Suits and Sidelines

Our first ever repeat guest is none other than sports attorney and podcast host Dan Lust (@sportslawlust) who joined us to discuss Deshaun Watson and litigating litigating high profile cases in the press. We recorded on Monday morning and tackled all of the major angles of the ongoing sexual assault allegations brought against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. Although there were inevitably going to be updates between Monday and Wednesday, we wanted to address the tactics deployed by plaintiff's attorney Tony Buzbee, and why the victims in this case might be harmed by his decision to play the case out in the press and social media. Dan also takes us back through the Zion Williamson legal proceedings from 2020, including a bizarre discovery period that was highly publicized by agent Gina Ford's legal team, and how that situation compares and contrasts with how Buzbee is approaching his cases against Watson. Dan Lust is a Sports Attorney at Geragos and Co-Host of the Conduct Detrimental Podcast, and who can be heard regularly across ESPN, SiriusXM, CBS & FOX Sports. Want to help us grow Suits and Sidelines? Please share our podcast with three of your most interesting friends or connections. Already done that? Then please consider leaving us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or sharing our links on your social media accounts. Still want to help us grow our podcast even more?! You must be a real fan. Hey, let me ask you a question. . . . would you pay $3 a month for access to bonus content and premium episodes of Suits and Sidelines? Please let us know. Follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

We had the privilege of talking with a leader in her community named Tawanya Herbert. After playing four years of college basketball at Iowa State in the 1990s, Tawanya spent the past couple decades advocating for the needs of others within the healthcare and wellness space, eventually leading her to volunteer in progressive politics in her home state of South Carolina. Want to help us grow Suits and Sidelines? Please share our podcast with three of your most interesting friends or connections. Already done that? Then please consider leaving us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or sharing our links on your social media accounts. Still want to help us grow our podcast even more?! You must be a real fan. Hey, let me ask you a question. . . . would you pay $3 a month for access to bonus content and premium episodes of Suits and Sidelines? Please let us know. Follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT 

We were grateful to be in conversation with Jaime M. Miettinen — or you may recognize better by her social media alias "SportsLawBlonde" — as we discuss a large, bleak, and systemic issue: the Youth Sports Industrial Complex. Many economists believe this complex web of private interests is a marketplace already worth about $20 billion and growing in the wake of a pandemic that has been catastrophic to the public infrastructure. Want to help us grow Suits and Sidelines? Please share our podcast with three of your most interesting friends or connections. Already done that? Then please consider leaving us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or sharing our links on your social media accounts. Still want to help us grow our podcast even more?! You must be a real fan. Hey, let me ask you a question. . . . would you pay $3 a month for access to bonus content and premium episodes of Suits and Sidelines? Please let us know. Follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

Despite being knee deep in preparations for the 2021 Tulane Pro Basketball Negotiation Competition, we were thrilled to be joined by Basketball Hall of Famer forward Rick Barry. Our wide-ranging and lively discussion includes analysis of the greatest players of all-time, how the game is different than it used to be, and why players have so much more leverage in negotiations today than in the 1960s and 70s. Want to help us grow Suits and Sidelines? Please share our podcast with three of your most interesting friends or connections. Already done that? Then please consider leaving us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or sharing our links on your social media accounts. Still want to help us grow our podcast even more?! You must be a real fan. Hey, let me ask you a question. . . . would you pay $3 a month for access to bonus content and premium episodes of Suits and Sidelines? Please let us know. Follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT 

Seeing as we were joined by prolific sports and political journalist Patrick Hruby, we decided to dive into several significant topics. After spending about the first half hour forecasting what 2021 might look like for NCAA athletics — including what a conservative 6-3 edge Supreme Court implies could happen in the "amateurism" cases — we move to discussing Hruby's research on negative outcomes for black coaches in the NFL. We recorded this conversation weeks before the EA Sports relaunch announcement in early February. Interestingly, however, we steer the conversation toward the Ed O'Bannon case and the video game company's decision to settle with the players for $40 million almost a decade ago. Look for that part of the conversation around 33:00. Want to help us grow Suits and Sidelines? Please share our podcast with three of your most interesting friends or connections. Already done that? Then please consider leaving us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or sharing our links on your social media accounts. Still want to help us grow our podcast even more?! You must be a real fan. Hey, let me ask you a question. . . . would you pay $3 a month for access to bonus content and premium episodes of Suits and Sidelines? Please us know. Follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

In this week's conversation, we talk to entertainment lawyer, music industry professor, and entrepreneur Karl Fowlkes, Esq. Still in his late 20s, Karl launched The Fowlkes Firm soon after graduating from Villanova Law, and within a few years he has already built a reputable practice in Entertainment. Always growing, Karl is slated to take the NBA agent exam in 2021. We compare and contrast different aspects of working in sports and entertainment, including how regulations and customs impact negotiations, business practices, and industry trends.  Please smash that subscribe button and leave us a 5-star review! Follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

For our second podcast of the week, we are happy to be joined by producer, activist, and actor Behzad Dabu (How To Get Away With Murder on ABC; The Chi on Showtime) to discuss navigating the entertainment industry as a person of color. Topics include improving pathways for diverse talent to play interesting, flawed characters; what it's like to prepare for a scene with the enduring Viola Davis; and the pressure on black and brown people to be perfect and accept whatever they're given in business.  Please smash that subscribe button and consider leaving us a 5-star review! And follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

In honor of the one-year anniversary of his tragic death, we talk at length about Kobe Bryant's accomplishments and legacy with professional actor and lifelong Kobe fan Behzad Dabu. Please hook some brothas up — rate, review, subscribe, and share the pod on social media. Hit that subscribe button and follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

This week on Suits and Sidelines we're joined by fellow Villanova Sports Law classmate and NFL cap wiz Stephen Dranoff to discuss the Philadelphia Eagles' dumpster fire salary cap situation. We talk at length about the Eagles' tenures of Carson Wentz, Howie Roseman, and Doug Pederson, plus all of the teams' recent bad draft picks, contract restructures, and free agent signings. Please hook some brothas up — rate, review, subscribe, and share the pod on social media. Hit that subscribe button and follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

We are thrilled to publish our recent conversation with sport historian, professor, former collegiate swimmer, and "End of Sport" podcast host Dr. Johanna Mellis. This is a wide-ranging conversation spanning topics such as the Cold War, the infamous "Blood in the Water" match during the 1956 Olympics, and both athlete defections from Soviet Hungary as well as examples of cooperation between the socialist state and its athletes in order to preserve ideal conditions for national sports programs. Please hook some brothas up — rate, review, subscribe, and share the pod on social media. Hit that subscribe button and follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

We're back and starting 2021 off with a spirited discussion about the future of collegiate sports in America. Dozens of athletic departments around the country are cutting Olympic Sports and other so-called "non-revenue" sports from their programs to save money. However, the NCAA and its member schools are refusing to point to the hundreds of millions of dollars sunk into coaching salaries, weight rooms, and football stadiums in recent years as a pretext for smaller sports now getting the chopping block. Also, we discuss the ramifications of universities treating their finances totally separate from their athletic department budget, including hoarding billions of dollars in endowment funds but still deciding to cut sports which only cost thousands per year. Please hook some brothas up — rate, review, subscribe, and share the pod on social media. Hit that subscribe button and follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

We are happy to have Sam C. Ehrlich, J.D., Ph.D., on the podcast. After practicing as a sports agent consultant and immigration attorney, Sam earned his Ph.D. in sport management at Florida State University before joining the Boise State University Department of Management in 2020. His research examines legal aspects of the sports industry, specifically focusing on issues in athlete fairness in collective bargaining and employment, the unique application of antitrust law to sports, risk management and tort liability for sport event managers, and legal issues in athlete representation. We talk to Sam at length about the NCAA Athletic Grant-In-Aid Cap Antitrust Litigation, which is being considered for review by the Supreme Court of the United States. Specifically, we discuss the legacy of NCAA v. Board of Regents (U.S., 1984) and how several federal courts have interpreted that case in three fundamentally different ways. Please hook some brothas up — rate, review, subscribe, and share the pod on social media. Hit that subscribe button and follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

