Sports With Friends

This episode focuses on Major League Baseball, as the traditional Opening Day is set for shortly after this show's release. Despite having two games in Japan, most teams start now amidst a changing sports climate. The A's and Rays are playing this season in minor league ballparks. 10 teams are having their games broadcast and produced by MLB. Payroll disparity is at an all-time high. Despite this, attendance was up last season, and the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees drew fantastic ratings. Scott Miller has covered MLB for 30 years. For years, he wrote for CBS Sports and Bleacher Report. He is a frequent contributor to MLB Network Radio on Sirius/XM as well as San Diego Padres broadcasts. In this episode, Miller discusses the pending labor contract expiration and the ramifications of that. He also talked about the Rays and A's stadium dilemma,s offering potential solutions.

Elliott Kalb is a 13-time Sports Emmy winner as a writer/producer/researcher/editor. He is a noted sports historian and storyteller (known nationally as “Mr. Stats”). Kalb covered 16 Super Bowls, 18 World Series, 13 NBA Finals, and 7 Olympics games. Kalb was an Editorial Consultant for NBC Sports for first 12 years of Football Night in America, a writer for HBO's “Inside the NFL” from 1990-2008, and Senior Editorial Director for MLB Network from 2008-2020. He is the author of five books including “Who's Better, Who's Best in Baseball” and “Who's Better, Who's Best in Basketball.” In this episode, Kalb tells stories from his illustrious career. He tells extensive stories about covering Michael Jordan. He worked with Marv Albert, Bob Costas, Brent Musburger, Vin Scully, and tells stories about them and more. He also offers his unique insight on what coverage of the Olympics, baseball, basketball, and the NFL look like and what the future holds.

Commemorating Women's History Month in March 2025, media mogul Jessica Robertson joined the show. She is a co-founder and chief content officer of Togethxr, a media and commerce company founded by four of the world's greatest athletes: Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel, and Sue Bird. In 2023, Togethxr was named one of Fast Company's ten most innovative companies in sports and won Media Company of the Year in the 2023 DigiDay Media Awards. Robertson was the head of content at the Players' Tribune from 2015-2020 before joining Togethxr. Togethxr has published a new book entitled “Play It Forward: How Women are Changing Sports to Change the World.” The book is a collection of short stories profiling outstanding women athletes and their journey to stardom. In this episode, Robertson discusses her journey to Togethxr, and the origin of the book idea. She discusses the growth of women's sports and the indicators that certain sports continue to grow. She talks about athletes building their brands and how social media can still help them. She looks to recent ratings success as a springboard for larger platforms for female athletes. She also comments on the role of female broadcasters and how women are embracing new opportunities and still fighting for others. Check out Play it Forward here: https://bit.ly/43C8Qve

In late February, ESPN announced that after the 2025 season, it is forgoing the remaining three years of its current contract. MLB responded by ripping the network, saying it has covered baseball less and less over the years. ESPN paid $550 million per season, and baseball will attempt to replace the upcoming lost revenue by replacing it with other networks and digital app opportunities. Eric Fisher is making his second appearance on the show. He last appeared in Episode 421 to discuss various topics in sports business. This time, he focused on the MLB-ESPN break-up and the fallout from it. He also discussed the baseball impact of the recent shakeup in Regional Sports Networks and how some teams broadcasts are being produced by MLB. Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code SPORTSWITHFRIENDS at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: http://incogni.com/sportswithfriends.

In lieu of an All-Star Game, the National Hockey League hosted a unique international tournament over 10 days in February 2025. It featured the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Finland. It was played under a political controversy in which President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada advocated for Canada to be the 51st state of the US and called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a governor. During the USA-Canada Round Robin game, Canadian fans booed the US National Anthem. That game featured three fights in the first 9 seconds. The action was truly best-on-best, and the NHL's top players rose to the occasion. Canada defeated the US in the championship game and took the trophy. Dan Rosen covers the NHL for NHL.com and is making his second appearance on the podcast (Episode 339). In this episode, Rosen depicts what it was like to be there in person. He addressed how the league came up with this tournament and the future of international hockey. He also discussed the political overtones during the tournament. He also assessed the final “stretch run” of the 2024-2025 hockey season.

