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London Fire Brigade protects one of the most complex urban environments on the planet. The resident population of London sits at around 9 million people, but that number is misleading. On a typical weekday, when commuters, tourists, and transient populations are added in, the number of people moving through the city regularly swells to 11 to 12 million, sometimes more during major events or peak travel periods.Around a quarter of all fire and rescue service calls in the UK come into London. Around 70% of the UK's high rise residential stock sits within the M25. This is not just a big fire brigade. It's a service operating at global city scale, with global city risk.In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Smith, Commissioner of London Fire Brigade, to talk honestly about what it takes to lead a service like that in today's operating environment.We start with Jonathan's journey into the fire service, from training and operational life through promotion and leadership, but this is not a career timeline conversation. It's a working discussion about responsibility, decision making, and pressure at scale.We talk about training and professional standards, what was lost after the early 2000s, and what it really means to professionalise a modern fire service. We explore high rise firefighting in London, lessons learned from Grenfell, and how evacuation, control, and operational command have fundamentally changed over the last decade.This conversation deliberately looks beyond a single service or even a single country. We frame London alongside other global cities like New York, Paris, and Tokyo, because the risks London faces don't stop at national borders. Climate change, lithium battery fires, terrorism, urban density, and geopolitical tension all show up on the streets of this city, and the fire service has to be ready for that reality.We also talk culture, not as a buzzword, but as lived behaviour. Leadership, accountability, psychological safety, and what it actually takes to create an organisation where people can do their best work without fear or silence. And finally, we zoom in on the personal cost of leadership, resilience, and how you stay grounded when the stakes are this high.This is a grounded, boots on the ground conversation about the future of firefighting, leadership in complex systems, and how our profession can continue to shape its own destiny. Access all episodes, documents, GIVEAWAYS & debriefs HEREPodcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE our partners supporting this episode.GORE-TEX Professional ClothingFIRST TACTICAL- tactical gear for elite operatorsMSA The Safety CompanyJAFCOIDEXFIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD Send a textSupport the show***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew
Is the U.S. Postal Service being set up to fail? In this episode of the America's Work Force Union Podcast, we sit down with Jonathan Smith, the new President of the American Postal Workers Union (APWU). Smith, a second-generation postal worker who rose through the ranks from a New Jersey bulk mail center, pulls back the curtain on the "pseudo-privatization" strategies threatening one of America's most trusted public institutions. We dive deep into: The Privatization Playbook: How profitable mail operations are being siphoned off to private interests, leaving the public with the bill. The Staffing Crisis: Why those long lines at your local post office aren't an accident—they are a service issue rooted in understaffing. Vote-by-Mail Under Fire: Why protecting the mail-in ballot is a nonpartisan, constitutional necessity for rural communities, veterans, and seniors. Labor's Legacy: A look back at the 1970 Postal Strike and why a new generation of workers must organize to protect middle-class, blue-collar pathways. The Postal Service is more than just a delivery business; it's a public obligation. Join us as President Smith outlines the APWU's mission to ensure the USPS remains a prompt, efficient and universal service for every American.
Every day is filled with negotiations. Here's how to start winning them. Any conversation that has a want or a need is a negotiation. It's critical to approach even the low stakes negotiations with the same tools that will win high stakes conversations. But what if the key to better outcomes isn't pushing harder, but listening better? In today's episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Jonathan Smith, negotiation instructor and co-author of Fight Less, Win More, to break down why negotiation is really about empathy, trust, and disciplined listening. Drawing on The Black Swan Group's negotiation framework—made famous by Never Split the Difference—Jonathan shares practical tools for navigating conflict, building influence, and getting what you need without damaging relationships. Jonathan is a business strategist and negotiation expert who has spent years teaching leaders, managers, and teams how to communicate in moments that matter most. His work focuses on tactical empathy, emotional intelligence, and the everyday negotiations that shape our careers and lives. Jonathan and Jessi discuss: Why every difficult conversation is a negotiation Tactical empathy and how to help people feel truly heard The “core four” negotiation skills: labels, mirrors, dynamic silence, and summaries How low-stakes practice builds confidence for high-stakes conversations Managing tone, emotion, and self-regulation Why listening is a discipline—and how it improves trust and influence Using AI as a preparation tool without losing human connection If you want to go deeper on these tools listen to our episode from September, 2025 with The Black Swan Group's founder and CEO, Chris Voss. Watch on YouTube: https://bit.ly/chrisvoss-hm-youtube Listen on Apple: https://bit.ly/chrisvoss-hm-apple Watch/Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/chrisvoss-hm-spotify We will be launching the Hello Monday Book Club soon. If you're interested in joining, send us an email at hellomonday@linkedin.com and let us know!
