Podcasts about Detroit Pistons

Jake Scott and coach Tim Lacomb break down the action from the Utah Jazz's thrilling home win against the Detroit Pistons on December 26, 2025

Head coach Will Hardy speaks with the media after the Jazz's thrilling home win against the Detroit Pistons on December 26, 2025

Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier speaks with the media after the Jazz's thrilling home win against the Detroit Pistons on December 26, 2025

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen speaks with the media after the Jazz's thrilling home win against the Detroit Pistons on December 26, 2025

Jazz vs Pistons

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Riger and Rico discuss the one "gift" you'd want Detroit sports to get the most.

The guys give the thing they'd most like to change in Detroit sports in the past.

Danny has never watched Fast Times at Ridgemont High in one sitting. Blazers overcome huge deficit vs Pistons, still lose. Relax on Scoot Henderson's return timeline. Best/worst Christmas gifts.

Hour 1 of Costa and Jansen with Heather. It's Christmas Eve. Heather is out, and Stoney is once again filling in for Costa. The show opens with a conversation about the Red Wings and Pistons. The Wings took down a terrific team in the Dallas Stars last night. Meanwhile, the Pistons made it two wins in a row on the West Coast with a victory over the lowly Kings. A year ago, no one would have believed both teams would be this good. Can they keep it up? Plus, the guys make their football picks!

In Hour 4 of Costa & Jansen with Heather, Jon and Stoney continue their conversation about Detroit's NHL and NBA teams. Just how far can the Wings and Pistons actually go this season? They take calls and texts on the subject. Plus, Central Michigan football coach Matt Drinkall joins to preview his team's matchup against Northwestern in the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field on Friday. Merry Christmas to all!

It's Christmas Eve, and Stoney is filling in for Costa, while Heather is off. Jon and Mike are pumped up about the Pistons and the Red Wings. Both teams are in first place and coming off wins on Tuesday night. How far can they really go this season? Plus, evaluating the rumored Michigan head coaching candidates; NFL picks for Week 17; an interview with Central Michigan head coach Matt Drinkall; and an analysis of how the Lions fell behind the Packers and Bears, and what they need to do to reclaim the top spot in the rugged NFC North.

Sacramento Kings lose to the Detroit Pistons 136-127In this episode of The Royal Report I discuss the Kings matching the physicality of the Pistons, coming out slow on both ends, and Nique Clifford contributing to another comeback effort.

Spencer, Eazy, Chris, and Nick react to the Pistons latest win and the Detroit Lions drama.

In this episode of the Sports Reel Podcast, the hosts reflect on the year coming to a close, share holiday greetings, and introduce their special guest. They discuss the exciting developments within the PFC Network, including upcoming shows and guests. The conversation shifts to the Detroit Red Wings, where cautious optimism is expressed about their recent performance. The hosts analyze the Detroit Pistons' recent games and their potential for the season. The rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State in college basketball is highlighted, along with a preview of the NFL and college football playoffs. The episode concludes with a recap of the highly anticipated fight between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua, discussing the outcomes and implications for both fighters. In this episode, the hosts discuss the rise of women's boxing, particularly focusing on fighters like Bum Garner and the impact of promoters like Jake Paul. They analyze the recent fight between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua, debating whether it was a genuine competition or a promotional strategy. The conversation shifts to the NFL, where they recap the week's games, highlight the Detroit Lions' struggles, and discuss the implications of their playoff hopes. The hosts also delve into the importance of draft strategies and coaching decisions, emphasizing the need for the Lions to address their offensive and defensive lines. Finally, they look ahead to upcoming sports events and make predictions for future games.

Les Lakers, les Warriors, les Timberwolves et les Pistons devraient fortement animer la trade deadline, fixée au 5 février prochain. Quels échanges pourraient changer la dynamique de ces quatre franchises ? On tente de répondre.Jacques Monclar, Rémi Reverchon, Mary Patrux, Xavier Vaution, Fred Weis et Chris Singleton décryptent l'actualité de la NBA dans le Podcast NBA Extra, présenté par Nicolas Sarnak et Baptiste Denis.En complément de l'émission lancée en 2012, beIN SPORTS a créé, avec ce podcast, un nouveau format pour revenir en profondeur sur la ligue nord-américaine de basketball. Chaque semaine, les membres de l'émission débattent autour de trois thèmes majeurs, qui font l'actualité de la NBA.Un podcast à retrouver aussi sur Youtube : https://tinyurl.com/y4sabkns Hébergé par Audion. Visitez https://www.audion.fm/fr/privacy-policy pour plus d'informations.

