunday versus the Green Bay Packers in place of Giants starter, Jaxson Dart after suffering a concussion in last week's game - - Winston gave an electric pregame speech & kept the Giants (2-8) in the game against the Packers, but ultimately came up just short in a 27-20 loss on Sunday afternoon. . .On Sunday, Winston scored a go-ahead rushing TD from the 1-yard line midway through the 4th QTR, and he blessed us all with a TD celebration that is sure to become an instant meme: Winston busted out the Harlem Shake in the end zone . . . Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (**Carolina QB Bryce Young breaks franchise record for most passing yards in a single game/Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. out for the season after he underwent surgery to repair a partially torn left ACL suffered in Atlanta's loss in OT). . . Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos (**a new King of the AFC West emerging for the first time since 2016?). . . Baltimore Ravens at "We're the Cleveland Browns" (**the Ravens defense spoiled QB Shedeur Sanders NFL regular season debut?). . . - NFL (cont'd) - - Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase has been suspended one game without pay for spitting on Pittsburgh Steelers DB Jalen Ramsey, the league announced Monday - - The incident occurred in Cincinnati's 34-12 loss to the Steelers on Sunday - - After Chase initially denied his role in the altercation with Ramsey, video from Cincinnati's WXIX-TV revealed Chase clearly spitting in Ramsey's direction, which prompted Ramsey to throw a punch at Chase - - While Chase did appeal his suspension, it was upheld, and he will therefore miss his team's upcoming game against the New England Patriots in the Week 12 matchup. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Ja'Marr Chase-Jalen Ramsey altercation that occurred in the Bengals-Steelers' Week 11 matchup?. . . - MLB - - For months, debate has swirled about which MLB player would go on to win this year's American League (AL) MVP Award: would the honor go to New York Yankees RF Aaron Judge for the third time in four years after another extraordinary offensive season. . .OR. . .would it be awarded to Seattle Mariners' catcher Cal Raleigh, who smashed his way into the history books with 60 HRs in the 2025 season? - - Last Thursday, once all of the votes were counted, Aaron Judge just narrowly won the AL MVP Award, cementing his place among baseball's all-time greats by becoming the 13th player to win three or more MVPs, joining Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio & Mickey Mantle as the only Yankees' players to have accomplished this feat - - Statistically, the 2025 MLB season was the best of Aaron Judge's career in terms of overall offensive production - - According to ESPN, the vote from the Baseball Writers' Association of America was one of the closest in years, with Judge receiving 17 of the 30 first-place votes & 13 second-place votes, while Raleigh received the remaining 13 first-place votes, while finishing second on the other 17 ballots - - In other words, if just two writers would have switched their votes, the race for the AL MVP Award between Judge & Raleigh would concluded with a tie. . .Q: What are your thoughts on New York Yankees RF Aaron Judge being voted the AL MVP for the third time in four years? Should Cal Raleigh have been voted as the 2025 AL MVP? . . .Shohei Ohtani was named the National League (NL) MVP last Thursday, capturing all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America in the wake of another dynamic offensive season that included a successful return to pitching, and was once again capped by a championship - Ohtani came back from a second surgical repair of his ulnar collateral ligament to make 14 regular-season starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers, posting a 2.87 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 47 innings, including 16 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings to end the regular season - - Ohtani has won four MVP Awards over the past five years - all of them in unanimous fashion, and only Barry Bonds, has been presented with more (i.e., seven) - - Ohtani is now the first player in MLB, NBA, NHL and NFL history to win both an MVP and a championship in each of his first two seasons with a team, according to ESPN Research. . .Q: Legit question: Is Shohei Ohtani the greatest MLB player of all time?. . . - Miscellaneous - - Boxing: YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul will face former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in a professional heavyweight boxing match on December 18th at Kaseya Center in Miami, according to Paul's brand Most Valuable Promotions, who informed ESPN on Monday - - The fight, which will be streamed live on Netflix, is scheduled for eight 3-minute rounds, and the fighters will wear 10-ounce gloves, which is the standard for heavyweight fights - - Instead of an exhibition match against a hard-hitting professional boxer in Gervonta "Tank" Davis, who campaigned at 130 pounds, Paul will now face off against a two-time heavyweight champion & Olympic gold medalist in a sanctioned professional boxing match, who has fought as high as 256 pounds, over 100 pounds heavier than Davis. . .Q: Do you think that this boxing match will be "rigged?" If the boxing match is NOT rigged, how much of a chance do you give Jake Paul to actually win this fight & defeat Anthony Joshua? Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 110 - The One-Hundred & Tenth Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Eleven Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 11 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment: Tulane Green Wave at No.23 Memphis Tigers No.2 Indiana Hoosiers at Penn State Nittany Lions (**Josh Dasher, Official of the Year?) No.7 BYU Cougars at No.8 Texas Tech Red Raiders No.9 Oregon Ducks at No.20 Iowa Hawkeyes Auburn Tigers at No.16 Vanderbilt Commodores No.3 Texas A&M Aggies at No.22 Missouri Tigers LSU Tigers at No.4 Alabama Crimson Tide - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - Two weeks after firing Brian Kelly, LSU remains in a standoff with its former football coach over the terms of his buyout. . .Kelly's contract - a 10-year, $95-million deal - calls for him to be paid 90% of his remaining salary for the life of his contract, which would put LSU on the hook for close to $54 million in the form of monthly payments to Kelly through 2031 - - Reportedly, LSU wanted to negotiate a smaller payment to Kelly that would give the coach a significant payout up front, but save the program money in the long run - - Per reporter Dan Wetzel, in a legal filing obtained by ESPN, Brian Kelly's lawyers state that LSU is saying that it never "formally terminated" Kelly and are now seeking to fire him "for cause" which could impact his near $54 million buyout agreement - - Kelly is seeking a declaratory judgement that LSU did fire him and that he is entitled to "full liquidated damages" - - Q: Do you expect the LSU-Brian Kelly to get pretty messy?. . . NCAA College Football Week Twelve Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Eleven preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following Week 12 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!!                       Clemson at No.20 Louisville (-3.5)         O/U51.5            "College Gameday:" No.9 Notre Dame (-12.5) at No.22 Pittsburgh O/U55.5 No.11 Oklahoma at No.4 Alabama (-5.5)     O/U45.5 No.21 Iowa at No.17 USC (-6.5)                          O/U49.5 No.10 Texas at No.5 Georgia (-5.5)      O/U48.5 - NFL - - NFL Week 10 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 10 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games: NFL Berlin: Indianapolis Colts vs. Atlanta Falcons (**Colts RB Jonathan Taylor breaks franchise record) New York Giants at Chicago Bears (**& the firing of Giants' HC Brian Daboll) Cleveland Browns at New York Jets (**Jets break franchise history in the span of 36 seconds) New England Patriots at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans (** Backup QB Davis Mills & Texans overcame 19-point, 4th-QTR deficit to stun the Jags) And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .Jacksonville Jaguars WR Parker Washington - - Washington had a punt return TD of 72 yards where he ran down the sideline untouched that put the Jags up 17-0. . .Washington stopped just shy of the goal line, turned around & fell backwards into the end zone & his teammates began to imitate that they were performing CPR on him, for a very creative and unique TD celebration. . . - MLB - - Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz appeared in federal court Monday on charges accusing him and teammate Emmanuel Clase of accepting bribes to help associates in their native Dominican Republic win prop bets placed on pitches they threw - - The U.S. Magistrate Judge in Boston granted Ortiz his release but with several conditions, including that he surrender his passport, restrict his travel to the Northeast and post a $500,000 bail, with $50,000 of it secured - - He also was ordered to avoid contact with anyone who could be viewed as a victim, a witness or a co-defendant in the case - - According to the indictment against the two unsealed on Sunday, Ortiz & Clase took several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two unnamed gamblers in their home country win at least $460,000 on bets placed on the speed and outcome of certain pitches, including some that landed in the dirt - - Clase, who was the Guardians' closer, and Ortiz, a starter, have been on non-disciplinary paid leave since July, when the MLB started investigating what it said was unusually high in-game betting activity when the two pitched, with some of the games in question occurring in April, May & June of this year. . .Q: Considering the alleged betting scheme that has been uncovered in the NBA, should we be surprised to learn that there is an illegal paper trail of betting in the MLB? Do you truly believe that Luis Ortiz & Emmanuel Clase are the only two MLB pitchers out there that are involved in some type of pitch-rigging betting scheme?. . . - NBA - - Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison has been fired, it was announced on Tuesday morning - - The decision was made after a Tuesday morning meeting between Harrison and team governor Patrick Dumont, sources told ESPN - - Harrison has been under fire from Mavericks fans since he stunningly traded superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 2nd, months removed from the then-25-year-old five-time first-team All-NBA selection leading the franchise to an NBA Finals appearance - - That trade, in which Dallas received veteran Anthony Davis, Max Christie & a 2029 first-round pick in return, prompted fan protests outside the American Airlines Center on the night of the deal and before the team's next home game. . .That angst never dissipated, as "Fire Nico!" chants have frequently been heard ever since at the team's home games, including Monday night's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks - - Assistant GM Michael Finley & Matt Riccardi have been promoted to lead the Mavs' basketball operations department on an interim basis - - Dallas' poor start to the 2025 NBA regular season combined with the fans' relentless angst ultimately sealed Harrison's fate. . .Q: Were you in the slightest bit surprised by the firing of GM Nico Harrison by the Mavericks organization? Do you think the Mavericks should have made this decision months ago?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 109 - The "Call of A Lifetime" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - "Welcome Back, College Basketball:" Due primarily to an excessive material load, we have decided to postpone on our NCAA College Basketball 'Season Preview' segment, however, JD & Spencer elected to provide their individual Final Four predictions for the 2026 NCAA Tournament. . .There is one storyline from the Opening Night of the College Basketball season that is just too great & uplifting to not mention in this week's episode: During the postgame interview following their first game of the season, Loyola (Chicago) Ramblers head basketball coach Drew Valentine indicated that he could 'sense' Sister Jean's presence in his team's thrilling win over Cleveland State on Monday night - - Loyola Chicago guard Deywilk Tavarez hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 0.5 seconds to play, to secure the 91-88 victory in the program's first official game since the death of Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the longtime chaplain of the program and its' globally-recognized supporter, at the age of 106 last month - - In memory of Sister Jean, who had been associated with the program since 1994, the Ramblers' uniforms will include a patch that includes a picture depicting Sister Jean in all her glory - - Q: What are your thoughts on Loyola Chicago's buzzer-beating victory in their first game following Sister Jean's passing?. . .NCAA College Football Week Ten Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 10 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment: No.9 Vanderbilt Commodores at No.20 Texas Longhorns West Virginia Mountaineers at No.22 Houston Cougars No.10 Miami Hurricanes at SMU Mustangs No.5 Georgia Bulldogs vs. Florida Gators (*Neutral site/game played in Jacksonville, FL) No.8 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at NC State Wolfpack No.23 USC Trojans at Nebraska Cornhuskers South Carolina Gamecocks at No.7 Ole Miss Rebels (& the firing of Gamecocks OC Mike Shula) No.18 Oklahoma Sooners at No.14 Tennessee Volunteers Kentucky Wildcats at Auburn Tigers (**& the firing of Tigers HC Hugh Freeze & potential replacements) - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - NCAA D-I College Football Coaching Carousel: This could be the most active coaching carousel the sport of College Football has encountered in many years - - In particular, prior to the end of the month of September, five Power 4 programs were searching for new HC's for the 2026 season, and that number has since skyrocketed to twelve (counting some late-offseason dismissals) after Kent State University removed the interim tag from Mark Carney - - The 2024-25 hiring cycle was historically slow at the Power 4 level, as most programs waited to see the impact of budgeting more than $20 million for athletes in the House v. NCAA settlement, but with that revenue sharing system now firmly in place, the focus has significantly shifted back to coaching changes across the college football landscape - - In this particular segment, JD & Spencer present their individual ranking of NCAA Division I College Football's open head coaching jobs, with the ranking being primarily based on factors such as the chances for a head coach to succeed there - - Coaches want to take jobs where they believe they can be successful, and based on our independent rankings, this is how most HCs would view & prioritize the particular programs - - The 12 Power 4 open heading jobs that are ranked in this segment include the following programs: LSU, Penn State, Florida, Auburn, Arkansas, UCLA, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, Stanford, Oregon State, Colorado State & UAB. . .NCAA College Football Week Eleven Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Eleven preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following Week 11 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!! Tulane at No.22 Memphis (-5.5)                       O/U55.5 No.5 Georgia (-8.5) at Mississippi State                    O/U57.5 "College Gameday:" No.8 BYU at No.9 Texas Tech (-10)           O/U52.5 No.3 Texas A&M (-7) at No.19 Missouri  O/U47.5 No.6 Oregon (-6) at Iowa      O/U40.5 LSU at No.4 Alabama (-10.5)                    O/U49.5 Auburn at No.15 Vanderbilt (-6.5)             O/U45.5 - NFL - - NFL Week 9 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 9 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games: Atlanta Falcons at New England Patriots Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .Carolina Panthers RB Rico Dowdle - - Dowdle's celebration of a 3rd-QTR TD on Sunday included only two "pelvic pumps" in his rendition, referencing the character, Hingle McCringleberry, from a sketch of the Comedy Central show "Key & Peele," - - In contrast to McCringleberry's "three-pump" TD celebration, which gets flagged for excessive celebration in the original skit, it was Dowdle's understanding that he was allowed two pumps - - While the language in the league's rulebook is vague, the game official flagged Dowdle on Sunday for unsportsmanlike conduct - and unfortunately, the 15-yard penalty was forced on the extra-point attempt, for which Carolina PK Ryan Fitzgerald missed - - but perhaps it was "excessive" because six of Dowdle's teammates participated in the celebration, which means, technically, there might have been 12 pelvic pumps. . . Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers Chicago Bears at Cincinnati Bengals "Cam Little, BIG Kick:" Jacksonville Jaguars second-year kicker Cam Little is now officially in the NFL record book after drilling the longest FG in league history on Sunday - - The Jaguars' PK booted a 68-yard FG shortly before the halftime break - in the Jaguars' eventual 30-29 OT win over the Las Vegas Raiders - - Little, who connected on a 70-yard FG during the NFL preseason, was mobbed by his teammates after breaking the record that was previously held by former Ravens kicker, Justin Tucker, who's 66-yarder held on to the record since 2021 - - **NOTE: Little is now just one of three kickers in NFL history to make a FG of at least 65 yards - not bad for a 22-year-old, sixth-round pick - who had made 71.4% of his FG attempts during the first seven games of the 2025 NFL season. . . Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills - NFL (cont'd) - - 2025 NFL Trade Deadline: The 2025 NFL trade deadline, which was on Tuesday, November 4th, presented teams with one last window to transform their roster prior to the stretch run of the NFL regular season - - JD & Spencer discuss & provide an 'overall grade' for a few of the more notable and/or most impactful trades that did occur around the league prior to the 4:00 p.m. ET cutoff; the following trade(s) are discussed within this episode: Philadelphia acquired OLB Jaelan Phillips via Miami in exchange for a 2026 third-round draft pick Seattle acquired WR Rashid Shaheed via New Orleans in exchange for 2026 fourth- & fifth-round pick(s) Jacksonville acquired WR Jakobi Meyers via Las Vegas in exchange for 2026 fourth & sixth-round pick(s) Indianapolis acquired CB Sauce Gardner via NYJ in exchange for 2026 & '27 first-round picks & WR Adonai Mitchell Dallas acquired three-time Pro Bowl DT Quinnen Williams via NYJ in exchange for 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick & DT Mazi Smith - MLB - - 2025 World Series Game 5: Toronto Blue Jays (2-2) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (2-2): A record-setting performance from 22-year-old rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage in Game 5 of the 2025 World Series last Wednesday night had the Toronto Blue Jays on the cusp of their first MLB championship since 1993 - - Yesavage, in his first career postseason start on the road, struck out 12 batters over seven innings while giving up only three hits without issuing a single walk, helping lead the Blue Jays to a 6-1 win, and 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series - - **NOTE: Yesavage set the rookie mark for most strikeouts in a World Series game, surpassing Don Newcombe's 11, which was set in 1949. . .2025 World Series Game 6: Toronto Blue Jays (3-2) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (2-3): After another hitless performance in Wednesday's Game 5 loss made Dodgers star Mookie Betts 3-for-23 in this year's World Series, he wasted no time as his only solution for when slumps emerge, is to attempt to swing his way out of them: In the early part of Game 6 last Friday evening, Betts hit a two-run single that made the difference in a season-saving 3-1 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays - - Yoshinobu Yamamoto beat Toronto for the second time in a week by allowing one run in six innings, and slumping Mookie Betts hit a two-run single in a three-run 3rd inning against Kevin Gausman that included Will Smith's go-ahead double - - A two-run lead was starting to slip away from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 9th inning - along with their chance to force this year's World Series to a Game 7 - And then Kike Hernandez turned what might have been a tying, two-run single by Andres Gimenez into the first game-ending left field-to-second base double play in postseason history - - The Blue Jays were pushed to a Game 76 while the Dodgers kept alive their chance to become the first repeat champion since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees. . .2025 World Series Game 7: Toronto Blue Jays (3-3) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (3-3): When the final out of Game 7 of the 2025 World Series was recorded late Saturday night, and the Los Angeles Dodgers cemented themselves as champions for a second straight year - - As for Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, he turned to watch Alejandro Kirk hit a broken-bat grounder that started a double play, Kershaw was certain there were two outs and the score was suddenly tied, not that his Dodgers had just pulled off an improbable, championship-clinching 5-4 victory over the Blue Jays - - Down a run with two outs remaining in their quest to become the first MLB team in a quarter century to repeat, the Dodgers got a game-tying HR from Miguel Rojas in the 9th inning, then a game-winning HR from Will Smith in the 11th inning - - Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who recorded the last two outs in the 9th inning, mowed through the Blue Jays lineup in the 10th and staved off another furious rally in the 11th - - In the end, he became an easy choice for World Series MVP. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! & Happy Halloween to all you Cool Cats & Kittens! Episode 108 - "The CVIII Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Nine Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 9 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment: **"Feel Good, Inc:" UNT Redshirt freshman QB Drew Mestemaker "Mustve'Mader" major impact in the Mean Green's impressive comeback victory over Charlotte No.8 Ole Miss Rebels at No.13 Oklahoma Sooners No.16 Virginia Cavaliers at North Carolina Tar Heels No.18 South Florida Bulls at Memphis Tigers "College Gameday:" No.15 Missouri Tigers at No.10 Vanderbilt Commodores No.4 Alabama Crimson Tide at South Carolina Gamecocks No.22 Texas Longhorns at Mississippi State Bulldogs And This Week's "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .Redshirt freshman Nickelback/Safety RahShawn Clark of the Washington Huskies: In the best game of his collegiate career, Clark snagged his first career INT off Illinois QB Luke Altmyer, which led to Clark leading a stadium-wide "6,7" celebration at Husky Stadium on Saturday (**a reference to the viral song/clip from TikTok). . . No.3 Texas A&M Aggies at No.20 LSU Tigers (**& the firing of Tigers HC Brian Kelly & potential replacements) - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - "The Axe Cometh:" LSU OC and QBs coach Joe Sloan has been fired effective immediately, the school announced on Monday, less than 24 hours after HC Brian Kelly was relieved of his duties - - LSU's offense has struggled this season, ranking No.124 in the country in rushing yards per game (106.3), No.91 in red zone efficiency (58.6%), and No.83 in points per game (25.5) - - TEs coach & Run Game Coordinator Alex Atkins, who formerly made stops as the OC at Florida State & Charlotte, will reportedly take over as LSU's offensive play-caller, per an announcement of the program. . .NCAA College Football Week Ten Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Ten preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following Week 10 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!! No.9 Vanderbilt at No.20 Texas (-2.5)                       O/U45.5 Penn State at No.1 Ohio State (-20.5)                    O/U43.5 No.4 Alabama (-13.5) at South Carolina                O/U47.5 "War for the Okefenokee Oar:" No.5 Georgia (-7.5) vs. Florida  O/U50.5 South Carolina at No.7 Ole Miss (-12.5)      O/U54.5 No.18 Oklahoma at No.14 Tennessee (-3)                   O/U56.5 No.23 USC (-6.5) at Nebraska                           O/U59.5 No.17 Cincinnati at No.24 Utah (-10)                   O/U55.5 - NFL - - "An Episode Favorite, No.74:" Former New York Jets center Nick Mangold, aged 41, a franchise legend who endeared himself to fans and teammates with his blue-collar, every-man demeanor, has passed away due to complications from kidney disease, the Jets franchise announced on Sunday - - Mangold's passing came twelve days after he made a public appeal for a kidney transplant via social media, primarily because none of his family members shared his extremely rare blood type (i.e., Type O) - - Known for his toughness & cerebral approach, Mangold became one of the most decorated centers in the NFL: he made seven Pro Bowls, was twice named a first-team All-Pro, and most impressively, he played in the league for five straight years before he missed his first game (e.g., he wound up missing only four games in his first ten NFL seasons) - - In 2009, Mangold, a veteran in the league, was a bit of a calming influence to Jets new & turnover-prone QB, Mark Sanchez, that would ultimately help the Jets reach the AFC Championship Game in back-to-back consecutive seasons - - While he did draw interest from other NFL teams following his release by the New York Jets, Mangold elected to retire after playing for the same franchise for eleven (11) seasons, where he started 164 of 176 games - - At his induction into the Jets' Ring of Honor in 2022, the bearded Mangold, with his signature backward baseball cap, would go on to punctuate his acceptance speech to the fans in the stadium, by cracking open a beer - - What a legend, R.I.P. Nick Mangold, you will be missed, brother!. . . After being released by the Jets NFL Week 8 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 8 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following topics from this past weekend's slate of games: New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles (**& the loss of Rookie RB Cam Skattebo) "Another Milestone:" Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry passed one of the biggest names in NFL history on Sunday: His two rushing TDs against the Chicago Bears brought his career total to 112, breaking a tie with the late great Walter Payton (110) for fifth on the career rushing list - - Henry is also closing in on becoming the 17th player in NFL history to rush for 12,000 yards. . . New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals (**QB Justin Fields leads Jets' rally to overcome a 15-point, 4th-QTR deficit to win 1st game of the season). . . "Sack Man:" On Saturday, Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett, became the third player in NFL history to have 10 or more sacks in eight consecutive seasons, joining Hall of Famers Reggie White & John Randle - - **NOTE: It is the third four-sack game in the history of the Browns franchise. . .Q: Are you, by any measure, surprised that Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett became the 3rd player in NFL history to have 10 or more sacks in eight consecutive seasons?. . . "Another Vintage Performance:" In the Monday Night Football matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs & the Washington Commanders, the Chiefs picked up their fifth win in the past six games, by comfortably defeating the Commanders 28-7 at Arrowhead Stadium. . .but the Chiefs' victory is not nearly as significant as a particular stat that was recorded in this game by a team veteran - - TE Travis Kelce's 10-yard TD late in the 3rd QTR was historic: It was Kelce's 83rd career score, which tied him with former RB Priest Holmes for the most total TDs in Chiefs' franchise history - - To date, Kelce also had the best game of the 2025 NFL regular season - as he led the Chiefs with six receptions on eight targets for 99 yards receiving - - Kelce put together another vintage performance by doing exactly what he had done throughout his entire career: devour zone coverage - - **NOTE: Together, QB Patrick Mahomes & TE Travis Kelce are just the third QB-TE duo in NFL history to connect for 75 TDs, including the playoffs - joining the likes of Tom Brady & Rob Gronkowski (105) and Philip Rivers & Antonio Gates (90). . . - MLB - - 2025 World Series Game 1: Toronto Blue Jays vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Addison Barger launched the first-ever pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history, and Alejandro Kirk added a two-run homer as the Blue Jays stormed back to crush the defending champion Dodgers 11-4 in last Friday night's series opener at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada - - Playing in their first "Fall Classic" in 32 years, the Blue Jays erupted for nine runs in the 6th inning, turning a 2-0 deficit into a blowout that electrified a sold-out home crowd & gave Toronto a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series - - Los Angeles, who is seeking to become the first team in a quarter century to win back-to-back titles, stranded three with the bases loaded in the 2nd inning - and stranded another in the 3rd as well - - The 22-year-old RHP, Trey YeSavage, making just his fourth postseason start, became the second-youngest pitcher to ever star in a World Series opener - - Despite their early jitters, Toronto began their comeback in the 4th inning when Kirk singled off the right-field wall, and Daulton Varsho followed with a 423-foot HR to center off Dodgers' Blake Snell, who had not allowed a homer to a left-handed hitter in approximately five months - - Snell unraveled in the 6th inning, giving up a walk to Bo Bichette - who was playing in his first game in seven weeks after sustaining a knee injury - followed by a Kirk single and a Varsho hit-by-pitch to load the bases for the Blue Jays - - The Dodgers, the team with the highest payroll in baseball, looked very rusty after a weeklong layoff following their NLCS sweep of the Detroit Tigers. . .2025 World Series Game 2: Toronto Blue Jays (1-0) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (0-1): The Los Angeles Dodgers bounced back from the crushing loss in Game 1 of the 2025 World Series with a 5-1 victory over the Blue Jays on Saturday evening in their second consecutive game at the Rogers Centre in Toronto - - Yoshinobu Yamamoto had a great outing for the Dodgers, throwing his second straight complete game while only allowing one run - - **NOTE: Throughout the 2025 MLB postseason, Yamamoto has posted a 1.59 ERA through his four starts in October - - **NOTE: The last player to throw consecutive complete games in the postseason was Curt Schilling in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks, when he threw all nine innings in three consecutive games against the St. Louis Cardinals & Atlanta Braves - - The Dodgers took an early lead against former division rival, Kevin Gausman - with Will Smith scoring Freddie Freeman in the top of the 1st inning after Freeman hit a double to right field - - The Dodgers did not record another hit until the top of the 7th inning, when Will Smith gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead with a solo HR - his first this postseason - & Max Muncy tacked on another solo shot two batters later - forcing Gausman out of the game - - This was a massive win for the Dodgers, tying the series at 1-1, and they would head back to Dodger Stadium, where the next three games of the series, will be held. . .2025 World Series Game 3: Toronto Blue Jays (1-1) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (1-1): It took six hours and thirty-nine minutes - as well as 609 pitches - to finally crown a winner in Game 3 of the 2025 World Series: Against the 19th pitcher deployed, Freddie Freeman saw a full-count sinker that sailed toward the middle of the strike zone and lifted it to straightaway center field for another game-ending HR, sending the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 6-5 victory over the Blue Jays in 18 innings on Monday night, which tied for the longest game in World Series history - - Game 3 saw the Blue Jays & Dodgers combine for 10 runs in the first seven innings and zero for the next ten innings - - It saw Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani collect an extra-base hit in each of his first four plate appearances, including the game-tying homer in the 7th inning, and walk in each of his next five, four of which were intentional - - It saw Clayton Kershaw strand the bases loaded in an emotional 12th inning - and it saw an array of impressive throws, including those by Blue Jays' Addison Barger & Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and by Dodgers' Teoscar Hernandez - - And Game 3 also saw Will Klein, a minor midseason pickup & surprising addition to the Dodgers' World Series roster, save L.A.'s season - - Prior to Ohtani in Game 3, no MLB player had ever reached base nine times in a postseason game. . .2025 World Series Game 4: Toronto Blue Jays (1-2) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (2-1): The Toronto Blue Jays became the second team in baseball history to face the task of coming off an 18-inning loss in the World Series on Tuesday night - and much like the 2018 Boston Red Sox - they responded with a resounding win: Behind a 3rd-inning Vladimir Guerrero Jr. blast off Shohei Ohtani & a much-needed quality outing from starting pitcher Shane Bieber, the Blue Jays cruised to a mostly drama-free 6-2 win over the Dodgers, evening the Fall Classic series at 2-2. . .Q: After the Blue Jays successfully tied up the series at 2-2, which team do you think has the "competitive edge" going into Game 5?. . . - NBA - - Hall of Famer & current Portland Trail Blazers HC Chauncey Billups, former Cleveland Cavaliers player & assistant coach Damon Jones, and current Miami Heat player Terry Rozier, were all arrested and indicted for their alleged involvement in illegal sports gambling and rigged poker games, reportedly backed by the Italian Mafia, the authorities announced last Thursday - - Both Billups & Rozier, who has been indicted on charges of wire fraud conspiracy & money laundering conspiracy, have been placed on administrative (or immediate) leave from their respective teams (each of these counts carries a term of no more than 20 years in prison) - - A total of 34 people were arrested as a result of a yearslong investigation covering 11 states and involving tens of millions of dollars, per the Director of the FBI, Kash Patel - - Law enforcement officials have also reported that the multiple charges involve four Mafia families & organized crime networks - - According to the indictment for former NBA player, Damon Jones, it is alleged that he sold inside information to bettors - and that Jones had a close relationship with "a prominent NBA player," during his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers & the Los Angeles Lakers - and that he allegedly had access to insider information through that relationship - - While Jones' indictment does not specifically name the player, a source has informed ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin that it was former Cavaliers/Lakers superstar, LeBron James. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding the NBA's alleged illegal gambling scandal and its' ties to the Mafia?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 107 - "The Pine Tar Incident Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Eight Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 8 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following game(s), which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment: No.10 LSU Tigers at No.17 Vanderbilt Commodores No.5 Ole Miss Rebels at No.9 Georgia Bulldogs "Battle for the Bones:" No.22 Memphis Tigers at UAB Blazers No.7 Texas Tech Red Raiders at Arizona State Sun Devils Mississippi State Bulldogs at Florida Gators (**& the firing of Gators HC Billy Napier) No.4 Texas A&M Aggies at Arkansas Razorbacks No.21 Texas Longhorns at Kentucky Wildcats "Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh:" No.20 USC Trojans at No.12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish "Third Saturday in October:" No.11 Tennessee Volunteers at No.6 Alabama Crimson Tide No.16 Missouri Tigers at Auburn Tigers "Holy War:" No.23 Utah Utes at No.15 BYU Cougars - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - NCAA Division III: Approximately 10 miles south of Boston, Mass., in the small suburban area of Milton, lies Curry College - - Curry College, a Division-III private school with roughly 2,000 undergraduate students at a campus that sits on 131 acres, is surrounded by a picture-perfect tree setting - - The term "picture-perfect" is not only a valid description of the scenery that surrounds this small, private institution - but may also be used to describe the performance that was witnessed last Saturday evening: In their homecoming game, the Curry College Colonels laid the "smack down" on Nichols College in a resounding 71-27 victory - and Nope! It's NOT the score that is relevant here. . .when the dust was settled, Curry College RB Montie Quinn had taken down the NCAA record across all three divisions, by rushing for 522 yards on 20 carries (26.1 yards average/per carry) while tacking on seven TDs - - Quinn broke the standing NCAA and Division III record of 465 rushing yards set by Heidelberg's Cartel Brooks in 2013 - - **NOTE: The FBS record for the most rushing yards recorded in a single game is 427, set by former Oklahoma Sooners RB Samaje Perine in 2014 - - And the wildest part of this record-breaking story: Quinn could have finished with more rushing yards, however, he would sit out for the Colonels' final two offensive drives of the game - - To date, including his out-of-this-world performance on Saturday, Quinn has accumulated 1,450 rushing yards and 17 TDs this season for the Curry College Colonels. . .Colorado State has fired its' head football coach Jay Norvell midway through his 4th season with the program, the school announced Sunday afternoon - - The decision was made to dismiss Norvell after the Rams fell to 2-5 this season following Saturday's loss to the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors - - Following the loss on Saturday, Norvell finished his tenure with CSU with an overall record of 18-26, and he is reportedly owed approximately $1.5M in the buyout of his remaining contract, in which he signed a five-year deal, in 2021 - - Tyson Summers, who is in his second stint as the DC for the Rams, has been named the interim coach following Norvell's firing - and CSU further announced that it would immediately begin its search for a new HC NCAA College Football Week Nine Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Nine preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following Week 9 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!! No.8 Ole Miss at No.13 Oklahoma (-3.5)                      O/U54.5 No.18 USF (-5.5) at Memphis                         O/U62.5 No.4 Alabama (-13.5) at South Carolina                O/U47.5 College Gameday: No.15 Missouri at No.10 Vanderbilt (-2.5)  O/U52.5 No.11 BYU at Iowa State (-2.5)         O/U49.5 No.3 Texas A&M (-2.5) at No.20 LSU                      O/U48.5 - NFL - - NFL Week 7 Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 7 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games: "The Unc Bowl: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings New York Giants at Denver Broncos And This Week's "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .Detroit Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and RB Jahmyr Gibbs, who teamed up & nailed the dual 'Superman + Spiderman' pose celebration in the endzone - as they would "save the day" for Detroit in their 24-9 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football. . . - NFL (cont'd) - - Defensive end Brandon Graham has decided to come out of retirement to rejoin the Philadelphia Eagles - - The Eagles announced Tuesday morning that Graham, who was the longest-tenured player in Eagles' franchise history, had agreed to a one-year deal to suit up for his 16th season with the team - - Graham's return to the Eagles certainly could not have happened at a much better time for a franchise that is struggling at the edge rusher position, as well as following DE Za'Darius Smith's sudden retirement last week & after Nolan Smith Jr. was placed on IR last month because of a triceps injury - - Graham, 37, hold the Eagles' record for most regular season games played (206) and is 3rd in franchise history with 76.5 sacks - - He made his lone Pro Bowl in 2020 and recorded his first double-digit sack season in 2022 with 11. . .Q: Are you surprised to learn that DE Brandon Graham is returning to the Philadelphia Eagles less than a year out of retirement?. . . - MLB - - It was announced on Wednesday afternoon that University of Tennessee head baseball coach Tony Vitello had been hired to become the next manager of the San Francisco Giants, per ESPN reporter Pete Thamel - - Vitello helped lead the Volunteers to a national championship in the 2024 College World Series & transformed the program into a national powerhouse - - Interestingly, he is the first manager in MLB history to jump directly from the collegiate level to the majors without any pro baseball experience - - At the University of Tennessee, Vitello was the highest-paid coach in college baseball - with a salary upwards of $3M per season - and it is believed that he may have taken somewhat of a pay cut to manage at the professional (or MLB) level - - Since taking on his first head coaching gig in 2017, he has guided the Volunteers to two SEC Conference regular-season titles and two SEC Conference Tournament titles. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the San Francisco Giants hiring Tennessee head baseball coach Tony Vitello as its next manager? Why do you think Vitello is the first MLB manager to be hired directly from the collegiate level?. . .2025 World Series Predictions: Who is your prediction to win the 2025 World Series: the Toronto Blue Jays or the Los Angeles Dodgers? (Tune in to this week's episode for JD & Spencer's picks - - **Be sure to share your picks with us on Twitter/X - @TraditionFinest OR send us a message at [email protected]!!) - - The 2025 World Series is set to begin with Game 1 between the Dodgers and Blue Jays tonight - - The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the 2025 MLB regular season as the largest title favorites in over two decades, and they are heading into the 2025 World Series as the overwhelming favorites to win their second straight championship: The reigning champion Dodgers opened as the -210 favorite to win the World Series over the Blue Jays, who opened at +175 odds, according to ESPN BET odds - - **NOTE: If the Dodgers were to capture another MLB Commissioner's Trophy this season, they will do so as wire-to-wire favorites for the second consecutive season, becoming the first franchise to accomplish that feat since the New York Yankees in 1999 and 2000, according to data from SportsOddsHistory.com. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 106.5 - "The P.U.I [Pitching Under the Influence] Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Seven Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major storylines, review, & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 7 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following game(s), which are included in this week's College Football Review & Recap segment: No.8 Alabama Crimson Tide at No.14 Missouri Tigers No.1 Ohio State Buckeyes at No.17 Illinois Fighting Illini Washington State Cougars at No.4 Ole Miss Rebels Allstate Red River Rivalry: No.6 Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas Longhorns No.7 Indiana Hoosiers at No.3 Oregon Ducks No.15 Michigan Wolverines at USC Trojans "Deep South's Oldest Rivalry:" No.10 Georgia Bulldogs at Auburn Tigers - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - Following the results of the Week Seven slate of College Football games on Saturday, Sunday would become somewhat of a “doomsday," as three major CFB head coaches would be fired and/or relieved from their positions. . .