The New York Sirens are a charter member of the 3-year-old Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). After two seasons in Connecticut, the Sirens play the majority of their home games at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Lauren Williams is an assistant coach for the Sirens. Prior to joining the staff of the Sirens, she coached at Stonehill College (2022–23) and Mount Royal University (2023–24). She previously played 3 years in the PWHPA (2019–22) after spending one year with the Worcester Blades of the CWHL (2018–19), having been drafted first overall. She is an alumna of the Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey program, where she made the Frozen Four all four seasons. In this episode, Williams explains the differences between women's hockey and men's and discusses the growth of the PWHL. She explains the daily life challenges that players may face and how the league has made it conducive for players to join. She comments on her transition from being a player to a coach. Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code SPORTSWITHFRIENDS at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: http://incogni.com/sportswithfriends.

Jon Wilner has been covering college sports for decades and is an AP top-25 football and basketball voter, as well as a Heisman Trophy voter. In addition to being a writer for the Mercury News, he hosts a podcast called Canzano and Wilner with Jonh Canzano. He also appears on various radio stations across the country, specifically KJR Radio in Seattle. He was named Beat Writer of the Year in 2013 by the Football Writers Association of America for his coverage of the Pac-12, won first place for feature writing in 2016 in the Associated Press Sports Editors writing contest, and is a five-time APSE honoree. In this episode, Wilner recaps the recent debut season of the 12-team College Football Playoff. He also talked about the revamped Big 10 and SEC and how they dominate the college landscape with strong media deals. He also speaks in detail about the rebuilding of the Pac-12, with Washington State and Oregon State as centerpieces. He discusses the move of Standford and California Universities to the ACC and debates the possibility of the ACC growing or shrinking significantly. Finally, he discusses a potential “super league” involving college football elite programs and the domino effect it would have on all of college athletics. Find Jon's written work and his podcast at www.wilnerhotline.com.

Super Bowl 59 features a rematch between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. Miguel Gurwitz will be calling the Super Bowl on Telemundo. It's his first time calling a Super Bowl, but he has been a play-by-play for many sports over many years. Gurwitz was named Thursday Night Football en Español's play-by-play announcer in August 2022. He has been the play-by-play announcer for The Open Championship from 2017 to 2022, has covered the FIFA World Cup (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018), Summer Olympics (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020), the Winter Olympics (2002 and 2006), Super Bowl (2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022), MLB World Series (2018), Copa América (2004, 2007 and 2011), five Copa de Oro tournaments, the FIFA Confederations Cup, the Indy Light series, NASCAR, the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, pre-Olympic qualifying tournaments, and the Goodwill Games, among others. Before joining NBC Telemundo, Gurwitz spent more than 18 years at Televisa Deportes, where he served as host and analyst for a wide variety of programs and was the correspondent and commentator for coverage of the Mexican National Team for 15 years. In this episode, Gurwitz talks about his long journey in sports broadcasting and all the sports he calls. He tells his unique reason for starting his broadcasting career. He also previewed the Super Bowl matchup between Philadelphia and Kansas City.

On Sunday, January 26, 2025, the Philadelphia Eagles clinched their 3rd Super Bowl since 2017 with a 55-23 victory over the Washington Commanders. The Eagles will play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59 on February 9th. Merrill Reese has been the play-by-play voice of the Philadelphia Eagles since 1977. Earlier this season he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame by winning the Pete Rozelle Radio-TV Award. He is synonymous with the Eagles and discussed the incredible run by this 2024-2025 Eagles team. In this episode, Reese explained how this season differs from the two recent Super Bowl teams. He also explained how he gets as excited now for Eagles' games as he did in 1977. He discussed the incredible job General Manager Howie Roseman did in putting this roster together. He focused on the acquisition of running back Saquon Barkley. Reese also discussed coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts. Finally, he sized up the matchup between Philadelphia and Kansas City, who are aiming to “three-peat” as Super Bowl champions.

The feature film Unstoppable is the true story of Anthony Robles, who became an NCAA Champion despite significant social challenges and having only one leg. A model of what determination and hard work can achieve, Anthony's story is an inspiration for everyone. The film is based on a book Robles wrote along with Austin Murphy. The film features an all-star ensemble cast including Jharrel Jerome, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña with Don Cheadle, and Jennifer Lopez. With the unwavering love and support of his devoted mother Judy (Jennifer Lopez) and the encouragement of his coaches, Anthony fights through adversity to earn a spot on the Arizona State Wrestling team. But it will demand everything he has, physically and mentally, to achieve his ultimate quest to become an NCAA Champion. In this episode, Robles explains his thoughts about seeing what he wrote in the book become a feature film. He discusses the issues his family faced, and how the film is about more than just his missing leg. He also revisits points in his life that were depicted in the film, and the challenges he faced while trying to pursue his collegiate wrestling career. He also spoke about his role in helping make the film and the reaction that he received from fans when he was wrestling, as well as the fan reaction he's received since the film was released.