(I accidentally said episode 588 in the opening, I meant to say 585)The Kings lately have been hanging with their opponents, not getting blown out and always making things interesting in crunch time.This game was no different even though for much of the game the Kings trailed by double digits as they were bullied physically by the Pistons. But in the 4th quarter the Kings battled and were able to cut the lead to 7 before falling.This new look Kings team has looked better and tougher and it's a refreshing sight to what has been a pretty miserable season.Use code SKT15 on checkout to get 15% off from HYVDesigns on Etsy during checkout or use this link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/hyvdesigns/?etsrc=sdt&coupon=SKT15Intro Music by Blue Dot Sessions. https://www.sessions.blueIf you want to email us: kingtherapypod@gmail.com

With a looming holiday break approaching, Bryce and Omari revisit an assortment of projections they made before the Pistons kicked off the 2025-2026 season. Later in the pod, producer Wes joins to pit the guys against each other in another true or false edition of “Sheed or Sham”? Follow Omari on X/Twitter: @omarisankofa Read the latest from Omari on freep.com Follow Bryce on X/Twitter: @MotorCityHoops Read the latest from Bryce on substack Pick up "The Pistons Pulse" merch here!

Who's fault is it that the USC-ND game is going on hiatus...why can't the Steelers find well adjusted receivers...the Blazers do Blazer things against the Pistons...and boy, wo we miss old school Big East Basketball

Send us a textJoin our Discord to sit in our seats at Pistons' home game!!!!! ----https://discord.gg/GQGwZNp3CTTwitter: @propistonsInstagram: @pistonsprowrestlingfansEmail: PistonsProWrestlingFans@gmail.comMerchandise:www.prowrestlingtees.com/PWTPFSupport the Show: https://paypal.me/pwtpf Intro music (DX + John Mason) and voiceover plugging our twitter/X handle and PWTees store DX + John Mason Support the showTwitter: @ProPistonsInstagram: PistonsProWrestlingFansPrimary Sponsor: www.ticket-barter.com

Today on the show, we're talking about the Detroit Lions, Michigan and Michigan State Athletics, the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Pistons, and more as we were joined by some of our great guests. Throughout our first hour, we were joined by Greg Heeres in studio so he and Huge could break down the Lions loss to the Steelers, to give their thought's on the future of Skubal, and more. We were also joined by John Maakaron from Sports Illustrated and the Detroit Sports Podcast. He and Huge gave their thought's on where this team is currently at following that loss to the Steelers, talked about dwindling Playoff chances, gave their thought's on the Coaching, and more. Clayton Sayfie from theWolverine.com then joined us to update us on the Michigan Coaching search. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In our final hour, we were joined by former Michigan Basketball Head Coach John Beilein and Josh Garvey from Doeren Mayhew for our weekly "Talking Hoops" segment. Huge, John, and Josh talked about how great the Pistons have been playing lately, talked about how good Michigan and Michigan State Basketball have been playing, and more. We were then joined by former Detroit Lion Lomas Brown and Josh Garvey from Doeren Mayhew for our weekly "Inside the Lions" segment. During that time - Huge, Lomas, and Josh gave us their thought's on last weekend's loss to the Steelers, they talked about how the Lions and the Vikings stack up against each other, discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the Lions currently, gave their predictions on the game, and much more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We were joined by former Michigan Basketball Head Coach John Beilein and Josh Garvey from Doeren Mayhew for our weekly "Talking Hoops" segment. Huge, John, and Josh talked about how great the Pistons have been playing lately, talked about how good Michigan and Michigan State Basketball have been playing, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on the show, we're talking about the Detroit Lions, Michigan and Michigan State Athletics, the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Pistons, and more as we were joined by some of our great guests. Throughout our first hour, we were joined by Greg Heeres in studio so he and Huge could break down the Lions loss to the Steelers, to give their thought's on the future of Skubal, and more. We were also joined by John Maakaron from Sports Illustrated and the Detroit Sports Podcast. He and Huge gave their thought's on where this team is currently at following that loss to the Steelers, talked about dwindling Playoff chances, gave their thought's on the Coaching, and more. Clayton Sayfie from theWolverine.com then joined us to update us on the Michigan Coaching search. In our second hour, Doug Skene from theWolverine.com joined us to talk about Michigan Football. He gave us his thought's on who would be the best fit to be Michigan's next Head Coach, he and Huge gave their opinion's on the future of Warde Manuel, talked about what Michigan needs to do to make things right, and more. We were then joined by former Major Leaguer John Vander Wal. He's a Lions season ticket holder, so he talked about what the vibe was like inside Ford Field on Sunday. He and Huge also gave their thought's on if the Tigers will sign Tarik Skubal, and more. In our final hour, we were joined by former Michigan Basketball Head Coach John Beilein and Josh Garvey from Doeren Mayhew for our weekly "Talking Hoops" segment. Huge, John, and Josh talked about how great the Pistons have been playing lately, talked about how good Michigan and Michigan State Basketball have been playing, and more. We were then joined by former Detroit Lion Lomas Brown and Josh Garvey from Doeren Mayhew for our weekly "Inside the Lions" segment. During that time - Huge, Lomas, and Josh gave us their thought's on last weekend's loss to the Steelers, they talked about how the Lions and the Vikings stack up against each other, discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the Lions currently, gave their predictions on the game, and much more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