(1) Most notably, Penn State fired HC James Franklin after 12 seasons with the program, the school announced early Sunday morning - - Franklin is owed more than $49 million, according to his contract, which is the second-largest buyout in college football history behind only Jimbo Fisher's $76 million buyout from Texas A&M - - Associate HC Terry Smith will serve as the Nittany Lions' interim head coach for the remainder of the season, and reportedly, no additional changes to the staff are expected at this time - - Penn State, ranked in the preseason as the No.2 team in the country, entered the 2025-26 season with a championship-or-bust mission, and oh boy, did things go bust! - - Franklin's program appeared to hit a new low when the Nittany Lions traveled out to Los Angeles two weeks ago only to lose to the winless UCLA Bruins, a team who hadn't previously held a lead in a game this season - - The woes traveled back with the team to Happy Valley, and with them came "Fire Franklin!" chants at Beaver Stadium on Saturday - - The Nittany Lions dropped their second straight home game this past weekend - and third overall - when they fell to Northwestern 22-21 in front of a stunned crowd at Happy Valley - - **NOTE: With the two losses, Penn State became the first team since the FBS and FCS split in 1978, to lose consecutive games while favored by 20 or more points in each game, according to ESPN Research - - In Saturday's loss to the Wildcats, the Nittany Lions struggled on both sides of the ball, committing six penalties for 71 yards in the first half alone - as they simply could never get out of their own way - and this was preceded the tragedy that would occur late in the 4th QTR: QB Drew Allar would go down, and according to Nittany Lions HC James Franklin in the post-game press conference, suffered a season-ending ankle injury - - Earlier in the season, when the losing streak began against Oregon at Happy Valley, Franklin fell to 4-21 at Penn State against AP Top-10 opponents, including a 1-18 record against AP Top-10 teams in the Big Ten Conference - - **NOTE: Franklin's .160 winning percentage against AP Top-10 teams is tied for the 3rd-worst record by a coach (with a minimum of 25 games) at a single school since the poll era began in 1936 - - The main question has to be: Where does Penn State go from here?: The school has made significant investments in facilities, NIL & other areas, and school AD Patrick Kraft is a "football guy," who wants to win at the highest level - - In regards to the recruiting trail, Penn State has access to talent in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic & Midwest, and certainly can compete for major goals on a regular basis - - In their pursuit of a new coach, the program can aim high with candidates and potential replacements, including from within the Big Ten Conference, and certainly target those with a track record of winning in the biggest moments - - After discussing a few of the most notable head coaching candidates to replace James Franklin at Penn State, both JD & Spencer each provide their pick as to who the Nittany Lions should pursue, and why (**Tune in to hear their picks!). . .(2) Next in line: Oregon State fired HC Trent Bray in the wake of an 0-7 start, the school announced Sunday afternoon - - It is the worst start the Beavers program since 1991, when they started the season 0-10 - - Bray, an Oregon State alum, who got promoted to the head coaching job after Jonathan Smith left for Michigan State following the 2023 season, finishes with a 5-14 record after taking over the program in 2024 - - Robb Akey, who was in his first year as Special Assistant to the head coach, has been named the Beavers' interim coach for the remainder of the regular season - - Bray is expected to owed upwards of $4 million in his buyout settlement, as he was in the second year of a five-year contract. . .(3) Finally, the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB), fired its' head coach & former Super Bowl-winning QB, Trent Dilfer, on Sunday, after the Blazers dropped their third straight game, 53-33, at Florida Atlantic, to fall to 2-4 this season - - Dilfer, 53, had a 9-21 overall record in his two-plus seasons at UAB - - A 14-year NFL veteran, Dilfer was a surprising hire to take over the UAB program after Bill Clark announced his retirement for health reasons - prior to the 2022 season - - Alex Mortensen, the son of late award-winning ESPN NFL insider, Chris Mortensen, will serve as the Blazers' interim coach for the remainder of the regular season. . .Q: Which of the three FBS head coaches fired over the weekend was the most surprising in terms of its' face value? Which FBS program is most likely to "pull the plug" and/or fire their head coach next?. . .NCAA College Football Week Eight Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Eight preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following Week 8 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!! No.14 Oklahoma (-4.5) at South Carolina                     O/U43.5 No.10 LSU at No.17 Vanderbilt (-2.5)                         O/U48.5 No.16 Missouri (-1.5) at Auburn                     O/U44.5 No.12 Georgia Tech at Duke (-2.5)  O/U60.5 College Gameday: No.5 Ole Miss at No.9 Georgia (-6.5)         O/U43.5 No.11 Tennessee at No.6 Alabama (-8.5)                       O/U60.5 No.20 USC at No.13 Notre Dame (-7.5)                      O/U62.5 "Holy War:" No.23 Utah (-3.5) at No.15 BYU              O/U48.5 - NFL - - Former NFL QB Mark Sanchez was booked & released at the Marion County Jail in Indiana on Sunday evening - - While leaving, Sanchez spoke to the press for the first time since the altercation/incident occurred, giving praise specifically to the first responders that "saved his life," - - Sanchez is facing a felony charge for his role in an altercation that led to the former New York Jet being stabbed last week - - Initially, Sanchez had been charged with three misdemeanors for his role in the incident, but is now facing the felony battery charge involving serious bodily injury, which carries a maximum sentence of between one and six years in prison - - According to Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears, the dispute between Sanchez & the truck driver - who was initially referred to as P.T. & later determined to be 69-year-old Perry Tole - began over a parking space - - On Monday, Tole has also filed a civil lawsuit against Sanchez & the Fox network, alleging assault/battery & negligent hiring, retention and supervision, however, Tole's civil lawsuit does not specify a specific amount for damages that he is seeking in return, but instead, has requested for the amount awarded to be determined at trial - - Sanchez played QB for the USC Trojans, prior to being drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft by the New York Jets - - Sanchez played in the NFL for ten seasons with the Jets & several other teams, where he would cement a legacy as the QB responsible for the infamous "butt fumble," prior to announcing his retirement from the league after the 2018 season - - After which point, Sanchez joined Fox Sports in 2021 as an analyst - - According to multiple reports, Sanchez was actually in Indianapolis at the time of the altercation because he was scheduled to call the Colts-Dolphins game the following day at Lucas Oil Stadium - - Q: What are your thoughts on the Mark Sanchez situation? Do you think he is likely to be found "guilty" on the count of the felony battery charge?. . .NFL Week 6 Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 6 of the regular season - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games: NFL London Games: Denver Broncos vs. New York Jets Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers And This Week's "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .Four-time Pro-Bowler/Las Vegas Raiders LB Maxx Crosby, who went viral during Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans for his savage troll job on Titans rookie QB Cam Ward - - During the 4th QTR at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Crosby broke free off the edge & got to Ward for a huge sack - - After bringing Ward down, Crosby proceeded to clown on him: he quickly turned toward the crowd and began doing Ward's signature celebration - a celebration that Ward has been doing - which has been dubbed "Zombieland," & features him covering his mouth with one hand and gesturing downwards with his other hand - ever since college - - Crosby decided to break it out on Sunday as part of his "Welcome to the NFL," moment for the rookie QB. . . Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs & the one-game suspension of Lions' safety Brian Branch - MLB - - It is mid-October, and the 2025 Major League Baseball Playoffs are in full swing. we have reached the Championship Series for both the American League & National League - - the ALCS and NLCS, respectively - - In the ALCS, we have the Seattle Mariners & the Toronto Blue Jays, while in the NLCS, it's the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers versus the Milwaukee Brewers. . .In this episode, JD & Spencer discuss which of the four remaining MLB teams that they would prefer to advance to, and subsequently win this year's World Series - and they both present their independent, individual predictions as to which of the four remaining MLB franchises they think will win this year's World Series. . .Q: Which MLB franchise do you think will win this year's World Series: the Mariners, Blue Jays, Dodgers or Brewers?. . . - WNBA - - The Las Vegas Aces cemented their place among the sport's greatest dynasties last Friday night, defeating the Phoenix Mercury 97-86 to complete a four-game sweep, and claim their third WNBA Championship in four seasons - - **NOTE: Las Vegas became the first team since the Houston Comets' four straight WNBA titles from 1997 to 2000 to win three championships in a four-year span - - League MVP A'ja Wilson led the way once again, scoring 31 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a performance emblematic of her reign atop the sport - - Though she shot just 7 of 21 from the field, Wilson made 17 of 19 FTs & controlled the game at both ends of the court, earning her second Finals MVP award in three years - - The Mercury's injury-depleted roster were without their leading postseason scorer, Satou Sabally, and star guard Alyssa Thomas - who notched another triple-double in Game 4 - had nine turnovers and was visibly labored after she injured her right shoulder late in the first half - - Despite the team being swept in the Finals, the Mercury's effort & resilience reflected a strong playoff run that included upsets of the defending champion New York Liberty & top-seeded Minnesota Lynx - - Q: Does A'ja Wilson's dominance in the WNBA elevate the University of South Carolina Women's Basketball Program to an "elite" status with the likes of the University of Tennessee & UCONN?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 105 - "The Black Sox Scandal Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Five Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major storylines, review, & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 5 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following game(s), which are included in this week's College Football Review & Recap segment: No.8 Florida State Seminoles at Virginia Cavaliers & the "One-Finger Salute" No.22 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Arkansas Razorbacks & the firing of HC Sam Pittman No.21 USC Trojans at No.23 Illinois Fighting Illini No.16 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Wake Forest Demon Deacons & the Impact of a Missed "Offsides" Call Auburn Tigers at No.9 Texas A&M Aggies "The Battle for the Magnolia Trophy:" No. 4 LSU Tigers at No.13 Ole Miss Rebels - - Are Trinidad Chambliss & the Ole Miss Rebels legit? Or can we expect the stereotypical "Lane Kiffin-style" collapse at some point this season? No.15 Tennessee Volunteers at Mississippi State Bulldogs No.17 Alabama Crimson Tide at No.5 Georgia Bulldogs No.6 Oregon Ducks at No.3 Penn State Nittany Lions & HC James Franklin is now 4-21 against AP Top 10 ranked opponents - - Will James Franklin & the Nittany Lions ever get over "the hump?" - NCAA College Football Week Six Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Six preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following Week 6 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!! Kentucky at No.12 Georgia (-20.5)                          O/U48.5 Wisconsin at No.20 Michigan (-16.5)                         O/U42.5 No.14 Iowa State at Cincinnati (-2.5)                    O/U52.5 "College Gameday:" No.16 Vanderbilt at No.10 Alabama (-10.5)  O/U56.5 No.9 Texas (-6.5) at Florida                                 O/U43.5 No.24 Virginia at Louisville (-7.5)                             O/U62.5 No.11 Texas Tech (-10.5) at Houston                         O/U50.5 Mississippi State at No.6 Texas A&M (-14.5)               O/U57.5 No.3 Miami (-4.5) at No.18 Florida State               O/U54.5 - NFL - NFL Regular Season Week 4 Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 4 of the regular season - - Be sure to tune in for a discussion of the major storylines from across the league - as well as an in-depth review & analysis of a few of the most notable games from this past weekend; the following topics & slate of games are discussed in this episode: Los Angeles Chargers at New York Giants & Rookie QB Jaxson Dart's impressive debut as a starter & the Giants' costly win. . . **We reveal our fourth "Tradition's Finest Most Badass Celly of Week Two" Award winner. . . Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers & the Eagles' 20th victory in 21 games. . . **Tennessee Titans rookie QB Cam Ward & his statement regarding the team's winless (0-4) start. . . Indianapolis Colts at Los Angeles Rams & WR Adonai Mitchell's costly TD "celebration?". . . **49ers DC Robert Saleh & Jaguars HC Liam Coen's heated postgame exchange at midfield after Jacksonville's 26-21 win. . . Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs & the number of injured starters for the Ravens continues to rise. . . Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys & the "abomination" of a tie as a potential outcome for a professional sporting event. . . - NFL (cont'd) - Per ESPN on Monday, Bad Bunny will bring his Latin trap and reggaeton swagger to the NFL's biggest stage next year - - as the Grammy-winning artist will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LX halftime show at Levi's Stadium on February 8th in Santa Clara, California - - Bad Bunny has become one of world's most streamed artists as he recently released an all-Spanish-language EP titled "Un Verano Sin Ti,". . .Q: What are your thoughts about the announcement that Bad Bunny will be the halftime performer at next year's Super Bowl LX?. . .Per ESPN's NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Wednesday morning, the Cleveland Browns have decided to bench veteran QB Joe Flacco and will turn to rookie Dillon Gabriel as the team's starter for Sunday's international game (i.e., London) against the Minnesota Vikings - - Flacco started Cleveland's first four games but has thrown six INTs this season, and has committed an NFL-high eight turnovers - and his 27.0 Total QBR ranks above only Titans rookie QB Cam Ward among qualifying passers - - Through the first four weeks of the NFL regular season, the Browns have the NFL's second-lowest scoring offense, averaging just 14 points per game - - Q: Were you surprised that Cleveland Browns HC Kevin Stefanski elected to make the switch at QB from a veteran to a rookie just four weeks into the regular season?. . . - Miscellaneous - PGA/Golf: The U.S. Team fell just short of a historic comeback, tying for the best Singles performance in Ryder Cup history - - Europe went on to defeat the U.S 15-13 in this year's Ryder Cup - - The U.S. became the first home team to lose the event since their collapse at Medinah 13 years ago - - They very nearly completed a comeback that would have blown the miracle out of the water: Trailing 11.5-4.5 to begin the day, the U.S. Team tied the best Singles performance in Ryder Cup history, earning 8.5 of the 12 available points to charge back in contention - - No team had ever come back to win from a deficit greater than four points, yet the U.S. made up five points on the final day - - It was a performance that saved the embarrassment that appeared to be coming, in which the U.S. Team not only lost on home soil, but got their doors blown off by a European team that was better in every facet: on the course & in the captain's room - - U.S. Team captain Keegan Bradley was forced to be an on-looker as Europe's Sam Burns & Robert MacIntyre both putt for birdie on the 17th green, in what remained a tied match, however, it was at this particular moment that European fans broke into song around him - finally letting their voices dominate the atmosphere that had drowned them out after a raucous three days at Bethpage Black - - While Sunday was a day in which the improbable almost happened - after facing a record seven-point deficit after a historically poor first two days at the Ryder Cup - the comeback by the U.S. Team will ultimately get lost in history, primarily, because they fell just short of achieving the success they desired. . .Q: What are your thoughts of the U.S. Team losing to Europe at this year's Ryder Cup, which was played on our own turf?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 104 - The 'On the Origin of Mascots Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - NCAA College Basketball: Per ESPN's Pete Thamel & Jeff Borzello, Bruce Pearl has stepped down as the Men's Basketball Coach at Auburn and will move into an ambassador's role in the Athletic Department - as a special assistant to the Athletics Director, the school announced on Monday - - Steven Pearl, Pearl's son who has been with program as an Associate Head Coach since 2017, has received a five-year contract to become the program's new HC - - Bruce Pearl, 65, is coming off a season in which he guided the Tigers to its second-ever Final Four appearance - - Pearl, who had been the head coach at Auburn for 11 seasons, led the Tigers to six NCAA Tournament appearances and both of the program's Final Four runs, helped the Tigers earn at least a share of three SEC regular-season titles & won two SEC Conference Tournament championships - - Pearl retires with a record of 246-125 at Auburn throughout his tenure with the program - - The timeline of Pearl's announcement has come under a little scrunity, as per the NCAA, the players with the program will now have a 30-day window to enter the transfer portal - but since the announcement was made so late into the offseason, the expectations are that, there will be very few transfers away from the program. . .Pearl has long been linked to a post-coaching career in politics, something he addressed in early September following monthslong rumors regarding him as a potential candidate for Tommy Tuberville's open U.S. Senate seat, but per his statement on Monday, he is not planning to run for Senate. . .Q: Do you lean more towards the direction of believing Bruce Pearl when he clarified on Monday that he will not run for U.S. Senate? While there are clearly similarities & differences between the two, is the pain Auburn fans are currently experiencing over the loss of Bruce Pearl as the Tigers' head basketball coach somewhat equivalent to how Alabama fans felt the day Nick Saban announced his retirement as the Crimson Tide's head football coach?. . .Jean Dolores Schmidt, popularly known as "Sister Jean" is retiring, as well - - The 106-year-old Cathlolic nun, a campus minister and the official chaplain of the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers men's basketball team, is stepping away from her duties due to health concerns - - Sister Jean became a viral sensation overnight by cheering on Loyola during their epic Final Four run as an 11-seed in 2018 - - Sister Jean had served in her roles at Loyola since 1991, and while she is stepping away, the Tradition's Finest crew would like to grant our "best wishes" and sincerely hope she makes it to 107. . .NCAA Division III College Football: There is a very common phrase/saying that "you learn something new every day," which basically reinforces the idea that knowledge is on a continuum - - and this is, in fact, accurate because neither of us were aware that the U.S. Coast Guard - a military branch that operates under the Department of Homeland Security, focused on maritime law enforcement, border control, port security, and search & rescue missions, using cutters, aircraft and boats to save lives & interdict illegal activities at sea - has a D-III college football program/team - - For all of you that had no clue of this either - Welcome! Allow us to introduce you to the "Coast Guard Academy Bears," who recorded one for the history books this weekend: Nichols Bison at Coast Guard Bears - - On homecoming weekend at the Coast Guard Academy, the Bears gave their proud alumni fireworks and much to cheer for with a 92-60 victory over Nichols College - - This was NOT a basketball game, this was a football game, ladies & gentlemen - - With 1:36 remaining in the game, Coast Guard and Nichols had tied for Division III history with 138 combined points - - The 92-60 final score etches this game into another niche history book as well - In the 157 years of college football across three divisions, this is the first time in NCAA history that a college football game has ended by a final score of 92-60 - - Q: Be honest, did you know that the Coast Guard Academy had a D-III college football team?. . .**Let us know via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!!. . .NCAA College Football Week Four Review & Recap: In this episode's CFB Week Four review & recap segment, JD & Spencer will discuss, provide a detailed analysis, and present their individual takeaways for a few of the most intriguing college football games from this past weekend's slate of games; the following games are discussed within this episode: "Stillwater Showdown:" Tulsa Golden Hurricanes at Oklahoma State Cowboys (**and the firing of the Cowboys - and second-longest-tenured HC in college football - Mike Gundy) - And this week's "Tradition's Finest Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. .University of North Texas Mean Green DL Keviyan Huddleston - - Huddleston pulled off an epic celebration after a fumble recovery on Saturday as the Mean Green took on the Army Black Knights at West Point - - As Army was driving, Noah Short lost a fumble that was recovered by Huddleston, and when he got to the sideline, he was then given a Mean Green-decorated WWE-style belt & took two beer can replicas, to pull off the epic "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, an alumni of North Texas, beer celebration - - and North Texas would go on to defeat Army 45-38 in OT on Saturday to improve to a record of 4-0 on the season. . . No.17 Texas Tech Red Raiders at No.16 Utah Utes Arkansas Razorbacks at Memphis Tigers Syracuse Orange at Clemson Tigers "Bussin Bowl:" No.21 Michigan Wolverines at Nebraska Cornhuskers (**and the "Bussin' bet) No.22 Auburn Tigers at No.11 Oklahoma Sooners (**and the use of "Hideout Tactics") No.9 Illinois Fighting Illini at No.19 Indiana Hoosiers "Battle for the Florida Cup:" Florida Gators at No.4 Miami Hurricanes - College Football Week Five Preview & Predictions: In this episode's CFB Week Five preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently selected pick(s) for each of the following Week 5 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!! No.24 TCU at Arizona State (-2.5)         O/U54.5 No.22 Notre Dame (-4.5) at Arkansas     O/U64.5 No.21 USC (-6.5) at No.23 Illinois         O/U59.5 No.1 Ohio State (-9.5) at Washington     O/U52.5 No.4 LSU at No.13 Ole Miss (-1.5)     O/U54.5 Auburn at No.9 Texas A&M (-6.5)     O/U52.5 No.11 Indiana (-7.5) at Iowa          O/U48.5 No.15 Tennessee (-7.5) at Mississippi State O/U61.5 College GameDay: No.6 Oregon at No.3 Penn State (-3.5) O/U52.5 No.17 Alabama at No.5 Georgia (-2.5)      O/U52.5 - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - On3 Sports reporter Chris Low revealed each SEC Conference team's three annual opponents on Monday for the new SEC scheduling format that will begin in 2026 - - and as expected, there have been "mixed reviews" with some fans criticizing the "loss of [a few] traditional rivalries" in the process. . .Q: What was your initial reaction to the three annual opponents that were announced for each SEC program? As unbiased as possible, do you think that they got it right?. .Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin's daughter, Landry Kiffin, revealed her romance with LSU LB Whit Weeks, by posting a photo of herself sitting on Weeks' lap in an Instagram post captioned "Happy :)" - - The irony of the post is obviously in the "timing:" the photo was posted on Monday - just days before the two SEC rivals - the Rebels & Tigers - are set to face off on the field in the Week Five matchup on Saturday - - Lane Kiffin, 50, jokingly addressed his daughter's romance on social media later that day, replying to a post on X about the relationship being "peak mind games" for Lane & his Rebels - - He confidently responded "Take the over," seemingly to suggest that football fans are in for a high-scoring affair between the two SEC rivals - - Q: Did you, in fact, "take the over" for the upcoming LSU-Ole Miss game?. . . - NFL - Week 3 Review, Recap & Major Storylines: Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season kicked off Thursday night with the Bills fending off the Dolphins 31-21 to remain undefeated - and the early window Sunday was filled with multiple, shocking finishes & featured many ridiculous storylines such as those including: the Panthers blowing out the Falcons at gome for their first win of the season, a Vikings CB has the most impressive first half in the history of the sport, both the Rams-Eagles & Buccaneers-Jets games featured blocked FGs returned for TDs late, the Browns' stunning 4th-QTR comeback over the Packers, and an intense Monday night matchup between two Super Bowl contenders - - Pittsburgh Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers has moved ahead of the man he took over for in Green Bay & into fourth place on the NFL's all-time passing TD list - - Rodgers threw a TD pass to Steelers WR DK Metcalf in the 2nd QTR Sunday in New England, the 509th TD pass of his career - - That TD moved him one ahead of Brett Favre, Rodgers' predecessor as the Packers' starting QB, as the No.4 all-time TD passer in NFL history - - Rodgers has a chance to pass Peyton Manning for third this year (539), and if he returns for next season, he has a chance to pass Drew Brees (571) for 2nd all-time - - Q: You just know that Brett Favre is sitting in his mansion - somewhere in Southern Mississippi - just fuming at the thought of Rodgers taking his job in Green Bay, and now, passing him on the NFL's all-time passing TDs list - what do you think?. . .In our NFL Week 3 Review segment, JD & Spencer discuss the following football games from this past weekend & many of the wild storylines surrounding the league - as those listed below: Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles Green Bay Packers at Cleveland Browns Minnesota Vikings' Isaiah Rodgers & his record performance versus the Cincinnati Bengals Monday Night Football: Detroit Lions at Baltimore Ravens - NFL (cont'd) - The New York Giants are planning to bench QB Russell Wilson in favor of first-round rookie Jaxson Dart after three games, sources informed ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday afternoon - - Dart's first start will come at home on Sunday against the undefeated Los Angeles Chargers at MetLife Stadium - - Dart will give the Giants' offense a different look and more options - his ability to run the ball and the zone-read had his version of the offense looking vastly different from the first team unit with Wilson throughout the summer - - Q: What are your thoughts on HC Brian Daboll's decision to make the switch at QB from Wilson to Dart after just three games into the NFL regular season?. . . - WNBA - A'ja Wilson has become the WNBA's first four-time MVP after earning the top individual honor for the second straight year, the league announced on Sunday - - The Las Vegas Aces star was named MVP in what had been considered a tight battle with Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier - - Wilson ultimately received 51 first-place votes and 657 points to finish ahead of Collier in second, who received 18 first-place votes & 534 points - - The league surprised Wilson last Friday, with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert & Wilson's boyfriend - Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo - presenting the trophy to her at the end of practice. . . - MLB - The Los Angeles Dodgers announced last Thursday that Clayton Kershaw will retire at the end of the 2025 MLB season - - The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner, 2014 NL MVP, and 11-time All-Star pitcher made his final Dodger regular-season start last Friday against the San Francisco Giants, where he received a standing ovation from teammates and fans in a 6-3 Dodgers victory as they clinched a playoff spot - - Kershaw spent his entire 18-season MLB career with the "Boys in Blue," winning a World Series championship in 2020 and in 2024, and his winning percentage tops all pitchers with at least 200 victories since the year 1900 - - Earlier this year, the 37-year-old LHP became the 20th pitcher ever to record 3,000 or more career strikeouts - and he ranks 4th all-time among LHPs in that category, trailing only Randy Johnson, Steve Carlton & CC Sabathia, according to CBS Sports - - Q: Is Clayton Kershaw the "greatest' Dodger to ever play the game?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 103 - "The Before He Cleats Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Three Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 3 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following game(s), which are included in this week's College Football Review & Recap segment: New Mexico Lobos at UCLA Bruins & the termination of second-year HC DeShaun Foster No.12 Clemson Tigers at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Wisconsin Badgers at No.19 Alabama Crimson Tide No.6 Georgia Bulldogs at No.14 Tennessee Volunteers No.18 South Florida Bulls at No.5 Miami Hurricanes Vanderbilt Commodores at No.11 South Carolina Gamecocks/"Win A Date with My Mom" Florida Gators at No.3 LSU Tigers No.16 Texas A&M Aggies at No.8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Alcorn State Braves at Mississippi State Bulldogs & the Application of the "Mercy Rule" - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - Less than 24 hours after a 45-26 loss at home at the hands of Old Dominion, Virginia Tech University announced on Sunday that it had fired head football coach Brent Pry after the Hokies fell to an 0-3 start on the season - - The Hokies trailed the Monarchs at the halftime break 31-0, and as the team headed for the locker room, the crowd did not refrain from letting the team know exactly how they felt about their performance in the first half - as the sound of excessive booing packed Lane Stadium - - Throughout his tenure with the program, the Hokies were a combined 16-24 through four seasons under Pry - - Following his termination, Pry is set to be owed approximately $6 million in his contract buyout - - Hokies OC Philip Montgomery has been named & will serve as the team's interim head coach throughout the rest of the 2025-26 college football season, while Virginia Tech will begin the search for a new HC, presumably one with previous head-coaching experience after going with a first-timer like they did with hiring of Pry - - Potential candidates to fill the Virginia Tech head coaching vacancy include: Shane Beamer (current South Carolina HC & the son of Hokies' legendary coach Frank Beamer), Alex Golesh (USF), Ryan Silverfield (Memphis), Bob Chesney (JMU) & Charles Huff (Marshall/Southern Miss) - - Interestingly, a name that has not been thrown around much in conversations as a potential replacement, and one that Spencer mentioned in this episode, that if considered, could shift the momentum & renew the spark that has been missing from this historic program - he is the greatest player to ever don a Virginia Tech jersey, finished his NFL career as the all-time leader in QB rushing yards & is the current head coach of the Norfolk State Spartans football team - you get the hint: No.7 himself, MR. Michael Vick! - - Q: Which of the aforementioned HC's do you think would be the best overall hire for the Virginia Tech program? Are there any former HC's currently without a job that would potentially be a "good fit" to replace Brent Pry in Blacksburg?. . . NCAA College Football Week Four Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Four preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following Week 4 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!! No.17 Texas Tech at No.16 Utah (-3.5)                       O/U56.5 Tulane at No.13 Ole Miss (-11.5)                            O/U61.5 No.22 Auburn at No.11 Oklahoma (-6.5)                    O/U48.5 No.21 Michigan (-2.5) at Nebraska                          O/U44.5 South Carolina at No.23 Missouri (-13.5)                    O/U46.5 Florida at No.4 Miami (-3)                                 O/U52.5 No.9 Illinois at No.19 Indiana (-3.5)                       O/U52.5 - NFL - NFL Regular Season Week 2 Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 2 of the regular season - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games: Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals & the injury update for "Joey Ice" New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys in a "QB duel for the Ages" "Super Bowl LIX Rematch:" Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs, and finally. . . **We reveal our second-ever "Tradition's Finest Most Badass Celly of Week Two" Award winner. . . - MLB - New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge wasted no time moving past another all-time great on the franchise's career HR list last Thursday night - - Just two days after passing Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra for 5th place on the franchise list, Judge hit two HRs in his first two at-bats in a 9-3 victory against the Detroit Tigers to tie another Hall of Famer, Joe DiMaggio, for 4th all-time with 361 career home runs - - Hall of Famers Babe Ruth (659 HRs), Mickey Mantle (536 HRs) & Lou Gehrig (493 HRs) currently sit ahead of Judge on the Yankees' career homers list - - On the very next evening, and against the Boston Red Sox, Judge went 3-for-4 with a pair of solo HRs, which leaped him into 4th place on the Yankees' all-time HR leaderboard on Friday night, reaching 362 homers in his 1,130th career MLB game - - Q: Now that Aaron Judge has officially surpassed franchise icon Joe DiMaggio for 4th place all-time on the Yankees' career HR list, how likely do you think it is that he will reach & pass Lou Gehrig for 3rd place? Or Mickey Mantle for 2nd place? Or even Babe Ruth for the top spot?. . . Cal Raleigh tied Mickey Mantle's season record for most HRs by a switch hitter with his 54th, and the Seattle Mariners extended their winning streak to nine games by routing the Los Angeles Angels 11-2 on Sunday to take sole possession of the AL West division lead - - Then, on the following Tuesday, Raleigh broke the record set & held by Mickey Mantle while matching another held by Ken Griffey Jr. - - The Seattle Mariners catcher hit his 55th HR of the season in the 2nd inning against the Kansas City Royals, sending him past Mantle's mark for a switch-hitter that had stood since 1961 - - Raleigh then hit his 56th HR in the next inning, matching the club record that Griffey first established in 1997 - as the Mariners won their 10th straight game after defeating the Royals 12-5. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 102 - The "Taming the Bull" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - The NCAA Oversight Committee voted last Thursday in favor of a single transfer portal window in the month of January - - This new model, if approved by the administrative committee and who must deliver their final ruling no later than October 1st, would replace the previous (and most current) system, which features two separate transfer portal windows - one that occurs in the winter and one in the spring - - If approved, the single transfer portal window would open on January 2nd, and would remain open for 10 days, however, there is much debate over the timing and significance of this new window, as it conflicts with the ongoing 12-team College Football Playoff schedule - - Essentially, this would make it possible for a college football player to participate in the first or quarterfinal round of next year's College Football Playoff, and less than 24 hours later, enter the transfer portal - - Q: What are your thoughts regarding the NCAA Oversight Committee's approved proposal for a single transfer portal window that would begin in early January of each year?. . NCAA College Football Week Two Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 2 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following game(s), which are included in this week's College Football Review & Recap segment: "Battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy:" Iowa at No.16 Iowa State No.11 Illinois at Duke Baylor at No.17 SMU USF at No.13 Florida Army at Kansas State Mississippi State vs. No.12 Arizona State No.15 Michigan at No.18 Oklahoma "Border War Rivalry:" Kansas at Missouri - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - NCAA College Football Week Three Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week 3 preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following Week 3 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!! Wisconsin at No.19 Alabama (-20.5)                        O/U47.5 No.12 Clemson (-9.5) at Georgia Tech                      O/U58.5 No.6 Georgia (-3.5) at No.15 Tennessee                     O/U50.5 No.18 USF at No.5 Miami (-16.5)                           O/U55.5 Arkansas at No.17 Ole Miss (-9.5)                          O/U63.5 Florida at No.3 LSU (-9.5)                                 O/U50.5 No.16 Texas A&M at No.8 Notre Dame (-6.5)                O/U49.5 Vanderbilt at No.11 South Carolina (-5.5)                 O/U47.5 - NFL - Five-time Pro Bowl WR Amari Cooper informed the Las Vegas Raiders last Thursday of his intent to retire from the league - just days before the team would open the 2025 NFL regular season with their Week 1 matchup at New England - - After being drafted No.4 overall by the Oakland Raiders in 2015 - prior to relocating the franchise to Las Vegas - Cooper would go on to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in his first two seasons out of Alabama - - In 2018, the Raiders traded Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys, who then traded him to the Cleveland Browns in the 2022 offseason, and was next acquired by the Buffalo Bills last October from the Browns - - Cooper's decision comes just a week after he signed a one-year deal with the organization in late August, mentioning that it was a "full circle moment," and that he still had "some juice left," - - It will continue to be a topic of speculation, but Cooper finishes his professional or NFL career with 711 receptions, 10,000-plus receiving yards & 64 TDs, and had seven seasons where he finished with at least 1,000 receiving yards, including his career-high season with 1,250 receiving yards in 2023 - - Q: Where does Amari Cooper stack up and/or rank on your personal list of the NFL's All-Time Greatest WRs?. . .NFL Regular Season Week 1 Review: The NFL regular season is officially upon us - - Like analyst & color commentator Chris Collingsworth always says, "there's just no doubt about it:" being able to watch football all day on both Saturday & Sunday each weekend, is God's way of letting the male population know "I'm still thinking of you/I see you," and for that, we are eternally grateful. The following NFL Week 1 game(s) are discussed & reviewed in this episode: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles NFL Sao Paulo Game: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers **The presentation of the Tradition's Finest first-ever "Most Badass Celly of Week 1 Award" Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills - NFL (cont'd) - Philadelphia Eagles star DT Jalen Carter will not miss any future games after spitting on Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott in the NFL season opener on Thursday night - - The NFL announced Tuesday that, since Carter was ejected from last week's season opener without participating in a single play, the league will consider the second-year DT to have already served a one-game suspension - - Also, Carter will forfeit his Week 1 game check worth approximately $57,000 - but he will be available to play in the Eagles' Week 2 Super Bowl rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs - - Q: What are your thoughts on the league's punishment as handed down to Jalen Carter? Does the punishment fit the "crime?" Too excessive or not?. . . - MLB - "Tony 2 Chainz:" Former Chicago Cubs All-Star player, Anthony Rizzo, is returning to the organization as an ambassador for the club & will officially retire as a Cub during an on-field ceremony at Wrigley Field before Saturday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays - - Rizzo, 36, played for 14 years in the MLB, including a decade spent with the Cubs, where he made three All-Star teams and won four Gold Gloves - - These individual accomplishments, however, are not nearly as significant as the role he played in helping to lead Chicago to a World Series title in 2016, the first for the organization in 108 years - - Rizzo played his final 3 ½ seasons for the New York Yankees after he was traded there in the summer of 2021 - - Rizzo finishes his MLB career with a .828 OPS, including 303 HRs - - Rizzo, a cancer survivor himself, created The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation with its sole purpose to service kids with cancer, and in 2017, he was honored as the recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award, the highest community service honor awarded by the MLB - - What an absolute legend, this guy!. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 101 - "That One Time Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week One Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 1 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap of the games that began last Thursday & ended with the final game on Monday - - A discussion of the following game(s) are included in this week's College Football Review & Recap segment: No.25 Boise State at South Florida (FCS) Tarleton State at Army Auburn at Baylor - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - "Give me my first love:" Following the college football games on Thursday & Friday night(s), a record 3.5-million viewers tuned in to ESPN's "College Gameday" show on Saturday morning, which took place before the huge matchup between No.3 Ohio State & No.1 Texas at the "Horseshoe," and approximately five-million viewers watched the final 15 minutes of the show, just to witness longtime college football analyst Lee Corso, a fixture of the "College Gameday" panel/crew, make his final headgear selection/pick, which took place at midfield & drew a massive ovation from the fans at Ohio Stadium - - and of course, he went out on top: Corso signed off from ESPN's "College Gameday" in his final show on Saturday, and near the end with the contemplation of his final pick, he muttered the words "Give me my first love," which led to him throwing on the "Brutus the Buckeye" mascot head gear, much in the same manner as he did thirty years ago when he made his first official mascot head gear selection - - Interestingly, as the slate of Week 1 games played out, Corso's sendoff only became more impressive - all six teams that he picked to win this past weekend came out on top, which included a "stunning" upset (**No spoilers ) - - Corso was the only member of the "College Gameday" panel to accurately predict all six games - - To take Corso's perfect weekend even a step further, every team that he has been associated with throughout his career - both as a player and as a coach - also won (i.e., Indiana, Louisville & Northern Illinois) - - Corso, 90, had announced earlier this year that he was going to soon retire from ESPN - after being a part of the Gameday crew since it became a traveling show in 1993, and has worked alongside analyst Kirk Herbstreit for more than a decade - - While "College Gameday" won't ever be the same without Lee Corso, the Tradition's Finest crew was beyond elated to witness the perfect sendoff. . . No.1 Texas at No.3 Ohio State "Aflac Kickoff:" Syracuse vs. No.24 Tennessee No.8 Alabama at Florida State "Battle for Death Valley:" No.9 LSU at No.4 Clemson No.13 South Carolina vs. Virginia Tech "Convicts vs. Catholics, Rivalry Revisited:" No.6 Notre Dame at No.10 Miami TCU at North Carolina - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - NCAA College Football Week Two Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week 2 preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following Week 2 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!! "Battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy:" Iowa at No.16 Iowa State (-3.5)    O/U41.5 No.11 Illinois (-2.5) at Duke                                   O/U50.5 Oklahoma State at No.6 Oregon (-28.5)                        O/U58. South Florida at No.13 Florida (-17.5)                          O/U54.5 No.12 Arizona State (-6.5) at Mississippi State                   O/U59.5 "College Gameday:" No.15 Michigan at No.18 Oklahoma (-5.5)     O/U45.5 Kansas at Missouri (-6.5)                                    O/U51.5 - NFL - While the "Great Depression" occurred in the late 1930's/early 1940's, and affected a significant portion of the middle- to lower socioeconomic status households across the United States, the year of 2025 could certainly be classified as a much more trying time - that is, if you are a citizen of Dallas, Texas - - This year, alone, the citizens (and possibly "fans") of the Dallas metropolitan area now has lost two of its' most influential sports figures, to date - starting with the "most shocking" trade in NBA history, that shipped Mavericks' superstar guard Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for an injury-plagued veteran (i.e., Anthony Davis) - - Then, on Thursday, multiple sources began to discuss the latest "breaking news:" a trade had been completed that sent Dallas Cowboys All-Pro LB Micah Parsons to none other than a divisional rival, Green Bay Packers - - The bitter contract dispute between Cowboys owner & GM Jerry Jones & Micah Parsons had finally came to a screeching halt - and once again, a Dallas-based sports franchise, did the unthinkable, and traded away their most dominant edge rusher in his "prime," (age 26) in exchange for two first-round picks & DT Kenny Clark - - Shortly after the trade was completed, the Packers franchise accomplished what the Cowboys' Jerry Jones could not in a matter of minutes: The Packers signed him to a four-year, $188 million contract, which included $120 million fully guaranteed at signing - - In each of Parsons' first four seasons in the league, he has averaged somewhere between 12 and 14.5 sacks - and since 2021, he has had a 30% pass rush win rate - which blows every other player out of the water, including Browns' Myles Garrett. . .Q: Can you make sense of Cowboys' team owner & GM Jerry Jones' decision to trade Micah Parsons to the Packers rather than to just pay the man what he deserves?. . . - NBA - Jeremy Lin, who took the NBA by storm in 2012 during a stretch of games for the New York Knicks that was infamously dubbed "Linsanity," has announced his retirement from the sport of professional basketball - - Prior to playing in China & Taiwan, Lin spent nine seasons in the NBA with eight different franchises, after going undrafted out of Harvard - - Lin made his mark in 2012 after then-HC Mike D'Antoni inserted into the Knicks' starting lineup that February when star forward Carmelo Anthony was sidelined - - Lin would go on to lead the Knicks to a seven-game winning streak, with one of the most notable highlights of "Linsanity," during which he scored at least 20 points in nine of 10 games, was a 38-point, 7-assist effort in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers as he outscored the late Kobe Bryant - - Lin finished his NBA career with a total of 480 games played - and even won an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, his last season in the league. . .Q: What is your most memorable memory and/or moment of Jeremy Lin and/or from his ridiculous 35-game run with the Knicks referred to as "Linsanity?". . .The Los Angeles Clippers reportedly have been accused of "circumventing the NBA's salary cap," by paying $28 million to Kawhi Leonard for a "no-show job" - - As first reported by Pablo Torre, a sports podcaster & former ESPN contributor, on Wednesday, the Clippers have reportedly paid Leonard through a now-bankrupt company owned by team owner Steve Ballmer - - Citing legal documents purportedly involving the tree-planting service, Aspiration, Torre reported that Ballmer paid Leonard without requiring the Clippers star to do any legitimate marketing and/or paid advertisements for the company - - Shortly after Torres' initial report, the Clippers organization responded to, and directly denied these allegations - - Q: Would you necessarily be shocked to learn that this is more fact than fiction?. . . - MLB - Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber hit four HRs on Thursday night against the Atlanta Braves to become the 21st MLB player - and 4th Phillies player - to accomplish this particular feat - - In 2025 & this season alone, this is the third four-HR game of the MLB regular season, following Eugenio Suarez & Nick Kurtz - - Schwarber finished the game with a Phillies-record nine RBI in the team's 19-4 victory over the struggling Braves - - Schwarber, who currently leads the majors with a career-high 119 RBIs, took the outright NL homer lead with a career-high 49 HRs, moving within one of Seattle's Cal Raleigh (50) for the major league lead - - Schwarber, 32, continues to scale many of these major milestones late into his career, including winning the World Series with the Phillies in 2024 & being crowned the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby champion after surviving the first-ever "swing-off." Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 100 - "The Wilt Conspiracy Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - Miscellaneous - PGA: Everybody loves a first-time winner, especially one who had been hit across the head by a two-by-four in so many near misses - - prior to Sunday, English golfer Tommy Fleetwood has been a runner-up on the PGA Tour six times, finished in the top three in a dozen tournaments, has 30 top-five finishes, and finally, has 44 top ten finishes, which according to ESPN, were the second most by a golfer without a victory on the PGA Tour this past century - - In his 164th career start at East Lake Golf Club on Sunday, while holding a 0-163 PGA Tour record, Fleetwood captured his first PGA Tour victory in the Tour Championship to capture the FedEx Cup and its $10 million reward - - Fleetwood posted a 2-under 68 in the final round and finished at 18-under, a combined three strokes better than Russell Henley (69) & Patrick Cantlay (71), who finished the tournament in second and third place, respectively - - After covering the PGA's No.1 golfer in the world the past few weeks, we felt somewhat compelled to mention Scottie Scheffler and his performance in this week's Tour Championship - Following his impressive victory at last year's PGA Tour Championship, Scheffler was attempting to become the first golfer to win the FedEx Cup in back-to-back seasons, but unfortunately, he faced significant adversity from the start of the event on Sunday - - On the opening hole, Scheffler badly pulled his tee shot down the left side of the fairway, and his ball bounced once and shot under a fence, landing out of bounds - however, Scheffler would remain a serious threat to Fleetwood's potential first career victory through the 15th hole, when he sank a tee shot into the water, ending his hopes for a victory on Sunday as well as for a sixth victory this season of the PGA Tour - despite the rough day, Scheffler would finish with a score of 2-under 68, tied for fourth place at 14-under - - As for Fleetwood, it has been a long and exhaustive journey, but it seemed to be well worth the wait - and as a professional athlete, you have achieved some level of greatness when your long-awaited victory garners support & congratulatory posts via social media from a few of sports' biggest stars, such as fifteen-time major champion & 82-time winner Tiger Woods, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James & WNBA star Caitlin Clark - - Q: Could you imagine going 0-163 in any sport & still maintaining that resiliency necessary to pull out the victory in your 164th event, thus winning a $10M reward? What are your thoughts on English golfer Tommy Fleetwood picking up his first career PGA Tour victory in none other than the Tour Championship? Thoughts on Scottie Scheffler's ability to struggle on the course & still finish within the top five?. . .PGA golfer Keegan Bradley, who is the eighth-best American golfer in the most current world rankings, did not call his own name Wednesday while announcing the captains for the United States Ryder Cup team, as he ultimately made the decision to not become the event's first playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963 - - Bradley named Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay & Sam Burns as his six Captain picks for next month's Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black on New York's Long Island - - Q: Were you surprised to hear the Keegan Bradley did not call his own name to serve as one of the Captains for the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup team? - MLB - Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh aka "The Big Dumper," was already in the midst of a transcendent season, but now it's historic - - With a pair of early HRs in Sunday's 11-4 win over the Athletics, Raleigh tied, and then broke the major-league record for most HRs hit in a single season by a catcher - - In the first inning, Raleigh clubbed his 48th HR of the season with a two-run blast - and then, one inning later, he hit No.49 on the season - thus pushing him ahead of a record set by Kansas City Royals star Salvador Perez in 2021 - - On Monday, Raleigh added yet another milestone to his already impressive list of accomplishments this year: With a first-inning shot against the San Diego Padres, Raleigh extended his major-league record for HRs by a catcher, and entered some elite company - - Raleigh joined Yankees legend Mickey Mantle as the only switch-hitters with 50 homers in an MLB season - and became the 8th player in MLB history to reach the half-century mark in the month of August. . . - NCAA: News & Storylines - The SEC Conference announced last Thursday that it will play a nine-game conference schedule starting in 2026, which is a historic move that the Conference has been considering for years - and was a decision that was approved by the SEC's presidents and chancellors after a recommendation by the Athletic Directors in the conference - - Under this new format, the SEC will continue to play without divisions - - Each school will play three annual opponents focused on maintaining traditional rivalries, and the six remaining games will rotate among the rest of the league opponents - - Each team will face every other SEC program at least once every two years & every opponent in an home-and-away series over a four-year span - - Furthermore, SEC teams are still required to schedule at least one additional high-quality nonconference opponent from the ACC, Big Ten or Big 12 Conference(s) or Notre Dame (Independent) each season - - SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey recently indicated on The Paul Finebaum Show that the 2026 schedule will be released later this fall - and further elaborated that the College Football Playoff's decision to use enhanced strength-of-schedule (SOS) metrics - played into their decision to expand the conference schedule - - Q: What are your thoughts on the SEC Conference's decision to implement a nine-game conference schedule starting next season? - - Shortly after this announcement was made, multiple outlets begin to speculate as to whether this would negatively affect the home-and-home series that has been scheduled between SEC programs & nonconference opponents beginning in 2026 and beyond - - The short & sweet answer to this question is. . .Yes, it will! - - And So It Begins. . .Following this announcement, the University of Alabama has already began making adjustments to its pre-existing nonconference matchups - - For instance, on Tuesday, it was announced that Alabama & West Virginia have mutually agreed to cancel their home-and-home series, which was set to begin in Morgantown, WV next season, with the Mountaineers set for a trip to Tuscaloosa in 2027 - - Q: Will the mutual agreement to cancel the Alabama-West Virginia home-and-home series have some type of "domino effect" on the current matchups between SEC programs & Power Four opponents scheduled beyond the 2025-26 season?. . ."College Football Week Zero Recap:" The 2025 college football season officially kicked off last weekend with a total of five FBS vs. FBS matchups in Week 0 - - In this week's "Week Zero Recap," JD & Spencer provide one takeaway from a few of the most notable matchups, and discuss a few of the most impactful moments from the first official weekend of the 2025-26 college football regular season - - The following Week 0 games were discussed in this episode: "Irish Farmageddon/Aer Lingus College Football Classic:" No.22 Iowa State vs. No.17 Kansas State, Fresno State at Kansas, UNLV vs. Idaho State, and Stanford at Hawaii - - "College Football Week 1 Preview:" In this episode's CFB Week 1 preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently selected pick(s) for each of the following Week 1 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!! Thursday, August 28th, 2025 No.25 Boise State (-6.5) at USF        O/U63.5 Friday, August 29th, 2025 Auburn (-1.5) at Baylor                O/U57.5 Colorado vs. Georgia Tech (-5)         O/U53.5 Saturday, August 30th, 2025 No.8 Alabama (-13.5) at Florida State   O/U50.5 No.1 Texas at No.3 Ohio State (-1.5)    O/U47.5 Aflac Kickoff: Syracuse at No.24 Tennessee (-13.5)   O/U50.5 No.9 LSU at No.4 Clemson (-4)         O/U57.5 Sunday, August 31st, 2025 Virginia Tech vs. No.13 South Carolina (-8)   O/U52.5 "Catholics vs. Convicts, Revisited:" No.6 Notre Dame (-2.5) at No.10 Miami    O/U50.5 Monday, September 1st, 2025 TCU (-3) at North Carolina                O/U56.5 - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - In what could possibly be the most incredible statement made by a college football player to describe the "hype" surrounding a program in preparation for their team's season opener, Nebraska DB DeShon Singleton - who HC Matt Rhule refers to as the Cornhuskers' "Swiss Army Knife" on defense - made the following statement on Wednesday aboard a flight alongside QB Dylan Raiola: "We Finna Make People in Wheelchairs Stand Up." . . . - NFL - After much trade speculation, the Washington Commanders have traded RB Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick, the two teams confirmed on Sunday afternoon - - According to multiple sources, the Commanders had been seeking to trade Robinson since early August, and had planned to release him if they could not find a suitable trade partner - - This move will now save Washington approximately $3.3 million in salary cap space - - On the other hand, and unlike the Commanders, the Niners are certainly not as secure with the overall depth at the RB position - San Francisco has dealt with a slew of injuries out of their tailbacks, especially with starter Christian McCaffery - and they have also been without rookie Jordan James for most of training camp, recently placed Patrick Taylor Jr. on IR with a shoulder injury & just got backup, Isaac Guerendo, back from a lingering shoulder injury - - Q: What trade grade would you give the Niners in their acquisition of RB Brian Robinson Jr.?. . .The two most notable players that were remaining as "hold-in(s)" for their respective franchise due to contract disputes - WR Terry McLaurin (Commanders) & Trey Hendrickson (Bengals) - have officially reached agreement(s) to remain with their teams - - Commanders WR Terry McLaurin, for instance, reached an agreement with Washington Monday on a three-year contract extension worth up to $96 million that will get him back in uniform in time for the Commanders' regular season opener against the New York Giants next week - - Q: Was this the right call by the Washington Commanders? Do you think there were any legitimate trade discussions by the Commanders' front office to evaluate McLaurin's value? - - As for Trey Hendrickson & the Bengals, the star pass rusher has received a $14 million raise for this upcoming season, which boosts his 2025 salary to $30 million, sources confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday - - While Bengals fans can now exhale, the bad news is: Hendrickson is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, and would certainly be a valuable asset for multiple NFL franchises if he does prefer a change in scenery - - "Your English Teacher and Your Gym Teacher are getting Married:" Pop superstar Taylor Swift & three-time Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce took to social media on Tuesday afternoon to reveal that they are officially engaged to be married - and did so by using the aforementioned caption - - Q: On a scale from 1-10, how excited was your wife? How excited were you?. . .Per reporter Tom Pelissero on Wednesday, while the NFL initially proposed a suspension of 10-12 games for Kansas City Chiefs WR Rashee Rice, his legal team fought for a much shorter ban - which ultimately delayed the overall process - - On Wednesday, it was announced that Rice has accepted and will serve a six-game suspension to start the 2025 NFL regular season - - Q: Does a six-game suspension seem a bit short, lengthy or "just right" in light of the situation?. . . - 2025-26 NFL Preseason Prediction Showcase: AFC Conference - 1. AFC Divisional Winners (i.e., AFC East, AFC South, AFC West & AFC North)? 2. Which AFC team(s) do you predict to be "Super Bowl Pretenders" this NFL season? 3. Which AFC team(s) do you predict to be "Super Bowl Contenders" this NFL season? 4. Which team do you predict to represent the AFC Conference in this year's Super Bowl (i.e., Super Bowl LX)? Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 99 - "The Who's Who Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - Miscellaneous - PGA: The No.1-rated PGA Player of the World, Scottie Scheffler, had a Tiger Woods-like moment with a trophy on the line & a club in his hand on Sunday at the PGA's BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club located in Owing Mills, Maryland: On the hardest hole in the final round at Caves Valley, Scheffler hit an 82-foot chip shot on the 17th hole, that landed about 60 feet short and rolled the rest of the way - picking up speed, losing speed & dropping on the final turn - - The birdie on the 17th hole all but ensured another victory, giving Scheffler his fifth PGA Tour title this year - - Scheffler, who had to erase a four-shot deficit against Robert MacIntyre in five holes, closed with a 3-under 67 for a two-shot victory & became the first PGA golfer since Tiger Woods in 2006 & 2007, to win at least five times on the PGA Tour in consecutive years - - Scheffler, who finished at 15-under 265, now has 18 career titles in the past 3 ½ years since his first PGA Tour title in Phoenix, Arizona. . .Scottie Scheffler wasn't the only golfer at this weekend's BMW Championship that was a major contributor to the news & storylines surrounding the PGA event; however, fellow PGA Tour golfer Ben Griffin did not, on the other hand, fare so well in terms of his rollercoaster performance in the opening day of the event - Griffin started his final round at Caves Valley Golf Club with a four-putt from 4-feet out for a triple bogey, a drive out-of-bounds that resulted in a double bogey, and a bogey at the third - Griffin was (+6) for the day, but he would battle back to shoot 1-under 69 - - So what happened?. . .Did he not get enough sleep the night before? No, that's not it!. . .Was he a little hungover from hitting the bar with the boys? Nope, not that, either!. . . Fortunately, we do not have to provide an educated guess as to why Griffin's play was far below average in the opening round because he gave us a viable explanation: He overdosed after ingesting too big a dose of the supplement Creatine - "I basically just inhaled a snowball," Griffin stated at a press conference following the PGA event, further explaining that he was shaking uncontrollably, and had actually considered withdrawing from the tournament - - but nobody likes a quitter! (and neither does his caddie), who stepped in & forced him to chug an entire bottle of water to reset - - By the time Griffin reached the fifth tee, he was on the mend - and he would go on to reel off three straight birdies starting at No.7 & four more on the back nine, including a 55-footer at No.17, and he would finish the BMW Championship tied for 12th place at (-3) - - Moral of the story is. . Do Not Overdose on Creatine!. . .Boxing: A former NBA player, a few 'washed' former UFC fighters & the 59-year-old version of boxing legend Mike Tyson later, Jake Paul, by some measures, is set to test himself in an exhibition boxing match against WBA lightweight champion, Gervonta "Tank" Davis, as first reported by Mike Coppinger of Ring Magazine - - Coppinger reported that the exhibition bout has been tentatively scheduled for the date of November 15th, and will take place at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta - - In contrast to Davis who is 5-foot-5 inches tall, Paul is much larger in body physique & overall stature - standing at 6-foot-1, weighing roughly 65-lbs heavier, and possessing a much wider wing span than that of Davis - however, the specific details regarding the match's weight limit have yet to be finalized - - Despite the obvious differences in overall stature & size, to date, this will undoubtedly be the biggest test of Jake Paul's boxing career, as Davis currently holds a record of 30-0-1 as a professional boxer with 28 knockouts - - While the outcome of the fight will be a topic of debate as the date for the match draws closer, one thing is for certain: both Paul & Davis will likely secure a massive payday from a boxing event that will most likely be promoted & accessible via streaming service provider Netflix - - Q: Who do you got winning the fight between Jake Paul & "Tank" Davis? Will the obvious size differences skew the overall outcome or results for the match's winning boxer?. . . - NBA - Five-time NBA All-Star & former No.1 overall draft pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, John Wall, announced via his social media account on Tuesday that he is retiring from basketball after playing for 11 seasons in the league - - Wall, 34, played most of his NBA career alongside Bradley Beal with the Washington Wizards after he was selected with the first overall pick in the 2010 draft following his impressive freshman season at the University of Kentucky under head basketball coach John Calipari - - The five-time All-Star PG finishes his NBA career with averages of 18.7 points and 8.9 assists per game - - Statistically, in his best season, he averaged 23.1 points and 10.7 assists for the 2016-17 regular season with the Washington Wizards, where he was named All-NBA Third Team - - In his prime, Wall was one of the fastest, most athletic guards set to enter the NBA, and it did not take him very long to adjust to playing among the NBA's elite, as he was crowned the Slam Dunk Champion in 2014 - and as an elite defender - he made the NBA's All-Defensive Second Team in 2015 - - However, injuries plagued the second half of Wall's career as he never played more than half the games in any of the past six seasons, and he did not play in the league over the last two years - - Shortly after announcing his retirement from the NBA, Wall shared a post via social media, indicating that he will join Amazon Prime Video as an NBA analyst - - Q: Do you recall that moment when you first heard the song "Do the John Wall?". . . - NCAA: News & Storylines - The University of Michigan has received a series of fines that could eclipse $30 million, but avoided punitive penalties, such as a postseason ban and/or the vacating of victories - including those that occurred the Wolverines' national championship season in 2023 - as the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions ruled on the program's advance-scouting case last Friday - - In addition to Moore's two-game suspension that is expected to be served this upcoming season, the NCAA has also imposed an additional game suspension for Wolverines HC Sherrone Moore, which will be served for the first game of the 2026 season - and he also received a two-year show-cause penalty - - The NCAA Committee also levied an eight-year show-cause penalty for former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions, as well as a ten-year show-cause penalty for former Wolverines HC Jim Harbaugh, who is now is the head coach for the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers - The show-cause penalties imposed on Stalions & Harbaugh are intended to act as potential barriers for any collegiate programs that might have interest in hiring them in the future - - Separately, former Wolverines' assistant coach Denard Robinson was hit with a three-year show-cause penalty for a combined role in the team's recruiting violations - - In the sign-stealing case, the University of Michigan, it's coaches & staffers were charged with six Level 1 violations, which constitute as the most serious violations handed down by the NCAA - - The NCAA Committee provided further clarification as well as their rationale for the decision to fine the Michigan program heavily, rather than to issue a penalty such as a postseason ban - and this further indicates an overall shift in NCAA enforcement rulings away from postseason prohibitions - - After the NCAA's ruling was handed down to the school last Friday evening, the University later released a statement that, in short, acknowledged the Committee's ruling, but further questioned their interpretation of NCAA bylaws & stated that they "will appeal this decision to ensure a fair result." - - Q: What are your thoughts regarding the NCAA Committee of Infractions' ruling to slap Michigan with what ESPN reporter Pete Thamel referred to as "unprecedented" fines (totaling approximately $30 million)? Do you believe that the Committee should have vacated the program's victories that were associated with the Wolverines' 2023 national championship run?. . .University of Alabama Crimson Tide RB Jam Miller, the program's top returning rusher who is entering his fourth season with the team, suffered an upper-body injury in a preseason camp scrimmage on Saturday, per HC Kalen DeBoer - and according to initial reports, he is expected to miss the August 30th season opener at Florida State - - Following the initial injury report, On3 Sports reported on Sunday that Miller had sustained a collarbone injury, and while he is expected to make a full recovery, the Crimson Tide are hopeful that Miller will be able to return for the Crimson Tide when they face off against the Georgia Bulldogs on September 27th - - Without Miller, and following the transfer of 2024 starter Justice Haynes to Michigan - sophomore RBs Richard Young (146 rushing yards & 2 TDs in 2024) & Daniel Hill (61 rushing yards & 1 TD in 2024) are expected to retain a bulk of the carries against the Seminoles in the team's season opener, along with Louisiana transfer RB Dre Washington - - Q: What are your thoughts on the Crimson Tide's depth (and lack of experience) at the RB position, and does Jam Miller's injury change the team's offensive gameplan as they prepare for their road trip to Tallahassee?. . . The University of Tennessee named senior Joey Aguilar its starting QB on Sunday - - Aguilar transferred from UCLA to Tennessee in April, one day after former Volunteers QB Nico lamaleava joined the Bruins, in what would essentially become the first-ever college football QB trade - - Aguilar, who threw for over 3,000 yards and 23 TDs with 14 INTs last season at Appalachian State, beat out redshirt freshman QB Jake Merklinger for the starting job - and is expected to make his first official start for the Volunteers on August 30th when they face off against Syracuse - - Q: Were you surprised by the news that Joey Aguilar had been named the starting QB for the Tennessee Volunteers? If he can remain healthy, do you expect him to remain the Volunteers' starter?. . ."Auburn in the News:" Auburn University announced on Monday that it will retire the No.2 jersey of Cam Newton, the former Tigers QB who won the Heisman Trophy in 2010 prior to leading the team to a BCS national title later that season - - The retirement ceremony will take place on October 11th during the Tigers' rivalry game versus Georgia at Jordan-Hare Stadium - - Newton will join fellow Heisman winners Pat Sullivan (No.7) & Bo Jackson (No.34) as well as record-setting WR Terry Beasley (No.88) as the only Auburn players to have their jersey numbers retired - - In his single season with the Tigers, Newton became the first SEC player to record 2,000 passing yards & 1,000 rushing yards in a single season - and he went on to account for 51 of the team's TDs (30 passing, 20 rushing, 1 receiving) while leading Auburn to a 14-0 perfect record, and a BCS national championship victory over the Oregon Ducks - - Newton swept the major college football awards in 2010, winning the Maxwell, Walter Camp, Manning & Davey O'Brien Awards - as well as being named the AP Player of the Year, prior to being drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the No.1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft - - The No.2 jersey has not been worn at Auburn since Cam Newton, and while the news of his jersey being retired was widely celebrated across the sport of college football, it does bring a bit of bad news for five-star freshman QB Deuce Knight, who for obvious reasons, wore No.2 in high school - and was even photographed wearing the No.2 jersey during his official visit(s) to the University, but following the program's announcement on Monday, it appears that Knight's chances of donning the No.2 jersey at Auburn have gone from slim to "not a chance!" - - Last week, Auburn Tigers HC Hugh Freeze revealed one of the craziest approaches to play-calling, which sparked just how insane his approach will be: This season, on first downs, OC Derrick Nix will call the plays, on second downs, it'll be Hugh Freeze, and finally, on third downs, it'll be QB coach Kent Austin, however, Mr. Freeze may overrule the play-calling duties at any point, but it will be a collaborative effort - - While Freeze plans to have three different play-callers - he also announced that the Tigers could use as many as three different QBs in the team's season opener versus Baylor - if you're not a math whiz, that's a potential 9 play-caller-QB combinations, which is absolute madness & chaos - - Q: What are your thoughts on Auburn Tigers HC Hugh Freeze's decision for the program to "go nuclear" offensively in their season opener versus Baylor? - - In other news, Auburn is trying to catch up to their biggest rival Alabama in the race for the number of national championships claimed, as the Tigers announced on Tuesday that it will now recognize themselves as nine-time college football champions - - With titles originally claimed for 1913, 1957, 1983, 1993 & 2010, now Auburn is claiming national titles in 1910, 1914, 1958 & 2004 - - Unfortunately for the Tigers, the Crimson Tide has 18 national championships that weren't "claimed," but were actually won - - Q: Should Auburn University be allowed to claim these additional college football national titles? Why or why not?. . .Ohio State has named sophomore Julian Sayin as its starting QB ahead of the Buckeyes' season opener against the Texas Longhorns on August 30th, per Buckeyes' HC Ryan Day on Monday afternoon - - Sayin, a former five-star prospect & No.3 QB in the 2024 recruiting class, beat out redshirt sophomore Lincoln Kienholz & true freshman Tavien St. Clair for the starting job - - While all three QBs were blue-chip recruits, it was reportedly Sayin's consistency, command of the offense & overall strong performance in the fall that helped him emerge from arguably one of the most competitive QB battles in the country this offseason - - Q: Were you surprised by HC Ryan Day's announcement on Monday that Julian Sayin had been named the Buckeyes' starting QB this season?. . . The Big Ten Conference is reportedly proposing a significant expansion of the College Football Playoff, suggesting a jump from the current 12-team model to include 24 to 28 teams, according to ESPN - - This proposal includes a large number of automatic bids for the four major conferences (i.e., Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and Big 12) - - The proposal is still in its early stages of discussion, with other conferences weighing in, and a final decision is needed by the first of December - - A key aspect of this proposal is the potential elimination of Conference Championship games, and in such a 28-team model, the Big Ten & SEC Conference(s) would each receive seven automatic bids, while the ACC & Big 12 Conference(s) would each receive five - The remaining spots would be filled by two automatic bids for non-Power 4 Conferences and two "at-large" teams - - Q: We have discussed the possibility of an expansion within the CFP, and we both agree that 24 or 28 teams is way too damn many, do you agree? If not, why would you prefer this particular model?. . .Notre Dame named redshirt freshman CJ Carr its starting QB on Tuesday - - Carr beat out sophomore QB Kenny Minchey after what was reportedly a "fairly even" competition for the starting role - - Carr, whose grandfather is former Michigan HC Lloyd Carr, will make his first career start for the Fighting Irish at Miami (FL) on August 31st. . .BYU is naming Bear Bachmeier as its starting QB, as first reported per ESPN, which will make him the first true freshman QB in program history to start a season opener for BYU - - Bachmeier, who will wear No.47, will debut against Portland State on August 30th - after beating out redshirt sophomore transfer QB McCae Hillstead (via Utah State) & redshirt junior transfer QB Treyson Bourguet (via Western Michigan). . .It's official, party people! - The 2025-26 College Football Season is officially underway as the Week 0 schedule is set, and will kick off this Saturday, August 23rd with four FBS vs. FBS matchups - and yes! we are here to give you our Week 0 predictions: (1) "Irish Farmageddon:" In the first time slot of the season, as part of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic & the 109th meeting of the "Farmageddon" rivalry - as well as the first-ever Big 12 Conference matchup played on Irish soil - the No.17-ranked Kansas State Wildcats will face off against the No.22-ranked Iowa State Cyclones in a clash of Big 12 title contenders at Noon ET - - *Note: Kansas State (+550) are the preseason favorites to win the Big 12, while Iowa State is listed at (+1200) - - Kansas State (-3) vs. Iowa State O/U 49.5 - - Q: Who do you like to come out on top in this Big 12 Conference clash in Ireland?. . . (2) While not as an impactful of a game as the one before, in the first game of the Dan Mullen era at UNLV, he will try to keep the success of the Barry Odom era rolling - but unfortunately for Mullen, there are plenty of lost parts, lots of rebuilding to do, and now there are actual expectations after UNLV fans finally got to taste the sweet nectar of a winning program - On the other hand, Idaho State isn't a total pushover - after a 5-7 season in 2024, the Bengals are returning a decent group of offensive talent, and enough of a ground game to be more than just a "paycheck game" for the new-look Rebels at 4:00 PM ET on Saturday - In addition, Rebels HC Dan Mullen announced on Wednesday morning that Michigan transfer QB Alex Orji & Virginia transfer QB Anthony Colandrea will both play in the season opener versus the Bengals - - Idaho State at UNLV (-25.5) O/U 63.5 - - Q: Does the Idaho State Bengals spoil Dan Mullen's coaching debut in Vegas?. . .The third time slot at 6:00 PM ET features a strong Conference USA opener for two teams with plenty to work on, but enough talent returning & an upside to push for a spot in the C-USA Championship game - In this matchup, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will face off against the Sam Houston Bearkats, who is coming off a ten-win season, but is starting over under new HC Phil Longo after KC Keeler bolted to Temple - - Western Kentucky (-10) vs. Sam Houston O/U 61.5 - - Q: Which team do you like to pull out this C-USA season opener?. . .In the fourth & final time slot at 6:30 PM ET, in what is expected to be a entertaining game with plenty of mood swings, the Stanford Cardinals will travel to Honolulu to take on the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors in what could be a potentially physical matchup - - Hawaii (-2.5) vs. Stanford O/U 51.5 - - Q: Who do you like to come out with a victory in the Week 0 finale?. . .If you have been tuned in for the past few weeks, you are very familiar with our "2025-26 College Football Preseason Prediction Showcase" segment(s) where JD & Spencer have discussed & presented their individual predictions/projections for the upcoming season, starting with the Group of Five Conference(s) and making their way up to the Power Five Conferences, which included the Big XII, Big Ten, ACC & SEC Conferences - This week, Spencer & JD will present their final predictions for the 2025 College Football season: Our National Championship Picks!! - - According to multiple sources, the favorites to win the national championship next season are Texas (+450) and Ohio State (+525) - and beyond that, the current national title odds are as follows: Georgia & Penn State (tied for 3rd at +700); Oregon & Clemson (tied for 5th at +900); Alabama (+1000); Notre Dame (+1200); LSU (+1400); Ole Miss, Florida & Michigan (tied for 10th highest odds at +2500) - - Q: Which college football program do you predict to win the 2025-26 national championship? (**Be sure to Tune in to hear Spencer & JD's picks - - and Share your picks with us via X - @TraditionFinest or by Email to [email protected]!!) - NFL - Joe Flacco will open the NFL regular season as the Cleveland Browns' starting QB, the team announced on Monday - - Flacco, who is entering his 18th NFL season, will also start the team's preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams at home on Saturday after Flacco did not play in the team's first two preseason games (i.e., Shedeur Sanders & Dillion Gabriel) - - The Browns will host the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 of the NFL regular season - - Q: Were you the least bit surprised by the announcement that Joe Flacco would be Browns' starting QB this upcoming season?. . .The Houston Texans traded WR John Metchie III and a sixth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for TE Harrison Bryant & a fifth-round draft pick, as first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter on Sunday afternoon - - The Philadelphia Eagles have made their second trade in the past 12 days, continuing a busy summer for GM Howie Roseman & the defending Super Bowl champions - - This time, Philadelphia added depth at the WR position, whereas the Texans' trade for Bryant came after the team lost TE Brevin Jordan to a season-ending knee injury last week - - Metchie, entering his fourth NFL season, has 40 receptions for 412 yards & a TD in 29 games, but he missed his entire rookie season while getting treatment for leukemia, after he was selected by the Texans in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft - - Metchie will certainly fill that "WR3" role for the Eagles, playing alongside WRs A.J. Brown & DeVonta Smith - - This trade reunites Smith & Metchie who were teammates at the University of Alabama, and were members of the Crimson Tide's 2020 national title team - - Q: Who won this trade: the Texans or Eagles? What trade grade would you give to both teams?. . ."Indiana Jones:" The Indianapolis Colts' months-long QB battle is over - - Colts HC Shane Steichen has selected Daniel Jones to be the Colts starting QB, opting for the vetern free agent acquisition over the club's 2023 first-round draft pick, Anthony Richardson Sr. - - Asked if this decision was intended to be a permanent move, Steichen stated that Jones is "our starting QB for the season. I don't want to have a quick leash on that. I feel confident in his abilities." - - While the Colts signed Jones in the offseason (i.e., March) to a one-year, $14 million contract, the expectation among the Colts fanbase as well as across the league, was that Richardson would ultimately be named the starting QB or would be given an opportunity to contribute to the franchise this season, but instead, he is now left with an uncertain future in Indianapolis - and the rumor mill has already begun to circulate that a few teams might be interested in his services - - Q: Former NFL QB RGIII brought up a pretty interesting (and extremely bold) point via social media on Tuesday afternoon regarding the QB situation in Indianapolis - According to RGIII, the Colts have made the decision to start Jones at QB because they are "tanking this season to draft [QB] Arch Manning in next year's NFL Draft," but of course, this statement is baseless if Arch Manning decides to return to Texas for his senior season - What are your thoughts on RGIII's statement?. . . - 2025-26 NFL Preseason Prediction Showcase: NFC Conference - The NFC, which is one of the two conferences in the National Football League (NFL), comprises 16 professional American football teams, divided into four divisions: NFC East, NFC North, NFC South & NFC West - - Each division contains four teams - - The NFC Champion competes against the AFC Conference Champion (**will cover in next week's episode!) in the "granddaddy of them all," or the Super Bowl - - In this week's episode finale, JD & Spencer will each provide their individual & independent/unique predictions for the NFC Conference in 2025-26 - Such predictions will include the selection of winners for each of the four divisions; the NFC's Super Bowl "Pretenders" & "Contenders" - and finally, they will each predict which NFC team they believe will represent the Conference in this year's Super Bowl (i.e., Super Bowl LX): 1. NFC Divisional Winners (i.e., NFC East, NFC South, NFC West & NFC North)? 2. Which NFC team(s) do you predict to be "Super Bowl Pretenders" this NFL season 3. Which NFC team(s) do you predict to be "Super Bowl Contenders" this NFL season 4. Which team do you predict to represent the NFC Conference in this year's Super Bowl (i.e., Super Bowl LX)? Thanks for Listening & for your Support!