Erica Herskowitz is known by many sports radio listeners from her days anchoring sports updates on New York's WFAN radio. She started in the late 1990s and has flourished in her career. She's worked for ESPN, NBA TV, Westwood One, and Bloomberg, among others. She also gave up her career trajectory when she made the choice to settle down and have a family. In this episode, Herskowitz discusses her start at WFAN while she was still a student at Rutgers University. She also talked about being one of the only females in a predominantly male-centric industry. She also opened up about her choices to have a family, foregoing potential opportunities. The wildfires in southern California have been devastating. To donate to the American Red Cross go to https://www.redcross.org/ or from your phone via text by messaging "REDCROSS" to 90999.

This episode is a continuation from a conversation that took place on the Hall of Justice podcast episode 395. In that episode, Ken Levine detailed his illustrious TV writing career that included writing for MASH, Cheers, Frasier, the Simpsons, and countless others. In that episode, there was no discussion of what this episode is about. While he was writing Cheers and Frasier, Ken Levine was ALSO a Major League Baseball play-by-play announcer. Levine called games for the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, and San Diego Padres. In this episode recounts in great detail how this successful television writer began calling games into a tape recorder at Dodgers Stadium. That activity morphed into a couple of minor league gigs, which in turn became opportunities in the big leagues. While the entire story is fascinating, this podcast also contains amazing stories about Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, and Cal Ripken, Jr. Still, the best stories involve Tom Hanks and Ted Danson, who played former Red Sox pitcher Sam Malone on Cheers.

This episode continues the tradition of being the last episode of the calendar year 2024. Since 2017, Scott Seidenberg has joined this final episode. The title says it all. “2 Jews Hanging Out on Christmas Day” was born out of necessity when the show first started having sponsors. Now, Scott rejoins the show every year to lament the year and talk about the goings-on in the sports world. With his 7th appearance, Scott has supplanted LaTroy Hawkins as having been on the most of anyone in the nearly 500 episodes of this podcast. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from everyone involved in Sports w/Friends. See you in 2025!

Former MLB Outfielder Johnny Damon played in the big leagues from 1995-2012. He came up with the Kansas City Royals and after a short stint with the Oakland A's, Damon signed a four-year contract with the Boston Red Sox. During his Red Sox tenure, he participated in the iconic ALCS between the Red Sox and the New York Yankees in 2003 and 2004. He also was a part of the '04 World Series championship, erasing the team's 86-year-old “Curse of the Bambino.” In 2006, he signed a free-agent contract with the archrival Yankees, ultimately winning his second World Series championship in 2009. In this episode, Damon discusses a new venture he's involved in with a new sports drink entitled “A-Game.” He also explains the process of leaving Boston for New York and how the Red Sox didn't offer him a contract. He also explains in detail the impact of former teammate Cory Lidle's untimely death from a plane crash in 2006 had on his life and career. He also talked about the 2005 movie “Fever Pitch,” and the impact that had on the 2004 team, and the fandom that followed it. Finally, he discusses the changes he sees in baseball since his playing career, including the recent mega-contract that Juan Soto signed with the Mets. For more information about A-Game: https://drinkagame.com/

Longtime CBS Sports football and basketball studio host Adam Zucker is also a Syracuse alum. Continuing the string of having Syracuse alums on this podcast, Zucker graduated in 1998. After doing local TV and radio, he began working for a fledgling upstart cable network called College Sports Television or CSTV. CSTV was eventually acquired by CBS and has morphed into what is now known as the CBS Sports Network. Zucker has been a part of CBS football and basketball broadcasts. In this episode, Adam discusses his career ascension. He also weighs in on the recently released bracket for the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. He also discusses the growth of the NCAA basketball tournament, and the impact conference realignment has had on that sport.

Longtime CBS Sports football and basketball studio host Adam Zucker is also a Syracuse alum. Continuing the string of having Syracuse alums on this podcast, Zucker graduated in 1998. After doing local TV and radio, he began working for a fledgling upstart cable network called College Sports Television or CSTV. CSTV was eventually acquired by CBS and has morphed into what is now known as the CBS Sports Network. Zucker has been a part of CBS football and basketball broadcasts. In this episode, Adam discusses his career ascension. He also weighs in on the recently released bracket for the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. He also discusses the growth of the NCAA basketball tournament, and the impact conference realignment has had on that sport.