U.P. teen buys restaurant, becomes its only employee EGLE approves hazardous waste facility's license renewal over protests The Pistons Pulse: What did we get right and wrong in our preseason predictions for Detroit Pistons? Subscribe/follow, rate and share "The Pistons Pulse" available on all podcast platforms including: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTubeWatch the podcast recorded live here

Les Lakers, les Warriors, les Timberwolves et les Pistons devraient fortement animer la trade deadline, fixée au 5 février prochain. Quels échanges pourraient changer la dynamique de ces trois franchises ? On tente de répondre.Zach LaVine est la dernière rumeur en date concernant les Bucks. L'arrière de Sacramento serait-il un bon complément à Giannis Antetokounmpo ?La grande soirée de Noël offrira un 25 décembre très alléchant : on fait la preview des cinq matchs !Avec Chris Singleton et Nicolas Sarnak.Jacques Monclar, Rémi Reverchon, Mary Patrux, Xavier Vaution, Fred Weis et Chris Singleton décryptent l'actualité de la NBA dans le Podcast NBA Extra, présenté par Nicolas Sarnak et Baptiste Denis.En complément de l'émission lancée en 2012, beIN SPORTS a créé, avec ce podcast, un nouveau format pour revenir en profondeur sur la ligue nord-américaine de basketball. Chaque semaine, les membres de l'émission débattent autour de trois thèmes majeurs, qui font l'actualité de la NBA.Un podcast à retrouver aussi sur Youtube : https://tinyurl.com/y4sabkns Hébergé par Audion. Visitez https://www.audion.fm/fr/privacy-policy pour plus d'informations.

Chappelle's Netflix special angers both sides, Eli Zaret joins us as the Detroit Lions season ends, Jeffrey Epstein files released, Bowen Yang exits SNL, NASCAR's Greg Biffle plane crash, D4vd's burn cage, and more entitled Nick Reiner information. Eli Zaret joins the show to recap the Detroit Lions season-killing loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, DK Metcalf vs the fans, the Chicago Bears incredible win over the Green Bay Packers, go over the CFB playoff games over the weekend, Michigan's search for their next head coach, Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt NIL offers, the Jake Paul/Anthony Joshua spectacle, Amon-Ra St. Brown's boogers, Puka Nacua's racist mistake, Jared Goff's Christmas presents, a bet on a Shohei Ohtani ball, the Detroit Pistons hot run and more. A brand new David Chappelle special dropped out of nowhere on Netflix. Dave made a lot of money in Saudi Arabia. Bowen Yang leaves Saturday Night Live midseason. His final sketch to send him off was pretty weak. Noah Weiland really misses his dog. “Do your thing, internet”. Bill Clinton is the big loser in the release of the latest Jeffrey Epstein files. They come heavily redacted and posted pictures disappeared a day later. The Brown University shooter was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. NASCAR's Greg Biffle and family dead in plane crash. Zion Williamson allegedly slid into Sydney Sweeney's DM's. Jerry Garcia was no fan of Jim Morrison or The Doors. Steven Tyler and his 38-year-old girlfriend break up. More and more info-dumps are dropping regarding Nick Reiner. He's using schizophrenia as an excuse. Conan O'Brien could have saved Rob and Michele Reiner. Luigi Mangione is having some good luck in court lately. We watch as a drunk couple make absolute fools of themselves. Katie Price is looking awfully fake and too thin these days. Christina Aguilera looks pretty damn good after Ozempic. D4vd had a ‘burn cage' and it doesn't look suspicious at all. The Oscars are moving to YouTube. TV is a dying medium. Jimmy Kimmel had a tough year and cried about it. Harvard wants to know who filmed and released a clip of Larry Summers. Merch is still available. Click here to see what we have to offer for a limited time. 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).

