Jamal About Sports

On April 27, 2026, Jamal Hayden recaps a Knicks’ must-win Game 4 that tied their series with the Hawks 2–2, praising Karl-Anthony Towns’ 20-point triple-double, OG Anunoby’s finishing and shooting, Josh Hart’s defense, and key bench minutes while criticizing Jalen Brunson’s turnovers/hero ball and Mikal Bridges’ struggles and late-game benching; he notes Atlanta’s pressure, coaching adjustments by Mike Brown, and the series shifting back to MSG.   Around the NBA, he highlights Magic leading Pistons 2–1, Spurs–Portland competitiveness with Wembanyama’s dominant stat line and OKC/San Antonio as West favorites, Celtics’ inconsistency yet blowout of the Sixers, Rockets extending a strange series vs. a vulnerable Lakers roster, and Toronto tying Cleveland 2–2, calling the playoffs competitive and the play-in “wonky” but effective. He then grades the NFL draft, praising Cowboys, Eagles, and Ravens, approving Giants’ picks (including pass-rush and OL focus), critiquing the Jets’ trade-up for Cade Klubnik while liking their early selections, and detailing the Lions’ additions (Blake Miller, Derrick Moore, Jimmy Rolder, a small ASU CB, and a Kentucky WR trade-up).   He closes with MLB turmoil: the Red Sox firing Alex Cora despite his track record, criticizing GM Craig Breslow and roster decisions, then blasting the Mets after a Rockies sweep and prolonged losing trend, questioning analytics-driven lineup choices and roster construction under Steve Cohen/David Stearns, and arguing Mendoza should be fired so the Mets can hire Cora.     00:00 Show Open and Rundown 01:07 Knicks Collapse in Game 3 02:54 Game 4 Blueprint 04:08 Brunson and Bridges Under Fire 08:41 Knicks Adjustments and Defense 09:32 Home Court and Game 5 Outlook 15:29 Around the NBA Playoffs 17:03 Spurs Surge and West Picture 21:37 Celtics Sixers and Rockets Lakers 27:20 Draft Recap Begins 27:42 Cowboys Eagles Ravens Winners 29:46 Eagles Draft Praise 30:33 Ravens Hit Needs 30:50 Giants Edge Debate 32:18 Giants O Line Fix 34:07 Jets Draft Philosophy 37:03 Jets Late Trade Critique 37:50 Lions Tackle Plan 38:26 Lions Trade Up Logic 41:26 Lions Secondary Depth 44:21 Red Sox Fire Cora 47:32 Mets Swept By Rockies 51:16 Mets Roster Mismanagement 01:00:19 Fire Mendoza Hire Cora

On the April 21, 2026 episode of Jamal About Sports (sponsored by South River Watch Company), Jamal welcomes back longtime guest Aaron Green to preview Thursday’s NFL Draft and vent about New York sports.   They open with a frustrating Knicks playoff loss, criticizing Jalen Brunson’s hero ball and poor shooting, OG Anunoby’s missed dunk and free throws, Karl-Anthony Towns disappearing in the fourth, ineffective bench minutes from Deuce McBride and Landry Shamet, Mikal Bridges’ inconsistency, Mike Brown’s rotations, and Knicks fans provoking CJ McCollum.   They then rip the Mets’ roster construction and defensive misalignment under David Stearns, complain about an 11-game losing streak, Devin Williams’ shaky closing, and discuss possible manager Carlos Mendoza hot-seat pressure, plus brief Yankees/Aaron Boone gripes. They close with draft principles (avoid trading up, top-10 tight ends, injury/character risks, and overvaluing traits), Cowboys and Lions draft targets/avoids, and a plug for the series Andor.   00:00 Show Intro and Sponsor 00:34 Aaron Green Returns 01:50 Big Show Preview 03:30 Knicks Collapse Reaction 04:44 Brunson Hero Ball 08:25 OG and Kat Disappear 10:48 Bench Unit Meltdown 14:05 Bridges Vanishes Again 15:41 MSG Villain Talk 19:06 Series Outlook and Coaching 22:56 Mets Misery Begins 23:19 Stearns Roster Critique 25:46 Alonso McNeil Nimmo Fallout 31:13 Manager Hot Seat Talk 33:54 Yankees Boone Rant 35:41 Yankees Early Season Notes 36:34 Yankees Third Base Woes 37:26 Ex Players Revenge Tour 38:47 Early Season Slumps 40:27 From Baseball To Draft 40:49 Draft Class Strengths 41:39 Darren Woodson Rant 44:06 Draft Rules And Red Flags 49:03 Tape Over Traits 51:34 Cowboys First Round Avoids 55:49 Cowboys Targets At 12 59:49 Lions Draft Fears 01:05:24 Lions Ideal Picks 01:08:07 Wrap Up Andor Plug

