Banter From The Bench

Episode 35 - Micah Parsons wants a new home, Football is right around the corner, and more!

NationalWeek One of the NFL preseason gave us our first look at rookies and depth players, with a few breakout performances and some early injury scares. Micah Parsons made headlines by requesting a trade from the Cowboys, sparking speculation on which contender might make a move. Shohei Ohtani’s name surfaced again off the field, this time tied to a Hawaii real estate lawsuit. We each shared our top three Heisman picks for the upcoming college football season and reacted to the first AP Poll, noting a few surprises in the rankings. In MMA news, the UFC announced a $7.7B deal with Paramount that will eliminate PPV events starting in 2026. ChicagoThe Bears’ preseason opener against the Dolphins offered glimpses of offensive rhythm and some promising defensive moments, while Sunday night’s matchup with the Bills will be a key test for roster hopefuls. The White Sox’s second half has been a mixed bag, with a few bright spots but continued struggles overall. And as the season plays out, questions linger over whether the Andrew Vaughn trade was a win or a miss for the Sox.

Episode 34 - NBA & NHL Draft recap, a busy off-season in the NBA so far, and more!

National - We recap a good deal of the moves made so far in the off-season in the NBA so far. Which teams have made the most movement? Which teams have done close to nothing? The NBA draft had some pretty surprising picks...who caught our eye?! And finally, Sean recaps the NHL draft and some of the major headlines that weekend! Chicago - How did the Blackhawks do this year in their draft weekend? The Bulls made some interesting picks this year, in what seems to be a play for trusting the development of both guys selected this year! Do we love it, do we hate it? Tune in to find out!

Episode 33 - NBA Finals is almost set, baseball is in full swing, and more!

National: The NBA Conference Finals are heating up—Pacers hold a 3-1 lead over the Knicks, while OKC is also up 3-1 on the Timberwolves with the series heading back to Oklahoma. NCAA Baseball Regional play kicks off this week, and we’ll run through every regional to make our picks. Plus, the Women’s College World Series begins—get ready for our championship predictions. Chicago: The Blackhawks made a major move, hiring Jeff Blashill as their next head coach, while the Bulls land the 12th pick in the NBA Draft—who might they target? On the South Side, Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, Chase Meidroth, and Miguel Vargas are all showing major promise with big numbers at the plate. In a bold but necessary move, the White Sox have optioned struggling first baseman Andrew Vaughn to Triple-A.

Episode 32 - Playoffs are under way in the NBA & NHL, We give our NFL Draft recap, and more!

National The NHL Draft Lottery shook things up with the Islanders landing the top pick and Utah jumping ten spots to fourth, along with revealing their wild new name—the Utah Mammoth Sluts. A new lottery format debuted, drawing mixed reactions. In the NHL playoffs, Toronto, Carolina, and Edmonton hold early series leads. The NBA playoffs are also underway, with Indiana and New York among the teams off to strong starts. Chicago The Bears’ draft haul was solid, headlined by TE Colston Loveland and WR Luther Burden III. The Blackhawks landed the No. 3 pick, keeping hopes high for a key addition. The White Sox are trending upward, with strong showings from Edgar Quero, Miguel Vargas, and Rule 5 surprise Shane Smith. On the farm, Tim Elko and Braden Montgomery are raking while Colson Montgomery works on swing adjustments in Arizona.

Live reactions from Round 2 of the NFL Draft

We live stream our reactions to each pick in round 2 of the draft, and also giving our thoughts on how our Bears did in the first round, taking Colston Loveland with the 10th overall pick!