Finally, we have our lead pastor, Jonathan Smith, back in the studio with us again for Episode 27 of the Follow Podcast! He may not be a fan of spreadsheets, but he can still have a great conversation about money... And a conversation about money from two church leaders may not flow in the direction you expect. In his words: "It's a little complicated." *Stuff We Mentioned* [or wished we did] - Follow Wednesdays: https://1church.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3187098 - You Are What You Love - James K. A. Smith: https://a.co/d/9wBh9mh - Charity Checklist Video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/C4s2bx0__UE - Prosperity Theology (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology - Generosity Planner: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1e7ZRNuGDK1pEIDUL4Dp7Nr4T_hM_pYcXrmGNkEbptpo/edit?usp=sharing - Generosity Discussion Guide: https://onechurch.to/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/20260125_Generosity-Discussion-Guide.pdf ----- Season #6: Follow Fresh - Following along with the OneChurch.to teaching series "new." in January 2026 - we're learning new ways to pray, to rest, to do community and to give. These conversations are jumping off into more personal or deep ways of exploring the same ideas. The Follow Podcast is an honest and open conversation for anyone actively learning to live like Jesus. Check out the related weekend teaching, "A New Way to Give": https://youtu.be/4Mp726eqa9Q Submit your own question for the follow podcast here: https://onechurch.to/followpodcast ----- Chapters: 0:00 Intro 3:10 Is Tithing Biblical? 7:52 The Ideal Amount to Give 12:45 Giving As Spiritual Discipline 19:51 Is Capitalism to Blame? 21:33 Is Giving More Always Better? 24:11 Moving From Skeptic to Giver 30:36 Trusting The Church With Money Again 34:46 Generosity Isn't Just for Money 38:45 Financial Prosperity = Sign of God's Favour? 47:33 Living Jesus' Values Out 52:18 Talking About Money With Your Kids
For years, the narrative in Canada was slow decline, polite disengagement and post-Christian skepticism. But that's not the story they're living right now. There are people from every background actually exploring faith and showing up at church. What's going on in Canada? We're doing something a little different in this episode of the podcast. Sean and Amy invited our Canadian consultants, Jonathan Smith and Drake Farmer, to introduce themselves and talk about what they're seeing in the "big C" church in Canada. In this episode, we have a conversation about the real spiritual hunger emerging across Canada, how a strong invitational culture and posture of hospitality are becoming the new front door and what to be ready with when your growth is outpacing your resources. This Episode is Sponsored by Tyndale: As ministry leaders, you are walking with people through anxiety, grief, conflict, and big questions every week. The HelpFinder Bible is a simple, practical tool to help you point them to Scripture. Its unique HelpFinder Index includes more than 100 life topics—so whether someone is struggling with stress, relationships, or doubt, you can turn straight to relevant verses that speak to their situation. Find God's answers to life's questions—check out HelpFinderBible.com. Join the Conversation on Social Media We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram.
When Chip Kelly left his role as Ohio State's offensive coordinator following the Buckeyes' national championship season in 2024, wide receivers coach Brian Hartline took over as the OC for the 2025 season. Now that Hartline is in Tampa as the new head coach of the South Florida Bulls, who will Ryan Day hire as the Buckeyes' offensive coordinator for 2026?In this episode of the Buckeyes TomOrrow Morning podcast, Ross Fulton, the Xs and Os guru at Buckeye Huddle, joins host Tom Orr to discuss some of the leading contenders for the role and what unique advantages each of them would bring to the position. The candidates discussed include:Matt Nagy, the former offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs and former head coach of the Chicago Bears.Greg Roman, the former assistant for Jim Harbaugh and John Harbaugh, who served as the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers.Jonathan Smith, the former head coach of Michigan State and Oregon State, and the former offensive coordinator of the Washington Huskies.
January 19, 2026 ~ Chris Renwick and Jamie Edmonds spoke with Jonathan Smith, Director of Community and Worker for the Economic Transition Strategy. He discussed Michigan's new economic plan, focusing on industry growth, community resilience, and employee empowerment. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comFor your holiday listening, Alex and Richard take on dozens of questions from SplitZoneDuo.com's paid subscribers. Let's start with the juicy but sad breakup of Notre Dame and USC, move to the coaching carousel, and then have some fun. A rough listing of the questions featured in this episode, in order:* What's actually going on with Notre Dame and USC breaking up their football rivalry, and whose fault is it?* What is Michigan's realistic play in the coaching carousel, and who could they actually hire?* Is Michigan likely to have a coach in place by the bowl game, or is that assumption wrong?* Is a bridge coach (specifically Biff Poggi) a viable or sensible option for Michigan?* Kyle Whittingham vs. Brian Kelly: Who is the better “CEO” head coach?* With so many Power 4 openings, is the best path to a top job now being a successful P4 coordinator?* What happened at Ohio, how should they move forward, and why did they handle it better than Michigan?* Why does Warde Manuel still have a job (pending investigation)?