We are thrilled to be joined by sports lawyer Dan Lust (@SportsLawLust) as we bounce around various topics in professional and collegiate sports. After starting with discussion about Tyrod Taylor's decision not to file a grievance through the NFLPA against the Los Angeles Chargers, we talk broadly about the role of social media and breaking news in shaping terms and negotiations between the leagues and the players.  Dan discusses the Big Ten's bungles during the pandemic, including the possibility of Ohio State losing its eligibility for the College Football Playoff, as well as harming its own players in regard to their NFL Draft stock and future earning potential. Notably, we balance the conversation by including the long-term health risks to athletes from playing during a pandemic, including the specific threat of myocarditis, and whether to expect future litigation in the years to come. A special shout to Focused Athletics Philly (@focusedathletics215), where Joe is hosting a virtual 3-week Student Athlete Seminar on Dec. 9, 16, and 30 at 6:30 p.m. as part of his executive board duties with both Villanova's Street Law Society and Sports Law Society. Zoom link/info: https://lnkd.in/dhFUN4x  Please hook some brothas up — rate, review, subscribe, and share the pod on social media. Hit that subscribe button and follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT  

This week we go deep on the subject of Amateurism, what "student-athlete" means and doesn't mean, and the decades long war between the Power 5 conferences and the NCAA. Specifically, we tackle the seminal NCAA v. Board of Regents (U.S. 1984) case, which has helped funnel billions of dollars into universities and Power 5 conferences arguably at the expense of every other relevant group in collegiate athletics, including the players. A special shout to Focused Athletics Philly (@focusedathletics215), where Joe is hosting a (virtual) 3-week Student Athlete Seminar on Dec. 9, 16, and 23 as part of his executive board duties with both Villanova's Street Law Society and Sports Law Society. Please hook some brothas up — rate, review, subscribe, and share the pod on social media. Hit that subscribe button and follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

Final exams be damned, we talk at length about NBA Draft 2020 — our favorite picks, the most puzzling moments, and looking ahead to 2020-21 season. Please hook some brothas up — rate, review, subscribe, and share the pod on social media. Hit that subscribe button and follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

We continue our conversation with Andrew Brandt, an accomplished sports media professional and executive vice president of Vayner Sports, by taking on some of the largest topics in the business of sports. We start by discussing the tension between national and regional sports networks wishing to recoup their financial losses by playing games during the pandemic, and whether or not athletes in the NFL and NBA can afford not to keep playing despite obvious health risks. At [10:00] we ask Brandt, who has worked both team-side and player-side, for his thoughts on whether coaches should ever be granted personnel powers as general manager or president. Then at [21:00] Brandt speaks honestly about the pros and cons of being authentic online, including losing Twitter followers for expressing opinions on the 2020 presidential election and the role of the media in covering Donald Trump.

In this week's episode, we talk to Andrew Brandt — well, that's Professor Andrew Brandt to us — about 30 years of working in professional sports. At [3:30] Brandt discusses leaving his role as vice president of the Green Bay Packers to forge new career paths in media and academia, which eventually led him to Villanova Law School as the program director of the sports law program. Then at [10:30] Brandt takes us down memory lane to the 2005 NFL Draft when his Packers drafted Aaron Rodgers, to great controversy, and at Brandt's insistence. "It was the most memorable night of my career in terms of decision-making," Brandt said. Hook some brothers up! Hit that subscribe button and follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

In this week's episode, we discuss how Dak Prescott's gruesome compound ankle fracture might impact both his future with the Dallas Cowboys and as a starting quarterback in the NFL. Topics include why it was bad salary cap management by the Cowboys to offer the franchise tag to Prescott, and how, despite long-term injury concerns, Prescott will likely command $100M or more on the open market in either 2021 or 2022 regardless. Also [21:00] Joe contrasts the unique leverage of Prescott as a Pro Bowl QB with the cautionary tale of Nerlens Noel — a professional basketball player who turned down "life-changing money" in 2017 and will likely never make that money back. Finally, [26:20] we discuss the Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Miami Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals behind elite defense, as well as [30:30] briefly discuss how the #GOAT debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James is "different" now. Hit that subscribe button and follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

In this week's episode, we discuss how the running back position is severely disadvantaged by pro-management bylaws in the business of football. After describing the general framework of how running backs become pros, including the NFL Draft and rookie-scale contracts, we highlight many factors that result in football players in general, but running backs in particular, lacking leverage and labor power. Topics include recent contract extensions for [5:00] Alvin Kamara and [7:00] Christian McCaffrey; [9:00] relitigating the New York Giants decision to draft Saquon Barkley, and Barkley's limited options in future deals following his recent ACL injury; and [21:00] the legacy of Maurice Clarett's legal fight against the NFL's age restrictions in relationship to the ticking clock of every running backs' career. Hit that subscribe button and follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