Claire Smith is a pioneer in sports writing. She was the first ever female Major League Baseball beat writer, covering the New York Yankees for five seasons starting in 1982. She became a national columnist and worked at the New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, and later ESPN. In 2017, she was the first female to win the Baseball Hall of Fame's BBWAA Career Excellence Award, formerly the J. G. Taylor Spink Award. She is currently a professor at Temple University. In this episode, Smith tells stories from her illustrious career. She tells stories of both racism and sexism, including a 1984 incident where she was asked to leave the San Diego Padres clubhouse during the NLCS because she was a woman. She told stories about dear friends and allies Steve Garvey, Dave Winfield, Don Baylor, Dusty Baker, and countless others. She is an icon in her profession.

Brian Geltzeiler is the founder of Hoopscritic, an NBA blog. He is a financial advisor who created a broadcasting career from that blog. Hoopscritic led to many radio appearances and eventually a job with Sirius/XM NBA Radio. He has also appeared on NBA TV. In this episode, Geltzeiler explains his fantastic origin story. He goes into great detail about how his blog led to his radio appearances. He also talks about the NBA's recent new national broadcasting contracts and the recent deal to move the award-winning TNT show “Inside the NBA” to ESPN next season. He also covers the story of Bronny James' rookie season playing with his father, LeBron James. Also discussed is the race in the NBA's Eastern Conference between the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.

In November 2024, longtime baseball announcer Dave Sims was named the new radio play-by-play voice of the New York Yankees. Sims replaces John Sterling who held the position since 1989. Sims has been the TV/Radio voice of the Seattle Mariners from 2007-2024. Sims has an extensive career and is one of the first voices on WFAN radio, the flagship station of Yankee games. In this episode, Sims tells the story of leaving Seattle for New York, and how this is all full circle for him. He discusses all of his stops along the way, having grown up in Philadelphia, and worked primarily in New York. Dave has called NFL football and NCAA college basketball in addition to baseball. He's also one of the original voices of MLB Radio in 2000/2001 and was instrumental in helping Seth leave Seattle ironically, and head to MLB.

The southeast United States was impacted heavily by two hurricanes in October 2024. Hurricane Helene and Milton affected lives and property in many states, including Florida. On October 9th, Hurricane Milton destroyed the fiberglass roof of the ballpark this month, leaving it open to the elements. With the Rays set to open the season at home on March 27, there's unlikely time to put on a new roof. Adding to the issue is a plan for a new ballpark, tentatively scheduled to open in 2028. That begs the question, why repair the Trop just to tear it down? If the Rays cannot play there in 2025, where could they play? Tampa Bay Times reporter Marc Topkin joined the podcast to discuss the facts of the situation and present all the options for the baseball team. Topkin has covered the Rays for the Tampa Bay Times (formerly St. Petersburg Times) and http://tampabay.com since the very beginning. He offers a unique perspective on the problem facing the ballclub and has insight as to what options the team actually has and why. Disclaimer: This conversation is about a sports topic and it is not intended to put the needs of a baseball team ahead of the numerous people who have been impacted by both hurricanes. Donate to the American Red Cross here: https://www.redcross.org/

Chad Finn is a sports and sports media columnist for the Boston Globe. He is the editor of “The Boston Globe Story of the Red Sox” and the recently released “The Boston Globe Story of the Celtics.'' Finn joined the Globe from the Concord Monitor in New Hampshire in 2003 as a sports copy editor and page designer before moving to the writing side and taking over the sports media beat in 2009. He has won multiple Associated Press Sports Editors awards, including for a multimedia project in 2018 on LeBron James's time in the NBA summer league in Boston. In this episode, Finn discusses the process of gathering archival coverage of the Celtics and putting together the recent book. He also talks about the emergence of former Patriots greats Tom Brady and Bill Belichick on television. He also discusses the state of sports radio, specifically in Boston, and the future of Major League Baseball on television with upheaval surrounding the regional sports network and an upcoming negotiation with ESPN. Order The Boston Globe Story of the Celtics here: https://a.co/d/flWtNwW

Former NBA Center Etan Thomas makes his second appearance on the show. At the time of this episode's release, the NBA season will commence in six days. This is the final season of the NBA on TNT, as there is a new television contract starting next season. Thomas played in the NBA from 2000 to 2011, mostly with the Washington Wizards. In college, he was a star at Syracuse. Now, he is a television commentator, blogger, author, and political and social activist. In this episode, Thomas discussed the unique situation in Los Angeles where LeBron James is playing with his son Bronny. He commented on the importance of the New York Knicks being competitive and if the Boston Celtics are primed for a repeat championship. He also discussed the emergence of the WNBA in popularity and ratings.

Former NBA Center Etan Thomas makes his second appearance on the show. At the time of this episode's release, the NBA season will commence in six days. This is the final season of the NBA on TNT, as there is a new television contract starting next season. Thomas played in the NBA from 2000 to 2011, mostly with the Washington Wizards. In college, he was a star at Syracuse. Now, he is a television commentator, blogger, author, and political and social activist. In this episode, Thomas discussed the unique situation in Los Angeles where LeBron James is playing with his son Bronny. He commented on the importance of the New York Knicks being competitive and if the Boston Celtics are primed for a repeat championship. He also discussed the emergence of the WNBA in popularity and ratings.

The southeast United States was impacted heavily by two hurricanes in October 2024. Hurricane Helene and Milton affected lives and property in many states, including Florida. On October 9th, Hurricane Milton destroyed the fiberglass roof of the ballpark this month, leaving it open to the elements. With the Rays set to open the season at home on March 27, there's unlikely time to put on a new roof. Adding to the issue is a plan for a new ballpark, tentatively scheduled to open in 2028. That begs the question, why repair the Trop just to tear it down? If the Rays cannot play there in 2025, where could they play? Tampa Bay Times reporter Marc Topkin joined the podcast to discuss the facts of the situation and present all the options for the baseball team. Topkin has covered the Rays for the Tampa Bay Times (formerly St. Petersburg Times) and http://tampabay.com since the very beginning. He offers a unique perspective on the problem facing the ballclub and has insight as to what options the team actually has and why. Disclaimer: This conversation is about a sports topic and it is not intended to put the needs of a baseball team ahead of the numerous people who have been impacted by both hurricanes. Donate to the American Red Cross here: https://www.redcross.org/

Kevin Brown recently completed his 6th season calling Orioles games on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). Brown is a graduate of Syracuse University and worked in Syracuse with the AAA-baseball team, the Syracuse Chiefs. He is also a play-by-play announcer for ESPN. In this episode, Brown tells the story of his ascension to his current position with the O's. He also addressed the controversy last year where he was removed from the booth for a short time and the outpouring of support from the baseball, broadcast, and fan community. He also talked about the unique brethren Syracuse alums are in the broadcast industry, and comments on the various Cuse alums in the baseball broadcast industry.

In 2024, longtime New York Yankees radio announcer John Sterling announced his abrupt retirement, effective immediately. With three-quarters of the season left, the Yankees decided to split the play-by-play duties among three broadcasters. Emmanuel Berbari is one of the three and called dozens of games this season. Sterling announced that he was returning to the booth for the final week of the regular season and playoffs through the potential World Series. Berbari is the youngest of the three broadcasters. In this episode, he explains his background calling games for Siena and filling it on WFAN radio. He was assigned Yankee post-game shows, and last season was given the opportunity to call three Yankees games in Pittsburgh. He explained how he was chosen, and offered insight as to the future for himself and the Yankees booth.

Wesley Walker played wide receiver for the New York Jets for 13 seasons from 1977-1989. He was an NFL All-Pro, a 2x Pro Bowl representative, the NFL receiving yards leader in 1978, and a member of the New York Jets Ring of Honor. In this episode, Walker recounted the many highs and lows of his illustrious career. He speaks candidly about making the NFL without vision in one of his eyes. He discusses the passionate fan base the Jets have, and their recent decision to go back to the uniform and logo that Walker helped make famous.

In 2024, HBO and MAX released a new four-part docuseries that chronicles the life, career, and scandal of baseball legend Pete Rose. “Charlie Hu$tle & the Matter of Pete Rose” examines all the intricacies of the Pete Rose story. Rose is heavily involved in the documentary but did not have creative control. Instead, the show is a deeply detailed count of all aspects of his betting on baseball, and subsequently being banned for life by the sport. Greg Grunberg is an actor who has been in countless movies and TV shows. He is best known for Heroes and has also been in both Star Wars and Star Trek. He came on the Hall of Justice podcast and mentioned his role as executive producer of the Pete Rose documentary. In this episode, Grunberg tells elaborate stories about the making of the documentary, and how they convinced Pete Rose to take part even when he couldn't control the subject matter. He also gave insight as to how MLB was involved in this film.

As the 2024 NFL season has begun, questions are being answered about who the best and worst teams will be. This episode focuses on the financial value of the 32 NFL teams. Michael Ozanian makes his second appearance on the podcast after he released the valuations on the new CNBC Sport platform. Ozanian is the Senior Sports Reporter for CNBC, based at the network's Global Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. He is a lead reporter for CNBC's business of sports vertical, CNBC Sport. Ozanian focuses on the intersection of sports and money and provides his unique rankings of the most valuable sports leagues and teams. He reports on breaking news, insights, and analysis of the inner workings of the sports industry across all CNBC platforms. Before CNBC, Ozanian was with Forbes where he began in the statistics department in the mid-1980s and later transitioned into writing about high-priced stocks. He was the co-host of Forbes SportsMoney, a four-time Emmy Award-winning television show on the YES Network. In 2016, he made his first appearance on the podcast, Episode 64. Eight years and a new title later, he returned to the show. Check out CNBC Sport at https://www.cnbc.com/sports/.

CBS Sports play-by-play announcer Andrew Catalon is making his fourth appearance on the podcast. This time is to preview the upcoming 2024 NFL season, which commences the day after this episode's release. Catalon joined CBS Sports full-time in 2013. He serves as a play-by-play announcer for the NFL ON CBS, NCAA men's basketball, and golf. He has served as an announcer for the Network's Masters coverage since 2021, as well as serving as a host for select PGA TOUR events since 2020. Catalon has served as the preseason voice of the Buffalo Bills since 2015. In addition to his time at CBS Sports, Catalon has worked five Olympic Games for NBC. He also worked at Tennis Channel, SNY, and in local television for over a decade in Burlington, Vt. and Albany, N.Y. In this episode, he talks about his new broadcast partner Jason McCourty who joins Tiki Barber and AJ Ross in their CBS NFL broadcast booth. He also comments on the new kickoff rules and previews various teams that have high expectations. He also comments on how the NFL enjoys parity but in this particular season, there are so many title contenders.

Steve Hogan is the CEO of Florida Citrus Sports which oversees both the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl and the Pop-Tarts Bowl (both played in Orlando, Florida). Both games are played at Orlando's Camping World Stadium which recently received an allocation of $400 million for renovations. The NFL Pro Bowl is returning to Orlando for the sixth time in eight years, and there is talk about playing a potential home game for the Jacksonville Jaguars and/or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hogan was instrumental in introducing the world to the first edible mascot at the Pop-Tarts Bowl in December. Named “Strawberry,” the mascot was the hit of Bowl Season and showed how bowls are working to market themselves in different ways. The Pop-Tarts Bowl was honored with the Best Brand Activation Award at the prestigious Sports Business Journal Awards in May. He is a thought leader in college football and can talk about the upcoming season with new looks in the SEC and Big Ten (Citrus Bowl conference staples). The new 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP) starts this year, and there is fast momentum toward expanding to 14 teams soon (perhaps as early as 2026). It has been reported that the Rose Bowl is seeking to get out of the College Football Playoff semifinal rotation starting in 2026. Hogan addresses the state of the college football landscape as the 2024 season commences. This episode begins with a small tribute to the New York radio station WCBS Newsradio 880 which went off the air on August 25, 2024.

Aaron Rodgers is the subject of a new book. Rodgers will go down in history as one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. He is also one of the most controversial figures in sports today. Ian O'Connor is a longtime reporter and author of five previous books, including four straight New York Times bestsellers. His new book “Out of the Darkness – The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers,” is released the same week as this episode. In this episode, O'Connor details the over 250 people he spoke to putting this book together. He also told the story of his meeting with Rodgers after completing the first manuscript. He covers his football greatness, but also Rodgers' controversies including his anti-vaccination stance during COVID, his comments about comedian Jimmy Kimmel, and his potential running for office with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. O'Connor is making his third appearance on the podcast. His first was episode 166 promoting his Belichick book and episode 407 on the reported PGA-LIV golf merger. Get “Out of the Darkness” here: https://a.co/d/20yEA5A