* Is Pat Fitzgerald possibly a worse pure football coach than Jonathan Smith but better positioned because of NIL and donor buy-in? Is “coach who can unlock donor money” now a core hiring archetype?* Will Michigan State's new $400 million donation allow them to immediately spend big on the roster?* What are agency “speed-dating” events for coaches and athletic directors?* Does the modern college football calendar make it harder for FCS programs to reset or fire coaches?* Will the calendar lead to more long-tenured FCS coaches staying put at big programs?* What are the chances Ed Orgeron resurfaces on LSU's staff?* Why didn't Dan Mullen come up for any of the open head coaching jobs?* What's really wrong at Florida State beyond portal hits and misses?* If an AD tried to reverse-engineer Curt Cignetti, what traits would they be looking for?* What goes on your CFB trip bucket list?* New York or LA: The better CFB city?* Why do national college football narratives so often default to NY/LA logic when the sport itself doesn't?* What are our goals for this podcast in 2026?Thank you so much for being part of what we do. We'll see you around New Year's Eve to get you set for the CFP quarterfinals and FCS title game.Producer: Anthony Vito
Schick and Nick open the show with a little Kent vs Bishop. Bishop took issue with calls. Nebraska blasted Creighton. Who was Nick rooting for? Jake Eisenberg was a late sub. Does he listen to the show? Creighton lacked fluidity. LEARN. The moment Jonathan Smith got fired. Matt Rhule was like Forrest Gump. Penn State hires Matt Campbell. College Football Playoff reaction. Should we be done with the weekly rankings show? CFP bracketology. This was all the ACC's fault. The Werner Berger ladder. A lot of stage talk. Ian Eagle pun. Dead legs in Indonesia. Wayne in Aurora reference. Kohll's Polls. Schick's latest Dr. Pepper performance. Connect with us! SchickandNick.com Facebook, Twitter, or email We would hate it if you missed an episode! So PLEASE subscribe, rate the pod, and throw us a review. It helps us out so much! We'd likey that. This is another Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network by going to HurrdatMedia.com or Hurrdat Media YouTube channel! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Valenti and Rico discuss Michigan State's firing of Jonathan Smith and the corresponding hiring of Pat Fitzgerald as their new head football coach. Plus, the guys have a hilarious discussion about the Rocky movie franchise, Rico gives his top 14 NFL teams, and they all react to the Lions' win over the Cowboys.
This weekly show is now part of the "Happy Hour with John Gaskins" daily podcast, which you can find at SiouxFallsLive.com, MidwestSportsPlus.com, and most podcast platforms like the one you find here! So, if you enjoy the topics Matt & John cover, you'll get those topics, plus relevant local guests, every Monday through Thursday on Happy Hour... so we highly recommend you check that out!What is the silver bullet?This is a question outside observers may ask when teams like the Jackrabbits and the Coyotes produce a late-season turnaround. Both have gone from funks — the Jacks' four-game slide after a 7-0 start and more the Yotes' haven't-figured-it-out-yet malaise at 5-4 — to heaters that make them look like dangerous playoff teams. In South Dakota State's case, the return of quarterback Chase Mason is an easy answer, given how flawless, electric, and inspired the Jacks looked in their 41-3 first round playoff win over New Hampshire. But SDSU had already turned the corner the week before in the dramatic win at North Dakota. So, what is the other silver bullet at SDSU? Hint: It lies in both the head coach and offensive coordinator. In Wednesday's "John-o-logue," Happy Hour John Gaskins plucked insight from Dan Jackson and others (like John Stiegelmeier) to pinpoint the turning points.At USD, there isn't one player or aspect that sticks out as a cure-all in their four-game win streak, which included three consecutive wins over Top 25 teams just to reach the playoffs.But there was a broad, overarching concept employed by head coach Travis Johansen that yielded powerful results. It wasn't an obvious or dramatic silver bullet, but Johansen reveals it in his weekly one-on-one 30 minute chat with Gaskins. After a close first half against Drake, the Yotes pulled away 38-17 in the first round of the playoffs as quarterback Aidan Bouman had his best game of the season.Was there a big turnaround moment for Bouman? How has Larenzo Fenner broken out into an at-times impossible-to-cover receiver? How did Mikey Munn become an All-MVFC first teammer? Johansen answers these questions and gives a glimpse into why Mercer has the nation's second-best passing yardage attack, and what kind of challenges the Bears defense will present to USD's now-humming offense.Meanwhile, Wednesday marked (Early) National Letter of Intent Signing Day for high school athletes all across the country. It is always a day for college football teams to pump up their incoming recruiting class.Gaskins chatted with two Sioux Falls standouts about their paths to CFB — Sioux Falls Washington receiver Jhace Woods (South Dakota State) and Sioux Falls Jefferson tight end Eddie Whiting (Michigan State).How did the schools they signed with first start a relationship? What led them to choosing their school, and which other schools tried to pluck them away?In both players' cases, the schools they chose went through coaching changes — Woods earlier in his process when Jacks coach Jimmy Rogers left for Washington State, and Whiting just days before signing day when MSU fired Jonathan Smith and within 24 hours hired Pat Fitzgerald.So, what kept the Sioux Falls ballers loyal to their original choice?