Kevin O'Connor and Tom Haberstroh discuss who is on the NBA 'Naughty' and 'Nice' lists. The duo breaks down how the Celtics' rookies have made a splash without Jayson Tatum, how the Detroit Pistons can raise their ceiling and how the Warriors can maximize their opportunity with Steph Curry. Plus, should Anthony Edwards be the new face of the league for the next generation? Is Maxime Raynaud the steal of the draft? Are the Pacers tanking??Next, they discuss why the New York Knicks opting out of raising the NBA Cup banner landed them on the naughty list, Evan Mobley taking a step back this season and why referee and player relations are spiraling. Later, does Giannis truly want out of the Bucks? Is it time for the Lakers to trade Austin Reaves?(0:13) NBA Naughty & Nice List(0:49) Nice: Boston Celtics(4:52) Nice: Detroit Pistons(8:47) Nice: Steph Curry(14:32) Nice: Minnesota Timberwolves(17:51) Nice: Maxime Raynaud(21:05) Nice: Indiana Pacers(22:51) Stocking Stuffers(26:21) Naughty: New York Knicks(30:59) Naughty: Evan Mobley(36:03) Naughty: Referee relations(50:06) Naughty: Giannis(56:24) Naughty: Los Angeles Lakers(1:03:43) Naughty: Nico Harrison

On Monday's edition of WagerTalk Today, Steve Merril previews tonight's NFL Week 16 finale in the San Francisco 49ers vs Indianapolis Colts Monday Night Football matchup and takes a look at NBA Doubleheader Action in the Magic vs Warriors & Pistons vs Trail Blazers games. Bill Krackomberger joins the show to talk the latest in the sports betting industry and give his favorite prop for NBA Monday Action. Hosts, Andy Lang & Dan Alexander react to Sunday's NFL action, provide props and share free picks and Gianni The Greek gives daily betting advice – don't miss out!Intro 00:00Gianni the Greek 2:00CFP Round 1 Takeaways 2:20CFB Bowl Game Plays 4:45NFL Week 16 8:37CBB/NBA Steam 12:00Week 16 Reactions 15:28Books/Public where did they win 20:40Prop/Fantasy Winners/Losers 21:20Betting Trends 23:19Andy's Birthday Special!! 25:17Bill Krackomberger 26:20Line Moves - What do they Mean 27:13Parlays 31:00Free Play - Lamelo Ball Prop 32:20Steve Merril 39:00Potato Bowl Free Play 41:0749ers vs Colts 42:00NBA Double Header: Magic vs Warriors & Pistons vs Trailblazers 47:00Andy All Around the World 55:00MNF Props 56:13WTF or LFG? Follow or Fade this Play? 1:00:30