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 98 - "The QB Assassin Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - Miscellaneous - UFC: Days after completing its merger with Skydance, the entertainment company, Paramount, has acquired the U.S. media rights to TKO Group's UFC with a 7-year, $7.7 billion dollar deal, which is scheduled to begin next year (2026) - - Paramount is reportedly paying an average of $1.1 billion per year, totaling $7.7 billion, for UFC's full slate of 13 marquee events & 30 "Fight Nights," per the companies' joint statement which were released earlier in the week - - All UFC matches and events will be available via the streaming application, Paramount+, and select events will be simulcast on CBS - - Paramount will not charge users any additional fees for access to these UFC events, which, in turn, eliminates the pay-per-view (PPP) model that ESPN+ has used for a majority of its' premium UFC events - - Q: Will Paramount's acquisition of the media rights to UFC - as well as the elimination the pay-per-view model - be mutually beneficial for both the sport as well as the streaming industry?. . .Per the announcement of UFC President Dana White, the UFC is set to host an event on the Fourth of July next year on the White House lawn in celebration of the United States 250th birthday/independence - - White, who remains close friends with U.S. President Donald Trump, have had thorough discussions in the past regarding the possibility of the White House hosting such an event - as Trump hosted a few of the first-ever events in the sport at few of his business properties back in the early 2000's - - Q: How "America" is that - - a UFC event on the main lawn of the White House? - - What could go wrong?!. . . - MLB - "A Historical Moment:" Smashing the MLB's gender barrier, Jen Pawol, 48, made history as the first female umpire in league history to officiate a regular-season game in the majors - - Considering Pawol became the first female umpire to work behind the plate in the majors, making unprecedented history appear to be relatively routine, was especially impressive - - In Pawol's highly anticipated, and smooth-sailing, debut, which came as the first-base umpire for Saturday's first game of a split doubleheader between the Atlanta Braves & Miami Marlins - - To follow up her impressive performance at first base, Pawol moved behind home plate, placing her in the brightest spotlight for an umpire, where she breezed through Sunday's Marlins-Braves game, calling a "strike" on her first official call as a plate umpire - sadly, Braves LHP Joey Wentz & Marlins starting pitcher Cal Quantrill combined for a total of three strikeouts in Sunday's matchup - - Following Atlanta's 7-1 victory over the Marlins on Sunday evening, both team managers spoke positively of Pawol as well as to mention her professionalism on the baseball field - - Pawol was called up from the minor leagues as a rover umpire, and so, her next assignment in the majors has not yet been announced, but after her debut performance, you can expect for it to be right around the corner - - Q: What were your thoughts on Jen Pawol's 'umpiring skills' this weekend? While there were very few opportunities for disputes on the field, could you imagine a scenario (and the potential suspension that would follow) where an MLB manager ultimately 'lost his cool,' and went after a female umpire?. . .A Hawaiian real estate investor & broker are reportedly suing the MLB's Shohei Ohtani, claiming that the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar - and his agent - got them fired from a $240 million luxury housing development on the Big Island's coveted Hapuna Coast that they had brought him in to endorse - - According to the lawsuit filed in Hawaii Circuit Court last Friday, Ohtani's agent, Nez Balelo, increasingly demanded concessions from the both the developer & broker prior to demanding that their business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, drop them from the deal - - Per the Plaintiffs' lawsuit, Ohtani & Balelo "exploited their celebrity leverage to destabilize and ultimately dismantle [their] role in the project - - [and] for no reason other than their own financial self-interest," - - The individual properties that were to be developed, and eventually listed by Matsumoto - the deal's broker - who was to become the listing agent for the houses, which were estimated to average $17.3 million each - - Q: What were your initial thoughts of the lawsuit filed against Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani & his agent on behalf the housing development developer & broker - was their primary motivation not an endorsement deal with one of the most high-profile athletes in the world, which would be used as a bold marketing strategy to, in turn, sell each of the properties above their respective value?. . .MLB Hall of Famer and 13-time All-Star Mariano Rivera tore his Achilles tendon while attempting to track a fly ball at the Yankees' annual Old-Timers' Day game on Saturday, and per multiple sources, will now require surgery to repair the torn tendon - - The event, which commemorated the 25th Anniversary of the 2000 Yankees championship team, or the last MLB franchise to win three-straight World Series titles - - In his lone at-bat, Rivera singled off former teammate Andy Pettitte and easily ran to first base, however, during Willie Randolph's at-bat, Rivera took a step and fell to the ground in shallow center field behind second base, becoming the second player to sustain an injury at the event since 2017. . . - NCAA: News & Storylines - Jimbo Fisher, who received a record $76 million buyout after he was fired as Texas A&M head football coach in 2023 after going 45-25, says he wants to return to the sideline - - Fisher, who recently joined the ACC Network as an analyst, told the "Trials to Triumph" podcast earlier this week that he is looking for "the right situation," to return to coaching at the NCAA or collegiate level - - Fisher stated on the podcast the he misses "the relationship with players. I would be very interested in still doing it. I still think I've got a lot to give. I'd like to get back out there." - - Q: What are your thoughts about the possibility of a return to coaching for Jimbo Fisher?. . .Ty Simpson will open the 2025 college football season as the QB for the University of Alabama, per Crimson Tide HC Kalen DeBoer on Monday afternoon - - Simpson, who has served as Alabama's backup QB each of the past two seasons, and is in his 4th year on campus, beat out redshirt sophomore Austin Mack & true freshman Keelon Russell for the job - - Q: What was your initial reaction to the news that Ty Simpson had been announced as the Crimson Tide's starting QB?. . .Due to Conference Realignment, the Washington State Cougars & the Oregon State Beavers, the only two teams remaining in the Pac-12 Conference, will split a rare regular season home-and-home series - and will be facing each other twice this season in regular-season play - - Q: Will you be tuning into "Pac-12 After Dark" to catch both of the WSU-OSU matchups this season?. . .The new University of Oklahoma QB, John Mateer, has found himself embroiled in the midst of controversy - as screenshots of a few questionable Venmo transactions have surfaced earlier this week on social media - - The screenshots illustrate that Mateer paid someone in 2022, with the description of the transaction being "sports gambling," and "sports gambling (UCLA vs. USC)" - - The 2022 season marked Mateer's first year with Washington State, meaning he was not allowed, per the NCAA by-laws, to gamble on college football - - Mateer's Venmo activity has since been removed or made private - - Oklahoma officials have acknowledged Mateer's alleged Venmo transactions, but the Sooners QB has "consistently denied" being involved with [sports] gambling - - On Tuesday, Mateer posted a statement on social media, claiming that the Venmo descriptions were just "inside jokes between [him and his] friends." - - Q: What are your thoughts regarding the John Mateer screenshots from Venmo? Do you believe him that the descriptions were simply "inside jokes?" Do you expect John Mateer to be suspended by the University of Oklahoma?. . . - NFL - The Los Angeles Chargers offensive line has been dealty a significant blow: Just weeks after signing a 4-year, $114M extension to become the highest-paid OL in NFL history in terms of annual average salary, Rashawn Slater - the blind-side protector of QB Justin Herbert - has suffered a potentially major setback - - An All-pro LT, Slater, will be sidelined for the entire 2025 NFL season with a ruptured patellar tendon, the team confirmed last Friday evening - - The Chargers star LT went down during team drills at last Thursday's practice and was unable to put any weight on his left leg - - The 315-lb Slater was eventually carted off the field, visibly frustrated, slamming his helmet & pounding the cart in anger before trainers draped a towel over his head - - The 26-year-old is expected to undergo surgery to repair the torn tendon, and the Chargers have officially moved Slater to the "injured reserve" or IR list. . .Q: Obviously, you feel awful for the guy, but a solid argument could be made that Chargers QB Justin Herbert could "feel" even worse this upcoming season after losing his blind-side protection to a season-ending injury - How much of an impact does the loss of Slater have on the Chargers' OL and it's ability to block for QB Justin Herbert?. . . The New England Patriots unveiled a 12-foot bronze statue of Tom Brady outside Gillette Stadium on Friday, the culmination of a promise team owner Robert Kraft made last year when the former QB was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame - - The statue was created by a local sculptor, who is a longtime Patriots fan, and the granite base was quarried in Vermont, one of the six New England state - - In addition, the shape represents the six Super Bowl championships, and with the base, it is 17-feet tall, which symbolizes the number of AFC East titles won during Brady's tenure - - Near the end of his speech/remarks, Brady delivered another joke, saying "The statue isn't just for Pats fans. It will also give all the Jets fans something to throw their beers at as they leave the stadium every year. Probably in the second QTR. Maybe the third." - - All the while, at the onset of the Patriots' preseason opener versus the Washington Commanders, TreVeyon Henderson took a 100-yard opening kickoff return TD to the house to open the game - - Cleveland Browns QB Shedeur Sanders did not disappoint in his highly anticipated NFL preseason debut - - Sanders threw a pair of first half TD passes in the Browns' 30-10 preseason-opening victory over the Carolina Panthers on Friday night - - In a little less than three QTRs, Sanders completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards & 2 TDs, and he added 19 rushing yards, prior to being pulled from the game for the Browns most recent QB signing, Tyler Huntley - - Q: What were your thoughts on QB Shedeur Sanders' performance in the Browns' preseason opener? What overall grade would you give him?. . .Jaguars K Cam Little made a 70-yard FG as the first half expired in Jacksonville's preseason-opending loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at EverBank Stadium on Saturday night, a kick that would have broken Justin Tucker's NFL record of 66 yards, had it been made in a regular-season game - - Q: Should Cam Little's 70-yard FG in the Jaguars' preseason opener have counted, and therefore breaking the NFL record of 66 yards?. . .Former NFL HC Jon Gruden came up with a big win in his ongoing legal battle with the NFL on Monday - - The Nevada Supreme Court ruled in Gruden's favor - a 5-3 decision - that his lawsuit against the league cannot be sent into arbitration, allowing the case to proceed in public - - Most recently, Gruden has been in the news for a different reason: he has expressed interest in a return to coaching, indicating that he would "really like to coach in the SEC Conference," - - Q: Which SEC Conference program could you envision Jon Gruden coaching?. . . - 2025-26 College Football Preseason Prediction Showcase PT. V: SEC Conference - - In their quest to preview & provide their individual predictions for the upcoming 2025-26 college football season, JD & Spencer complete the saga in this episode's final segment - - In the final "Preseason Prediction Showcase," JD & Spencer preview what they consider to be the 'cream of the crop' of college football, aka The SEC Conference - - Their predictions are independent/unique, and were not discussed prior to the onset of this episode - and their overall predictions are introduced by way of their responses to the following six agreed-upon questions: 1. Which teams of the SEC Conference would you predict to be "Championship Contenders" next season? 2. Which teams of the SEC Conference would you predict to be "Championship Pretenders" next season? 3. Which programs would you consider to function as "sleeper team(s)" of the SEC Conference next season? 4. Who are a few "players to watch" out of the SEC Conference next season? 5. Which SEC Conference teams do you predict to play for the 2025-26 Conference Championship? Which team do you predict to win the SEC Conference Championship? 6. How many SEC Conference teams do you predict to receive a bid into the 2025-26 College Football Playoff? Which teams? Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 97 - "The BigBear/SmallerBear Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - Miscellaneous - On this week's introductory or our 'Penalty Box' segment, JD & Spencer discuss & share their thoughts on "Happy Gilmore 2," which is the sequel to the original hit film, that was released in 1996. The film, which was recently released on the streaming service, Netflix, was thirty years in the making, yet it has been met with overwhelmingly negative reviews, with critics and fans calling it "lazy," "not funny," & a "depressing mess" that disrespects the original film by undoing its accomplishments. The common complaints from our fellow "keyboard warriors" include a lack of original humor, a narrative that negates the first film's happy ending, an overreliance on nostalgia & cameos, and finally, a tone that doesn't align with the original film's appeal. Allow us to be the first to say: Ignore the noise and Watch the Movie! - - and if you have a sense of humor, prepare to laugh your ass off! Yes! - the Adam Sandler film did feature a whopping total of 48 cameos, and granted, this is a bit too many - - but you cannot ignore the fact that many of the sequel's cameos, which included a slew of actors/celebrities, musicians & comedians, and notable athletes & sports figures from a wide array of professional sports - for example, the film featured a total of 19 professional golfers, including but not limited to the following: Scottie Scheffler, Rory Mcllroy, John Daly, Bubba Watson, Gilmore's former caddy from the original film - Will Zalatoris, Justin Thomas & Brooks Koepka; current & former NFL players, such as Travis Kelce & Reggie Bush, respectively; as well as Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum (WNBA). Both JD & Spencer address their individual take of the overall plot, as well as multiple aspects of the film "Happy Gilmore 2," and subsequently, they each present it with an overall rating out of 10. . .Q: What were your thoughts of the film "Happy Gilmore 2?" What rating, from 1 (horrible/waste of time) to 10 (the best movie of all time!), would you give the Adam Sandler sequel?. . . - MLB - In a blockbuster deal that was completed last Thursday, the day of the MLB Trade Deadline, that had the baseball world buzzing, the Houston Astros re-acquired shortstop Carlos Correa from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for minor league LHP Matt Mikulski & cash, after Correa agreed to "waive" the no-trade clause included in his contract - - Per USA Today reporter Boby Nightengale, Minnesota will send roughly $33 million to help cover the remaining cost associated with Correa's contract - - Correa is owed approximately $96 million through the 2028 MLB season, with club options from 2029-2032 - - Correa, who was drafted as a shortstop by the Astros with the No.1 overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft, he would go on to become one of the most popular players & franchise icons in club history - - One aspect of the trade involved Correa's move to playing third base for Houston, after All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes sustained a hamstring injury, and could possibly miss the rest of this MLB season. . .Q: What are your thoughts about the Astros-Carlos Correa reunion?. .In an odd occurrence, MLB in-fielder Jose Caballero was faced with a literal no-lose situation last Thursday as his Tampa Bay Rays were in the middle of playing in the final game of a three-game series versus the New York Yankees - - And then, the news broke. . .Caballero had been traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to their current opponent, the New York Yankees - - The two AL East teams were in the middle of their game at Yankee Stadium when the news broke that the 28-year-old in-fielder, who was playing second base for the Rays at the time, had been traded to the Yankees - - The deal came together partly thanks to a nearly three-hour rain delay that occurred early on in the game - - When the news broke, as is typical procedure when a player is traded during a game, the Rays removed him from their lineup, yet it was evident that this was somewhat unexpected - as the TV broadcast caught Caballero embracing his Tampa teammates in the visitors' dugout at Yankee Stadium, while no such scene occurred in the Yankees' dugout (emotion-less pricks!) - - Following the Yankees 7-5 victory at home, Caballero joked "We won the game, I guess," after playing most of the game in a Rays jersey - - Caballero has now joined a Yankees team that is looking to return to the World Series for the second consecutive season - after losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games last season. . . - WNBA & NBA - WNBA: At a press conference last Saturday evening, the WNBA informed the media that the individual who threw a "sex toy" onto the court at an Atlanta Dream game earlier in the week, had been arrested - - and went on to provide a stern warning, that, any person who throws objects onto the court will be ejected from the arena immediately, and will face a minimum one-year ban from attendance to WNBA games - - The incident that occurred in Atlanta took place late in the 4th QTR of the Dream's game versus the Golden State Valkyries last Tuesday in College Park, Georgia - - While it seemed that the act might be an isolated incident, on the following Friday evening, another "sex toy" (i.e., a lime green dildo) was thrown onto the court after a whistle was blown to stop play in the 3rd QTR - with it landing under the basket - of the Chicago Sky & Golden State Valkyries matchup, after which point, it was kicked aside by an official before it was picked up and removed - - Interestingly, yet not suprisingly, bookies & online betting sites have determined a way to profit off of this apparent new trend of fans throwing dildos onto the court during WNBA games - - Yes, a quirky new bet emerged, titled "Color of Third WNBA Dildo If Not Green," with the bet officially ending on August 3rd - the options included Black/Brown & Rainbow (+200), White/Caucasian (+250), Pink (+300), Purple (+325), and Blue (+1400), plus a wager on how the situation is handled - - Well, it didn't last very long! - Another "sex toy" was thrown onto the court during an WNBA game between the Los Angeles Sparks & the Indiana Fever on Tuesday - - the third such incident occurred in the 2nd QTR at Crypto.com Arena in L.A., and it was once again a green "toy" that was thrown, and it seemed as if Fever guard Sophie Cunningham was the target, after she previously asked people to stop throwing such objects on social media - but apparently, people do not care about the requests of WNBA players. . .NBA: Damian Lillard is returning to college, this time as the General Manager of his Alma Mater, Weber State University, where he once starred for the college basketball team - - The GM role has risen in popularity across college basketball & college football in recent years, and these GM's are tasked with overseeing programs in the wake of the transfer portal, NIL & the other changing dynamics involved in college athletics - - Lillard becomes the latest big name or high-profile NBA player to be hired for this type of role, including that of Stephen Curry (Davidson) - - The choice was simple: Lillard is the program's only All-American in school history, and so, Lillard will work closely with the coaching staff and athletic department leadership to provide insight, mentorship, and professional levels to elevate the program. . . - NCAA: News & Storylines - NCAA College Basketball: The NCAA Tournament will be sticking with 68 teams - for now - - The NCAA voted not to expand March Madness for the upcoming 2025-26 CBB season on Monday - - However, per NCAA Senior VP of Basketball Dan Gavitt, various NCAA committees will continue to discuss the topic of expansion of the college basketball tournament to including between 72 to 76 teams for future tournaments beyond next season. . .Q: What are your thoughts about the possibility of the expansion of the NCAA College Basketball Tournament field beyond 68 teams?. . .NCAA College Football: The University of Alabama seemed destined to land Mobile (Ala.) St. Paul's Episcopal five-star EDGE Anthony "Tank" Jones, but last Thursday on "The Pat McAfee Show" on ESPN, Jones would commit to the University of Oregon, donning the green & yellow upon the announcement of his committment - - Jones is now set to make the cross-country trek to Eugene at the next (or collegiate) level, and his committment gives Oregon its' 4th five-star pledge in the 2026 Class - - While Jones is rated as the No.18 player in the ESPN 2026 Class, he is also rated as the No.1 overall prospect in the state of Alabama - - Prior to his committment, Jones, on multiple occasions, had stated that he had always "dreamed" of playing for the Crimson Tide since he was a kid, and that Alabama "was always his dream school growing up," - - It's no surprise that based on this information, people were somewhat shocked to witness Jones commit to Oregon rather than his "dream school," but let's be honest: "You win some and you lose some!" - - but according to multiple reporters on social media, this loss of Jones to Oregon is being categorized as the "Biggest Whiff" in Crimson Tide recruiting history - - Money likely has a massive part to play in Jones' decision, but it certainly isn't the sole reason that he committed to Oregon - - Unfortunately for HC Dan Lanning & the Ducks, it's not over until National Signing Day in December, so tread carefully. . .Q: Do you agree or disagree with the 'haters" who referred to the loss of Jones to Oregon as the "biggest whiff" in Crimson Tide recruiting history?. . .Former University of Tennessee head football coach Derek Dooley announced on 2026 Republican bid on Monday for the U.S. Senate in the state of Georgia against Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff - - The 57-year-old Dooley is backed by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and has been teasing a bid since early June - - Dooley has never held an elective office position before, yet he has said that he'll run as a political outsider, pledging to bring "good, old fashioned Georgia common sense," and "work with President Trump, fight for you and alway put Georgia first," - - Dooley, the son of legendary Georgia Bulldogs coach Vince Dooley, was a lawyer prior to his stint in coaching - - Dooley might be most remebered for his time at the University of Tennessee, compiling a 15-21 record with the Volunteers before he was fired in 2012 - - Since then, Dooley has been an assistant coach, with stints at the collegiate & professional level - - Dooley becomes one of the multiple former football coaches to run for office, including former Auburn HC Tommy Tuberville, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020 for the state of Alabama, and is now running for state Governor - and University of Nebraska coaching legend Tom Osborne, who served three terms in the U.S. House - - Q: What are your thoughts on former Volunteers HC Derek Dooley's bid to run for U.S. Senate in the state of Georgia?. . . - NFL - 2025 NFL Preseason Hall of Fame Game: The Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Detroit Lions 34-7 that kicked off the NFL's preseason last Thursday night in Canton, Ohio - - A few takeaways from the game: (A) Chargers QB Trey Lance was outstanding - - While Lance's NFL journey has been anything but memorable to this point - 3rd time in five seasons - Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh gave him three QTRs to prove he's worth a roster spot - and he did his thing & balled out, playing like a No.3 overall draft pick - Lance unquestionably delivered, completing 13-of-20 passes for 120 yards & 2 TDs, including a beautiful rollout toss to TE Will Dissly on 4th-and-goal, and a 15-yard pass on a difficult slant route to WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith - he was rarely fazed by the Lions' blitz, and remained efficient in the pocket while adjusting to the defensive coverage - Lance exceeded all expectations in total, earning respect while also producing evidence for his case to be selected over veteran QB Taylor Heincke as Justin Herbert's backup QB - - (B) The Lions' backup QB situation isn't as clear-cut: Obviously, Lions HC Dan Campbell did not allow QB Jared Goff, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, RBs Jahmyr Gibbs & David Montgomery, OT Penei Sewell or the rest of Detroit's star-studded offense to see any action in the first preseason game - - The name of the game is "backups" - - QB Kyle Allen was first up in the order & delivered a very up-and-down performance, completing 9-of-14 passes for 91 yards, but would go on to throw two horrendous INTs that tanked any positive momentum he had up until that point - Making matters worse, QB Hendon Hooker didn't fare any better, struggling with his accuracy, throwing a pick near the middle of the field on a pass that sailed - In other words, the Lions failed to find a rhythm with either of the backup QB's in the first game of the preseason - We will see if HC Dan Campbell possibly reverses the rotation next week, and if it helps Hooker because he could certainly use it. . .Washington Commanders WR Terry McLaurin, frustrated with negotiations on a contract extension, has requested a trade from the franchise, per ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday afternoon - - A sticking point seems to be McLaurin's age - as he would be age 31 when an extension would begin, an age that teams are stereotypically reluctant to pay big money for WRs - - Per Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox "the Commanders should consider acquiring [49ers] WR Jauan Jennings as a replacement," who is also looking for a new contract deal - as well as a trade out of San Francisco - - Q: What are your thoughts on the Commanders-Terry McLaurin situation? In your opinion, should the Commanders consider trading him OR should they take the risk by offering him an extension that would certainly set the precedent among 30-year-old WRs in the league?. . .Dallas Cowboys training camp began last week with Pro Bowl pass rusher Micah Parsons reporting but not participating as he awaited a contract extension - - However, on the following Friday, Parsons posted on social media that he is requesting a trade from the NFL franchise - - Parsons said "repeated shots" led to his decision to request a trade - - At the opening news conference of training camp, team owner Jerry Jones made a flippant remark when questioned about Parsons' availability during training camp - - Multiple sources have stated that they cannot recall a time when a Cowboys player has requested a trade - - Historically, the Cowboys have paid their stars, but it has taken time to get deals done, including with QB Dak Prescott (twice), RB Ezekiel Elliot, guard Zack Martin & WR Ceedee Lamb in recent years - - Ultimately, Jerry Jones has reportedly never lost a star player that he wanted to keep - - Q: Multiple NFC executives from across the NFL have stated that they do not believe that the Cowboys will trade Parsons - - Is it possible that both sides can repair the relationship back to when Parsons indicated that he "would never leave Dallas," & saying to ESPN in December that he didn't need to be the highest-paid defensive player in the game?. . .In a long-overdue moment of recognition, former Green Bay Packers WR Sterling Sharpe was officially enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday during a ceremony in Canton, Ohio - - The honor makes Sharpe, 60, the 382nd member of the Hall of Fame - and most notably, part of history - Alongside his younger brother, Shannon Sharpe, the Sharpes are now the only pair of siblings to ever be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame - - Sharper was a dominant force in the NFL from 1988 to 1994, earning three first-team All-Pro selections & leading the league in multiple receiving categories - - His 1992 season remains legendary, as he captured the receiving "Triple Crown," in which he led the NFL in receptions, yard, and TDs - - Last week, his brother Shannon, expressed his remorse for the news of his official departure from ESPN after he has faced multiple controversies & pending lawsuits - - Minnesota Vikings WR Jordan Addison has been suspended for the first three games of the upcoming NFL season for violating the league's "substances of abuse" policy - - Addision pleaded no contest on July 17th to a lesser charge to resolve a 2024 DUI citation - it was the plea agreement that made Addison subject to NFL discipline, as it acknowledges the use and/or consumption of alcohol in a driving incident - - He agreed to pay $390 fine and received a year of probation - - Addison will be eligible to return for the Vikings' Week 4 game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers in an international game that will be played in Dublin, Ireland. . .Following his one season with the Chicago Bears, veteran WR Keenan Allen is returning to the Los Angeles Chargers on a one-year, $8.52 million contract - - In a fascinating move, the Chargers used the pick they acquired from the Chicago Bears in the Keenan Allen trade from last season to move up & draft WR Ladd McConkey - - Now, Allen & McConkey are Chargers' teammates - - Q: What are your thoughts regarding the reunion of the Los Angeles Chargers & WR Keenan Allen? Do you think he has anymore miles left in the tank?. . .San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle interrupted teammate Fred Warner's interview on the NFL Network Tuesday afternoon to "air a grievance" that the league had issued a memo to all players earlier that morning, stating that it has prohibited the use of ammonia and smelling salts before & during all NFL games - - According to the memo, beginning this upcoming season, teams are prohibited from "providing or supplying ammonia in any form," which includes ammonia capsules, inhalers, ammonia in a cup, and any form of "smelling salts." - - The memo further stated that the ban comes as a result of FDA warnings that were issued in 2024 - - In the interrupted interview, Kittle went on to say that he is a regular user of smelling salts, taking them for a "boost of energy," before every offensive drive, noting "I miss them already." - - The nine-year TE even joked that, initially, after reading the memo, he was so upset that he contemplated retirement - - Q: What are your thoughts on the NFL's decision to ban players from using ammonia & smelling salts?. . . - 2025-26 College Football Preseason Prediction Showcase PT. IV: Big Ten Conference - - In the episode finale this week, JD & Spencer each provide their individual (and independent) projections/predictions for the Big Ten Conference - as well as our predictions for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Independent) - for the upcoming 2025-26 college football season - - They provided their overall predictions by presenting their responses to the following set of agreed-upon questions: 1. Which teams of the Big Ten Conference would you consider to be "Championship Contenders" next season? 2. Which teams of the Big Ten Conference would you consider to be "Championship Pretenders" next season? 3. Which programs would you consider to function as "sleeper team(s)" of the Big Ten Conference next season? 4. Who are a few "players to watch" out of the Big Ten Conference next season 5. Which Big Ten Conference program do you predict to win the 2025-26 Conference Championship? 6. How many Big Ten Conference programs do you believe will receive a bid into the 2025-26 College Football Playoff? Which team(s)? 7. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish's win total is currently set to 10.5 wins - - Based on their strength of schedule next season as well as their overall talent, do you expect HC Marcus Freeman's team to exceed 10.5 wins or just fall short? Why? Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 96 - "The Charlie Conway & the Mighty Ducks Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - Miscellaneous - PGA: Despite being the PGA No.1 ranked player in the world, it was almost as if reporters at a recent press conference were shocked to learn that Scottie Scheffler "does not find his life's true fulfillment by winning PGA events," but unfortunately for his fellow golfers, this lack of fulfillment did not negatively affect his performance and/or prevent him from demonstrating that competitive edge that seems so routine, from bleeding through on one of the sport's biggest stages last Sunday - - Scheffler had all the time in the world to celebrate his latest major title, carding a 68 to cruise to a four-stroke victory in the PGA Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland - - The outcome was never in doubt on Sunday as Scheffler finished at (-17), delivering yet another dominant performance to win his second major this year, and to grab the third leg of the career Grand Slam - - After making par on the 18th hole, the crowd erupted in amazement, and in appreciation for his spectacular performance, but for Scheffler, it appeared as just another routine win - until he encountered his wife, Meredith, their 15-month-old son Bennett & his parents - at which point, he thrust both fists into the air, pumped both arms & tossed his hat in a joyous manner - - Scheffler's behavior further demonstrated, to him, that this was just 'another victory' at a PGA major, and that the 29-year-old Texas native was far more concerned about his family & their overall excitement, and just to top it off, he does get to keep the silver Claret jug for another year - - Scheffler is a champion on & off the PGA course - - He became just the fourth player in Open Championship history to shoot 68 or better in all four rounds of the event, joining Collin Morikawa, Henrik Stenson & Jesper Parnevik. . ."RIP 2 My Childhood:" Hulk "Hulkamania" Hogan, the star who took professional wrestling to the national mainstream, and was a significant contributor to the overall legacy of the sport, died last Thursday morning on July 24th at the age of 71 - - The WWE Hall of Famer, according to multiple reports, was pronounced dead at a local hospital in Clearwater, Florida, shortly after a 911 call was placed about a victim in cardiac arrest - - Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, had been struggling with several health issues in recent years, which included a problematic, lingering back injury from his wrestling days, and had reportedly underwent a complicated heart procedure just weeks prior to his death - - While Hogan was the identity of professional wrestling for many years, later in life, and much to his dismay, Hogan became a controversial figure that somewhat retreated from the spotlight - following the release of a private sex tape that depicted Hogan with his best friend's wife - as well as a secret recording that revealed Hogan's use of racist remarks in a taped conversation with his daughter, Brooke Hogan - - Not too downplay the complex nature of Hogan's inappropriate actions over the years, it would be a disservice to the sport of professional wrestling, to not acknowledge his accomplishments and the influence he had on children growing up in the 1990's (aka JD) - - In 1985, Hogan headlined the WWF's first 'Wrestlemania' at Madison Square Garden, which drew an audience of nearly one million viewers on a closed-circuit television, and it was this particular event that many credit with taking the sport into the national spotlight - - Hogan's grudge match versus Andre the Giant at 'Wrestlemania III' took the wrestling business & his career to new heights - - Hogan was featured in the main event of the first eight Wrestlemania cards, and would go on to win the WWF (now known as the "WWE) World Heavyweight Championship belt six times, and finally, he pulled off the biggest "heel turn" in wrestling history - while working for the WWF/WWE competitor, WCW - when Hogan embraced the role of a villain, joining the New World Order as "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan - - Hogan returned to the WWE in 2002, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. . . - MLB - Nick Kurtz of the Oakland Athletics became the first rookie in MLB history to hit four HRs in a game, as part of a spectacular Friday night for the 22-year-old that will go down as one of the greatest offensive displays that sport has ever seen - - Kurtz finished the game with eight RBIs, six runs scored & also matched the MLB record with 19 total bases in the A's 15-3 victory over the Houston Astros - - Kurtz didn't make an out all night, as he went on to hit absolutely DINGERS in the second, sixth, eighth & ninth innings - and he also doubled on a 381-feet drive that would have been out in six major league ballparks - - **Can confirm: No MLB player has ever hit five HRs in a single game - - and he singled on his 6-for-6 night to tie Shawn Green, who had four HRs, six hits & 19 total bases for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a game in 2002 - - This was the 20th four-HR game in MLB history & second this season - - Through the rookie's 66 games played, the 6-foot-5 power hitter has hit 23 HRs, and he is the youngest player in the history of the sport to hit four HRs. . .Two-time National League MVP & Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper is a very confident, brave soul, that unlike most of us who would not dare to question or belittle our boss for fear of retribution, demonstrated that he is not afraid to "stick it to the man:" Harper stood nose to nose with Rob Manfred during a meeting between the MLB Commissioner and the team last week - telling Manfred to "get the f*** out of our clubhouse," if he wanted to discuss the potential implementation of a salary cap, sources informed ESPN on Monday - - Ahead of the expiration of baseball's collective-bargaining agreement between the MLB and MLBPA (Major League Baseball Player's Association), which is scheduled to occur on December 1st of next year, multiple team owners have advocated for the implementation of a salary cap in baseball, which is the only major Men's North American sport without one - - According to multiple sources, the MLBPA strongly opposes a salary cap, arguing that it would serve more as a tool to increase franchise values than to lessen the sport's large disparity between high and low-spending teams - - Q: What do you think: Should the MLB implement a "salary cap?" What would be the implications of a salary cap on baseball?. . . - NBA - A couple weeks ago, on Thursday (7/17), nine-time All-Star Damian Lillard agreed to a three-year, $42 million contract that reunited the Weber State alum with the NBA franchise that drafted him, the Portland Trail Blazers, as confirmed per sources to ESPN - - Lillard's deal includes a player option in 2027-28 as well as a "no-trade" clause (*only the second player in the league with a "no-trade" clause in their contract - LeBron James) - - The deal with Portland comes after the Milwaukee Bucks shockingly waived the 35-year-old guard in early July, and stretched the remaining $113 million on his contract, to sign PF/C Myles Turner - - Q: Was Damian Lillard's decision to reunite with Portland exactly the way in which you would prefer to see his career go (and possibly end)? Do you believe this was the "best decision" he could've made in terms of his rehabilitation & potential future in the league?. . .After a contract buyout with the Wizards, veteran NBA guard Marcus Smart has signed a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, the team confirmed last Tuesday afternoon (7/24) - - As a standout defender & two-player contributor, Smart excelled for the rival Boston Celtics for nine seasons prior to spending the past two years with the Memphis Grizzlies & Washington Wizards - - Smart, who was the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, made nine straight consecutive playoff appearances throughout his tenure with the Celtics - however, because of injuries, Smart has only played in a total of 54 games over the past two seasons since leaving Boston - - Smart is joining the supporting cast of a Laker's team that is built around their two superstars, Luka Doncic & LeBron James, as Los Angeles continues to make a splash in the offseason, after previously signing C DeAndre Ayton. . .Twelve-time All-Star PG Chris Paul has agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers for what is anticipated to be his final (or 21st) NBA season, per his agents at CAA - - Per ESPN, Paul reportedly had multiple suitors, such as the Bucks, Hornets & Mavericks, but Paul chose to reunite with the contending Clippers & their shared history in Los Angeles - - The deal marks a return to the Clippers for Paul, who played for the franchise for six seasons - most of which he spent playing alongside both Blake Griffin & DeAndre Jordan, who were integral to the Clippers' success as well as to what would earn the organization the nickname "Lob City," - - Paul becomes the latest veteran addition to the Clippers franchise this offseason, who have previously acquired SG Bradley Beal (via the Phoenix Suns), PF John Collins & C Brook Lopez - - Q: What are your thoughts about Chris Paul returning to the Clippers for his "final" NBA season?. - NCAA: News & Storylines - In a stunning move that links leaders in the sports media landscape, Dave Portnoy & his media company, Barstool Sports, have agreed to a wide-ranging collaboration with Fox Sports, which will bring together many of the industry's most prominent voices and high-profile influencers to bolster coverage surrounding college football, college basketball & other Fox Sports properties, including creating unique content with a new daily studio show that will air on FS1 - - Portnoy, 48, shared the news of the collaboration via an "emergency press conference" on his X social media account - The announcement also included a video that shows Portnoy superimposed across various sports-related highlights, which in itself, featured more news: Portnoy will be appearing on the Fox Sports college football pregame show, Big Noon Kickoff, as a analyst this upcoming season - - In addition, there will be a new weekly show titled "Barstool College Football Show." - - As a part of the partnership, Barstool Sports will be producing & delivering a two-hour long program that will air weekly, and that will include a mixture of popular Barstool personalities (i.e., "Big Cat") & Fox Sports talent that join in on interviews & sports-related discussions - - Q: What are your thoughts on the Fox Sports - Barstool Sports partnership? Will this lead to Barstool Sports eventually becoming a part of "mainstream" sports media? What are your thoughts on Dave Portnoy appearing as a college football analyst on Big Noon Kickoff?. . .Former BYU QB Jake Retzlaff has verbally committed to "walk-on" at Tulane, per ESPN's Pete Thamel last Monday afternoon (7/21) - - Retzlaff abruptly departed BYU after he was accused of sexual battery by a woman from an incident that reportedly occurred in 2023 - - While the lawsuit was dismissed & Retzlaff was never charged, he still faced a seven-game suspension for violation of the program's "honor code," which prohibits premarital sex, which ultimately led Retzlaff to transfer to New Orleans, where there certainly is not an "honor code!" - NFL - Kansas City Chiefs WR Rashee Rice has been sentenced to five years probation and 30 days of jail time by a Dallas County judge - - Rice pled guilty to two felony charges related to the WR's role in a multi-car crash last year - - The incident took place in March 2024, as Rice drove 119 mph in a Lamborghini during rush hour traffic, which led to Rice hitting other vehicles in the process, that caused a chain reaction that affected multiple cars - and following the crash, Rice flees the scene on foot - - After the crash, Rice was sued for $1 million by the two people who were injured in the crash - this lawsuit was settled on Wednesday (7/16), and as a result, Rice must pay $1 million to the two plaintiffs as well as their lawyer's fees - - Rice was sentenced to "deferred probation," as a result of the plea deal, which means that the case will be dismissed if he successfully completes the probationary period - - Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the 30 days of jail time may be served at any point during Rice's five years on probation - - The rulings by the Dallas County Court opens the door for the NFL to discipline Rice directly - he is expected to receive a multi-game suspension - - Q: How many games should the league suspend Chiefs WR Rashee Rice for the upcoming 2025-26 NFL season?. . . Eight-time Pro Bowl QB & Alabama's very own Philip Rivers announced last Monday (7/21) that he is retiring from the NFL as a member of the Los Angeles Chargers in an emotional video posted by the team to social media - - Rivers, who played 16 seasons with the Chargers, holds team records in every major category, winning 137 career games - - A Super Bowl appearance is the lone omission on Rivers' resume, but he does rank 6th all-time in NFL history with 63,440 passing yards, behind only Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre & Ben Roethlisberger - - Beyond his play, Rivers grew famous for his trash-talking, particularly how he did it: without using any profanity - - Q: Realistically, could you "trash-talk" without the use of profanity? Would trash-talk without the use of profanity actually hurt worse than a profanity-laden rant?. . .In a late-July surprise, New Orleans safety Tyrann "Honey Badger" Mathieu announced that he is calling it a career, and the decorated safety is retiring after playing in the NFL for 12 seasons, the Saints website announced last Tuesday (7/22) - - Although he compiled an underwhelming 2024 season, the 33-year-old safety was expected to fill one half of a headline-grabbing safety tandem - with former teammate Justin Reid - in the back end of New Orleans' defense in 2025 - - Mathieu's career began with uncertainty but lasted a dozen years and included plenty of deserved accolades - his career took on a nomadic appearance, but he contributed at every stop along his journey, earning three first-team All-Pro selections, three Pro Bowl nods, and finally, he won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs & landed on the Pro Football Hall of Fame's All-Decade Team for the 2010s, a strong indicator he'll receive his own place in Canton in the future - - Q: Does Tyrann Mathieu deserve to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?. . .At least 100 players from roughly half of the NFL's 32 teams face fines and possible suspension for allegedly selling their allotted tickets to this year's Super Bowl LIX above face value in violation of league policies, sources informed ESPN last Friday (7/25) - - Under an agreement between the league and the NFL Players Association, players who violated the rule will be fine 1 1/2 times the face ticket value and lose their allotted tickets to the next two Super Bowls - - If they are playing in the game, the players will have a chance to purchase seats - - Those who decline the punishment could be suspended by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. . .Shemar Stewart & the Cincinnati Bengals have finally agreed on his rookie contract, per his agent Zac Hiller on Friday (7/25), as the DE became the final first-round draft pick to reach a deal - - Stewart will sign a four-year, fully guaranteed contract worth $18.97 million and including a $10.4 million signing bonus - - Stewart, who was selected 17th overall in this year's draft, is set to join the Bengals six days after the team's rookies reported for training camp - - The two sides compromised to finalize a deal: Stewart will receive a more lucrative payout structure than previous picks at No.17 for accepting the new language the Bengals placed in the team's rookie contracts. . .The Las Vegas Raiders announced last week that the franchise decided to cut DT Christian Wilkins - - Wilkins, 29, had just signed a four-year, $110 million contract extension with the team last offseason - - Wilkins was "unexpectedly cut" by the Raiders last week, and on Monday, ESPN first reported that Wilkins gave a "playful kiss" to an [unidentified] teammate's head during a meeting last week - - The "playful kiss" by Wilkins led to a HR complaint that partly played into his ultimate release - - ESPN reported that the incident was "not the sole reason" for Wilkins' dismissal from the team, though it appears to have played a role in the franchise's decision - - Q: What are your thoughts on the Raiders' decision to cut/release DT Christian Wilkins? Thoughts on the incident that partially led to his dismissal?. . .The last major contract issue for the Cincinnati Bengals could be inching closer to a resolution - - All-Pro DE Trey Hendrickson reportedly ended his holdout, and reported to Bengals training camp on Wednesday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter - - According to a source, Hendrickson's arrival served as a good faith gesture to spark negotiations with the team - - Hendrickson, who will turn 31 this season, is the reigning NFL sack leader, and he was named to the AP All-Pro Team after leading the league with 17.5 sacks last season - - he was also a Pro Bowl selection for the fourth straight season - - Per Adam Schefter, the holdup in negotiations is over the "guaranteed money" in the contract. . . - 2025-26 College Football Preseason Prediction Showcase PT. III: ACC Conference - - In the episode finale this week, JD & Spencer each provide their individual (and independent) projections/predictions for the ACC Conference for the upcoming 2025-26 college football season - - They provided their overall predictions by presenting their responses to the following set of agreed-upon questions: 1. Which teams of the ACC Conference would you consider to be "Championship Contenders" next season? 