On Tuesday's Daily Puck Drop, Jason “Puck” Puckett starts off the Tuesday show with headlines and it's a busy day for major league baseball. Winter meetings get started next week and rumors flying around of who the Mariners might end up with. The Seahawks could be getting reinforcements on the way to help out their defense and who is the MVP of the defense?Danny Kelly, The Ringer, pays Puck a visit and they talk about the Seahawks defense and the rough patch of play that Sam Darnold has found himself in. Are the Seahawks faithful losing faith? The offense need a second option and right now no one is stepping up. Danny chimes in on Puck's question of who the MVP of the Seahawks defense is. Danny asks Puck what's going on with Lamar Jackson and they discuss an incredible stat involving Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. John Canzano from JohnCanzano.com joins Puck from Corvallis where Oregon State will introduce JaMarcus Shephard as their new football coach. They also discuss the other candidates that were up for the job and was Shephard the first choice or did Oregon State settle for him? Did Oregon State reach out to Jonathan Smith? Lane Kiffin has left a mess and who is responsible for that mess? The new College Football Playoff Rankings come out later and where will the Oregon Ducks be ranked and why are we rooting for chaos??“On This Day…” An item you may use daily was invented on this day and Bobby Bonilla makes history on this day. Puck wraps up the show with, “Hey, What the Puck!?” Don't hit the panic button yet on Sam Darnold, but it must improve soon. (1:00) Puck (13:50) Danny Kelly, The Ringer (44:14) John Canzano, JohnCanzano.com (1:12:48) “On this Day….” (1:18:08) “Hey, What the Puck!?”
photo credit: The State NewsMichigan State University introduced new Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald to Spartan Nation at an introductory press conference on December 2 in the Greg and Dawn Williams Lobby of the Tom Izzo Football Building on the MSU campus.Conversation Highlights:(0:00) – Opening remarks from Athletic Director J Batt(3:59) – Remarks from President Kevin Guskiewicz(8:58) – Remarks from Coach Pat FitzgeraldQuestions from the media:(18:05) – How hungry are you to succeed?(19:45) – How are you prepared to handle the changing and evolving landscape of college football?(21:04) – When is the first time you thought about coaching MSU?(22:10) – For J Batt – how early on did you identify Pat as the guy? How quickly will we see his impact on the field?(23:17) – What did you learn from your Northwestern experience and how will that make you a better coach at MSU?(24:30) – What are the resources available to you, and what resources do you need to succeed?(25:25) – What's your message to MSU students?(26:58) – For Kevin and J – When and how did you decide to change coaches?(29:08) – How important are these next five days for you?(31:35) – What traits will you look for in your coaching staff?(33:26) – When did it click for you that MSU was the place for you?(35:23) – Was it an advantage in a way to be away from the game for awhile?Listen to “MSU Today with Russ White” on the radio and through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows. Conversation Transcript:J Batt (00:00):Well, good afternoon. Good afternoon. Welcome to everyone today, our head coaches that are with us, our donors, our athletic department staff, media members, so glad to see you and many of our special guests in particular. Welcome to the Fitzgerald family. We're so glad you're here. Welcome. It is indeed a great day to be a Spartan. We are excited you're here and ready for a tremendous start to the next chapter of Michigan State Football. Before I get into today's news, I'd like to thank Jonathan Smith for the first class manner in which he represented Michigan State and the professional classy manner. He's handled this transition. We certainly wish him well and his family well and their future endeavors, but as I said, today marks the start of a new era of Michigan State football. Spartan football has a proud history of national championships, big 10 Championships, rose Bowl, CFP appearances and much of that success is recent. (01:08):More importantly, Spartan football is defined by its people, the student athletes and coaches that have built this program and the loyal passionate fan base that fill Spartan Stadium each and every week is with them in mind that I set about making sure we had the right coach to lead our program. Transitions are always difficult and throughout the process I continually focused on what I believe was in the best long-term interest of our programs. I wanted a coach who was a proven winner, a coach of integrity and intensity, someone with a formula for success on the field and a plan of attack in a continually evolving landscape, someone who could effectively and efficiently use the resources they were provided. Fit was also important as we set out on this search. Someone who understands the Big 10 and has relationships through the Midwest, a coach who embodies the values on which our program was built. (02:07):Perhaps most importantly, someone who shares our standard of excellence and aggressively pursues that excellence each and every day. I was looking for someone who would partner as we continue to elevate not just Michigan State football, but our entire athletic department, someone who would share our fundraising vision. Some of you may have seen we launched