The Bench with John and Lance

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The biggest sports talk duo to ever hit Houston airwaves is still going strong after 2 decades in the market. John Granato and Lance Zierlein mix insightful sports analysis with irreverent humor and quick wit. You never know what you're going to hear, but it'll be like nothing else you ever have. Listen weekdays 7-11am live on ESPN 97.5 & 92.5 FM or anytime on demand at http://espn975.com.

ESPN Houston


    • Nov 21, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • daily NEW EPISODES
    • 46m AVG DURATION
    • 4,261 EPISODES

    4.9 from 168 ratings Listeners of The Bench with John and Lance that love the show mention: h town, moved away, del, excuse, houston, sports talk, best show, radio, awesome, funny, great, john and lance.


    Ivy Insights

    The Bench with John and Lance podcast is an absolute delight for sports enthusiasts in Houston and beyond. With their witty banter, insightful analysis, and genuine chemistry, John Granato and Lance Zierlein have truly set the platinum standard for sports radio. This dynamic duo knows how to keep their audience engaged with a perfect blend of humor and well-informed discussions. Whether it's Blue Mountains Johnny and Rappin' Dad crushing it or Dale keeping them honest, this show offers the best entertainment on the entire dial.

    One of the best aspects of The Bench podcast is the seamless combination of humor and knowledge that John and Lance bring to the table. Their funny yet informed discussions ensure that listeners are both entertained and educated about the latest happenings in sports. They don't carry anyone's water, meaning they provide unbiased opinions without pandering to any particular team or player. This authenticity is refreshing and keeps fans coming back for more.

    Another great aspect of this podcast is the chemistry between John and Lance. Their camaraderie shines through as they bounce off each other's jokes, insights, and observations. It feels like you're listening to two friends having a casual conversation about sports, which creates a welcoming atmosphere for listeners. This dynamic duo keeps you hooked from start to finish with their engaging rapport.

    However, no podcast is without its flaws, and one potential drawback of The Bench is the presence of Del as the supposed third wheel. Some listeners find his contributions less valuable compared to John and Lance, causing a slight disruption in the otherwise smooth flow of the show. While he may not be everyone's cup of tea, it's important to remember that different perspectives can add depth to discussions. Nonetheless, some fans do find Del's involvement slightly underwhelming.

    In conclusion, The Bench with John and Lance podcast is an outstanding way to stay up-to-date on H-Town sports even if you've moved away from Houston. With their smart and funny commentary, John and Lance provide an enjoyable listening experience that keeps fans hooked. Despite the minor setback of Del's presence, this show remains the go-to for sports talk radio with its blend of humor, knowledge, and engaging chemistry.



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    Latest episodes from The Bench with John and Lance

    11/21 John and Lance Hour 1 - Texans D Forces Upset + QB Controversy?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2025 54:33


    11/21 John and Lance Hour 2 - Cougars Dominate At Home

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2025 47:30


    11/21 John and Lance Hour 3 - Josh Allen Can't Win In Houston

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2025 51:51


    11/20 Hour 1 - Can Texans Shutdown The Bills?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2025 57:17


    Hour 1 of John and Lance with John Granato and Lance Zierlein! We've got our own James Cook Rockets almost blow lead vs Cavaliers How will Sengun and the Rockets look vs Jokic and the Nuggets? What will Astros infield play look like without Mauricio Dubon?

    11/20 Hour 2 - Is Tari Eason A Long Term Priority For the Rockets?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2025 34:22


    Hour 2 of John and Lance with John Granato and Lance Zierlein! Alperen Sengun needs to relax on crying for calls Aaron Holiday pulls the Rockets out of crunch time Winner Winner Taquito Dinner TNF: Texans vs Bills

    11/20 Hour 3 - Should Texans Be Afraid of Josh Allen in Primetime?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2025 47:24


    Hour 3 of John and Lance with John Granato and Lance Zierlein! Rockets offensive rebounding is unstoppable Chiefs playoff hopes are dwindling fast Is Oregon Top 10 if they beat USC? PLUS, News Of The Weird 

    11/19 John and Lance Hour 1 - Texans Path to Victory + CFP Rankings

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2025 48:00


    11/19 John and Lance Hour 2 - Mike Elko Joins the Show + Where is Joe Mixon?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2025 58:24


    11/19 John and Lance Hour 3 - Rockets Preview

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2025 42:05


    11/18 John and Lance Hour 1 - Shedeur Sanders Treated Unfairly? + Willie Fritz Previews TCU

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2025 54:38


    11/18 John and Lance Hour 2 - Draymond = Angel Reece?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2025 44:08


    11/18 John and Lance Hour 3 - Injured Texans

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2025 48:23


    11/17 Hour 1- Houston Sports Dominates the Weekend + NFL Playoff Race is Heating Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2025 54:39


    Rockets, Texans and Cougars men's basketball get big wins NFL Week 11 reactions Takeaways from the Rockets OT win against the Magic No. 3 Texas A&M completes epic comeback against South Carolina What you learned this weekend

    11/17 Hour 2- Texans Still in it + Horns Down

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2025 50:46


    Now 5-5, can the Texans make the playoffs? Who's making the College Football Playoff? Are the Texas Longhorns' playoff chances done and dusted?