In this episode, Reese and Bibs dove into what six NBA Finals hopefuls might be missing that could get them over the top. The teams that Reese chose were the Raptors, Pistons, Rockets, Cavaliers, Wolves, and Warriors. Let's get into it. Quick intro (00:00) WNBA News (01:00) NBA News (05:00) Fantasy League Catch-Up (20:00) Team X Factors (25:00) (Times may be slightly off due to ads) Enjoy You can always find Bibs on X/Twitter @Bibscorner, Bluesky @bibscorner.bsky.social, and Instagram @MBibs. You can find Reese on X/Twitter @MofR25 and Instagram @MindofReese.  Also, subscribe to MindofReese and Tag Team Talk on YouTube. Finally, ensure you're following the show on Twitter @WTGBMPodcast, Bluesky @WTGBMPodcast.bsky.social, and Instagram @WTGBMPodcast.  Purchase the Mavs Outsiders merch at the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mavs Outsiders Shop on Etsy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! (updates coming) Subscribe to our Patreon for bonus content!: ⁠Patreon Link⁠ Help the show by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. We appreciate every listen and, of course, every review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Blazers took a home-and-home against the Kings and now take on the Pistons on a night that they honor the 99-00 team. Also, the Golden State Warriors are reportedly interested in Robert Williams III - could a deal happen? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Reese and Bibs dove into what six NBA Finals hopefuls might be missing that could get them over the top. The teams that Reese chose were the Raptors, Pistons, Rockets, Cavaliers, Wolves, and Warriors. Let's get into it. Quick intro (00:00) WNBA News (01:00) NBA News (05:00) Fantasy League Catch-Up (20:00) Team X Factors (25:00) (Times may be slightly off due to ads) Enjoy You can always find Bibs on X/Twitter @Bibscorner, Bluesky @bibscorner.bsky.social, and Instagram @MBibs. You can find Reese on X/Twitter @MofR25 and Instagram @MindofReese.  Also, subscribe to MindofReese and Tag Team Talk on YouTube. Finally, ensure you're following the show on Twitter @WTGBMPodcast, Bluesky @WTGBMPodcast.bsky.social, and Instagram @WTGBMPodcast.  Purchase the Mavs Outsiders merch at the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mavs Outsiders Shop on Etsy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! (updates coming) Subscribe to our Patreon for bonus content!: ⁠Patreon Link⁠ Help the show by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. We appreciate every listen and, of course, every review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we take a look back at Detroit Pistons legend & Turner Broadcaster, Isiah Thomas and 5Xs Lakers champion Michael Cooper's 2021 discussion.  The two NBA stars discuss: Isiah Thomas time at Indiana University, playing for Bobby Knight.  Isiah Thomas childhood inspirations growing up on south side of Chicago Isiah Thomas on his early years in the NBA & the birth of the Bad Boy Pistons 1988 & 89 Finals matchup of the Pistons and Lakers in the NBA finals  The Dream Team exclusion Isiah's beef with Michael Jordan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Hornets started off a two-game road trip in Detroit, Buzz City was flying high off of two-straight wins, only to have their wings clipped in the Moto City by a final score of 112-86. Rob Longo and Will Palaszczuk break down what went wrong for Charlotte and pick their silver-lining performances from the game. The two also highlight the recent accomplishments of the Greensboro Swarm.

Il titol(in)o dei Knicks, la punta al cazzo alle contender, questioni statistiche generazionali e la crisi dei Cavs

Can the Pistons win the Eastern Conference? Could there be a bet brewing between Valenti and a New York radio host over the Pistons and Knicks?

The best Celtics conversations of the week from The Greg Hill Show, Jones & Keefe, and WEEI Afternoons. Are we getting more insight into when Jayson Tatum might return? What went wrong in Boston's loss to the Pistons? Plus, looking back at the most memorable Celtics moments of the last 25 years.

The best Celtics conversations of the week from The Greg Hill Show, Jones & Keefe, and WEEI Afternoons. Are we getting more insight into when Jayson Tatum might return? What went wrong in Boston's loss to the Pistons? Plus, looking back at the most memorable Celtics moments of the last 25 years.

The best Celtics conversations of the week from The Greg Hill Show, Jones & Keefe, and WEEI Afternoons. Are we getting more insight into when Jayson Tatum might return? What went wrong in Boston's loss to the Pistons? Plus, looking back at the most memorable Celtics moments of the last 25 years.

Subscribe to PalaceOfPistons.com. On this episode of the Palace of Pistons Podcast, hosts Aaron Johnson and Jasper Apollonia break down Detroit's controversial loss to the Dallas Mavericks and the moments that swung the game. The guys debate whether the Pistons' rotation needs to change — regardless of Duncan Robinson's injury status — and look ahead to a favorable schedule that gives Detroit a real opportunity to build momentum as the 2025 calendar year comes to a close. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Verno and Jacoby return to break down the wild Thursday-night slate in the NBA that saw multiple one-score games and overtime finishes. After, the guys dive into their loves and loathes from the past week in the league. (00:00) Welcome to The Mismatch! (01:48) Nikola Jokic breaks record in win vs. Magic (05:09) Pelicans storm back in OT win vs. Rockets (09:18) Mavs survive Pistons in OT (14:29) The Suns escape with win against the Warriors (18:18) Lamelo Ball, Hornets spoil Trae Young's return with win vs. Hawks (21:07) Luka's triple-double lifts Lakers past Jazz (25:14) Blazers outlast Kings in OT (30:31) Knicks steal a win vs. Pacers(33:02) Verno and Jacoby's no. 1 loves of the week (36:16) Verno and Jacoby's no. 1 loathes of the week (43:26) No. 2 loves of the week (51:13) No. 2 loathes of the week (55:42) No. 3 loves of the week (59:33) No. 3 loathes of the week The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Leave us a message on our Mismatch Voicemail line! (323) 389-5091 Hosts: Chris Vernon and David Jacoby Producers: Jessie Lopez and Brian Waters Social: Keith Fujimoto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