a $1 billion capital initiative today, so a few renderings of the east side of Spartan Stadium. Pretty excited about that and it certainly gave me chills to see that rendering for the first time and hopefully he did the same for you as we went through this list of criteria. Pat Fitzgerald met every criteria. He's a passionate winner. He understands the Big 10 in college football here in the Midwest. We have a shared vision for building championships and returning this program to its elite level of success. At the same time, we have an obligation as a department to the football program. (03:02):We are fully committed to providing the resources and infrastructure required to compete at the highest lever. Nearly six months ago, almost to the day, I stood in this exact same spot and shared that my vision for reestablishing Michigan State Athletics as a top 10 athletic department. I also spoke about the importance of Michigan State football and what is required for us to reach that goal. To reach that level of success requires alignment at every level. I'd like to publicly thank President Gussy and our board of trustees for their support of our department through this transition and throughout the year also being a great partner as we work towards our common goals. They have certainly positioned us well for success in years to come and is in that spirit of alignment that I'd like to welcome the stage our president, Dr. Kevin Skow. Kevin Guskiewicz (04:00):Thanks Jay and it's an honor to be here Today I want to take this opportunity to welcome the Fitzgerald family to our family here in East Lansing to Michigan State University State, Jack, Brendan, and I know that Ryan, I think is off at football practice across the lake. You're going to love the family that you are joining today. I want to also take this opportunity to welcome two of our board of trustees members, Renee Kki Jefferson and Dennis Deno who are with us today. I see Dennis and Trustee Kki Jefferson is here somewhere I think, but thank you for your support in supporting this transition. I also want to take the opportunity as Jay Bat has already done, and that is to thank Jonathan Smith for his contributions to Michigan State University and his family for being part of this community and he is indeed a class act and I know we will continue to try to support him and his family even on a wintry day like today. (05:01):I'm sure that Coach Fitz, as he has said, he likes to be called Coach Fitz. I'm going to work on that and his family will discover the warmth of our Michigan State community much in the same way that Amy and our family did when we visited this campus nearly two years to the day when it was much like this with a little snow on the ground, but it's warmth that's as I like to say, kindled by our passionate campus and a Spartan community and all those many who are in the room today who are dedicated to making a difference on the field and beyond, and that's the way we develop talent here at Michigan State University. I'm excited for what Coach Fitzgerald's addition to our athletics program will do not only for Spartan football but for our entire campus. Pat Fitzgerald is a p...
Both the Lions and Michigan lose, Eli Zaret joins us as MSU hires Pat Fitzgerald, Tara Reid is a mess, Me-Me-Meghan Markle is a menace, Try Guy Ned Fulmer turns into Cry Guy, and Akaash Singh's wife continues her reign of terror. Eli Zaret joins the show as Michigan falls to the Ohio State Buckeyes, CFB coaching carousel, too much Tom Brady (and why you look different?), MSU's terrible attendance at Ford Field, Jonathan Smith blown OUT, Jordon Hudson at the pump, Michigan basketball wins the Players Era Festival, MSU wins the Fort Myers Tip-Off, the Detroit Lions lose on Thanksgiving, Aidan Hutchinson MIA, Frank Ragnow un-retires and then re-retires, the MLB Winter Meetings, another University of Georgia driving violation, and RIP Fuzzy “Jokester” Zoeller (nice joke, btw). Oh, and Donald Trump nailed a chip shot. The Lions suck, the season is probably over… but Jack White and Eminem rocked the Thanksgiving Halftime show. Drew breaks down the 10 most memorable Thanksgiving Day Halftime Shows. South Park crushed it once again. Ned Fulmer has had a rough time in entertainment recently… so now he turns to his Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis for views. Tara Reid vs YouTuber ‘Sean P'. She's looking great these days. She's totally single now. Why You Look Different?: Kelly Osbourne? Ariana Grande? Kim Mathers? Come out to the Lodge Friday night (9pm – 10pm) to hang with us and support Killer Cares. Amy Schumer is only posting pics of how hot she is thanks to Mounjaro. Hollywood Confidential used our show clips to bash Meghan Markle. Ha ha! She has an As Ever pop-up store at the Soho Home. She has been labeled the ‘Salmonella Sussex'. She'll do anything for a photo op. King Charles wants her to reconnect with Thomas. Akaash Singh's wife remains a human toilet. It's all about Jasleen. Turns out OnlyFans may be problematic for some girls. Jess Brolin is a slob and Drew thinks he looks like Brad Pitt. Gays Against Groomers vs Baltimore teacher James Stilipec. Breaking News: Pat Fitzgerald to MSU. Don't forget to grab your Drew Lane Show merch right here! If you'd like to help support the show… consider subscribing to our YouTube Channel, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (Drew Lane, Marc Fellhauer, Trudi Daniels, Jim Bentley and BranDon).