    11/17 Hour 3- Houston Basketball + Weird News Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2025 45:23


    What makes the Rockets so good this season? Takeaways from No. 1 Houston and their win over No. 22 Auburn News of the Weird

    11/14 John and Lance Hour 1 - Baylor AD Mack Rhoades Allegations

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2025 54:31


    11/14 John and Lance Hour 2 - Who Gets Paid? + Lawrence Taylor vs. J.J. Watt Debate

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2025 50:41


    11/14 John and Lance Hour 3 - What Did You Learn? + News of the Weird

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2025 49:18


    11/13 John and Lance Hour 1 Houston Cougar Basketball

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2025 46:43


    Rockets Report Davis Mills gets Texans start Caller talks Rockets  Kevin Durant's Rocket impact Astros add new hitting coach

    11/13 John and Lance Hour 2-Rockets Theory from Caller

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2025 52:42


    Rockets Theory from Caller 16 year old Sumo Prodigy  New generation embrace Rodney Dangerfield and classic music Caller Josh talks Davis Mills/CJ Stroud  NFL QB Contracts-CJ? Biscuit calls in about Cougar Basketball 

    11/13 John and Lance Hour 3-College Football Playoff Chat

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2025 49:32


    Josh Pate talks Ohio State Football  Iowa, USC and Oregon football matchups  College Football playoff speculation John Chill-NFL Week 11 Preview

    11/12 John and Lance Hour 1 - Who Makes the CFP?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2025 51:00


    11/12 John and Lance Hour 2 - Can Texas A&M Finish Strong?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2025 44:38


    11/12 John and Lance Hour 3 - Doug Christie Responds to Haters

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2025 55:38


    11/11 John and Lance Hour 1 - Brian Daboll Fired

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2025 54:52


    11/11 John and Lance Hour 2 - Woody Marks RB1 of the Future

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2025 47:50


    11/11 John and Lance Hour 3 - John has CTE

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2025 44:12


    11/10 Hour 1- Houston Sports Wins the Weekend

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2025 53:05


    Davis Mills-led Texans completes 19-point, fourth quarter to beat the Jaguars Rockets complete fourth quarter comeback against the Bucks What you learned this weekend

    11/10 Hour 2- Reactions From the Football World

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2025 40:47


    NFL Week 10 reactions College football reactions

    11/10 Hour 3- QB Battle Brewing in Houston?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2025 53:53


    Are C.J Stroud and Davis Mills headed toward a battle for QB1? Astros offseason moves News of the Weird

    11/7 John and Lance Hour 1 - TNF Reactions

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2025 57:40


    11/7 John and Lance Hour 2 - Damon Jones Trial

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2025 50:50


    11/7 John and Lance Hour 3 - Antonio Brown Arrested

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2025 45:46


    11/06 Hour 1 - Will The Rockets Have 3 All-Stars This Year?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2025 50:37


    Hour 1 of John and Lance with John Granato and Lance Zierlein! Rockets defeat Grizzlies despite Kevin Durant's struggles Can Sengun and Amen make an all-star game this year? ESPN and Youtube TV dispute continues to drag on Do the Astros miss Alex Bregman?

    11/06 Hour 2 -Josh Pate Talks College Football Playoff Expectations

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2025 51:35


    Hour 2 of John and Lance with John Granato and Lance Zierlein! Can Oregon maintain their ranking until playoffs? Will the loser of BYU and Texas Tech this week be out of the playoffs? Texas may not be eliminated from playoffs quite yet Will this be Tari Eason's last season in Houston?

    11/06 Hour 3 - Texans Record Should Be Better With #1 Defense!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2025 48:59


    Hour 3 of John and Lance with John Granato and Lance Zierlein! Winner Winner Taquito Dinner TNF: Broncos vs Raiders How much better should the Texans record be? John Chill talks sports books and upcoming weekend games PLUS, News of The Weird!

    11/5 John and Lance Hour 1 - First CFP Rankings

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2025 50:17


    11/5 John and Lance Hour 2 - NFL Trades

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2025 47:58


    11/5 John and Lance Hour 3 - Tom Herman Joins the Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2025 51:55


    11/4 John and Lance Hour 1 - Rockets Win

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2025 51:26


    Willie Fritz breaks down loss against West Virginia 

    11/4 John and Lance Hour 2 - DeMeco Ryans Versus the Media

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2025 44:17


    11/4 John and Lance Hour 3 - Texans Can't Score + News of the Weird

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2025 54:07


    11/3 Hour 1- The Texans' Offense is Torture

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2025 58:52


    Reactions from the Texans' loss against the Broncos Will the Texans' offense get any better? What you learned this weekend

    11/3 Hour 2- Bye Bye, Nick Caley?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2025 48:16


    More on Broncos vs Texans Is Nick Caley paving the way for Mike McDaniel to come in as the new Texans OC? Callers sound off

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