On the April 14, 2026 episode of “Jamal About Sports,” Jamal Hayden leads with Rory McIlroy winning back-to-back Masters titles, joining rare company and bringing his major total to six; he argues McIlroy could realistically reach eight to ten majors and breaks down Rory’s rollercoaster final round, key birdies, late composure at 18, and CBS’s confusing coverage.   Jamal then launches into an angry critique of the Mets’ 7–10 start, calling the roster moves and leadership (including David Stearns and Carlos Mendoza) disastrous, citing poor lineup decisions, lack of offense, pitching issues, Juan Soto’s impact, Francisco Lindor’s mistakes/slow start, and even criticizing the decision to retire Carlos Beltran’s number.   He closes with the Knicks finishing as the East’s 3-seed (53 wins) and previewing a difficult first-round series vs. the Hawks, emphasizing the need for Brunson-Towns action, stronger play from Towns and Bridges, bench contributions, and criticizing the NBA’s resting culture and loss of local first-round broadcasts.     00:00 Show Intro and Lineup 00:23 Rory Goes Back to Back 01:37 Why Winning Golf Is Brutal 03:47 Sunday Rollercoaster Charge 06:32 CBS Coverage Complaints 07:32 Rory the Player and Legacy 10:33 Stop Chasing the Next Tiger 12:59 Masters Vibes and Wrap 13:58 Mets Rant Begins 16:02 Offseason Moves No Plan 19:18 Ugly Start and Bad Bats 20:53 Stearns Track Record Slam 21:46 Soto Sparks Mets Malaise 22:35 Lindor Mental Mistakes 24:06 Lineup Chaos Analytics 26:32 Peterson And Rotation Woes 27:38 Questioning Offseason Moves 30:02 Beltran Number Retirement Rant 34:18 Knicks Hawks Playoff Preview 37:08 Bench Depth And Pressure 39:29 NBA Broadcast And Tanking Gripes 41:19 Wrap Up And Sign Off

Host Jamal Hayden recaps Michigan winning the men’s national championship over UConn, praising Dusty May’s team balance and noting May’s roots as a Bob Knight-era Indiana student manager, while criticizing UConn women’s coach Geno Auriemma for a classless postgame accusation after South Carolina snapped UConn’s winning streak.   He also discusses former Nuggets title coach Mike Malone taking the UNC job, viewing it as a pro-style hire amid NIL and the transfer portal. Turning to the NBA, Jamal assesses the Knicks’ final three games and playoff positioning, argues the Mike Brown era hasn’t improved the team, and cites regression from Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges despite a key win over a hot Hawks team powered by late Jalen Brunson.   In MLB, he critiques the Mets’ roster construction and lineup decisions, defends Mark Vientos as the in-house first-base answer, and notes strong early starting pitching and bullpen results despite inconsistent offense and a Soto calf injury.   00:00 Show Intro and Rundown 00:31 Michigan Wins It All 01:49 UConn Coach and Final Thoughts 03:07 Dusty May Manager Roots 05:51 Geno’s Postgame Blowup 06:57 Winning Excuses Bad Behavior 10:49 Mike Malone Takes UNC Job 13:06 Knicks Coaching and Offense 15:35 Playoff Seeding and Schedule 19:59 Towns and Bridges Regression 23:10 Dolan’s Finals or Bust Dilemma 25:45 Knicks Beat Hawks 27:11 Brunson Fourth Quarter 28:48 Knicks Red Flags 31:46 Record Versus Elite 33:01 Mets Early Worries 34:41 Vientos First Base Case 37:33 Roster Construction Rant 43:20 Pitching Bright Spots 45:33 Lineup Fixes Wanted 48:25 Wrap Up And Next Shows

On March 30, 2026, Jamal and guest Chuck Gore cover multiple sports stories, starting with Hamilton College’s Division III ice hockey team upsetting undefeated Hobart 2–1 in overtime to win the NCAA championship.   They then break down UConn’s dramatic comeback win over Duke, including Duke’s late mistake, Dan Hurley’s antics, broadcast reactions, and Final Four picks (UConn-Illinois and Michigan-Arizona; they project Michigan vs UConn or Arizona vs UConn). They discuss college basketball’s declining fan experience due to one-and-done and the transfer portal, then pivot to golf: Tiger Woods’ latest vehicular incident and enabling, plus Gary Woodland’s Houston Open win after brain surgery and mental health struggles, and LPGA standout Hyo Joo Kim beating Nelly Korda again.   They vent about MLB opening the season midweek on Netflix, touch on early Mets/Yankees notes, and finish with the Philadelphia 76ers’ late-season surge, Paul George’s suspension return, Embiid’s health, and playoff positioning.   00:00 Show intro and rundown 00:45 Hamilton hockey stuns Hobart 02:58 UConn Duke instant classic 05:07 Duke villains and memories 09:43 Final shot breakdown 11:50 Final Four picks and bracket talk 12:37 Is college hoops broken 16:15 Tiger latest crash talk 23:51 Gary Woodland comeback win 25:58 LPGA streak and Nelly chase 27:38 MLB Opening Day Rant 29:41 Streaming Subscription Spiral 30:56 Yankees Off Day Weirdness 32:21 Early Season Overreactions 34:31 Mets Bullpen Mismanagement 36:17 Booing and Media Narratives 38:15 Bad Baserunning Decision 39:52 Sauna Phillies Viewing 40:41 Sixers Playoff Push 46:22 Knicks Not Contenders 48:11 Coaching Diversity Detour 51:56 Sixers Schedule Predictions 54:51 Final Wrap and Plugs

On the March 10, 2026 episode of “Jamal About Sports,” Jamal dedicates the show to his late parents, describing how his stepfather Jim Hayden introduced him to football and made him a Lions fan, then outlines the show’s contrarian, humorous approach.   He argues free agency is overrated versus drafting and developing, then lists five favorite NFL moves (including the Bengals adding Boye Mafe and Brian Cook, the Lions signing center Cade Mays, Joseph Ossai to the Jets, and Coby Bryant to the Bears) and five worst (including the Panthers’ Jalen Phillips deal, Raiders paying Tyler Linderbaum, and other costly signings).   He blasts the Lions for signing Isaiah Pacheco despite bigger roster needs. He reverses his stance on the World Baseball Classic, highlights strong rosters (especially the Dominican Republic), and offers Mets lineup/rotation predictions. He criticizes the Knicks’ recent play, praises the Spurs, and picks Celtics vs Spurs for the NBA Finals.   00:00 Show Intro and Dedication 00:40 How Lions Made a Fan 02:26 What This Show Is 03:20 Free Agency Reality Check 06:02 Five Best Signings 10:26 Cade Mays and PFF Rant 16:41 Jets and Bears Pickups 18:30 Five Worst Signings 25:15 Lions Sign Pacheco 30:09 Lions Tight End Depth 30:51 Montgomery Replacement Debate 32:08 Replacing Roy Lopez 34:26 Budget Secondary Targets 36:13 WBC Change Of Heart 37:05 Dominican Roster Breakdown 39:27 Venezuela And Puerto Rico 41:42 WBC Finals And Injury Risk 43:19 Mets Lineup And RF Battle 46:01 June Roster Predictions 48:25 Knicks Red Flags 56:00 Spurs To The Finals 58:01 Wrap Up And Sign Off

Host Jamal welcomes guest Chuck Gora, a diehard Philadelphia sports fan and former Division III football player, and opens with a note of respect for coach Lou Holtz.    They recap NFL combine takeaways centered on unprecedented speed, discuss several prospects (including Ohio State standouts, tight ends like Kenan Sadiq, and quarterbacks Ty Simpson and Garrett Nussmeier), and touch on rumors around Stefon Diggs. The conversation shifts to the Rams trading for Trent McDuffie and the Lions dealing David Montgomery to Houston for picks and lineman Juice Scruggs, with concerns about Detroit’s direction. In MLB, they debate the World Baseball Classic’s injury risk and limited U.S. interest, then discuss Phillies optimism, a Phillies–Mets bet, and Mets roster “what ifs” versus the Dodgers’ payroll advantage. They close with NBA finals predictions, praising the Thunder and Celtics, questioning the Knicks, and discussing the Cavs and Sixers.

This week: This version of the USA Hockey team is nothing like the miracle on ice team, the Knicks are still in search of consistency, and some news and notes from the world of Golf.  

This week: We break down the Eastern and Western conference leaders in the NBA; the commissioner pretends to care about the tanking problem, and my 3 keys to the Knicks playoff success.

This week: The Super Bowl goes the way I thought it would, the Knicks make a savvy trade, and the Mets are hoping, not planning on 2026 being a good year. And we have our first official sponsor!

This week: The NFL coaching carousel for this year might be over, but I discuss which teams might be looking for a new HC next year; the NFL draft is deep with OL and DL prospects, the Knicks have righted the ship, and why trading for Giannis makes no sense for the Knicks.

This week: The Pats and Seattle are in the Super Bowl; the NFL coaching carousel marches on, then Knicks still have issues, and the Mets off-season has left more questions than answers

This Week: NFL Playoff talk, the NFL coaching Carousel is bigger than ever, I rank the best jobs from best to worst, and the Knicks are playing some awful basketball.

This week: I go 4-1 in my predictions, I still am not buying the Bears, coaches need to kick FG's, and Indiana is one of the most improbable turnarounds in college football history

This Week: The Lions finish on a high note, the Ravens lose a heartbreaker, I make my pics for Wild Card weekend, and make a NY Giants HC suggestion.

This week: The Lions have 3 things they need to do this off-season to return to prominence, it's a big week 18 in the NFL, the CFP final four is set, and the Knicks might be building a bench

This week: The Lions playoff hopes are dashed, the CFP's opening week was meh, the Knicks are rolling, and the Mets and David Stearns have lots of work to do.

This week: Where is the Dan Campbell we know and love, the NFL playoff picture comes into focus, and some Knicks/NBA talk.

This week: What happened to the Dan Campbell we knew and loved, the NFL playoff picture comes into focus, and observations from the NBA

This week: The Lions answer the bell, the NFL Playoff picture is wide open, Notre Dame should stop whining, and the Mets and David Stearns have a lot of work to do.

This week: The Lions and Dan Campbell face real adversity and are at a crossroads, the CFP needs fixing, and some Mets hot stove talk.

This week: Dan Campbell and the Lions face a crossroads, the CFP needs fixing, and Mets hot stove.

This week: The Lions survive an OT thriller, setting up a huge Thanksgiving day against the Packers and other observations from week 12. Plus, Lane Kiffin should stay at Ole Miss, and my NBA sleepers are off to hot starts

This week: Dan Campbell shows why he's one of the best coaches in the NFL, the Giants fire Daboll but keep Schoen, The Jets make good trades, my top 3 NFL MVP candidates, plus other observations from week 10.

This week: Dan Campbell shows why he's one of the best coaches in the NFL, the Giants fire Daboll, the Jets make two good trades, and other observations from week 10 in the NFL

This Week: The Lions get punched in the mouth, the Steelers flex some muscle, Green Bay has a bad home loss, and the Bears/Bengals game was bananas. Plus; the World Series including game 7 was one for the ages, and Mike Brown and the Knicks need time to grow.

This week: The Giants can't catch a break, the Jets get their first win, we go around the NFL, the NBA's gambling problem is self inflicted, and the World Series has been fun

This week: The Giants can't afford break, the Jets win their first game, we go around the NFL, the NBA has a gambling problem, and the World Series has been fun

This week: The Lions no name defense dominates Tamp Bay, the Giants lose an all time heartbreaker, the Jets offense is historically bad, and the new look Knicks look great.

This week: The Lions keep it rolling, Jets fans need to be patient with Aaron Glenn, and other news and observations from week 5 in the NFL.

This week: The Lions keep it rolling, Jets fans need to be patient, and other news and observations from week 5 in the NFL.

On this week's show I examine the Lions 3-1 start one what went wrong with the Mets and the reasons for their collapse