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comSUBSCRIBER EPISODE: Richard spent Sunday on his phone, gathering information on the day's many college football coach hirings and firings. This episode takes you through Richard's day of reporting. Alex joins him to discuss a bunch of moves: * Lane Kiffin heads to LSU, and Ole Miss replaces him swiftly with the internal succession option we talked about a few weeks ago: Pete Golding * The argument between Kiffin and Ole Miss at the end, Kiffin's efforts to own the narrative, and how much of this is his doing vs. the calendar's * Florida hires Jon Sumrall, who's technically a consolation prize but brings a lot more to the table than many Florida fans realize * Auburn, after weeks of pursuing Sumrall, winds up not with DJ Durkin but with Alex Golesh. But did Durkin play a role in how it shook out? * Arkansas gets Ryan Silverfield, angering Hogs fans but not Memphis fans* Michigan State fires Jonathan Smith and moves quickly to replace him with Pat Fitzgerald, in a sequence that looks like a set piece * Recapping some hires at Oklahoma State, Stanford, Colorado State, and Oregon State, while other jobs wait to be filled * Penn State's search is quieter than a whisper, but it's getting down to two options: Hire a coordinator, or take a big swing on a mystery man. If there's a mystery man, is he coaching a conference championship game? It's a great time to subscribe to Split Zone Duo Our coach carousel episodes, including this one, go behind the $10 monthly paywall for subscribers. If you're looking for a mix of reporting and longer-form discussions about the coach movements that shape the sport, we'd love to have you. Everyone can listen to a free preview of this episode, of course. Further listening from us * Alex's solo episode about DJ Durkin's time at Maryland. For a limited time, we've pulled this 2024 episode out from behind the paywall. If you've ever wondered why this podcast talks about Durkin in a certain way, and what his story has to do with CFB media, this will be the episode for you. * The Week 14 Sunday Hurry-Up, presented by Dad Water.
The Lane Kiffin saga has finally come to a conclusion and it was the messiest version possible. After weeks of proposed "deadlines", meetings and delays, a conclusion has finally been reached. Lane Kiffin has officially left Ole Miss to be the head coach for LSU. Part of the hold-up was that Kiffin wanted to remain Ole Miss' head coach through the College Football Playoff. Ole Miss refused that request. Kiffin is now in Baton Rouge and Pete Golding has been promoted to become Ole Miss' new head coach. Andy Staples, Ross Dellenger and Steven Godfrey breakdown how the final few days of the saga played out. They discuss what they expect from Ole Miss under Golding and if Kiffin should have been allowed to coach the Playoff.Lane Kiffin was not the only coaching change that happened on Sunday. In fact, he was one of many. The coaching carousel turned to chaos on Sunday as Jon Sumrall went to Florida, Alex Golesh went to Auburn, Ryan Silverfield went to Arkansas and Pat Fitzgerald went to Michigan State. The guys discuss if each of these hires were the right fit for the school and Lane Kiffin's affect on how all of these hires played out. Later, the guys recap some of the action from Week 14. #1 Ohio State broke their losing streak to #15 Michigan, but the biggest news of the weekend was #16 Texas defeating previously unbeaten #3 Texas A&M. Andy and Godfrey discuss what effect this will have on Tuesdays College Football Playoff rankings. They also take a look at the ACC. #18 Virginia is set to take on Duke in the ACC title game, but what happens if Duke wins? Could the ACC miss out on the CFP completely? Plus, news breaks during the show as Kentucky fires Mark Stoops.Catch up on all of the coaching chaos with College Football Enquirer.(0:52) - Lane Kiffin choses LSU(31:44) - Jon Sumrall to Florida(36:19) - Alex Golesh to Auburn(41:30) - Ryan Silverfield to Arkansas(46:50) - Michigan State fires Jonathan Smith, set to hire Pat Fitzgerald(54:24) - #1 Ohio State defeats #15 Michigan(56:33) - How does #3 Texas A&M's loss change the CFP?(1:07:01) - Kentucky fires Mark Stoops Subscribe to the College Football Enquirer on your favorite podcast app:
Valenti offers his two cents on his alma mater's hiring of Pat Fitzgerald as their new football head coach.
Valenti began the third hour with his extended thoughts on MSU's firing of Jonathan Smith and hiring of Pat Fitzgerald as its next football head coach. The guys continued with this topic, mixing in the Lions sparingly as well.
The Beavers have hired a new head coach in JaMarcus Shephard from Bama, is it the best move they could make...Bill Oram joins the Ticker with thoughts on the hire and if he thinks the Ducks are primed for a deep run in the CFB Playoff...plus, Jonathan Smith gets turfed by Michigan St....the guys play what if Smith never panicked two years ago...
Deni Avdija is BALLIN'. Oregon State hires JaMarcus Shephard as new head coach. Michigan State fires Jonathan Smith. Closing Arguments: If Oregon loses Will Stein & Tosh Lupoi, how should Dan Lanning replace them?
@JeffreyTheGreek & @B1GKurt had JUST FINISHED recording this Pod when the news of Jonathan Smith getting canned at Michigan State broke. Just an FYI. Other than that...we break down our Turkey Days and 8 B1G Games from Rivalry Weekend. We hope you enjoy this Pod as much as we have been with the leftovers! Take a Listen! #AskForAmador
The guys kick off this week's Best of Valenti with "Can We Say That?" NFL version. Also, they discuss what, if anything, MSU is planning with Jonathan Smith and break down how money is ruining college sports.