In this week's episode, we analyze years of team building decisions that led to the 2020 NBA Finals matchup between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers. We specifically discuss the exceptional drafting and developmental success of the Miami Heat, including their selections of Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, as well as why Jimmy Butler was right to prioritize "Heat Culture" in his 2019 free agency decision. Also, we offer our predictions for whether or not LeBron James and Anthony Davis will win their first title since joining forces. Hook some brothers up. Hit that subscribe button and follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

In this week's episode, we discuss the recent Senate Hearing concerning possible congressional action over the future monetization of rights pertaining to the Name, Image, and Likeness ("NIL Rights") of NCAA athletes. We have a spirited debate over the merits of college athlete unionization and the broader legal fight over these athletes' labor status. The conversation includes discussion about the healthcare needs of college athletes and economic arguments against cutting non-revenue sports and roster spots.  Throughout the podcast we cite arguments made by the committee members and witnesses. Watch the Senate Hearing in its entirety as well as find links to the written testimony and other research submitted by the witnesses: https://www.help.senate.gov/hearings/compensating-college-athletes-examining-the-potential-impact-on-athletes-and-institutions Hook some brothers up. Hit that subscribe button and follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

In part two of our NBA Draft Lottery coverage, we make our optimal selections for picks 8 through 14. [2:00] We start by debating between two very different types of selections — Obi Toppin and Devin Vassell — for the New York Knicks.  We go on to discuss the following prospects: [10:00] Deni Avdija [12:30] Precious Achiuwa [19:00] Tyrell Terry [26:00] Aaron Nesmith [30:30] Aleksej Pokusevski [42:00] Saddiq Bey [46:00] Kira Lewis Jr. [58:45] Cole Anthony [1:01:30] Grant Riller [1:02:15] Cassius Winston [1:04:30] Jaden McDaniels [1:08:00] Patrick Williams Hook some brothers up. Hit that subscribe button and follow us on Twitter and IG. -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT  

We start this week's show by addressing the backlash to the Steve Nash hire by the Brooklyn Nets. Although Nash cut to the front of the line, we contextualize the hire within the power structure of the NBA — Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving had the power as superstars to choose who they wanted as head coach, and they picked Nash. We broaden the conversation to discuss recent studies measuring the role of race in head coaching hirings and tenures, including the updated Rooney Rule in the NFL.   Hook some brothers up.  Hit that subscribe button and follow us on Twitter and IG.  -> @thatjoemags -> @ithotta_AT

In part one of our NBA Draft Lottery coverage, A.T. and Joe make their optimal picks as the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 1, followed by the Golden State Warriors at No. 2, the Charlotte Hornets at No. 3, and so on. Our co-hosts discuss the following prospects: [4:00] LaMelo Ball  [10:30] Anthony Edwards  [17:45] James Wiseman  [31:15] Killian Hayes  [40:30] Isaac Okoro vs. Onyeka Okongwu  [52:30] Tyrese Haliburton  [1:00:45] Obi Toppin  [1:04:00] Deni Avdija  Next Friday, we'll finish our lottery picks and discuss the honorable mentions.

In this episode, our co-hosts discuss the high school basketball careers of Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, and LaMelo Ball, the likely top three selections in the 2020 NBA Draft. Despite possessing elite talent worth millions of dollars, these American teenagers were pushed into compromising positions, including pimping for prep schools, playing overseas, facing legal trouble, and — perhaps most egregiously — not taking any salary. This is the state of Amateur Basketball in America.

In this episode, we situate the Milwaukee Bucks' wildcat strike as arguably the most pivotal moment in American sports law history. Our co-hosts unravel the myth that well-paid athletes owe “entertainment” in the form of labor during a pandemic and amidst violent civil unrest. Also we discuss the future of pro sports and American society after the NBPA's bold display of collective labor power.

unpacking sports, entertainment, labor, and politics with your hosts A.T and Joe Mags.    Follow us on IG and Twitter:  @thatjoemags @ithotta_AT