Longtime friend of the show Andrew Siciliano makes his third appearance on the podcast (Episodes 182 & 192). He has been hosting the Olympic Gold Zone, a livestream broadcast on Peacock as a supplement to the main NBC Olympic coverage. Every day during the 2024 Paris Summer Games, Gold Zone airs from 7 am to 5 pm (EDT) and sends viewers from all the different sports, much like the NFL does with its Red Zone coverage. Ironically, Siciliano and current Red Zone host Scott Hanson are a main part of the Gold Zone coverage. At times, Siciliano and Hanson are on-screen together after having separate Red Zone channels for over a decade. In this episode, Siciliano compares hosting the Olympics to his NFL coverage. He addresses any potential “rivalry” with Hanson (who came on the podcast Episode 382). He also gives insight as to his broadcasting future.

There is so much going on in the sports media business. Alex Sherman of CNBC covers media, technology, and telecommunications for CNBC. He joined CNBC in Jan. 2018 after almost 10 years at Bloomberg, where he worked as a media reporter. He recently spearheaded a new venture for CNBC focusing on sports coverage. It involves programming beyond linear television, including podcasts, social media, and new technology. It can be found at cnbc.com/sports. In this episode, Sherman discusses the recent NBA right package, the current NBC coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics, NBC's investment in the English Premier League, plus NHL and MLB analysis.

This is the second episode about the Peacock docuseries “Bronx Zoo '90.” The documentary is the story of the 1990 New York Yankees, a last-place team in a most tumultuous year. One of the series' executive producers Brian Hunt is the President of Believe Studios. He joins the podcast to discuss how the original 8-part series written by Joel Sherman for the New York Post was picked up by the streaming service Peacock and turned into the docuseries. In 1990, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was banned for life (he would be reinstated years later). Mel Hall brought cougars into the Yankee clubhouse and dated a teenager (He's currently serving a 45-year prison sentence after being found guilty of two counts of sexual assault against minors.). Andy Hawkins threw a no-hitter but lost the game. The team was rock bottom, but that team is considered the starting point of rebuilding the Yankees into the dynasty that won three championships in four seasons in the late 90s. Hunt is President of Believe Studios, and Head of Development at Believe Entertainment Group, an Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning, New York City-based entertainment company. Hunt leads the company's studio division, developing and producing high-profile content for Digital (video + podcasts), TV, and Film. In this episode, Hunt explains how he and his team figured out that the 1990 Yankees were a story worth telling. He also went to the high school where Mel Hall dated that 15-year-old girl and she took him to the prom. This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/SWF and get on your way to being your best self.

The unique story of the 1990 New York Yankees was retold in 2020 in an 8-part series featured in the New York Post by Joel Sherman. It was then picked up and told again in a new docuseries on Peacock entitled, “Bronx Zoo '90.” Joel Sherman has worked at the New York Post since 1989 -- for seven years as the New York Yankees beat writer and since 1996 as the Baseball Columnist. He has also worked at MLB Network as an on-air Insider for nearly a decade. The 1990 Yankees are about a last-place team in a most tumultuous year. The owner George Steinbrenner was banned for life (he would be reinstated years later). Mel Hall brought cougars into the Yankee clubhouse and dated a teenager. Andy Hawkins threw a no-hitter but lost the game. The team was rock bottom, but that started the rebuild into the Yankee dynasty that won three championships in four seasons in the late 90s. In this episode, Sherman recounts covering the Yankees in 1990. He explained how during Covid in 2020, he crafted the series of articles that led to the docuseries. He also speaks about the differences between covering baseball then and today.

Tim Brown is one of the greatest wide receivers of all time. He spent sixteen years with the Los Angeles / Oakland Raiders. A 9x Pro Bowler, Brown caught 100 touchdown passes and holds the record for most consecutive starts by a receiver with 176. At Notre Dame, Tim Brown won the 1987 Heisman Trophy and Walter Camp Award. He has been involved in a number of entrepreneurial ventures since his playing days, including becoming the Commissioner of The Arena League, a new football league slated to begin in late 2024. Brown is a regular competitor in the upcoming American Century Championship, which is a celebrity golf tournament that takes place annually in Lake Tahoe. Among the 80-plus participants in the field are: Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce, Charles Barkley, Josh Allen, Colin Jost, Annika Sorenstam, and actor Miles Teller. This year marks the 35th year of celebrity golf and will be televised with coverage on GOLF Channel, Peacock, and NBC from July 12th through the 14th, 2024. In this episode, Brown talks about his legacy with the Raiders, and the issues the fanbase faced after the recent move to Las Vegas. He also discusses the recent realignment in college sports, including the transfer portal and NIL payments. This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/SWF and get on your way to being your best self.

Kevin Millar played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Florida Marlins, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays from 1998 through 2009. He won the World Series in 2004 with the Red Sox. Since his playing days, Millar is currently a broadcaster for MLB Network and a commentator for NESN (New England Sports Network). Millar is competing in the upcoming American Century Championship, which is a celebrity golf tournament that takes place annually in Lake Tahoe. Among the 80-plus participants in the field are: Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce, Charles Barkley, Josh Allen, Colin Jost, Annika Sorenstam, and actor Miles Teller. This year marks the 35th year of celebrity golf and will be televised with coverage on GOLF Channel, Peacock, and NBC from July 12th through the 14th, 2024. During his playing days, Millar was a frequent guest of Seth's at both MLB Radio and Sirius/XM. This episode opens with a callback to a radio bit involving old cell phones. This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/SWF and get on your way to being your best self.

Kevin Millar played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Florida Marlins, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays from 1998 through 2009. He won the World Series in 2004 with the Red Sox. Since his playing days, Millar is currently a broadcaster for MLB Network and a commentator for NESN (New England Sports Network). Millar is competing in the upcoming American Century Championship, which is a celebrity golf tournament that takes place annually in Lake Tahoe. Among the 80-plus participants in the field are: Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce, Charles Barkley, Josh Allen, Colin Jost, Annika Sorenstam, and actor Miles Teller. This year marks the 35th year of celebrity golf and will be televised with coverage on GOLF Channel, Peacock, and NBC from July 12th through the 14th, 2024. During his playing days, Millar was a frequent guest of Seth's at both MLB Radio and Sirius/XM. This episode opens with a callback to a radio bit involving old cell phones. This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/SWF and get on your way to being your best self.

Former NFL quarterback and broadcaster Joe Theismann returns to the podcast for the first time in three years. His previous appearance was Episode 306. In it, we spoke about his incredible football career and the catastrophic leg injury that ended it. This appearance references that moment but does not retell that story. Theismann is competing in the upcoming American Century Championship, which is a celebrity golf tournament that takes place annually in Lake Tahoe. Among the 80-plus participants in the field are: Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce, Charles Barkley, Josh Allen, Colin Jost, Annika Sorenstam, and actor Miles Teller. This year marks the 35th year of celebrity golf and will be televised with coverage on GOLF Channel, Peacock, and NBC from July 12th through the 14th, 2024. In this episode, Theismann discusses the legacy of the golf classic, and offers opinions on Tom Brady joining FOX, Alex Smith's (who suffered a similar leg injury) retirement, a lack of quarterback depth in today's NFL, and much more.

Vinny Del Negro played in the NBA from 1988-2001, as well as playing and winning an Italian League Championship. He starred in college at NC State and played most of his games for the San Antonio Spurs. He also had two NBA coaching stints with the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Clippers. He averaged 9.1 points per game and scored over 7,000 points. He is currently an analyst for NBA TV. Del Negro is the 2021 winner of the American Century Championship, which is a celebrity golf tournament that takes place annually in Lake Tahoe. Among the 80-plus participants in the field are: Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce, Charles Barkley, Josh Allen, Colin Jost, Annika Sorenstam, and actor Miles Teller. This year marks the 35th year of celebrity golf and will be televised with coverage on GOLF Channel, Peacock, and NBC from July 12th through the 14th. In this episode, Del Negro talks about how golf replaces basketball in order to satiate the competitive fire that is within him. He also comments on the recent Boston Celtics NBA Finals victory over the Dallas Mavericks. He also weighs in on the recent college realignment and the transfer portal. Get the 2024 Fantasy Football Almanac here: https://a.co/d/4RKUzv1.

Jamie Seh is the News 6 Sports Director in Orlando, Florida. She can be seen nightly doing the sportscast at 6 pm and 11 pm. Jamie has been in Orlando for nearly 15 years. She is an alumnus of the Newhouse School at Syracuse University and served as the Sports Director at the famed WAER radio station. In this episode, Jamie explains her career journey and the sacrifices she endured during her career ascension. She also discussed the challenges of being a woman in a very male-dominated field, and how today there are more women than when she started. She also discussed Orlando sports, and how much she covers Tampa and South Florida teams.