The coaching carousel keeps on spinning, but Florida State is not joining the party in 2025. FSU announced on Sunday that Mike Norvell will remain the head coach of the Seminoles in 2026. This announcement comes at the end of a disappointing season that began with a lot of promise. Promises have been made to enhance the roster next season. Andy Staples, Ross Dellenger and Steven Godfrey discuss why Florida State decided to make this move and if they think it was the right decision. Then, they look to Michigan State where a decision looms. Will the Spartans keep Jonathan Smith or will the current eight-game losing streak be the final straw of a disappointing tenure in East Lansing? Coaching carousel drama would not be complete without another Lane Kiffin update. The guys discuss Kiffin's recent silence on the topic of his coaching decision. They also discuss what will happen to the team that misses out on Kiffin and why this year's selection of candidates is unique to those of the past. Then, the guys talk about events happening on the field. There are a lot of games this week with massive CFP implications as we close out the regular season. A notable one, and one that Andy thinks may be ready for an upset, is #10 Alabama visiting Auburn. The guys discuss if this game will actually be close and Andy makes his case as to why he thinks this is a potential upset to keep an eye on. Then they chat about the game that will have everyone watching because of Lane Kiffin. #6 Ole Miss visits Mississippi State on Friday for the Egg Bowl. A massive rivalry, propped up by coaching drama, one team trying to reach bowl eligibility and the other team fighting for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Ross and Godfrey dive into the history of this rivalry and what they think may come of it this year. Finally they chat about arguably the biggest rivalry in college football. #1 Ohio State takes on #18 Michigan in The Big House. Michigan is riding a four-game winning streak in this rivalry. The crew talks about how this game could be another chance for Michigan to pull the massive upset, or it could be Ohio State's opportunity to exorcise its demons and snap the losing streak. Plus, Ross gives an update on the CFP extending conversations about the future of the CFP format.Later, it's time for I've Got A Feeling. Nebraska, Tennessee and Tec de Monterrey are who the guys have a good feeling about this week. Plus, Ross shares some Louisiana Thanksgiving recipes.Great ready for Rivalry Week with College Football Enquirer.(1:00) - Florida State keeps Mike Norvell(14:05) - Will Michigan State fire Jonathan Smith?(16:40) - Lane Kiffin update(28:21) - Rivalry Week games(29:57) - #10 Alabama visiting Auburn in the Iron Bowl(33:35) - #6 Ole Miss visits Mississippi State on Friday for the Egg Bowl(42:21) - #1 Ohio State takes on #18 Michigan in The Big House(51:11) - CFP format deadline gets extended(55:53) - I've Got A Feeling Subscribe to the College Football Enquirer on your favorite podcast app:
The guys take a break from talking Lions to have a conversation about the lack of clarity from MSU when it comes to whether they're going to retain or fire Jonathan Smith.
The guys return to the Jonathan Smith discussion for another segment.
David joined to go over some Thanksgiving dishes with the guys and which they like to consume on Turkey Day. They shifted to the Jonathan Smith discussion for another segment, and then Kenny joined to give his thoughts on the state of the Red Wings.
Valenti and Rico spent the second hour continuing their Lions conversation from the hour before giving some thoughts on what MSU could possibly be planning to do with Jonathan Smith.
The guys do this week's CFB "Can We Say That?"
We dug into our takes and yours — on Michigan State football, a frustrating loss to Iowa, Jonathan Smith's future, what J Batt might be thinking, MSU basketball and the shooting guard position, concern over the Lions and more.
Rico Beard talks through the week 13 games in the Big Ten. USC playoff hopes came to an end, Jonathan Smith still has a job and a look at "The Game." Download the latest episode of the 5 Star Zone today. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
We answered your questions — on Michigan State basketball and what MSU's win over Kentucky means for the season, on MSU football and Jonathan Smith, the circumstances when he was hired and his future, on the Pistons, Tigers, Lions, and more, including a couple stories definitely worth telling.
Valenti offers an interesting theory regarding J Batt and his handling (or lack thereof) of MSU football head coach Jonathan Smith.
Valenti reads some quotes from new Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin and wonders what J Batt is thinking by continuing to employ Jonathan Smith.
Rico brings up some of the biggest CFB topics in this blitz.
We dug into our takes and yours — on Michigan State football, the NCAA penalties, Jonathan Smith, J Batt, Alan Haller, etc., on Lions angst and Jared Goff and Dan Campbell, on MSU basketball recruiting, on life and hope and more.
Valenti and Rico wrapped up the show revisiting their MSU Football talk from the first hour before Riger joined in cross-talk.
Valenti is ecstatic at the idea of Jonathan Smith potentially knowing about the MSU football violations and whether the school could void what they'd owe him in a buyout.
Mike and Rico wonder if it's been easier to find a good college football head coach since the start of the NIL era.
The guys continue to entrench themselves in their main topic of the day, taking a different angle when it comes to the influence of the struggles of MSU under Jonathan Smith plays a part in it.
If Valenti could only pick Mel Tucker or Jonathan Smith to coach Michigan State, who would he choose? Find out on this episode of Cash the Ticket. Download and subscribe today. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Is there a legitimate reason that Michigan State hasn't fired head coach Jonathan Smith? Download the latest episode of Cash the Ticket today. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Assuming Jonathan Smith is a goner, everyone goes around and gives their ideal characteristics for the next MSU Football head coach.