WhoRyan Brown, Director of Golf & Ski at The Mountaintop at Grand Geneva, WisconsinRecorded onJune 17, 2025About the Mountaintop at Grand GenevaClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Marcus HotelsLocated in: Lake Geneva, WisconsinYear founded: 1968Pass affiliations: NoneClosest neighboring U.S. ski areas: Alpine Valley (:23), Wilmot Mountain (:29), Crystal Ridge (:48), Alpine Hills Adventure Park (1:04)Base elevation: 847 feetSummit elevation: 962 feetVertical drop: 115 feetSkiable acres: 30Average annual snowfall: 34 inchesTrail count: 21 (41% beginner, 41% intermediate, 18% advanced)Lift count: 6 (3 doubles, 1 ropetow, 2 carpets)Why I interviewed himOf America's various mega-regions, the Midwest is the quietest about its history. It lacks the quaint-town Colonialism and Revolutionary pride of the self-satisfied East, the cowboy wildness and adobe earthiness of the West, the defiant resentment of the Lost Glory South. Our seventh-grade Michigan History class stapled together the state's timeline mostly as a series of French explorers passing through on their way to somewhere more interesting. They were followed by a wave of industrial loggers who mowed the primeval forests into pancakes. Then the factories showed up. And so the state's legacy was framed not as one of political or cultural or military primacy, but of brand, the place that stamped out Chevys and Fords by the tens of millions.To understand the Midwest, then, we must look for what's permanent. The land itself won't do. It's mostly soil, mostly flat. Great for farming, bad for vistas. Dirt doesn't speak to the soul like rock, like mountains. What humans built doesn't tell us a much better story. Everything in the Midwest feels too new to conceal ghosts. The largest cities rose late, were destroyed in turn by fires and freeways, eventually recharged with arenas and glass-walled buildings that fail to echo or honor the past. Nothing lasts: the Detroit Pistons built the Palace of Auburn Hills in 1988 and developers demolished it 32 years later; the Detroit Lions (and, for a time, the Pistons) played at the Pontiac Silverdome, a titanic, 82,600-spectator stadium that opened in 1976 and came down in 2013 (37 years old). History seemed to bypass the region, corralling the major wars to the east and shooing the natural disasters to the west and south. Even shipwrecks lose their doubloons-and-antique-cannons romance in the Midwest: the Great Lakes most famous downed vessel, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, sank into Lake Superior in 1975. Her cargo was 26,535 tons of taconite ore pellets. A sad story, but not exactly the sinking of the Titanic.Our Midwest ancestors did leave us one legacy that no one has yet demolished: names. Place names are perhaps the best cultural relics of the various peoples who occupied this land since the glaciers retreated 12,000-ish years ago. Thousands of Midwest cities, towns, and counties carry Native American names. “Michigan” is derived from the Algonquin “Mishigamaw,” meaning “big lake”; “Minnesota” from the Sioux word meaning “cloudy water.” The legacies of French explorers and missionaries live on in “Detroit” (French for “strait”), “Marquette” (17th century French missionary Jacques Marquette), and “Eau Claire” (“clear water”).But one global immigration funnel dominated what became the modern Midwest: 50 percent of Wisconsin's population descends from German, Nordic, or Scandinavian countries, who arrived in waves from the Colonial era through the early 1900s. The surnames are everywhere: Schmitz and Meyer and Webber and Schultz and Olson and Hanson. But these Old-Worlders came a bit late to name the cities and towns. So they named what they built instead. And they built a lot of ski areas. Ten of Wisconsin's 34 ski areas carry names evocative of Europe's cold regions, Scandinavia and the Alps:I wonder what it must have been like, in 18-something-or-other, to leave a place where the Alps stood high on the horizon, where your family had lived in the same stone house for centuries, and sail for God knows how many weeks or months across an ocean, and slow roll overland by oxen cart or whatever they moved about in back then, and at the end of this great journey find yourself in… Wisconsin? They would have likely been unprepared for the landscape aesthetic. Tourism is a modern invention. “The elite of ancient Egypt spent their fortunes building pyramids and having their corpses mummified, but none of them thought of going shopping in Babylon or taking a skiing holiday in Phoenicia [partly in present-day Lebanon, which is home to as many as seven ski areas],” Yuval Noah Harari writes in Sapiens his 2015 “brief history of humankind.” Imagine old Friedrich, who had never left Bavaria, reconstituting his world in the hillocks and flats of the Midwest.Nothing against Wisconsin, but fast-forward 200 years, when the robots can give us a side-by-side of the upper Midwest and the European Alps, and it's pretty clear why one is a global tourist destination and the other is known mostly as a place that makes a lot of cheese. And well you can imagine why Friedrich might want to summon a little bit of the old country to the texture of his life in the form of a ski area name. That these two worlds - the glorious Alps and humble Wisconsin skiing - overlap, even in a handful of place names, suggests a yearning for a life abandoned, a natural act of pining by a species that was not built to move their life across timezones.This is not a perfect analysis. Most – perhaps none – of these ski areas was founded by actual immigrants, but by their descendants. The Germanic languages spoken by these immigrant waves did not survive assimilation. But these little cultural tokens did. The aura of ancestral place endured when even language fell away. These little ski areas honor that.And by injecting grandiosity into the everyday, they do something else. In coloring some of the world's most compact ski centers with the aura of some of its most iconic, their founders left us a message: these ski areas, humble as they are, matter. They fuse us to the past and they fuse us to the majesty of the up-high, prove to us that skiing is worth doing anywhere that it can be done, ensure that the ability to move like that and to feel the things that movement makes you feel are not exclusive realms fenced into the clouds, somewhere beyond means and imagination.Which brings us to Grand Geneva, a ski area name that evokes the great Swiss gateway city to the Alps. Too bad reality rarely matches up with the easiest narrative. The resort draws its name from the nearby town of Lake Geneva, which a 19th-century surveyor named not after the Swiss city, but after Geneva, New York, a city (that is apparently named after Geneva, Switzerland), on the shores of Seneca Lake, the largest of the state's 11 finger lakes. Regardless, the lofty name was the fifth choice for a ski area originally called “Indian Knob.” That lasted three years, until the ski area shuttered and re-opened as the venerable Playboy Ski Area in 1968. More regrettable names followed – Americana Resort from 1982 to '93, Hotdog Mountain from 1992 to '94 – before going with the most obvious and least-questionable name, though its official moniker, “The Mountaintop at Grand Geneva” is one of the more awkward names in American skiing.None of which explains the principal question of this sector: why I interviewed Mr. Brown. Well, I skied a bunch of Milwaukee bumps on my drive up to Bohemia from Chicago last year, this was one of them, and I thought it was a cute little place. I also wondered how, with its small-even-for-Wisconsin vertical drop and antique lift collection, the place had endured in a state littered with abandoned ski areas. Consider it another entry into my ongoing investigation into why the ski areas that you would not always expect to make it are often the ones that do.What we talked aboutFighting the backyard effect – “our customer base – they don't really know” that the ski areas are making snow; a Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison bullseye; competing against the Vail-owned mountain to the south and the high-speed-laced ski area to the north; a golf resort with a ski area tacked on; “you don't need a big hill to have a great park”; brutal Midwest winters and the escape of skiing; I attempt to talk about golf again and we're probably done with that for a while; Boyne Resorts as a “top golf destination”; why Grand Geneva moved its terrain park; whether the backside park could re-open; “we've got some major snowmaking in the works”; potential lift upgrades; no bars on the lifts; the ever-tradeoff between terrain parks and beginner terrain; the ski area's history as a Playboy Club and how the ski hill survived into the modern era; how the resort moves skiers to the hill with hundreds of rooms and none of them on the trails; thoughts on Indy Pass; and Lake Geneva lake life.What I got wrongWe recorded this conversation prior to Sunburst's joining Indy Pass, so I didn't mention the resort when discussing Wisconsin ski areas on the product.Podcast NotesOn the worst season in the history of the MidwestI just covered this in the article that accompanied the podcast on Treetops, Michigan, but I'll summarize it this way: the 2023-24 ski season almost broke the Midwest. Fortunately, last winter was better, and this year is off to a banging start.On steep terrain beneath lift AI just thought this was a really unexpected and cool angle for such a little hill. On the Playboy ClubFrom SKI magazine, December 1969:It is always interesting when giants merge. Last winter Playboy magazine (5.5 million readers) and the Playboy Club (19 swinging nightclubs from Hawaii to New York to Jamaica, with 100,000 card-carrying members) in effect joined the sport of skiing, which is also a large, but less formal, structure of 3.5 million lift-ticket-carrying members. The resulting conglomerate was the Lake Geneva Playboy Club-Hotel, Playboy's ski resort on the rolling plains of Wisconsin.The Playboy Club people must have borrowed the idea of their costumed Bunny Waitress from the snow bunny of skiing fame, and since Playboy and skiing both manifestly devote themselves to the pleasures of the body, some sort of merger was inevitable. Out of this union, obviously, issued the Ultimate Ski Bunny – one able to ski as well as sport the scanty Bunny costume to lustrous perfection.That's a bit different from how the resort positions its ski facilities today:Enjoy southern Wisconsin's gem - our skiing and snow resort in the countryside of Lake Geneva, with the best ski hills in Wisconsin. The Mountain Top at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa boasts 20 downhill ski runs and terrain designed for all ages, groups and abilities, making us one of the best ski resorts in Wisconsin. Just an hour from Milwaukee and Chicago, our ski resort in Lake Geneva is close enough to home for convenience, but far enough for you and your family to have an adventure. Our ultimate skier's getaway offers snowmaking abilities that allow our ski resort to stay open even when there is no snow falling.The Mountain Top offers ski and snow accommodations, such as trolley transportation available from guest rooms at Grand Geneva and Timber Ridge Lodge, three chairlifts, two carpet lifts, a six-acre terrain park, excellent group rates, food and drinks at Leinenkugel's Mountain Top Lodge and even night skiing. We have more than just skiing! Enjoy Lake Geneva sledding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing too. Truly something for everyone at The Mountain Top ski resort in Lake Geneva. No ski equipment? No problem with the Learn to Ride rentals. Come experience The Mountain Top at Grand Geneva and enjoy the best skiing around Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.On lost Wisconsin and Midwest ski areasThe Midwest Lost Ski Areas Project counts 129 lost ski areas in Wisconsin. I've yet to order these Big Dumb Chart-style, but there are lots of cool links in here that can easily devour your day.The Storm explores the world of North American lift-served skiing year-round. Join us. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe

Justin, Rob, and J. Kyle Mann are back for Part 2, where they rank the best young cores in the NBA 15-1. And then at the end, they pick out the 15 best blue-chip prospects in the league going forward. (00:00) Intro (4:06) Pelicans(13:08) Jazz(18:34) Sixers(24:36) Cavs(29:51) Wizards (40:13) Raptors(45:47) Hornets(54:24) Timberwolves(57:46) Mavs(1:03:14) Hawks(1:07:57) Magic(1:17:02) Rockets(1:22:49) Pistons(1:29:52) Thunder(1:35:58) Spurs Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and J. Kyle MannAudio Producer: Isaiah Blakely Video Producer: Victoria Valencia Additional Production Support: John Richter Production Supervision: Ben Cruz Social: Isaiah Blakely and Keith Fujimoto The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit⁠ ⁠⁠www.rg-help.com⁠ to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Shopping. Streaming. Celebrating. It's on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The guys listen to some audio from WFAN's Evan Roberts about the Pistons and respond to it.

Mike and Rico opened the show reacting to some comments made by WFAN's Evan Roberts about how the Knicks would easily beat the Pistons in a playoff series. They shared why they hold the opposite sentiments and heard from the people on the conversation as well. Then, the guys gave their official CFP predictions.

Valenti and Rico started the show with their thoughts on what WFAN's Evan Roberts had to say about his confidence in the Knicks in a potential playoff series with the Pistons. They spent some time discussing why they all disagree with Roberts before they shifted to break down some recent comments from Kelvin Sheppard about his satisfaction with how his defense has played recently. The guys had an unconventional third hour, which included a Christmas movie draft and then ended the show with their disappointment with Michigan football's strict policy when it comes to asking its players about Sherrone Moore.

Mike and Rico continue addressing WFAN's Evan Roberts' take about the Knicks being much better than the Pistons.

Valenti and Rico go to the people to hear their thoughts on the Pistons' chances against the Knicks in a playoff series.