2. Which teams of the ACC Conference would you consider to be "Championship Pretenders" next season? 3. Which programs would you consider to function as "sleeper team(s)" of the ACC Conference next season? 4. Who are a few "players to watch" out of the ACC Conference next season? 5. Which ACC Conference program do you predict to win the 2025-26 Conference Championship? 6. How many ACC Conference programs do you believe will receive a bid into the 2025-26 College Football Playoff? Which team(s)? Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 95 - "The Myles High Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - Miscellaneous - High School Football : We just have a couple things to say: "Teddy Bridgewater is a Scumbag! The Salt of the Earth! A Horrible Person!". . .This GUY! - - According to a post via his social media account, former NFL QB Teddy Bridgewater indicated earlier this week that he has been "suspended" from coaching his former high school team, Miami Northwestern, for reportedly giving impermissible benefits to his players - - The 32-year-old "abomination," according to multiple reports, reportedly helped his players with uber costs, paid for player's physical therapy out of pocket, pregame meals, recovery assistance, as well as purchased the field paint that was applied to the High School football field - - If it's not utterly apparent & obvious, we are exaggerating - former NFL QB & current High School head football coach Teddy Bridgewater is an incredibly generous and very thoughtful human being, who deserves to be celebrated NOT suspended!! - - This is certainly not a good look for Miami Northwestern High School & their Athletic Department - - The news of Bridgewater's suspension has drawn much criticism from former NFL players, athletes & sports commentators alike. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding Miami Northwestern High School's decision to suspend HC Teddy Bridgewater for reportedly giving impermissible benefits to his players?. . .PGA: Oakmont County Club, which is located approximately fifteen miles outside of Pittsburgh (PA), has banned professional golfer, Wyndham Clark, from its property after he damaged his locker following a missed cut at last month's U.S. Open event, per sources who confirmed the news to ESPN on Wednesday - - Oakmont Club President John Lynch issued a letter that was sent out to all Oakmont Country Club members earlier this week, indicating that their decision was reached after multiple discussions with the USGA & the Club's Board - - According to Lynch's letter, the ban could be lifted if Clark, 31, pays for the damaged property, makes a "meaningful contribution" to a charity selected by the Oakmont Country Club, and undergoes extensive "counseling and/or anger management therapy." - - Fortunately for Clark, he will not have to play at Oakmont again until 2033, when it is scheduled to host the U.S. Open once again. . .Q: Do you think PGA golfer Wyndham Clark will comply with Oakmont County Club President John Lynch's demands in his letter to ensure that the ban is lifted?. . . - MLB - Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg has agreed in principle to a $1.7 billion deal to sell the franchise to a group led by a Florida-based developer, Patrick Zalupski, according to a report from The Athletic - - The deal is reportedly expected to be closed as early as September and will keep the franchise in the area, with Zalupski, a homebuilder in Jacksonville, having a strong preference to land in Tampa rather than in St. Petersburg - - This was definitely a very profitable deal for Stu Sternberg, after he purchased the Rays franchise in 2004 for $200 million. . .Seattle Mariners star & MLB Home Run leader, Cal Raleigh, became the first MLB catcher to ever win the All-Star Home Run Derby - - Raleigh joins Ken Griffey Jr. as the only two Mariners to win the event, after he totaled 54 homers at the 2025 Derby - - Unfortunately, for Raleigh, his win of the 2025 Home Run Derby was largely overshadowed by the highlight of the evening: Let's just say, if a baseball had a soul, Oneil Cruz would be a "soul crusher." - - Cruz produced the highlight of the first round when he blasted a 513-foot HR, the longest of the evening - he becomes just the sixth player to hit a Derby homer of 500+ feet since Statcast started tracking it in 2016 - - Cruz averaged a distance of 447 feet in Round 1 but was eliminated by Raleigh in the semi-finals when the latter hit 19 dingers to advance - - Raleigh wowed the crowd when he hit left-handed and right-handed during his first round, blasting 10 from the left side and another seven from the right, becoming the first switch hitter to win the contest - - Raleigh outlasted Tampa Bay Rays infielder Junior Caminero in the HR Derby Final on Monday night - Raleigh hit 18 to Caminero's 15 in the final round - and to the kid that robbed Caminero's homer in the championship round, shame on your parents, and you deserve a nice good kick to the shin!. . .Kyle Schwarber, the man, the myth, [and now] the legend - Remarkably, Schwarber, who is rather spectacular at smashing baseballs, has never won a Home Run Derby - he lost in the finals back in 2018 & failed to advance out of the first round in 2022 - - but on Tuesday night, however, the Philadelphia Phillies slugger made home run history on the All-Star stage, pulverizing three HRs on three swings in the first-ever swing-off to decide the winner of the 2025 MLB All-Star Game, giving the National League a 4-3 victory over the American League at Truist Park in Atlanta, after the teams were deadlocked at 6-6 through nine innings - - His performance was enough for Schwarber, and he became the first position player to win the All-Star Game MVP, in a game that began and ended with historic firsts - - This year's exhibition was the first game to feature the automated ball-strike (ABS) system at the major league level outside of spring training, an expected precursor to the MLB's implementation of this new system beginning for the 2026 MLB season - - In this game, four pitches were challenged, and the very first official challenge came on a 0-2 changeup pitch by American League starter Tarik Skubal to San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado, that home-plate umpire had called a strike in the first inning, and the call was overturned, ending Machado's at-bat with a strikeout. . .Q: What were your thoughts on the MLB's use of the automated ball-strike (ABS) system in this year's All-Star Game? Do you believe that the aspect of "human error" adds to the overall fun & exhilaration associated with a major (or professional) sport, such as Major League Baseball?. . . - NCAA: News & Storylines - During a Monday morning interview on the "Mac and Cube" show in Birmingham (AL), former University of Alabama QB & current Nick Saban co-worker, Greg McElroy, stated that he spoke to someone "in the know" & was expressively adamant that the GOAT (i.e., Nick Saban) will return as a college football coach - - According to McElroy's statement on the show, "A very much in the know person that I have a lot of respect for and have spent a lot of time around, and just really, really admire - they seems to think Nick Saban is not done coaching," as was initially reported per 24/7 Sports. . .However, and not surprisingly, McElroy refused to acknowledge and respond to the question of who his "in the know' source was - but the news of a possible return to coaching for Saban has spread far & wide, and it has resonated with University of Alabama fans in both a positive and negative light - - If Saban wants to come out of retirement to coach again, there would be plenty of interest in his services - - After all, he established one of the greatest college football dynasties in the history of the sport, in Tuscaloosa, where we would go on to win six national championships with the Crimson Tide between 2007 and 2023 - - Q: What are your thoughts on McElroy's statement regarding the possibility of Nick Saban coming out of retirement to coach as the collegiate level again? Realistically, as a biased Alabama fan, how would you view Saban if he did return to coaching at a power conference outside of the state of Alabama? How would that affect his legacy? . .With each new season of college football comes a new set of rule changes - and this offseason, a new set of rules were introduced and outlined at Day Two of this week's "SEC Media Days" on Wednesday by SEC Conference Coordinator of Football Officials, John McDaid - - Of the six new rule changes that will be introduced in this upcoming season, the two most notable - and those that were discussed in this episode - concern the following: (1) McDaid outlined a new rule that is to be implemented that is expected to decrease the likelihood of players faking injuries before plays to halt the opposing team's momentum as a result of the charged timeout - This new rule will attempt to eliminate the issue of referees having to stop games in order to maintain player safety, which were enabling defenses to get a free timeout - - According to the new rule "if a player goes down after the ball is spotted, the player's team will be charged with a timeout; if the team does not have one, a five-yard penalty will be assessed." - - (2) The second new rule actually has a title affiliated with it - a "Defensive Delay of Game" - and according to this rule, "defenses cannot simulate a snap trying to get the offensive player or players to false start. Abrupt coordinated movements will result in a delay of game penalty for the defense," - All eyes are on you, HC Kirby Smart & the Georgia Bulldogs. . . - NBA - Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet was elected President of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) on Saturday, succeeding CJ McCollum of the Washington Wizards - - VanVleet was voted NBPA President during the Board of Player Representatives meeting, and he will begin a four-year term immediately, while McCollum will transition to an advisory role - - VanVleet, a 2019 NBA Champion with the Toronto Raptors & 2022 NBA All-Star, who has set records for the highest-paid contracts for an undrafted player, is regarded as someone who has experienced every level of competition - even within the NBA G-League - and advocates for the union - - VanVleet recently signed a two-year, $50 million contract extension to remain in Houston next season. . .Three-time NBA All-Star Bradley Beal agreed to a contract buyout with the Phoenix Suns, and plans to join the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year, $11 million deal with a player option after he clears waivers, per ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania on Wednesday afternoon - - The player option for the 2026-27 NBA season clears the way for Beal, aged 32, to be one of the top available players in free agency next summer - - Q: What are your thoughts on the overall "fit" of Beal teaming up with fellow Clippers All-Star players, Kawhi Leonard & James Harden?. . - NFL - A five-time Pro Bowler, three-time first-team All-Pro & Super Bowl LV champion, DT Ndamukong Suh, officially announced his retirement from the NFL after 13 seasons on Saturday - - Suh broke the news on the one-year anniversary of his father's passing - as he announced his decision in a social media statement - - Q: Where does Ndamukong Suh rank on the NFL All-Time Defensive Lineman list for you: Top 100? Top 25? Top 5?. . .San Francisco 49ers WR Jauan Jennings, who is scheduled to make $7.5 million in the final year of his deal, wants a new contract or trade, sources told ESPN on Monday - - this marks the second straight summer that the Niners are in this situation with a WR who wants to be "paid or traded," - and this year's situation is indirectly tied to last year's scenario with WR Brandon Aiyuk - - Jennings is expected to report to the 49ers training camp, but he is not expected to be happy if a new deal is not in place - - The Niners extended Jennings through 2025 last year, and feel that they have treated him fairly - - While Jennings is coming off of his best NFL season, which included career highs in receptions (77) & TDs (6), it has taken him some time to adjust to the game - - Q: Do you think that the 49ers are most likely to pay or trade WR Jauan Jennings?. . .New York Jets WR Garrett Wilson & CB Sauce Gardner have become the first two former first-round picks under the NFL's current financial system, which went into effect in 2011, to receive extensions in their first year of eligibility - - Wilson agreed to a four-year, $130 million extension, while Gardner agreed to a four-year, $120.4 million contract extension - - This is outside of the norm for the New York Jets, but they have decided to take a more proactive approach to secure their two foundational players through the 2030 season. . . - 2025-26 College Football Preseason Prediction Showcase PT. II: Big 12 Conference - - In the episode finale this week, JD & Spencer each provide their individual (and independent) projections/predictions for the Big XII Conference for the upcoming 2025-26 college football season - - They provided their overall predictions by presenting their responses to the following set of agreed-upon questions: 1. Which teams of the Big 12 Conference would you consider to be "Championship Contenders" next season? 2. Which teams of the Big 12 Conference would you consider to be "Championship Pretenders" next season? 3. Which programs would you consider to function as "sleeper team(s)" of the Big 12 Conference next season? 4. Who are a few "players to watch" out of the Big 12 Conference next season? 5. Which Big 12 Conference program do you predict to win the 2025-26 Conference Championship? 6. How many Big 12 Conference programs do you believe will receive a bid into the 2025-26 College Football Playoff? Which team(s)? Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 94 - "The Boot Ware Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - Miscellaneous - Famed competitive eater Joey "Jaws" Chestnut reclaimed his title last Friday at the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest after skipping last year's gastronomic battle in New York for the coveted Mustard Belt - - Chestnut, 42, consumed 70 1/2 hot dogs and buns in ten minutes, falling just short of his 2021 record of 76 glizzys - - It marked his 17th win out of 20 appearances for the Westfield, Indiana, eater at the internationally televised competition - which he missed last year over a contract dispute - - Chestnut bested 14 fellow competitors from across the U.S. and the world, including Australia, the Czech Republic, Ontario, England & Brazil - - Last year's winner, Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago, came in second place after gobbling up 46 1/2 hot dogs and bunds, falling short of the 58 he ate to earn the 2024 Men's title - - Q: What are your thoughts on the sport of Major Competitive Eating? Is it safe to say that Chestnut is the greatest athlete of all time (GOAT)?. . . - MLB - On 15 occasions last Wednesday, Clayton Kershaw reached two strikes with an opposing hitter and 53,536 Dodger Stadium fans rose to their feet, almost as if to propel their longtime ace to history - - They clapped, they yelled, they hoped, and often, in the end, they sighed - - By the time the sixth inning rolled around, Kershaw had accumulated just two strikeouts on the night and 2,999 for his career - - It began to feel as if one of the most hallowed milestones in baseball history would happen on the road, away from the people who spent close to two decades stirring with every pitch that came out of Kershaw's left hand - - And then it happened, at the last possible moment, with two outs in the sixth inning, on Kershaw's 100th pitch - - a backdoor slider that caught the outside corner, freezing Chicago White Sox third baseman Vinny Capra & making Kershaw the 20th player ever to reach 3,000 strikeouts - - Kershaw is just the 4th left-hander to reach 3,000 strikeouts, joining Randy Johnson, Steve Carlton & CC Sabathia - - He is one of just three active pitchers, along with Justin Verlander & Max Scherzer, the two who are often lumped with him among the greatest of this generation - - And he is one of just five to accumulate that many strikeouts with just one team, along with Walter Johnson, Bob Gibson, Carlton & John Smoltz. . .San Francisco's Patrick Bailey's entrace into the MLB record books Tuesday night began with a tight swing from the Giants catcher that sent a fastball from Phillies reliver Jordan Romano into Triples Alley - - It ended with Bailey chugging around 3rd base and then getting mobbed by his teammates at home plate after becoming the third catcher in major league history to hit a walk-off, inside-the-park home run - - The three-run homer lifted the Giants to a 4-3 victory that had the Oracle Park crowd roaring as Bailey crossed the plate. . .It was announced on Wednesday that the MLB will use the automated ball-strike challenge system (ABS) during next week's All-Star Game in Atlanta - - The decision comes after the league revealed that it could begin using ABS on a full-time basis starting in 2026 - - In this year's All-Star Game, umpires will call balls & strikes - however, each team will be given two challenges via ABS - successful challenges are retained - - Only pitcher, catchers, and hitters can request for a challenge - - Q: What are your thoughts on the MLB's decision to utilize the ABS system during next week's All-Star Game? Does the use of the ABS system, and essentially its prevention "human-related error" take away some of the "fun" of the game?. . . - NCAA: News & Storylines - "Wanna Feel Old?:" Class of 2026 WR Devin Fitzgerald, son of eleven-time Pro Bowl selection and second all-time NFL receiving yards leader Larry Fitzgerald, has officially committed to Notre Dame, he announced on Saturday night - - Oh, but we're NOT done yet: OLB Thomas Davis Jr., the son of former Carolina Panthers LB Thomas Davis, and WR Kaydon Finley, the son of former Green Bay Packers TE Jermichael Finley - are also 2026 recruits that are currently committed to Notre Dame - - Q: Do you think the unrealistic expectations placed on the offspring of former professional athletes makes it almost impossible to replicate, especially for WR Devin Fitzgerald, whose father is an NFL legend?. . .EA Sports did the University of Kentucky's punter extremely dirty with a "pathetic" rating for the recently released College Football 26 video game - - P Aidan Laros is rated the least tough player in college football according to EA Sports - - The video game gave him a rating that does not apply to any of the other 16,000+ athletes on the FBS level - - While EA Sports considered Laros to be one of the better punters in the SEC Conference by giving him an overall rating of 77 for the game, it also ranked him as the least tough player in the entire country with a toughness rating of zero - - Laros is the only player in the game with a toughness rating of zero - - this is brutal! - - On the other hand, Oregon LB Teitum Tuioti for some reason has a toughness rating of 9, while NC State CB Jackson Vick & Indiana FS Christian Peterson have toughness ratings of 55 - - Q: Do you think this was an intentional rating applied for Aidan Lanos? Or a glitch?. . . - NBA - The Clippers, Jazz & Heat agreed to a trade on Monday that sends Norman Powell to Miami, John Collins to Los Angeles, and Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson and a 2027 Clippers second-round pick to Utah - - After Kevin Love learned about the trade, he posted his thoughts on social media - - Love joked that he never thought that he would be part of a math problem - - Love, who was a leader in Miami's locker room, is reportedly considered a buyout candidate by the Jazz, and is unlikely to ever play for Utah, as they likely shift their focus to their young core - - Miami is looking rebound from a tumultous season that included the Jimmy Butler trade to Golden State and ended with a first-round sweep in the NBA Playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers - - Powell adds offensive firepower & was a 42% shooter from behind the arc last season - - Q: With the acquisition of sharpshooter Norman Powell, are the Miami Heat the clear winners in this three-team trade?. . ."Shocker, much?:" Indiana Pacers team President Kevin Pritchard confirmed on Monday that PG Tyrese Haliburton will miss the entire 2025-26 NBA season after he underwent successful surgery to repair the torn right Achilles tendon that he suffered in Game 7 of this year's NBA Finals - - Q: While it is no surprise that Haliburton will miss the entire 2025-26 NBA season for the Pacers, when combined with the loss of PF/C Myles Turner to the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency, what are your expectations (i.e., ceiling/floor) and/or outlook for the Indiana Pacers next season?. . . After becoming the second-youngest team in NBA history to win a title, the reigning NBA Champions, Oklahoma City Thunder, wasted little to no time making sure that they retained their "Big 3" in Chet Holmgren (23), Jalen Williams (24) & NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (26) this offseason - - SGA agreed to a supermax contract extension late last week, while both Holmgren & Williams agreed to fully-guaranteed five-year maximum rookie contract extensions that could reach $250 and $287 million, respectively - - In total, the "Big 3" signed contracts for a combined total of $885 million (Shohei Ohtani, eat your heart out!). . . - NFL - Minnesota Vikings OLB Dallas Turner was allegedly a victim of a bank fraud scheme that resulted in the theft of $240,000 - - According to the Eagan (Minnesota) Police Department "several suspects have been identified, and [they] are working toward criminal charges to hold them accountable," - - Approximately $2,500 of the stolen funds have been returned, while the investigations remains active - - According to a search warrant affidavit filed in Dakota County District Court this week, Turner & his attorney contacted the Eagan Police Department in April to report the fraud - - Per the affidavit, someone impersonating a banker at JPMorgan Chase Bank called Turner on Feb. 19th and "claimed someone was attempting to impersonate [Turner] at a Chase Bank branch in Arizona and presented two copies of ID to execute a wire transfer," per The Minnesota Star Tribune, which published details of the document - - The caller instructed Turner to transfer money to two separate businesses to prevent the attempted theft - - Turner then went to two Chase Bank branches to transfer $120,000 each to "Island Food Truck LLC" and "CNFL FL LLC" - - Turner, 22, later realized that he may have been a victim of a fraud scam - - Q: Have you ever been a victim of a bank/credit card scheme?. . . - 2025 College Football Group of Five Prediction Showcase - In College Football, the Group of Five (G5) are five athletic conferences whose members are part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) - - The five conferences include the following: American Athletic (or American) Conference (AAC), Conference USA (CUSA), Mid-American Conference (MAC), Mountain West Conference (MWC) & Sun Belt Conference - - The Group of Five and their schools, also referred to as the "mid-majors" are generally considered less prestigious, have less political & financial influence, generate less overall revenue - but in the modern-day NIL/transfer portal-era, it is entirely possibly for a few solid, above average, G5 teams appear and/or slip through the power conference cracks - - In this prediction showcase, JD & Spencer will provide their individual & independent projections and/or predictions to a series of five questions concerning each of the Group of Five conferences for the upcoming 2025-26 college football season; The following questions (or topics) are discussed within this episode: 1. Who are a couple (or a few) QB's from the Group of Five Conference(s) that you expect to have a breakout season in 2025-26?. . . 2. Who will be the "sleeper" team for each G5 Conference in 2025-26?. . . 3. For each G5 Conference, who do you predict to play in the Conference Championship Game? Who will be the Conference Champion?. . . 4. For each G5 Conference, which team's head coach do you predict to be awarded the Conference Coach of the Year? 5. Beginning in the 2024 college football season, at least one G5 Conference champion is effectively guaranteed entry into the College Football Playoff under the expanded 12-team format (i.e., Mountain West Conference Champion, Boise State, was awarded the No.3 seed in the 2024-25 CFP) - - Which G5 Conference Champion will receive a bid into next year's or the 2025-26 College Football Playoff, and at what seed?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 93 - "The Man with Multiple Names Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - Miscellaneous - UFC: Jon Jones, 37, considered the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, informed UFC CEO Dana White last Friday (6/20) of his decision to retire from competition - - Following this update, White announced that interim champion Tom Aspinall has been elevated to the undisputed champion - - and according to White's statement last Saturday, the UFC plans to work closely with Aspinall to book his first title defense, which would equal the match total that Jones defended the title belt throughout his 27-month title reign, in a TKO victory over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November of last year - - A bout between Jones and Aspinall was discussed thoroughly among the UFC and media & would have been one of the biggest in UFC heavyweight history, but Jones repeatedly downplayed the potential matchup - which led to the online petition calling for Jones to be stripped of his title, that ultimately garnered approximately 200,000 signatures - - Along with Jones' disinterest in defending his title, his career was heavily impacted by legal issues outside the Octagon, including most recently, after a criminal complaint that was filed against Jones earlier this month for allegedly leaving the scene of a accident back in February - - Q:After confirming his retirement from the UFC, what is Jon "Bones" Jones legacy in the sport? Is his legacy somewhat tarnished by his unwillingness to defend his title and the long "laundry list" of legal issues?. . . - MLB - A 22-year-old fan has been banned indefinitely from all MLB ballparks after yelling something about Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte's late mother during last Tuesday night's game against the Chicago White Sox - - It is not publicly known what the fan said to upset the 11-year veteran, but Marte, 31, was brought to tears by the incident, which occurred while he was at bat in the 7th inning - - Diamondbacks Manager Torey Lovullo heard the comment and asked for the fan to be ejected immediately - - On the following day, Marte received a round of applause during his first at bat - - The White Sox were able to avoid the series sweep in the finale Wednesday with a 7-3 victory, yet Marte went hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts - - Unfortunately, this is not the first incident this season of a fan "heckling" and/or yelling something inappropriate at a player on the field - but according to the source familiar with the Marte situation, the fan was remorseful for his actions, admitting to his in appropriate comments - - Q: Once again, we are reminded why professional athletes should be allowed to swing on fans that are bold and brazen enough to 'fuck around & find out!' However, it is definitely up for debate as to whether the indefinite ban to all MLB ballparks, is a bit excessive or not - What are your thoughts regarding the MLB's decision to ban the White Sox fan from all ballparks following the Marte incident? (This poor guy already has to endure the misery of being a White Sox fan - - should we show him a little bit of grace?). . ."Happy Bobby Bonilla Day:" Tuesday was the first day for the month of July, and while, to most, it is just another ordinary hot, summer day - but for former MLB player, Bobby Bonilla, it is much, much more - - it is officially time for New York Mets fans everywhere to wish each other a Happy Bobby Bonilla Day - - On Tuesday, 62-year-old Bobby Bonilla will collect a check for approximately $1.19M from the New York Mets, as he has and will continue to do so from 2011 through 2035 - - Although Bonilla has not played for the Mets franchise since 1999, he is one of the rare instances of a former MLB player who continues to receive funds associated with a deferred-money contract - - Everyone is wondering: Why does Bonilla receive this payday each July 1st? It's simple, really - In 2000, the Mets agreed to buy out the remaining $5.9 million on Bonilla's contract, however, instead of paying Bonilla the $5.9 million at the time, the Mets agreed to make annual payments of nearly $1.2 million for 25 years starting July 1st, 2011, including a negotiated 8% interest - - At the time, Mets ownership was invested in an account of former University of Alabama graduate (and prosecuted criminal), Bernie Madoff, that promised double-digit returns, and the Mets were poised to make a significant profit if the Madoff account delivered - but of course, and unfortunately for the Mets franchise, the Madoff account did not pay off and Bobby Bonilla would continue to receive a check each year. - NCAA: News & Storylines - NCAA College Baseball: 2025 Men's College World Series Championship Series Catch-Up - - Game 1: No.6 LSU Tigers (52-15) vs. No.13 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (56-12): Ace pitcher Kade Anderson, who is No.3 in Keith Law's latest MLB mock draft, threw a complete-game shutout last Saturday allowing three hits, 10 strikeout & a total of 130 pitches to lead the LSU Tigers to the 1-0 victory over Coastal Carolina to take a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-three championship series - - LSU's Steven Milam was the offensive star of the game as he was the only player to have multiple hits in the game, finishing 2-for-3 with a double & a walk, reaching base three times - he also drove in the game's only run with a single in the 1st inning - - LSU had three at-bats with runners in scoring position and got the job done once, in the 1st inning, while the Chanticleers went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position - - The Tigers needed one more win for the program's 8th national title - - The Coastal Carolina winning strak was officially over - as the Chanticleers had won 26 straight games prior to the Game 1 loss - with their most previous loss occurring back in April versus the College of Charleston, in a 4-2 loss. . .Game 2: No.6 LSU Tigers (52-15/ 1-0) vs. No.13 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (56-12/ 0-1): Coastal Carolina fell in Game 2 of the College World Series 5-3 to LSU last Sunday as the Tigers wrapped up their second national title run in the last three seasons, with a sweep of the Chanticleers - - Before a run was scored by either team, the game features some drama in the bottom of the 1st inning: With two outs in the inning, Coastal Carolina HC Kevin Schnall - and first-base coach Matt Schilling - was ejected for arguing strike calls with home plate umpire Angel Campos - - The Tigers broke a 1-1 tie in the 4th inning on a bases-loaded single by Chris Stanfield that drove in two runs - but Derek Curiel followed with a single to score another two runs, and Chanticleers pitcher Jacob Morrison was pulled from the game - - LSU would go up 5-1 after a big 4th inning - - The Chanticleers appeared to have an excellent chance to force a decisive Game 3 with Morrison on the mound - the 6-foot-8 RHP came into last Sunday's matchup with a 12-0 record and 2.08 ERA, but the Tigers battered him for five runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings - this was the most runs Morrison allowed this season, in addition to his shortest outing of the year - - Following Kade Anderson's dominant performance in Game 1, Tigers' pitcher Anthony Eyanson pitched nearly as well on Sunday - the junior RHP (11-2, 2.92 ERA) allowed three runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings while striking out nine Chanticleers batters - he was chased from the game after allowing a two-run HR to Wells Sykes in the 7th inning and 99 pitches thrown - - Sophomore Chase Shores relieved Eyanson in the 7th and pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit with four strikeouts to close out the win for LSU and give the Tigers their second national championship under HC Jay Johnson - as well as providing the SEC Conference with its sixth consecutive championship. . . NCAA College Basketball: The video game developer, EA Sports, confirmed on Monday that, for the first time in over 16 years, a college basketball game will be returning - - unfortunately, it will not be released until the year 2028 - - The last college basketball game that was released was in 2009 and featured Blake Griffin in a University of Oklahoma jersey - - Q: What aspects of the EA Sports College Basketball game are you most looking forward too? Are you at all disappointed that EA Sports will be releasing the game instead of 2K Sports?. . .NCAA College Football: Texas State, as of Monday, is officially the newest member of the reloaded PAC-12 Conference after waiting the mandatory 72-hour hold, as confirmed per ESPN - - The PAC-12 and Texas State are expected to finalize the process soon, and the move will happen for the 2026-27 school year for all sports - - The Bobcats will become the eighth football-playing member (Gonzaga is the league's ninth member but does not have a football program) - An eighth football member will allow the PAC-12 to operate as an FBS Conference in 2026. . .The civil lawsuit accussing BYU QB Jake Retzlaff of rape has been dismissed, according to court records - - The parties agreed to dismiss with prejudice, ending the case which was filed last month - - Retzlaff now plans to transfer from BYU as he faces a possible seven-game suspension for violating the school's "honor code" by admitting to premarital sex during the legal proceedings - - Q: What are your thoughts regarding BYU's honor code, and his decision to enter the transfer portal this late into the offseason?. . . - NFL - Former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker has been suspended for the first ten weeks of the 2025 regular season after the NFL found that he violated its personal conduct policy, the league announced on Thursday - - Tucker can serve the suspension as a free agent and is free to sign with an NFL team - - If he were to sign with a team, he could attend training camp and play in preseason games prior to start of his suspension on August 26th - - The NFL has stated that Tucker will be eligible for reinstatement on November 11th - - Q: Typically, in these type of domestic situations, the league's suspension of a player does not necessarily carry a "death sentence," but rather, the player's prolonged longevity in the league following such investigations, are drastically affected by the unwillingness of NFL franchises to foster a deal with the player - - How likely is it that Justin Tucker is offered a deal by an NFL team throughout or following his 10-game suspension? How likely is it that his NFL career is over?. . .The Miami Dolphins have agreed to trade three-time All-Pro CB Jalen Ramsey and TE Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday in exchange for three-time All-Pro S Minkah Fitzpatrick and a pick swap - - As part of the trade, the Dolphins are sending a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Steelers, and will receive a 2027 fifth-round pick back from Pittsburgh - - Ramsey will get a $1.5 million raise this season, bringing his 2025 compensation up to $26.6 million, and Smith will receive a one-year contract extension worth $12 million - - Ramsey is joining a loaded CB group with the Steelers that features Darius Slay Jr., who was signed this offseason in free agency, as well as incumbent starter Joey Porter Jr. - - Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick heads back to Miami, where he began his career after the Dolphins selected him 11th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft - - Q: Is there a clear winner of this trade? If so, which team got the better deal: the Miami Dolphins or Pittsburgh Steelers?. . .The Miami Dolphins were not done, yet - - the team traded a 2026 sixth-round draft pick to the New York Giants on Tuesday in exchange for TE Darren Waller and a conditional 2027 seventh-round draft pick - - TE Darren Waller, 32, whose rights were owned by the New York Giants, is coming out of retirement to play for the Dolphins after agreeing to a one-year deal worth up to $5 million - - Waller had announced his retirement from the NFL last June stating that a health scare he experienced the year prior gave him clarity about his life - which ultimately set off a chain of events that would lead to a public divorce from WNBA star Kelsey Plum & the release of a rap album - - While it is unknown how much the Dolphins will get out of Waller, the trade will help fill the void at the position after Jonnu Smith was traded to the Steelers the prior day. . . - WNBA & NBA - The WNBA announced on Monday that it will be expanding to 18 teams over the next five years - announcing the addition of three new expansion teams - as well as releasing additional details concerning majority (and minority) ownership and where each franchise will play their home games - - The three expansion teams announced included the following: (a) Cleveland - will begin play in 2028, and the majority ownership group consists of Dan Gilbert, the owner of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers; (b) Detroit - will begin play in 2029, and the majority ownership group consists of Tom Gores, the owner of the NBA's Detroit Pistons - along with minority owners Grant Hill, Chris Webber & Jared Goff; and (c) Philadelphia - will begin play in 2030, and the majority ownershup group consists of Josh Harris, the owner of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers - - Each team's ownership group paid a $250 million expansion fee, which is about five times as much as the Golden State Warriors dished out for the Valkyries a few years ago - but each expansion team will join the league, assuming it will obtain approval from the NBA and WNBA board of governers. . .Per Shams Charania, federal authorities are investigation Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley on allegations of gambling related to NBA games and prop bets - - the allegations stem from the 2023-24 NBA season, when Beasley played for the Milwaukee Bucks - - At least one prominent U.S Sportsbook detected unusually heavy betting interest on Beasley's statistics around January 2024 - - A gambling industry source pointed to a game between the Bucks and the Trail Blazers on Jan. 31, 2024 - - The odds on Beasley recording fewer than 2.5 rebounds moved significantly at sportsbooks before the game, shorterning from around +120 to around -250 due to a surge of action on the under - Beasley finished with six rebounds, and the bets that were deemed unusual lost - - Beasley, 28, and the Pistons were in talks on a three-year, $42 million contract to bring the free agent sharpshooter back to Detroit but now talks are "on pause," according to multiple sources. . .The 2025 NBA Draft occurred last Wednesday night, and the first round was full of twists, but the headliners were not surprising as Cooper Flagg was selected with the No.1 overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks, and Dylan Harper was selected with the No.2 overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs - - Ace Bailey came off the board at No.5 to the Utah Jazz, a team that wasn't one of his planned destinations, but could be an excellent landing spot - leading up to the Wednesday's draft, Bailey's representatives informed the teams drafting inside the top five that the Rutgers wing did not want to be selected - and that he would not report if it did - After the Jazz selected Bailey, according to ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst, he initially had minimal contact with the team and as of Thursday afternoon, had not yet arrived in Utah - while the team's other first-round pick, Walter Clayton Jr., flew to Utah on Thursday morning and was ready to go - - Update: Bailey has since reported to Utah's practice facility and has expressed enthusiasm for being with the Jazz in a Utah intro video after being heavily criticized for his approach to the pre-draft process - - The New Orleans Pelicans made an aggressive play to pair Jeremiah Fears (No.7) with Derik Queen (No.13), moving valuable draft capital to make it happen - - The Portland Trail Blazers made the most surprising pick of the first round by selecting Yang Hansen (ranked No.35 in ESPN's final Top 100 player big board) - - And the Brooklyn Nets, who controlled five first round picks, drafted ALL guards to jump-start a youth movement - - Q: Who were the draft winners of the 2025 NBA Draft? Who were the draft losers of the 2025 NBA Draft? What was the best overall value pick of this year's Draft?. . .NBA Free Agency & Trade Market: A couple weeks ago, on Sunday, June 22nd, the Phoenix Suns agreed on a blockbuster trade, sending 15-time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant, 37, to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No.10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft as well as five second-round picks, sources had confirmed to ESPN - - At the time the trade was completed, Durant was on stage at Fanatics Fest at the Javits Center in New York when news of the trade agreement first broke, with fans pleasantly surprised by the sudden announcement - - and Durant informed reporter Kay Adams that he was "looking forward to [being a part of the Houston Rockets] - - Following the news of the trade agreement, Houston's odds to win the NBA title next season moved from 18-1 to +850 at ESPN BET, which are the second-best odds behind only the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder - - Meanwhile, the Suns' odds fell from 100-1 to 300-1 at ESPN BET - - Q: Who won the trade between the Phoenix Suns and the Houston Rockets? Should Houston be considered one of the favorites to knock off the Thunder in 2025-26?. . .In an attempt to retool their roster in the wake of Jayson Tatum's right Achilles tear in the second round of the NBA Playoffs, the Boston Celtics decided to make a move in what is expected to be an extremely active offseason for the team: The Celtics traded PG Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for SG Anfernee Simons & two second-round draft picks - - Holiday, who is now heading into his 17th NBA season, brings championship experience to a young Trail Blazers core, and he will be of the utmost help to Portland's rising defense - whereas Simons will fit HC Joe Mazzulla & Celtics' style of play as he is very comfortable shooting from distance, averaging nearly nine 3-point attempts per game over the past three seasons - - Q: Which team, the Celtics or Trail Blazers, won this trade? Which team is now in the better position moving forward?. . .The Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets agreed to a three-team deal last Tuesday that saw the Celtics send Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round pick to the Hawks, while Terance Mann & Atlanta's No.22 pick headed to the Nets, and finally, Georges Niang and a second-rounder landed with the Celtics - - This was the second significant trade by the Celtics in less than 24 hours - - Across these two deals, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks, the Celtics have saved $180 million in luxury taxes on what was originally projected to be a combined payroll and tax bill of over $500 million next season - - Also, as part of the deal, Boston will receive Cleveland's 2031 second-round pick, which the Hawks previously had the rights to, and Atlanta will take Boston's least favorable 2026 second-round choice, as confirmed per ESPN. . .The Denver Nuggets have agreed to trade SF Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson - - Q: What are your thoughts of the Nuggets-Nets trade?. . .Free Agent guard D'Angelo Russell has agreed on a two-year, $13 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, sources confirmed to ESPN on Monday evening. . .In a stunning move, the Milwaukee Bucks waived star guard Damian Lillard on Tuesday and will stretch the remaining $113 million on his contract in order to acquire PF/C Myles Turner - - the Bucks found a creative path to stretch Lillard's contract over the next five seasons while leaving their future draft assets untouched - - Lillard's two seasons in Milwaukee comes to an end as he continues to rehabilitate a torn Achilles tendon, while Turner agreed to a four-year, $107 million deal with Bucks, plus a player option for year four in 2028-29 and a full 15% trade kicker - - Turner, the longest-tenured Pacers player over 10 seasons with the franchise, made it known he wished to remain in Indiana, but ultimately, Indiana's aversion to the luxury tax, which grew after Tyrese Haliburton's torn Achilles injury, allowed the Bucks to sneak in & acquire their new franchise Center - - Q: What are your thoughts on the Buck's acquisition of PF/C Myles Turner, and his willingness to depart from the Pacers franchise? - - Immediately following the Bucks' decision to waive All-Star guard Damian Lillard, it was reported that Giannis Antetokounmpo was "not pleased" with the franchise, per Chris Haynes of the Bleacher Report - - Q: Is the "Greek Freak" more likely to sign a new deal with the Milwaukee Bucks OR to request a sign-and-trade deal to play elsewhere?. . .Sources confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday that the New York Knicks were expected - and it was later confirmed - that two-time Coach of the Year winner, Mike Brown, had been hired as the franchise's next head coach - - Knicks president Leon Rose underwent a thorough process since the firing of Tom Thibodeau a month ago - - The Knicks requested permission to speak with five NBA head coaches and were denied, then interviewed several available coaches & went through multi-round stages with select candidates - - Brown was the only coaching candidate to interview for the Knicks' head coaching position multiple times - - Brown has a combined record of 454-304 as a head coach with the Cavaliers, Lakers & Kings - - Q: What are your thoughts on the "coaching fit" of Brown for the New York Knicks?. . . - NBA Finals Review - 2025 NBA Finals Game 7: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.4 Indiana Pacers (series tied 3-3). . .NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander walked off the court for the final time this season, collapsed into the arms of Thunder HC Mark Daigneault and finally smiled - - The climb was complete! - - The best team all season turned out to be the best team at the end of the NBA Playoffs, and the Oklahoma City Thunder are officially NBA Champions, bringing an NBA title to OKC for the first time - - OKC is the youngest team to win a title in nearly a half-century - - SGA finished off his MVP season with 29 points and 12 assists, and the Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers - - who lost star guard Tyrese Haliburton to a serious leg injury in the opening minutes of the game - - 103-91 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals last Sunday night - - Jalen Williams scored 20 points and Chet Holmgren had 18 for the Thunder, who finished off a season for the ages after winning 84 games between the regular season and the playoffs, tying the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls for third most in any season - - In Game 7, the world watched as Pacers' guard Tyrese Haliburton exited the game with 4:55 remaining in the 1st QTR after sustaining what was to be determined as a torn Achilles tendon injury - - The seriousness of the injury was apparent from the moment the Pacers' guard crumpled to the floor without contact as he was attempting to drive to the basket - - Even without Haliburton, the Pacers did not give up easy, leading the game 48-47 at the halftime break, but unfortunately for the Pacers, they were outscored 34-20 in the 3rd QTR as the Thunder built a 13-point lead and began to run away - - Bennedict Mathurin had 24 points & 13 rebounds for Indiana, which will continue to wait for its' first NBA title - - Q: The big question that will continue to be a matter of debate is whether the Tyrese Haliburton injury cost the Indiana Pacers a Game 7 win (and subsequently, the 2025 NBA title) - - What do you think: did the Haliburton injury cost the Pacers an NBA Championship? Or would you have expected a similar outcome with the Thunder hoisting the trophy?. . . - 2025-26 NCAA College Football Award & Trophy Prediction Showcase - JD & Spencer provide their individual and independent predictions for the winners of each of the most prestigous College Football awards/trophies next season. . .They also provide detailed explanations, analysis & reasoning for each prediction;The award winners for the following College Football Awards and/or Trophies listed below are discussed within this episode, so be sure to tune in to hear their picks: The Broyles Award The Ted Hendricks Award The Jim Thorpe Award The Chuck Bednarik Award The Outland Trophy The John Mackey Award The Fred Biletnikoff Award The Doak Walker Award The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award The Walter Camp Award, and The Heisman Trophy Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 92 - "The Minister of D'fence Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - Miscellaneous - PGA: J.J. Spaun, 36, turned a sloppy mess of a U.S. Open at a wet and nasty Oakmont into a thing of beauty at the end of Sunday with two stunning shots that carried him to his first major championship after he finished the 2024 season ranked No.119 in the world with only one PGA tour title in his career - - The first shot came on the driving range with a 314-yard ball-buster that landed on the green on the 17th hole for a birdie that gave him the lead, and the second came on an incredible 64-foot putt for birdie on the 18th hole, to secure a two shot victory & his first major championship - - Spaun finished his storybook U.S. Open nailing the longest putt all week at Oakmont, and was the only player to finish under par at 1-under 279 - - While the PGA event at Oakmont largely lived up to the hype, it was a calamity for so many others, including veteran Adam Scott, who was attempting to become the first player to go more than eleven years between major titles (and was always a valid selection on the old Nintendo 64 PGA video games) was tied for the lead with five holes to play, but one of the best drivers could no longer find the fairway, finishing the event shooting 5-over par with a final score of 79. . ."A Return of the Glizzy Goat:" Joey Chestnut, the competitive eating legend, announced on Monday that he will be returning to the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest after a one-year hiatus from the annual Fourth of July event - - Chestnut, the 16-time "Glizzy" champion, missed last year's event due to a dispute with the Major League Eating (yes! it's thing) over his sponsorship deal with the brand, Impossible Foods, a company that manufactures "plant-based" hot dogs - - Chestnut returns to the annual hot-dog eating contest as the record-holder after consuming 76 hot dogs & buns in 2021, but he will definitely look to top that total in 2025. . .Q: Does Joey Chestnut top his current record at the 2025 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest?. . . - NHL - The 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Final was one to remember: three OT periods in the first four games of the series with Oilers' Draisaitl & Panthers' veteran F Brad Marchand trading heroics in the first two, prior to a Panthers' rout in the next game, yet according to most recent statistics, it was one of lowest-viewed Finals in the history of the sport, even after capturing the views of two willing participants in JD & Spencer - - Game 4: The Panthers went up 3-0 early, and it looked as though the Oilers were in serious danger of losing all of the momentum the Canadian team had built, but Oilers Forward Leon Draisaitl scored a goal in OT last Thursday evening to tie the Stanley Cup Final for Edmonton, ensuring that the championship series against the Florida Panthers could not be decided in Game 5 the following Saturday night - - The Oilers would defeat the Panthers 5-4, and the series was then tied a 2-2, setting up Game 5 as another pivotal swing point in the championship series rematch - - Following the Game 4 victory, the Oilers were actually favored to go up 3-2 & were slightly favored to win it all, according to Sportsbook. . .Game 5: Florida Panthers veteran Forward Brad Marchand was at it again in Game 5, scoring twice - - he started by giving Florida a 1-0 lead at 9:12 of the 1st period, giving him six goals in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in his career, which is the most by any player since Esa Tikkanen with the Oilers in 1988 - - Panthers F Sam Bennett continued his glorius postseason run as he added to his already impressive stat-line with his 15th goal of the playoffs - - and shockingly enough, Oilers' captain Connor McDavid, who had not yet scored a goal through the first four games of the championship series, finally scored a goal on a sweet move in the 3rd period - - but it just wasn't enough as the Panthers would hang on to defeat the Oilers 5-2 to take a 3-2 series lead - - So what was the issue with the Oilers?: A big problem for the Oilers was their lack of chemistry and energy at the onset of the game - - Once again, they trailed after only twenty minutes into Game 5, this time down 2-0 instead of 3-0 like they were in Game 4, but the difference was that the Oilers could not complete the comeback to force OT. . .Game 6: At home, the Florida Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup trophy in a 5-1 Game 6 romp, led by 11-year veteran Sam Reinhart's four goals - - For a second year in a row, the Florida Panthers conquered the Edmonton Oilers and lifted the Stanley Cup trophy as kings of the NHL - - With three consecutive appearences in the Stanley Cup Final, the Panthers have officially achieved dynasty status. . . - MLB: "The MLB's version of the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade:" After signing All-Star Alex Bregman, the Boston Red Sox pleaded with All-Star slugger Rafael Devers to move to first base back in April, but he refused - - They begged him to return to third base after Bregman suffered an injury, but once again, he declined - - The team apparently had enough: In one of the most stunning mid-season trades in years, the Boston Red Sox unloaded Rafael Devers, trading the homegrown star to the San Francisco Giants, on Sunday - - In return the Red Sox received pitchers Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks as well as prospects James Tibbs & Jose Bello, in a trade that was first reported by Fansided - - The Red Sox freed up the remainder of Devers 10-year, $313.5 million contract, and the Giants will pay the entirety of his deal, with the slugger still owed upwards of $250 million, while the Red Sox will pay the rest of Hicks' four-year, $44 million contract with 2 1/2 years remaining - - This deal sent literal shockwaves throughout the league, but this seemed like a forgone conclusion that the Red Sox were looking to move the slugger, who is hitting .272 with 15 HRs and 58 RBIs this season with .905 POS - and he has three seasons of at least 30 HRs and 100 RBIs. . .Q: What are your thoughts of the Red Sox decision to trade Rafael Devers? Does this trade improve the Giants' standing in the league for the near future?. . . - NCAA: News & Storylines - NCAA College Baseball: 2025 Men's College World Series (MCWS) - The No.13-ranked Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (56-11) and the No.6-ranked LSU Tigers (51-15) have almost seemed like a "matchup of destiny" since the beginning of this year's College World Series - - After defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks in Omaha in the 2016 CWS finals, the Chanticleers would put CCU on the map - - Fast forward to 2025, the Chanticleers have won 26 consecutive games, which is the longest streak in the nation, and have, once again, advanced to the best-of-three championship series - - With a double-elimination format in the CWS, the Chanticleers opened things up in Omaha with a 7-4 victory over the Arizona Wildcats prior to dominating the No.8-ranked Oregon State Beavers in a 6-2 rout following a career night by starting pitcher Jacob Morrison, who only allowed one run & five hits in 7 2/3 innings against a talented Beavers lineup - - In Game 11, the Chanticleers punched its ticket to the 2025 CWS Finals after picking up an 11-3 victory over the Louisville Cardinals last Wednesday evening to move to 3-0 in the CWS at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. . .As for the No.6-ranked Tigers, LSU would start the MCWS with a 4-1 victory in an all-SEC Conference matchup versus bitter rival & the high-powered offense of the Arkansas Razorbacks, followed by a 9-5 victory over the No.15-ranked UCLA Bruins after the game was suspended due to a rain delay, and resumed the following Tuesday morning - - And, quite possibly, what was the most highly anticipated & intense game of the 2025 College World Series, the Tigers would be forced, once again, to defeat the Arkansas Razorbacks, in which LSU posted a 6-5 walk-off victory, to advance to the College World Series Finals championship series - - After securing a fifth 50-win season & advancing as one of the final four teams in Omaha, the Razorbacks' season ended in heartbreak in Omaha once again - and their let-down needs to be evaluated & studied at the molecular level - - In the rematch, Arkansas shortstop opted to get the lead runner at 3rd base instead of the game-ending double play, and at the very next at-bat, LSU's batter would hit a fly ball that careened off the Arkansas left fielder's shoulder to score two runs - - The No.6-ranked Tigers will play for their second national championship in three years when they square off against No.13 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in the best-of-three finals, which is scheduled to begin on Saturday. . .Q: Who will win the 2025 College World Series - Coastal Carolina or LSU?. . . - NFL - Cleveland Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders received a speeding citation for driving 101 mph earlier this week - - and this was NOT the first time that he was cited for speeding in Ohio this month - - According to the Medina [Ohio] Municipal Court record, Sanders was pulled over by the Ohio State Patrol earlier this month, on June 5th, in Brunswick Hills, for driving 91 mph in a 65 mph zone - - According to the record, Sanders failed to appear for an arraignment for that citation on Monday, and now faces $269 in fines and court costs - - He was then stopped by an officer for the Strongsville PD at 12:24AM Tuesday morning for driving 41 mph over the posted 60 mph speed limit in a black Dodge TRX. . .The Baltimore Ravens granted Lamar Jackson's wish on Wednesday by signing former Green Bay Packers CB Jaire Alexander - - The addition of Alexander gives Baltimore one of the most talented secondaries in the NFL and reunites the two-time Pro Bowler with University of Louisville (2015-2017) teammate in Lamar Jackson. . .Q: After acquiring two-time Pro Bowler CB Jaire Alexander - along with their set of elite offensive weapons - should the Baltimore Ravens be considered a favorite to win the Super Bowl next season?. . . - NBA - The Memphis Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (KCP), Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks and one first-round pick swap in a blockbuster deal that was announced on Sunday - - The move represents a massive swing for the Orlando Magic to compete in the Eastern Conference, while for the Grizzlies, it's a legitimate opportunity to add a championship-level defensive 3-point shooter - as Bane is one of three NBA players entering the league in 2020 that has shot approximately 43.2% on catch-and-shoot 3s with a minimum of 1,000 attempts in the past five seasons - as well as backcourt depth & a major haul of draft picks. . .Q: Who won this blockbuster trade - the Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies, or neither team?. . .The Buss family is entering into an agreement to sell majority ownershup of the Los Angeles Lakers franchise to Mark Walter, the CEO & chairman of diversified holding company TWG Global and a stakeholder for the franchise since 2021, for a franchise valuation of approximately $10 billion, which is the highest ever for a U.S. professional sports franchise - - this deal was reported by sources to ESPN on Wednesday evening - - According to multiple sources, the Buss family will retain a minority share of the team (roughly 15%) for a period of time, and in addition, Jeanie Buss will remain the Lakers' governor & continue to run the team for "at least a number of years," - - The Lakers have been owned by the Buss family since 1979, when Jerry Buss purchased the franchise - along with Los Angeles Kings (NHL franchise) and the Forum - in a $67.5 million transaction - - Since 1980, the Lakers have won 11 championships, the most by any NBA team during that span. . . - 2025 NBA Finals Weekly Review: JD & Spencer discuss & analyze the performance of the NBA Finals games from the past week, and provide a preview segment where they each give their individual predictions for the upcoming finale (i.e., Game 7); The following games are discussed in this episode: Game 4: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.4 Indiana Pacers (IND leads series 2-1) Game 5: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.4 Indiana Pacers (Series tied 2-2) Game 6: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.4 Indiana Pacers (OKC leads series 3-2) Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 91 - "The Justin I-bet-he Tuck it Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NHL - Spencer & JD provide a detailed review and individual player analysis for the NHL Stanley Cup Final series between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers - and the games that have occurred within the past week - - This review includes a brief discussion of the first three games of the series, including an OT thriller in Game 1, a back-and-forth matchup that leveled the series in Game 2, and a lopsided victory in Game 3. . .Q: Following the outcome(s) of the first three games of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, are you still 'confident' in your series projection/prediction prior to the onset of the best-of-seven series?. . . - NFL - "It's Officially Official:" QB Aaron Rodgers has passed his physical - - AND unbeknownst to a significant majority of the world, got married - - and signed a one-year, $13.6 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers that includes $10 million guaranteed - - and could be worth up to $19.5 million with incentives, per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport on Saturday - - Rodgers, who is coming off the two disastrous seasons with the New York Jets, took time in the NFL offseason as an NFL free agent to ponder whether or not he would return to the league for a 21st NFL season, or if he would hang up his cleats & ride off into the sunset on a white horse - - While the four-time MVP was provided plenty of time to weigh his options, nobody (and we mean "NOBODY!") thought that Rodgers would wait, and wait. . . .and wait. . .and wait. . .and wait a little more. . .before he signed with the Steelers, a franchise who has been openly discussed as what was believed to be Rodgers' preferred destination - - Rather than sign in the initial days of free agency like many of his fellow high-profile players untethered to a team, he waited & sorted out whatever needed to be sorted and continued contemplating a return to the NFL for Year No.21 - -Q: What are your thoughts on the way in which QB Aaron Rodgers waited until the very last moment of the offseason to finally sign on with the Pittsburgh Steelers? Realistically, did you think there was ever a legitimate possibility that Rodgers would NOT return next season?. . .Four-time Pro Bowl RB, Nick Chubb, has signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Houston Texans, per Ian Rapoport - - Chubb was one of best available players on the free agent market, and he landed with the Texans on a deal that could pay him up to $5 million with incentives - - Chubb was determined to sign with a new franchise after a return to Cleveland became increasingly unlikely after the Browns drafted RBs Quinshon Judkins & Dylan Sampson in the second and fourth rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, respectively - - Chubb will join a Texans backfield that, in 2024, featured starter Joe Mixon & a cast of unreliable playmakers - - The move to Houston clears a path to playing time for Chubb, who would have found himself intertwined with the crowded RB room if he re-signed & made a return to Cleveland - - Q: How do you think RB Nick Chubb will perform at Houston next season after he experienced what could have been a career-ending injury during the 2024 season?. . .Two-straight injury-plagued seasons ultimately spelled the end of the Jaire Alexander era in Green Bay - as the Packers released the two-time All-Pro CB, who has spent the past seven years with the franchise, on Monday to end an offseason saga in which the two sides could not seem to negotiate a deal - - While Alexander had planned to report for the Packers' mandatory minicamp that began on Tuesday after skipping each day of the in-person, voluntary workouts, he would not be presented with that opportunity after the team would announce his release the day prior - - Alexander appeared in just seven regular-season games each of the past two seasons and did not play after November 17th last year - - He was placed on the "injured reserve" list the final week of the season & underwent knee surgery on what Alexander stated was a "torn PCL" - - Even with his notable absence, Alexander finished second on the team in pass breakups (7) and tied for second in INTs (2) - - Alexander was a first-round draft pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and went on to sign a four-year, $84 million contract extension with the Packers, which made him the highest-paid CB in the league at the time - - Alexander, who was an All-Pro in 2020 and 2022, played in just 34 of a possible 68 games since the start of the 2021 NFL season - - Shortly after the 2024 seasons ended, multiple sources privately confirmed that the team no longer wanted to "play the weekly game of whether Alexander would be healthy enough to play," or would be willing to play at anything less than 100% - - Shortly after being released by the Packers, six teams made "immediate" inquiries about the CB's availability - according to NFL insider Josina Anderson - with teams such as the Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders & Miami Dolphins being listed as potential landing spots - - Q: Which NFL franchise do you think will most likely pick up (or sign) CB Jaire Alexander prior to the 2025-26 NFL season?. . . - NCAA: News & Storylines - Judge Claudia Wilken has approved the landmark House v. NCAA settlement, which will usher in revenue sharing and roster limits for collegiate sports - - With this ruling, schools are now free to begin paying their athletes directly, marking the dawn of a new era in college sports brought about by the multi-billion-dollar legal settlement that was formally approved last Friday - - The House v. NCAA settlement ends three separate federal anti-trust lawsuits, all of which claimed that the NCAA was illegally limiting the earning power of its' college athletes - - The NCAA will pay nearly $2.8 billion in back damages over the next ten years to athletes who competed in college sports at any time from 2016 through present day - - As for future prospects, each school can pay its athletes up to a certain limit, with the annual cap expected to start at roughly $20.5 million per school in 2025-26, and will likely increase every year throughout the decade-long deal - These new payments are in addition to the scholarships & other benefits that athletes are already receiving - - Unfortunately, the settlement approved this week will not put an end to the barrage of legal challenges, for example, questions concerning whether athletes should be considered "employees" as well as the current rules that dictate how long an athlete can play college sports remain unanswered, for now, anyways - - Q: What are your thoughts regarding the judge's ruling in the NCAA v. House case? What are some of the ramifications of this ruling?. . .NCAA College Football: Per a report made available per On3 Sports - when EA Sports College Football 26 is released in July of this year, schools will be compensated in a new way: Payouts will be determined by the amount of time users play as teams in the video game - - The royalty process is also a change from last year's tier system, where schools were placed into one of four tiers based on the previous ten years of final AP Poll results, and that determined the revenue distribution - - Now, it appears that compensation will be based on the time users spend playing as a school in the game - - How about we all come together & start a dynasty for a team like Kennesaw State, and build them into a powerhouse program both in the game and in the real world?. . .NCAA College Basketball: A federal judge on Thursday denied University of Tennessee PG Zakai Zeigler's request for a preliminary injunction that would allow him to play a fifth season of Division I basketball in five years - - According to the U.S. District Judge, Zeigler failed to demonstrate that he would likely succeed in his argument that the NCAA keeping him from playing a fifth season of NCAA Division I College Basketball is a direct violation of the Sherman Act. . .NCAA College Baseball: And then there were Eight (8) - - The 2025 NCAA College Baseball Tournament will resume in Omaha, Nebraska as the field for the Men's College World Series (MCWS) has officially been set - - Murray State booked the final ticket to the series after defeating the Duke Blue Devils in the Durham super regional on Monday night - this is the first time in program history that the Racers have advanced to the MCWS - - The field is vastly different when compared to last year's - - The 2024 field consisted of four SEC programs & four ACC programs - - Not the case in 2025: This year, we have six Conferences represented in the MCWS: two SEC teams, one ACC team, one Big Ten team, one Big 12 team, one Sun Belt team, one Missouri Valley team & one Independent - - The Brackets are set: In Bracket #1 - Game #1, No.13-ranked Coastal Carolina will take on the Arizona Wildcats, and in Game #2, the No.8-ranked Oregon State Beavers are set to face off against the Louisville Cardinals - - In Bracket #2 - Game #3 features a matchup between the No.15-ranked UCLA Bruins and the Murray State Racers, and in Game #4, an all-SEC matchup between No.3-ranked Arkansas & No.6-ranked LSU - - Q: Which team do you predict to win the 2025 Men's College World Series. . .NCAA College Softball: JD & Spencer discuss & analyse the 2025 Women's College World Series (WCWS) Final between the No.6-seed Texas Longhorns & the No.12-seed Texas Tech Red Raiders, and more specifically, perform an overall review of Game(s) 1 through 3 - - as well as the impact Red Raiders ace NiJaree Canady & the Longhorns' Teagan Kavan, who finished the WCWS 4-0 and was named Most Outstanding Player, had on the series & it's outcome. . . - NBA - After New York Knicks team president Leon Rose made the surprise move to fire HC Tom Thibodeau last Tuesday, many of us thought Rose had a "coach in waiting," - - but NOPE!? - and so, the search for an experienced successor has hit a few road blocks: Former Villanova HC Jay Wright reportedly will not be in the mix for the Knicks head coaching vacancy - after it was reported that Wright is enjoying "retired life," (can't say we blame him!) - - So, what do you do after Villanova HC Jay Wright declines the head coaching job? - - Well, if you are the New York Knicks, then you request permission to speak with Minnesota Timberwolves HC Chris Finch, Houston Rockets HC Ime Udoka, and Dallas Mavericks HC Jason Kidd about the open position - - Unfortunately, for the Knicks, their request to speak to each of these coaches were denied - - At the moment, the Knicks are the only NBA team without a head coach - and at this rate, what gives?. . - NBA Finals Review & Recap - JD & Spencer provide an in-game analysis and thorough review of the 2025 NBA Finals between the No.1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder and the No.4-seeded Indiana Pacers thus far; this episode features a breakdown of the following games: Game 1: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers Game 2: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (IND leads series 1-0) Game 3: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Series tied 1-1) Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 90 - "The Big Drizzle Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - Miscellaneous - NHL: For only the 12th time in NHL history - and the second time in forty years - the same two teams will face-off again in the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Final: Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers - - In last year's Finals matchup, the Panthers jumped out to a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series before Edmonton came storming back to eventually tie the series, prior to a heartbreaking loss in Game 7 - - In contrast to the 2008 & 2009 seasons, where the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the '08 final - and the Penguins avenged their loss by defeating the Red Wings in the '09 Finals - - The Oilers are hoping for a very similar outcome & are attempting to win the franchise's first Stanley Cup since 1990 - - and to become the first Canadian franchise to hoist the trophy since Montreal Canadians in 1993 - while reigning champion Florida Panthers, are trying to become the third team this century to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions (i.e., Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 & 2017 and Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 & 2021) - - JD & Spencer discuss a few of the major storylines in preparation of the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Panther & Oilers, and such topics as: Oilers forward(s) Connor McDavid & Leon Draisaitl's chance to cement their legacy, the contrast in goaltending consistency, the presence and impact of Panthers forward Brad Marchand & depth scoring - - Q: Will history repeat itself after the heartbreaking loss to the Panthers in 2024, and will the Edmonton Oilers become the first Canada-based team to win the Stanley Cup Final since 1993? Or will the Florida Panthers repeat as Champions, thus possibly establishing an NHL dynasty in the "Sunshine State?". . .Boxing: World Boxing, who has been granted provisional recognition by the IOC Committee, and will therefore, be the governing body over the boxing competitions for the 2028 Olympic Games, announced last Friday that they will introduce mandatory sex testing for all boxers in its competitions - - and furthermore clarified that Paris Olympics Women's Welterweight Champion, Imane Khelif, will not be allowed to compete until she has undergone one of these tests - - In a mission to deliver a competitive-level playing field for men & women across the sport, World Boxing has enforced a mandate that all athletes over the age of 18, must undergo a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) genetic test - which can be conducted by a nasal or mouth swab - to determine the athlete's biological gender. . .Chess: Chess player Magnus Carlsen is, without a doubt, one of the most recognizable faces in the "sport" of Chess - - but on Sunday, we got a brief glimpse into Carlsen's obsessive nature to win, and his raw, unfiltered reaction to unexpectedly losing a chess match - - Not only did Carlsen suffer a stunning upset in a classical matchup against Nineteen year old chess "prodigy," Gukesh Dommaraju at the 2025 Norway Chess Tournament, but a short video clip of his reaction to the "L" found its way onto social media (primarily X/Twitter) that depicted Carlsen slamming both of his fists into the table before shaking his opponent's hand & vicariously walking away - - Carlsen entered the tournament as the No.1-ranked chess player in the world - according to Chess.com - however, it should be no surprise to learn that Gukesh, himself, is currently ranked the fourth best player in the world - - Q: How do you feel about Magnus Carlsen's "temper tantrum" after being handed this "L"?. . .NAIA College Baseball: On Friday night, the LSU-Shreveport Pilots college baseball team might have, arguably, accomplished one of the most difficult feats in sports history: The Pilots defeated Southeastern University (Lakeland, Florida) 13-7 to win the NAIA College Baseball Championship, and to finish the 2025 season with a perfect record of 59-0 - - LSUS became the first college baseball team on record to go undefeated - and they have appeared in the NAIA National Tournament every season dating back to 2005 - - Under HC Brad Neffendorf, the Pilots are a combined 270-49 over the past six seasons, and have been one of the top baseball programs at the NAIA level - - After completing the season with a perfect 59-0 record, LSU-Shreveport was acknowledged by the "World Wide Leader in Sports," or by ESPN, whom of which made mention of the team per their social media account - In the post, ESPN listed some of the most notable stats from the Pilots' 2025 season, and it certainly was surprising to discover that this team was even more impressive than initially thought: The Pilots played only four games decided by one run this season, ranked second at the NAIA level averaging 11.3 runs per game, ranked 3rd with a .361 batting average, has a 2.38 ERA, and finally, led the nation with a .982 fielding percentage. . .It is very difficult for the both of us to report that John Brenkus, 54, the six-time Emmy-winning host & co-creator of the "Sports Science" program on ESPN, has passed away after a public battle with depression - as was reported per his family on social media on Sunday evening - - We both grew up watching & fascinated by Brenkus' "Sports Science" segments, and it is truly unfortunate to learn of his passing - - Rest Easy, Pal . . . - MLB - After dragging the Colorado Rockies for the past couple weeks, it might come as no surprise to learn that the Rockies, have been swept yet again - becoming the 3rd fastest team in MLB history to record 50 losses on the season (9-50 record) - - but wait! "The ROCKIES ARE BACK!!" - - for the first time this MLB season, the Rockies have won a series: The Rockies defeated the Miami Marlins 6-4 on Monday night in a game where the Marlins set an MLB record for the "lowest attendance " to a game with a staggering 137 people attending the Rockies-Marlins game - but maybe this is why the Rockies won in the first place! - - Then, on Tuesday night, thanks to a late solo-HR by Hunter Goodman, the Rockies would prevail once again, 3-2, and regardless of the outcome from the series finale on Wednesday night, the Rockies have improved their historically awful record to 11-50, and have picked up their first win in a three-game series this MLB season. . ."51 + 51:" The Seattle Mariners made an announcement on Monday, but this was no ordinary 'Monday,' - this was the 35th anniversary of the day when the very first "no-hitter" was thrown in Mariners history - and the announcement certainly aligned with the day as the Mariners released a statement that the No.51 jersey, worn by Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson (aka "the guy who threw that no-hitter") throughout his 9+ seasons with the franchise, will be retired next season - - Prior to the 1998 MLB trade deadline, the Mariners would go on to trade Johnson to the Houston Astros, and three years later - a Japanese star by the name of Ichiro Suzuki - would join the Mariners & dawn the No.51 jersey, as well - - The Mariners announced that Ichiro's No.51 jersey will also be retired, however, his jersey will be retired in August of this year, shortly after his induction ceremony into the Hall of Fame. . . - NCAA: News & Storylines - NCAA College Football: Last Thursday Afternoon, it was announced that significant change would be made to the induction rules for consideration or entry into the College Football Hall of Fame - - According to a press release from the National Football Foundation, the College Football Hall of Fame will reportedly lower its win percentage requirement for entry from 60% to 59.5% in 2027 - - The organization has paved the way, and following this rule change, the late Mississippi State & former Washington State head football coach, Mike Leach, will officially become eligible for induction, whereas, based on the previous rules for induction into the HOF had long prevented his entry: A head coach (a) must have been active for at least ten seasons, (b) must have coached in a minimum of 100 CFB games, and (c) must have a .600 (or better) overall winning percentage - - Leach met each of the previous qualifications with but one exception: he finished his career with a .596 winning percentage after coaching at Texas Tech University, Washington State University & Mississippi State University - each of which had historic disadvantages within their respective conferences (i.e., Big 12, PAC-12 & SEC, respectively). . .The SEC Conference is tightening the bolt on penalties for schools whose fans storm the football field or rush the basketball court, which generally occurs following an upset win - - a new policy, which is focused primarily on player safety, that the SEC Conference is hopeful will be implemented across its' Universities will allow the opposing program - including its players, coaches, & staff - an allotted time period, for instance, a minute (or sixty seconds), to depart the field before fans are allowed to begin their chaotic descent onto the field in his or her drunken stupor - - The SEC is doing away with the escalating fine structure system - which was initially instituted by the conference in 2004 - and will now charge programs $500,000 per incident, however, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey did indicate that the conference also has the authority to waive the fine if the visiting team & officials are allowed to get to the locker room before the chaos begins - - Q: Do you think that the implementation of this new $500k fine per will lead to a drastic decline in the number of incidents that occur across the SEC Conference?. . .Per On3 Sports, the Florida Board of Governors voted 10-6 on Tuesday to turn down the University's hiring of former Michigan President, Santa Ono - - you really have to ask yourself: Why would the Board of Governors reject the hiring of a President who was formerly the President for a University that was involved in multiple scandals, prior to his departure⁉️. . .NCAA College Basketball: The NCAA's NBA Draft withdrawal deadline came and went last Wednesday night, but not without some interesting, last-minute drama - - In the finals days & even within the last couple hours, numerous teams held their breath as several major college basketball stars decide on their fate: remain in the NBA Draft & pursue a career (and future) at the next level OR withdraw from the NBA Draft & return to college for another season - - This theme carried throughout the deadline period, which featured major risers & fallers among draft prospects, momentum swings for programs and a reshaped draft landscape - - The biggest takeaways and standout moments from the deadline discussed in this episode include the following: (A) One of the Top NBA prospects is Returning to College in Ann Arbor (B) A Very Surprising Decision in Tuscaloosa (C) The Return that Most Likely Swings the NCAA title outcome - Houston NCAA College Baseball: The top two seeds in the NCAA College Baseball Tournament - Vanderbilt & Texas - were both elimincated in the Regional round on Sunday - - In the Nashville region, the Commodores became the first No.1 national seed to fail to reach its regional final since the tournament went to its current format in 1999 - after losing to Wright State, the No.4 seed out of the Horizon League - - however, the Raiders would fall to Louisville 6-0 later that evening - - Hours after Wright State eliminated No.1 seeded Vanderbilt, the No.2 seeded Texas Longhorns, were eliminated by the UTSA Roadrunners in the Austin Regional Championship - - this is only the second time since national seeds were introduced in 1999 that the top two seeds were both eliminated in the regionals, 2014 being the other year (i.e., No.1 Oregon State, No.2 Florida). . .JD is convinced that a large majority of NCAA College Baseball head coaches are some nasty, ruthless MFer's - but at the very least, one of these coaches was able to sit aside his pride (and ego) just long enough to admit his wrong & apologize for an incident that occurred on Monday evening - - Wake Forest HC Tom Walter apologized for what appeared to be an "anti-gay slur" caught by television cameras during an NCAA Regional game versus the Tennessee Volunteers - - Wake Forest AD John Curries stated that he was "surprised & deeply disappointed" and that he spoke with Walter following the game and again Tuesday morning - - The Volunteers did defeat the Demon Deacons 11-5 on Monday night to win the Knoxville Regional and earn a best-of-three super regional matchup with the "Hawg Tuah" Razorbacks of Arkansas for a chance to advance to the College World Series. . .NCAA College Softball: The Texas Tech Red Raiders softball team knocked off & eliminated the four-time defending champion, Oklahoma Sooners, on Monday to reach the Women's College World Series (WCWS) Finals - - The Red Raiders will face off against the Texas Longhorns in a best-of-three championship series - - Neither team have ever won a college softball title, so be prepared for sparks to fly - - Q: Who you got winning the 2025 WCWS: Texas Tech or Texas?. . . - NBA - A few hours after the New York Knicks were eliminated from the 2025 NBA Playoffs by the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night, a new report from The Athletic revealed that there was internal frustration around one particular shortcoming of PF/C Karl-Anthony Towns - - according to the report, Knicks players & coaches "expressed frustration" with KAT's poor defensive habits and worries that he did not get how important it was to stay connected on the defensive end of the floor - - Defense has long been an issue of concern for Towns, while offensively, his skill set for a big man is incredible - but this almost feels like New York's attempt to play the "blame card" on KAT for their loss in the Eastern Conference Finals - - Q: Do you believe that the Knicks are justified in their frustration with Towns' inept defensive mindset & awareness? Or do you think this is merely the franchise's way of "placing blame" and/or providing a reasonable explanation for why they were eliminated by the Pacers?. . .Fresh off their deepest playoff run in 25 years, the New York Knicks fired HC Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday - - the decision comes just three days after the Knicks were ousted from the ECF in six games by the Indiana Pacers, their longtime rivals - - but it also comes after New York advanced further into the playoffs than expected with a relatively new core set of players & after knocking out the NBA's defending champion, Boston Celtics in the second round - - Q: Why do you think that Knicks team President Leon Rose made the decision to part ways with HC Tom Thibodeau after these past two fifty-plus win seasons?. . . - NBA Playoffs Recap/Review & Finals Preview - JD & Spencer provide an in-depth analysis of the games from the 2025 NBA Playoffs, or more specifically, for those games played within the Eastern & Western Conferences - and provide individual player analysis & an overall reivew and recap for this past week's games - - The following NBA Conference Finals games are discussed in this episode: Game 5: No.1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.6 Minnesota Timberwolves (OKC leads series 3-1) Game 5: No.3 seed New York Knicks vs. No.4 seed Indiana Pacers (IND leads series 3-1) Game 6: No.3 seed New York Knicks vs. No.4 seed Indiana Pacers (IND leads series 3-2) 2025 NBA Finals Preview: No.1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.4 seed Indiana Pacers - - JD & Spencer provide a thorough preview of the this year's NBA Finals - and what individual factors are vital & what each team must do to pull out this best-of-seven championship series, and to be crowned NBA Champion - - Q: Which team wins the 2025 NBA Finals: the Thunder or Pacers? How many games do you expect the series to go?. . . - 2025-26 NCAA College Football Preseason Roll-Out - In contrast to last year, JD & Spencer made the decision, rather than performing a breakdown of each team by Conference, we would collectively pick a select number of questions related to the upcoming NCAA College Football season, and each provide our individual responses in an open discussion format. Responses for each of the following questions are included in this section/category of the episode: (1) 2024 Alabama Season-in-Review: What went wrong? What worked well? Where does JD & Spencer each stand on the HC Kalen DeBoer & the Crimson Tide moving forward into the 2025-26 CFB season?. . . (2) Will the Alabama Crimson Tide win more or less than their projected total of 9.5 games? Who will be the starting QB for the Alabama Crimson Tide this season: Ty Simpson, Austin Mack or Keelon Russell?. . . (3) Was the 2024 College Football season an anomaly for Mike Norvell's Florida State Seminoles? Can they bounce back in 2025?. . . (4) Who will be the breakout QB this upcoming CFB season?. . . (5) Who are the potential dark horse team(s) this upcoming season (aka, who is the 2025 version of Indiana/Arizona State?). . . (6) How many games will the North Carolina Tar Heels win in their first season under new HC Bill Belichick?. . . (7) Which College Football head coaches are entering into the 2025-26 season on the "hot seat" and/or have the most to prove to retain their position?. . . (8) According to PFF, the top five WR rooms entering the 2025 CFB season are: 1. Ohio State, 2. Auburn, 3. Clemson, 4. Ole Miss & 5. Alabama - - Do you agree with this order? If not, how would you rank the top five WR rooms enterning into the 2025 CFB season? Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 89 - "The Iron Mike Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - Miscellaneous - Congratulations to the Tradition's Finest Duo - - Spencer & his wife got married on Sunday & enjoyed a beautiful wedding ceremony surrounded by their close family & friends . . .while JD & his wife celebrated their seven-year anniversary on Tuesday. . .Ya boys are growing up!. . ."A Penny for You, Thots:" The U.S. Treasury Department has taken a large step toward finally eliminating the penny (or the "one-cent" coin) - - those dull, bronze coins engraved with Abraham Lincoln's face that you randomly see on the ground at every gas station in America - - as the Department recently announced that it placed its final order of penny blanks to print its final batch of these ancient coins that our great-grandfathers used to purchase a gallon of gas from the way-back - - After this new development, it is expected that new pennies will stop being put into circulation around early 2026 - - Both Donald Trump & Barack Obama, the current & former United States President, respectively - as well as both chambers of Congress - have advocated for the elimination of the one-cent coin as rising production costs essentially mean that the coins cost more to print than their overall value or worth - - In February, the U.S. Mint, which is responsible for the printing of all currency within the country, estimated that it lost approximately $85 million in the production of three billion pennies last year (2024). . .Q: Should people begin to "stock up" and/or collect their excess pennies for the possibility of financial gain or increased value in the distant future? Or will the overall value of these one-cent coins continue to dramatically decline as factors such as the use - as well as the ease of access - of debit/credit cards & advancements in technology (i.e., Apple Pay, Venmo, etc.) continue to increase exponentially over time?. . ."Chestnut's Popcorn Rivalry:" Sixteen-time Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest winner, Joey Chestnut, spent his Memorial Day, like most Americans , consuming a large quantity of net carbohydrates & fats - - Chestnut spent his Memorial Day holiday at the Rural King in Terre Haute, Indiana, to take on one of his many food challenges - - Hundreds of residents collectively packed into the Rural King parking lot, for a sole purpose: to watch Joey Chestnut crush his original world record in the consumption of popcorn. . .Chestnut's world record prior to this event is almost unfathomable to imagine - - it included him eating thirty-two 24-oz bags of popcorn in eight minutes! - - On Monday, he would not let the people down as Chestnut went on to break his own world record by wolfing down 42 servings of popcorn in eight minutes. . .Q: Albeit an odd question, how do you generally eat popcorn (i.e., a handful or single?) Do you typically take a bite from each side of the flake OR do you consume it all at once?. . .**Asking for a friend (and co-host). . .. . ."USA! USA! USA!:" Buffalo Sabres star forward Tage Thompson scored the game-winning goal with just over two minutes into the first OT period, and Team USA outlasted Team Switzerland 1-0 in the final of the Ice Hockey World Championship at Avicii Arena on Sunday evening - - This was the first on-ice trophy for United States Hockey in this tournament in 92 years, claiming their last title in 1933 - - Sunday's victory surely cemented Team USA's legacy, but it was also a "storybook ending" that led to an emotional moment on the ice: As the players for Team USA posed for its championship photo at center ice, they made sure to include the No.13 jersey of Johnny Gaudreau, the former NHL & USA Hockey star, who tragically passed away last August along with his brother, Matthew, after they were struck by an alleged drunk driver while cycling in their home state of New Jersey, the night prior to their sister Katie's wedding. . . - MLB - After the Philadelphia Phillies shut out the Colorado Rockies 2-0 last Thursday evening to sweep a four-game series - - the Rockies fell to an 8-42 record this season, which is the worst 50-game start in Major League Baseball's modern era (since 1901) - - Prior to that, the Louisville Colonels had a worse start to begin the 1895 season with a 7-43 record - - Not too long ago, the Rockies had a loaded roster, that included Charlie Blackmon, who spent his entire 14-year career with the franchise, and now, the Rockies are 5-20 at home - - and are on pace to lose 136 games this season, which would pass the 1899 Cleveland Spiders (20-134) for the most losses by an MLB team (by contrast, the Chicago White Sox set the modern-era record with 121 losses in the 2024 season) - - The Rockies have been shut out eight times this season, and their 45 errors through 50 games are the most by an MLB team since the 2019 Seattle Mariners. . .Ronald Acuna Jr. crushed his first pitch 467 feet for a HR in his dramatic return to the Atlanta Braves on Friday night, almost one year after he tore his left ACL - - The homer by Acuna had an exit velocity of 115.5 mph, and was the hardest hit ball by a Braves player this season - - unfortunately, it was not enough as Padres star Manny Machado would hit a tiebreaking HR off Raisel Iglesias in the 9th inning to over Acuna's homer, and hang on to defeat the Braves 2-1 to end San Diego's six-game losing streak. . .Former MLB outfielder & first baseman, Darin Ruf, 38, is suing the Cincinnati Reds for damages after he suffered a career-ending injury while crashing into an uncovered tarp roller at Great American Ball Park two years ago - - According to the lawsuit filed last Thursday in Ohio, the Reds are being charged with negligence in failing to maintain safe field conditions - and it specifically cites the presence of the unpadded metal tarp roller - - Ruf is seeking punitive and compensatory damages - - The injury occurred in 2023 in a game between the Milwaukee Brewers & Cincinnati Reds, where Ruf was playing first base for the Brewers, and Milwaukee would go on to win the game 5-4 in extra innings, however, in the 3rd inning, Ruf was chasing a foul ball when his knee inadvertantly hit the end of the tarp roller - - As stated in the complaint, Ruf suffered "permanent and substantial deformities to his knee," and after which point, Ruf would be placed on the 60-day injured list, and due to the severity of the injury, he never played in the MLB again. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Ruf's lawsuit? Do you think that the Reds are liable for the negligent acts of the grounds crew's reckless conduct? If the court does rule in favor of Ruf, will his age & the number of years he possibly had left in the league, be pertinent factors of consideration in terms of awarding compensatory damages?. - NCAA: News & Storylines - Following months of meetings to discuss the potential for format changes to the College Football Playoff, suprisingly to some degree, a decision was made last Thursday: After last year's 12-team CFP presented a "first-round bye" to each of the four highest-ranked Conference Champions - - which included the Boise State Broncos & Arizona State Sun Devils - - the Conference commissioners voted to switch to a straight seeding format - - with five spots still reserved for conference champions - - beginning next season. . .Q: If the 2024 12-team College Football Playoff would have been formatted with straight seeding, do you think we would have witnessed a similar result (i.e., Ohio State vs. Notre Dame in the national championship game, and an Ohio State victory)?. . .The major themes lingering over the SEC Conference's annual meetings this week is an air of uncertainty clouding the future of the sport - - With the fate of the House v. NCAA case looming, the College Football Playoff format and the league's football schedule are in flux, and ultimately, there are plenty of complex & transformative issues to be discussed - - University of Georgia HC Kirby Smart made it clear, however, that he feels there is just one paramount topic that needs to be discussed among the fellow SEC coaches - Kirby further elaborated that this one important issue involved clarity on the future of the NCAA transfer portal - "So, the biggest decision that has to be made across football right now to me, by far, is when is the portal window and is there one or two?" - - Currently, there are two (possibly three) NCAA transfer portal windows: (1) At the end of the regular season (December 9-28), and (2) In the Spring (April 16-25) - - and on a not-so-rare occassion, players on a college football team, whose head coach departed and/or was dismissed from the program, are granted a *third portal window - however, this portal window is solely dependent upon the conditions and/or time period for which the departing coach vacates the position, and therefore, may vary considerably across programs. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding the discussion of the NCAA transfer portal window? Should the NCAA continue to allow two portal windows or should it be consolidated into one?. . . Phil Robertson, 79, the bearded patriarch of the "Duck Dynasty" franchise and the former starting QB at Louisiana Tech University in the late 1960's, has passed away, his family announced via social media on Sunday - - While no direct cause of death was given, his son, Jase Robertson, revealed back in December of last year on the family's podcast, that Phil was in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease - - Robertson was the QB at Louisiana Tech University for two seasons (i.e., 1966 & 1967), and was the starter ahead of Pro Football Hall of Famer & No.1 overall pick Terry Bradshaw, who would go on to win four Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers - - Robertson started all 16 football games during the 1966 and 1967 regular seasons, prior to making the decision to not return in 1968, and to pursue his passion for hunting and fishing - - and the rest is history!. . .Former Texas Tech star Darrion Williams, who was a central figure in leading the Red Raiders to a deep run in the postseason, advancing to the Elite Eight of the NCAA College Basketball Tournament, prior to being eliminated by the No.1-seeded Florida Gators, who would go on to claim the national championship - - has committed to NC State and new Wolfpack HC Will Wade - - Williams is the seventh player to commit to NC State out of the NCAA transfer portal since Wade first arrived in Raleigh - - Q: Will HC Will Wade lead the 'Pack back to the NCAA Tournament?. . .What a Journey!: Memphis star transfer PJ Haggerty, one of the best available players that remained in the NCAA transfer portal, withdrew his name from the 2025 NBA Draft on Monday, and has committed to the Kansas State Wildcats & HC Jerome Tang on a lucrative NIL deal - - Haggerty kept his options open after announcing his intentions to transfer away from Memphis - following rumors and speculation that he was demanding a $4 million NIL deal and to be the primary ball-handler - or play the PG position - when on the court - - NC State recruited Haggerty rather significantly, attempting to offer multiple NIL deals in the process, but he chose to transfer to K-State and play in the Big 12 Conference - - Basketball reporter Adam Zagoria reported that Haggerty is set to earn $2 million in guaranteed NIL money from the University, but incentives could push the deal closer to the $2.5-million mark. . .Q: Are you surprised by PJ Haggerty's decision to transfer to Kansas State? Do you think that his signing to a $2 million NIL deal disproves the speculation surrounding his demand for a $4 million deal at Memphis?. . .Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford has also withdrawn his name from the 2025 NBA Draft - and according to multiple reports, return to the Tigers for his sophomore season, per ESPN on Wednesday afternoon - - According to ESPN's NBA latest draft rankings, Pettiford was listed as the No.35 overall prospect, however, he did display a very strong showing at the NBA Draft Combine last month - - Pettiford drew significant interest from multiple teams that held picks in the first round, and conducted six individual workouts with different teams across the league - - yet, Pettiford made the decision to return to the Plains next season, and he will most definitely enter next season as a projected lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft next year. . . - NFL - The NFL approved a monumental rules resolution this week that will allow NFL players to participate in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles - - which for the first time will include flag football as an official sport - - Immediately after this rule being passed, many began to speculate what the USA flag football roster would look like with the NFL's best at the forefront - - but hold your horses! - - Team USA flag football QB Darrell Doucette III, however, does not think they need NFL players to compete for the gold medal in the 2028 Olympic Games - - Doucette stated in an interview with The Washington Post's Adam Kilgore that "we don't need other guys!" - - Doucette, who had won two IFAF Flag Football World Championships for the United States, further stated that they are "open to competition on the roster," but he does believe that the flag guys "deserve their opportunity," to compete - - Just a quick reminder, this is the same guy that made national headlines a year or so ago where he compared the sport of flag football and the NFL, and stated his belief that he was/is "better" than Chiefs Super Bowl winning QB, Patrick Mahomes, at football as a sport. . Q: What would be the best way to solve this particular matter - Should the NFL assemble a flag football team & face off one-on-one versus Darrell Doucette's flag football team, with the winner advancing to compete in the 2028 Olympic Games as Team USA's flag football team?. . .Former Denver Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, will posthumously be inducted into the team's "Ring of Fame" during the 2025 NFL season - - Thomas was the only former player or coach that was selected for this honor on Tuesday - - He spent nine seasons with the Broncos - and one season with the New York Jets - and finished his career as the team's leading WR (9,000+ yards receiving), trailing only Rod Smith - - Thomas is 3rd in franchise history in catches (655), trailing only Smith & Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe - and he finished his career with a total of 724 catches for 9,763 yards & 63 TDs - - Dude is a legend, and to this day, Thomas remains one of former Broncos QB Peyton Manning's favorite targets at wideout. . . - NBA - NBA MVP & Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander headlined the All-NBA teams, which were announced Friday evening to conclude the league's annual end-of-season award schedule; The All-NBA teams as discussed in this episode are listed below: 1st Team All-NBA: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum & Donovan Mitchell 2nd Team All-NBA: Evan Mobley, Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, LeBron James & Jalen Brunson 3rd Team All-NBA: Jalen Williams, Cade Cunningham, Karl-Anthony Towns, James Harden & Tyrese Haliburton John Haliburton, the father of Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, is allowed to return or attend Indiana Pacers home games again - after being informed to stay away from Pacers' home & road games - following the on-the-court incident with Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo during the first round the Eastern Conference and NBA Playoffs - - Haliburton will watch the remaining home games from a suite at the Pacers' Gainbridge Fieldhouse, however, he will not be permitted to attend the team's road games. . . - NBA Playoffs Recap & Revew - JD & Spencer provide an in-depth & detailed game analysis for each of the NBA Playoffs games discussed in this episode; the discussion also includes insight on individual players & their in-game performances, as well as commentary from our unique perspective; The following games from the Eastern & Western Conference Finals discussed in this episode are outlined below: Game 1: No.3 seed New York Knicks vs. No.4 seed Indiana Pacers Game 2: No.3 seed New York Knicks vs. No.4 seed Indiana Pacers (IND leads series 1-0) Game 3: No.3 seed New York Knicks vs. No.4 seed Indiana Pacers (IND leads series 2-0) Game 4: No.3 seed New York Knicks vs. No.4 seed Indiana Pacers (IND leads series 2-1) Game 2: No.1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves (OKC leads series 1-0) Game 3: No.1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves (OKC leads series 2-0) Game 4: No.1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves (OKC leads series 2-1) Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 88 - "The CD Lamb Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - Miscellaneous - On last Wednesday, the streaming service, Netflix, announced a three-part documentary focused on the life of Colorado Buffaloes' HC Deion "Prime Time" Sanders, that is expected to be available for streaming in 2026 - - The docu-series, which is aptly titled "PRIME TIME," is reported to offer an inside look at Sanders' unique journey from being a two-sport phenom in both baseball & football to becoming the head football coach for the University of Colorado's college football team, as well as his ascent to becoming a significant figure in the media world - - According to the press release as issued by Netflix: "PRIME TIME will provide an in-depth look at one of professional sports' most electrifying and polarizing figures, exploring his evolution from a two-sport pro phenom to a culture-defining coach & media personality. For the first time, Sanders opens up about deeply personal aspects of his life, including his relationship with his biological father, surviving an attempted suicide, and near-death health scares,". . .Following the fall in draft stock for both of his sons - Shilo & most notably Shedeur - Deion began to receive a significant amount of criticism concerning his ability to develop players' on- or off-the-field as well as to whether Deion's persona & media-centric personality is a negative or positive influence on the college football program & for those closely associated with him. . .Q: Do you think that this three-part docu-series is being released to provide viewers with a more suitable representation of the "real Deion Sanders?" Are you looking forward to watching this documentary about Sanders? Is it more likely to foster a change in the way in which Sanders is viewed in the media, or to "add more fuel to the fire?". . .PGA: Three hundred & sixty-six days after the release of his booking mugshot following the unfortunate events that occurred at last year's PGA Championship, Scottie Scheffler, the world's No.1 golfer, raised the Wanamaker Trophy for everyone to see last Sunday after he captured his third career major at the 107th PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club - - Scheffler posted an even-par 71 in the final round of the event, which led to a five-stroke victory over Harris English, Bryson DeChambeau & Davis Riley - - At the onset of the final day of the event, it seemed inevitable that Scheffler would walk away with his third major, but of course, he remained true to form, and flirted with a dramatic finish - as early on & after taking a turn for the worst, Scheffler found himself tied with the Spainard, Jon Rahm - before stepping on the gas on the back nine. . .On the "Green Mile," which is the name/title aptly issued to Quail Hollow's treacherous three-hole closing stretch, Rahm ultimately imploded - which allowed Scheffler to swiftly improve his match standing, and finally, pull out his third career major event title. . .Former NFL & Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown was briefly detained by Miami-Dade Police Department early Saturday after an altercation occurred, which led to gunshots being fired outside of a celebrity boxing event, hosted by popular streamer Adin Ross - - Multiple video clips were posted to social media that showed Brown involved in a fight with several people outside the boxing event, and after which point, he was seen apparently holding a pistol as he pursued someone. . .Brown posted to social media that he had been "jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal [his] jewelry and cause physical harm to [him],". . .Q: Does it seem as though that people have forgotten that Antonio Brown is a former NFL player?. . .While his style might be somewhat unconventional, it should be noted that he was a professional athlete, and in more instances than not, these are NOT the type of people you want to pick a fight with. . .According to a shocking new report that was released per The New York Times, 24-year-old Jordon Hudson has informed "at least one person" that she is "engaged" to be married to University of North Carolina head coach & 73-year-old Bill Belichick. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding the possibility that Jordon Hudson & Bill Belichick are engaged? Do you believe that the news is legitimate or is it merely a rumor?. . . . - NCAA: News & Storylines - NCAA College Basketball: After withdrawing his name from the 2025 NBA Draft, former Arkansas Razorbacks guard Boogie Fland, announced that he had entered the NCAA transfer portal - - On Monday, Fland, the No.8 player available in the transfer portal according to CBS Sports, reportedly visited the University of Florida. . .It was not long afterwards, that ESPN first reported that Fland had officially committed to Todd Golden & the defending champion Florida Gators - - this was a major addition for Golden after losing stars Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin, Will Richard & Denzel Aberdeen this offseason. . .Q: How will Boogie Fland adjust to Todd Golden's offensive style at Florida? Will he under- or overperform as compared to the 2024-25 season under HC John Calipari?. . .Indiana University Athletics released a video via its social media channels on Thursday that teased the possibility of a future Indiana athletics mascot - - The video clip, which is partly inspired by the film "Raiders of the Lost Ark," depicts a large box that is presumably in storage of Indiana athletic facility - The "I' and the "U" on the box glow red as animal growls are heard - - Rumors have been circulating that Indiana might introduce a mascot for the upcoming 2025-26 season, with a majority of the rumors suggesting that the Bison mascot that the University used in the late 1960's might be revived - - but as JD mentioned: "That shit is terrifying!". . .Imagine attending a Indiana basketball game as a kid & coming into contact with this horror film masterpiece-of-a-villian - you would 10/10 be affected for the rest of your life. . .NCAA College Football: Per On3 Sports, an Ohio Representative, Tex Fischer, has presented a bill that is designed to almost entirely end noon kickoffs for Ohio State University - with the sole exception being the rivalry game versus Michigan, which is traditionally played at Noon ET - - this bill would prevent a game from beginning prior to 3:30 PM when a state university is involved. . .According to the bill, violation of this law would incur a $10 million fine against the host team's conference or the television network, depending on who scheduled the matchup. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Ohio Rep. Tex Fischer's reported bill? Do you believe there is a legitimate chance that this bill actually passes and becomes a law?. . .NCAA College Softball: The Liberty Flames stunned the college softball world on Sunday by upsetting the No.1 seed Texas A&M Aggies in College Station, 6-5, in Game 7, advancing to their first Super Regional in program history. . . For the first time in D1 or college softball history, the top overall seed in the tournament has failed to advance from it's own regional - - and this was, in no way, shape or form a "fluke!" - - Game 7 was the second matchup between the two programs on Sunday evening after the Aggies pulled off the comeback in Game 6, where they pulled out the 14-11 victory over the Flames, prior to being eliminated. . . - NFL - RB Derrick Henry will be stiff-arming tacklers for the Baltimore Ravens for a little while longer - - Henry reached a two-year, $30 million extension with the Ravens last Wednesday, his agent reported to ESPN's Adam Schefter - - After a breakout season for the Ravens, the team has awarded him with the largest deal in NFL history for a RB over the age of 30. . .Now, Henry will receive $25 million in guaranteed money, and will remain under contract through the 2027 season. . .Q: With or without a Super Bowl ring, do you consider Derrick Henry as one of the best RB's in the history of the sport?. . .The NFL dropped the 2025 regular-season schedule in its entirety last Wednesday afternoon - - and it all begins with Week 1 - - which has historically been a precursor of success, and furthermore, it's become a week of marquee matchups, as evidenced by last year's slate featuring a slew of games pitting eventual playoff teams against one another. . .Since 2020, when the NFL switched to a 14-team postseason format, teams that advanced to the postseason, have won 70% of their Week 1 games, going 49-21 overall to open the regular season. . .Key features & dates of the 2025-26 NFL season: The regular season officially begins on Thursday, Sept. 4th with an intriguing NFC East matchup between the reigning Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles & the Dallas Cowboys; There are several international games scheduled to occur this season - including those played in London, Dublin, Berlin, Madrid, Sau Paulo; Traditional Thanksgiving games will feature the Lions and Cowboys, along with other teams such as the Packers, Chiefs, Bengals & Ravens; Christmas Day will feature a triple-header of games, including matchups between the Cowboys & Commanders, Lions and Vikings & the Broncos and Chiefs - - Based on the strength of schedule, which is determine by the opponents' records in 2024, the New York Giants possess the toughest schedule in 2025 - while the San Francisco have the easiest schedule. . .Following the NFL's release of the 2025 regular season schedule, like most NFL teams, the Indianapolis Colts, compiled a video to accompany their regular-season schedule release last Wednesday evening - however, the Colts would later abrupty remove the video from its' social platforms, for multiple reasons, the team reported - - The Colts would go on to release a statement apologizing to Microsoft as well as Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill - - The video, which was intended to be a spoof of the popular video game, Minecraft, revealed the team's season opener against the Miami Dolphins with an image of a Dolphin wearing a No.10 jersey (Hill's #) and labeled "Hill" swimming along before he is stopped by a Coast Guard boat with a blaring siren - - this is in reference to the controversial incident that occurred with the Miami-Dade Police Department last season after Hill was arrested last September, and reportedly dragged from his vehicle, taken to the ground & forcibly handcuffed as he was traveling to the stadium for a home game. . .Hill's agent, Drew Rosenhau, stated on the following day, that Hill thought the video was "funny" and didn't think they needed to remove the video from their social media account. . . The Colts, however, would not be the only NFL franchise that would post a schedule release compliation that would raise a few eyebrows: The Atlanta Falcons trolled Bill Belichick & his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson's widely scrutinized appearance on CBS last month - as part of their "Mario-Kart-" themed schedule release video - - The Falcons intended to troll Hudson after she was seen wearing a Falcons Super Bowl champions shirt earlier this year. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the NFL franchise's regular-season videos?. . .QB Caleb Williams was so concerned about being picked by the Chicago Bears in the 2024 NFL Draft that he & him family weighed their options - circumventing the entire NFL Draft, consulting with lawyers to figure out a way around the league's collective bargaining agreement, while considering signing with the UFL, as detailed from a forthcoming book reveal - - The book "American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback," who's author, Seth Wickersham, is reportedly providing a detailed account of what it means to be a QB at various levels, from the high school level to college to the NFL - - but he is also including the details as it relates to QB Caleb William's draft process prior to being drafted by the franchise with the overall No.1 pick - - Caleb's father, Carl Williams, told the Author that "Chicago is the place QBs go to die," which might or might not be true. . .Q:Irregardless, do you think the details of this book regarding Caleb Williams, will leave a very bad taste in the mouth of the Chicago Bears' organization, leadership, and most importantly, their fan base?. . .QB Brock Purdy went from Mr. Irrelevant to one of the highest-paid players in the NFL - - Purdy & the San Francisco 49ers have agreed to a five-year, $265 million extension, ESPN reported on Friday - - the deal includes $181 million in total guarantees - and the $53 million average annual salary puts Purdy tied for 7th among NFL QBs. . .While Purdy's deal represented the largest deal in franchise history, the San Francisco 49ers handed out their largest raise to LB Fred Warner, who agreed to a 3-year, $63 million contract extension with the team on Monday - - The deal ties Warner to the team through the 2029 season, and also returns Warner to the top of the highest-paid off-ball LBs in the league with an average annual salary of $21 million per season. . .On Monday, the Green Bay Packers officially submitted a revision of their rule proposal that would more broadly ban pushing or pulling the ball carrer anywhere on the football field, or aka, the Eagles "tush push," - - In addition, Commanders LB Frankie Luvu indicated in an interview with the press that he hopes the "tush push" play is banned by the league after referring to it as a "cheapo" play - - A massive update was provided on Wednesday per ESPN's Adam Schefter, who reported that the final vote for the tush push ban was determined to be 22-10, which needed a total of 24 votes for approval - - Therefore, the Eagles may "Push On" - - It was also reported that such teams as the Ravens, Patriots, Jets, and Lions sided with the Eagles in favor of retaining the "tush push" play. . . - WNBA & NBA - In her sophomore season in the WNBA, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark started off the season with a triple-double - finishing with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists plus 4 blocks - as the Fever started their season on Saturday with a blowout victory over "rival" Angel Reese & the Chicago Sky. . .The Fever defeated the Sky 93-58, tying for the second-largest margin of victory in franchise history - - However, it was the sequence that occurred in the 3rd QTR that garnered most of the attention by the media, sparked outrage, and led to a bitter debate between former NFL players, Ryan Clark & RGIII. . .Clark, who was looking to stop Reese from getting a wide-open layup, attempted to strip her of the ball & was called for a foul - this incident led to Angel Reese falling to the floor, and after which point, she would get up and go after Clark, who walked away - - As for the original action, Clark's foul was upgraded to a flagrant-1 foul, which would send Reese to the free-throw line. . .Following this game, the WNBA announced that it was opening an investigation into racial comments that were directed towards Angel Reese by fans during the Sky's loss to the Fever on Saturday evening - yet, the WNBA has yet to release any information as it relates to the specifics of the allegations. . .Q: Why has the WNBA not announced or released any of the details of the allegations?. . .Former NBA guard Lance Stephenson, who played 10 years in the league, has joined the BIG3 leage, and was selected with the first pick in Thursday's draft by Miami 305, an expansion team that will be coached by ex-LA Lakers legend Michael Cooper. . .Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, who averaged 32.6 points per game this season, has been awarded as the NBA MVP - - shockingly enough, SGA becomes the first former Kentucky player to win the prestigous award - and becomes just the 3rd Thunder player - alongside Russell Westbrook & Kevin Durant - to win the award. . . Physicians have given Thanasis Antetokounmpo clearance to return to basketball after he missed the 2024-25 NBA season with a torn Achilles - - Q: Will Thanasis be the only Antetokounmpo on the Bucks roster next season?. . .JD & Spencer provide an in-depth anaylsis of the games from the 2025 NBA Playoffs, or most specifically, for those games played within the Eastern & Western Conferences - and provide individual player analysis & an overall review and recap for this past week's games - and finally, an ECF & WCF series preview is provided at the conclusion - - The following NBA playoff games of the semifinal (or second) round are discussed in greater detail in this episode: Game 5: No.1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No.4 seed Indiana Pacers (IND leads series 3-1) Game 5: No.2 seed Boston Celtics vs. No.3 seed New York Knicks (NYK leads series 3-1) Game 6: No.2 seed Boston Celtics vs. No.3 seed New York Knicks (NYK leads series 3-2) Game 5: No.1 seed OKC Thunder vs. No.4 seed Denver Nuggets (series tied 2-2) Game 6: No.1 seed OKC Thunder vs. No.4 seed Denver Nuggets (OKC leads series 3-2) Game 7: No.1 seed OKC Thunder vs. No.4 seed Denver Nuggets (series tied 3-3) Game 5: No.6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No.7 seed Golden State Warriors (MIN leads series 3-1) Western Conference Finals Game 1: No.1 seed OKC Thunder vs. No.6 Minnesota Timberwolves Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 87 - "The Taylor Swift's Boyfriend Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - MLB - The Colorado Rockies fired GM Bud Black on Sunday, just one day after suffering an embarrassing twenty-one-run loss to the San Diego Padres at Coors Field. . .Despite the tragedy that is the Chicago White Sox, collectively, the Rockies players within their dugout seem to have lost their "spark" for the sport of baseball - as Colorado is off to an MLB-worst 7-33 start to the 2025 season - even after defeating the Padres 9-3 on Sunday in an attempt to remedy the pain following their 21-run loss the day prior. . .Even with the Rockies' victory over the Padres on Sunday, the team officially has the worst 40-game start in MLB history since 1988 (i.e., the Baltimore Orioles: 6-34). . .It's not very often that we - as a sports-affiliated podcast - have the opportunity to embrace the influence and overall impact that we have on the sports community and just the sports world, in general - - In last week's episode & during the "FAQ segment," Spencer & JD discussed & debated the topic of whether or not former MLB players, such as but not limited to Pete Rose, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa & Barry Bonds should be allowed into the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame after their controversial, yet isolated, incidents as it relates to sports gambling and/or the use of PEDs (or performance-enhancing drugs) - - Clearly, we did NOT contribute in any way and/or influence the MLB Commissioner's decision regarding this particular topic (*In other words, it is nothing more than a coincidence that we discussed this particular topic the week prior - - and we did like to think that, maybe - just maybe - we did influence this story primarily because it was a massive "ego boost!") - - In a historic, sweeping decision made last Tuesday, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the removal of Pete Rose, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, and other deceased MLB players from the league's permanently ineligible list. . .Manfred ruled that the league-issued punishment of being banned from the sport of baseball, ends after the player is deceased - - therefore, Rose is now presumably eligible for election into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred's decision or declaration that former players who have been banned from the sport, are no longer banned after death?. . .Are we really going to have to wait the next thirty to forty years for players such as McGwire, Sosa & Bonds to pass away before witnessing them being inducted into the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame?. . . - NCAA: News & Storylines - NCAA College Football: Last Friday morning, a report was released that University of North Carolina head football coach Bill Belichick's 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordan Hudson, had been "banned" from the UNC Athletic facilities - - A few hours later, UNC, per On3 Sports, was forced into a corner and once again, would need to publicly acknowledge the strange personal life of their legendary head coach - - In a lengthy statement posted via social media, the University declined the report that Hudson had been banned from the on-campus athletic facilities - while also making sure to acknowledge within the statement that she "is not an employee at the University or Carolina Athletics," - - The denial comes on the [Tar] heels of the latest episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out, a national podcast channel from Meadowlark Media Group that features former ESPN & Around the Horn sports analyst, Pablo Torre - According to Torre, two sources with direct ties to the North Carolina Athletic Department reported that Hudson was "no longer allowed in the football building or on the team's practice field," - and Torre also reported that a source close to Bill Belichick's family indicated that there is "deep worry about how detrimental Hudson can be for [Belichick's] reputation,". . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding the way in which this particular story involving UNC HC Bill Belichick & his 24-year-old girlfriend have come about? Do you have any personal theories on this story? At this rate, would it shock you if Bill Belichick is not the Tar Heels head football coach by Week 1 of the 2025-26 college football season?. . .Per On3 Sports, a potential 16-team college football playoff bracket is "gaining support" by both the Big Ten & SEC Conference(s) after an in-person meeting last Thursday in New York - - The 16-team bracket would include four automatic bids for both Conferences (i.e., Big Ten & SEC) while the ACC and Big 12 Conference(s) would each get two automatic berths - the Group of 6 would get one, and finally, the final three spots would be "at-large" bids - - In addition, "inner-league-play-in-games" could also be in the cards at the end of the college football season, which would set up the following type of matchups: Conference A's 3rd-place team would face off versus Conference A's 6th-place team, as well as the 4th-place team taking on the 5th-place team - and this would apply for a majority of the power conference - - long story, short: This is a nightmare idea, let's scrap it altogether!. . Q: What are your thoughts on a potential 16-team CFB playoff gaining support across the two most formidable conferences in the sport? If a 16-team field is approved, what are the chances we eventually expand into a 20-, 24- or 30-team field?. . .NCAA College Basketball: The NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee met last week in Indianapolis and reportedly drafted a few rule proposals that make the game a bit more "modernized & enjoyable," - - Such proposals included the following suggestions: (1) If one shot clock has malfunctioned, it should not be required to shut down or turn off the additional shot clock - yes! this is a legitimate and current NCAA rule. . .(2) Perhaps the most significant proposal would give a team's head coach the ability to challenge any call, such as those related to an out-of-bounds call, basket interference or goaltending, and the presence of a second defender in the restricted area under the basket - - The challenging coach must possess one timeout to initiate a challenge - and if successful, the timeout is restored & the team is capable of one more challenge at some point throughout the game. . .If the challenge is unsuccessful, the timeout is wasted & the HC cannot challenge another play in a particular game. . .(3) Another notable suggestion involved the act of continuation on shot attempts that could result in a three-point play, or an "and-one," as most players like to refer to it - The proposal would let an offensive player, who is driving to the basket and is fouled by a defender, to pivot or complete a step after contact to finish the shot attempt. . .(4) A suggestion that was not proposed, but we firmly believe it should have been, is in relation to game format - NCAA Men's College Basketball is the only league where teams play two twenty-minute halfs - rather than the typical four 5-minute QTRs (NBA/NCAA Women's College Basketball) - The two twenty-minute halves just does not make too much sense. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding these potential rule changes for NCAA Division I College Basketball? Are there any additional rule proposals that you believe that the NCAA should implement?. . .NCAA College Softball: Texas A&M earned the No.1 overall seed in the NCAA Division I college softball tournament on Sunday, edging four-time defending national champion Oklahoma for the top spot & leading seven SEC Conference teams that are seeded in the top 8 - - While OU won the SEC regular-season title by a game over the Aggies in its first season in the conference - A&M and Oklahoma tied for the Conference Tournament title after the championship game was canceled due to inclement weather - - One of the most hilarous moments of the 2025 college softball tournament bracket reveal involved Boston University (BU), who immediately hit the "surrender cobra" on live television after realizing that they had been selected to face off against four-time defending national champion, Oklahoma, in the first-round. . . - NFL - LB Jaylon Smith will attempt to resurrect his career with the Las Vegas Raiders franchise - - the veteran LB signed a contract with the team shortly after participating in a weekend tryout at rookie minicamp. . .Smith, 29, after battling a couple gruesome injuries over the years, last played in the league in 2023, where he appeared in just one game for the Raiders, and totaled two tackles in 25 defensive snaps in the Raiders' Week 9 victory over the New York Giants - shortly afterward, he was waived. . .Q: Can Jaylon Smith contribute to the Las Vegas Raiders defense in 2025?. . .After a headline-making search, New York Giants first-round draft pick Abdul Carter has finally chosen his jersey number - - After being shot down by Giants' legendary pass rusher, Lawrence Taylor, for his retired No.56 jersey - and the family of two-time Super Bowl champion & QB Phil Simms decided against Carter wearing his No.11 jersey - - it might not be that coincidental that Carter combined the two numbers to land on No.51. . . .Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, infamous Chiefs superfan, Xavier Babudar - aka ChiefsAholic - was sentenced in an Oklahoma courtroom on Monday to 32 years in prison - - this charge is presented 2 & 1/2 years after authorities caught him in the state as he fled from a local bank robbery. . .Babudar was already serving a 17 1/2-year federal prison sentence for robbing banks across seven states from 2022 to 2023. . .Babudar has admitted to stealing more than $800k in 11 robberies across these seven states & laundering the proceeds through casinos. . .New Orleans Saints QB Derek Carr, 34, announced his retirement from the NFL after 11 seasons on Saturday morning - - the impetus behind the abrupt and stunning announcement is related to a shoulder injury that would require a surgical procedure to repair the damage - after discovering the injury in late March while ramping up for the 2025 NFL season. . .NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Carr tried an injection and rehab, but it would not allow him to be at 100% until another procedure was performed, which would have jeopardized his 2025 campaign - - By retiring, Carr forgoes the $30M guaranteed this season on his contract, but overall, Carr made approximately $200M while playing in the league. . .Shortly after the announcement, the Saints announed that they will begin the QB competition to determine Carr's replacement among a invariably young & inexperienced QB room that features second-round rookie Tyler Shough, second-year fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler & third-year fourth-round pick Jake Haener, who will each battle for the starting job in New Orleans. . .Q: Who will be the Saints starting QB next season? Should the Saints be pretty upset with QB Derek Carr for making this decision after the 2025 NFL Draft where they could've potentially drafted or traded up to obtain a franchise-level QB in the first round?. . .While the entire 2025 NFL schedule is set to be released on May 14th, we were provided a bit of a sneak preview - - On Monday, it was announced that the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles will host the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, Sept. 4, in the NFL's 2025 regular-season opener - - This marks the first Week 1 meeting between the NFC East rivals since 2000, and marks the regular-season debut for Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer. . .This is only the 4th time an intra-division game has been selected to serve as the season opener. . .The Minnesota Vikings will become the first team in NFL history to play consecutive international games in different countries this season - - The Vikings will play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 28 at Croke Park in Dublin, marking the league's first regular-season game in Ireland - - and they will then travel to London, England to face off against the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 5. . .NFL sack leader Trey Hendrickson said on Tuesday that he will not play for the Cincinnati Bengals this season under his current contract - - The Bengals' star appeared at the team's voluntary workouts on Tuesday - not in uniform - and addressed reporters after informing Adam Schefter that the Bengals had cut off contract discussions with him. . .Q: Will Trey Hendrickson wear a Bengals uniform in 2025?. . . - NBA - Per ESPN's Shams Charania on Monday, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is reportedly "open-minded" about exploring a trade for the first time in his NBA career. . .Q: What NBA franchise would be a "good fit" for Antetokounmpo? What are a few of the possible trade destinations for Giannis irrespective of fit?. . .After going into the NBA draft lottery with just a 1.8% chance to win, the Dallas Mavericks did the unthinkable & won the lottery - - this was the largest jump by any team in lottery history - - On Tuesday, the Mavs confirmed that they will not trade the No.1 overall pick, and are focusing on Cooper Flagg. . .Q: After GM Nico Harrison traded away the franchise's star player to the Lakers, which led to a dejected fan base, this just seems quite weird (and somewhat sneaky) - - Was this year's NBA draft lottery rigged?. . .Discuss & Debate: Who will win the 2025 NBA MVP?: Thunder G Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, Nuggets C Nikola Jokic or Bucks PF Giannis Antetokounmpo?. . .*Let Us Know What You Think - Share Your Thoughts with Us on X - @TraditionFinest or by Email at [email protected]!. . . - NBA Playoffs Review & Recap - JD & Spencer provide a detailed analysis & breakdown of NBA playoff games from both the Eastern & Western Conference - - The following NBA games from the second or semifinal round of the playoffs are discussed in this episode: Game 3: No.2 seed Boston Celtics vs. No.3 seed New York Knicks Game 4: No.2 seed Boston Celtics vs. No.3 seed New York Knicks Game 4: No.1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No.4 seed Indiana Pacers Game 2: No.6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No.7 seed Golden State Warriors Game 3: No.6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No.7 seed Golden State Warriors Game 4: No.6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No.7 seed Golden State Warriors Game 4: No.1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.4 seed Denver Nuggets Thanks for Listening!

Episode 86 - "The Heinz Ward Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - Miscellaneous - Throughout our brief existence as a sports-affiliated podcast, we can almost assure you that we have never discussed Horse racing, NHL Hockey & the Announcement of a new Pope in a single sitting - - but leave it to us to group these three topics into one GIANT category, aka our "Miscellaneous" category this week So, let's go- After a full day of rain at Churchill Downs, all 19 horses were forced to run through very muddy conditions At the 151st Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs - located in Louisville, Kentucky (shocker, I know. . . ) - the Bill Mott-trained horse, Sovereignty, who prior to the race, closed at 7-1 odds, would go on to win the first leg of the Triple Crown, crossing the finish line at 2:02.31 - while the early-morning favorite, Journalism, who closed at 3-1 odds, would come in second place. . .Per ESPN on Wednesday evening, the "Utah Mammoth" has been revealed as the new name for the Utah Hockey Club, and permanent identity for the NHL franchise after a lengthy 13-month process that included over 800k ballots cast by fans in multiple rounds of voting - - "Tusk Up?". . .The Utah Hockey Club was the temporary name used by the club in its inaugural 2024-25 NHL season after the Smith Entertainment Group purchased the Arizona Coyotes franchise & made the decision to relocate the franchise to Salt Lake City. . .I think we can all agree that the one factor about the NHL that separates it from other professional sports leagues, are clearly their team logos (although, like most other sports leagues, the team name/mascot for a particular city generally seems inappropriately "out of place") - - for example, when is the last time you encountered a Grizzly Bear in Memphis? Or heard "Jazz" [music] playing in Utah?. . .On Thursday, just after 6 p.m. local time, white smoke began to rise from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City - - which symbolized that the papal conclave had reached the two-thirds majority vote necessary for a new Pope to be crowned. . .Hailing from the United States, the home of the Chicago Bulls & the Chicago White Sox, Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church - - The new pontiff, Prevost, has chosen to go by the name Leo XIV & will assume the role of the new Pope - just two weeks after the passing of Pope Francis at the age of 88. . .Of course, each story that we encounter, we attempt to view it from a different lens; Most of the time, I ask myself a very simple question when listening to the news: "Will it Sport?" - - This concept is very simple. . .No matter what you are reading, what you hear or see on television, your computer screen - - Ask yourself this very simple question. . .In other words, is there a way to integrate the topic of sports into the topic and/or news story? - - Instantly, when it was announced that there was a new Pope, and that he was from the United States, I KNEW IT WOULD SPORT! = Pope Leo XIV graduated from the University of Villanova in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Mathematics, and he was actually glued to the television screen a few years ago when Kris Jenkins hit the game-winning shot in the NCAA College Basketball National Championship Game to win Wildcats HC Jay Wright his first (of two) championships. . . - MLB - A Pittsburgh Pirates fan remains in critical condition after falling from the 21-foot high Clemente Wall in right field at PNC Park during last Wednesday night's game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs. . .The man was identified on Thursday as Kavan Markwood, who was a 2022 graduate & standout athlete from the Southern Allegheny School District, and was the MVP of the football team his Senior year. . .An update was provided on the following Wednesday that Markwood had suffered a broken neck, back & collarbone - - and despite his injuries, he is now awake, alert & able to speak - and he even stated in an interview that he remains in pain and self-described his injuries as the feeling that he "broke everything,". . .Markwood obviously still has a long road to recovery ahead of him, but we are all pulling for this guy. . .As of last Saturday evening, the GoFundMe page set up for Markwood had raised approximately $28,000 to contribute to his recovery. . . - NCAA: News & Storylines - For months, Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney had joked with Ian Schieffelin that the 6-foot-8 PF for the Tigers' men's basketball team would make an excellent TE, but Schieffelin assumed it all was all in good fun - - Fast forward to two weeks ago, however, Schieffelin received a call from HC Dabo Swinney with a serious proposition: Swinney requested for Schieffelin to spend the next six months with the Tigers football team & see what happens. . .Schieffelin announced on his IG account on Friday that he is taking Swinney up on the offer, forgoing any Pro Basketball prospects for now in favor of one last season in a Clemson jersey - - this time on the gridiron rather than on the hardwood. . .Q: Will Ian Schieffelin advance past these next six months? Is it likely that he is the starting TE for a Clemson football team that is projected to be one of the top ten teams in the nation next season?. . .The University of Michigan has self-imposed a two-game ban for head football coach Sherrone Moore for the upcoming 2025 season - - According to ESPN's Dan Wetzel & Pete Thamel, the suspension stems from the Conor Stalions advanced scouting and sign-stealing scandal. . .Moore is set to miss the Wolverines' Week 3 & 4 matchups against Central Michigan & Nebraska - Q: Is it fair for the University and/or coaching staff to select which week(s) that the HC is barred from participating in team activities?. . .However, the NCAA can still punish Moore in addition to the self-impose school penalties, but it remains to be seen in Moore will miss more than just two games this season. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding Michigan's decision to self-impose a two-game ban for Wolverines' HC Sherrone Moore? Should the NCAA punish Moore in addition the school's self-imposed ban?. . .It was announced on Wednesday evening that former Utah Utes QB Cam Rising is set to become the offensive coordinator at his Alma Mater, Newbury Park High School, per On3 Sports - - This news was released shortly after Rising had announced earlier that afternoon that he was "medically retiring" from the sport of football - - For the most part, Rising has almost been a thorn in the side of the Utes football program the past few seasons - - but will now venture off into his first coaching venture - - and will do so at Newbury Park, which is the home to 2026 Michigan Wolverines QB commit Brady Smigiel. . .Former University of Alabama HC Nick Saban is expected to co-chair President Donald Trump's commission into college athletics, a source confirmed to CBS Sports on Wednesday evening - - The news comes after Trump met with Saban to discuss NIL reform - - Additionally, Texas businessman Cody Campbell, founder of Texas Tech's Matador Club NIL collective & chairman of the Texas Tech board of regents, will serve as co-chair alongside Saban. . .The commission would examine prominent issues facing college sports like the transfer portal, unregulated booster compensation that goes directly to athlets, the employment of college athletes & Title IX, among other hot-button topics - - Q: How likely is it that "NIL reform" will occur when you have one co-chair (Campbell) who is a clear advocate for NIL & the transfer portal, while the other co-chair (Saban) has spoke out numerous times regarding his disdain for modern day college athletics?. . .The NCAA has taken disciplinary action against five current or former Iowa State football support staff members for combining to make more than 6,200 online bets totaling more than $100,00 on professional & college games, including men's & women's basketball games involving the Iowa State Cyclones - - In a negotiated resolution finalized last week, the five former staff members, acknowledged that they knowingly violated NCAA sports wagering bylaws, and are all subject to a one-year show-cause order through April of 2026. . .The NCAA classified the violations as Level II for the individuals involved, meaning the breaches could compromise the integrity of the NCAA collegiate model. . . - NFL - The infamous Draft Day prank phone call made to Shedeur Sanders will cost the Atlanta Falcons franchise more than just mere embarrassment - - The NFL announced last Wednesday that the league has fined Atlanta $250k and Falcons DC Jeff Ulbrich $100k - - for failing to prevent the disclosure of player confidential information distributed to the club in advance of the 2025 NFL Draft - - But, Guess What?. . .The NFL announced that they are still investigating other prank calls that were made to players during the 2025 NFL Draft, but just to clarify, these prank calls are "unrelated" according to the league, to the call made to Sanders by Jax Ulbrich - - Other players who received prank calls during the NFL Draft include No.3 overall pick Abdul Carter, No.5 overall pick Mason Graham, the Indianapolis Colts' Tyler Warren, Philadelphia Eagles' Kyle McCord & Buffalo Bills' Chase Lundt. . .Q: Is it likely that there will be additional fines imposed by the NFL for these prank calls during the NFL Draft? What safeguards should the league implement to prevent player (or prospect) confidentiality from being breached? Should NFL coaches or assistant coaches be allowed to access such pertient information - even from a league-issued device - from the confines of their home?. . . In an unceremonious end to one of the greatest Ravens careers, Baltimore released kicker Justin Tucker on Monday, parting ways with the NFL's most accurate kicker amid an investigation by the league for sexual misconduct - - The move comes less than two months after team President Sashi Brown said the Ravens would wait on making a decision on Tucker until the NFL finished its investigation - - but the uncertainty about Tucker's future ramped up April 26th when Baltimore made the historic move of selecting kicker Tyler Loop in the sixth round of the NFL Draft - - That marked the first time in the franchise's 30 years that it drafted a kicker - - Tucker, 35, has been accused of misconduct by 16 massage therapists from eight high-end spas & wellness center in the Baltimore area - - Tucker was cut with three years left on a four-year, $22 million contract extension that made him the league's highest-paid kicker at the time. . .Q: What's next for the former Ravens' kicker Justin Tucker?. . .Discuss & Debate: Do you have an issue with NFL rookies, such as high draft picks, requesting or asking a franchise's legendary player(s) to wear/use their jersey number for the upcoming season? Why or why not?. . .Former Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders, who was viewed as one of the top QB prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft, surprised NFL experts, especially Mel Kiper Jr., and most fans when he slid to the fifth round, and was selected with the No.144th pick by the Cleveland Browns - - but it surprised one Colorado fan a little more than the rest - - so much so that he is suing the NFL for $100 million in punitive damages "for the harm caused to the Plaintiff and the impact of the NFL's actions on his emotional wellbeing," according to court documents - - In the lawsuit, "John Doe" says that he is a dedicated fan of the Colorado Buffaloes, and claimed that the reports and "leaked statements" suggesting that Sanders "tanked interviews," "wasn't prepared" and "was too cocky" in the pre-draft process helped create a narrative that "unjustly harmed' his reputation - - Furthermore, that "slanderous statements" caused "emotional distress and trauma to the Plaintiff as a fan and consumer". . .In addition to $100 million, the Plaintiff has requested for a formal acknowledgment from the NFL regarding the emotional distress caused by their actions, a retraction of the slanderous statements made about Sanders and an apology, and implementation of fairer practices in the drafting process to ensure that talented players are recognized & given opportunities based on merit, and finally, that any additional remedies the Court deems appropriate, including compensatory damages. . The Dallas Cowboys made a big splash on Wednesday morning, finalizing a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, to acquire WR George Pickens. . .In exchange, the Cowboys will send a 2026 third-round pick & a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Steelers for Pickens & a 2027 sixth-round pick - - The Cowboys officially have their WR2. . .but. . .Q: Was acquiring George Pickens the answer for Dallas? Did Pittsburgh get enough in return?. - NBA - Atlanta Hawks SG Dyson "The Great Barrier Thief" Daniels has been named the 2024-25 NBA's "Most Improved Player" - - Daniels' emphasis on defense earned him a starting job in his first year in Atlanta & respect from around the league - - Daniels led the NBA with 229 steals, the most since Seattle's Gary Payton, who had 231 in the 1995-96 season. . .Daniels also finished as the runner-up to Cleveland's Evan Mobley in the voting for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. . .Daniels also improved his scoring from 5.8 PPG with New Orleans in 2023-24 to 14.1 with Atlanta, his rebounds from 3.9 to 5.9, and his steals from 1.4 to 3.0 per game. .Basketball Hall of Famer Greg Popovich, 76, will no longer coach the San Antonio Spurs, and is transitioning to a full-time role as the team's President of Basketball Operations - - Mitch Johnson, who was named acting head coach after Popovich suffered a mild stroke back in November, will take over head coaching duties permanently. . .At the press conference on Monday, Popovich made the announcement official while wearing a shirt that read "El Jefe," and made sure that reporters & members of the media knew that they could now refer to him as such - - Popovich is a legend to the league - as he has been an NBA HC for the past 29 seasons, is a 5-time NBA Champion, a 3-time NBA Coach of the Year award winner, led the Spurs to 26 playoff appearances, including 22 straight, and is the winningest coach in NBA history with a recorded 1,422 wins - - but JD would like to say, on behalf of Heat Nation - - "Good Riddance, Sir! It has been an honor, but I will not miss our battles in the NBA Finals!". . .The Indiana Pacers made a big announcement on Friday following last Tuesday's on-court confrontation between Milwaukee Bucks' star Giannis Antetokounmpo & John Haliburtion, the father of Indiana star PG Tyrese Haliburton - - both of which were involved in a heated argument on the court following the Pacers' elimination of the Bucks in Game 5. . .Per ESPN, John Haliburton has been banned from attending Pacers games "for the foreseeable future,". . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding the Pacers' franchise decision to ban John Haliburton from attending games?. . .JD & Spencer provide a detailed analysis & breakdown of the following NBA Playoffs games - some of which from the first round of the Eastern & Western Conference playoffs - and others from the more recent second-round Semifinal round(s) - - the following games are discussed in this Episode: First Round: Game 5: No.3 seed Los Angeles Lakers vs. No.6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves Game 6: No.2 seed Houston Rockets vs. No.7 seed Golden State Warriors Game 7: No.2 seed Houston Rockets vs. No.7 seed Golden State Warriors Game 7: No.4 seed Denver Nuggets vs. No.5 seed Los Angeles Clippers Game 6: No.3 seed New York Knicks vs. No.6 seed Detroit Pistons Second Round: Game 1: No.1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.4 seed Denver Nuggets Game 2: No.1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.4 seed Denver Nuggets Game 1: No.6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No.7 seed Golden State Warriors Game 1: No.1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No.4 seed Indiana Pacers Game 2: No.1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No.4 seed Indiana Pacers Game 1: No.2 seed Boston Celtics vs. No.3 seed New York Knicks Game 2: No.2 seed Boston Celtics vs. No.3 seed New York Knicks Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 85 - “The FU & FAQ Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - MLB: Arizona Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suarez, 33, entered the game on Saturday with a .167 batting average, however, his confidence received a significant boost after connecting on a 93.8-mph fastball by Braves starting pitcher, Grant Holmes, in the second inning that would lead to a 418-foot HR; this was just the beginning for Suarez, who had himself a historic evening last Saturday - - Suarez became just the 19th player in Major League Baseball history to hit four home runs in a single game - - but unfortunately for Suarez, his team is dumpster fire on a 110 degree day - and the Diamondbacks became just the second franchise since the year 1900 to have a player hit four dingers out of the park and still find a way for the team to lose the game - - The D'backs would go on to lose the game versus the Atlanta Braves, 8-7, in extra innings (10) at Chase Field. . .Q: Throughout MLB history, there have only been nineteen (19) other players in the league who have hit four HR's in a single game. . .How long do you think it will be before an MLB player breaks that record & hits five HRs in a single game?. . .**Let Us Know What You Think. . .Share Your Thoughts with us via X - @Traditionfinest OR by email at [email protected]!. . . - NCAA: News & Storylines: NCAA College Basketball - Five-star recruit, Alijah Arenas, the son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, was placed in an induced coma after he was involved in a serious car crash in the Los Angeles area early last Thursday morning, as was first reported by ESPN. . .According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, Arenas was involved in a single-vehicle crash in a suburb of San Fernando Valley shortly before 5 a.m. on Thursday morning - - the lone vehicle involved was determined to be a Tesla Cybertruck that crashed into a tree/fire hydrant, which contributed to the fire & smoke - and the driver, according to LAFD, was transported to the local hospital by ambulance & was in a "serious condition.". . Prior to his accident, and according to On3 Sports and ESPN's Class of 2025 rankings for high school basketball recruits across the country, Arenas was the No.13 overall recruit after reclassifying in December, and then committing to HC Eric Musselman & the USC Trojans a month later. . .According to his family, the day after the incident occurred, Arenas, 18, had displayed "significant signs of progress within the last 24 hours," - - Prayers Up for Alijah Arenas & his family! - - Our hope is that Arenas will continue to recover, and that we are able to watch him play for the Trojans next season. . .One of the top - and possibly the oldest (25) - college basketball players in the NCAA transfer portal, Chad Baker-Mazara, announced on Monday that he has committed to play for the USC Trojans in the 2025-26 NCAA College Basketball season. . .A 6-foot-7-inch forward, Baker-Mazara, has also displayed the tangibles necessary to play at the guard position - after averaging 12.3 PPG & a team-high 1.2 steals per game last season while starting in 34 of 38 games for HC Bruce Pearl & the Auburn Tigers as they made an impressive run to the NCAA Final Four - - Baker-Mazara, who earned 3rd-team All-SEC honors in 2024-25, was second on the team in scoring, trailing only 1st-team All-America PF/C Johni Broome - - His decision to leave Auburn & to subsequently enter into the NCAA transfer portal was somewhat of a surprise as his grit, physicality & belief in the Tigers' program, was put on display the past few seasons - but Baker-Mazara mince words or hold back from revealing his excitement via social media by posting "Dreams turned into reality!!" and "Let's go to work!" shortly after the news was made official. . ."Ballin' Like His Daddy:" Per ESPN, Cal University transfer Andrej Stojakovic, the son of former NBA 3-point extraordinaire, Peja Stojakovic, and one of the best available players in the NCAA transfer portal - also announced his commitment on Monday - electing to transfer to Illinois over North Carolina & Stanford, where he began his collegiate career. . .Stojakovic averaged 17.9 PPG and 4.7 RPG this past season with the Golden Bears - but he finished the season by averaging 33.0 PPG in two ACC Conference Tournament games, where he shot 7-for-13 from beyond the arc in both contests. . .Q: Of these two transfers - - Chad Baker-Mazara (USC) & Andrej Stojakovic (Illinois) - - Which of the two players will most likely play a significant role with their new program?. . .It was announced on Monday evening that NBA great Shaquille O'Neal has agreed to become the General Manager for the Sacramento State Hornets Men's Basketball team - - As first reported per ESPN, this will be an unpaid role for O'Neal, whose son Shaqir O'Neal, recently transferred from Florida A&M University to Sacramento State, shortly after the hiring of the program's new head coach, Mike Bibby. . . Q: What are your thoughts on Shaquille O'Neal becoming the GM at Sacramento State? Do you think this hire could potentially affect the NCAA & their decision to accept the University's waiver, allowing Sacramento State to become a NCAA Division-I program?. . . - NBA - JD & Spencer provide a detailed analysis of the games played in the first round of the NBA Playoffs - and breakdown each individual game & discuss their predictions as we get closer to the Semifinal round. . . The following NBA Playoff games are discussed in this episode: Games 3 & 4: OKC Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies Game 4: Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Clippers Games 3 & 4: Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets Games 3: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Games 3 & 4: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat Game 4: New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons Game 4: Indiana Pacers vs. Milwaukee Bucks Game 4: Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic - NFL - The 2025 NFL Draft was the 90th annual meeting of NFL franchises to select newly eligible players - with the majority being players from the collegiate level. . .This year's draft was held at Lambeau Field and its adjacent Titletown District in Green Bay, WI, on April 24th through April 26th. . .No surprise with No.1 overall pick in the NFL Draft - as the Tennessee Titans selected QB Cam Ward out of the University of Miami - - Ward became the first University of Miami player selected with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft since 1991. . .The Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to acquire the No.2 overall pick from the Cleveland Browns on Thursday (or opening) night of the NFL Draft, and selected two-way star WR/CB Travis Hunter out of the University of Colorado - - The trade moved the Browns down three spots, and would make their selection at the No.5 overall spot - - However, this trade can only be discussed in terms of its boldness: Moving up three spots in his first NFL Draft with the team is a "bold move, Cotton" for first-time GM James Gladstone, who is the second-youngest GM in NFL history (34). . . Q: Shortly after making the draft pick, Gladstone stated that the plan is to start Hunter on offense and work him in on the defensive side of the ball as he grows more comfortable, what are your thoughts regarding the GM's stance & notion of how he will utilize Hunter's unique skill set? Do you believe that Hunter can "play both ways" in the NFL? Is it a legitimate possibility that we may witness a two-way star player, such as Travis Hunter, be inducted into the HOF for his offensive (WR) & defensive (CB) play?. . .Let's skip the next few picks & swing on over to the No.6 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft: With the No.6 overall pick, the Las Vegas Raiders selected Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty on Thursday night, which became the franchise's first pick under new HC Pete Carroll & GM John Spytek - - By drafting Jeanty, Spytek indicated the team has a strong foundation in place on offense with TE Brock Bowers, WR Jakobi Meyers & newly-acquired QB Geno Smith - - Jeanty was regarded by many scouts to be one of the top players in this draft class after having a historic season with Boise State in 2024, where he was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy award, and he also scored 29 TDs & had six games where he rushed for at least 200 rushing yards - - This guy has a very high ceiling. . .Jeanty became the first RB selected within the first six picks of the NFL Draft since Saquon Barkley was drafted by the New York Giants - - and accordingly, his pro comp according to Matt Miller of ESPN, is Alvin Kamara - - Furthermore, Jeanty has also acknowledged after being selected the Raiders that he has always "admired" former Seahawks/Raiders RB Marshawn "Beast Mode" Lynch. . .Q: Which of these three RBs can we expect Ashton Jeanty's career to be comparable too (i.e., Barkley, Kamara & Lynch)?. . .*Be sure to tune into this Episode as JD & Spencer discuss their favorite picks from the first round, including those players selected between the No.7 overall pick and the No.24 overall player - - Note: Players from the SEC & Big Ten Conference(s) accounted for 26 of the 32 picks in the first round of the NFL Draft. . .With No.25 overall pick, the New York Giants. . ."shocked" ESPN draft analyst & expert, Mel Kiper Jr. . . and the sports world when they elected to pass on projected first-round pick & QB Shedeur Sanders - - The Giants would draft Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart with the No. 25 overall pick, where he will join a revamped QB room that includes the perceived starter in Russell Wilson, backup Jameis Winston & Mr. Italian, himself, in Tommy DeVito - who may now be the odd-man out. . .Q: While it's presumed that the Giants depth chart at the QB position to start the 2025-26 NFL season will be as follows: 1. Russ, 2. Jameis, 3.Dart - - Who do you predict will be the New York Giants starting QB by the end of next season?. . . One of the most significant storylines surrounding this year's NFL Draft concerned which NFL franchise would use their pick to draft QB Shedeur Sanders - - as well as in what round will this selection occur. . .Certainly, one could argue that the highlight of the weekend involved Shedeur Sanders' dramatic dropoff & slide from a potential first-round draft pick to the fifth round - - although ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., who is a regular on the panel of each year's draft, projected Shedeur to be drafted in the first round. . .As mentioned, Shedeur's name was not called in the first, second, third or fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft - - In fact, his surprising slide would not come to an end until Saturday or Day 3 of the draft: In the fifth round, the Cleveland Browns traded up with the Seattle Seahawks to select the QB with the No.144 overall pick, which made Shedeur the second QB (and second-straight) that Cleveland had drafted this weekend (i.e., also drafted Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel with the No.94 overall pick). . .Q: What particular factors do you think contributed to QB Shedeur Sanders sliding from a projected first-round pick to the fifth round?. . .Sanders was the 6th QB taken in this year's NFL Draft, following Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe & Dillon Gabriel. . .As Shedeur continued to slide down the NFL Draft board, it was quite evident that tension was building up on the ESPN set, among members of the panel, especially with ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr - - Once Shedeur was selected with the No.144 overall pick, the tension that had been building on set in Green Bay, WI finally combusted - - Kiper Jr. could not hide his "disgust" with the NFL for allowing his top-ranked QB in the 2025 NFL Draft to slip into Day 3. . .He continued by making such remarks as "This is not about 'Can you play the position?' This is about 'Do we want you to play the position for us?"' - - Fellow analyst & panel member, Louis Riddick, would, in some aspects, go on to debate over the 'competency' of NFL franchises & their scouts' abilities to evaluate QBs - - After a heated argument, finally, host Rece Davis put a bow on the conversation & the analysts would attempt to return to discussing the players selected - - during the Kiper-Riddick argument, there was a total of seven prospects that were drafted and/or came off the board during the chaos. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding Mel Kiper Jr.'s on-screen rant about QB Shedeur Sanders & the NFL's ability to evaluate QBs coming into the league?. . .but Wait! There's more. . .On Day 2 of his slide in the 2025 NFL Draft, on Friday, Shedeur Sanders received a phone call - allegedly from the GM of the New Orleans Saints - as he waited anxiously to learn which NFL team would select him - - What's the Catch?. . .It was a "prank call" - - Shortly after the incident occurred, the NFL announced that the league would be probing how the prank callers were able to obtain Shedeur Sanders phone number to prank call him during the draft - - Then, just like that, the mystery was solved: On Sunday, it was revealed the Atlanta Falcons DC Jeff Ulbrich's 21-year-old son, Jax, was behind the prank call after coming across the phone number for Sanders' special draft phone on an open & unlocked iPad - - The Atlanta Falcons released a statement explaining the situation & offered their "sincere apologies" to Sanders & his family - - The culprit, Jax Ulbrich, in the meantime, posted a lengthy statement via his Instagram account, where he apologized to Sanders & thanked him for "accepting his call" earlier that morning - - The Falcons said in their statement that Jax Ulbrich "unintentionally came across" the number for Sanders' draft phone, and that Falcons DC Jeff Ulbrich was "unaware" about both the leak & the prank call until after the fact. .In the seventh round of the NFL Draft, and with the No.231 pick, the Miami Dolphins selected Texas QB Quinn Ewers, who as expected, will compete with QB Zach Wilson, who was signed by the Dolphins in free agency, for the team's backup QB role this summer - - Unfortunately for Quinn, he could have made approximately $8M in NIL earnings throughout the 2025 NCAA football season if he would have elected to enter the NCAA transfer portal & transferred to a different program (i.e.,possibly Notre Dame?) and play elsewhere - - However, after he made the decision to turn pro, which would lead to him being selected in the seventh round of the NFL Draft, he is now expected to make approximately $800k in yearly earnings - - One word: OUCH!. . .In the 2025 NFL Draft, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" went to Kobee Minor, a defensive back from Memphis, who was selected with the final pick (i.e., No.257 overall) in the seventh or final round of the draft by the New England Patriots. . .Following the 2025 NFL Draft, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. provided an overall grade to the 32 draft classes using his own "Big Board" rankings & positional grades - - Of course, the Cleveland Browns (aka "the NFL franchise that drafted QB Shedeur Sanders) were the only NFL team that received an "A+" grade, while the Seattle Seahawks received an "A" draft grade - and finally, theNew England Patriots, New York Giants, and the Philadelphia Eagles, the reigning Super Bowl Champions, received an overall grade of "A-". . .The Cleveland Browns reached an agreement on a one-year contract with free agent WR Diontae Johnson, a source confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday evening. . .Q: After a troubled 2024 season for Johnson, is Cleveland "the answer" for WR Diontae Johnson?. . . - FAQ or Q&A Segment - JD & Spencer compiled a series of mostly sports-related questions for them to discuss & debate; They did not discuss the Questions prior to the recording of this episode so their answers are, in fact, independent of one another and are legitimate. JD & Spencer provide their individual responses and discuss & debate the following questions in the final segment of this Episode: 1. What is the most unbreakable record in sports? 2. Could the best college team (i.e., National Champions) defeat the worst professional team? 3. Should Pete Rose, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa & Barry Bonds be allowed into the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame? Why or Why not? 4. NCAA College Football: BCS or Playoffs? 5. Who is your favorite athlete of all time? 6. A Non-Sports Hypothetical Question: Could 100 men defeat a single gorilla in a fight?. . . Thanks for Listening!