From 'Cash The Ticket' (subscribe here): If Valenti could only pick Mel Tucker or Jonathan Smith to coach Michigan State, who would he choose? Find out on this episode of Cash the Ticket. Download and subscribe today. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2 hour and 30 minutes The Sponsors Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com. Our associate sponsors are: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Human Element, Sharon's Heating & Air Conditioning, The Sklars Brothers, Champions Circle, Winewood Organics, Community Pest Solutions, Venue by 4M where record this, and Introducing this season: Radecki Oral Surgery, and Long Road Distillers. 1. Offense vs Michigan State Starts at 1:05 They watch games in Craig's garage but to be clear it's a very nice garage. This game means different things based on if you're from Michigan or not. This game is like "Jerry Springer: the Rivalry". Michigan went back to the 2023 "we can just run the ball and get away with a win" gameplan. 'Road Bryce' seems to be a real thing. Every time they show Jonathan Smith he looks like he doesn't want to be there. Should there be an ingrained hatred of Michigan if you're going to be the head coach at Michigan State? Bryce doesn't have a good game but both backs go for over 100 yards. Bryce looked great last week, what happened? Or is this just the case of a true freshman in a road environment again? Sprague and Guarnera had great games, El-Hadi maybe not so much? The pieces for the 2026 offensive line may already be in place. Let's talk about Semaj... We're mostly out on Semaj, do you bench him now for his own good? Jordan Marshall: runs through guys and runs through guys. The Crippen high snap was unfortunate. Can anyone play fullback better than Max Bredeson? [The rest of the writeup and the player after THE JUMP] 2. Defense vs Michigan State Starts at 59:04 We've been down on Wink but this was a good game for the defense. You can't take much on this based on the performance of the opposition. Chiles was awful in a vacuum, Michigan was not forcing his problems. Hillman had a really good game, he's been given a lot of criticism but this was a chaotically good game. Jimmy Rolder was a little bit of everywhere, he's a playmaker now. Derrick Moore is pretty good, he should start! Everything around the defensive tackle position is fine but we're used to a defense designed around great defensive tackles. Defensive backs should have as equal right to the ball as wide receivers. 3. Hot Takes, Game Theory, and Special Teams Starts at 1:26:57 Takes hotter than the bacteria and/or virus that really got up in Brian's business this week. Glue the hat and pants on, Michigan State's not getting the trophy back. Some of us don't think that guy was off-sides... or was he? The hold on Crippen is not even remotely a hold. If that's a hold then we need to talk about Jaishawn Barham. Why are we accepting a fair catch on the 20?? We are out on J.B. Brown as special teams coordinator. Hollenbeck had a nice game at least. Semaj gets run over by Goodwin?! Should they have taken a shot in the endzone before the end of the half? 4. Around the Big Ten with Jamie Mac Starts at 1:51:10 Rutgers 27, Purdue 24 The Purdue QB catches his own pass and spectacularly hands the game over to Rutgers in dramatic fashion. Rutgers gets yards, not points. Purdue wins a game they probably shouldn't have. This game kind of saved Rutgers' season, they could potentially compete with Penn State for bowl eligibility. Nebraska 28, Northwestern 21 Northwestern outgains Nebraska and Dylan Raiola was un-inspiring. That said, Raiola was still the better QB. Northwestern always seems to find the worst QB in the portal. Nebraska seems to think they can solve their offensive line problems with the portal but they can't. Indiana 56, UCLA 6 There was a pick-six a minute into the game and that's all she wrote. Last year Indiana was a fun story, this year THEY'RE SCARY. Washington 42, Illinois 25 Road Washington is a thing. The worst roughing the passer call we've ever seen is in this game. Could Oregon be a play-in for a playoff spot for Washington?? Oregon 21, Wisconsin 7 Wisconsin doesn't get shut out three games in a row! All things considered, the Wisconsin defense is playing their hearts out. Iowa 41, Minnesota 3 Iowa had 274 total yards. How do you get 41 points on 274 total yards? It's Iowa. We need a Floyd of Rosedale pose on touchdowns in this game. Playoff Iowa??? No, that's silly. MUSIC: "Chokkan Way"—Haku "My Girlfriend Doesn't Worry"—Jeffrey Lewis "Nausea"—Jeff Rosenstock “Across 110th Street”—JJ Johnson and his Orchestra
The guys hear from a few more of the people before the end of the show.
Mike and Rico wonder if Jonathan Smith made the wrong decision keeping QB Aiden Chiles in for the majority of their matchup with Michigan Football before beginning to take your calls.
Is the rivalry game special to anyone this season? Download the latest episode of Cash the Ticket today. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jonathan Smith and the Michigan State covered, but why? Download and subscribe to Cash the Ticket today. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Does Michigan State need to move on from head coach Jonathan Smith? Or will the Spartans wait till it's too late? Download the latest episode of Cash the Ticket today. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices